News Roundup - 1 June 2014

The picture?  I am thinking of a a new terrier (not necessarily a Norwich) to replace Ashby, the 16 year old who came to the end of the road recently.  He got to a "place" where he couldn't walk.  We think we will go to a breeder seeking a 4 to 6 year old bitch that they don't want any longer.  Shelter dog?  It would depend on the animal.  It is on my mind.  PL

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"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned against any international rush to recognize a Palestinian government due to be announced under a unity pact between the Fatah and Hamas Islamist groups.

Israel and the West classify Hamas as a terrorist organization and have no official dealings with the movement, which advocates the destruction of the Jewish state."  VOA

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Israel and its US ally have consistently refused to recognize Hamas as the elected government of Gaza.  Hamas has offered Israel a hudna, a religiously sanctioned truce for ten years, but that has not been good enough for Israel to relinquish enough of its iron control of US policy to make that possible.  IMO Natanyahu does not want a just peace with the Palestinians.  What he wants is a peace without honor, a peace that permanently reduces the Palestinian people to a sub-human category and to the function of a helot class useful to a settler state economy.  Natanyahu has now begun to threaten the annexation of the West Bank as punishment for the world and the Palestinians if we do not all bend the knee to him.  pl 

http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-netanyahu-urges-world-not-to-recognize-palestinian-unity-government/1926966.html

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""He may be elected to be president of Syria, but he won’t control Syria," General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said in a recent interview with Reuters and the Pentagon's news service." Globalpost 

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I have seldom disagreed with Martin Dempsey.  I admire the job he has done for us all.  Perhaps the first General of the Army appointment since WW II should be made.  Nevertheless, I think he has gotten this wrong.  Assad will remain president of Syria and he will win his war and re-consolidate the power of the Syrian state in multi-confessional hands.  It is a long standing tradition in the historiography of the Islamic World to rely on the analysis of Ibn Khaldun to comprehend the currents of history in these places.  He wrote in the Muqaddima that ruling dynasties and regimes have a life cycle. They wax and wane.  More importantly for this discussion, he divides the domain of states as consisting of two parts, one is the bilad al-makhzan, (retained land), the area of a state that is firmly in government control and the bilad al-siba', (the land of insolence). According to Ibn Khaldun, these areas wax and wane in the same way that the life of the state comes and goes over time.  This process does not invalidate the state.  All those participant in the life of such political entities understand the limits of power and regulate their lives accordingly.  My life experience in such places as North Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, etc. support Ibn Khaldun's belief.   IMO the retention of local power in some rural parts of Syria will not mean that the SAG "will not control Syria."  pl

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/140601/us-insists-assad-must-go-expects-he-will-stay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Khaldun

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"Let’s find someone who is. As they might say in Hollywood, “Get me a Jim Webb.”

Mr. Webb is between jobs now, having decided to serve only one term as a U.S. senator from Virginia. A decorated Marine, he’s on tour for his 10th book, “I Heard My Country Calling.”

Jim Webb learned how to run something as secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan. He isn’t afraid to speak up to a president. When President Bush asked after Mr. Webb’s son, a Marine lance corporal fighting in Iraq, Mr. Webb said, “That’s between my boy and myself.”"  

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Yes.  Webb would make an admirable head of the VA.  He actually does have comprehensive knowledge gained in the Congress as well as the management experience and skills he learned as Secretary of the Navy to grasp the reins in the mess that is the bureaucratic world of "not my job" civil servants and kick their asses until they bleed.  

On Candy Crowley's "State of the Union" show today Webb made it very clear that he will be happy to advise the new head of the VA,  but has no interest in the job.  When asked if wants to be president, he said that "he functions best when he has his own voice."  IMO this is a clear indication that he is waiting to see if HRC will run.  If she does not, he will run, and I certainly will support him if he does.  pl

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2014/06/01/Set-Jim-Webb-loose-on-the-VA-By-Margaret-Carlson/stories/201406010033#ixzz33P6hfkIs

 

 

Comments

[nick b]

Col.,

I'm sorry to hear of the passing of Ashby. I hope Lola remains in good health. Good luck with the search for another dog. Just my two cents: if you like and enjoy the Norwich Terrier breed, stick with them.

[turcopolier]

nick b

They are hard to find and we do not want a puppy. pl

[nick b]

Well, I hope you find one just the same. I would contact a breeder or two. They occasionally know of special situations or rescue dogs. Good luck.

[Ramojus]

Col. Lang,

Off subject, but I'm wondering about your thoughts regarding the Snowden revelation that he was an intelligence agent for the NSA.

I watched the Frontline special on PBS but I did not watch the NBC interview. I found John Kerry's response somewhat petulant.

Frankly, I don't know what to make of Snowden. I'm hoping that your intelligence experience can shed some light.

[turcopolier]

ramojus

Snowden bears all the marks of a low level technician with lots of access. His self justifying fantasies are unimportant. There are many such people. They are necessary to make the communications work. In my efforts as a clandestine intelligence manager I directed my people to find such people. This does not detract from the purity of Snowden's political motives. I largely agree with his effort against domestic surveillance. pl

[Jackie]

Sir,
Definitely not a puppy. I got Drover, an Australian Shepherd at 6 weeks on Halloween. He's been a bit of a terrorist and a one dog destruction crew. Thank god the baby teeth are gone! He has a thing for reading glasses.

[Tyler]

Seconding this. We have a two year old Italian mastiff who still gets a destructive urge from time to time.

[zanzibar]

Thanks Pat. Coming from someone with deep first hand experience of intelligence and national security matters your comment about Snowden's political motives is refreshing to hear.

I have admired Snowden's courage and his personal sacrifice, particularly in an environment where most government officials march lockstep with the current groupthink and don't rock the boat even if it means the Constitution is being trashed, so that they can move up and ahead in the hierarchy.

The double standard in government is nauseating. No prosecution of Clapper for perjury but pompous Kerry asking Snowden to "man-up". There is not even the pretense of rule-of-law any more.

[The Twisted Genius]

pl,

My condolences on the loss of Ashby.

"We think we will go to a breeder seeking a 4 to 6 year old bitch that they don't want any longer."

That is an ingenious idea and, IMO, every bit a soul satisfying endeavor as adopting a shelter animal. Almost all our rabbits have been rescued or shelter animals starting with four acquired when the DODDS school closed in Augsburg. They flew with us years later when we returned to the States. My younger son recently traveled from Richmond to Harrisonburg to get his current rabbit.

[nick b]

Tyler,

I take my dog to physical therapy and often there is a lady with two Italian Mastiffs there. They are absolutely gorgeous dogs. They look at my Staffie bull terrier like he's lunch.

[fanto]

Zanzibar - your quote "..The double standard in government is nauseating. No prosecution of Clapper for perjury but pompous Kerry asking Snowden to "man-up". There is not even the pretense of rule-of-law any more" - is all one can say, Thanks for putting it this way

[Tyler]

Definitely a noble looking breed, at least until you spend a day with them farting, snoring, and doing the sprawl when they sleep.

I joke though. Ours doesn't understand the concept of "personal space", but she's an absolute sweetheart with our toddler. On a whim I left and changed clothes before entering the house to see how she would respond if I went after the baby and our couch probably saved me from getting mauled.

Intelligent, good with the chickens, and she will herd our cattle if she's got the whim. Just not a "social" breed as far as other people. I feel safe knowing she's at the house when I'm not and God help anyone who shows up that shouldn't.

[walrus]

Col. Lang,

A freind of mine did exactly what you did and "rescued" a bitch after her Fourth litter. She's a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and a fine little dog.

[Haralambos]

Dear Col Lang,
I send my condolences on the death of a "man's best friend." I had a Samoyed and loved her. I do not know if the breed would thrive in VA. She was the gentlest of souls and very protective of my daughter. If I raised my voice to scold her, the dog would come between us and force her body into mine to move me away. Before the leash laws in our village, she would beg to go out every morning to accompany the children to the local elementary school and repeat the regimen in the afternoon. In winter the village flooded a football field for skating, and she would beg to go out and follow the Zamboni back and forth. The whole village seemed to know her and love her as much as my daughter and I did.

Two other thoughts on my part: Ibn Khaldun--thank you for citing him. I think he is very under-read in the west. I know of him from researching the history of sociology when I was tasked with teaching English to Sociology majors in Coimbra, Portugal shortly after the fall of the dictatorship there. Under Salazar the teaching of sociology was illegal, and, in the euphoria of the newly-found freedom, the Universidade de Coimbra started a program.

My second thought regards this piece: http://johnhelmer.net/?p=10879#more-10879 noting the USN problems with deploying in the Black Sea. I am certain that this is not news to many who are taking an interest, but the MSM seem to be oblivious to this logistical challenge. I imagine you and/or those more knowledgeable than I have some thoughts on this. I would welcome an assessment from any of you. Thanks.

[alba etie]

Col Lang
Condolences on Ashby's passage . We have an Australian Sheperd mix that is over sixteen years old and she too is getting where she can't walk . This is coming only six months after our fourteen year old cori cocker mix has passed. We have one more dog a cattle dog mix - and she as well is getting older .We are looking at getting a pit bull - are perhaps another cattle dog .
OT but I really believe HRC is not going to run for President . How about a Jim Webb /Elizabeth Warren ticket ?

[robt willmann]

1. I suggest a smooth fox terrier. They have all the skills of a Jack Russell terrier without some of the difficulties. We had one and she was very good: a loving dog that also would bark and was fearless. One night she was making a lot of noise, and there she was, barking and standing her ground against a big rattlesnake that was coiled and buzzing like crazy. I ran back inside the house to get a shotgun, but before I could get out again I heard her yelp, and the snake had hit her a glancing blow and had left the scene. The next morning she had the fat jaw, but got over it without a problem.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/smooth_fox_terrier/index.cfm

http://www.aftc.org/

Sometimes you can get a young adult dog from a reputable breeder that was returned by a buyer for some reason. They are perfectly fine, and the price is always less in that situation. I have found that a dog rescue group for a particular breed is a source for detailed information about that breed. They also have better informant networks than the CIA and FBI combined. A lady with a Doberman Pinscher rescue group in central Texas knows of dogs that are about to be rescued in other states! But getting a dog from a rescue group is harder than trying to adopt a human being, so that route can be difficult.

A dog pound in a large city is tough. The animal services department for the City of San Antonio gets a large number of dogs each week, too many to adopt out. Even so, what happens is that the rescue groups, with their informants at the pound, snap up the good ones, or, the local Humane Society does, by trolling through early each day. Last year I saw that a terrier with potential was there, but a family beat me to the cage by about a minute. Walking through the kennel, I saw a beautiful purebred German Shepherd. She had just been brought in and was not on the public system yet. A staff worker put her on a leash, I took her out, adopted her on the spot, and crossed my fingers during the waiting period in case the owner showed up. No one did. She is perfect on a leash, has obviously had training, does not soil a crate, and is cool with other dogs. I cannot imagine why someone dumped her, but I am glad he or she did.

2. Jim Webb should run in the Democratic primary for president even if Hillary Clinton does. He did sound as if he was considering it in the Sunday CNN interview.

[optimax]

Col.

My condolences on the passing of Ashby. An older trained dog is a good idea. A shelter will let you do a meet with your other dog to make sure they get along. Adopted dogs are appreciative of a good home and become easily attached to their new owner.

[optimax]

Jackie

Granniks Bitter Apple, found at Petco, stops most dogs from chewing. Spray it on some old (pre-chewed) reading glasses and leave for Drover to chew. It worked well on my dog when he was a puppy. I have a corner of my rug missing that fondly reminds me of his puppyhood. Or you could buy some sheep.

[confusedponderer]

Yes, it is quite blatant: Impunity for insiders like Clapper and Kerry and the full force of the law (and to the extent that the US do act extralegally, more than that) for outsiders like Snowden.

What standard applies is being determined by the national security state itself.

[Charles I]

Condolences on Ashby.

Here is some fascinating space news that makes me optimistic about the future, at least today. For some reason this triumph of private nerds bent on pure science in the stardust made me really happy. Its brilliant.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/lost-in-space-decades-old-probe-brought-back-into-action-with-crowdfunding/article18923353/

[Valissa]

The info you shared on the Muqaddima is a topic I am very interested in. Though I think I'm going to start out with the one volume abridged version.

Some breaking news from Nigeria...

Report: 10 generals guilty of arming Boko Haram http://bigstory.ap.org/article/report-10-generals-guilty-arming-boko-haram
Ten generals and five other senior military officers were found guilty in courts-martial of providing arms and information to Boko Haram extremists, a leading Nigerian newspaper reported Tuesday.

The news follows months of allegations from politicians and soldiers who have told The Associated Press that some senior officers were helping the Islamic extremists and that some rank-and-file soldiers even fight alongside the insurgents and then return to army camps. They have said that information provided by army officers has helped insurgents in ambushing military convoys and in attacks on army barracks and outposts in their northeastern stronghold.

[Scott]

Wouldn't Webb have a better chance if Hillary were running? He would be the beneficiary of all the not keen for Hillary vote, considerable. And maybe she would then self-destruct. In any case, I don't see that his running or not should be dependent on her. I would certainly support him.