Democrats Want More

For John, BLUF:  It is still a long way to November 2016.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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This is from The Old Gray Lady, so you can assume that the Democrat Party Establishment is behind this message—"Obama’s Plans to Stop ISIS Leave Many Democrats Wanting More".  Reporters are Jennifer Steinhauer and Michael D Shear.  The dateline is Washington, on 8 December.  Here is the lede:

Many of President Obama’s Democratic allies in Congress say they do not believe he is being aggressive enough in confronting the terrorist threat of the Islamic State after last week’s attacks in California, undermining Americans’ sense of safety, especially among voters who will decide the party’s fate in elections next year.

Let us be fair.  The President has a strategy and he is following it.  To some degree his plan reflects the facts on the ground in the Middle East.  Syria and Iraq and not effective unified nation states.  If we put a lot of boots on the ground we need to be prepared to stay there a while.  I am not sure the American People want that.

Here is how The Military Times introduces its article, "Washington, Baghdad on different pages in fight against IS" (Ms Susannah George, AP, reporting):

A series of political spats that erupted in Baghdad over the past week surrounding foreign forces on Iraqi soil have exposed the increasing weakness of Iraq's central government and a growing disconnect between Washington and Baghdad in the U.S.-led coalition's fight against the Islamic State group.

That is not a good situation into which we should be introducing US forces, unless we are talking very large numbers of US forces.  Think six figures.

And, of course, there are other agendas being pursued.  Candidate Donald Trump has ripped the scab off the refugee issue and the migrant issue and it is resonating with many Americans.  Here is what the article says about the Democrat approach to dealing with that.

Senate Democrats are working to turn the conversation away from the Syrian refugees by pushing the issue of guns and the visa waiver program to the fore, though the measures on guns so far have proved fruitless.

But, that isn't working so well

But Democrats in both chambers said they needed the president to send a message to voters that he is in firm command of the fight against terrorism.  That will require Mr. Obama to do more — and to explain his actions more clearly, they said.

The Democrats are trying to round a square corner and it isn't working well.  That said, a lot could happen between now and the primaries (and the election) and, on the other hand, nothing could happen.  Either way, it will impact the voters.  And it will influence the non-voters, who may become active or may influence their voting friends and neighbors.

Regards  —  Cliff

Economic Decisions Have Consequences

For John, BLUF:  Wasn't this supposed to go the other way?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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I just quote a post from Law Professor Gleenn Harlan Reynolds:

UNEXPECTEDLY!  CBO projects 2 million fewer jobs under ObamaCare.  Remember, if you predicted this back when the bill was under debate, media “fact checkers” would ask the White House if that was going to happen, then give you four Pinocchios when the White House said no.  And then call you racist.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Pearl Harbor Day

For John, BLUF:  Ugly, but we were fairly quickly on top.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The attack came as a major shock to America, and galvanized folks into action.

A tactical success for the Japanese, it was an operational and strategic failure.  They didn't get the American Carriers.  They didn't destroy the ship repair facilities (e.g., dry docks) and they didn't destroy the fuel stocks.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.
Regards  —  Cliff

The President Talks Terrorism

For John, BLUF:  The Fox Panel notwithstanding, not a bad speech.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The President's talk to the American People this evening, just after 2000.

At war with Terrorism, as the President asserts?  This is the one slip in this 13 minute talk from the Oval Office.  Terrorism is a tactic.  We need to better define the enemy than a tactic he uses.  The tactic is not a "center of gravity".  Here is a 35 page monograph on the topic.

We will prevail by being strong and smart.

"First, our military will continue to hunt down terrorist plotters", anywhere.

Second, we will continue to provide support for friendly (non-US) forces on the ground.

Third, we are working to cut off ISIL, sharing intelligence and cooperating with Muslim communities here and overseas.

Fourth, with American leadership, we are trying to end the war in Syria, so we can all focus on ISIL. (This hints at the idea that we may cut a deal with Russia that preserves Syrian President Assad.)

We continuously review our processes to see if we need to adapt.

Here at home we need to work together to solve problems.

Congress should pass a law that says those on no fly lists should not be able to purchase firearms.

We need to curtail the sale of high powered rifles.

We need to take a harder look at those coming to the US without Visas.

Congress should vote for a renewal of the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

We should NOT be drawn into a long ground war in Iraq or Syria.

We can not turn against each other by defining this as a war between America and Islam.  The vast majority of terror victims are Muslim.

An extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities and Muslims must speak out against this.  (This is an important step, in acknowledging that there is a problem within Islam, an extremist ideology spreading.)

We will prevail because we are on the right side of history.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

There was talk about gun control, but no discussion of curtailing the sale of pipes in places like Home Depot and Lowes.  That said, the President did acknowledge that the couple in the San Bernardino event did have a collection of pipe bombs.

Regards  —  Cliff

Rare Oval Office Speech

For John, BLUF:  The polls must not be going well.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From the Accountant, NeoNeoCon,♠ we have some predictions on the President's Speech this evening at 8:01 PM.

You can see the speech on the World Wide Web, here.

I am awaiting the Oval Office talk with both hope and trepidation.

Comments after the speech.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  She now lives in New England.

A Hanukkah Song

For John, BLUF:  This isn't just for the Jews, but for the Christians also.  It is a neis.♠  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Hanukkah this year (2015) begins on Sunday, 6 December, at sunset, and ends Monday, 14 December at nightfall.

In honor of this very important holiday I link to this song, All About That Neis, by The Maccabeats.  The song is actually from last year, but I missed it then.  A catchy tune.

Here is a sample of the Lyrics:

Because you know we're all about that neis bout that neis no oil
We're all about that neis bout that neis no oil
We're all about that neis bout that neis no oil
We're all about that neis bout that neis

Yeah its pretty clear the Maccabees were few
They wouldn't take it take it
Being told what to do
They wanted freedoms that we today embrace
All the rights to pray in all the right places

And here is a link to the First Chapters of First and Second Maccabees, the story the song is based on.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  So, Neis is Hebrew for miracle.

Islamophobia

For John, BLUF:  It isn't like we should avoid mentioning that the two people identified with the San Bernardino shootings didn't identify with Daesh.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Blogger Don Surber wants to know why Reporter Chuck Todd "gets away with stereotyping Americans as bigots?"  The very short item can be found here.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff