Do you want to see Jared Kushner get humiliated on live TV? Sure you do.

Ouch!

Here is a breakdown courtesy of Washington Journals:  

Kushner made an appearance at the Saban Forum as part of his role as lead U.S. negotiator for Middle East peace — a job for which he has neither the qualifications nor aptitude. 

Speaking on live television with Haim Saban, the forum founder and an Israeli-American telecom billionaire, Kushner seemed as if he thought he was in safe territory. 

Saban has made clear that his global political priority is Israeli security, and Kushner and Trump have actually sabotaged the peace process in order to give symbolic victories to his home country. Saban let Kushner play expert for one full minute, listening to him rattle off a laundry list of Middle-Eastern issues — as though he were diagnosing a complex problem when he was really giving a third grade report — before he had heard enough. 

“I understand that,” Saban said with a chuckle. “But, to achieve that, the team has in it an entrepreneur, a real estate lawyer, a bankruptcy lawyer. I don’t know how you’ve lasted eight months in this lineup, but that’s for another day. And it’s impressive that it’s still going! There’s not a Middle East macher [Yiddish for expert] in this group, so, I mean, how do you operate with people who basically, you know…with all due respect, a bunch of Orthodox Jews who have no idea about anything?” 

And Saban was just getting started. Sure, he and Kushner may be ostensibly on the same pro-Israel side, but Saban is not an idiot. He understands that putting dangerously unqualified people into positions of real power is a threat to everybody. It’s something only the most deeply entrenched factions of Donald Trump’s base have yet to figure out.

"I don’t know how you’ve lasted eight months in this lineup, but that’s for another day."

That's a burn that will leave a mark. 

 Apparently nobody really takes this administration, or Jared Kushner, seriously. 

Middle East erupts in violence in response to Trump's announcement that America will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestinian protesters set fires in Gaza Thursday morning and chanted "death to America." The State Department is warning all Americans against nonessential travel to Jerusalem, Israel, or the West Bank until further notice #TrumpResign pic.twitter.com/5Dq74yqd6J

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 7, 2017

Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune:  

Clashes between hundreds of Palestinian protesters and Israeli troops erupted across the West Bank on Thursday while demonstrators in Gaza burned posters of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Israeli and U.S. flags. 

The leader of the Hamas militant group, which runs Gaza, called for a new armed uprising in a widespread show of anger over Trump's move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In the West Bank, crowds of protesters set tires on fire and hurled stones at anti-riot troops. 

In the biblical town of Bethlehem, troops fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse a crowd, in clashes that could cloud the upcoming Christmas celebrations in the town of Jesus' birth. In Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian government, protesters set tires on fire, sending a thick plume of black smoke over the city.

Before any of you start pointing out the obvious, yes I realize that this is a Trump directed distraction to keep us from talking about the Russia investigations.

However this also has devastating real world consequences so we really cannot ignore it.

Trust me I will have plenty to say about the Russian investigations in future posts.

By the way is anybody else deeply troubled by how casually people like Trump will risk the life of hundreds, if not thousands, simply to divert attention away from a potential scandal?

Donald Trump announces plan to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Does not go over well.

'Jerusalem is Israel's capital' - US President Donald Trump announces, overturning decades of official US policy https://t.co/HoqKpCq3Dv pic.twitter.com/zGhdvdX5NU

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 6, 2017

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City. 

“Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” Mr. Trump said from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.” 

The president cast his decision as a break with decades of failed policy on Jerusalem, which the United States, along with virtually every other nation in the world, has declined to recognize as the capital since Israel’s founding in 1948. That policy, he said, brought us “no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.” 

“It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result,” Mr. Trump declared. 

Recognizing Jerusalem, he added, was “a long overdue step to advance the peace process.”

Yeah, I don't think Donald Trump understands what the word "peace" means, because this is not how you go about attaining it.

Courtesy of Al Jazeera:  

Mahmoud Abbas has lambasted the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying the Palestinian leadership refuses to acknowledge President Donald Trump's contentious move. 

Calling Jerusalem the "eternal capital of the State of Palestine", the president of the Palestinian Authority said on Wednesday the US could no longer be a mediator in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. 

His comments were in response to an earlier announcement by Trump during which he said the US was formally recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and would begin the process of moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to the city. 

"This is a reward to Israel," Abbas said in a televised address, adding that Trump's move encouraged Israel's "continuing occupation" of the Palestinian territories. 

Earlier in the day, Palestinian leaders called for three days of rage against the move.

Boy that sounds peaceful, doesn't it?

There was also this:

President Abbas just ordered his Palestinian team located in Washington DC to come home, saying that the United States has “withdrawn” from it’s role in the peace process. Abbas considers this to be the end of America acting as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 6, 2017

Trump had said earlier that he had the support of Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, but according to news reports there is NOBODY on the Arab side who is cool with this, or anybody else for that matter.

Courtesy of the BBC:

The US decision comes despite vocal opposition in the Muslim world, even among US allies. 

On Tuesday Saudi Arabia's King Salman had said that the move "would constitute a flagrant provocation of Muslims, all over the world". 

Demonstrations have already taken place in Gaza and outside the US consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said it was "a moment of great anxiety". "There is no alternative to the two-state solution. There is no Plan B," he said. 

In other reaction: 

Prime Minister Theresa May said she disagreed with the US decision, which was "unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region" 

French President Emmanuel Macron said France did not support the move and called for calm 

EU chief diplomat Federica Mogherini voiced "serious concern" 

Boy color me confused.

Here I thought that Trump was just focused on trying to start a nuclear war with North Korea, but  it appears the tiny fingered multitasker is also going to try and create a conflagration in the Middle East as well.

What was it that Michael Caine said in that Batman movie?

“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” 

I think Vladimir Putin and the deplorables have placed such a man into the White House.

Donald Trump removes any doubt that his immigration ban is based on Islamophobia.

Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world - a horrible mess!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017

Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017

It would seem clear to me that Trump is justifying the ban not only by citing terrorist attacks here in America but also attacks against Christians in the Middle East.

And while the killing of Christians based on their religious beliefs is indeed disgusting and inhuman, it is also true that in the Middle East Muslims kill their fellow Muslims due to differing religious beliefs in far, far greater numbers.

The way the tweet is worded it makes is sound as if Trump is using the ban to keep the evil Muslims from killing the saintly Christians in this country, which is a pitfall that even the clumsy Bush administration was able to avoid.

Which is once again quite ironic considering that it is this so-called Christian nation that has been dropping tons of bombs on predominately Muslim countries for the last 16 years.

Trump is also ramping up the "War on Terror" which surely means American troops on the ground in Islamic countries, and an increase in civilian causalities. 

In other words, Trump has just openly started a very public religious war in the name of Christianity on a number of Muslim countries.

And this is how he is responding to those criticizing him for it.

The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain & Lindsey Graham is wrong - they are sadly weak on immigration. The two...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017

...Senators should focus their energies on ISIS, illegal immigration and border security instead of always looking to start World War III.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017

Yeah, I don't think THEY'RE the ones looking to start World War III.

Of course all of this only gives even more credibility to this Twitter account:

Attempts to get POTUS to work on policy failed. Retreats to residence, skulking over McCain/Lindsey announcement and public protests.

— Rogue POTUS Staff (@RoguePOTUSStaff) January 29, 2017

There is a reason why you only put smart sane people into the White House.

Does everybody get why now?

Perhaps Bernie Sanders most important point from last night's debate

Courtesy of HuffPo: 

"Let me have one area of disagreement with the secretary," asked Sanders. "I think she said something like the bulk of the responsibility [for ISIS] is not ours. Well, in fact, I would argue that the disastrous invasion of Iraq, something that I strongly opposed, has unraveled the region completely and led to the rise of al Qaeda and to ISIS." 

"Now, in fact, what we have got to do -- and I think there is widespread agreement here -- is the United States cannot do it alone," he continued. "What we need to do is lead an international coalition which includes very significantly the Muslim nations in that region who are going to have to fight and defend their way of life."

I don't think that there can be any disagreement that George W. Bush broke the Middle East, and that the next President of the United States is going to be called upon to help fix it.

The sooner Hillary Clinton accepts that fact the better it will be for all of us.

And more than that the next President is going to have to realize that unmanned drone attacks raining down death in mainly Muslim communities is ultimately going to do more harm than good.

You cannot kill an idea with a missile, but you can work to change that idea into something willing to compromise.

GOP candidate Ben Carson accuses President Obama of antisemitism.

Here let me tell you about something else I don;t understand.

Courtesy of Bloomberg:

Ben Carson has a way with words. 

 In a Sunday interview with Fox News, the Republican presidential candidate doubled down on his assertion that a speech given by President Obama intended to sell the American public on his nuclear deal with Iran contained "coded innuendos employing standard anti-Semitic themes.” 

Carson's claim first appeared in an editorial that the retired neurosurgeon published Sunday in the Jerusalem Post, and Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace pressed the candidate to explain what, in particular, he believed to be anti-Semitic about the president's remarks. 

"I think anything is anti-semitic that is against the survival of a state that is surrounded by enemies and people who want to destroy them," Carson said. "To act like everything is normal there and that these people are paranoid, I think that's anti-Semitic." Carson added that on a recent trip to Israel, he "couldn't find a single person there who didn't feel that this administration had turned their backs on Israel."

Gee I wonder who Carson was talking to in Israel?

Israel's warmongering prime minister Netanyahu and his staff perhaps?

So to be clear the deal that keeps Iran from developing a nuclear weapon for at least the next ten years, and therefore decreases their ability to threaten Israel, who already has nuclear weapons, makes the President an anti-Semite?

Gee that makes all kinds of sense. 

You know just because President Obama does not genuflect at Netanyahu's feet like the Republicans in Congress, does not mean that he is anti-Semite. It simply means that he is well aware that Netanyahu uses the possibility of Iranians getting nuclear weapons to scare his people into keeping him in power and has decided to take actual steps to protect the people of Israel rather than buoy up their Prime Minister's political power base.

By the way would you be surprised to learn that this idiot is now right behind Donald Trump in the most recent Fox News poll? Well he is.

George W. Bush is giving advice to President Obama on dealing with ISIS, instead of sitting in a prison cell as he should be.

Courtesy of Think Progress: 

In an interview published Friday, former President George W. Bush suggested that the United States will have to deploy combat troops to Iraq to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

Bush, more than six years after leaving office, was asked by the Sheldon Adelson-owned Israel Hayom newspaper, “is it possible to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq without boots on the ground?” 

“The president will have to make that determination,” he replied. “My position was that you need to have boots on the ground.” The former president described how a “fair number of people” were pushing him to get out of Iraq, that it was impossible to defeat al-Qaida. He said he chose the opposite, to increase troop levels. 

“I think history will show that al-Qaida in Iraq was defeated. And so I chose the path of boots on the ground. We will see whether or not our government adjusts to the realities on the ground.”

No, history will show that America created al -Qaida in the 70's and 80's, and that George W. Bush single-handedly created ISIS by dissolving Saddam Hussein's army and replacing them with poorly trained amateurs.

The very idea that this asshole feels that he can offer AN Y advice on dealing with problems in Iraq or the Middle East angers me to my core.

George W. Bush is the worst thing to happen to this country since...since...yeah pretty much the worst thing to happen to this country.

Which makes the fact that he now polls better than President Obama almost inconceivable.

For any of you kids out there, here are the facts.

George W. Bush was an illegitimate President, who started illegitimate wars, for illegitimate reasons.

In my opinion this man should be cowering in a prison shower somewhere, and NOT handing out advice to anybody, ESPECIALLY the man who is still struggling to clean up the shit pile he left behind when his presidency came to an end.

If you did not see this segment on the Daily Show last night, you need to stop right now and watch it.

Click image to play video.

Here is the portion that made me stand up and cheer:

"This whole Iraq cluster quagmire catastrophe fuck started back in the 1980's after the Iranian revolution, when America's solution to the Ayatollah was top arm the, at that time, good guy in the region. Or as he was known, hmm Saddam Hussein. We spent the 80's giving Saddam Hussein's Baathists weapons to fight against the Iranians, the 90's helping Kuwait fight against Saddam's Baathists that we armed,  the oughts heading a coalition to destroy Saddam's Baathists, and the teens fighting against those very same unemployed Baathists now going by the name of ISIS, that we originally armed in the 80's to fight Iran. But to really ensure that we have not skated even a micro-meter away from the learning curve, guess who the designated good guy, with a gun, in the region is?"

Cue the footage of new reports identifying Iran as our partner in fighting ISIS.

And Stewart sums it all up with this: "America in the Middle East, learning curves are for pussies."

I thought that was incredibly well done, and it really shows how in the end America is its own worst enemy.

College student tells Jeb Bush: "Your brother created ISIS." Alright NOW we're talking!

Jeb Bush was concluding a town hall meeting in Reno, Nevada during whihc he attempted to blame the creation of ISIS on President Obama's "retreat from the Middle East."

Well 19 year old college student, Ivy Ziedrich, was having none of that shit.

Here was her response courtesy of the New York Times: 

“It was when 30,000 individuals who were part of the Iraqi military were forced out — they had no employment, they had no income, and they were left with access to all of the same arms and weapons,” Ms. Ziedrich said. 

She added: “Your brother created ISIS.” 

Mr. Bush interjected. “All right. Is that a question?” 

Ms. Ziedrich was not finished. “You don’t need to be pedantic to me, sir.” 

“Pedantic? Wow,” Mr. Bush replied.

Yes "pedantic" Mr. Bush. It's the kind of word that well educated, intelligent people, who would never vote for your loser ass, are prone to using. 

Ms. Ziedrich was not finished with Jebbei either: 

“Why are you saying that ISIS was created by us not having a presence in the Middle East when it’s pointless wars where we send young American men to die for the idea of American exceptionalism? Why are you spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars?”

Bush answered that he "respectfully disagreed" with the young lady and then accused her, accused HER I say, of "rewriting history."

(Hold on while I cough up this hypocrisy hairball.)

You know I have often said that I wished I had been a fly on the wall for certain exchanges over the years, but folks I would have mortgaged my house for the opportunity to sit in on this one!

And here's hoping that it is only the first of many such exchanges.

George W. Bush bashes President Obama over his handling of the Middle East. Wait, what?

So as it turns out George W. Bush, you know the guy that started two unnecessary wars that killed hundreds of thousands of people, and almost bankrupted America, attended some closed door meeting with Jewish donors and decided to throw a little shade Obama's way.

Apparently there was a fly in the Jewish lamp oil during this meeting and somebody managed to transcribe large portions and bring them out for all to see.

Here is what was reported:

According to the attendee's transcription, Bush noted that Iran has a new president, Hassan Rouhani. “He's smooth," Bush said. "And you’ve got to ask yourself, is there a new policy or did they just change the spokesman?” 

Bush said that Obama’s plan to lift sanctions on Iran with a promise that they could snap back in place at any time was not plausible. He also said the deal would be bad for American national security in the long term: “You think the Middle East is chaotic now? Imagine what it looks like for our grandchildren. That’s how Americans should view the deal.” 

Bush then went into a detailed criticism of Obama’s policies in fighting the Islamic State and dealing with the chaos in Iraq. On Obama’s decision to withdraw all U.S. troops in Iraq at the end of 2011, he quoted Senator Lindsey Graham calling it a “strategic blunder.” Bush signed an agreement with the Iraqi government to withdraw those troops, but the idea had been to negotiate a new status of forces agreement to keep U.S. forces there past 2011. The Obama administration tried and failed to negotiate such an agreement. 

Bush said he views the rise of the Islamic State as al-Qaeda’s "second act” and that they may have changed the name but that murdering innocents is still the favored tactic. He defended his own administration’s handling of terrorism, noting that the terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who confessed to killing Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was captured on his watch: “Just remember the guy who slit Danny Pearl’s throat is in Gitmo, and now they're doing it on TV.” 

Yeah well remember how that guy that supposedly master minded the attacks on 9-11 was shot to shit? Yeah THAT happened on Obama's watch.

Bitch!

Bush went on to add this arrogant statement:

“In order to be an effective president ... when you say something you have to mean it,” he said. “You gotta kill em.”

Yeah well Bush sure was effective at that wasn't he?

Terrorist, terrorist's neighbor, terrorist's innocent family member, Iraqi citizen simply trying to cross the street, Afghan who kinda looks like a terrorist, journalist who was standing to close an Afghan who kinds looks like a terrorist, oh yeah Georgie boy was quite effective at having people killed.

Every fucking problem that President Obama is facing right now in the Middle East is the fault of George W. Bush and his criminal administration. And we all know it.

Even though there are attempts to soften his image such as in Dana Perino's new book, where she relates a story of Bush crying on the face of a badly wounded soldier while awarding him the Purple Heart.

Yeah he could be crying his eyes out for the next fifty years and it would never match the number of tears shed by the families of the people killed and injured in his two wars of choice.

Sarah Palin gets all foamy at the mouth over the President's vacations again. Must be Friday.

This picture has nothing to do with the post, I just like it.

So Palin threw a bucket of ice water on her ghostwriter and made the poor thing type out this venomous Facebook diatribe against the President this morning.

I am going to spare you the whole thing as it is fairly toxic, but here are a few fecal encrusted chunks for you: 

There is absolutely nothing important going on in the world right now. 

There are no security threats, no worldwide turmoil affecting America’s interests, no civil war in Syria, South Sudan, or Libya. No war on our ally, Israel. No Ebola epidemic devastating West Africa and spreading. No race riots tearing apart a whole community in Missouri. No Russian aggression in Ukraine. No deranged North Korean dictator testing more missiles. No Chinese jets getting up close and personal with our American military. No brave American journalist sickeningly beheaded by Muslim terrorist savages rampaging through the Middle East seizing oil fields and committing genocide on Christians and Kurds. No illegal immigration crisis as thousands of unaccompanied minors illegally walk right across our unsecured borders. No scandals in Obama’s White House. No worried servicemen and women coping with ill-advised U.S. Military chainsaw cuts. And no increase in our nation’s debt. Nope. It’s been one lazy summer with nothing to do, not a thing to worry about in No Drama Obama land.

Proving once again that not only did Palin not understand the job of VP but she clearly does NOT understand that the President of the United States is NEVER truly on vacation.  Just because he does not call her up to give her constant updates on what his daily schedule looks like does not mean he is not addressing many of these problems. (You know except for the imaginary ones that she stuck in there.)

Oh you're going to love this next part: 

And this utter state of calm also explains why Harry Reid’s first order of business when the Senate returns from vacation is to gut our First Amendment rights. 

Reid and his minions in the democrat party think that what America really needs right now is a constitutional amendment to limit the amount of funds we can spend on elections. Don’t know when the conversion happened, but suddenly LIBERALS are worried about the undo influence of money in getting candidates elected! 

I know what you're thinking, "Oh Gryphen I think you made a typo." But no, I didn't.

I simply cut and pasted the above from her Facebook page, which means that neither she, NOR her ghostwriter, know how to spell "undue."

As for what Harry Reid is proposing, I think that almost ALL Americans would love to see an amendment that kept corporations from buying elections in this country.

I know I would.

Palin goes on quite a ghostwritten rant about it actually. Which includes this nugget:  

“There’s nothing going on in the world in these lazy days of summer, so let’s light a campfire and tear up our First Amendment for kindling!” said no American ever. But that doesn’t matter to Harry and his party pals. They just need another political gimmick to distract from the utter failure of everything they’ve touched in the last six years.

Actually considering the  obstructionism, what the President has accomplished has almost been miraculous.

Then Palin decides to go old school:

Why bother with addressing the failure of Obamacare? Why deal with the crisis at our border as lawbreakers threaten the livelihoods of working class Americans? Why deal with the Islamic organizations steamrolling through the Middle East, hell-bent on meeting us on our shores? Why deal with declining middle class incomes and stagnant job growth and unsustainable big brother government largesse? Why bother trying to fix anything Americans are actually concerned about? Nah, Harry says, “Let’s attack the Constitution instead, again!”

Let's do these one at a time shall we?

First off Obamacare is anything but a failure. In fact it is now helping to reduce the deficit.

Second the "crisis" at our borders is not only completely exaggerated, but it is the Congress who stands in the way of any reform to our immigration policies.

Thirdly those Islamic organizations "steamrolling though the Middle East" are the direct result of the destabilizing influence from the Iraq war, and are NOT the fault of President Obama.  (Even Rand Paul agrees with that.)

As for job growth it continues to rise at better than expected numbers even though the Republicans are doing everything in their power to sabotage any success. But I get it, President Obama is not repairing the damage done to the nation's economy by the last Republican president fast enough for SOME people.

No the President may not be perfect, but he is accomplishing some herculean tasks in the face of constant adversity from the Republicans and a barrage of criticisms from failed politicians turned Koch brother paid mouth pieces.

 And doing it all while also playing a few rounds of golf, and enjoying a little relaxation time with his family.

Sounds like he is living vibrantly to me.

Other countries vote America the most significant threat to world peace. Well that's a little disheartening.

Source

Courtesy of RT:

The US has been voted as the most significant threat to world peace in a survey across 68 different countries. Anti-American sentiment was not only recorded in antagonistic countries, but also in many allied NATO partners like Turkey and Greece. 

A global survey conducted by the Worldwide Independent Network and Gallup at the end of 2013 revealed strong animosity towards the US’s role as the world’s policeman. Citizens across over 60 nations were asked: “Which country do you think is the greatest threat to peace in the world today?” 

The US topped the list, with 24 percent of people believing America to be the biggest danger to peace. Pakistan came second, with 8 percent of the vote and was closely followed by China with 6 percent. Afghanistan, Iran, Israel and North Korea came in joint fourth place with 5 percent of the vote. 

The threat from the US was rated most highly in the Middle East and North Africa, those areas most recently affected by American military intervention. Moreover, the survey showed that even Americans regard their country as a potential threat with 13 percent of them voting the US could disrupt global status quo.

I cannot tell you how much I want to get all indignant and say "Nuh uh!"  But honestly I can't do that.

We are indeed the biggest threat to world peace and only a nationalist moron from America, or as we call them, a Republican, would think otherwise.

I hoped against hope that once we had Obama in the White House our policies would change so that the rest of the world would respond to us with respect instead of fear, however to my great frustration that simply has not been the case.

At least not yet. 

Conservative columnist grudgingly praises President Obama's toughness and credits it for positive news coming out of the Middle East.

Courtesy of Bloomberg:

There is one main reason why Iran is making conciliatory noises about its relationship with the U.S. and about the future of its nuclear program, and there is one main reason why Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator, is signaling his intention to give up his stockpiles of chemical weapons. 

The reason: President Barack Obama's toughness. 

Yes, I know. Toughness isn’t a quality lately ascribed to the president. But hear me out. 

Obama has crippled the Iranian economy by organizing some of the harshest sanctions imaginable, and he has stated repeatedly that he won't allow the Iranian leadership to acquire a nuclear weapon. The constant displays of American military might in the waters off of Iran these past four years, coupled with clear statements that the U.S. would use force to thwart the regime's plans, have also impressed Iranian leaders. 

Many Americans doubt Obama's willingness to use force against Iran, and many of Iran's Middle Eastern foes do, too. But the Iranian leadership, which wants to have a nuclear capability despite its fantastical protestations to the contrary, is beginning to understand the price it is paying for its atomic desires. 

On Syria, Obama's record is disturbing in many ways. He indicated that he would attack the regime as punishment for crossing the "red line" he drew on the use of chemical weapons, but he flinched when the moment came to launch a strike. He has at times seemed disorganized and hesitant, and his critics -- including me -- saw him as vacillating. 

Yet Assad, and his Russian sponsor, Vladimir Putin, both weighed the situation and came to the conclusion that the U.S. meant what it said. It is for this reason -- and this reason alone -- that Putin and Assad have agreed in principle to arrange for the removal of chemical weapons. Without Obama's threat, the Assad regime would still be free to gas its people.

Goldberg goes on to say that he has little hope that the Syria deal will work, but then must admit that without Obama's tough stance that NOTHING would be happening at this point.

Well you know what that means right? Jeffrey Goldberg might as well hand in is conservative decoder ring right now, because he has performed the cardinal sin of saying something positive about the President.

Personally I believe that in the coming months there will be a whole lot of journalists previously considered stalwart conservatives who will have no choice but to praise this President's achievements. Especially as finding achievements on the Republican side of the aisle is becoming akin to finding pots of gold at the end of rainbows.

Iranian President says that his country NEVER intends to build nuclear weapons and expresses desire to work out deal with America. John McCain's seizure to happen in 3..2..1

Picture from @AnnCurry's exclusive interview with President Rouhani which concluded a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/CaOhA7IBxv
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) September 18, 2013

Courtesy of NBC News:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told NBC News on Wednesday that his administration will never develop nuclear weapons and that he has full authority to make a deal with the West on the disputed atomic program. 

In Rouhani's first interview with a U.S. news outlet since his election, he spoke to NBC News National and International correspondent/anchor Ann Curry at the presidential compound in Tehran. The interview will air on NBC Nightly News at 6:30 p.m. ET. 

Rouhani spoke after a slew of signs that he is cautiously open to defrosting relations with the U.S., which were in deep freeze under the isolating leadership of his predecessor, the inflammatory Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. Elected in June with just over 50 percent of the vote, he was the only non-conservative in a field of hard-liners. 

In his inaugural address, he spoke of engagement with the West to end sanctions over Iran's disputed nuclear program. "The Iranian people voted 'yes' to moderation," he said in his speech.

What the hell? Since when does Iran want to work with America, and promises not to develop nukes?


President Obama sent Rouhani a letter after the election — a rarity in itself — saying the the U.S. is "ready to resolve the nuclear issue in a way that allows Iran to demonstrate that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes,'' White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday.

Well of course, Mr. Cool Hand Luke gave him a call and talked to him like an actual human being.

Why is this President so determined to keep using diplomacy? Doesn't he realize how anti-American that is?

IF Iran actually makes this deal, and presents evidence that it really is dismantling any plans to build nuclear weapons, and this leads to an increased level of trust and cooperation between our two countries THAT will undermine the Republicans in a big way.

They can no longer use Iran as their fall back Middle Eastern boogie man, and they will have a muhc harder time frightening the American people into voting for them.

President Obama will have removed a threat that the Republicans, including John "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran" McCain, have failed to deal with effectively for over thirty years.

Now let me give you a little sneak preview into how the Right Wing is going to respond to this:

"President Hassan Rouhani is just a figurehead. He has no power, and nothing he promises is of any value!"

"It's a trick! Those Iranians are a sneaky bunch and they KNOW our President is too weak to call them out on their bullshit!"

"No doubt President Obama gave them his secret Muslim Brotherhood handshake and together they are going to trick the military into thinking that Iran is toothless right before they take over our Christian nation."

Does that about cover it?

To be honest I think the President needs to proceed cautiously. However personally I would not expect him to proceed any other way.

With so much negativity today I thought I would leave you with something to inspire you, and make you proud of your country. At least the way your country is today.

President Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Touring the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

Meeting with Palestinian children.

The children know, they always know.

And lest you think that the President's visit was all photo ops and inspirational speeches, there was also this rather amazing outcome:

Friday, on the last day of Obama’s trip to Israel, Netanyahu finally called Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to apologize, as Obama has urged since 2010. The three-way call ended with a bit of goodwill and some policy changes: Israeli payment to the families of the victims, an easing of the Israeli embargo on Gaza (which the flotilla had sought to break), the “cancellation” of Turkey’s “legal steps” against the Israeli military and, most importantly, the restoration of full diplomatic relations. It’s a big deal.

Gee no WONDER Fox News refused to report on this visit. It must burn their ass to know they just lost one of the favorite avenues of attack.

I am proud of my President and I don't care who knows it.

What's more, I think ALL of us should be proud of the job he has done, and yes, that also means the Republicans, who if they were honest with themselves would HAVE to admit that the country is certainly a HELL of a lot better off today then it would have been if their candidate had won in 2008 OR 2012. ESPECIALLY in 2008!

(Photos courtesy of the Obama Diary.)

Good news for the holidays as Secretary Clinton helps negotiate Middle East cease-fire. Update!

Courtesy of NBC News:

 Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire, the Egyptian foreign minister said Wednesday in a news conference, after eight days of fighting that have killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis. 

The cease-fire is set to start at 9 p.m. Cairo time, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

“The United States welcomes the agreement today for the cease-fire in Gaza," Clinton said, adding that Egypt's new government was exerting responsibility and leadership in the region. 

"This is a critical moment for the region," she said. 

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement.

I don't have a great deal of confidence in this lasting for very long, but perhaps it will keep people from dying until a more permanent agreement can be worked out.

It looks like Hillary will have really earned that rest she is looking forward if THIS is what is going to be occupying her time before she steps down from her position IF that is even still an option for her considering how delicate these negations may be.

Personally I have far more confidence in HER ability to work out a solution than I do any of the people named as her possible successor.

Up[date: Oh THIS is going to piss off a certain crazed half-term governor:  

“I have to say all this was done with the firm support on the part of the leaders of the international community," Netanyahu said during the press conference. "And I would like especially to thank President Barack Obama for his unreserved support for Israel’s actions in the operation and for Israel’s right to defend itself, as well as his support for the Iron Dome systems." 

Netanyahu offered similar praise for the work of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and expressed his "appreciation" for Egypt's role in the agreement. 

As has been mentioned before this is undoubtedly simply Netanyahu kissing up to Obama because he is  coming up for reelection soon, and right now I understand that Obama is substantially more popular that Bibi is right now.

Do you hear that clanging sound? You KNOW where that is coming from!

Alert! Violence involving Israel in the news, as witnesses report something breaking the surface of Lake Lucille, and crawling its way to a nerby compound, Blackberry firmly clutched in its talons.

Did somebody say Israel?

From the inky depths of Facebook:

We stand with Israel and Netanyahu's strength that he wisely uses to protect his country. May he have the wisdom of Solomon as Israel's leadership moves forward. You can keep track of the developments by following @IDFSpokesperson on Twitter.

Spoken like a criminally undereducated Israeli fetishist with no FUCKING idea what she is talking about.

The facts are that this recent violence is FAR more complicated than Netanyahu simply "protecting his country." Essentially the conflict has been escalating, on both sides, for months now, with the Israelis even focusing their attacks during the olive harvesting season on Palestinian farmers in an attempt to disrupt their economy.

Then on Wednesday Israel did this:  

The Israel Defense Forces didn’t just kill Hamas military leader Ahmed al-Jabari on Wednesday as he was driving his car down the street in Gaza. They killed him and then instantly posted the strike to YouTube. Then they tweeted a warning to all of Jabari’s comrades: “We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead.” 

The Jabari hit is part of the biggest assault the IDF has launched in more than three years on Gaza, with more than 20 targets hit. And it’s being accompanied by one of the most aggressive social media offensives ever launched by any military. Several days before Jabari’s elimination, the IDF began liveblogging the rocket attacks on southern Israel coming from Gaza. Once “Operation Pillar of Defense” began, the IDF put up a Facebook page, a Flickr feed, and, of course, a stream of Twitter taunts — all relying on the same white-on-red English-language graphics. “Ahmed Jabari: Eliminated,” reads a tweet from 2:21 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday.

Did you get that? They not only killed the Palestinian leader, they also IMMEDIATELY posted it to YouTube like some teenager who just got an new X-Box for their birthday.

The result of this is that Hamas has of course retaliated with rocket attacks of their own and essentially Israel has declared war on Hamas via, of all things, Twitter:

@idfspokesperson Our blessed hands will reach your leaders and soldiers wherever they are (You Opened Hell Gates on Yourselves)
— Alqassam Brigades (@AlqassamBrigade) November 14, 2012

To say that this is a complicated and extremely sensitive political situation for the US is the understatement of the year. However to state that the batshit unemployed lady with the fright wig should butt the hell out is a given.

Especially since she could not care less about the Israeli people and is simply fanning the flames of violence in the hopes of meeting Jesus and getting him to autograph her saggy boob before she dies.

Update: One of Sarah Palin's LEAST favorite reporters (And author of the great book Republican Gomorrah) Max Blumenthal, reports that this violence is the result of the fact that Israel broke the treaty by killing a Palestinian child. You can ALWAYS count on the fact that the Grizzled Mama will have the facts wrong.

Jon Stewart calls out Republican hypocrites on Middle East policies. Also features some lady wrapped in a shower curtain.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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So funny how the same Middle East policies that were "bringing democracy to the Middle East" under George Bush, are now terribly naive stumbles when the skinny black guy is in charge of them.

"Waiting for Amageddon" A MUST SEE film about the Evangelical community.

For those who have already seen Jesus Camp" you already have some idea s to what this film is about. And if that one kept you up at night, THIS one will give you night terrors.

 The movie is an hour and twelve minutes long, but I do encourage you to watch it, even if it takes you a few attempts to get all the way through, because I feel it will do much to educate you on a certain politically connected segment of the Christian community.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this kind of superstition is that even those with higher education do not seem inoculated against its influence.

It is THIS mindset, and THESE people who are driving our foreign policy in the Middle East, and who bear much of the responsibility for the strained relations between America and the Muslim community.
 
My favorite quote is from Rabbi Felix Rogan: " The Jesus written about in the New Testament is a collage. Many, many of the miracles, and the details of his life, the kinds of things you would put on his curriculum vitae resume, these are repeat stories. And whether there was in fact an historical Jesus or not, our sources indicate that he was a witch, or sorcerer, and a guy who had his eyes on the ladies, and not the greatest guy in the world. And we don't think he's coming back."

Now THAT would probably not go over too well in the Evangelical community, but is is probably the differing point of view that they should all be exposed to at an early, early age. You know before their brains are completely washed of any cognitive reasoning skills.

Rachel Maddow reports on the wild conspiracy theories partly responsible for the protests in the Middle East and Paul Ryan's connection to those who have fomented those conspiracy theories in the past.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

As usual I turn to Rachel Maddow to help explain just what is happening in the Middle East right now, and find myself amazed that the roots of the unrest can be traced directly back to those who support the Republican party, and are now closely associated with the VP candidate on the 2012 ticket.

But then again, why should I be surprised by that?