Yeah, about those claims...

News item: "The head of the National Security Agency said U.S. surveillance programs had helped disrupt more than 50 possible attacks since September 11, 2001, as sympathetic members of Congress also defended the use of the top-secret spying operations."

"You can't win 'em all"...right?

Barack "Flip-Flop" Obama...

It's tough being a politician. Typically, if you're going to be effective, you have to compromise here and there to fulfill your promises and carry out an agenda.

There is, however, a term for those politicians who will do anything to grab and hold power (or to at least keep their heads above water): flip-flopper.

In a nice little article in the Telegraph-UK, our current Commander in Chief, Barack Hussein Obama, is taken to task for his blatant flip-floppery.

Making those flip-flops work for him...

The Top 10 list includes:

1. Keeping Guantanamo Open

2. Bringing back military tribunals for terror suspects

3. Continuing renditions of terror suspects

4. Ordering military action in Libya without seeking Congressional authorization

5. Dropping Third Site missile defenses in order to appease the Russians

6. Letting Sudan off the hook for the Darfur genocide

7. Backing a federal Europe after defending national sovereignty

8. Pledging to restore America's standing in the world but lowering it instead

9. Dumping Mubarak in Egypt after calling him a "stalwart ally"

10. Killing the NASA manned space program

That's not all -- but it is enough....

Bonus: video flip-flop evidence...

More Obama flip-flops on display...

We are all...Swedes.

From the New York Times: STOCKHOLM — One man was killed and two other people were injured when two explosions hit the heart of Stockholm’s city-center shopping district on Saturday evening, the police in the Swedish capital said. The country’s foreign minister called the blasts a terrorist attack, and an e-mail to news organizations minutes before the blasts seemed to link them to anger over anti-Islamic cartoons and the war in Afghanistan.

From the Los Angeles Times: A car parked at a crowded intersection in central Stockholm exploded about 4:50 p.m., followed by another blast a short distance away, Swedish news media reports said. At the scene of the second explosion, a witness reported finding a young man on the sidewalk with wounds to his midsection and a Palestinian kaffiyeh-style scarf tied around his face. The man, who has not been identified, later died. Minutes before the explosions, a Swedish news agency received an e-mail that contained a call to arms to Muslim fighters and a threat to take revenge for Sweden's involvement in the war in Afghanistan and for caricatures of the prophet Muhammad by a Swedish artist. The e-mail came attached with audio files in Swedish and Arabic. "Now your children, daughters and sisters will die just like our brothers, sisters and children are dying," the e-mail said. "Our actions will speak for themselves." The e-mail lashed out at Swedes for their "war against Islam," for "denigrating the prophet" and for their "stupid support of the pig Vilks," a reference to the artist Lars Vilks, whose drawings of Muhammad as a dog sparked controversy in 2007.

A police forensic officer photographs the scene in Stockholm. (photo: Sky News)

Sky News reported: A short message commenting on the terror attacks was posted on Vilks' website late on December 11. Last March, an American who called herself "JihadJane" was charged with plotting to kill Vilks and using the Internet to enlist co-conspirators. In May, arsonists tried to set fire to Vilks' house.

Let's stop forgetting...

Late add: From my radio colleague John Batchelor on the who the bombers are...

Just the break we needed...

DEVELOPING NEWS (From The New York Times) - "Arrest Made in Times Square Bomb Case Man From Pakistan Tied to S.U.V. Found With Explosives - Authorities arrested a Connecticut man, Faisal Shahzad, at Kennedy Airport early Tuesday in connection with Saturday’s failed Times Square car bombing, people briefed on the investigation said."

Add NYT: "Unexploded Car Bomb Left Trove of Evidence - The homemade bomb found in Times Square provided investigators with plenty of potential forensic clues."


First responders examine the IED-laden SUV... (Photo: sickhop.com)

From the Associated Press: "Holder: Car Bomb Suspect Tried to Fly to Dubai"...


Onlookers stand outside the police barricades in Times Square...(Photo: newsweek.com)


Times Square: back to the hustle-and-bustle - for now...(Photo: longwarjournal.org)

Via The Drudge Report:

• Times Square suspect arrested trying to flee country...
• Faisal Shahzad Detained at JFK...
• FEDS: Overseas groups eyed as culprit in plot...
• 'Tell-tale signs'...'Act of Terror'...
• SUV Recently Sold On CRAIGSLIST for Cash...
• Bloomberg to Couric: Suspect a mentally deranged person or someone with political agenda...

The perspective of someone who "knows this stuff" - Larry Johnson, is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, LLC, an international business-consulting firm with expertise combating terrorism and investigating money laundering. Larry - who I have been privileged to team with on the John Batchelor Show, works with U.S. military commands in scripting terrorism exercises, briefs on terrorist trends, and conducts undercover investigations on counterfeiting, smuggling and money laundering. He previously worked with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism, and is a recognized expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security,crisis and risk management.

The following, from his acclaimed blog, No Quarter, is an interesting - and somewhat contrary - take on the attempted bombing...

More Terrorism [B.S.]

By Larry Johnsonclose / Email: larry_johnson@earthlink.netSite: http://noquarterusa.net/

May 3, 2010 at 7:40 PM in Current Affairs

Let the turf battle begin. FBI is going full monty to seize control of the investigation into the failed car fire in NYC and is busy leaking info that there is an international angle. Mind you I write, “failed car fire.” If you want to believe in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and that this contraption was a “car bomb” then have at it. In my experience a bomb must have the means and likelihood of exploding. The mess in the Nissan SUV was not even a good incendiary.

C’mon, it ain’t that tough to set gasoline on fire. Propane? Open the tank and strike a match (or even a small spark). But the brain surgeon who assembled this Rube Goldberg collection could not even figure that out.

At what point will we as a people rediscover our backbone? Gauging our collective overblown reaction to the non-explosion in NYC’s Time Square we have become a quivering mass of jello. Listening to Charles Krauthammer tonight, for example, who was ranting about terrorism and the need for military measures, etc., makes you wonder how we ever won the Cold War against a real enemy that possessed robust, deadly military capabilities. If Charles had exhibited the same attitude towards the Soviets he would have had no bladder control and would have been sitting in an eternal pool of urine. That’s what you do when you piss yourself out of fear.

I have no doubt that there are extremist Muslims who would love to kill Americans and destroy our cities. If desire equaled capability then we would be toast. But thankfully we do not live in that nightmare of a fantasy world. We inhabit a real world where the ability to shoot a gun or build a bomb requires training by people who are knowledgeable and qualified to teach such skills. What should we be learning about the capabilities of the various radical Islamic groups?

They are not very good. Why? Because the policy of killing and capturing these folks has been pretty effective. Not just the U.S. Countries like Yemen and Saudi Arabia and Jordan have stepped up to the plate and gone after the radicals. When you eliminate senior cadre and experienced operatives you weaken the ability of the group or organization to conduct offensive operations. It is no surprise that the Christmas underwear bomber could only manage to torch his pubes and his balls. Improvised explosives, especially in the hands of amateurs, are not easy or simple. They can be damn dangerous to those who do not know what they are doing.

The botched plot in NYC is even more telling. Let’s assume that the instructions can from overseas. We had a willing soul willing to drive the vehicle to Times Square (but apparently not committed enough to crank the thing off while sitting in the vehicle). I don’t know if this was an aspiring jihadist or jilted boyfriend.

Regardless, the individual did not even have enough knowledge to understand that the contraption assembled in the back of the Nissan would not explode.

One more pet peeve. Krauthammer was wearing his ass prominently on his smug mug, complaining that the special High Value Interrogation team had not been activated. Chuckie, that team exists for overseas operations. It is not a domestic capability. The Republicans continue to stir the pot about treating terrorism as a law enforcement matter. Well boys and girls, here’s the cold hard facts–the NYPD and the FBI are light years better than any military organization in the world in investigating an incident like this. The military is a blunt instrument (even the much touted special ops units like Delta and the SEALs). Can we at least appreciate that we have a legal system and police capability quite competent to handle the threat at hand? Or do we want to become Cuba or the former Soviet Union and militarize everything and, in the process, surrender our civil rights and legal constraints on executive power?

I’m with Thomas Jefferson and George Washington on this.

Did Obama [screw over] the CIA?

This was written by Larry Johnson - a former CIA employee, a counter terrorism expert and a frequent guest on TV/radio shows. His blog, No Quarter, is considered a must-read for those interested in the intersection of national security, military, intelligence and geopolitical issues. I highly recommend No Quarter, where the post (below) currently appears.


Larry Johnson...

Did Obama [screw over] the CIA?
By Larry Johnson on January 2, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Short answer? Yes! President Barack Obama’s public statement of condolence last Thursday regarding the suicide bombing of a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan may have been heartfelt but it was a bonehead move.

In fact, it probably puts more CIA personnel at risk and compromises a CIA operation. Obama issued the following statement last Thursday:

Full text: Obama statement to CIA
Obama said he relied on the fruits of the CIA’s work every day. U.S. President Barack Obama has sent his condolences to CIA staff after the US spy agency confirmed seven officers were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan on Wednesday, 30 December 2009. Here is the full text of the US president’s letter:

To the men and women of the CIA:
I write to mark a sad occasion in the history of the CIA and our country.
Yesterday, seven Americans in Afghanistan gave their lives in service to their country.
Michelle and I have their families, friends and colleagues in our thoughts and prayers.
These brave Americans were part of a long line of patriots who have made great sacrifices for their fellow citizens, and for our way of life.
The United States would not be able to maintain the freedom and security that we cherish without decades of service from the dedicated men and women of the CIA.
You have helped us understand the world as it is, and taken great risks to protect our country.
You have served in the shadows, and your sacrifices have sometimes been unknown to your fellow citizens, your friends, and even your families.
In recent years, the CIA has been tested as never before. Since our country was attacked on September 11, 2001, you have served on the frontlines in directly confronting the dangers of the 21st Century.
Because of your service, plots have been disrupted, American lives have been saved, and our Allies and partners have been more secure.
Your triumphs and even your names may be unknown to your fellow Americans, but your service is deeply appreciated.
Indeed, I know firsthand the excellent quality of your work because I rely on it every day.
The men and women who gave their lives in Afghanistan did their duty with courage, honor and excellence, and we must draw strength from the example of their sacrifice.
They will take their place on the Memorial Wall at Langley alongside so many other heroes who gave their lives on behalf of their country.
And they will live on in the hearts of those who loved them, and in the freedom that they gave their lives to defend.
May God bless the memory of those we lost, and may God bless the United States of America.

So what is the problem? Nice sentiment. Right? Wrong. Acknowledging the location of a CIA base in a theater of war compromises mission and puts people at further risk. Here is the implication going forward–the CIA will close this base and have to find another. Anyone else who comes to this base will be assumed to be a CIA operative. While I can appreciate the political imperative to appear sympathetic to the loss of lives at the CIA, Obama had a larger responsibility–protect the CIA and their mission and ultimately the nation.

The fault does not entirely lie with Obama. The CIA was sloppy in providing operational cover for these people. Let’s face it. If the deceased had operated under military cover we would only be mourning the loss of six more military personnel. No one outside of the Agency or the families of those who died would have realized the CIA took a hit.

But most of the dead were under State Department cover. Hell, the frigging White House did nothing to try to cover that position. Instead, Barack compounded the problem of CIA’s inadequate cover by going public with his statement of condolence. I don’t ascribe a malevolent intent to Obama. This is just another example of an amateur not ready for prime time.

Barack Obama is not the first one to help blow the cover of a CIA operation. Remember the death of John Michael Spann at Kala-i-Jangi prison in Afghanistan in November of 2001? George Tenet, the CIA Director at the time, did everything short of crawling into Spann’s coffin. He too made a public spectacle of something that should have been kept low key and out of sight.

And let’s not forget the Bush Administration’s outing of CIA ops officer, Valerie Plame. I don’t want to see Republican’s doing high dungeon over Obama’s exposure of the CIA mission in Afghanistan when they came up with all sorts of bullshit justification for ruining the career of a frontline ops officer who was busy trying to collect intelligence on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.

Once again a President is playing politics with the CIA. I hated it under Bush and I hate it under Obama. The CIA should not be a political football but politicians cannot help themselves. They want to play this game.


The president, joined by Director of Central Intelligence Leon Panetta, addressed CIA employees at the agency's headquarters in Langley, VA, last year. The men are standing in front of Memorial Wall, which is adorned with stars representing CIA members who have given their lives in the line of duty. Seven new stars will be added following a suicide bomber's attack on an agency base in Afghanistan last week.

Terror, fear and loathing

Homegrown terror: fact or fiction? Fact. “Five young Muslim American men from the Washington suburbs who disappeared late last month were detained in Pakistan on Wednesday in a police raid on a house linked to a militant group, American and Pakistani officials said.”



Add Pakistani terrorists: the American who was arrested for his alleged role in last year’s massacre in Mumbai, India, is said to have been “a U.S. drug informant.” This story is just beginning to be told…


Terrorists - from America?

U.S.A.G. Eric Holder goes to NYC for meetings on the upcoming 9-11 mass murder/terror trials there: It’s what’s known in the game as “a bad situation being made worse.”


The brains behind the idea to bring terrorists back to the city targeted for the 9-11 attacks...

U.S.A.G. Eric Holder goes to NYC for meetings on the upcoming 9-11 mass murder/terror trials there: It’s what’s known in the game as “a bad situation being made worse.”

From Copenhagen (and its in-house newsletter, The New York Times) comes this headline for Most Obvious Observation of the Year: “Climate Deal Likely to Bear Big Price Tag” Obvious reply: Ya think?!


This week's home to most of the hot air being generated anywhere...

Europe…feelin’ the love? Our bestest friends, the Brits, aren’t.

Add Climate Change: Apparently, the prez has some nifty ideas on ways to fix that-there-global-warmin’…

Last add Climate Change: Reportedly, not all of the president’s fellow Dems are on-board with his view on the weather of the world. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) sent Barack Obama the following letter:

Dear Mr. President:

I would like to express my concern regarding reports that the Administration may believe it has the unilateral power to commit the government of the United States to certain standards that may be agreed upon at the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The phrase “politically binding” has been used.

Although details have not been made available, recent statements by Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern indicate that negotiators may be intending to commit the United States to a nationwide emission reduction program. As you well know from your time in the Senate, only specific legislation agreed upon in the Congress, or a treaty ratified by the Senate, could actually create such a commitment on behalf of our country.

I would very much appreciate having this matter clarified in advance of the Copenhagen meetings.

Sincerely,
Jim Webb
United States Senator

In other words, “Who made you king?”


The president and the senator who reminded him he's just a president - not an emperor...

The White House party crashers were on someone's list...

The saga of the White House party crashing couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, who met President Barack Obama in a receiving line at last week's state dinner continues…to grow.

Yesterday, Canada Free Press, shed light on the wannabe reality TV stars and the fact that this wasn’t the first time they’d met Mr. Obama. From the news site: “...[below] here’s Obama, the senator flashing his pearly whites with Randy Jackson, better known as a judge on American Idol. Others pictured are Black Eyed Peas Rock Band; Tareq Salahi the President of the America’s Polo Cup; President Elect Obama, Fergie from Black eyed Peas and Michaele Salahi, posing this time as a former Miss USA and Supermodel. Interesting little detail for White House [Secret Service] gumshoes: As the photo was published in June 2005, Barack Obama was still Senator Obama and not the President Elect.”


The gate crashers and the prez-to-be...four years ago...

The story gets a bit more interesting, doesn’t it?

But as they say on those late night TV infomercials: “THAT’S NOT ALL!”

In fact, this is just sort of the beginning.

You see, Mr. Salahi and Mr. Obama are tied in another way.

The common link between the two partiers is Rashid Khalidi, a pro-Palestinian Columbia University professor, an apologist for terrorism and a well-known member of the anti-Israel lobby here in the U.S. (And before the spin cycle kicks in – particularly from the White House – you should know that Professor Khalidi has been closely associated with Obama.)

Mr. Salahi is connected to Khalidi through his service on the board of the American Task Force for Palestine, where Khalidi served as vice president. (Since news of the Salahis’ gate crashing, both men’s names have been scrubbed from the ATFP’s website. Salahi's bio, however, still appears on a Google cache search of the site.) h/t: WND


Rashid Khalidi...

A little background on the ATFP and Khalidi:

·ATFP lobbies for a Palestinian state.

·Its demands include a “right of return for Palestinian refugees,” which would flood Israel with a tidal wave of Palestinians who would effectively destroy the Jewish state “by population.”

·Khalidi is an outspoken critic of Israel.

·He is the former Director of the PLO’s press agency and onetime moderator of the PLO Advisory Committee.

·Khalidi made numerous statements supportive of Palestinian terror and he reportedly worked on behalf of the PLO while it was involved in anti-Western terrorism (during which time it was labeled by the State Department as a terror group).

·Obama reportedly became friends with Khalidi when the two worked together at the University of Chicago (records show Khalidi lectured at the university 2003, while Obama taught law there from 1993 to 2004). Khalidi also worked as one of Obama’s top fundraisers during Obama’s unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2000.

According to WND, “Obama also sat on the board of the Woods Fund, which in 2001 provided a $40,000 grant to Mona Khalidi's Arab American Action Network, or AAAN. The fund provided a second grant to the AAAN for $35,000 in 2002. Speakers at AAAN dinners and events routinely have taken an anti-Israel line. The group co-sponsored a Palestinian art exhibit titled "The Subject of Palestine" that featured works related to what some Palestinians call the ‘Nakba,’ or ‘catastrophe’ of Israel's founding in 1948. In 2003, Obama delivered an in-person testimonial for Khalidi, who at the time was departing the University of Chicago for a new teaching position at Columbia University in New York. At the 2003 event, poetry reportedly was read comparing Israelis to Osama bin Laden and accusing the Jewish state of terrorism.”


A photo purporting to show the Obamas and the Khalidis at a fundraising dinner. Were the men kibitzing about kibbutzim?

But back to “Crashgate”…

For the time being, the Secret Service is falling on its sword and taking the blame for the Salahis’ sashaying along the red carpet. The couple's attorney has declined to comment, though “an American TV executive says the couple that crashed President Obama's first state dinner is now offering to talk to broadcast networks about it - providing they're well paid”...like something in the neighborhood of $500 thousand. In an e-mail to Bloomberg News, [their attorney] added, "My clients were cleared by the White House to be there."

And why wouldn’t they be? After all, they've got friends...


Samantha Appleton/The White House
In a photo released by the White House, President Obama greeted Michaele and Tareq Salahi, right, at his first state dinner on Tuesday. (h/t: NYT)