politics Post Election Thread: Democracy Dies In Darkness And You Can Help

[Belesarius]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-commando-idUSKBN15G5RX?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

 

"U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations.

As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists."

[Ramlaen]

As much as I dislike quoting Solomon.

This story is a tempest in a tea pot.

Anyone that's been anywhere near the military know the sad truth.  The planning for these missions happen at SOCOM.  The intel is determined to be "well developed" or not at SOCOM.  When the mission is "ripe" is determined at SOCOM.

The President deciding to sign off on the mission is just that. 

The President isn't a defense analyst, mission planner, and he damn sure isn't an operator.

The failure of this mission rests with SOCOM, intel agencies and Murphy.

The news media is trying to play up civilian casualties, poor planning etc...as being the fault of Trump.  Like I said.  ANYONE WITH COMMON SENSE KNOWS BETTER!

What has me spinning is that there are people with the necessary knowledge that are running with this reporting (even though they know better) because they're anti-Trump.

Never mind the fact that we've seen bodies of civilians lined up like firewood when a drone strike from previous administrations eradicated many more people from the face of the earth (I'm reminded of a certain wedding party that left many more people dead but much less outrage).

The anti-Trump hysteria is becoming boring.  The fact that some in the military MIGHT be dabbling in it is infuriating.  If anything, I'd bet SOCOM tried to impress the new boss and fucked up royally...but that's just me.

[Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect]

[T___A]

 Reposting for relevance:

[EnsignExpendable]

Trump is going to be impeached within days

http://www.grubstreet.com/2017/02/america-running-out-of-bacon.html

[Priory_of_Sion]

This is the study that guy cited, and it's pretty flimsy as it even notes the Germans didn't even had cars and few actually worked on the Autobahn 

study

[T___A]

Besides the Autobahn was originally an idea considered by the previous Weimar government. 

[Ramlaen]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/raid-in-yemen-how-trump-ordered-al-quaeda-attack/

Quote

“Let’s go through the tick-tock on that raid,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday afternoon, responding to a reporter’s question.

According to Spicer, the first plans for the operation were filed by U.S. Central Command on Nov. 7,  and got approval by the Defense Department by Dec. 19, at which time DoD recommended that it move ahead to the National Security Council staff.

In early January, before President Trump took office, an interagency deputies’ meeting was called to discuss the plan and recommend that it move “straight up.”

“The conclusion at that time was to hold for what they call a ‘moonless night,’” Spicer said, adding that such conditions wouldn’t exist until Mr. Trump was president. 

On Jan. 24, Defense Secretary Mattis read the plans and conveyed his support of the operation to the White House. The following day, Mr. Trump was briefed by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. And on the evening of Jan. 25, the president held a dinner meeting with Kushner, Bannon, and other security and intelligence officials, “where the operation was laid out in great extent and the indication at that time was to go ahead,” Spicer said. 

The president signed the memo authorizing the raid the following day.

[Sturgeon]

[Collimatrix]

Apparently that picture has actually showed up on-base.

[Jeeps_Guns_Tanks]

The Mattis ones predate Trump, and the Marines sent out orders banning them.

[Belesarius]

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/kellyanne-conway-cites-bowling-green-massacre-that-never-happened-to-defend-travel-ban

 

 

[Sturgeon]

I think Dilbertman brushes up against one of the most important principles in progressive decision making with this post: http://blog.dilbert.com/post/156544714786/the-canadian-option

That is, the goal of policy is not to solve the problem, but to demonstrate the virtue of policymakers. 

From a purely Machiavellian perspective, if the refugee crisis is solved, it does not matter where the refugees are sent, provided they are treated humanely. Yet, I doubt this would satisfy any of the prime squawkers on this issue. That is because they want to be able to claim sacrifice and therefore virtue by saying that they took the poor and the wretched into their country, their state, their city (although, I note, rarely their home).

[Belesarius]

Florida Panthers owner bows out on being Secretary of the Army.

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/trump-viola-withdraws-army-secretary?utm_content=buffer1b885&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[LoooSeR]

[Walter_Sobchak]

18 hours ago, Sturgeon said:

I think Dilbertman brushes up against one of the most important principles in progressive decision making with this post: http://blog.dilbert.com/post/156544714786/the-canadian-option

That is, the goal of policy is not to solve the problem, but to demonstrate the virtue of policymakers. 

From a purely Machiavellian perspective, if the refugee crisis is solved, it does not matter where the refugees are sent, provided they are treated humanely. Yet, I doubt this would satisfy any of the prime squawkers on this issue. That is because they want to be able to claim sacrifice and therefore virtue by saying that they took the poor and the wretched into their country, their state, their city (although, I note, rarely their home).

So you are saying that if the UK had been cool with Himmler's plan to send all the jews to Madagascar in 1940, then Liberals would have had no right to complain about German anti-semitism because hey, the problem was solved?

[ShamefurDispray]

3 hours ago, LoooSeR said:

 

That projection

[ApplesauceBandit]

6 hours ago, LoooSeR said:

 

This should start at the relevant part (32:10) where he talks on nukes.

 

[Sturgeon]

8 hours ago, Walter_Sobchak said:

So you are saying that if the UK had been cool with Himmler's plan to send all the jews to Madagascar in 1940, then Liberals would have had no right to complain about German anti-semitism because hey, the problem was solved?

I suspect you already know that neither was I saying that, nor was your analogy valid.

[Walter_Sobchak]

4 hours ago, Sturgeon said:

I suspect you already know that neither was I saying that, nor was your analogy valid.

Yeah, I was trying to be sassy.

[T___A]

Why trump won demonstrated:

[Collimatrix]

All I want to know is whether Trump's EO on immigration will be enforced.  All I want is a summary of the major events so far, and an opinion from a legal expert on the likely outcome and why.  I don't care if the piece is biased.  I am an adult, I put on my big boy pants and deal with biased news reports.  I don't care, as long as it contains the facts that I'm interested in.

But so far, nobody has been able to rise to that standard.  This piece from The Independent does at least give a reasonable blow by blow.  Sadly, there is no legal analysis or summary of likely outcomes.

Also, this Imgur gallery has a list of all Trump's EOs so far.

[Sturgeon]

5 hours ago, Collimatrix said:

All I want to know is whether Trump's EO on immigration will be enforced.  All I want is a summary of the major events so far, and an opinion from a legal expert on the likely outcome and why.  I don't care if the piece is biased.  I am an adult, I put on my big boy pants and deal with biased news reports.  I don't care, as long as it contains the facts that I'm interested in.

But so far, nobody has been able to rise to that standard.  This piece from The Independent does at least give a reasonable blow by blow.  Sadly, there is no legal analysis or summary of likely outcomes.

Also, this Imgur gallery has a list of all Trump's EOs so far.

Imgur, the most trusted news source.

[Ramlaen]

I am not a lawyer, but you do not have to be one to understand that Trump's EO is legal, within his authority and has precedent. Oh, and not a Muslim ban.

 

[T___A]

People saying the EO is unconstitutional is a bit weird given that the enemy aliens act is one of the old laws still in force.