On Strategy, Drones, and Climate Change
Try this exercise.
Open up the new Defense Strategic Guidance DOD released today. Hit Ctrl-F. Type in "drone." Count how many times the word appears in the strategic document that is supposed to guide us through 2020.
Now do the same,…
John Yoo Defends Senate's Authority to Sit Around and Do Nothing
Yes, it is hysterical, in general, that John Yoo has finally discerned some limits to the President's authority under Article II now that Obama used a recess appointment to get around Senate obstruction.
The president’s power over what are…
The McChrystal Apologists Ignoring McChrystal's Own Take
The WSJ has a scathing critique of Michael Hastings' The Operators (see Spencer's more interesting take here). While it complains that Hastings doesn't profile local indigenous groups and conflates hating the Afghan war with being antiwar, its…
Early Effects of NDAA Iran Sanctions Being Felt: EU Agrees on Oil Embargo, China Cuts Oil Contracts by Half
Among the many controversial provisions in the NDAA which President Obama signed into law on New Years Eve are provisions aimed at disrupting Iran's ability to export oil by punishing countries that do business with Iran's central bank.…
Is NYPD Avoiding "Terrorism" Charges in New Years Day Bombings To Claim They Didn't Miss a Terrorist Attack?
The NYPD has caught the suspect in the New Years Day firebombings in Queens. The suspect, Ray Lazier Lengend, will be arraigned today (though he is also being evaluated for fitness to stand trial). Lengend will be charged with 18 counts, among…
The Challenge To Richard Cordray Not Being Discussed
The internets are alive with the sound of excitement over the appointment today by President Obama of Richard Cordray to be Director of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB). And, as Brian Buetler correctly points out, by doing it today,…
Obama Promised Admin Would Not Indefinitely Detain American Citizens without Trial, But Continues to Deport Them
On New Year's Eve, President Obama promised that his "Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens."
But his Administration continues to deport them.
Consider the example of Jakadrian…
How Dare the President Protect Consumers!?!?!
We'll have to come back to the issue of why President Obama decided to use his recess authority to appoint Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Board but not Dawn Johnsen or Elizabeth Warren. But for now, I'd like to collect…
Shorter Jamie Dimon: "I am not a psychopath"
As business professor Clive Boddy describes it, banksters like Jamie Dimon succeed--and cause great catastrophe--because they are able to exploit the chaos of today's business environment while ignoring the consequences of their ruthlessness.
Boddy…
Intelligence Aide Flynn re McChrystal: "Everyone Has a Dark Side"
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX0MPcN08Zc[/youtube]
As Marcy pointed out yesterday, Rolling Stone has published an excerpt from Michael Hastings' new book The Operators. As she predicted, I am unable to refrain from commenting…
"Crackpots don't make good messengers"
For the record, I have no intention of voting for Ron Paul in the General election (though depending on how the GOP primary rolls out, I might consider crossing over to vote for Paul in the MI primary, for similar reasons as I voted for John…
The Campaign in Afghanistan: Neutralizing Petraeus, Though Not the Taliban?
Rolling Stone just published an excerpt from Michael Hastings' new book, The Operators.
Click through to read the whole thing (I expect Jim will weigh in as well). But for the moment, consider the irony of this passage, given all that has…
As US-Iran Threat Exchange Continues, Pakistan Detains Three Iranian Border Guards
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaqllTmpcKc[/youtube]
Iran and the US continued to exchange threats over the long holiday weekend. On Saturday night, Barack Obama signed the NDAA, which put into place the ability to enact strong sanctions…
Is It Any Surprise NYPD Would Investigate Anti-Muslim Terrorism as a "Bias Crime"?
A number of people have observed the NYT's description of 4 arson attacks apparently targeting Muslim sites (though one was actually Hindu) as "bias crimes."
A wave of arson attacks spread across eastern Queens on Sunday night, and the police…
Do Iowans Care More about Family and Christmas than GOP Primary Reality Show?
Today is the day of the year when a bunch of Big 10.2 teams get thumped in bowl games. As such, it is a key part of the holiday season for college football fans, including those who live in the Midwest.
Tomorrow is the day of the Presidential…
Seasons End New Year's Trash
Happy New Year folks! As we celebrate the start of the new year of 2012, we also today reach the end of the NFL regular season, and there are some big games on tap. So let's get down to the nitty gritty. Also, ring in the new year with a little…
The Worst Part of the Signing Statement: Section 1024
As I explained here, Obama's signing statement on the defense authorization was about what I expected. He included squishy language so as to pretend he doesn't fully support indefinite detention. And he basically promised to ignore much of the…
Start Out the New Year with Indefinite Detention
Happy New Year! No way to start the New Year out right than new detainee provisions formalizing indefinite detention.
Here is the part of Obama's signing statement for the Defense Authorization that pertains to the most onerous parts of the…
Predicting a New Paradigm
In my seven plus years of blogging, I've never done year-end reviews or predictions and I don't intend to start now.
But I do want to point to two pieces taking stock of this moment in history--the AJE piece on the decline of the American…
We Request to Inform You that You Inform Us We Killed Another Drone Target
I want to follow-up on Jim's latest drone post--and go back to Greg Miller's article on drones--to look at the the approval process. A lot of readers of Miller's article noted this passage, revealing that JSOC continues to avoid the kind of…
