No Foolish Consistency Here

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" said Emerson, and it is pretty clear that our Peerless Leader is not a man of little mind. Obama's speech to the United Nations included some thoughts on Syria and Libya. One snippet:

On this basis, we see some major powers assert themselves in ways that contravene international law. We see an erosion of the democratic principles and human rights that are fundamental to this institution’s mission; information is strictly controlled, the space for civil society restricted. We’re told that such retrenchment is required to beat back disorder; that it’s the only way to stamp out terrorism, or prevent foreign meddling. In accordance with this logic, we should support tyrants like Bashar al-Assad, who drops barrel bombs to massacre innocent children, because the alternative is surely worse.

Support Assad, oppose him, say what? Why is it our business? Let's flash back to 2002, when Obama boldly supported Lincoln's side in the Civil War and Roosevelt's efforts (post Pearl Harbor!) in WWII. Here is Obama on Saddam:

Now let me be clear: I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power.... The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors...and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.

Ah, that famous dustbin of history, where Saddam and his sons might have joined, well, the Castro brothers, or the Kim Il-sung monsters of North Korea. Was Saddam as evil a dictator as Assad? Is Assad more of an imminent threat to the US?

At another juncture, Obama spoke about Libya:

Where order has completely broken down, we must act, but we will be stronger when we act together.

In such efforts, the United States will always do our part. We will do so mindful of the lessons of the past — not just the lessons of Iraq, but also the example of Libya, where we joined an international coalition under a U.N. mandate to prevent a slaughter. Even as we helped the Libyan people bring an end to the reign of a tyrant, our coalition could have and should have done more to fill a vacuum left behind. We’re grateful to the United Nations for its efforts to forge a unity government. We will help any legitimate Libyan government as it works to bring the country together. But we also have to recognize that we must work more effectively in the future, as an international community, to build capacity for states that are in distress, before they collapse.

So getting rid of an evil dictator with no credible plan to replace him was not so great an idea in Libya. Nor was it a great idea in Iraq, but it would be just the thing to do in Syria. An arguable difference was that Saddam was not actively quashing a rebellion at the moment in time we invaded - that was earlier, after which we imposed no-fly zones over parts of the country, something Obama refuses to do in the course of opposing Assad.

Still, if our friends on the left are only willing to support military action under their 'responsibility to protect' concept, they might want to assess the impact of providing the rebels we back with nothing more than pretty speeches support, creative hashtags and ineffectual handwringing. Encouraging rebels to fight when they lack the means to win is not doing them a favor.

Comments

[Lazybusy]

First again.

[Lazybusy]

First again.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I'll say it again;
If Trump came out and said we should permanently leave and defund the UN and kick its sorry ass out of our country, he'd gain many more votes and would be pretty hard to stop.

[Threadkiller]

I'm hoping he promises to release the missing pages from the 9/11 Report.

[Threadkiller]

I'm hoping he promises to release the missing pages from the 9/11 Report.

[He thinks he's fooling himself.]

He thinks he's fooling them.

[buccaneer]

Yet he doesn't support general hafter, who is a warlord we can do business with.

Five days of f chuck, who thought this would be a good idea?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

J Christian Adams optimistically thinks; Boehner's deposition means the grass roots revolution has begun.
We'll see.

[Miss Marple 2]

daddy!

They are pretty sure there are secret chambers behind King Tutankhamen's tomb!

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/147582.aspx

[Extraneus]

How cool. I think I'll ask my wife to build some secret chambers behind mine.

[James D.]

Ig @ 5:12

I wouldn't be shocked if he did say something along those lines before too long.

[James D.]

Ext, didn't they generally entomb the builders of the tombs, so they couldn't reveal the secrets to anyone?

I don't know much about Mrs. Ext but I can't imagine she'd be on board with that plan!

[GMax]

Can we get the UN to say something negative about Trump? That seems to be the key to getting him excited about tearing something down...

[Extraneus]

She might be ok with it. She's very devoted. Kinda like OL's bride.

Think I'll hold off on asking, though, based on your comment.

[matt]

The Russians have a very crude phrase for what Putin did to Obama today.

[Jack is Back!]

Hate to go OT: But this is a such a fine piece of writing I have to share. Passed on by my old Naval Academy pre-Staubach QB friend. Its an essay in SI, by Gary Smith, about the 1957 TCU Horned Frogs as they go into the Cotton Bowl to battle Jim Brown and the Syracuse Orangemen.

Its actually a commentary on the photo voted the greates sports photo of the 20th century. Don't know about that but I will accept that the writing is superb and the profiles remarkable. If you love sports, you will appreciate this story.

We just don't have moments like this anymore, it seems.

http://www.si.com/longform/cotton-bowl/#map10

[narciso]

well close enough:

http://therightscoop.com/iranian-president-trashes-republican-nominees-on-cnn/

[narciso]

well it's not like the fox butterfield piece, from the weekend,

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/09/28/generation-isis-the-western-millennials-stocking-the-terror-army/

[buccaneer]

paul weiss, was the firm that did the Wells Report no,

http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/260269/obama-frees-20th-911-hijacker-matthew-vadum#.Vgk_cXYM51A.twitter

[Extraneus]

Bill Maher: Ahmad "Invented" a Clock Like Someone "Pouring Cheerios Into Bowl Invented Cereal"

[buccaneer]

a more serious consideration,

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/28/putin-s-new-axis-of-resistance-russia-iran-iraq-syria-and-hezbollah.html?via=mobile&source=twitter

[lyle]

Can't believe I agree with that translucent little runt, Maher.

[DebinNC]

From Hot Air: “ISIL has lost a huge chunk of territory in northern Syria and significantly is now cut off from all but 68 miles of a nearly 600-mile border between Syria and Turkey,” said Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

So why is BOzo refusing to allow the creation of safe zones within Syria for Syrians now fleeing ISIS for Europe?

[Jack is Back!]

buc,

did you notice the disclaimer at the bottom of the article on Shalabi?

Why can't PA jus kill that f**king guy and we can be rid of it all.?

[buccaneer]

yet he made this possible,

http://therightscoop.com/obama-non-muslims-must-stop-eqauting-islam-with-terrorism/

[Frau Aschenputtel]

For daddy from a pair of Danish cartoonists -

[lyle]

So which one are you, Precious?

[Jack is Back!]

Great photo of Obama and Putin toasting champagne flutes at the UN lunch today. Go to Daily Mail and tell me who has fear in his eyes and who has laughing triumph.

We are doomed under this figment of his imagination charlatan.

[Extraneus]

He's not much on Western civilization, but he's a great defender of Islam. Gotta give him that.

His dad would be proud.

[Beasts of England]

There have been a couple of nice articles today regarding Spieth's 2015 campaign. One writer suggested that it was closer to a career than a year. Five wins, two majors, number in the world, and twenty-two million in earnings.

[Frau Aschenputtel]

Ext !!! there should have been a Ronnie "Skipper" Reagan warning @ your 6:42.

[buccaneer]

I guess I missed that, but it's not really germane to the story, the al shehris are an interesting clan, well I've already used the crowders, so I need another metaphor, Assata, is the one in Cuba, no?

[lyle]

If I had a son, he'd be Jordan Spieth. To borrow a phrase...

[Jack is Back!]

He is at least a sympathizer of Islam and its tenets than anyone before him. I would not be surprised that he reads the Qu'ran more than he reads the bible. He making the hajj some day is on my bucket list especially when he walks down Avenue 29 to be met by the stampeding crowd on Avenue 13.

[rse]

Ryan endorses Tom Price. Hmm. couple of years ago I went to a luncheon where he was speaking. Express elevator to top floor of bilf where the club was. Get on alone and then he walked in as door was closing.

I do like that he has ahad a career apart from politics

[rse]

Ryan endorses Tom Price. Hmm. couple of years ago I went to a luncheon where he was speaking. Express elevator to top floor of bilf where the club was. Get on alone and then he walked in as door was closing.

I do like that he has ahad a career apart from politics

[peter]

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned the Jonathan Papelbon video (LUN )

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

How bout if muslims stop equating islam with terrorism?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

That TCU story was superb JiB.
Rare writing and kind of quaint that just sixteen years ago the author was apologizing for writing s---, when today we're lucky to get through a Romper Room without some brat telling teach to eff off.

[Jack is Back!]

peter,

Papelborn was a day late.

Can you believe our weather? Stil in shorts and stil swimming. Fantastic.

[Jack is Back!]

rse,

Isn't Price a doctor?

[buccaneer]

heh, this is interesting in light of rich's speculation yesterday,

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/28/saudi-royal-calls-regime-change-letters-leadership-king-salman

[anonamom]

Price was my classmate.

[anonamom]

Price graduated with me from UM Med School.
Orthopedic surgeon. Not sure how he came to practice in Georgia.

[buccaneer]

interesting trendlines,

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/28/catalonia-election-what-does-victory-for-pro-independence-parties-mean

[DrJ]

UM Docs go everywhere. I had one in Phoenix, and one here. Another friend is in South Carolina, and you are not too far away from her either.

[buccaneer]

welcome to the party, Dave, drop the pig:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11897649/David-Cameron-adds-British-jihadists-plotting-attacks-for-Isil-to-worldwide-banned-list.html

[buccaneer]

well how about that,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3252686/State-Department-says-classified-material-Hillary-s-home-brew-server-sensitive-safe-gave-lawyer-store-emails-wasn-t-secure-enough.html

[buccaneer]

at least two of those names, are tied through here,

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4748/isis-moderates

[Beasts of England]

I've been harping on your 7:56 for a while, narciso. I can't wait to see how she tries to lie her way out of that one.

[Jack is Back!]

sorry, buc

But there is no such thing as a moderate muslim. Well maybe Ataturk was back in the day but that is so yesterday to today's Imans.

[buccaneer]

well that explains his security detail:

http://www.steynonline.com/7200/last-laughs-in-europe

[Rick Ballard]

Narciso,

You asked about oil imports from MENA a couple of days ago. EIA has a new import tracking tool and the following lonnng excerpt provides the reason why we have no true domestic security interest sufficient to provide Christian guards for Mahometans caught in internecine struggles.

Light crude oil imports into the United States fell 70.5% between 2010 and the year-to-date 2014 through August, from 2.2 million bbl/d to 652,000 bl/d.

During this period, crude oil imports from Africa declined 92.7%. Nearly all U.S. crude imports from Africa are light and sweet (defined as having sulfur level 0.5% or lower), particularly from the countries
of Nigeria and Algeria. Industry reports suggest that volumes from Africa that were formerly shipped to U.S. refiners are
now being diverted mostly to Asia and Europe.

OPEC members’ share of total U.S. light crude imports from OPEC countries dropped 30 percentage points, from 63% in 2008 to 33% in the year-to-date 2014 through August. Light crude imports from
Saudi Arabia have varied from a high of 261,000 bbl/d in 2008 to a low of 101,000 bbl/d in 2009, and to 153,000 bbl/d in 2013. This variation may reflect Saudi Arabia’s traditional role as swing producer whose production has responded to disruptions affecting other producers, such as Libya, during this period.

I liked Rich's outline on Putin's move. I'd toss in disruption of Turkey via support of the Kurds. It appears Putin will be using Peshmerga to clean out Raqqa. It could be a lot worse than just Grozny Rules.

[Rick Ballard]

Narciso,

You asked about oil imports from MENA a couple of days ago. EIA has a new import tracking tool and the following lonnng excerpt provides the reason why we have no true domestic security interest sufficient to provide Christian guards for Mahometans caught in internecine struggles.

Light crude oil imports into the United States fell 70.5% between 2010 and the year-to-date 2014 through August, from 2.2 million bbl/d to 652,000 bl/d.

During this period, crude oil imports from Africa declined 92.7%. Nearly all U.S. crude imports from Africa are light and sweet (defined as having sulfur level 0.5% or lower), particularly from the countries
of Nigeria and Algeria. Industry reports suggest that volumes from Africa that were formerly shipped to U.S. refiners are
now being diverted mostly to Asia and Europe.

OPEC members’ share of total U.S. light crude imports from OPEC countries dropped 30 percentage points, from 63% in 2008 to 33% in the year-to-date 2014 through August. Light crude imports from
Saudi Arabia have varied from a high of 261,000 bbl/d in 2008 to a low of 101,000 bbl/d in 2009, and to 153,000 bbl/d in 2013. This variation may reflect Saudi Arabia’s traditional role as swing producer whose production has responded to disruptions affecting other producers, such as Libya, during this period.

I liked Rich's outline on Putin's move. I'd toss in disruption of Turkey via support of the Kurds. It appears Putin will be using Peshmerga to clean out Raqqa. It could be a lot worse than just Grozny Rules.

[Jack is Back!]

Buc's 8:06 will point out clearly what I have been observing in Europe for years - cowardice and fear. How is it going to get better, now that they have 100's of thousands of more contagonists? It won't.

Doom in seven languages: Noodlot, Sort malheureux, Schicksal,Μοίρα,Sorte avversa,Desgraça,Condenación

All are ®©™

Thank you very much.

[buccaneer]

I thought it was Der Untergang, all along,

[buccaneer]

where do you get that notion, volodya uses regional proxies, like the kadyrovs, to 'clean up' what are called 'zachistas', like the Vostok's in the Donbass,

[Dave (in MA)]

The moderate Muslims are the ones whose heads aren't attached to their bodies.

[buccaneer]

well they may be moderates, but they don't serve as any counterforce, take Afghanistan, the Taliban were certainly not a majority by any means, however
they took power readily,

now is the GOPe talking about any of this, in any but the most general terms, rhetorical,

[buccaneer]

Rush has gotten a little paranoid about the news from Mars, he thinks the Dems might use it as part of their skydragon spotting sessions,

[henry]

Narciso, popular science already has an article up that the rules prohibit any of the rovers from going near the water on Mars... microbes might infect local life. Not that they worry about immigrants bringing microbes here.

[Jack is Back!]

At city of 65K are enjoying a game in a full house 95 K stadium. Sort or like a Trump speech.

[Rick Ballard]

"where do you get that notion"

Putin's UN speech:

“We think it is an enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face to face,” he said.

“We should finally acknowledge that no one but President Assad's armed forces and Kurdish militia are truly fighting Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria,”

Why wouldn't Putin use Peshmerga? Why should he use Donbass Repo Team resources (which cost money) to do a job the Peshmerga will actually pay him to allow? If the Peshmerga have air support and Russian arms they will be much more than happy to kill ISIS headchoppers until there are none left to kill. They will also be rather cheerful about killing Turks as well - Erdogan now has a rather larger problem.

[buccaneer]

well that's ridiculous, are they going to model the microbes, now,

[Beasts of England]

Planetary protection is a big deal. No return capacity on the rovers, so the exchange our way is minimal.

[buccaneer]

this classic b movie, that was on elvira's shlocky show, illustrates what should be the concern:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082000/

[buccaneer]

I think it's a different one I was referring to,

[Beasts of England]

The Mars 2020 mission is very ambitious. There should be some great science returned.

https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/july/nasa-announces-mars-2020-rover-payload-to-explore-the-red-planet-as-never-before

[buccaneer]

more category error from millard,

http://hotair.com/archives/2015/09/28/the-good-and-the-bad-of-donald-trumps-personal-income-tax-policy/

[Carol Herman]

Gee, the migrant problem goes unnoticed. It's not a fear of Assad that propels all those feet. From appearances, it's the flight of middle class "yoots" to Europe. Where better welfare is provided.

Who knows what Germany will look like in ten years? While Israel is protecting herself by building a wall along Jordan's "frontier."

Obama hasn't built a legacy. Perhaps, ahead, there will be a catalog of missed opportunities?

[buccaneer]

interesting, it's about time, I wonder though is this boomlet, crosspromotion with the Martian film,

[Beasts of England]

I'm almost curious about that movie. Maybe on Netflix.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Has Ron Reagan Jr. always been the biggest dicknose on the planet and I was just blissfully unaware of it? I just saw him on a Maher clip where he ran laps around the host as far as being irritating while defending little Clockmed the "inventor". And laughing at his own very unfunny jokes.

[buccaneer]

see it's phrases like this, can drive one to drink:

http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/09/obama-putin-spar-on-syria-before-united-nations-general-assembly/

[henry]

Beasts, the Mars 2020 was listed as needing to stay away from wet areas of Mars (contamination issues from incomplete sterilization plus thermal heat from the power plant). We're gonna have to wait a while to find life.

[DrJ]

CH, that would be a "yes" on RR jr.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Thank you, DrJ; I was hoping it wasn't just me.

[buccaneer]

the book by Weir is great, the Horde praised it early on, the presence of Matt Daamon, threatens to scuttle the film, unlike in Interstellar, another film with Jessica Chastain, where he gets eliminated two thirds in,

[Jack is Back!]

RRjr. hasn't died of AIDS yet? Didn't know that.

[buccaneer]

a little planning often helps in these things,

http://dailyrushbo.com/hey-there-delilah-worst-protest-ever/

[Jack is Back!]

buc,

Loved the Martian series of the book. Read it on line for months. Didn't think anyone in Hollywierd could figure out how to make it into a movie without babes, marital conflict, unsuborniation, nasty capitalists and error prone white guys but they did.

[buccaneer]

it's a Ridley Scott and he hasn't done a successful space effort in quite a while, Prometheus was a hot mess,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Tammy Bruce is slattering Rodham's inability to coherently respond to a softball lob from F Chuck. Teh Tam makes the point that she sounds like somebody who has never been challenged to answer anything.

[Jack is Back!]

The Pack!

In my opinion they have always been America's team.

As all the stupid Chief's penalties are proving.

[buccaneer]

I really think the witchdoctor's revenge explains this campaign, it's an unorthodox theory,

http://therightscoop.com/mark-levin-donald-trumps-tax-plan-could-have-been-proposed-by-reagan/

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Aaron Rodgers single handedly turned me from a Packers hater to a semi fan.

[Jack is Back!]

Off to bed. Sleep toasty. Tomorrow. Rise early but rise!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Haven't we known for a long time there's all sorts of exotic life on Mars?;

[buccaneer]

if disney hadn't taken the helm of John Carter, it might have turned out more like that, and considerably underbudget, it's not as bad as the original press, but it's not really based on Burroughs either,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Tammy is pointing out everything OrangeDrank got wrong in his incoherent lashing out at his critics. She says McCarthy, in distancing himself from Johnny, acts like he was dropped in by Martians.

[Beasts of England]

Three other missions on the books before 2020, henry, including two exo missions that will do some remote sensing in the astrobiology area.

[buccaneer]

that's why he went on Face the Nation, because they wouldn't challenge that premise,

[DebinNC]

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA), via their voting records, both earn a 63% conservative rating from Heritage Action's Scorecard. Dr. Tom Price (R-GA) has an 80% rating, and the average Republican House member rates a 68%. McCarthy was Boehner's protege and heir apparent. No way to distance himself now.

[buccaneer]

I guess this the 'crush the enemies' pose,

https://theconservativetreehouse.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/trump-warrior.jpg

[buccaneer]

Scalise, showed he couldn't find a clue, by hiring staffers who admitted to things, he wasn't actually a part of,

[buccaneer]

a rhetorical question:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/09/video-putin-lectures-obama-on-arab-spring-do-you-realize-what-you-have-done/

OT, that was a bizarre sendoff to CSI,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Levin and Tammy are both impressed with Trump's tax plan. Neither think it's perfect but both think it's a good plan.

[buccaneer]

probably, truth be told Hezbollah has been almost as effective as the Kurds, in Islamist strongholds in Eastern Lebanon,

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/09/28/trump-let-isis-fight-assad-and-take-over-the-remnants-and-let-russia-fight-isis/

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I thought the CSI sendoff was terrible and I'm sorry I watched it. I wrote a semi nasty post on it (quite mild by my anonymous standards) at the POI Zuckerberg page which must have offended one of the mods because it went into the memory hole with no explanation. No big whoop but I guess criticizing the network on other shows is frowned on.

I salute Elisabeth Shue and George Eads for choosing to not take part in that very substandard fare.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Would it be wrong of me to hope that Chris Collingsworth would have a head on collision with John Gruden and just as they crawl from the wreckage Phill Simms T-bones the pile up and they all die in the subsequent explosion?