Tuesday July 15th, 2014
"It Is Not A
Question of Who Is Right Or Wrong But What Is Right Or Wrong
That Counts."
--Geoff
Metcalf
Updated 1002 PST
World
& National
Endless wave of illegal immigrants floods Rio Grande valley
Life jackets of all sizes and the occasional punctured raft are strewn
along the banks of the Rio Grande, just south of Mission, Texas, where a
relentless onslaught of illegal immigrants eagerly surrender to
beleaguered Border Patrol agents around the clock.
It’s a cycle for which there is no end in sight.
Leaked Border Crisis Intel Shreds Narrative from Media and Obama
An elite, law-enforcement sensitive El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
intel report from July 7, 2014 was leaked to Breitbart Texas and reveals
that homicide rates in Central America suggest violence is likely not
the primary cause of the surge of thousands of unaccompanied minors and
incomplete family units illegally entering the United States.
The EPIC report indicates that the belief among the illegal immigrants
that they would receive permisos and be allowed to stay was the driving
factor in their choices to come to the United States and that the crisis
will continue until 'misperceptions' about U.S. immigration benefits
were no longer prevalent . The report also states that the migrants
cited Univision and other other outlets as having shaped their views on
U.S. immigration policy. Another implication of the report is that
family members already in the U.S. are encouraging the minors to come
and organizing the travel with smugglers. EPIC is a widely respected
intelligence analysis group and was initially staffed by the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA).
County Officials Perplexed By Unusual Spike in Whooping Cough
Little Rebecca
Hall hasn’t had so much as a fever in her 14 months of life. Her mom
Nakayla says it’s because she’s been diligent with her daughter’s
immunization schedule.
“It’s completely important. she’s gotten all of her vaccinations and she hasn’t been sick once,” she said.
But health
officials are concerned, because Yolo County is seeing a spike in
whooping cough cases stronger than the rise in other California
counties.
NASA: Humans Will Prove 'We Are Not Alone In The Universe' Within 20 Years
NASA predicts
that 100 million worlds in our own Milky Way galaxy may host alien
life, and space program scientists estimate that humans will be able to
find life within two decades.
Speaking at
NASA’s Washington headquarters on Monday, the space agency outlined a
plan to search for alien life using current telescope technology, and
announced the launch of the Transiting Exoplanet Surveying Satellite in
2017. The NASA administrators and scientists estimate that humans will
be able to locate alien life within the next 20 years.
Hamas Rejects Egypt Cease-Fire Plan With Israel
Hamas rejected
an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire with Israel that was to take
effect Tuesday, saying Cairo did not consult the group over the deal.
Israel accepted the truce plan, but warned it would strike Gaza hard if
Hamas didn't abide by it.
Militants from
Gaza fired five rockets at Israel, shortly after the Egyptian-proposed
starting time for a gradual de-escalation on Tuesday morning.
The military
wing of Hamas, which has been responsible for most of the hundreds of
rockets launched at Israel in the past week said the Egyptian plan
"wasn't worth the ink it was written with."
Israel resumes attacks after Hamas rejects cease-fire plan
The Israeli
military ended a unilateral cease-fire with Hamas on Tuesday and
resumed airstrikes in the Gaza Strip after Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu threatened to escalate Israeli operations there in response
to continued rocket attacks from the coastal enclave.
“After six
hours of unilateral attacks by Hamas, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]
has resumed operational activity in the Gaza Strip,” the military said
in a statement.
VA's anti-backlog efforts create new problems with care, claims
Testimony before Congress reveals whistleblowers continually ignored
The VA’s rush
to cut a huge backlog of claims from disabled veterans has forced it to
cut corners elsewhere, and yet the department is still botching about
one out of every 10 claims decisions, top officials and whistleblowers
testified to Congress on Monday, signaling that the problems go far
beyond the hospital wait times that have plagued it.
The very
program the Obama administration started to years ago to cut the
backlog has resulted in bad decisions that have forced many veterans
into a lengthy appeals process, and created backlogs in other claims
such as dependents’ benefits, members of the House Veterans Affairs
Committee concluded.
Kerry Cites Big Gaps in Nuclear Talks With Iran
The fate of a
possible landmark nuclear deal with Iran sank further into limbo
Tuesday, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry noting "very real
gaps" ahead of a July 20 target date for a deal meant to put firm curbs
on Tehran's atomic program.
Kerry, who
joined the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany on the
weekend to add diplomatic muscle to the talks, said the negotiations
would continue until at least Sunday. In the meantime, he said, he
would consult with President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress on
where the talks are if no pact is agreed on by July 20.
"There has been tangible progress on key issues," Kerry told reporters. "However there are very real gaps on other key issues."
Kerry: I Get 'A Little Uptight When I Hear Politicians Say How Exceptional We are'
As John Kerry
travels from country to country on various diplomatic missions as
secretary of state (almost half a million miles so far), he often
addresses the staff and their families at the U.S. embassies in the
countries he visits. Remarks at these informal gatherings are often
more casual than the usual speeches or press appearances, and Kerry
often jokes with the staff and recognizes employees of long standing
with the State Department. Monday, Kerry had one such opportunity in
Vienna, Austria, the last stop on his most recent trip, and towards the
end of his talk he recalled his two Yale commencement speeches,
forty-eight years apart, where he discussed "sort of the world we’re
in" and America's place in it:
...I was privileged to speak to the graduating class of Yale this year,
and it was particularly a pleasure because it happened to turn out to
be, literally, I hate to say it, 48 years to the day that I was
privileged to speak as a graduating senior to my own class. And I
talked to them about sort of the world we’re in right now, but at the
end I tried to remind them all, which I remind you of, we are – I get
always a little uptight when I hear politicians say how exceptional we
are – not because we’re not exceptional, but because it’s kind of
in-your-face and a lot of other people are exceptional, a lot of other
places do exceptional things.
White House: We've 'Substantially Improved the Tranquility of the Global Community'?
White House
press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday the Obama administration’s
foreign policies in a number of areas have enhanced the world’s
“tranquility” – a word that raised eyebrows as reporters pointed to
situations in Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine and the South China Sea.
More than one
reporter during Monday’s press briefing referred to a front-page Wall
Street Journal article highlighting some of those crises, and citing
security strategists as saying “the breadth of global instability now
unfolding hasn’t been seen since the late 1970s.”
Fed's Yellen says U.S. recovery incomplete, defends loose policy
The U.S.
economic recovery remains incomplete, with a still-ailing job market
and stagnant wages justifying loose monetary policy for the foreseeable
future, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told a Senate committee on
Tuesday.
In a strong
defense of the central bank's current stance, Yellen said early signs
of a pickup in inflation aren't enough for the Fed to accelerate its
plans for raising interest rates, a move currently expected in the
middle of next year.
White House fights to keep top Obama advisor from tsteifying befroe Congress
The White House
is attempting this week to fend off a subpoena from Congress intended
to compel a top political advisor for United States President Barack
Obama from testifying on Capitol Hill.
On Monday, the
White House sent a letter to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California), the
chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, asking
the congressman to consider attending a closed-door meeting with
administration officials on Tuesday in lieu of having an Obama aide
answer questions on the Hill.
At issue is
what David Simas, a top political adviser to the president, has to say
about the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach’s
compliance with the Hatch Act — a 1930 legislation that largely
restricts members of the executive branch from engaging in partisan
politics. Simas was appointed to head that office when its creation was
announced by the White House in January 2014, and two months later Issa
asked for "all documents and communications, including e-mails" about
the launch of the government-funded department, according to Politico,
which previously existed as the Office of Political Affairs.
Gun-grabber Bloomberg puts candidates in cross hairs
Billionaire breaks out his checkbook for the gun controllers
Fresh from a
losing legal battle with the Big Gulp, Mike Bloomberg is back on
another quixotic crusade. The billionaire is pledging $50 million to
Democrats willing to take up his scourging of guns. Now that he’s no
longer New York City’s mayor, he is desperate to find a way to stay
relevant.
Mr. Bloomberg
rode in to town last week with his Everytown for Gun Safety posse,
which he has formed as a replacement for his Mayors Against Illegal
Guns. So many mayors ended up arrested for drunken driving, bribery,
assault and even crimes against children that nobody showed up for the
meetings. It was time for a change.
Humorless Holder parades for justeice in the outhouse
Attorney general finds something not to like on the Fourth of July
Some Democrats
just can’t take a joke. They’ve summoned a torrent of outrage over a
float in a Fourth of July parade in Norfolk, Neb., because it featured
an outhouse labeled “Obama Presidential Library.” The “head librarian”
was portrayed by a zombie doll. Everyone else had a good laugh about
it. (Bathroom humor always works.)
But not the
Department of Justice. The department dispatched investigators to the
town of 24,000 to meet with the mayor and the local chapter of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which hosted the parade.
Obama's delusional Mideast peace strategy
Favoring the Palestinians only encourages the rocketing of Israel
President
Obama’s delusional Mideast peace plan can be summed up in one sentence:
Delegitimize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and strengthen
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas while urging the Israeli
government to restrain itself as the state of Israel is once again
under attack by a barrage of Hamas rockets.
Mr. Obama’s
peace plan is not only delusional, but is also a recipe for disaster.
Weakening the Israeli prime minister’s standing and image in the
international community, especially during a crisis in Israel, only
drives the Israelis and the Palestinians further away from peace and
encourages more violence in the region.
Medal of
Honor
The
Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action
against an
enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving
in the
Armed Services of the United States.
GeneTrerally presented
to its recipient by the President of the
United States of America in the name of Congress.
The
first award of the Medal of Honor was made March 25, 1863 to
Private
JACOB PARROTT.The last award of the Medal of Honor was made
September 15, 2011
to Sergeant DAKOTA MEYER.
Since
then there have been: •
3458 recipients of the Medal of Honor.
•
Today there are 85 Living Recipients of the
Medal of Honor.
CARPENTER, WILLIAM KYLE
Rank: Lance Corporal
U.S. Marine Corps
Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above
and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Automatic Rifleman with
Company F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st
Marine Division (Forward), 1 Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), in
Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
on 21 November 2010. Lance Corporal Carpenter was a member of a
platoon-sized coalition force, comprised of two reinforced Marine
squads partnered with an Afghan National Army squad. The platoon had
established Patrol Base Dakota two days earlier in a small village in
the Marjah District in order to disrupt enemy activity and provide
security for the local Afghan population. Lance Corporal Carpenter and
a fellow Marine were manning a rooftop security position on the
perimeter of Patrol Base Dakota when the enemy initiated a daylight
attack with hand grenades, one of which landed inside their sandbagged
position. Without hesitation, and with complete disregard for his own
safety, Lance Corporal Carpenter moved toward the grenade in an attempt
to shield his fellow Marine from the deadly blast. When the grenade
detonated, his body absorbed the brunt of the blast, severely wounding
him, but saving the life of his fellow Marine. By his undaunted
courage, bold fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the
face of almost certain death, Lance Corporal Carpenter reflected great
credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine
Corps and the United States Naval Service.
From the Archives
Let Slip the Dogs of War.
On a Short Leash?
By Geoff Metcalf
November 5, 2003
"Vivacity, leadership, must be had, and we are not allowed to be nice in choosing.
We must fetch the pump with dirty water, if clean cannot be had."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
I love the
Army. Metcalfs have served in the Army since before we officially had
one. However, I am apoplectic over the chairborne- politically correct
cancer-brain flatulence, which reportedly intends to excoriate Lt. Col.
Allen B. West for doing his job and saving lives.
The Army has
myopically filed a criminal assault charge against an American officer
who coerced an Iraqi into providing information that foiled a planned
attack on U.S. soldiers.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20031028-113335-6042r.htm.
Col. West did
not torture or physically harm the Iraqi detainee. He did used
psychological pressure to scare the snot out of the bad guy. And it
worked! After twice firing his service weapon away from the wannabe
terrorist (who was an Iraqi police officer) the detainee talked and
gave up the information on a planned attack.
Lives were
saved and now some uniformed bureaucrats back in the rear with the gear
want to destroy the life of a combat leader. It is enough to gag
maggots.
When Tom
Clancy's Jack Ryan interrogates a bad guy working with terrorists by
shooting him in the arms and legs we cheered. When an Army officer
scares an enemy in a combat zone with a loud noise they want to nail
him to a wall?
The same kind
of politically correct desk jockey types who are Jonesing to put women
in combat, neuter fighter jocks, and impose rules of engagement for a
cricket club instead of barbaric 13th century guerrillas, now seek to
destroy an exceptionally effective combat leader. What is wrong with
this picture?
Col. West was with the 4th Infantry occupying areas around Tikrit
(Saddam's hometown)…a real bad neighborhood infested with bad guys
intent on killing him and his troops.
An informant reported that there was an assassination plot against Col. West.
The informant told the soldiers that one person involved in the attack was a town policeman.
Col West had the policeman detained but interrogators couldn't get anything of substance out of him.
FM22-100 (the
Army leadership manual) notes that, "Leaders are responsible for the
welfare, discipline and tactical deployment of their troops."
Col. West wrote
in an email, "I asked for soldiers to accompany me and told them we had
to gather information and that it could get ugly…"
He said his soldiers "physically aggress[ed]" the prisoner. Apparently they pushed him around.
After the pushing around failed, Col. West says he brandished his pistol.
"I did use my 9 mm weapon to threaten him and fired it twice. Once I
fired into the weapons clearing barrel…and the next time I did it while
having his head close to the barrel. I fired away from him. I stood in
between the firing and his person.
He said, "I admit that what I did was not right but it was done with
the concern of the safety of my soldiers and myself." I disagree. Given
the results…that saved lives, his actions were both appropriate and
effective.
Unlike many
politicians and corporate types with less honor and character he did
not try to cover up or hide what he did. He informed his superior of
his actions.
The incident resulted in the bad guy providing the location of the planned sniper attack and the names of three guerrillas.
If Col West had
waited for the ambush and shot and killed the Iraqi cop, no harm/no
foul. However, because he 'scared' him with an implied threat of force
'preemptively', the Army wants to destroy his life and blow off over 19
years of superior dedicated service? For what…implementing 'The Bush
Doctrine' down to Battalion level?
His wife, said,
"My husband is a top-of-the-line officer. My husband is an
African-American. He has had to overcome a number of things to get
where he is."
Col. West is
prepared to "…accept being retired at the grade of major and paying
whatever fine required, but resignation and prison seems an attempt to
destroy me,"…BULLFEATHERS! Now, more than ever, we NEED officers like
this man.
The Army's
division of political correctness doesn't like West's interrogation
tactic. An Article 32 hearing has been scheduled lead to the
court-martial and a potential prison term of eight years. They should
have given him a medal and promotion.
Some soldiers
are hinky about the Army's drive to punish the officer for an
interrogation technique that probably is used regularly to get
information from terrorists.
There ARE
consequences to what we do and don't do. For a military struggling with
morale, recruiting and retention issues to do what they are to Col.
West WILL exact a cost. It is a cost we cannot and should not be forced
to endure.
Woodrow Wilson
observed," Leadership does not always wear the harness of
compromise…Men of strenuous minds and high ideals come forward.... The
attacks they sustain are more cruel than the collision of arms....
Friends desert and despise them.... They stand alone and oftentimes are
made bitter by their isolation...."
Please don't allow Col. West to "stand alone." Spread the word. There IS an election around the corner.
