Madness, it's madness. In March. You know what that means - ....... by Fred

 

Get your brackets ready!

Remember when the real press carried the real important news in March?  

My where have those days gone. It was all so much fun. "Obama played pickup games throughout his marathon campaign...." The ultimate playa. 

But we can restore the spirt of the old days, because we have - a blog!

Step right up, because these are your favorite weeks of springtime for Obama sports fanatics. It's March Madness and time for the sweet mean sixteen, in Syria. Remember, Damascus Lawrence, Damascus. " 

Sorry, that was so last season. You know how that turned out. But it's a new tourney, with new teams, so select your favorites:

 

Now, a word about the rules of the game.

Time keeping by: Tick, tock O'Clock. 

 

"Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great." 

Lawsuit

Sorry/not sorry about that lawsuit. 

Clean up by.

No, no, not those guys. Real chemical/nerve agents must have been there.

Here they are -

the White Helmets. Who needs chemical protective gear in a war. Gosh, it's not like this event is real news to be breathlessly reported. If it was you'd hear from our one man shop in Coventry. 

Got your favorites picked out? 

Now you might have question about these picks of mine. Such as - hey, Fred, you've got Jabal al Nursa on both sides, how can that be? Yes, how can that be indeed. 

Hey Fred, where's Steiner? Good question. He's not at the front, is he?
Fred, remeber Lt. al Kasaesbeh?   Who..... ... Stop. You mean you've forgotten already?

"Ahmed al Tayeb, the Grand Sheik of al Azhar University has not only condemned ISIL's burning of Lt. al Kasaesbeh, but has stated that "such a form of killing, is abhorrent under Islam, no matter the justification"."

Shame, shame, shame. 

Hey Fred, how come the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement and the Army of Mujahideen didn't make the cut? Who took them out? Oh, Jabat al never mind.

Where's the red line Fred? Which one, dear reader, which one? Better hurry with those picks, it's getting late in the tourney. What kind of surprise can turn this around for team "Free Syria"? Earlier on we saw the new Coach of the West cruise on in with a game changer:

Sorry, but even that wasn't quite enough. Time to juggle the line up. 

So Coach Trump has brought in Bombing Bolton to strengthen the shooting line? He never did win a peace but he sure knows how to leave a nation in pieces. Well, as the saying goes, sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you. I wonder what the opposting coach is going to do? Say "hold my vodka" and surprise the US? That'll get the right wingers laughing.

Send in your best coach, go ahead, we dare ya.

Woah.  What kind of bear is that? That's not on the approved play list. Nope, not a black bear, not a grizly bear, not even a teddy bear. What's that you say, all's fair in love and war?

Well that means just one thing America. We have a ...... Bear Gap! Yes, a Bear Gap. 

I demand we take action to close the Bear Gap! and do it soon. We better look to our best and brightest, in the heart of the defense establishment, bowels of the think tanks  the swamp. I'm sure there's something right there in the 1,200 page omni-bulls*&$ spending bill you can use. Just say you read it in there somewhere - because nobody else read that damn thing before they voted for it either. What do you think they are, responsible leaders? So take the kind of action only you can do.

No, not that. This takes real strateregy. I suggest you try treating the necons like bridesmaids at a wedding; becasue they all know they should be the one to marry the groom. So give them just what they deserve:

 

Yep, that ought to do it. We may still have a Bear Gap, but if there is one thing we have no shortage of in this age of soy-boys and cat ladies in waiting it's cats. So toss them a bob. That'll keep'm busy for awhile.

To quote reality:

"Republican Senator Lindsey Graham asked whether it was too strong to say that with Russia and Iran's help, Assad had "won" the civil war in Syria.

"I do not think that is too strong of a statement," Votel said."  

You read that right folks. 

About those brackets.

Better luck next time.

Fred

Comments

[Chiron]

Whe the madness will end Colonel?

[janes]

lol... americans are sore losers.. as b mentions in the syria post - they will keep dispensing tows to the saudis for those moderate headchoppers in daraa and etc... bolt-on might be able to grow a mustache like a russian, but he can't play chess like a russian!

[Fred]

Chiron,

The Col. did not write this, I did.
Fred

[SRW]

I agree about the March Madness bit. A good example of this is the Omnibus spending bill recently passed to avoid a government shutdown which I will bet dollars to donuts that no congressman has read. While there is probably a bunch of items in it to gripe about, the one item that gets my attention is the raising of the defense budget to something like $700 billion. I think we should have a strong and adequate defense budget but why just bend over and let the military-industrial-congressional complex have it's will. I am reminded of Eisenhower's warning which I am afraid has come true. I was one of the 3.5 million man military in '68 at the height of the Vietnam war when our defense budget was $500 billion in inflation adjusted $. Now in 2017 with just 36% as many serviceman, no USSR and Warsaw Pact to face off against in Europe, no Vietnam conflict with 500,000 participants, we have a defense budget of $700 billion. I guess we knew better how to spend tax dollars on defense back in '68. If anyone with a lot more experience in Washington and the military can explain to me the rational for the difference I would be most interested.

[Sarah B]

On films....

https://youtu.be/xDpiT_RZh9s?t=99

[LeaNder]

We have a ...... Bear Gap! Yes, a Bear Gap.

love it Fred. Admittedly initially I was somewhat confused by your "missiles".

[outthere]

Paul Pillar says:

> The most egregious recent instances of arm twisting arose in George W. Bush’s administration but did not involve Iraq. The twister was Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton, who pressured intelligence officers to endorse his views of other rogue states, especially Syria and Cuba. Bolton wrote his own public statements on the issues and then tried to get intelligence officers to endorse them. According to what later came to light when Bolton was nominated to become ambassador to the United Nations, the biggest altercation involved Bolton’s statements about Cuba’s allegedly pursuing a biological weapons program. When the relevant analyst in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) refused to agree with Bolton’s language, the undersecretary summoned the analyst and scolded him in a red-faced, finger-waving rage. The director of INR at the time, Carl Ford, told the congressional committee considering Bolton’s nomination that he had never before seen such abuse of a subordinate—and this comment came from someone who described himself as a conservative Republican who supported the Bush administration’s policies—an orientation I can verify, having testified alongside him in later appearances on Capitol Hill.
> When Bolton’s angry tirade failed to get the INR analyst to cave, the undersecretary demanded that the analyst be removed. Ford refused. Bolton attempted similar pressure on the national intelligence officer for Latin America, who also inconveniently did not endorse Bolton’s views on Cuba. Bolton came across the river one day to our National Intelligence Council offices and demanded to the council’s acting chairman that my Latin America colleague be removed.

http://lobelog.com/how-john-bolton-handles-diverse-viewpoints-and-expert-analysis/

[SmoothieX12]

Well that means just one thing America. We have a ...... Bear Gap! Yes, a Bear Gap.

I tried to address Russia's bear problem about a year ago. Yes, there is a bear gap.

http://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2017/05/finally.html

[turcopolier]

All

I propose "Bear Gap" for inclusion in the SST lexicon. Classic stuff, Fred. Classic. Yes. We need a better bear. pl

[Richardstevenhack]

I have to laugh at the people trying to portray Bonkers Bolton as somehow less insane than he is.

Yesterday in my Youtube recommended list was at least half a dozen channels with headlines expressing horror at the appointment of Bolton as National Security Adviser. Clearly there has been a backlash in quite a few quarters that this appointment is simply lunatic - of a lunatic.

So naturally today we see people trying to play down the absolute stark insanity of Trump appointing this clown.

The only thing we can hope for is that before Bolton does too much damage that Trump gets tired of him, as he has everyone else in his administration, and fires him. But given Trump's history, all we can expect then is that he appoints Nikki Haley to the same post.

Russia, ever patient, issued a statement saying they're ready to work with Bolton. Privately they must be wondering why they didn't develop Novichok so they could use it on him.

Meanwhile the Democrats are trotting out all the hot women they claim had affairs with Trump. Hello, Democrats! Anyone remember Bill Clinton? At least Trump has a wife good-looking enough to maybe keep him home at night.

[Doug Colwell]

Fred, while I often find myself disagreeing with your comments I must tip my hat to you with this post. "Breathlessly reported"...humour at its best! Thank you!

[The Twisted Genius]

Fred,

I nominate an old song from my childhood as the soundtrack to your bear gap. It's "The Bear Chase" by the Limelighters, a folk trio from the 60's. My parents had the album which I played often on the family stereo record player. My friends and I would sometimes sing it while hiking and camping the hills of Connecticut. We never did see a bear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfd2fWAYDcA

[lally]

Fred.

You left the Israelis out of your gaming. But of course, they are seriously conflicted when it comes to directly confronting The Bear. Their silence on that front speaks volumes.......

[Bill H]

"I have to laugh at the people trying to portray Bonkers Bolton as somehow less insane than he is."

Indeed. In fact, I am pretty sure he is far more unhinged than we he appears to be.

[Fred]

SRW,

"no Vietnam conflict with 500,000 participants"
The army of the Republic of South Vietnam had a lot more than 500,000 men in it. You left out the great democrats of the State of California removing state senator Janet Nguyen from the chamber for having the audacity to speaking against the leftist narrative surrounding Tom Hayden.

"“I have every right to speak on behalf of the 500,000” Vietnamese-Americans living in California, Nguyen yelled before leaving the chamber as another senator said her comments were disrespectful and inappropriate."
Apparently not in California Senator.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-state-sen-janet-nguyen-removed-from-chamber-for-criticizing-late-state-sen-tom-haydens-anti-vietnam-war-protests-leadership/

[turcopolier]

All - Vietnam War

Strength

≈1,420,000 (1968)
South Vietnam: 850,000 (1968)
1,500,000 (1974–75)[21]
United States: 543,000 (April 1969)[22][23]
South Korea: 50,003
Thailand: 11,570[24]
Australia: 7,672
Philippines: 2,061
New Zealand: 552[25]

≈860,000 (1967)
North Vietnam: 690,000 (January 1967, inculded NVA and Viet Cong)[26]
Viet Cong: 200,000 (estimated, 1968)[27][25]
China: 170,000 (1967)[28][29][30]

wiki on VN War

[Imagine]

Support the right to arm bears.

[LeaNder]

Hmm, it's somewhat irritating she addresses the assembly in Vietnamese for quite a while, before she allows the majority present, I guess, to get an idea of what her issue is.

A translation would be interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hiXDIuaUNs

Ok, at least she puts one up:
http://nguyen.cssrc.us/content/adjournment-memory-fallen-vietnamese-and-refugees-seeking-freedom-and-democracy

http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-vietnamese-americans-travel-to-capitol-1488839493-htmlstory.html#nt=card

********
What's your point, Fred. The Democrats were wrong in stopping her, or the Republican's complaint is justified?

Strange story, no doubt.

[Fred]

LeaNder,

"before she allows the majority present, I guess, to get an idea of what her issue is." They all new her point and used the rules to silence their critics. There is nothing strange about it at all. We just had a weekend of conformity marches doing the same this with a new narrative. I'm surprised you didn't see that. Your country has a great deal more experience with that than ours.

[SRW]

Participants was the wrong word. I should have used American serviceman.

[LeaNder]

They all new her point and used the rules to silence their critics.

Look, first I agree it was highly stupid to not let her finish. It boosted her fame. Now even I know her. She is an interesting lady, no doubt. I looked at her website, her resume, her legislation. She is a highly decorate political scientist, even selected for "the Aspen Institute Rodel Fellowship Program" for "promising leadership". But she didn't vote for Donald Trump. If you don't mind, if I were American, I might have done the same. Vote for neither of both.

Did you notice she even managed to have a road, or part thereof, renamed of a female Colonel in the South Vietnamese Army. Is that her mother?

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SCR60

What I am not quite sure about is if she set up some kind of trap and the stupid Democrats stumbled into without the least bit of awareness. Yes, seems she told whoever, what she would say, but was then told to post it on her site. Was it too far out of context? She may, or may not have "raised a question of personal privilege" only after that.

Strictly I am not really interested. But yes, interesting rising political star in the GOP camp in California.

[Fred]

LeaNder,

I wonder what Tom Hayden had to do with the defeat of South Vietnam and the resulting relocation of Senator Nguyen to the USA and how her views might upset the Democrats in California praising Tom Hayden.

"Did you notice..."

I did notice you are in Kiev. I thought you were German. Which LeaNder are you this time?

[Mark Logan]

Richardstevenhack,

Re: Bolton

I had thought it unlikely Trump would allow another prima donna within his sphere, but other information is coming out that indicates Buck (Strangelove reference) Bolton has gone to some lengths to convince Trump of his loyalty.

I kinda doubt Trump views the NSC as a source of information so most likely Buck's primary job is expected to be the rooting out all non-sycophants/leakers. I would guess Buck has a larger agenda. Should be some fireworks in store.

[J]

Fred,

Speaking of madness, our erstwhile Congress Bevis and Butthead personas have done it to U.S. again. This time slipped into the Omnibus Bill that nobody read before they signed on to it (called blind Congress), and forced down the POTUS's throat (Trump really should have vetoed it, or better yet before he signed anything, open up the entire Omnibus Bill line by line, sentence by sentence before the American people to read and digress on BEFORE HE SIGNED ANYTHING!!!).

Instead of the Omnibus Bill, they need to call it the Beavis & Butthead Orwellian Screw-job on America Bill.

Senator Hatch/Senator Graham/Senator Coons/Senator Whitehouse's CLOUD ACT
https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6ba62ebd-52ca-4cf8-9bd0-818a953448f7/ALB18102%20(1).pdf

Which the ACLU calls it both sinister and dangerous
https://medium.com/aclu/the-cloud-act-is-a-sinister-piece-of-legislation-816f7e1fdac4

https://www.aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/internet-privacy/cloud-act-dangerous-piece-legislation

Nowhere on the planet are Americans and others worldwide protected
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/02/cloud-act-dangerous-expansion-police-snooping-cross-border-data

Executive agreements between foreign governments allow unfettered access on a person's data stored in other countries irregardless of that nation's privacy laws or lack thereof.

The five eyes are watching (US/UK/AUS/NZ/CAN, which would probably make Orwell spin in his grave if he could see how more expansive his 1984 has become in the 21st Century.

[Fred]

J,

Where have you been. You can trustMark Zuckerberg. Hilary did. The Russians did. So did most of the app makers out there that down loaded the data he collected up.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/03/facebook-scraped-call-text-message-data-for-years-from-android-phones/