So yesterday we all got to read and discuss the fact check on Bachmann. Yet today WAPO fact checks Obama presser and nada, zilch. Huh?

Cause turns out there were a host of false and otherwise silly statements made by Obama.

I don't know could be fun. Feisty could bust out a big old list of all of Obama's false statements like she did with Bachmann, and Bev. could fire off a Bevism or two.

Good times.

What;s that, never going to happen here in libbie land? Yeah, prolly right.

I guess I'd better lock my diary now.

General Petraeus is an outstanding choice for the CIA post. He is a brilliant general, mentored and trained by the best political and military minds. Notice also an entire new generation of military leadership, also trained, mentored and battle tested is going into place, these are the brainy, and brawny think outside of the box leaders we need, hopefully they will do just as good a job of developing and grooming the generation of leaders that will follow them. George Patton, Macauthor, Curtis Lemay, and Chester Nimitz, and the rest of the leadersip that won world war two restored the peace, and won the cold war without bloodshed on a global scale be proud, now all we need is another Ronald Reagan as a leader out of the valley of economic death

Exactly, Feisty. We can only agree on the Support our Troops at ALL costs meme. Although, with that snark it sounds mean. I know he will do a fine job; just frustrated with the politics of WAR.

Why don't we promote people who AREN'T war strategists? Or haven't gunned their way up? Again, sorry, just feeling a bit Feisty myself today.

PS. Any indication that df has been let 'into the treehouse'? I see he managed to post first here. I was unaware, I guess.

Clara, you obviously have no idea what the CIA does. The world doesn't play nice in the Pollyanna sandbox you would like it too. Having a distinguished General in the director's seat at the CIA is the perfect fit when one needs to oversee covert ops etc.

I wish the General well, and I'm thrilled that he is going to fill that post.

Not to mention there have been plenty of people with zero military background in the positions you describe. We get it, you along with Obama think if we just play nice with everyone the world will love us. Nice thought, but doesn't fit into the reality of the world we live in.

Would you prefer a school teacher for the job? How about a mechanic?

Whether you're running something as important as the CIA or just a lefty tree house, you'd best make sure you have the RIGHT people for the job, lest others find out your dirty little secrets!

Good luck, General, but don't forget those who would think nothing of throwing you under the bus.

Clara KCMO - Why don't we promote people who AREN'T war strategists? Or haven't gunned their way up?

Back in the day (History). The President's Executive Intelligence Agency (aka CIA) used to have most positions filled by Academics with NO Experience (War, Combat, Intelligence, etc.), this resulted in many FUBAR and deaths.

Now a days (Present, Current events). After learning their lesson the hard way, the President's Executive Branch Intelligence Agency (CIA) is filled with those with EXPERIENCE, and ACADEMIC usually (like most Career US Military Officers) Post Graduate College Degrees (plural).

How would you like the person in charge of SAD having no idea of what they do. Like I said before it is common for US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces to be TDA to SAD, something that a non prior US Military Service would NOT know. Too bad based on training and experience this position would have been better filled by General McChrystal (US Army Special Forces).

I agree, david. A special forces guy would probably be the best fit.

I meant analyst and special ops NOT boots on the ground 'war' chief. And, a peace broker might be nice. Absolutely not intended as a slam against Petraeus at all.

Now we'll get them from the new Gen Abrams. What bothers me is that the old CIA guy moves to Defense and the old CG moves to CIA. Looks to me like the military is going into the shadows, where there is NO congressional or public scrutiny of expenditures, not that there has been much this decade, anyway.

Doubter222 - Looks to me like the military is going into the shadows, where there is NO congressional or public scrutiny of expenditures

Ever hear of the US Congressional Intelligence Committee(s)(House and Senate), how about ODNI.

Doubter222 - What bothers me is that the old CIA guy moves to Defense and the old CG moves to CIA.

That is because a US Civilian can fill the Secretary of Defense Position, and a US Military Officer can fill the CIA Position. But a US Military Officer by US Law cannot fill the Secretary of Defense Position (unless they resign from their US Military Officer Career).

Doubter222 - Looks to me like the military is going into the shadows,

Even before the defeat of the USSR it was trained and stated at 1980s Command and General Staff College and War College that the next Wars after the defeat of the USSR would NOT be Conventional Warfare and would be Asymmetric Wars.

The USA must have been reading the Thailand book...

While the political puppets are keeping the masses entertained. The CIA & Military are still doing their job behind the curtains...

Look at the people that are presently in key positions... They are the same names that were there during Clinton & Bush II...

At least in Thailand if a political party or Politician is convicted of violating the laws. They are removed from political office for LIFE...

Maybe Petraeus will bring some accountability to the CIA... NOT....

I guess one could say David Petraeus was a mediocre combat manager. Hope he can become a formidable "Peeping Tom" for this country. Panetta turned out to be one of our best. Hate to lose him.

Unless people who have been in the CIA for 35 years, while Patreus was in the Army, feel pushed aside and disinclined to cooperate.

"Disinclined to cooperate?" If that is a feeling within the CIA then Petraeus if definitly the right man for the job. Heads will roll! Within Intelligence and the Pentagon, following orders is assumed. Chaos is what you had with Rumsfeld and Bush. We've moved on from those morons, thank goodness.

Ana,

Many second generation neo-cons acquired civil service status within federal management positions just before George II left office. Rummy and Gates together owe you about two trillion dollars that federal auditors cannot find!!

Let's watch carefully because the morons have big plans for Iran.

bestquest,

Source?

draft notice.

dangerfield -

either way works for me.

We outspent the USSR to death. Every time the USSR came up with a new weapons system we built something to negate it.

The big dump of money into negating the USSR Strategic Nuclear Forces advantage with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) and later on StarWars Intiative (Research). The arguement of USN Ballastic Missile Submarines being too inaccurate and the USAF Bombers being too vulnerable. comment: this is the same arguement today about land based versus USN ship or submarine (boat) Anti Ballistic Missile Systems and the inaccuracy of current USN Cruise Missile attacks (Libya, killing innocent civilians at the most populated city, Tripoli. As to why it was demanded at another Nation that only USAF launched weapons guided by US Military "Boots on the Ground" be used).

Negating the large 101 USSR Elite Divisions (mostly Armor and MechInfantry) with the deployment of Enhanced Radiation Nuclear Weapons (aka "Neutron Bombs") to Europe (Pershing I and II Missiles). Deployment of more US Army Field Artillery Batteries (long tube 8 inch, M110E2) to fire "Tactical Nuclear" Projectiles (Rocket Assisted Projectiles (RAP)).

(Unclassified) In the "Rear Areas" forming Base Clusters to defend against the USSR Airborne Mechanized Divisions and USSR Elite Spetsnaz.

Reorganization of the XVIII (18th) Airborne Corps.

Deployment of US Military Training Teams from Germany to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars (Iran supported by the USSR with Weapons, Equipment, Trainers, Advisers, etc.).

Deployment of US Military Training Teams from Germany to Pakistan/Afghanistan to train (and lead) the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen against the USSR 40th Army Occupation (units rotated from the 101 Elite Divisions at Europe) and the Pro USSR Afghans (later became the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban, supported by Iran and the USSR.).

So, dangerfield, how do you defeat over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers, that by current International Islamic Laws must provide Mandatory Islamic Tithes (2% or more of everything that they own, Political Endorsements, Legalization of Islamic Terrorist Groups, Posting misinformation, Taqiya(lies to advance Islam), monetary, refuge and sanctuary, etc. all count as part of a Mandatory Islamic Tithe; when you have nothing left you join the Jihad as your Mandatory Islamic Tithe; think 2% of the wealth of Qatar). Thru"Non Established FinancialInstitutions" (mostly International Mosques, Islamic Community Centers, Islamic Properties, Imams, Individuals, etc.) these Mandatory Islamic Tithes support the Worldwide Islamic Military consisting of the International Al Quada Franchise (AQ, AQIM, AQAP, AQS, AQY, etc.), Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban, Fundamentalist Islamic Iran, Muslim Brotherhood (Alexandria Egypt), Pakistanis Taliban, Army of Islam (Pakistan/Afghanistan, not the Pakistani Military), Worldwide Hamas Foreign Fighters (Afghanistan, Iraq, South Americas, Palestine, Gaza, not proven Mexico, etc.), Chechen Foreign Fighters, Kurdistanis PKK HPG KGK etc., Army of Islam (Gaza), Libyan Islamic Fighters Group (LIFG, aka "Rebels" at Libya), Hezbollah (Gaza, Palestine, Lebanon, South America), Jemaah Islamiya (JI, Indonesia and Philippines), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG, Philippines), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF. I Did NOT come up with that Acronym), Al Quadain Iraq (AQI), Ansar al-Islam (AI, Iraq), and Ansar al-Sunna (AS, Iraq), Fatah al-Islam (FAI), Hizb e Islami Gulbuddin, Hizb e Islami Khalis, Hezbollah and Hamas Foreign Fighters ideologicalties with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia at Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama) the National Liberation Army (ELN) the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army and the Rajah Solaiman Movement, etc..

You cannot tell the 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers to stop believing in the 109 Suras of the 114 Suras of the Holy Koran (Quran) that Calls All Islamic Believers to War Against the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers (everyone including Atheists) for the DeathPenalty Crimes Against Allah and His Prophet. To even do so is considered as attempting to take Islam away from an Islamic Believer (Islam is All, All Politics, All Religion, All Laws, All Ways of Life, All Culture, etc.) as "Murder" and Doing Harm to Allah and His Prophet (a DeathPenalty Crime, per InternationalIslamic Laws). The same goes for any Islamic Believer desiring to leave the Islamic Belief, as "Doing Harm to Allah and His Prophet" (the DeathPenalty) or anyone saying anything against Islam (DeathPenalty Crime) as no such thing as Freedom of Speech for anyone (examples: Seattle woman in hiding, Iranian Lawyer hiding at Norway, Salmon Rushdie, Pastor at Florida, Danish Cartoonist, etc. that are currently on the InternationalIslamic Law Enforcement's DeathList (Death Penalty Fatawa List)). 2011, current events at Egypt, bombings, murders, killings of Christians for attempting to convert Islamic Believers to Christianity as Egypt after the "Revolution" swings to the extreme Fundamentalist Islamic Beliefs of the Muslim Brotherhood (Historically, founded based on the National Socialist German Workers Party after their 1933 Alliance with Hitler as signed by Amin Al Husseini (a founder of the 1928 Muslim Brotherhood) as the representative of the Islamic World and Arab World, this Alliance was considered a "Blood Oath" (Alliance does not end until their are no Germans or no Islamic Believers, that is what their Representatives signed). Note: The current Islamic Laws are based on the Holy Koran (Quran) and the Holy Koran (Quran) takes LegalPrecedent over the current Islamic Laws. These Islamic Laws are enforced by the InternationalIslamic Law Enforcement (aka DeathSquads, Mandatory Islamic Tithe Collectors) as organized by the localImams at the International Mosques.

So, dangerfield, how the h3ll do you fight the above. (Please do not compare the current "Christians" nor "Jews" to the current Islamic Believers, unless you believe that Islam is stuck in the "Middle Ages" (when the Christians committed atrocities) and the "Crusades" being a defense of southern Europe and the "Holy Land" against attacks.

If you figure out how to defeat that (the above and below) let me know here at Afghanistan.

Forgot to add Fundamentalist Islamic Iran is supported by the Chinese and the Russian Federation. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran (invited to join the Arab League of Nations, 2010, putting aside most of the Arab versus Persian, and Sunnis versus Shiites) supporting the Worldwide Islamic Military with Chinese (copies of Russian) and Russian Federation weapons, equipment, ammunition, funds, sanctuary and refuge, Worldwide Islamic Military training camps (advisers and trainers from the Iranian Asymmetric Warfare Forces), etc..

Mutual Strategic Goal of Fundamentalist Islamic Iran, the Chinese and the Russian Federation get the US and US Allies out of their "Backyard" (the Middle East, Asia, Africa, etc. RESOURCES). US and US Allies become like Germany at the end of WWII, ran out of gas (loss of Libyan Oil by Germans during WWII), with the Germans attempting "Alternative Fuels" (Alternative Energy, Coalbased liquid fuel, hydrogen, natural gas, wind, ethanol, biodiesel, biomasse, etc.) and failing (the Germans were more desperate than any current Nation as life or death and German Scientific and Nationalist Pride).

Successes of Fundamentalist Islamic Iran, the Chinese and Russian Federation:

a. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran currently controls the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman shipping (Saudi, Kuwaitis, Iraqis Oil Supertanker shipping to US and US Allies). Current generation Chinese Land based (Missile Batteries) Supersonic Anti Ship Missiles designed to kill USN Aircraft Carriers by evading USN "Screening Ships" and Counter measures, protected by current generation Russian Federation S-400 ABM Missile Batteries, and S-300 Anti Aircraft Missile Batteries (can detect and shoot down Generation Five Stealth Aircraft (not yet in production F-35)). King of Saudi Arabia screaming and begging US and Israel for help against Iran. King of Saudi Arabia, 2011, "President Obama gave Iraq to Iran on a Golden Platter" (see b. below, US not understanding Iraq).

b. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran's Allies, the Kurdistanis armed (men, women, children) allies since the Iran Iraq Wars, controlling the Northern Iraqis Oil Fields. The millions of former Shiites from Iran (fled the massive unemployment to Iraq as Illegal Aliens after the Fall of the Shah thruBasra) controlling the Southern Iraqis Oil Fields. With the Allies of Fundamentalist Islamic Iran 2010 the Chinese and Russian Federation getting the Northern and Southern Iraqis Oil Field Contracts. The US and US Allies got NOTHING. Making Libyan Oil of Strategic importance to the Europeans (screwed over when the "Rebels" (AQ, Libyan Islamic Fighters Group) sold the Libyan Oil thru Qatar to the Chinese (Nothing for the Europeans).

c. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran making deals with the Muslim Brotherhood to control the Suez Canal and more ports for the Hamas Foreign Fighters, Army of Islam, etc. coming from the Training Camps to reach Gaza and Palestine.

d. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran supporting the "Revolutions" to overthrow current and former US Allies, based on their own successful Islamic "Revolution". Of Strategic importance the Mediterranean Ports at Syria. The Oil and Mediterranean Ports at Libya.

e. Fundamentalist Islamic Iran's Purchase and Deployment of North Korean ICBMs shipped thru Bejing China, 2010. Not known if the North Korean ICBM Nuclear Warheads were purchased or shipped.

f. 2010, Fundamentalist Islamic Iran successfully tests three stage solid fuel (instant launch) ICBMs. Just in case the Russian Federation deploys S-400 ABMs to their southern allies (like Abkhazia) that produce Oil for the Russian Federation.

g. Less possible pressure on Fundamentalist Islamic Iran being sandwiched between US Military Forces Iraq and US Military Forces Afghanistan.

h. Because of the US misunderstanding of Iraq, Iraq lost by US to Iran. Role reversal, US Military Forces Afghanistan, now sandwiched between Fundamentalist Islamic Iran and Islamic Nation Pakistan.

i. The Chinese to possibly support and protect their and Fundamentalist Islamic Iran's Strategic Goals, redesignate the Chinese Aircraft Carrier Vargay from Training to Operational "Non Combat" (equipped with J-15 aircraft (aka Russian SU-33s, ramp on front of Vargay)) for possible deployment to the Middle East (protect Chinese Iraqis Oil Contracts, as a "Non Combat" Role). The Chinese with the assistance of the Russian Federation completed the Vargay, 2010, complex electronics and anti aircraft systems. Aircraft Training from 2010 to 2011. If this works the Chinese Government will dedicate more funding from their current increased (to above the height of the Cold War just like the Russian Federation has) Defense Budget to build more Chinese Aircraft Carriers (based on the current generation of Russian Federation Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carriers, Ulyanovsk Class "Super Carrier".).

j. yes, there is more. I am ending this post here, to prevent my accidently disclosing somethings that I should not.

david-475776,

Genghis Khan did it with 200,000+Mongols during the 1200s. They not only defeated the Chinese, but then they drove the Muslims back to Iran & Iraq...

But little things like the rules of War and playing Political games, were IGNORED. Destroying Political Centers of power and KILLING all of the POLITICIANS, worked well...

Extermination and then assimilation of the local population... If you are going to wage a War against a belief, playing nice does not work... History has proven this numerous times...

David, I think you already disclosed something you shouldn't; your mental health.

General Petraeus is an extremely competent man. I was totally against his idea of the surge in Iraq. He was right. After reading about it afterward, I better appreciated his grasp of the whole situation, not just the military one. I hope he's successful.

The CIA was preceded by the OSS, which was a creation of WW2. It has always been about war, preventing or partaking no matter what name they go by.

"g.w. bush man".....what exactly does that mean? Petraeus has been in the military for more than 30 years.

Do you really think the general would be in this position today if bush had not elevated him to commander in iraq? Bush had confidence. He delivered.

Oh you thought obomba was responsible for this too?

VermontGirl - "g.w. bush man".....what exactly does that mean? Petraeus has been in the military for more than 30 years.

If you eat certain foods that will help with your long term memory, as the Democratic National Committee website referred to General Petraeus as General Betrayus (removed from DNC internet site after being appointed to Command Afghanistan).

helpusall - Do you really think the general would be in this position today if bush had not elevated him to commander in iraq? Bush had confidence. He delivered.

Most of the "successes" at Iraq can be attributed to General Petraeus's Right hand man for US Military Asymmetric Warfare, General McChrystal as Joint Special Operations Task Force Commander (research JSOC Iraq accomplishments).

david-475776,

US Military Asymmetric Warfare was a failure in Vietnam, Iraq, and now Afghanistan...

It was the surge that pushed the balance to the USA side during Iraq...

Playing nice only results in US Troop DEATHS... A perfect example is Afghanistan, last month was the DEADLIEST in history...

Obama played the NICE card because he was snowed by McCrystal and the results speak for themselves...

Over two years, billions of US tax dollars spent, and almost a THOUSAND additional US Troop deaths. - Accomplishing NOTHING.

It was the actions of the CIA and International Law Enforcement that tracked a located UBL. The US Special forces only killed him...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/gadget/244830/us-tv-channel-suspends-analyst-for-obama-remark

It is being reported in the Foreign media...

Dear G A Custer, you sir or ma'am are precisely what's wrong with today's "conservative" party base and as a result what's wrong with the party as a whole.

From your incoherent post alone one could surmise that you're undereducated thus underemployed, paranoid and possibly delusional, lack the ability to form your own opinions independently, and while I must congratulate you on your good fortune to have access to a computer and the internet, you
apparently don't know how to spell check.

Sadly and yet thankfully, you're part of an overly vocal minority regurgitating Tea Party political sound
bites without the analytical skill or intellectual curiosity to do your own research to attempt to separate fringe party rhetoric from fact, or perhaps simply too lazy? The icing on the cake as it were is that truth be told you and your party have been shaken to the very core of your class privilege belief system because someone who belongs to a class who you view to be beneath you has become the most powerful man in the world, you'd never want to be publicly labeled as xenophobes, so instead of referencing the "Negro" in the White House and guffawing, you blindly follow the deaf and dumb and criticize and show contempt for our President and what he's trying to do for you, me and our children.

I could go on, but it would no doubt be a case of one “casting pearls before swine” as you’re unlikely to comprehend what I’ve said, much less do anything of societal value with it; so go ahead and lick your wounds and carry on. I salute you!

Oh, and in the unlikely event you were going to look up that word "xenophobe", I've included it here as my parting gift, cheers!

Xenophobia [(zen-uh- foh -bee-uh, zee-nuh- foh -bee-uh)] An unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred of strangers or foreigners, or of their politics, or anything perceived as foreign or different.

Wow, you can't articulate a response to the points Custer made, so you attack and insult him instead??? Who is the one that sounds undereducated, paranoid and possibly delusional now??? Hmmmmm????

See my post below of my "take" of his confirmation hearings for I believe you will see your answer...