Open Thread - 12 April 2014

Open thread  pl

Comments

[William R. Cumming]

Looking more like Jeb and HC may lock up the nominations early! Ron Paul and outlier for Republicans. Events that might cause trouble for one or both parties by fall 2016?
1. Putin takes East Ukraine! Likelihood on 1-10 scale IMO 6!
2. Republicans take Senate and House in 2014 but make fools of themselves! Likelihood--7!
3. World wide economic recession--9!
4. One or both Castro brothers die and Cuba restores democracy--5!
5. Revolutions in MENA of various kinds-9!
6. 2016 Olympics removed from Brazil after World Cup fiasco!--6!
7. War over Taiwan-3!
8. Military confrontation between Japan and China!--4
9. Impeachment of Obama in House in 2015!-3!
10. First conviction of Federal Reserve official for insider trading!--7!
11. Republicans reorganize Congressional Committee structure in 2015!--9!

12. President Obama resigns the Presidency early!-3!

r

[William R. Cumming]

DoD will create an Artic Area Command based in Alaska!

[Walrus]

Putin appears to be running rings around the Obama Administration.

First the nicely worded threat to Ukraine and Europe about gas supplies, then the spontaneous demonstrations and civil disobedience in Eastern Ukraine. In support of Russia.

One has to wonder if Obama has any arrows left in his quiver?

http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/ukraine-sitrep-april-12-1806-est-and.html

[Tyler]

The bees are here and they sound like a helicopter when they chase you.

[b]

A question to the Navy types here.

When Obama threatened to attack Syria the Russians called up a fleet of their ships and positioned them at the Syrian coast. Though little or not at all reported there were at least some 10-15 Russian ships there. It was the biggest fleet Russia had assembled in the last 25 years.

How much had these ships to do with the decision not to attack?

What dangers did these ships and their anti-missile and anti-air capabilities present to the attack and to those ships who would have launched it?

How was this "tripwire" fleet perceived by the Joint Command?

[Trillium]

Colonel: I've enjoyed reading your trilogy, especially the parts relating to Maj Farinelli and LCol Balthazar. As someone of broad military eperience do you recommend any books (in addition to knowing the relevant manuals) to those wanting to learn more about infantry tactics and leadership at the section to company level?

All: An article on Hezbollah you may find of interest.
https://news.yahoo.com/hezbollah-develops-tactics-syrian-civil-war-124503300.html

[samuelburke]

It's almost fun watching our foreign policy develop right before our eyes. Its a Neocon world.

The Victoria Nuland-Embasador Pyatt phone call episode really is a gamechanger. Thats just how they roll!

How can anyone be wrong for so long in Washington and still have a seat at the table?

How does Neocon-ism do it?

[zanzibar]

An academic central banker breaks ranks and claims that the unprecedented and experimental easy money policies of Bernanke, et al are not all peaches & cream.

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/events/2014/04/10%20global%20monetary%20policy%20hutchins/rajan_remarks_at_brookings.pdf

[Charles I]

I'm looking forward to reading your book, but I'd love to read one about your farming experience as well.

[Charles I]

On a subject I now decline to comment on, I thought someone would be all over this, tho it is kinda springy after along winter:

Justice Stevens: The five extra words that can fix the Second Amendment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-five-extra-words-that-can-fix-the-second-amendment/2014/04/11/f8a19578-b8fa-11e3-96ae-f2c36d2b1245_story.html?tid=pm_pop

[samuelburke]

Great quote by Glenn Greenwald at the Polk Awards "I hope that as journalists we realize not only the importance of defending our own rights, but also those of our sources like Edward Snowden."

The ongoing battles of the sates vs the Individual and the road to tyranny.

[turcopolier]

Charles I

SCOTUS has already ruled that the 2nd Amendment denotes an individual right and that in the original intent all male white adults were considered to be members of the militia. There is zero chance that the 2nd Amendment will be amended. pl

[Fred]

"...they sound like a helicopter when they chase you" Run Forrest, Run!

[turcopolier]

trillium

Rommel, Erwin; Kidde, G. E. (2006) [1937]. Infantry Attacks. OCLC 22898178

[Tyler]

Its a lot of pain and "ohmygosh did he really do that?" I'm sure laughs will be had.

[Tyler]

My wife looked out the window and saw me running at a dead sprint with a cloud of bees in hot pursuit. I didn't have a clue how many were chasing me, but apparently it was a lot.

[Tyler]

Interesting. This is exactly the same point I was making on another thread.

[Tyler]

The big statists always want to disarm everyone else before they decide they're going to make the rules via force majeur.

[fasteddiez]

Herr B:
I think that Seymour Hersch's expose, tied in with the Chairman of the JCSs' warnings of impending Siryan doom and quagmire, should Obama commit, was the most important factor. You are right however, with the Russian naval gambit; Putin knew the US government would fold if push came to shove. On the ground, Putin could get to any battlefield fustest with the mostest.

[Fred]

Looks like the anti-Russian backlash is helping spur US employment. Though I'm sure that's not quit in the way the administration or its NYC supporters would like.

http://pagesix.com/2014/04/11/more-nyc-college-girls-trying-to-be-strippers/

[walrus]

I am extremely worried by Bidens forthcoming visit to Kiev on April 22. This is both a direct provocation and a horrific risk of a false flag attack on him or his aircraft.

Biden = Archduke Ferdinand?

[Fred]

I stepped on a nest of ground hornets on summer near Ft. McHenry when I was about 6. Spent a day in Walter Reed. The bees and I reached a delicate peace.

[Fred]

Didn't the British try that in 1775, back when "Boston Strong" meant something completely different than it does now?

[robt willmann]

Action heating up in Ukraine.

The unelected coup government in Ukraine has given demonstrators until 0600 GMT tomorrow, Monday, 14 April, to lay down their weapons in Slaviansk (Slavyansk), or else force will be used against them; this will be 1 a.m. central daylight time--

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/13/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA3A1B520140413

The United Nations has a closed door meeting of the "security" council at 8 p.m. tonight to talk about Ukraine.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47568&Cr=Ukraine&Cr1=#.U0sQEChfVkA

This morning on the ABC television show This Week, Ukraine was discussed, including the rumor that CIA director John Brennan had slipped into Kiev or somewhere in Ukraine to talk to the unelected coup government, which the U.S. is not confirming or denying (one rumor is that Brennan encouraged the sock puppets to use violence against the separatist demonstrators); and Samantha Power also appeared on the program--

http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript-ambassador-samantha-power/story?id=23293462&singlePage=true

[Tyler]

I learned the bees will thock themselves against you several times before deciding to sting. No stings yet, but several thockings by pissed off ladies telling me go away.

Currently everything is beginning to come into bloom around here. The lime tree, the prickly pear cactus, and one of the heritage tomatoes (Mr. Stripy variety) have begun to show fruit. Meanwhile our squash is putting out little crooknecks that are two or three inches in length.