Open Thread - 16 January, 2016

pl

Comments

[mike]

150 plus civilians reportedly killed and 300 plus wounded in latest Saudi airstrikes in Yemen.

[Hank L]

I got tickets to an Inauguration ball. My 91-year old dad and I had planned to attend the ball and the Inauguration. He is super happy Trump will be President and wanted to attend. He's a decorated war vet and survived the Battle of Okinawa in the 77th Division (same as Desmond Doss but never met/knew Doss). We were planning to have a nice time together during the Inauguration. Out of concern for my dad's safety, given the extreme threats I've been hearing about, we've scrapped our plans and will stay home. I don't want to expose my dad to a bad situation.

We are in a cold civil war and one side appears to think it's acceptable to threaten, attack, and destroy people with whom they disagree. One side is extremely intolerant of the other side's position and are fully bent in destruction. To the best of recollection I did not remember members of Congress openly saying that they had planned to boycott Obama's Inauguration. Or any groups threaten violence. Only one prominent member of Hollywood, Nicole Kidman, has had to guts to come out and say that Trump was elected President and we need to support him. Since then there have been many blogs attacking her looks and media outlets (Women's Day, UK Daily Mail) saying she exhibited bizarre behavior at the Golden Globes and suggesting she might have a drinking problem (because she was lively in the red carpet interviews and requested food from the wait staff at the ceremony. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4122766/Nicole-Kidman-s-bizarre-behaviour-Golden-Globes-revealed.html).

This are very scary times in this cold civil war. And the only action the other side has taken is to show up and influence the democratic process on Election Day. And apparently the other side believes that is unacceptable and the candidate they elected is unacceptable.

[Joe100]

Information on ISIS splitting the main enclave from the airbase in the Deir Az-Zaur enclave is at Southfront, with more detail at the Cassad blog. Apparently not a good situation with the expectation of more serious ISIS assaults..

[Henshaw]

AMN has reported that ISIS has advanced to split the government-held area of Deir Ezzor in two, with the airport in one part and the main part of the city in the other. Very worrying news for the 100,000+ besieged civilians and troops there.

Will the Coalition air forces offer to assist the Russians to drive back ISIS, or are they planning to just sit back and watch as the consequences of their 'bungled' raid on Jebel Thardeh in September 2016 are played out?

[Haralambos]

I can only speculate that this might lead some viewers, as it did me, to recall the Bosch painting: http://tinyurl.com/ze55q5e
Due to current events and the current state of our world, I am led to the third (right) panel. Be well all.

[Sam Peralta]

It looks like ISIS has split the Deir Ezzor Syrian government area in new attacks and now encircle. Clearly the US attack on the SAA position there have had an impact.

And Brennan lectures Trump???

http://imgur.com/a/1VemZ

[Serge]

Wondering how the Deir ez-Zor situation will end after the significant developments of past 48 hrs. ISIS seems to be working to expand the buffer zone between airport and rest of city, things moving quickly. Doesn't bode well for many of the 120K+ still in government areas if things turn sour

[walrus]

I am starting to believe that all the sturm and drang surrounding Trumps inauguration, the demonstrations, the taking of positions by Democratic feminazis etc. is going to vanish like snow on a sunny sidewalk on the Twentieth.

I think the manufactured rage by the left is overdone and that the financial powers behind the Borg will decide they can live with Trump and do business as usual.

As for the Borg operatives, I have this picture of Victoria Nuland in my head, she is surrounded my green steam, and shrieking "I'm melting! I'm melting!" as she dissolves into the pavement.

[Origin]

In November 2016, I posted a piece on Trump's right to freedom of speech. http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2016/11/origin-incensedpresidents-elect-have-a-right-of-freedom-of-speech-and-expression-too.html One of the thoughts in that piece was that Trump exposes a lot about his character in his tweets.

On the media has an interesting podcast about the taxonomy of Trump's Tweets that is informative on the issue. http://www.wnyc.org/story/taxonomy-trump-tweets

[Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg]

I'm not sure what's going to be the fallout of the Russophobic attacks on Trump. I noted that there have been dark, veiled threats from defenders of the status quo about what happens to people who go to the mat with the 'intelligence community'. Even if Trump is successful in purging the apparat, it seems that the unwholesome kakistocrats have a worldwide network of foundations and other front groups to keep them in the lifestyle to which they feel entitled while they plot their return. Kind of like the Safari Club or the ODESSA.
I do foresee a full frontal assault on the internet. The effort to turn it into a toothless shopping mall having largely failed, I think we will see a full throated roar from especially Democrats urging controls on who puts what online. Something like "Personal Internet Responsibility Act" or something. So people can be prosecuted for 'hate speech' or revealing state secrets. They could even get the Isrealis and the Chinese to provide the systems.

[turcopolier]

von Hindenburg

Contrary to legend and Hollywood BS these are not rogue organizations. They operate within US law. there is no CIA "ODESSA."

[John Minnerath]

Walrus,
A friend and I were talking about that very thing the other night.
I was of the opinion that things could get out of hand and wondered if law enforcement could hold it down. He opined that it all was hot air and would amount to nothing.
I hope he and you are correct.

[mike]

Speaking of Hollywood. I watched "High Noon" today. I was ten in 52 when it first played. Great movie, although I never took a shine to Grace Kelly and Gary Cooper. But otherwise it had good casting. And the screenplay was written by the blackballed Hollywood writer that also wrote "Bridge on the River Kwai". At the time I fell in love with the beautiful Katie Jurado. Tex Ritter sang the award winning lead song. It was the film debut of Lee Van Cleef, a non-speaking part, but he had a Colt 45 on each hip set up for cross-draw AKA the Cavalry draw, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalry_draw.

My brother-in-law puts Trump in the role of Cooper, surrounded by enemies with no-one willing to stand up for him. But when my brother-in-law stubs his toe he thinks it is due to Clinton influence.

[Nancy K]

My 91 year old mother thinks Trump is a dictator. We feel he should not be treated any better than you treated Obama. What comes around goes around. You are right, these are scary times, however I am not afraid.

[Nancy K]

I, along with several others my age 70 + are attending marches on the 21st. Walrus, you can call us femnazi if you wish, but you are not an American, I am. My father was a POW in Germany, My brother and uncles served in the U.S. military, my son is in the US Navy. What you think is meaningless to me.

[Fred]

Well looks like another October Inaugural Surprise:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/16/us/omar-mateen-wife-arrested/

So Orlando was a terrorist attack and ...... more to come. Maybe now we'll actually get an investigation.

[turcopolier]

Nancy K

You are protesting his constitutional election? What kind of country do you want to live in? pl

[Brunswick]

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/305749-republicans-employ-double-standard-to-discredit

http://dneiwert.blogspot.ca/2016/11/when-obama-was-elected-outpouring-of.html?m=1

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1213056/Up-million-march-US-Capitol-protest-Obamas-spending-tea-party-demonstration.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

[Dubhaltach]

In reply to Nancy K 16 January 2017 at 06:51 PM

I'll see your POW father and raise you my father-in-law who together with his mother fled the gestapo as a child with literally only the clothes on their backs. His father who got caught by the Gestapo and chucked into a concentration camp for helping the Danish jews escape was unable to join them because the gestapo said as they beat him that as he loved jews so much they might as treat him like one.

I'd love to know how the fact that your father was a POW in Germany, that your brother and uncles served in the U.S. military and that your son is in the US Navy. Somehow means that somebody living outside of the USA isnn't allowed comment on your politics.

Would you care to enlighten me?

No? Fine: Just remember to refrain from commenting on political developments outside of the USA in future.

Or do you believe that you are in some way special? Are you perhaps so very very special that it's perfectly in order for you to comment about others politics but they may not comment about yours.

How exactly are you so superior to us lesser breeds that this situation obtains?

[ex-PFC Chuck]

And Picasso's Guernica.
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/main_guerfrm.html

[Origin]

I know many women down here who are either going to DC or to a sister march in town. My sense from talking to them is that the march is not so much a protest of the election as a demonstration that denigration and degradation of women is unacceptable and that there is a huge mass of women who stand for decency against those who would try to stifle their voices or who would seek to stifle human rights. Their act is in the solid tradition of our country to speak out and stand up against those with whom they disagree. They are determined not to let their voices be silenced and progressive causes be abandoned by the Republicans.

[Babak Makkinejad]

I thought US was "Land of the Brave"...

[TV]

Nancy K:
A 60's leftover.
"I protest, therefore I am."

[Laura]

Hank L -- For heaven's sake, go to the Inauguration and ball. Fear is the biggest destroyer of democracy. No one is boycotting out of fear but out of conviction. If conviction can lead to a boycott, then certainly conviction should lead to attendance. I'm sure you and your dad will have a good time...and I can't imagine any situation worse than the Battle of Okinawa.

Go for it!

[Babak Makkinejad]

All:

From VoA - on Kurds

http://www.voanews.com/a/writings-of-obscure-american-leftist-drive-kurdish-forces-to-syria/3678233.html