Intelligence

by

Obama getting a pass for actions similar to those that ended Nixon’s presidency

“The painful fact is that Barack Obama is the president that Nixon always wanted to be,” – Jonathan Turley, constitutional law expert

While perusing the daily newspaper this morning, my attention was drawn to the This Day in History column featuring President Richard Nixon’s Aug. 8, 1974 resignation.

pg-32-watergate-1-reuters(ahharsfnews.com)

Forty-one years ago, President Nixon resigned the presidency. (ahharsfnewws.com)

Over the years I have often considered Nixon’s transgressions to be foolish and clumsy to say the least, but it led to his impeachment and key members of his administration went to jail.

Hardly a day goes by, however, that I don’t see the actions of President Obama equally or more egregious than those of Nixon. But when you look back to the 1970s, reporters Woodward and Bernstein had the backing of their powerful newspaper, The Washington Post, to uncover the deeds of Nixon and his men.

You can ask, where the Woodward’s and Bernstein’s are today, but you soon come to your senses and realize that Nixon openly scorned the media and President Obama owns the media. Today, The Washington Post might tweak the Obama administration by giving the president or Hillary Clinton four Pinocchio’s. Continue reading →

by

The Admiral Mullen/Bergdahl saga continues

Regular readers of this blog might recall my April 18, 2015 post, “Another example of Admiral Mike Mullen’s complicity,” in which I wrote about his conversation about the Bergdahl desertion with troops in Afghanistan during his December 2009 trip.

Now, thanks to the able investigative reporting of Fox’s Catherine Herridge, we learn that the admiral had two of Bergdalhl’s squad mates  sign non-disclosure statements about Bergdahl. … read more

by

Another example of Admiral Mullen’s complicity

We learned this week that then Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen, while chatting with a group of soldiers during a December 2009 visit to Afghanistan, was asked about the desertion of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl.  His response indicated that he was fully briefed on the circumstances surrounding Bergdahl’s disappearance.

Mullen ( outservemag.com)

Soldiers serving in Afghanistan recalled Admiral Mullen’s acknowledgement of the Bergdahl desertion circumstances, causing questions about when the president knew. (outservemag.com)

It prompted many to speculate that he surely informed the president of what he had learned. Four years later, President Obama walked out of the White House with his arm around Bergdahl’s mother (below) and proudly talked of the sergeant’s return.

A reading of the transcript, however,  reveals the president carefully avoiding any overt praise for Bergdahl’s service leading one to believe Mullen had briefed him.  Yet, unbelievably,  he still thought it was wise to stage the Rose Garden appearance. Continue reading →

by

Iran still getting the best of us

In my Jan. 20, post on Iran’s exploitation of President Obama’s foreign policy weakness I mentioned hints that U.S. negotiators were backing off their demand for an outright halt to Iran’s nuclear program in favor of a lesser demand that would provide Iran with a window to gradually build up its capability.  Today, it appears we’re a step closer to such an agreement.

Kerry (newsweek.com)

Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week, Secretary of State John Kerry insists Iran will not get the bomb. (newsweek.com)

Secretary of State John Kerry told senators yesterday, “There is no deal yet.  And I caution people to wait and see what these negotiations produce.” All reports indicate, however, that a deal in the works would supposedly slow the Iranian nuclear program.

“The president has made clear – I can’t state this more firmly – the policy is Iran will not get a nuclear weapon,” Kerry tried to assure members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Continue reading →

by

Did you hear the one about no scandals in the Obama White House?

   “I’m proud of the fact that basically you’ve had an administration that’s been in place for six years in which there hasn’t been a major scandal … and I think that says a lot about the ethical strictures of this administration.” – David Axelrod, former advisor to President Obama

Those were the words of Axelrod during a session at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. … read more

by

Duly noted …

                                                                                              We won’t miss you, Ma’am

Boixer (politico.com)

Sen. Barbara Boxer announced she will not seek reelection in 2016. She apparently sees the handwriting on the wall for her party (politico.com)

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced she will not seek reelection in 2016.  It’s appropriate, I think, that the signal memory of her is one that clearly illustrates the arrogance of this egotistical, liberal senator.  It was in June 2009, during testimony by Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh of the Army Corps of Engineers, when he addressed her as “ma’am.”   Senator Boxer immediately interrupted him saying, “Do me a favor, can you say ‘senator’ instead of ‘ma’am?’”  Continuing, she said, “It’s just that I worked hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it.  Thank you.” Click here if you want to see it.

A good soldier, he obliged, but it will be this incident that will linger when Boxer’s name surfaces long after she’s gone. Continue reading →

by

You got us into this mess, Mr. President, with your 2008 grand plan to fundamentally transform the United States of America.

Now, if you are as smart as your people say you are, you’ll drop the “I’ve got a veto pen arrogance” and allow Republicans to help you salvage your last two years.

… read more
by

California liberal calls for apology to terrorists

When Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) told MS/NBC the CIA should “absolutely” issue an apology for its enhanced interrogation techniques, we can only assume she believes we should apologize to the terrorists who were subjected to them.  After all, don’t you usually apologize to the victim?

There would be no reason for the CIA operatives involved in the interrogation and detention program to apologize, because they were following orders provided by legal counsel in the Bush administration, where there was an intense effort to prevent post 9/11 attacks.… read more

by

Feinstein silent on important issues of the day while casting CIA assault as a values and morals issue

CIA Lobby (harvardnsj.corg)

Senator Dianne Feinstein has placed an unfair spotlight on the CIA. (harvardnsj.org.)

As predicted in Is Sen. Feinstein today’s Frank Church?, my Dec. 12 post, the liberal California senator followed through with her vendetta against the CIA and released the 500-page executive summary of the agency’s detention and interrogation program investigation.

Never mind that the CIA actions took place a decade ago, and that the agency’s practices have long been stopped.  I recall just  last year when White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responded to a question, ”Benghazi happened a long time ago.”   I wonder where he would place the CIA interrogations in time.

Sane persons have been asking, “Why release this report now?”  Others, on both sides of the question, have acknowledged it makes no sense to resurface what is essentially a closed case.  Even Secretary of State John Kerry asked Feinstein to reconsider her plan to release the report at this time.

The president, who never passes up a chance to zing President Bush, tried to be coy, appearing to want the report delayed while agreeing it was important to release.  Surely, he could have asked Feinstein to not release the document. Continue reading →