Keyes On Obamination

As is typical for Dr. Keyes, he is shy and reticent about sharing his views. However, with some coaxing, we can discern his salient points.

Military Assault Training Exercise on American Civilians Called Off

Following objections that the Army National Guard was planning a military training exercise on the streets of Arcadia, Iowa, the commanding officers have called off the mock “invasion.”

The Guard had planned a four-day urban military operation, sending troops to take over the town and search door-to-door for a suspected weapons dealer.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Oklahoma: First State?

The Oklahoma House of Representatives became the first state legislative body this year to pass a resolution affirming its "sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States." This resolution, HJR1003, was passed by a very large margin, 83-13. It remains to be seen if this is just a tip of the iceberg or if this is evolving into a legitimate movement.

Obama's Ten Year Trillion Dollar Deficit Plan

In a report released yesterday by the Brookings Institution, authors Alan Auerbach and William Gale predicted that, even under optimistic assumptions, the deficit will "average at least $1 trillion per year for the 10 years after 2009, even if the economy returns to full employment and the stimulus package is allowed to expire in two years."

That could make it much tougher for Obama to deliver on some of his most extensive--and expensive--campaign promises, such as expanding health-care coverage for the uninsured and cutting taxes for the middle class.

Obama's Administration Attacks Media Rant

Rick Santelli's CNBC rant stated:

"The government is promoting bad behavior. I have an idea. The new administration is big on computers and technology, how about this President and new administration: Why don't you put up a website to have people vote on the Internet as a referendum to see if we really want to subsidize the loser's mortgages or would we like to at least buy cars, buy houses in foreclosure, and give them to people that might have a chance to actually prosper down the road and reward people that could carry the water instead of drink the water."

The most interesting aspect of the rant is that the Obama administration was quick to counter-attack. They are demonstrating a persnickety and righteous indignation as well as an inability to accept valid criticism and frustration on the part of many people. If there were vestiges of integrity and decorum on the part of the Obama administration, this video rant would roll off their backs, but they must feel compelled to respond. They single out critics, as they did with Rush Limbaugh, in an attempt to silence opposition.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs poked fun at Santelli and thus underscores how sensitive the Obama White House is to media coverage. Cable television news shows have been annoying and they have made no effort to hide their displeasure.

The episode is ludicrously insignificant yet by dignifying the rant with a response Obama legitimizes the message delivered by Santelli.

Obama Stiffs Chicago Too

Chicago has yet to recoup the $1.74 million cost of Obama's victory celebration in Grant Park--despite a burgeoning $50.5 million budget shortfall that threatens more layoffs and union concessions.

Obama: "The Check Is In the Mail"

Obama for America still owes Philadelphia nearly $24,000 for several pre-election events, and the cash-strapped city hasn’t given up its collection efforts.

The most expensive event was an Oct. 4 rally on the Parkway, featuring Bruce Springsteen. The city’s expenses came to $9,050, including sound systems, lighting, platforms, bleachers and clean-up costs.

There were smaller charges for a series of Obama appearances on Oct. 11, at Progress Plaza, the Mayfair Diner and Vernon Park, and $3,666 for a Joe Biden rally at Marconi Plaza the day before the election.

Mechelle Sabb, special-event coordinator in the Managing Director’s Office, said the bills remain unpaid in spite of a December letter sent to Obama headquarters in Chicago, warning that non-payment could jeopardize his welcome at future events in Philadelphia or Fairmount Park.

Mossad Chief Warns About Obama/Iran

Obama's policy of direct diplomacy with Iran may buy Tehran enough time to produce nuclear weapons, Shabtai Shavit, former chief of the Mossad intelligence agency, warned.

"My concern is that until Obama finishes his learning curve of the subject, the Iranians are going to have maybe the first or even more nuclear bombs."

Shavit served as director of the Mossad from 1989 through 1996.

Walt On "Obama's War"

The point should be obvious now that Obama committed 17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan but as Stephen M. Walt has pointed out in Foreign Affairs that it has now become Obama's war.

High School Students Thinking

Perhaps the kids at NYU could learn a bit of wisdom from some of these younger kids.

American College Students Support Islamic Gaza Students

In a curious echo of 60s activism students at NYU protested and demanded scholarships for students in Gaza and asked the University to provide surplus supplies to the Islamic university in Gaza.

Banking Lowest Today Since 1992

U.S. banking shares hit their lowest level since 1992 today as fears mounted that the government would be forced to nationalise a key institution.

Iran Has The Bomb

Iran has built up a stockpile of enough enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb, United Nations officials acknowledged today.

This development arises at a time that the Obama administration is planning a policy to subsequently negotiate with Tehran over its nuclear program, UN officials said Iran had produced more nuclear material than previously thought.

They said Iran had accumulated more than one ton of low enriched uranium hexafluoride at a facility in Natanz.

If such a quantity were further enriched it could produce more than 20kg of fissile material: enough for a bomb.

This is the point that Israel has stated they will not allow Iran to reach.

Citizen Arbitrarily Detained and Released: Oklahoma

To cower a population, it is not necessary to arrest and convict everyone, what you have to do is to perform in an arbitrary and capricious manner and people will generally censor themselves. Naomi Wolf has written in The End of America about how she has been arbitrarily detained, no doubt because of her political actions and statements. She has a slew of recent stories in the U.S., with a nod to other chilling parallels, such as Nazi Germany where governments arbitrarily detain and release citizens.

Now comes this story about a guy, an ordinary Joe, who was arbitrarily detained and released, after his sign was confiscated and then returned. This is an ominous occurrence.

Military Deaths (Casualties): 1980-2006

For the record, below are the accurate totals for the past 26 years; the figures are subject to revision by the U.S. government; the figures below match those provided by the Congressional Research Service as of May 14, 2008:

U.S. Active Duty Military Deaths 1980-2006

1980 .... 2,392
1981 .... 2,380
1982 .... 2,319
1983 .... 2,465
1984 .... 1,999
1985 .... 2,252
1986 .... 1,984
1987 .... 1,983
1988 .... 1,819
1989 .... 1,636
1990 .... 1,507
1991 .... 1,787
1992 .... 1,293
1993 .... 1,213
1994 .... 1,075
1995 .... 1,040
1996 ....... 974
1997 ....... 817
1998 ....... 827
1999 ....... 796
2000 ....... 758
2001 ....... 891
2002 ....... 999
2003 .... 1,410
2004 .... 1,873
2005 .... 1,941
2006 .... 1,875

Obama: Third Term Bush

The government will dispense with centuries of legal precedent and the rule of law when it sends out Obama’s proposed National Civilian Security Force along with the military.

Of course, reports have noted that the U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials. “The Pentagon’s plan calls for three rapid-reaction forces to be ready for emergency response by September 2011. The first 4,700-person unit, built around an active-duty combat brigade based at Fort Stewart, Ga., was available as of 1 October 2008.

All of this complements Bush’s presidential directive NSPD 51, or PDD51, the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, created and signed on 4 May 2007. A president, now Obama, may execute procedures for continuity of the federal government in the event of a “catastrophic emergency,” in other words, it allows the president to declare martial law in the United States without consulting Congress. It should be noted that Congress and the American people are not allowed to see the Continuity Annexes of the directive. On July 2007 U.S. Representative and Homeland Security Committee member Peter DeFazio made an official request to examine the documents but was refused under “national security concerns.”

Jailhouse Muslim Rock

The prisons and jails of the world have been fertile recruiting grounds for Islam. In the U.S., here is a story which confirms its spread.

Obama Change: Dow Drops, Again

The stimulus package is creating change. The Dow Jones Industrial Average greeted this news with a drop of nearly 298 points to end the day at 7552.60. As a point to consider, on 16 January, the last day of trading before the inauguration, the Dow ended the day at 8,281.22. Since the beginning of Obamaworld, the Dow has dropped 728.62 points or a little under 9%.

Roggio: Long War on Pakistan

Per the usual, the Long War Journal issued another perceptive analysis of the ongoing Pakistan situation.

Obama Pipedream: Afghanistan

"I am absolutely convinced that you cannot solve the problem of Afghanistan, the Taliban, the spread of extremism in that region solely through military means," Obama told journalist Peter Mansbridge in a wide-ranging interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "We're going to have to use diplomacy. We're going to have to use development."

As one of the salient points of the Obama campaign, he criticized Bush as unable to form an international coalition. Let us now observe, after committing 17,000 troops, just how many other nations, and international troops he will be able to muster. Is there anyone who seriously believes, now that the Pakistanis have made their peace with the Taliban and sharia, that Obama will convince other nations to commit their blood and treasure to an American fight?