Clark Griswold

Another step in the slow motion suicide of Europe

True - there are instances of insanity in our past but of late they have gotten much worse. What does the phrase "against all enemies foreign and domestic" mean to this dithering group of feckless, over-analyzing, limp wristed lawyers?

If this guy is typical of those in charge, we're f*ck'ed... FBI Director Stuns With His Answer to Question on Americans Who Fight Alongside Islamic State

There is a limit on what the size of pan-Sunni / Islamic State could be but there is enough unifying the Sunnis by alienation & conflict with Alawites, Shia, and Kurds to overcome tribal / cultural differences. ISIS is really a mutation of the Ba'ath party with new and unfortunately improved brutality added in for more kick. Pretty good article on Sunni support for ISIS: Why is there Sunni Arab support for Isis in Iraq?

The ruling class will fight like hell to keep the status quo but the rank and file, Arab nationalists and Islamist factions might go for it... Getting rid of the nations created by Sykes-Picot would be huge F U to the West and hence might gather support across national boundaries - Nasser's dream of a pan-Arab state still appeals to a lot https://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/09/18/the-100-year-old-agreement-you-need-to-know-about-if-you-want-to-understand-whats-driving-the-islamic-state/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Back on frequency... With Ebola in Dallas, drug resistant TB, the Enterovirus D68 now spreading in American & Canadian children is probably due to the 60,000+ illegal alien minors who are now in every state and ISIS interested in but not yet able (probably) to infiltrate thru the rusty screen door hanging by one hinge that is our southern and northern borders, are we finally at the point where Fortress America can be built? The need is so obvious that even selfish political & economic interests can be overcome? DOCTOR: GOV’T ‘TIGHT-LIPPED’ ON RESPIRATORY VIRUS, MAY BE FROM ILLEGALS Illegal immigrant brings drug-resistant TB case to Texas Islamic State Has ‘Increased Interest’ in Exploiting Southern U.S. Border for Attack: Local Law Enforcement Bulletin The stable prosperous republic is being killed by the death of a thousand cuts...

Caught 3 ANA O's on the way to Canada to seek asylum. https://triblive.com/usworld/nation/6843032-74/border-canada-military#axzz3E6PChaVp

True - we all use dirty tricks or have in the past. My question is would we be willing in this time and with our political sensitivities (domestic and foreign) to stoke ethnic tensions, deliberately undermine civil governments with aid to TCO's, etc... the really unsavory parts of covert warfare. I am not Machiavellian but with our national power not in decline but not as great in comparison to our past or to the power of our enemies and rivals, will we need to use these tactics? My two cents is that our current and foreseeable crop of civilian leaders in the executive branch will not go for them though they are probably what could be politically possible as they have plausible deniability, low cost, low risk to uniformed personnel but given our highly polarized / dysfunctional federal government not likely.

Wow... Jasmine Tridevil Gets Third Boob 'Because I Don't Want To Date Anymore'

Orders to freshmen dorms up 10,000%

NATO Is Acting Like It’s 1985 ‘Maskirovka’ Is Russian Secret War Good articles on next-gen warfare as practiced by the Russians. Question comes to mind: Can we do the same to them in areas that they tenuously control or destabilize their allies the same way? If so legally, then morally? Thoughts?

Looks like Number 5 is flying https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/tiny-humanoid-robot-learning-to-fly-real-airplanes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

2 Or Rods from the Gods. They would be evil rods of course...

Amen - Every time at a previous assignment I saw in the base paper or on Friday at the gate a commander, first shirt and some hapless individual who got a DUI in blues passing out flyers for AADD; I had less and less faith in the ability of the AF as an institution to make rational HR decisions. I can't remember how many times the new boss, DO, first shirt, wing king, etc... gives the same speech and emphasizes DUIs, Sexual Harassment, etc... won't be tolerated and inevitably when a screw up happens, it's not just the individual's fault but leadership as if they had told said individual just one more time not to booze up and drive, he/she wouldn't have done it... Just a casual observation but it seems the AF and Navy have the market on shit-canning leaders for infractions of those they command, anyone see the Army or USMC employ the same "one and done" mentality for subordinate infractions?

Not surprising about Turkey, Erodgan is an Islamist in sheep's clothing with a pack of thugs to enforce Sharia soon enough... the worry about the PKK getting more and better arms is in some sense valid but really they want a victory of sorts for IS to thwart the Shia / Alawites of Syria, Iraq and Iran. Islamist Turkish Politician: ‘Christianity Is No Longer a Religion’ Erdogan approves law tightening Turkey's Internet controls A 60 minutes story I saw a while ago about the treatment of the Christian church in Turkey Jordan is who and where we should court for air bases as King Abdullah is not on their list of BFFs... ISIS Threatens to Invade Jordan, 'Slaughter' King Abdullah But a new Yankee Station in the Eastern Med might be all we get to attack ISIS for now.

Oh yes... back to the good ole days... but it would not hurt to have a show of force like the old days, say a 20 bomber force in 4 formations non-stop unannounced to Europe, drop in ranges in Finland, Poland, Hungary and Romania. Russia's been flexing nuts as they say, it's time to return the favor. Russian strategic bombers near Canada practice cruise missile strikes on US

True - the Russians are reprising their traditional spoiler role in the world but as to the general's comments not surprising. The Russians rely on or plan on tactical nukes in potential conflicts with peer advisories. This just gives the Euros a little more reason to be nervous. The Ruskies have a HUGE advantage over NATO in terms of number and delivery of tactical nukes and if you really want to give Putin an ulcer, you would close this gap. Russian tactical nuclear weapons still an issue after START treaty ratification

Bluster or foreboding. Russian General Calls for Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine Against NATO

Hopefully so, not a pessimist but this seems worse than previous episodes of abusive / irresponsible governance. Not just an action against a political rival but one that is against the interests of the American people, particularly the poor and working class.

The Border Crisis is really a symptom of the real crisis, of responsible / lawful governance. The Executive Branch is ignoring the Legislative Branch, and pretty much making this up as they go. I wonder when this is all going to come to a boil. ATTKISSON: OBAMA ADMIN REFUSING TO TELL CONGRESS WHERE ILLEGAL CHILDREN WENT Judge Sets Hearings for Illegal Alien Minors--4 Years From Now

Not in the NSFW category but WTF? Every time Kerry opens his pie-hole a torrent of nuclear strength stupidity spews forth... After reading / watching this I have never had greater doubts about the future of our country if a person of the either extreme ineptitude or unmitigated lying can attain high office... KERRY: SCRIPTURE COMMANDS USA TO PROTECT MUSLIM COUNTRIES AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING

Morality aside the Berlin Wall actually proves that physical barriers work, yes some will risk life and limb for what they want if the desire is strong enough but If the Berlin Wall was not there the population of East Germany would have quickly declined to zero as the Communist utopia was imposed and the Germans living there had an easy avenue to leave, as there was no easy avenue, the fact that only 5000 crossed proves you can control a border if you want. I don't doubt that there will be some illegal immigration via illegally crossing the border or thru smuggling but my point is that the US should use reasonable means to control its border. It is in our interest, it is our responsibility and it is only common sense. Immigration reform (either reforming to allow more or less) is a TOTALLY different issue, the only thing a security system of fences, cameras, lights, patrol roads, aerial surveillance, etc... would stop / deter is ILLEGAL immigration and all the associated evils like drug / weapon smuggling, infractions by foreign military / LE on US territory, etc... There is an enormous difference between legal and illegal immigration. Most plans to secure the border leave 2,000 legal Points of Entry meaning it would average 1 legal POE for every mile of the border, that is PLENTY and proof that we are not trying to wall ourselves off from the world but just trying to keep law and order as opposed to a free for all drag your carcass across wherever you feel like and we won't ask any questions because that's racist situation we have now. I would also disagree with your assessment that Israel's system of barriers, patrol and security infrastructure is comically short. The security system I referenced is one project of several that the Israelis have done and part of the reason they don't have a-holes routinely blow themselves up in cafes and buses any longer is they actually have a responsible government that protects its citizens first and then worries about others later. Stoping infiltration attacks via barriers, monitoring and secure POE worked very well for Israel, it can work here too. When you see bullshit like this: Two-time illegal immigrant charged with rape in Philly’s sanctuary city 7 Horrible Crimes Committed In America by Illegal Aliens You know something has to change. And the security situation is worse than you think: Cartels suspected as high-caliber gunfire sends Border Patrol scrambling on Rio Grande Also, if you think we need more low-skilled laborers or high skilled workers from abroad to compete with US citizens for jobs, try going to their countries and looking for work. Then reference Grady's post below and this article's numbers: Ninety-two million Americans are not working. If the labor-force-participation rate were the same today as it was one year ago, the unemployment rate would be 8 percent. If the labor-force-participation rate were the same today as it was in January, 2008, the unemployment rate would be nearly 12 percent. And yet our political leaders are committed to doing everything in their power to make things even worse. The political elite of both parties have renewed their drive for immigration “reform,” a drive sure to send the employment numbers falling further down the cliff — especially the employment numbers for low-skilled Americans. As I testified last April before the Senate Judiciary Committee, any reform remotely resembling the Gang of Eight bill will harm low-skilled workers in particular, resulting in both lower employment and lower wage rates for this vulnerable cohort. The harm’s not minor: Evidence adduced before the U.S.Commission on Civil Rights shows that illegal immigration has displaced hundreds of thousands of black American workers alone. So sure, let’s embark on a policy with a demonstrated track record of throwing Americans onto the unemployment line. Perfect timing. There is an unholy and uncaring alliance of big businesses and short sighted politicians that don't give a flying f@ck about actual American citizens, they want slave labor and dependable voters at the expense of the existing middle /working class But finally immigration reform, foreign workers, etc... have NOTHING to do with the need for real border security, which is there to only prevent illegal entry into the USA.

So you're point is that just because the illegal crossers will look for another avenue of illegal entry after they find the usual route too difficult or impossible after being fortified / secured then we should not even try it? That is the point of strategic fencing, to force them to only have very difficult avenues to attempt with low probability of success and/or high likelihood of capture during the attempted illegal crossing. Of course they will try something else, for every move there is a counter-move. And it will not be trillions of dollars, not even REMOTELY close to that. Besides which, you can pick your poison for how much illegal aliens cost the United States in direct cost and indirect costs and it dwarfs the cost of a reasonable security system on the border. Crime and illegal aliens in the U.S. From 1980 to 1999, the number of illegal aliens in federal and state prisons grew from 9,000 to 68,000. Today, criminal aliens account for about 30% of the inmates in federal prisons and 15-25% in many local jails. Incarceration costs to the taxpayers were estimated by the Justice Department in 2002 to be $891 million for federal prison inmates and $624 million for inmates in state prisons. That's just to house them at our expense after they committed some crime, just about 1.5 billion. The Israeli security fence system cost about 430 million for about 135 miles, just assuming you kept out only 50% of the would be convicts you could recoup your build out costs for building 6 135-mile sections of security systems in about 3.5 years and you have the benefit of having those prison beds available for some homegrown criminals who need a longer stay in the big house. The Fiscal Cost of Unlawful Immigrants and Amnesty to the U.S. Taxpayer In 2010, the average unlawful immigrant household received around $24,721 in government benefits and services while paying some $10,334 in taxes. This generated an average annual fiscal deficit (benefits received minus taxes paid) of around $14,387 per household. This cost had to be borne by U.S. taxpayers. Amnesty would provide unlawful households with access to over 80 means-tested welfare programs, Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare. The fiscal deficit for each household would soar. In 2011 there were about 320,000 apprehensions for illegally crossing into the USA, even if you only deterred 50% of them and assuming a them to be a head of household situation you would save on average per year in government benefit programs approximately 1.6 billion, just about enough to pay for the above six sections of 135-mile border security system and then every year you would have enough to maintain and man it. Last point, why do we (being the United States of America) have to change because someone from a foreign country doesn't like an aspect of our society, that is a legal system that somehow 1,000,000 people managed to use legally in 2012 and they somehow can't? I guess some people don't have to file their income taxes because they find the form confusing and cumbersome... The burden is on the immigrant to use our system rather than the US bending for them. No apologies for who we are or how we live, if they don't like it, figure it out somewhere else.