The Summer Olympic Games are coming to London in a month. England has been preparing for it for years. The US National Teams are having their final selection competitions now. As are most of the National Teams of the other countries that will attend.
So?
Boring?
Exciting?
Attending?
Not Attending?
This is likely to be one of the most watch sport events in the world as TV viewers will take in hours of the competition. They have a large number coming to a London area that has been booking rooms at high rates.
So?
Your picks for the best in Swimming? In Diving? Track and Field? Team Sports?
Speaking in Boston....home area of the Kennedy's that ran a politicla dynasty there for 60 years.....till a tea party candidate by the name of Scott Brown came along.
President Obama was booed at the Boston Red Sox game. He cracks a joke about thanking the Red Sox for a player recent traded to his favorite team, the White Sox. Ummmm......when in Boston wear red white and blue, talk with a yankee drawl and don't offend the local baseball fans.
It is not just Red Sox fans than President Obama has offended. He wore a White Sox jacket to the All Star game....questioned a gift of a Brewer jersey.....
So what did our leader say to ire the Red Sox fans?
First he thanks them for the bringing a long time Red Sox Kevin Youkillis to Chicago. But then he goes further by
"I am just saying he had to change colors of his sox." Boos came.... then...."I did not anticipate boo's out here." more boos and some Y..O..U...K the players nick name. Finaly the President gave in.... "Obviously, you got to know your croud."
The President is clearly pulling for the White Sox to win the AL Central.....me thinks that the Tigers only 3 games back will have something to say about that.
By the way....did you read that Michigan....the union state of union states is now toss up state. So is Wisconsin, Virgina, Florida, Ohio, Neveda, Colorado, Iowa.....the list of toss up states is growing. Obama still lead in the electroal college. But each state that becomes a toss up.....well become a Romeny chance in November.
Maybe. But suddenly the region has the chance to 'buy American' as well. Drill Baby Drill came home with shale oil fields of 1.6t barrels. So the US can supply Israel as well.
Putin trip to the middle east was not to contact the energy minister of the region....he is not going to waste his time doing that....but he had meeting Netanyhu and Abbas...said that he would support the two state solution in public.
So he just stole Obama thunder.
So while Russia sending cargo ships with HINDS in them to Syria, Putin wants to appear like a dove in the region....the way I see it. Interesting he did not stop in Egypt and meet with Morsi.
Totally different what I just heard him say to the Turkish parliment in video today.When he said the "F-4 was shot down in international airspace over the med."
Then he went on to say...."that the Turkish military has changed their rules of engagement regarding Syrians on the border"
That got a very big applause from the Parliment.
So he is either lying in the interview or addressing the Turkish Parliment. Knowing the Turks the way I do. He was talking straight at the Parliment.
Suddenly the DNC is 27m short to pay the city of Charlotte, NC for the coming DEM convention. They are downsizing the planned convention activities. Gone is the opening big event at the Charlotte Speedway.
Sure am glad I did not buy the advertising on the DEM NASCAR that going to run the track that night.
But there is a growing list of leading DEM that are also going to pass on the convention.....Sen. Claire McCastill...Gov. Earl Tomblin.... REP. Nick Rahall.....Sen. Manchin all are finding something else to do that week.
I got a email for the President today.....seems he will be the first President that has ever in modern times to be out fund raised by his opponent. Hmmmm....it ended with send money now.
Then I got one from Michelle Obama....this time unless they got a donation, this would be the last diner party that they could have the public. I was so broken hearted, I rushed out and bought a pizza and enjoyed the good news.
On the Fast and Furious front. They had a very big meeting in the White House of all the parties involve.
Issa...Boehner....Obama....Holder....were all there. AG Holder brought 69 additional documents in. Only 80,000 to go. The White House asserted that REP Issa's letter on the executive priviledge is nonsense. It was a very short meeting....about 40 minutes.
Thursday.....the house votes to hold AG Holder in contempt. Presently the odds in Las Vegas are that AG Holder will be held in contempt....are running better than 1 to 1. They are not taking any money on it. So don't even try to place a bet.
It all depends just how far the West is going to push them!Kind Regards
Can you site were both Turkey and Syria agree the F-4 was inside Syrian airspace?
This is not about RU controlling those south Turkey pipeline, but Iran controlling them.
The Urkraine Gas shut of was because the Ukriane Orange Party was in office and it is Ukraine, not Russian. So they had a political spat. Then RU raised the price without negotiations. Kiev refused to pay. Simple point is that Russia uses the oil card and if given the chance will use the oil card on Europe.
Add into my theory. Why does RU resist the anti missile defense of Europe so much? When the anti missile defense is to stop a Iranian threat? Not a RU missile threat.
If Iran had a missile threat on Europe today, then NATO has much more to think about if it sends forces to meet this Iranian invasion of S. Turkey. NATO cannot forces deploy as well to cover both a conventional threat and a nuclear threat.
But why now?
Iran knows that NATO will not use a nuc in a conventional war. Afghanistan has taught them that. So invading Turkey will not bring a nuclear response. But with Iran is coming very close to a developed nuc. Some analysis say that it has enough materials for 4-5 nucs. test are a year away.
So watch. If Iran is in a conflict with a nuclear NATO member, Turkey. Then Iran has a very good reason to complete and test its nuc. That is the main argument that Iran has made regarding having nuc. Nuclear detterence with NATO/US and Israel is needed. No, matter what the Supreme Leader say about the illegality and immorality of nucs.
Iran needs to the war with NATO Turkey to give a pausable reason for its nucs development. It has tried so hard to get either the US or Israel to bomb it. That would be the reason as well. Both have just dodged around the issues and have made other 'military options'. Since that happened. Just make a war.....
With the oil sanctions, time is running out for Iran. It can only delay the Nuc talks so many times before the worlds....says enough. The sanctions get worse. Iran is broken. Now Iran can simply refuse to attend.....it is in a war with a NATO member.
So Iran is pressing the issue for a military confrontation with Turkey....visa vee....its proxie Syria.
For Russia....RU gets high crude price around the world from this. Most of Russia export is crude. But the price of crude has been falling....with the access to the 1.6t in shale oil in the US. And as US demand decreases. As we develop this US supply, the price only drops more. Today gallon price here in the US? Some stations are selling at $2.99 per gallon. Russia cannot do anything to stop US production or demand.
For Russia a low price on a barrel is billions in foreign revenues. Iran stops the Turkish pipeline and shuts down the Straits. Egypt may block the Suez...the world's price per b will sky rocket. Think that Morsi election in Egypt was not calculated into this? They can read the polls as well as anyone.
Not to mention that Russia will export billions to Iran and Syria in the war in a military sales.
Actually I think that they got shifted out of the project time frame. Much better would be to have a realized Iran nuc to reach Europe....then this ethnic cleansing program (can I say gambit here?) in Syria to kick of the conflict. Given that NATO would back down on supporting Turkey. But right now? Even the US is in NATOs support for Turkey. F-4's shot down inside Syrian airspace or not.
Now that we all know the goals and objectives of the Assad/Putin/Amhmenajada Syrian gambit. We can take it apart big time..... just watch and see. It is a very nice geo political gambit....but has Russian cold war written all over it. And now that we all can see it. Gambits are only as good while they are hidden in the smoke and confusion. Comprende?
Time to write the WH, am sure they will like the theory and Syrian gambit as well......my thanks!
So why does Syria want Turkey in the coming Arab League coalition?
Syria and Iran have a mutual defense pact. Meaning if either gets attacked by one country, they both will fight against the attacker.
But in this case Syria is being the agressor. It shot down the F-4 for a geo political reason..it then engaged a search and rescue aircraft..only most clearly understood by Assad. But in just my opinion..... this is a hint....Turkey has a very long border with Iran.
If Turkey does respond the Syrian agression, as Erdogan is now saying Syria is a 'clear and imminent threat'. Southern Turkey stands to be invaded by Iran. Passing thru southern Turkey is a pipeline that brings crude from Balkan oil fields to the MED...then by ship to mostly European ports.
Iran with the oil sanctions taking a bigger bite every day.....would just love to get control of this pipeline.
Also coming north from Iraq is another new pipeline that ties into this southern Turkey pipeline. Again, Iran can control both pipelines with a invasion of southern Turkey....then again to mostly European ports.
But imagine the price of crude in Europe, if this was to happen? Imagine what Europe will being paying to have Russian crude shipped to the continent. If you think $9.00usd per gallon is high today. If this happens....$13 to $15 per gallon easily. Mostly all going to President Putin's Russia. Let me restate that. Mostly all going to President Putin and his 32 billionaire that run Russia.
Syria does not have the man power to invade Turkey. with Assad small 200,000 man Alawite army. But Iran does. Iran like Syria has been largely armed by Russia.
I know the only ones to play the oil card in the middle east is the United States. Do you really think that? Time to ask why Iran has so many time threatened to cut the Strait of Hormuz then. The US cannot do that.
I know this very disturbing to think and ponder. Specially for Europeans that are in the P5+1 group on Iran nuclear issues. Which is another great reason for Iran to try to control the southern turkey pipeline network. Drive the prices of European crude up and break the P5+1 group. Makes a lot of sense here. But hey what do I know? I only been watching the mid east for 20 years. Of course by then Russia will be helping by driving the price of Russian crude up. Like it never did that to the Ukraine or Bellarussia. It was all fiction....as the Urkianes froze thru long winter with home heating oils.
I know....all to disrubting to comprehend....that a friendly Iran, that the EU economic managers walked out of a Amhemanjada meeting on about a one year ago....would ever think to do something like this. Trust me, Iran would think to this and allot more.
Silicon Valley donations for Obama are done by 16m from his 2008 donation at the same time. Seems like Romney is getting foot holds in to Obama donation hotspots.......
It was a Turkish Transport Plane that is used in maritime search and rescue that was fired on after the F-4 went down. Transport plane can be jet, turbo prop or piston...they did not say it was a jet.
Am not stirring this pot. Assad is doing that very well by himself....
A name totally unknown today ran against George Washington in the fist Presidential election of the country. He was likely a Patriot...likely in the Revolution....likely a pretty good man. But can any give us his name today?
Actually to make this post, I did a little home work. In the first Presidential election.....11 ran.
George Washington Edward Telfair (never heard of him) John Rutledge (Pretty sure he was a Revolutionary war officer) John Milton Benjamin Lincoln (pretty sure he was not related to Abe) Samuel Huntington John Jay Robert H. Harison George Clinton (yes Bill Clinton's cigar smoking forefather) James Armstrong (Custer was named after him) John Adams (the only other of the 11 to hold the office of the Presidency)
So from day 1, the Presidency selection was meant to be a open nomination of more than just two. The forefathers saw it as a open process to find the best man available for the office that could gain the largest support in the country. Remember then there was no electral college. It was simply the man with the highest number of votes got the office.
What has made it to a two man selection? Dollars. The cost to run for the President is a $1b tab today. Only so many can make the dollar to make a serious run.
It is very clear if we are to get a large choice of candidates for the office, campaign finance reform needs to occur. I bet none of the original 11 ran a campaign of over a $1000 dollars in cost. Old George was so tight with the purse strings.....I have read.....he would be getting free PBS ad time today.
Jimmy Carter....yes, Jimmy Carter just came out with a scathing attack on the Obama administration for using drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Jimmy says it is a violation of UN Human rights rule.
I say 911 is a violation of a UN human rights rule as well. So?
What does Jimmy want? He does not say. Just don't break the UN rules. What ever you do, don't break those UN Rules. That will get you into T R O U B L E.......
Jimmy never ran into a rule that was not meant to be obeyed to the letter of the rule. Then again Jimmy could not get our hostages out of Iran, even though he had a pile of nuclear weapons behind him. Those rules again. It took Ronald Reagan...um....suggesting....that unless the hostages were set free....some very big bangs in Iran would be seen and heard.
Jimmy is the epitome of political correctness. If some government agency wrote a rule, it was for some good reason. Not that the rule was written....specially a UN rule....to limit a super power ability to act in the world.
But some internal division within the left seems to be happening. Joe Biden is a big supporter of drone operations. Since 2009, they markedly increased in number. We all know that President Obama give the final OK on a drone strike. And the infamous kill list. Yes, I guess that could be a UN rule violation.......
Then again bin Laden had his hit list. You know trains with 100s of civilian passengers, the Brooklyn bridge at rush hour, elementary schools in Michigan.....funny how the UN does not seem to have a rule here......
Condolennza Rice is attending Romney Utah conference of the 700 high ranking REP.
Seems she is being vetted to be his Running mate in 2012.
Think about it!
So far Rice has refused to comment and has in the past refused to run for public office.
But she brings in the woman vote....the black vote.....the SE US vote.....and would tear Biden a new one in the VP debate. Most women would love to see that in public TV.
Rubio or Rice ...Rice or Rubio......such a hard decision to make.
Nancy Pelosi knows the American Constitution about as well President Obama does.......LOL...........
Arizona Governor Brewer and Sherriff Joe are going to clean up Arizona of illegals before the election, Dude. 400,000 of them go thru the state,and they are going to make more stops on Illegals in the next 4 months than can be counted. They are going to shut down the 400,000 slipping into the country to become illegal voters for Obama.......
LOL....just blame the CIA....when you have Russian arms ships coming into the country with HINDs!......It must be the Russia CIA connection at the Kremlin doing all the nasty stuff in Syria.,......<--- my tooth fairy for those that believe Syria is a CIA sceme.
The same night of the F-4 shot down, the Syrians engaged a second Turk aircraft. This time it was one of the search aircraft that had been sent to locate the downed pilots. A Turkish transport aircraft on a search and rescue mission.....was fired on.
These Syrians are very trigger happy. Might be unsafe for Russia to send them HIND helos.....with every one there pulling the trigger so easily. But we all know Assad has full control of his Alawite military. Yuck, Yuck, Yuck......yes that is the Three stooges.....
Two Syrian Generals have now defected. 3 more Syrian pilots without the MIGS are seeking asylum in Jordan.....
So talking of Homs for moment. The Syrian say that there are pockets of SFA rebellions in the city. Mixed into the loyal supporters of Assad. Does it make sense to fire artillery from outside the city at them?
Artillery is very indiscriminate and not always very accurate. Most often it takes zeroing rounds to bring Artillery to a specific target.
So Assad's tactic in Homs.....is to trying to find SFA units....that are moving from house to house....with artillery. Kind of like shooting bottom hiding fish in a deep lake with a bow and arrow. All Assad is doing with the tactic is getting innocent civilians killed and injured.
Cheney for Romney VP? No way Hose. The VP is Rubio's to take or reject. He has a growing support in the REP party for it. His permanent Dream act is better than Obama's 2 year Dream announcement. That will bring the hispanic vote back to the REP.
Did you hear of the NH town of Durnam....that wanted Obama's campaign to pay only $30,000 for the security at a coming campaign event. And the Obama campaign refused to pay it. A unnamed donor chipped in $20,000 to cover the cities expenses.
He is running out the $, Dude. His campaign was 5m in the red last month. He has a massive serise of campaign commercials planned with the liberal media....CBS, NCB, ABC.....if they begin to default on the campaign ad payments to those liberal media outlets.
The liberal media will turn on him like a pack of wolves. No more softball questions. No more pattie cake Q and As NO more free media interviews. No more lead reporters following his every word.
You better tap those European Obama lovers for some funds, Dude. Time to knock on a few doors for a few Euros.....
In a 5 to 3 decision....the Supreme Court upheld the State of Arizona doing immigration status checks on stops of illegal aliens and others.
This is the major piece of the Arizona law. The piece that had been contested in lower courts by DEMs and liberals. A lower court had blocked it. But the Supreme Court reversed that decision.
It did strike certain other sections of the Arizona law. So in a way both sides won and lost.
President Obama quickly said it was a win. If so, the next group of illegals that Sherriff Joe picks up.....will get their immigration status checked and if any don't have the status....they get handed over to ICE.....for deportation from the country.
Egyptian President Morsi....in his first public statement....said he wants to "rethink the peace agreement with Israel and to forge a stronger relationship with Iran."
Just maybe it would have been wise that President Obama should have given Mubark the 10 days he asked for to keep this from happening? Mubark asked President Obama for 10 days to end the rebellion. Obama told him they knew better what was happening in Egypt than he did.
Now Obama's decision has made a another radical Islamic state on the border of Israel. Pretty sure that this is going to effect the Jewish vote here in the US....this year.
As President Obama has lost another middle eastern ally to Sharia Law and Islamic radicalism....some of Egypt celebrates the election of Muslim Brotherhood's Morsi to the Presidency.
President Obama immediately called him to congratulate on his election win....to say the two countries can continue to work on joint peace keeping missions in the future.
The vote was close...Morsi won 51.5% to 48% with only 51% in turn out. Now I ask you....with all the Egyptian attention and rioting for this election....why the small turn out? My thinking?
Out in the remote areas....were international monitors could not go....women were kept from the polls by threats from the local radicals. This turn out should have been 15 points higher. Someone threatened a minority group away from the polls. Maybe it was Coptic Christians....about 10% of the country...but my bet it was Muslim women. Maybe both groups were threatened away from the polls.
Eventually word will get out.....it always does. But Morsi will have the Egyptian Presidency thru the legal hassling and finger pointing.
The question is...can he control the Egyptian military? Good luck. The military disbanded the Parliment and rewrote the constitution weakening the office of the Presidency. Seeing only 3% election, my thinking is they will batten down the hatches...away for the next election to attempt to regain control. With Mubark in a coma.....and so hated in the country....to press for a Military rule now....was a mistake. In 6 years? If they lose that election then? Bingo Bango Bamo.
If a Military coup does not happen in Egypt...I am eating my ball cap.
Well in way Presidency Morsi only has one significant international card to play. The Suez canal. If he keeps it open....the world will embrace his administration. If he closes it.....he stands to be the next Amhmenajada in the middle east.
EU...cut your risks here....start buying US crude. We have no traffic block points between us. Hurry up before the Chinese get it.....
Possibly, who knows really, lets be honest TT, you can bet the Syrian regime are nervous as hell when it come to aircraft over or near their air space! So could have been an over reaction.. Who knows.For sure, I agree, most media this side France24, BBC, Sky News can't even agree with each other as to what might have happened..Again I can only agree TT, I have read several witness sightings on the wires about Latakia, however as you rightly say could have been a Mig..Yep, that is the big question, one says the jet was very low and mostly below radar, other says always on radar, guess only time will tell. Exactly, that would clear up any doubts about this situation, either way. And for once stop the annoying and mostly inaccurate media statements / Claims.
Why would the Sryian be worried about a aircraft? The rebells don't use aircraft. Heck they are lucky enough to have hand guns....much less a high speed mach 2 F-4. Clearly the Syrians knew that this was a non hostile military aircraft. (Is there such a thing?)..))
Syria has kept its airports open during the rebell up rising. You want a commercial air carrier being knocked down by some cowboy Syrian SAM Captain?
Assad has lost control of his forces. This shot down proves it. No one from Damascus is saying that they OK the launch of a SAM. The atrocities are another example of Assad losing control of his forces. He send them on a mission....and it turns into a blood bath of dead women and children.
Assad bringing in the Russians and Iranians is a further decay of his command and control. He let Iranians lead some of his Alawite units. He lets the Russians act independently. Both bring confusion to the command and control of a military.
Here is my take on the shot down.
Syrian radar has seen the Turkish Air Force fly this training mission many times. Believe it or not, there is only so many area for training missions. So they have seen it in the past. Likely many times.
This time.....say it does stray to close to Syrian airspace and came inside.....why does the SAM site have a launch order?...launch orders can be done by a standing order or by a confirmed order......when in the past....likely seen the same thing has happened? This time the Turks have been arming the rebells and the Turks have become very critical of the Assad regime. Assad gave a standing order earlier to launch.
So?
Scratch one Turkish F-4 and crew.
Turkey has 116 stealthy Lockheed F-35 on order. Delivery starts this year. Me thinks that the next time, the Turks fly this mission....the Syrians will not even know it is there.
Turkey says that they found the F-4 wreckage offshore at a depth of 3200. That the shot down occur 1 mile outside of Syrian airspace. The pilots have yet to be found. Turkey says the F-4 was on a training flight. That it had wandered into Syrian airspace. But when Turkish ground controller advised that it had.....it then turned to international air space over the Med.
This makes sense. With the F-4 turned away from mainland Syria....a heat seeking SAM would have a great thermal image to acquire. And the Turkish pilots would not have the launch on their nose radar. All they would get is the lock on warning. Kind of a last moment warning signal.
So we have very conflicting stories here on the F-4.
The Syrians say it was very low and over a Syrian coastal town of Latakia. If that is the case, it would likely be under Turkish radars. And likely out of communications with the Turkish controllers. They give a Latakia eyewitness to this. But this happened at night. On a F-4....with military camo....am saying that is questionable siting. It could easily be a MIG scrambling to make a intercept.
So if the Turks have a F-4 pilot recorded voice to prove the aircraft was high enough to be on their radars and they have recorded radars tracks of the F-4.....I say the F-4 was likely in international airspace.
Turkey is requesting a meeting of NATO. Sounds like a Chapter V meeting. But article was unclear here. Turkey will likely give the evidence of pilot voice and radar tracks at the NATO hearing. I would, if they were avialable.....
The defection was most of a entire Syrian artillery unit. Likely around 400 men.As it was reported in the article. The unit has been engaging a Syrian town....when engaged by the rebells.....switched sides and I quote...."Taking with them many heavy weapons"
Turkey just said 'the conclusion is that the F-4 was shot down in international airspace, 13 nautical miles from the Syria."
The F-4 was a reconn type Phantom.
Also in Syria.....large defections of Syrian troops is occurring. This was one of the heaviest weeks in 10 month rebellion deaths since the it began. Monday 94, Tuesday 62, Wednesday 88, Thursday 168, Friday 116, and Saturday 116 were killed.
The Russian cargo ship with the HINDs returned to port in Murmansk. Murmansk is a major Russian military base. Here a unnamed Russian diplomat said....'the ship will soon attempted a return trip (to Syria) under the Russian flag'.
(para are mine)
Now the Russians are saying the M-25 HINDS on board were originally Syrian HINDs that had been sent to Russia for maintenance and they they HAVE to return them under the contract.
Seems that if the ship sails under Russia flag, the Russian feel it cannot be stopped and searched on the high seas. International maritime laws says that all commercial vessel will stop for a hail of a naval vessel of all countries and will permit a search of the said commercial vessel.
So Russia is using the HIND cargo ship to stir the pot more.
To summarize this last week.
We had a military aircraft shoot down in international airspace or Syrian airspace depending on your version of events. We had a cargo vessel incident We had a mounting death toll in Syria We had a large defections in the Syrian military We had President Putin looking like he had eaten bad oysters in a attempted to ignore President Obama at the Mexican G-20 summit We have 1.5m displaced Syrian (but no ethnic cleansing is occurring) We have the Moscow Iran nuc conference breakdown made page 30 news We have the UN Peace Keeper ending their patrols Also Assad disbanded his government and is forming another. Likely with more Alawite military in it. and finally in Brazil Amhmenajada says Iran has a right to enrich uranium........
That is quiet a week.......I wonder what Assad/Putin/Amhmenajada have in store for the world next week
As the Muslim Brotherhood.....once a considered a Islamic terrorist group by the US....waits for the poll results of the Egyptian Presidential election. Already the Egyptian government is disfunctional.
The Egyptian Military disbanded the pariliment and rewrote the Egyptian constitution to limit the power of the President. Basically making Egypt a country run by military junta. How well this will play with the growing Islamic Egyptian Brotherhood political strength.....is not likely well.
In the election result, the Military candidate is claiming election fraud that the Muslim Brotherhood stuffed 1m illegal votes to gain their lead of 800,000 votes. This is not hard to believe considering the elections in Iran and Syria....were ballot box stuffing seems to a norm.
One has to ask....why Jimmy Carter did not monitor the Egyptian election. Jimmy decided to pass this one up.......
But for the Obama administration that has already said it will recognize the winner of the election.....such ballot box stuffing charges seem to matter little. A election was held...crown the winner.
So Egypt faces a long walk to democracy. More likely more violence will come to this country as the Military and Muslim Brotherhood pull for power.
With Mubark in a coma and near death. The Muslim Brotherhood no longer has him as a focal point of their anger. But with the military contesting their election....and changing the base Constitution of the country.....and disbanding the parliment....the Muslim Brotherhood will soon focus in on the military.
With billions in US Arms sales and grants each year, the Egyptian military is major US client. So? Will the Obama administration continue to support a military that is turning into a military junta? Or support a Islamic terrorist group that won a election likely by a ballot stuffing? What no win choice.
With a experienced President Obama at the helm to make such a decision for us. I feel so much better that the vital Suez canal will remain open as this Egyptian tug of war occurs. Of course with recent alQeada attacks on Israeli coming from Egypt's Sinai, soon we can expect USA drones overflying Egypt........
The GOP is a political organization. Not a religious group of fanatics. It has American as members from all walks of life, all faiths, all cultures, and all minorities.
Only last week Majority Leader Boehner offered to the President work on the student loan issue. A group of REP from the House were ready and willing to engage on joint solution to student loans. The President campaigned.
So nothing was done.
To pass legislation in the country...it takes the House, the Senate and the President. When one or more don't want to work together.....nothing happens.
It is all politics now for the 2012. Both side are anticipating the political moves of the other, then blocking it with with a announcements, or rally, or campaign ads.
Clearly the relationship between Turkey and Syria is on the rocks.
Once Assad and Erogan were close. But the relationship began to fray after the displaced Syrian Sunni began to come into Southern Turkey. Erogan had asked for a route ...a no fire route into Syria and then into Turkey....that would let them come out safely. But Assad never agreed to it.
The Friday's shoot down of the Turkish F-4 only has to worsen the relationship. Now from Istanbul, we heard the following....'decisive action' to be taken. And the Turks also said the aircraft was downed by Syrian air defense. Seems the Turks had radar following the low flying F-4. Turkey did not say if they felt it was in Syrian airspace.....but that it was 'close to Syrian airspace.'
Regarding a NATO involvement here. Pretty sure Turkey can engage in a border nation war with out NATO involvement. The US went into Iraq, without NATO presence. If I remember the terms right, each nation state of NATO can conduct uni-latrol warfare. So if Turkey does need to take decisive action, it need not be with NATO along side.
Turkey now has 35,000 refugees from the Syrian conflict. Only last year, Syrian border forces fired across the border. If one remember how Turkey conducted the Kurdish refugees from Iraq. Well several times it entered into northern Iraq. Here Turkey almost invoked the NATO Chapter V when Syria fired on the Syrian refugee camp. That is were one NATO country can bring the entire NATO into a conflict.
It seems that America had stopped the Ergan government use of Chapter V and promised to protect Turkey from any backlash. If the Turks feel that the F-4 shot down was a blacklash attack by Syria....the US/Turkey relationship could be jeopdary. Erogan might ask Obama to back that promise up....
But (I think) the real pressure will be placed on the Erogan government from Turkish media. Here the pressure to remove Assad is the very strong. Even with a recent atrocity committed by a opposition group on some of Assad militia, the Sunni have strong support in Turkey.
Turkey is allowing Quatar and Suadi to arm the rebells inside the country. So its present side in this is clearly with the Sunni and rebells. It is not hard to vision, Turkey joining a Arab League coalition to take Syria and Assad on.
If that happens. Russia loses the Istanbul passage of its military ships in the Black Sea. Turkey will close the passage to them. This just might be the reason that the HIND carrying Russian freighter was taking the longer route thru the MED to reach Syria.
Ultimately for Assad's Syria, this might be the worse SAM launch of all time. If it brings Turkey into the Arab League coliliation. For Sunni Syria, this might be the best of SAM launches of all time. As Syria has a major army on its northern border to contend with.
bin Laden would be wise to read some US Military history before 911. Had he read of General Scott's SW indian campaigns.....were a small force of only 35,000 using a rotational deployment. Stop for a moment.
How many did the US deploy to Afghanistan? I think that was 37,500. Using a rotation deployment that would allow a prolonged decade stay. Just about the same size and deployment rotation as Scott's.
Continuing on General Scott Indian campaign were after a DECADE of patrolling the Mexico/US border and protecting US towns and settlers from attacks by the Apache and Comanache of Geronimo and Chocise. General Scott fought a campaign of ATTRITION. He also gained the trust of local indian tribes...that provided scouts to his forces. Those shrinking the hostile Indian tribes in size.
Initially numbering over 10,000 by the end of the decade the hostiles were less than 400. Key to this was final years of campaign....were General Scott sent units in raid SOUTH of the Mexican border during the Indians winter time rest. He gave them no rest but harressed them constantly on both sides of the border, winter, spring, summer, and fall. Once the Apache were defeated, General Scott's forces withdrew from the region.
During the first years, the US developed trust with the Northern Alliance and have use other Afghan tribes extensively. Then General Petreuas three years ago order Operation Anaconda...American force went on the offensive for the next two years....staying in constant contact with a diminishing Taliban force, winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Raids across the Pakistani border were ordered.These included the famed bin Laden raid which will be taught at West Point and Annapolis for all of time. So the Taliban and alQeada are making military history here in the US. Operation Anaconda will be standard operations for American CION and Counter CION operation for years into the future.
What are the US drone operation in Pakistan? If not harassment. I hear that they take cover every time a small engine is heard. Sometimes over 10 times a day.
So are the Taliban reducing is size and effectiveness? In a campaign of ATTRITION...they will do exactly that. I offer you the recent resort attack made by only 7 men (20 killed). The year prior (2011) in the Taliban Kabul attack on Intercontinial Hotel....they use 9 (12 were killed). In the 2010 the Presidential Palace attack 7 (5 were killed and 24 injured) In 2009 in a Kabul Afghan Government Building summer attack the Taliban used....8 (27 were killed and 47 wounded) So in the Kabul area the Taliban are using about the same in their attacks. But the Taliban is killing fewer and hence are less effective.
The US military intell has alQeada in Afghan at about 100 men, from first there were 70,000 that had trained in bin Laden camps prior to 911. That is ATTRITION.
That is a campaign of ATTRITION and why the United States will not be buried in Afghanistan. Mainly because it won. I know there is not going to a signed peace treaty. There was no signed peace treaty in Scott's war ether.....just Geronimo and Chocise and 7 other leaders spending most of the rest of their lives on the Seminole indian reservations in South Florida. Hey bin Ladne is dead and Omar is in hiding.
What is slightly humorous is how the Seminole Indian reservations is very near today's GITMO. Only about 150 miles separate them. I always wondered were they got the idea for GITMO.....now I think I know. But choose GITMO near the Seminole reservation....just for Geronimo (bin Laden).
US commanding officers were made to read the three key text to his campaign that I recommended.....by order of the President of the United States of America. I later heard.
Vet Nam, we lost. SW Indian campaigns, we won. People have always assumed from Vet Nam that the US could not win a querilla war (0r assemtrical war).....what a very bad assumption. We are now 2 for 3.
What I think is going to happen.....as the US withdraws from the region in 2014....we going to cut off aid to Pakistan. It is so very clear that Pakistan government hid and abbetted bin Laden and alQeada.
So that improverished country will turn to China.
China....that Godless country.....that has been repressing the Hgullies and religious groups.....forcing them to have only one child and one wife.....taking away their Korans.....that has a 14m Army that is modernizing and needs a foreign country to occupy......and needs all these resource that have discovered in Afghanistan......
So soon Pakistan will either be owned by China or will be Chinese surrogate. No more elections, no more Mosques, no more Madrasses, no more Islamic terrorist. China will substitute all that with Chinese doctrine and education. China a much different view to Islamic terrorism than the US does. If you remember how it came down on the Hgullies after a few their attacks.
But to mine those Afghan resources.....because the thier are not many Afghans.....China will use Pakistani manpower to dig the ores and minerals out. What I see coming is Pakistani digging right next to Chinese political prisoner in the Afghan mines.....
I wish Pakistan well in this new foreign relationship with China.......
ttom500 Forum Posts (10,523)
<--- my tooth fairy for those that believe Syria is a CIA sceme.
Summer Olympics Games are coming to London in a month. Boring? Exciting?
The Summer Olympic Games are coming to London in a month. England has been preparing for it for years. The US National Teams are having their final selection competitions now. As are most of the National Teams of the other countries that will attend.So?
Boring?
Exciting?
Attending?
Not Attending?
This is likely to be one of the most watch sport events in the world as TV viewers will take in hours of the competition. They have a large number coming to a London area that has been booking rooms at high rates.
So?
Your picks for the best in Swimming? In Diving? Track and Field? Team Sports?