Who can keep up with events at such a time? The last presidential election was engulfed by the global financial crisis. This one is being devoured by another crisis that already looks to be a good deal more intractable than a mere economic downturn. There may be many negatives about American power but the world may be a much much worse place without it.
Whether anyone can put the genii back into the bottle is the question of the moment. That Obama, who has let this genii out and into the world, cannot do so is without question. One can only hope that the American people have enough collective sense to elect Romney in his place. What a fantastically dangerous world we are all about to inherit. What a mad experiment it was to elect such a novice as president.
The thing about Mitt Romney is that he is his own man. It is not only that he has genuinely sound judgment but he is willing to back himself against everyone else. This already looks like an ancient story but does give some hope that Romney may be the man for the times.
Mitt Romney hammered President Obama over his handling of the violent protests at American diplomatic missions in north Africa — and stuck to his attack throughout Wednesday, even as criticism flew from both sides of the aisle.
This business about criticism from “both sides of the aisle” is beyond me. If there really are Republicans who thought that this should not be the single most important political issue of the day and that Romney should not be whipsawing the president in every spare moment about his foreign policy failures, then they ought to leave politics for something a bit less cutting edge, journalism say. If ever there has been an issue of the moment to discuss, this is it. Listening to the American president deal with the world unraveling is terrifying. The only direct quote from Romney in the story is this:
I also believe the administration was wrong to stand by a statement sympathizing with those who had breached our embassy in Egypt instead of condemning their actions. It’s never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and defend our values.
If that’s not acceptable to every Republican, indeed to every American, there really is an idiocy around that is getting harder to fathom.
At Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds at least reprints a long excerpt from The Washington Examiner which says some of the right kinds of things:
Forgive President Obama if he seemed a bit shell-shocked during his brief statement Wednesday on the murderous attack against an American consulate in Libya. In June 2009, he had grand plans for harmony between East and West. In a celebrated speech delivered in Cairo, Obama spoke earnestly about the need for the West and the Muslim world to look past old hostilities and suspicions.
And then on Tuesday night, his grand vision came crashing down.
Before the deadly attack in Benghazi, in which the American ambassador and three others were killed, there was another attack in Cairo. That one could well serve as a microcosm of Obama’s broader dealings in the Middle East. Just before a mob attacked the U.S. Embassy there, the diplomats took to Twitter to ‘condemn’ a group of private American citizens who had created an offensive online film about the prophet Muhammad. (The film was the pretext for the rioting). ‘The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims,’ they tweeted. And so, after a painful and futile decade of spreading ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’ by force in the Islamic world, American civil servants sacrificed the First Amendment in an attempt to appease an angry mob.
Naturally, these apologies (which the administration later disowned) did nothing to prevent the attack that followed or to make the embassy’s occupants safer. Rioters desecrated the American flag, replaced it with a black Islamic flag used by al Qaeda, and, according to Cairo’s daily Al-Ahram, chanted: ‘Obama, Obama, there are still a billion Osamas.’
The lesson from that small (and unlike in Libya, bloodless) incident applies to Obama’s entire foreign policy vision: Whatever foreign policy you want to adopt, groveling is no way to bring it about.
Also via Instapundit, is this conclusion from a long posting by James Taranto at The Wall Street Journal:
The idea that a submissive-sounding president could set things right in the Muslim world always struck us as far-fetched. Yesterday’s events render it indefensible.
Oh what a world we live in!
The attacks on US Embassies will ensure victory by Obama. Americans rally around the incumbent administration when under such threats. Romney is untested and will not be given control under such circumstances.
Johnno
14 Sep 12 at 2:31 am
I don’t agree that Obama is a novice. He has 3.5 years of experience as President – a world away from Romney’s zero experience.
Johnno
14 Sep 12 at 2:32 am
And then if/when the Iranians blow Tel Aviv into a radioactive slagpile, Obama will just stand there like a stunned mullet and say “How could it come to this? I told them I wanted to be friends!”
perturbed
14 Sep 12 at 5:16 am
Professor Angelo Codevilla wrote that adopting the enemies narrative is the surest sign of defeat. He also wrote that the victors in any conflict look forward to better days ahead whilst the defeated mourn the loss of a brighter future.
By Codevilla’s measures, the USA under Obama is defeated. It’s only hope is to elect Romney. However this will probably not be enough. Bernanke is going on open ended QE, seemingly determined to debase the currency whilst concurrently complaining that it buys less.
The group thinking intellectually straight jacketed American ruling class abounds. Codevilla describes them as the least diverse group to ever totally dominate US culture and politics. They almost all went to the same powerful Universities where they were taught the same Leftist sludge and are closed in a college of elite PC cardinals who protect the faith with greater zeal than Ratzinger protected Catholic doctrine when he was dubbed God’s Doberman.
This elite, from the public service, politics, the military, intelligence, much of business, banking, finance and public policy simply need to be replaced by people with new ideas and more open minds. That won’t happen, but at least a change in leadership will help.
Hopefully Obama was the apogee of this closed elites power. We can only hope and pray that more practical people from middle America rise to the fore under President Romney.
John Comnenus
14 Sep 12 at 6:36 am
“Genii”?
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 7:08 am
Just ask Jimmy Carter.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 7:37 am
Drudge is leading with another epic Obama gaffe:
White House clarifies Obama’s statement that Egypt is not an ‘ally’.
The worst president in American history.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 7:39 am
The Republicans who criticised Romney’s statement both of which were pitch perfect, correct, accurate and showed leadership should be made to eat humble pie.
With friends like these who needs enemies?
Like here in Oz leftists don’t attack one another.
It’s all very well to be pro individual liberty but when liberty itself is under threat then we must support the single standard bearer we have.
Anybody who doesn’t supports leftism in effect.
Again Romney has impressed here.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 7:45 am
Obama seemed dumbstruck and shocked by it like everyone else. Perhaps M. Romney could have waited a few days before formulating a policy response, when emotions have died down and people are more rational and ready to listen.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 7:53 am
He didn’t formulate a policy response Candy.
He expressed American outrage at the attacks.
He also defended liberty – unlike Obummer.
He also correctly criticised Obummer for its initial response.
A more detailed critique of Obummer foreign policy should follow in a significant speech.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 8:00 am
JamesK: I see tissues are still $1 a box at Coles. Please start stocking up for November.
Steve from Brisbane
14 Sep 12 at 8:09 am
Hmm, more information has came to light to prove Romney did wait.
[H/t Bolta]
The question that screams to be answered is why the Obama admin waited so long to make a statement when 4 PEOPLE HAD DIED including their ambassador.
Such events demand strong words.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 8:15 am
“He expressed American outrage at the attacks. ”
JamesK, I just thought with the images in people’s minds of what happened to the ambassador and his staff, it’s grotesque, and a few days of letting people feel shocked and grieve before taking action/stance would be better. Just to assimilate it all, the barbaric nature of it, because it happened to their own countryman just doing their jobs over there.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 8:17 am
Yesterday Obummer was fund-raising/campaigning in las Vegas.
Today he fund-raises/campaigns in Colorado.
Way to go Baz.
He’s as superficial and as inane as own liar-steve™
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 8:20 am
Romney took over management for the Salt Lake City Olympics right after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Americans trusted him to arrange the security for this global event which to most peoples’ minds would have been a prime target. And he did just fine.
Obama has 3.5 years of experience at executive level in government – all of which he’s had to spend on L-plates learning how being at executive level in government works; Romney has already had 4 years of experience at executive level in government.
The big difference as I see it though, as regards this latest terrorist attack, is the “3am phone call” factor. Romney reacted quickly and confidently; Obama for some reason or another waited another 12 hours after that to finally address the nation – and in the meantime, people in his administration were going off-script and looking chaotic and out-of-control, issuing apologies and such to the terrorists.
I’m not discounting that there’s a fair chance Obama could be reelected, but if he is it certainly won’t be because of his handling of this latest terrorist attack. It will be despite it.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 8:23 am
So leaders should follow not lead – let’s call it ‘leading from behind’, Candy?
And I remind you that you are a Kevin Rudd supporter.
Fie for shame, Candy
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 8:29 am
Good question: If the president of the United States says Egypt is not an ally, how long can annual multibillion aid package be sustained?
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 8:32 am
No, some drone attacks, or carpet bombing of some Libyan terrorist compounds within 12-24 hours would be better.
blogstrop
14 Sep 12 at 8:36 am
“And I remind you that you are a Kevin Rudd supporter.
Fie for shame, Candy ”
I’m sorry, we all have our faults …
Thing is, isn’t it up to the President to do the talking and set the tone and not the opposing party.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 8:36 am
SFB
No doubt you know this due to the need for a large supply by your bed.
(sorry, you were just asking for it!)
Entropy
14 Sep 12 at 8:37 am
That’s when you have an effective president.
blogstrop
14 Sep 12 at 8:37 am
On this matter the Obama Administration is incompetent on many levels. Firstly, the Benghazi ‘Embassy’ was not hardened and defended to an adequate level, particularly on the anniversary of 9/11, when attacks across the Islamic world should have been predicted and expected. The US Ambassador to Libya should have returned to the better defended Embassy in Tripoli rather than being left exposed. This is an abject failure by Obama’s State Department. Secondly, its response to the attacks on its Embassies has been supine and ineffectual, apologising for US citizens using their constitutional rights before voicing any condemnation of the attacks. While the video is provocative, the response by the Islamic world is disproportionate and excessive. A satirical piece on the Prophet is less offensive than Serrano’s Piss Christ or the Beheading of Daniel Pearl. The USA under Obama has gone too far in appeasing the Muslim world, and his inadequate response shows how his subservient policies have failed to achieve the rapprochement he yearned for when he toured the Middle East, bowing and scraping to Arab leaders. Romney’s approach is clearly what the situation demands. If Obama continues to act like a doormat, he shouldn’t be surprised when his Islamic ‘friends’ walk all over him.
Cold-Hands
14 Sep 12 at 8:44 am
Anyone who reads history and understands about how the Reagan got the new and unestablish Iranian regime to release the hostages in 1980 will understand it was achieved by projecting strength with integrity.
The Iranians gave up the hostages once Reagan was elected as they needed to get established.
When Reagan was dealing with Israel and Lebanon 3 years later he was able to do so as he was known to be a strong leader by all sides who yielded when it was tactically the right time to do so.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 8:54 am
Islamofascism needs confronting just as another fascism needed it. America is a beacon for the free world of the post-Enlightenment and the concepts of individual liberty and prosperity enshrined in these Enlightenment values. Chamberlain was a witterer against fascism, and so is Obama. Softly spoken but strong words and a big stick, to allude to another possible mentor, are what is required in these difficult times. Plus some clarity of thought about the Islamofascist Evil Empire, to inflect another strong American leader. Islamic politicians should be left by America in no doubt as to the course they should follow: i.e. divest themselves of their jihadist Imans and replace them with those who can depart from the seventh century into the twenty-first in order to benefit their own peoples. On the other path lies chaos and an apocalypse for the Islamic world that is man-made not God-given.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.
14 Sep 12 at 8:54 am
Protection and defence of its citizens is a core responsibility of government. We can all feel shocked and grieved but it’s our government that should do and say more.
If we have to apologise and grovel every time some unrepresentative twit in our country says something that might offend someone somewhere, then we better close down all embassies now.
Ellen of Tasmania
14 Sep 12 at 8:56 am
“yielded” means the US finally gave concessions to both sides once they had proven they were willing to compremise and come to an accommodation.
The fact is Reagan was trusted in the Middle East because of his strength of convictions.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 8:56 am
The tribute payments to keep peace are failing.
Both Pakistan and Egypt are taking the money and then abusing the relationship.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 8:58 am
The Ambassador would have made the call on his own whereabouts that day. Was he so incompetent to leave himself and others in such a dangerous position?
There were three others who also paid the price for his incompetence.
Winston SMITH
14 Sep 12 at 9:01 am
It’s perfectly acceptable for the other candidate to make comments as well during an election campaign.
What we got from the President was radio silence for almost 24 hours
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 9:09 am
Oby is a Muslim apostate.
I crave the heartrending story of the courage and passion that brought this conversion on. We have heard nothing of it. I’m betting on a flash of white light and some voices.
It’s relevant for the Repubs to explore this conversion because a genuinely ‘partly’ Muslim Pres who pretends otherwise is not going to get a guernsey.
Alfonso
14 Sep 12 at 9:09 am
No Marines stationed at the embassy?
Obama should not be afraid to outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood forever. Bombing will commence in five minutes.
What would Jefferson do? He knew how to deal with criminal gangsters acting as some form of mob Government operating out of Benghazi. He bombed the shit out of them.
If this mob are to form the Government, they need to learn how to behave. Bloggie is right. Teach them a lesson in the least.
If you go around killing ambassadors, established, civilised nations are going to bomb the heck out of you.
These guys are kidding themselves anyway. The things majority Russians say or think about Islam are far worse than what most Americans (don’t) think or feel ambivalent about.
Putin and Mendeyev just wouldn’t have taken any shit.
.
14 Sep 12 at 9:10 am
Read this article by Bob Woodward in full, the Sun King is out of his depth and does not know how to negotiate. He is carried by those around him yet he is too arrogant to get it.
Statements like this are repeated in books by other people invited in by the administration – Ed Klein’s The Amatuer and Ron Suskind’s Confidence Men.
Keep in mind that this is how the idiot acts when negotiating with people within the US. Is there any wonder that Obama is just the bitch for a pro like Putin?
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:10 am
Currently most of the West has the left disease which is since they are morally and intellectually superior then if Islam is designated as a victim of Western hegonomy, then as the kind, evolved face of the West, the gestures given by the left to Islam will be reciprocated.
The arrogance of the left is that they genuinely believe Islamofascism is a creation of the wrong parts of the West which in turn can be rectified by the right parts of the West, themselves.
I really don’t know how many examples the West needs before it realises Islam is inherently antithetical to the West and shows no tendency, inclination or capacity to accept the superior social/political/economic structure of the West.
cohenite
14 Sep 12 at 9:11 am
But Romney is not the President.
I understand he has to make his stance clear again but I felt it could wait a few days until the dreadful events were more assimilated emotionally.
It just seems so shocking what happened to those guys.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 9:15 am
Medvedev takes no shit from Obummer and he particularly likes to “transmit this to Vladimir”.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 9:18 am
Its standard operating procedure.
He’s potentially the president in waiting.
Not to have commented would have been remarkable.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 9:20 am
Putin gassed and killed his own citizens so he did not have to back down to terrorists.
The islamists don’t try that sh*t on Russians anymore.
By contrast the islamists know they can invade a US embassy at will on 9/11 due to President Bambi.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:22 am
Barack Obama Used Troop Deaths To Ding Bush, McCain Support For Iraq In 2008
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 9:24 am
Strangely enough, out of the 2 candidates he is the only one acting like a president.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:41 am
“If there really are Republicans who thought that this should not be the single most important political issue of the day and that Romney should not be whipsawing the president in every spare moment about his foreign policy failures, then they ought to leave politics for something a bit less cutting edge, journalism say.”
I think what those Republicans were more concerned about was how Romney stuffed up his attack, rather than that he made it at all.
A brief pause until it was clear if this was a local protest that had turned into murder, or a coordinated assault with more to come, would have seemed more presidential and level-headed.
But more importantly, getting the facts straight would have meant the political blows landed on target. Getting the timeline backwards meant the story wasn’t about Obama’s failures, but about Romney’s bungling.
He turned a prime opportunity into what one Republican allegedly called a “Lehman moment”. No wonder some in his party are pissed off.
Jarrah
14 Sep 12 at 10:11 am
“Stuffed up his attack”
Are you serious?
The buck stops with the President.
.
14 Sep 12 at 10:16 am
Tim Blair: MITT RIGHT, ME WRONG
But we already knew that Tim Blair is 10 times the man one of our resident leftist clowns, Jarrah is.
Jarrah prefers wallowing in his own leftist filth and stubborn denial despite even more stubborn facts.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 10:25 am
Jarrah humiliated wrongologist – should get over and read Rubin in well-known GOP organ, the Washington Post.
Romney was right.
But of course he won’t. Because shut up. And Bush.
Wrongologist Jarrah argued yesterday that the 7 month, $1 billion war in Libya last year wasn’t a war.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 10:27 am
Politico: pro-Islamist Obama will continue funding Egyptian terrorists.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 10:29 am
Breaking whopper of a scandal (via DRUDGE):
Exclusive: America ‘was warned of embassy attack but did nothing’.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 10:33 am
Massive US Blunder in Libya
Drudge, breaking
Woolfe
14 Sep 12 at 10:35 am
CL,
Snap
Woolfe
14 Sep 12 at 10:36 am
You can tell a man with character by the way he is willing to admit he is wrong.
Are you paying attention Jarrah?
Token
14 Sep 12 at 10:39 am
Oh the humanity.
Jimmy Carter castigates Obama for gaffe.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 10:41 am
The problem is that Jarrah is so caught up in his pride and psycological limitations he seems to need to cling to his ideological position no matter how many facts come out to prove how wrong it was.
Remember Jarrah, you can’t actually deal with a problem until you admit you have one. The truth will set you free.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 10:44 am
Blue ribbon independent commentator Charles Krauthammer nails it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwzwvsmkGac
The worst – and most dangerously incompetent – president ever.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 10:44 am
This is no surprise.
When you recount the events in 1979 & 1980 it is clear that no matter how inept he was Carter had the best interests of the US at heart.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 10:45 am
It wasn’t. It was a Kinetic Military Action(TM). Bambi said so.
Of course Jarrah will also have to accept that by his standards the Vietnam War wasn’t a war either, but a mere “conflict”. But that’s his problem.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 10:47 am
And Swan and Gillard, enabled by communist sympathisers, destroy Australia’s defence capability.
NoFixedAddress
14 Sep 12 at 10:50 am
Former President Jimmy Carter spoke to students at Drake University in Des Moines today and was asked if he agreed with what Obama said about Egypt:
I’m with Obummer on this.
It was a classical gaffe.
He was speaking the truth but he wasn’t supposed to.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 10:51 am
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/03/201234124458874684.html
NoFixedAddress
14 Sep 12 at 10:52 am
Yeah, great plan folks, let’s just have a world war. They’re good for economic depressions.
SteveC
14 Sep 12 at 10:52 am
hahahahahhaha you idiot. The combined might of the Arab world is what you fear?
SteveC, please attend to Kimberly, your plastic sex doll. She needs you.
JC
14 Sep 12 at 10:56 am
If you want guaranteed peace then keep appeasing SteveC.
We’ve had 4 years of it.
How’s it workin’ for ya?
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 10:57 am
Nice Strawman SteveC.
How is a World War going to start by the US making it clear that killing an ambassidor is unacceptable?
As I noted above, Putin doesn’t need to start a war to put the islamists in line.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:00 am
That is what an inept 1 term senators with no foreign policy would say.
Carter did well in 1979 with Egypt and knows you don’t tell them you consider them two faced bastards.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:02 am
SteveC – like most of the Western left – supports the Islamists.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 11:04 am
i don’t think there’s anything two-faced about Morsi.
He’s a radical islamist MB who hates the US, Israel and the western world.
He can’t do much about that hatred.
Yet.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 11:06 am
“US making it clear that killing an ambassador is unacceptable?”
The world is horrified anyway, but can the US find the perpetrators, they seem to slink away or be hidden by others.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 11:09 am
Disgrace:
As Obama-backed terrorists roam free, communist Eric Holder’s DoJ tracks and publishes the name of the film-maker.
That’s their plan.
http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/150643/
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 11:10 am
That one’s been all over Twitter, CL. It’s just mind-boggling that they’d do that. Beyond belief really.
Iowahawk is on fire.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 11:16 am
“Are you serious?”
Yes. Romney could have, cynically, made a lot of political hay out of the attacks. If only he’d not stumbled at the first hurdle. This is what I think the Republican concern is really about, rather than the touchy-feely “politics ends at the water’s edge” rhetoric.
“Tim Blair: MITT RIGHT, ME WRONG”
No. Trying to whitewash Romney’s comments and claim he didn’t mean what he said is pathetic. No surprise that the usual suspects are running interference on this.
Jarrah
14 Sep 12 at 11:18 am
Jarrah, you really have a problem. You are just humilating yourself.
Watch the Fonz in this clip, even he has the character to admit he was wrong.
If it helps, practice with the great man.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:24 am
LOL
What a truly up-is-down, back-is-front disgusting lying creep you truly are Jarrah.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 11:25 am
Forget Mitt, Jarrah.
The buck stops with the President.
.
14 Sep 12 at 11:29 am
Fme but leftists are slime:
Iowahawk is indeed ‘on fire’; twitter feed:
Need blasphemers located in the USA? Call 1-800-DOJ-HOLDER and leave the legwork to us
Citing American film, violent mobs storm US consulate, kill 4 Americans. DOJ springs to action, hunts down filmmaker.
“We betray em, you slay em”
When Theo Van Gogh was stabbed to death in Amsterdam, at least the Dutch government didn’t give the murderer direction to his house
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 11:31 am
Thanks for the Iowahawk link, Spot.
EG:
As long as it isn’t Roman Polanski, I guess.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 11:35 am
Ace:
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/332856.php
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 11:36 am
You’ve offered a pretty good summary Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.
We have amateurs in charge now, for whom the world commenced in about 1995 and who have no need to know anything of what went before. And people like that galoot in the White House have their actions assessed by hundreds of media employees, with a weak degree in using paragraphs occassionally, scrambling to make a name for themselves – not by respected, seasoned commentators who apply objective analysis and knowledge.
Thus the main story is what Romney said and whether he should have spoken 12 and a half minutes later.
The other clown simply mooches about until a committee of barely adult advisors workshop what to program his teleprompter to announce and the optimum tie and shirt colour for re-election impact. He wouldn’t know, or care, how many corpsemen were killed by his Middle Eastern masters. Of this I have no doubt.
The chances of a man with authority sitting alone, thinking it through, then striding confidently to the microphone and quietly thundering a modern version of “if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!” are zero.
Obamaccles submitted the USA surrender papers three years ago.
The title to this post is so very frighteningly accurate.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
14 Sep 12 at 11:37 am
Aw, fuck.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 11:38 am
Yes, this blunder lead to 4 people dying. Heads must roll.
Is it any wonder the man responsible for a plan that killed more than a hundred of Mexicans is holding a witch hunt for a movie producer?
Only a low-life would spend his time defending this lot.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:49 am
More on leftists-are-slime Iowahawk tweet version:
2001: Why do they hate us? 2012: Why do we hate us?
I’ll get past 9/11 when they get past the year 911.
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 11:49 am
Why this is a mega-gaffe explained for those with who just don’t get why this is to paraphrase Biden: A big f**ken deal!
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:55 am
The Navy SEALS already hate Obama’s guts.
That’s not going to change any time soon.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 11:57 am
Wm Jacobson: Pro-Obama media — so far beyond bad it’s almost indescribable.
And he closes:
Yes.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 11:58 am
A great book I just finished reading on this exact topic – The Coming: A true story of horror
Obama is enabling this Moslem uprising.
Chris M
14 Sep 12 at 11:59 am
Former GE CEO Jack Welsh on his disbelief on how the facts of the situation is being spun by the US Media (and Jarrah):
Token
14 Sep 12 at 11:59 am
This from Romney
“America will not tolerate attacks against our citizens and against our embassies. We will defend also our constitutional rights of speech and assembly and religion. We have confidence in our cause in America. We respect our Constitution. We stand for the principles our Constitution protects. We encourage other nations to understand and respect the principles of our Constitution because we recognize that these principles are the ultimate source of freedom for individuals around the world.”
Please grow a pair and say something like the above, Mr Obama. Any Australian politician who would like to start thinking and speaking like this is also most welcome to do so.
DMS
14 Sep 12 at 12:00 pm
Time to salt the ground
NoFixedAddress
14 Sep 12 at 12:02 pm
If it is true that the State Department had intel that American missions were at risk without warnings being given, then the charge of incompetence I made in my earlier post is underlined. The State Department has thrown a good diplomat and his aides and security team to the wolves. Obama’s strategy has failed; he is out of his depth and his continuing inaction (or wrong action- the search for the film maker being misguided at best), further damages the West’s interests. Romney can’t be elected soon enough.
Cold-Hands
14 Sep 12 at 12:03 pm
Toby Harnden: Obama compares murdered American officials in Libya to his Las Vegas campaign volunteers
“And obviously” why did any one think this low life was rhetorically gifted?
Every American should be ashamed of this arrogant ignorant Jarrah-like turkey of a President
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 12:09 pm
Special forces from all branches already hate Obama’s guts.
He’s actually a dangerous man.
Watch him try to disenfranchise as many members of the military as he can for this election.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 12:10 pm
Obama should be impeached.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 12:14 pm
James, are you serious?
Obama said that?
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 12:16 pm
Yes. Yes, he did.
He also whinged to them about what a tough day he’d had.
And the crowd cheered wildly like they were at a football game.
Awful optics.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 12:21 pm
Krauthammer calls out Hillary Clinton for her disgusting surrender of Free Speech.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 12:51 pm
Interesting, in light of reports that Clinton’s State Department ordered the Marines to be unarmed in Egypt, is my recollection from the 1990s that Hillary hated the USMC and everything it stood for. As First Lady she reportedly used Marines as drink waiters and bus boys at White House functions to underline her lezo-feminist contempt.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 1:08 pm
While American embassies burn…
Beyonce, Jay-Z to host fundraiser with Obama at swanky New York nightclub.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 1:24 pm
“American civil servants sacrificed the First Amendment in an attempt to appease an angry mob.”
What a stupid statement. I would hope that all good people would instinctively and unreservedly condemn some fuckwit for making a deliberately rude and insulting movie. Condemning bad manners is not sacrificing the First Amendment.
As for the murderous rioters, well shoot them of course.
You can condemn both sides which each is being a dick.
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 1:28 pm
The purported producers of the statedly offending Youtube vid about ‘You Know Who’ are being described as, amongst others, of Egyptian Coptic background, although now US citizens.
It is now probably irrelevant if this is true or not.
This will be the meme hyped at Friday prayers in mosques all across the Mid East tonight.
If you think we are living in a dangerous world, Christians and other minorities in places like Egypt, Syria and Iraq must be living with the threat of doom hanging over them.
Tomorrow’s news could be a lot worse than what we have seen so far.
Myrddin Seren
14 Sep 12 at 1:28 pm
Oops, “when each”
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 1:28 pm
No, by mentioning both sides in the same breath they were actually a) narrowing the equivalency gap and b) making the 1st Amendment into a problem. They should never have made mention of free speech or of religious offence. The only relevant issue was the commission of murder, and that is all.
Fisky
14 Sep 12 at 1:35 pm
Thank you, Fred Nile.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 1:36 pm
Hey, remember the left’s condemnation of The Da Vinci Code Last Temptation of Christ?
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 1:39 pm
I don’t remember the Left condemning Piss Christ. Do you?
Fisky
14 Sep 12 at 1:41 pm
Stolen from DaveF in the open thread (NSFW waring):
NO ONE MURDERED BECAUSE OF THIS IMAGE
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 1:44 pm
Anyone got a link to Obama’s denunciation of Angels & Demons?
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 1:48 pm
The islamics though are deadly incredibly deadly serious about the Koran. it cannot be mocked or some fundamentalist group will take revenge. they’ll never change. they’ll never be like other religions. They’re not like us.
If an image on youtube or a movie makes them crazy ballistic, should the image be put up, if it causes danger to American citizens.
just asking.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 1:53 pm
So manners is a tit for tat thing then? There’s nothing inconsistent with supporting free speech and criticisimg stupid speech. Speech only stops being free when it is constrained, not when it is condemned.
Only an idiot would think that condemning the film is the same as supporting the riots. Sheesh.
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 2:00 pm
It’s the “unalterable word of God”, which is their reason for being so touchy about it.
It’s also the reason why that disgusting mediaeval death cult can never undergo a “Reformation”, as Christianity did.
It’s also why we’re going to witness another global conflagration and in all likelihood sooner rather than later…
Rabz
14 Sep 12 at 2:02 pm
“It’s also the reason why that disgusting mediaeval death cult can never undergo a “Reformation”, as Christianity did.”
Ummm, before the reformation, the bible was seen the same way by many christians, and there’s plenty of nuts who still think like that. Intelligent design anyone?
“It’s also why we’re going to witness another global conflagration and in all likelihood sooner rather than later…”
Except that we’ve got lots more guns, so we won’t see this at all.
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 2:18 pm
The Discovery Institute goes out and kills non- ID believers after Sunday prayer meets? I didn’t know that Pedro.
Tell me, what’s worse, a gathering of Discovery institute people or the regular Greens Party meeting held mid week?
JC
14 Sep 12 at 2:24 pm
Have we got the will to use them?
Rabz
14 Sep 12 at 2:24 pm
Pedro – it’s OK. Just come out and say you support the Islamic rioters.
Don’t beat around the bush.
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 2:30 pm
Spare me! Keep on feeding that snarling crocodile Pedro, and see what happens when you run out of tucker for him.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
14 Sep 12 at 2:36 pm
JC, that was not the point I was making. Rabz said that the christians got rid of the unerring word of god shit with the reformation, clearly that is not completely true. If the christians can over all get more sensible then the muslims can too.
Rabz, apparently we are dong that right now in Afganistan.
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 2:36 pm
Mick, keep up the deep-thinking.
Pedro
14 Sep 12 at 2:37 pm
Muzzos can reform, Pedro. They can stop believing in Islam. That’s about all the reform it needs.
I oppose banning this stuff obviously on free speech grounds, but why the fuck would you tease a dog until it bites? Why create stuff like these films which is meant to incite these morons into killing people?
JC
14 Sep 12 at 2:47 pm
This stupid comment needs responding to so the Lefty understands the principles of the enlightenment he is yielding:
Sure, but the statement by the US embassy in Cairo did more than that. As Charles Krauthammer has noted and I’ve quoted above:
When a bunch of thugs invades an embassy and scrawls Anti-Semetic and pro-Al Queda graffiti, you don’t apologise to them. It only encourages more voilence (as was found in Yemen).
Token
14 Sep 12 at 2:52 pm
“It’s also the reason why that disgusting mediaeval death cult can never undergo a “Reformation”, as Christianity did.
looks 99.9 percent unlikely given this latest atrocity. or at least another 500 years is needed or something.
candy
14 Sep 12 at 2:55 pm
I don’t know we need to go that far, they can reform by embracing western enlightenment and enjoy the fruits of free speech. Many muslims in the west have done that and love living in countries like Australia, the US and Canada.
If they insist on holding on the the dark age cultural values and think that will allow them to reach the same level of freedom and prosperity they are wrong. The countries of Europe like Norway, Sweden, Holland France & the UK which are seeing those areas where they allow Sharia to dominate to turn into dark ages replicas of the totalitarian states in the Islamic world.
Don’t let me get started on Malaysia…
Token
14 Sep 12 at 2:55 pm
Please, Pedro, if you are going to speak about the reformation, and Christianity in general, then I think you should understand its history much better. The reformation was actually a RETURN to the Scriptures, not a departure.
Not all religions/worldviews are equal. Some are more dangerous than others.
Ellen of Tasmania
14 Sep 12 at 3:09 pm
You’re right NFA.
I choose Cobalt60.
Bob Sewell
14 Sep 12 at 3:22 pm
The US State Department has form in this regard, Cold Hands. The Marine Barracks in Beirut was ordered by the State Department to remove road blocks and anti vehicle devices from the Barracks perimeter because “It looks bad.”
Result? 200 + dead US servicemen. No one from the SD was sacked.
Bob Sewell
14 Sep 12 at 3:27 pm
Now what was that you said again there, laddie?
You’re a dead set dill – stay with Twitter where glib and shallow and ill educated works much better.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
14 Sep 12 at 3:36 pm
Islam can reform, see Ishrad Manji.
Their leaders will have much more pressure with a President who actually protects his ambassadors.
The Muslim Brotherhood are simply exterminationist fascists. They are not much different to the Nazis, really. Join us, or be like us, or die. They have imperialistic aims to be gained through violent means and have a brutal oppression of dissenters and undesireables.
Germany was cleansed of such a madness. There is always hope.
.
14 Sep 12 at 4:03 pm
Obamalero is like an 11 minute recap of Hewitt’s best-selling book, The Brief Against Obama. Just like in his book, Hewitt spends his time on facts and figures instead of personal attacks that just aren’t necessary.
Very well done and entertaining summary of the disaster that has been this Obumma presidency.
Well worth the look
JamesK
14 Sep 12 at 4:07 pm
All too true – right down to the mouth frothing Jew hatred.
Rabz
14 Sep 12 at 4:08 pm
What’s the worse thing that can happen? Mutual middle east destruction? That affects us how?
Pickles
14 Sep 12 at 4:33 pm
Pedro is peddaling an equivalence lie; it is vile bullshit of course. I commend Sam Harris’s book, The End of Faith, to explain why there is no equivalence between Islam and the West or even Christianity, which has a rotten history but still had the capacity to change and reform.
Harris explains why Western tolerance will never be reciprocated by Islam and that the defining characteristic of ‘liberalism’, the left, is a denial to perceive social and ideological structures which threaten the West, the social structure which protects them.
The pschology of the left is implacably superior to the extent that its awareness of its own superiority will not let it comprehend that its superior peception and understanding cannot change for the better forces within humanity that are equally implacably intent on eradicating any opposition.
The left really believe they can manage Islam; they do not recognise what it is: totalitarianist eschatology; Islam is NOT nihilisic; it is ineluctably ideological with the operative imperative being supernatural reward. With that prospect at the personal level and authority derived from which person has the most power to enforce their view of the religious text, Islam society will always be in turmoil and oppressive.
Modern liberalism is secular; it’s attempt to deal with Islam on the basis of secular principles of rationality and equality is preposterous.
For the West, dealing with Islam can only be in 2 forms, war or quarantine.
cohenite
14 Sep 12 at 4:39 pm
One genie, two genii.
One doofus, two doofi. Not you sdog. I just like the word.
jrm
14 Sep 12 at 4:43 pm
Neither of which can or will be properly engaged in by the West, largely due to the ongoing subversive influence of leftist shitheads.
Rabz
14 Sep 12 at 4:57 pm
The yanks still have nearly 100 operational B52s. What I want to know is why they currently aren’t refueling and rearming for a second round of arclight strikes on Libya.
boy on a bike
14 Sep 12 at 5:42 pm
BoaB, this many answer your question:
The man is not doing his job.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 6:06 pm
And unfortunately for secular liberalism, for a significant minority of the Muslim faithful, pursuit of that supernatural reward absolutely requires physical domination of anything that does not conform with Islamic precepts – as a strict personal and community duty.
While many of the political enthusiasms of the left are obviously repugnant to Islam, I suspect that Islam’s socially controlling ideological activism (plus the always reliable anti-US focus) warms the front trouser area of many a closet Trot.
Dr Faustus
14 Sep 12 at 6:39 pm
This from a guy who sends auto-signed form letters to the families of special forces soldiers killed in action, but he has to go give a team hug to the Gen Yers at Foggy Bottom – because ???
Myrddin Seren
14 Sep 12 at 6:46 pm
Because he’s a dumb fuck.
Because he’s an oxygen thief.
Because…
…
Because he’s Obama.
Supplice
14 Sep 12 at 7:20 pm
Boy on a bike: A USA minded to fiercely protect that which it has created would certainly be at this point.
There are way too many at home however who have become bored with the country’s success and tear away at the fabric of the joint to amuse themselves. They no longer value what they enjoy.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
14 Sep 12 at 8:43 pm
Don’t worry Mick, the coming bout of hyperinflation from QE3 will very quickly remind the world of what is important.
(PS – It’s Winston under his own name. Sometimes you have to stand up and be counted.)
Bob Sewell
14 Sep 12 at 8:49 pm
Powerline exposes the way the WhiteHouse is trying to spin and lie itself out of serious trouble:
F***ing lying liars that continue to lie.
If I was a diplomat for the US I would be seriously questioning the desire of this bunch to my protect my life.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 8:58 pm
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:00 pm
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:01 pm
ABC, NYT embrace Islamism:
C.L.
14 Sep 12 at 9:12 pm
So how long before we start to hear about circumcision equality? It makes me sick.
Token
14 Sep 12 at 9:25 pm
Whenever I have seen the word genii it has been the plural of genius, as a second-declension noun. Genie in the sense here seems more like it came from the Arab word jinni (plural jinn, jinni or jinnee?) than from the Latin genius… but then English is a wonderfully bastardized language so I’ve no doubt you’re right.
But he didn’t use it as a plural anyway so that’s a moot point. “That Obama, who has let this genii out and into the world…”. It would just be genie anyway. When you are talking about a whole mob of genius types, such as the denizens of the Cat, you want to say “these genii”.
I like the doofus – doofi paradigm, but. I’ll be looking out for an excuse to use the genitive plural dooforum.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 9:51 pm
I’m glad you clarified that for us, Winston. I was about to blast this “Bob Sewell” character for having appropriated your avatar.
sdog
14 Sep 12 at 9:56 pm
Already blasted, spot.
When the open thread turned to ShitferBrains ranting about queers and the church, I said stuff it and went to the pub. Yarned for a while about outback stories, bought the new 18 y/o drinker a rum, and got an update on the Kalgoorlie to Alice Springs Road and the state of bitumenising it.
Required some vocal lubrication but we got there.
Bob Sewell
14 Sep 12 at 10:03 pm
The rusted-on Dems who imagine Romney as a horned, fork-tailed monster that will enslave blacks, kill gays and rape women then ban their abortions, will never vote for anyone else than their Blind Idiot God, the SCOAMF, Butthurt Obambi. But I suspect (I beg, I pray, I desperately hope!) that the middle ground will be sickened by Obambi’s handling of this affair and switch sides in November. Or at least not support him.
perturbed
14 Sep 12 at 10:06 pm
Onya Bob, g’day. I trust you’re enjoying those fabulously crisp early mornings out McKinlay way – Spring is a most agreeable period out west.
I suspect you may be right about what’s in store, especially for the omniscient young in the fortunate western world who have never known hardship.
I often wonder how much more swiftly we might have sailed through these past four years if governments had not jumped in to breathe life into institutions and programs which would have been best left to die off.
Lee Kuan Yew warned in ’94 “the Westerner says I’ll fix things at the top. One magic formula, one grand plan. I will wave a wand and everything will work out. It’s an interesting theory but not a proven method. … In the West especially after World War II the government came to be seen as so successful that it could fulfill all the obligations that in less modern societies are fulfilled by the family.”
When one stands back and look at this clown in Washington and all the other short term populist know nothings running Greece, France, Australia and other emerging economic basket cases I realise just how prescient Mr Lee’s view was.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
14 Sep 12 at 10:10 pm
Because I don’t believe you can draw a line between satire and stupid people looking for offence. Therefore stuff like this and Piss Christ and even The Life of Brian must be allowed. But I think you are questioning the film makers ‘need’ to make the film in the first place.
Perhaps he genuinely thinks Mohammed was an idiot, thus all his followers are idiots – and that this needed to be parodied.
Helen Armstrong
14 Sep 12 at 10:16 pm
Is Serrano working on a “Piss Prophet”? Surely the point he was tryting to make with Piss Christ are just (if not more) valid with the Religion of Peace.
Cold-Hands
14 Sep 12 at 10:25 pm
Islamist mobs storm British and German embassies in Sudan; German embassy on fire
I Blame Mitt.
sdog
15 Sep 12 at 12:00 am
Yeh I wonder if our government can provide counselling for those who will be devistated by the re-election of Obama which seems likely. For those suffering too much hopefully the NDIS (whatever it is supposed to be) proposed as bi-partisan policy will help.
kelly liddle
15 Sep 12 at 5:43 am
Were Gillard and Obama twins, separated at birth? Naivity sure runs in leftist genes right up to middle age!
German conservatve newspaper, Die Welt, circ ~260K says Obama’s Middle east foreign policy is in ruins and he has been “naive and distracted”.
MT Isa Miner
15 Sep 12 at 7:33 am
Oh, ouch. New ad from American Crossroads:
sdog
15 Sep 12 at 7:50 am