RUTHFULLY YOURS

According to the latest opinion poll, published on July 16, President Putin’s approval rating among different segments of Russia’s electorate has risen to an unprecedented 66 percent. This may change quickly, however, if he comes to be perceived as weak and indecisive in handling the next stage of the Ukrainian crisis – the one that may entail heavy fighting in Donetsk and Lugansk, with fresh civilian casualties and further deterioration of the beleaguered insurgents’ military position.

Putin’s popularity is partly due to the improving living standards, but it also rests on the hugely important perception that he has managed to bring Russia back to major power status after the decade of domestic decline and international humiliation under Boris Yeltsin. His counterattack in Southern Ossetia in August 2008, his nifty defusion of the Syrian crisis last September, and his energy deal with China in May are widely seen as the key markers on the road to Russia’s geostrategic recovery.

The Russians are far more concerned about external security than their peers in Western Europe or North America, which is unsurprising in view of the historical record and the country’s absence of natural barriers to foreign invasions. The massive Golden Horde onslaught from the east (1237-1240), which destroyed Kiev and eventually devastated all of the Kievan Rus’ – save the forest belt-protected Novgorod and Pskov – coincided with the attack by the Swedes (1240) and the Teutonic Knights (1242) from the west. The latter two were defeated by Prince Alexander Nevsky, but the consequences of the two-pronged attack for the Russian collective psyche were profound and long-lasting.

The sense of insecurity was enhanced by the Polish invasions of 1610-1613. They occurred during the “Times of Troubles,” a period of domestic political turmoil which was overcome at the last minute by the joint early-modern patriotic appeal of a commoner and an aristocrat, Kuzma Minin and Count Dmitry Pozharsky. The long-term result was Russia’s conscious and continuous policy of territorial enlargement – most notably from Peter’s decisive victory at Poltava to Catherine’s participation in the partitions of Poland – which permanently brought Russia into the league of great European powers by the end of the 18th century. The two autocrats’ successful attempt to create defensible buffer zones on all sides – in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Siberia – paid rich dividends in defending the heartland against Napoleon in 1812. In all key respects the same geostrategic principle applied to the existential struggle against Hitler in 1941-1945.

Below is a list of 267 protests against our porous borders and the open invitation by the Obama regime to people from all over the world to come to America and receive myriad social services and other incentives AT YOUR EXPENSE – our taxpayer dollars at work. This at a time when many Americans are unemployed and under-employed, government spending for entitlement programs is at an all time high, defense spending is dropping precipitously and domestic law enforcement is being militarized!
This travesty is already wrecking havoc by bringing DISEASE (tuberculosis, chagas, leprosy, scabies, lice, swine flu, etc), CRIME (human trafficking, drug smuggling, gangs, murder, property destruction), ISLAMIC TERRORISTS, etc., to our once great nation.
National sovereignty is fast becoming a concept of the past and the Constitution has been shredded. (Obama and his DOJ are publicly signaling impunity for anyone coming to America illegally – even criminals and Islamic terrorists)! The iconic phrase extolling our representative government as one that is “for the people, by the people, of the people” (Gettysburg Address) has been trampled on.
The days of our once great constitutional republic may be limited.
JANET LEVY, LOS ANGELES
http://www.alipac.us/f8/protest-times-locations-july-18-19-national-protests-against-amnesty-307111/

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued directives for expanded passenger screening at airports as a result of the turmoil and new threat intelligence coming out of the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq. DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that he’s told the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to put in place “enhanced security measures in the coming days.”

There are reports of new generations of bombs now being developed by terrorists that could present serious risk to commercial aviation. This could lead to enhanced scrutiny of U.S.-bound passengers, including more explosive-detection equipment and random screenings in the near future. The new challenge facing intelligence agencies, such as the DHS and particularly the TSA — the component of the DHS that runs airport security — is the growth of potentially radicalized terrorists or foreign fighters carrying valid U.S. and European passports. Syria and Iraq have become an incubator for terrorists that pose a similar threat to that of al Qaeda a decade ago.

Thankfully, airport security has come a long way since 9/11. We now have hardened cockpits, air marshals, more sophisticated screening equipment and better intelligence sharing among law enforcement. Although weapons and potential threats are uncovered almost every day by the TSA, we have been fortunate not to have experienced another major terrorism incident in recent years in the transportation arena.

The new warnings about new bombing capabilities being developed by terrorists are a signal that we cannot be complacent and that our own security capabilities must be constantly upgraded against growing and dangerous malicious intent.

The DHS, through the Transportation Security Lab and the Science and Technology Directorate, are dedicated to working together in research and development to ensure that a new generation of technology is incorporated into our transportation security posture. The DHS is pursuing layered defenses at airports and train stations, often referred to as “the checkpoint of the future,” that will help prevent attacks.

The president has been able to restore something that Barnum and Bailey abandoned back in 2006 — the three-ring circus. Every week there seems to be some new gimmick or act that is meant to entertain and distract from the reality that we face: that, by design or by incompetence, Team Obama has no clue what they are doing or trying to accomplish on the world stage – but the show must go on!

The president is able to keep the show going – with his global “big top,” there is always something to delight his base – as he and his minions poke and taunt the Republican elephants in the first ring, with his cabinet of high wire walkers who keep narrow control of the message over the top of the second ring, and the third ring the ever-present Vice President “Joseph the Great” Biden doing his dog and pony show. Oh, and did I mention the clowns?

Entering from stage left is his Clown Car of Freedom that contains an endless line up of clowns (also known as national security “experts”) to delight the global audience with a constant stream of hysterical antics. Ah, yes – Ambassador Susan Rice is quite the driver, weaving in and out and around the three rings – and that red rubber nose compliments her big red clown shoes!

Let’s look at a few of the recent acts that have come popping out of the Obama White House Clown Car of Freedom:

In a blog “Mountain Man- Casualty Equalization” HB Salomon points out:

“Once again, Israel appears to be the villain in this new drama. It seems that several media personalities, and now the Washington Post have decided that the death tolls resulting from the Israeli air strikes on Gaza are considerably higher than Israeli casualties coming from Hamas rocket attacks on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Clearly this is unfair. In a war, the casualties on each side should be approximately equal.
Under the new rules of engagement, warfare will not be like soccer where, for example, Germany can roll up the score on hapless Brazil. In warfare, the death rates should be about equal regardless of who caused the war and irrespective of tactics, weaponry or other factors. If we’re in a war from now on, we must guarantee not to kill any more of our enemy than casualties we ourselves suffer.”

I would just add that a balance is important too. An equal number of civilians of all stripes- women, youngsters, oldsters- should be sustained by both sides. rsk

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/shocking-anti-semitic-hatefest-in-downtown-seattle?f=puball

http://mikereport.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/shocking-anti-semitic-hatefest-in-downtown-seattle/

JEWS DEPICTED AS EATING GENTILE BABIES AND DRINKING THEIR BLOOD.

As Hamas Rockets continued to rain down on Israeli population centers, a large anti-Israel rally took place in Seattle’s Westlake Center this Saturday, July 12. Protesters screamed anti-Israel slogans calling for the destruction of the Jewish state while waving signs and marching through the downtown sidewalks. But this was more than a rally in opposition to Israel or her defensive operations. The signs being waved and the chants hollered constituted a shocking public display of shameless Jew hatred right in the heart of Seattle.

Signs comparing Jews to Nazis were commonplace (see below).

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/talk-and-conduct-montaigne-redux?f=puball

Michel de Montaigne, the sixteenth century essayist, noted the difference between “supercelestial talk and subterranean conduct.” While the difference was obvious in the Renaissance, it rages as a virtual definition of this moment.

The former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in high dungeon, says to Boko Haram “Let our girls [the 276 kidnapped Nigerian girls] go free.” Alas, there aren’t sane people who would disagree, but how do we bring about this result? Is there a strategy, a military prescription? Wailing to the gods of good feeling doesn’t do the trick. In fact, it is little more than supercelestial talk.

At the moment, a newly minted celebrity Thomas Picketty, with his rehashed version of Marxism generating ink in the West, tells us capitalism produces inequality – a point so obvious I find myself embarrassed to comment on it. Churchill made the same case when he said that capitalism distributes wealth unequally, while socialism distributes misery equally. Of course capitalism produces inequality. If free markets prevail some will succeed by dint of hard work, innovation, imagination, intrigue and luck. It isn’t always fair, but life isn’t always fair. What capitalism has also produced is the greatest explosion of wealth the world has known. If your desire is equality, then free markets must be controlled. And if free markets are controlled – to continue the syllogism – wealth will not be generated and people will be impoverished. Here too Picketty speaks from the heavens, but his words don’t resonate on the ground.

In Geneva and now in Vienna, the western powers have engaged in conversation with Iranian representatives over its alleged nuclear weapons program. President Obama contends “jaw jaw is better than war war.” (words attributed to Churchill) But suppose talk leads to war. Suppose as well, the celestial talk effectively accelerates the day when “break out” occurs and Iran has sufficient fissile material to produce multiple new weapons.

In fact, Shia leaders have made it clear that Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons cannot be forestalled. According to Ahmed al Baghdadi, jihad to conquer the world in the name of Islam “will be launched when Global Islam has weapons of mass destruction.” In addition, the Iranian government has publicly declared “death to America,” in effect genocide, thereby breaking rule number one of the United Nations. Yet we talk and talk hoping for a result that is impossible. What is it about the words “death to America” our leaders do not understand?

Dear Members of Congress,

Here’s an assignment for you: Watch the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” and pay particular attention to the part in which Dorothy realizes that in her ruby red slippers, she had the magic power she needed all along.

You do, too. Not in fancy footwear, of course. It’s called the power of the purse.

You don’t like what’s going on where the border used to be before Barack Obama eliminated it? I realize you are probably not equipped to deliver the Constitutional remedy of impeachment, but how about this: When Barack Obama’s multi-billion-dollar “supplemental” budget request for the “unaccompanied children” crisis comes knocking on the door of the Appropriations Committee, put your hands in your pockets and whistle. You do not have to fund it. And why would you? As Texas Gov. Perry points out in USA Today, “out of $3.7 billion in President Obama’s request, only $68.4 million — or 1.8 percent — is directly dedicated to border security efforts.” That “supplemental” request, by the way, which initial reports pegged at $2 billion, has now grown to $4.3 billion.

Just say no. You can tell the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave: “Not good enough, Mr. President. Up here on Capitol Hill, we are persuaded by our Senate colleague Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that there is a cheaper, better option. As Sen. Coburn says, $20 million will fly all of these aliens home — first class! Even if we agree to spend the $68.4 million more of taxpayers’ money that you have designated to secure (read: attempt to reinstate) the border, we will still rack up savings of well over $3 billion!”

That’s real power — and it’s all yours. Get used to it. Remember, absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely, too. Think of this way: You are useless to your bosses (constituents) if you are nothing more than a bunch of rubber-stamping, executive branch yes-men. And speaking of the power of the purse, that’s just not what we pay you for.

To be sure, there’s much more financial flexing to do. Not to alarm anyone unduly, but it is a fact that in this immediate and truly existential crisis, the federal government is seizing more dictatorial powers than ever. Look at the way the feds are blocking journalists and you, democratically elected representatives, from even seeing what is going on at the holding centers for the “unaccompaned alien minors,” aka (according to federal fiat) “unaccompanied children,” soon to be known as “unchaperoned debutantes.”

The death cult known as Hamas is celebrating its first great success of the current ‎campaign to murder Jews indiscriminately across the length and width of Israel. ‎Today it struck gold as Israel suffered its first death from rocket or mortar fire ‎from Gaza. This required The New York Times, America’s paper of record for those ‎who would vote for President Barack Obama for a third term if they only could, to point out that this ‎one Israeli casualty has to be placed in context with the approximately 200 dead ‎Palestinians in Gaza from Israeli bombing attacks. This disproportionality ‎of Israeli versus Arab deaths has been a constant concern for Israel’s enemies on ‎the Left in every engagement the nation has had with terror groups starting with ‎the war withHezbollah in 2006.

For pretty much every other nation in the history of the world, the goal in any war ‎has been to win quickly and decisively, with the lowest casualty cost to your own ‎side, and if morality is a part of your culture (which of course eliminates many war ‎participants, including all of those who have fought Israel in its modern history), ‎with no needless suffering caused to the other side’s civilian population. William ‎Saletan, hardly a down-the-line supporter of Israel (he is a fierce critic of home ‎demolitions of the families of terrorists) has applauded Israel for its enormous ‎efforts to accomplish its military goals in the current air campaign, while avoiding ‎civilian casualties.

As in the previous mini-wars with Hezbollah and in Gaza, the ratio of male to ‎female deaths among adult casualties has been 3 to 1 or 4 to 1. If Israel were ‎indiscriminately targeting civilians, or committing grave human rights violations, ‎the ratio would be much closer to 1 to 1. But for the major newspapers and ‎television stations in America, it is as if Israel had done something wrong for ‎having experienced so few deaths of its own (so far). The war would be “fairer” if ‎there were only more dead Jews. Since many on the Left and in the media have ‎trouble choosing between Hamas and Israel on the merits (or even prefer Hamas), ‎the pox on both your parties belief system leads to a longing for comparable death ‎tolls.‎

Israel’s critics won’t be moved by Saletan’s argument or any statistical analysis that ‎suggests Israel is behaving honorably. They want Israel to disappear, and they are ‎not at all uncomfortable with dead Jews. For years, the major nations of Europe ‎have argued that they are critics of Israel, but won’t tolerate anti-Semitism. It would ‎be hard to tell the difference these days, with police chiefs in Frankfurt turning ‎their bullhorns over to a violent mob attempting to attack Jewish institutions in the ‎city, and France descending into a full fledged state of nature if you happen to be ‎Jewish — with congregants locked into synagogues in Paris for their safety as masses ‎of Arabs call for a new Holocaust and attempt to storm the doors, while others ‎firebomb synagogues in communities outside Paris.

No ethnic group in the U.S. matches Cuban-Americans in their rejection of the Democratic Party. This might explain why most of you, amigos, have probably never heard of this atrocity against “Hispanics” attempting to enter the U.S. This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Communist massacre.

You know it’s bad (or good, depending on your viewpoint) when a mainstream media luminary himself admits to mainstream media “negligence.” To wit:

“In the summer of 1994, something terrible happened out there,” ABC’s Ted Koppel was reporting from Havana in 1998 as he pointed towards the Florida straits. “It was an incident that went all but unnoticed in the US media. The Cuban-American community protested but they protest a lot and as I say, we in the mainstream media all but ignored it. Now we welcome Cuban-American author Humberto Fontova for more details.”

“Thanks Ted! I’ll take it from here.” (Actually I’m making up the part about appearing on ABC. Actually Fox News is among the few who will tolerate me. But thanks to Ted anyway for notifying the world of this Castroite atrocity, even if four years later.)

In the predawn darkness of July 13, 1994, 72 desperate Cubans — old and young, male and female — sneaked aboard a decrepit but seaworthy tugboat in Havana harbor and set off for the U.S. and the prospect of freedom.

Let Jimmy Carter gush that “Cuba has superb systems of health care and universal education.” Let Jack Nicholson label their captive homeland “a paradise.” Let Bonnie Raitt rasp out her ditty calling it a “Happy Little Island.” Let Ted Turner hail their slavemaster as a “Helluva guy.” Let Michael Moore hail the glories of Cuba’s Healthcare in Sicko. Let Barbara Walters add gravitas while soft-soaping Castro during an “interview”: “You have brought great health to your country.”

The people boarding that tug knew better. And for a simple reason: the cruel hand of fate had slated them to live under Fidel Castro and Che Guevara’s handiwork.

The lumbering craft cleared the harbor and five foot waves started buffeting the tug. The men sprung to action as the impromptu crew while mothers, sisters and aunts hushed the terrified children, some as young as one. Turning back was out of the question.

A few miles into the turbulent sea, 30-year-old Maria Garcia felt someone tugging her sleeve. She looked down and it was her 10-year-old son, Juan. “Mami, look!” and he pointed behind them toward shore. “What’s those lights?”