tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post8384077073217492576..comments2024-03-27T12:56:38.992-07:00Comments on The Skeptical Bureaucrat: I Love the Smell Of Dip Notes In the Morning TSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-87486397139322188092012-10-28T09:18:12.575-07:002012-10-28T09:18:12.575-07:00By 1988-9 Fiski was the only correspondent left in...By 1988-9 Fiski was the only correspondent left in Beirut except for a woman for the FTimes. He was the only one getting a few cards and messages between Anderson and his family to the end... and he didn't even like the guy who he labeled reckless and abrasive from the beginning. Fisk dealt with and reported on every player in Lebanon with only a pen, his wits and his integrity. gwb<br />gwb Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-61870876894020962192012-10-22T18:28:24.722-07:002012-10-22T18:28:24.722-07:00Fed.,
They have some of that (although foreign po...Fed.,<br /><br />They have some of that (although foreign police in the Third World don't do less-than-lethal much, and the mobs there are not impressed by it). Tear gas has been pretty successful. But it all depends on an eventual response by the host government, or else an evacuation if possible.<br />TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-77464600510067367482012-10-21T15:27:10.225-07:002012-10-21T15:27:10.225-07:00How about stinger grenades, flash-bangs and baton ...How about stinger grenades, flash-bangs and baton rounds? Not to mention live ammunition. The false dichotomy of overkill or surrender has to end.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-66430221998802610282012-10-21T12:04:22.650-07:002012-10-21T12:04:22.650-07:00The CIA? What's that? And when was the last ti...The CIA? What's that? And when was the last time anyone saw Director of the CIA General Petraeus? He must be deep, deep, deep, deep undercover these days. TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-7781414570525252682012-10-21T08:47:47.982-07:002012-10-21T08:47:47.982-07:00TSB:"The Benghazi Embarrassment" was a g...TSB:"The Benghazi Embarrassment" was a good piece reflecting I think your view that if we insist on promoting "our interests" in dangerous places we should protect them. Obviously "our interests" are too many; never clearly stated;<br />and tend to lead to disastrous results. (eg. the middle east and south asia) Notice the CIA never comes up in polite political circles. Of course the "race" is a tossup. What's to choose when nobody ever turns the lights on in the showroom? gwbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-16223699877687396362012-10-20T13:18:15.642-07:002012-10-20T13:18:15.642-07:00GWB: the document dump is pretty good, except for ...GWB: the document dump is pretty good, except for the Libyan names that weren't redacted. The political effect would have been even better if the Committee had asked for a pre-dump review by State, since that would have gotten the administration's fingerprints on the decision to release.<br /><br />From what I see online, most people commenting about the documents haven't read them but are just going off of theTom Clancy movie that's running in their minds. All about fantasy military interventions, etc.<br /><br />The Monday debate will be a little livelier than otherwise, I suppose.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-7454246366120090402012-10-20T08:12:08.941-07:002012-10-20T08:12:08.941-07:00TSB: This Issa "doc dump" on Libya is gr...TSB: This Issa "doc dump" on Libya is great! gwbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-2808740764338941172012-10-20T07:46:30.131-07:002012-10-20T07:46:30.131-07:00TSB: Median price for simple appendectomy in Calif...TSB: Median price for simple appendectomy in California: $40,000<br />(2009 study of 20,000 appendectomies) But if you know where to go you can get it for $2000. From article by Andy Grove.<br />http://www.wired.com/business/2012/10/mf-health-care-transparency/all/ gwbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-17448821097458457352012-10-19T19:47:26.903-07:002012-10-19T19:47:26.903-07:00TSB: Billy Graham endorses Mitt Romney; Removes Mo...TSB: Billy Graham endorses Mitt Romney; Removes Mormons from his list of cults! Hey! What about my cult? I'll promise him a tax cut! gwb<br /><br />http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/billy-grahams-website-removes-mormonism-from-cult-list/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-47969594631034360192012-10-19T12:13:27.942-07:002012-10-19T12:13:27.942-07:00TSB:Today is the 25th anniversary of the "87 ...TSB:Today is the 25th anniversary of the "87 crash". Every 5 years since then has marked an important high in stock market. Is this the October Surprise? (stock market throws an anti-obama fit?) gwbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-73245263493328372242012-10-19T02:43:00.153-07:002012-10-19T02:43:00.153-07:00"The locally engaged staff overseas is the ba..."The locally engaged staff overseas is the backbone of our foreign missions." And top of the list of targets of U. S. enemies.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13642228725661059539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-80587467644803221792012-10-19T00:10:55.732-07:002012-10-19T00:10:55.732-07:00"If you see something, say something"......"If you see something, say something".... Note to Hillary and Obama: I'm just sayin. gwb<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/africa/suspect-in-benghazi-attack-scoffs-at-us.html?hp&_r=0Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-58746312543959833012012-10-18T18:58:29.849-07:002012-10-18T18:58:29.849-07:00GWB: "Not optimal." That will come back ...GWB: "Not optimal." That will come back to haunt him.<br /><br />It's a pity about the local employee in Yemen. Any Yemeni who would work for us in the first place is very unusual. The locally engaged staff overseas is the backbone of our foreign missions. TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-33000160391825081632012-10-18T16:25:53.729-07:002012-10-18T16:25:53.729-07:00TSB: This one reminds me of what Colbert did to GW...TSB: This one reminds me of what Colbert did to GWB at the White House Correspondents dinner. gwb<br /><br />'If four Americans get killed, it's not OPTIMAL': Obama's extraordinary response to Comedy Central question about fiasco after Benghazi attack <br /><br />By Toby Harnden In Washington<br /><br /><br />Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219867/Barack-Obama-Benghazi-If-Americans-killed-OPTIMAL-Obamas-extraordinary-response-security-fiasco-Benghazi-massacre.html#ixzz29hDhagti<br /> Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-54708617471885352832012-10-18T11:45:21.478-07:002012-10-18T11:45:21.478-07:00TSB: Did you notice they killed the head of securi...TSB: Did you notice they killed the head of security (x20 years) at the US embassy in Yemen. On his way home from work. gwb <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-5718353079365151802012-10-17T20:09:46.284-07:002012-10-17T20:09:46.284-07:00James,
Right. The Romans left a lasting impressio...James,<br /><br />Right. The Romans left a lasting impression on Carthage. That's near Libya, I think. Or anyway, it was.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-64318631476043584082012-10-17T20:06:42.953-07:002012-10-17T20:06:42.953-07:00GWB: do you mean the saluting cannon I wanted to g...GWB: do you mean the saluting cannon I wanted to get for Washington's Birthday? No, I haven't found one of those yet. They are very small - look like toys - but were used by ships to signal in ports and they sound like a full-size piece. <br /><br />If those New York guys have one for sale, I might overcome my objections to going there.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-28358243580992919402012-10-17T19:34:31.584-07:002012-10-17T19:34:31.584-07:00TSB: The Romans were never famous for apology tour...TSB: The Romans were never famous for apology tours. Nor were they overly concerned with force protection.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13642228725661059539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-47654906876001998902012-10-17T19:10:28.825-07:002012-10-17T19:10:28.825-07:00Right, but is that the same kind of canon? gwbRight, but is that the same kind of canon? gwbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-32257873991050853932012-10-17T18:59:47.639-07:002012-10-17T18:59:47.639-07:00GWB: I live in the free state of Virginia, where o...GWB: I live in the free state of Virginia, where owning light artillery is not a crime. Those guys were busted over a bunch of .22 pistols, from the looks of it. This is exactly why I avoid New York City; where my Glock is unwelcome, I'm unwelcome.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-68846282676702594212012-10-17T18:33:29.374-07:002012-10-17T18:33:29.374-07:00Hey TSB, Is that your canon? gwb
Granddads of ana...Hey TSB, Is that your canon? gwb<br /><br />Granddads of anarchy! Geriatric biker gang in Brooklyn packed heat and cannon<br /><br />Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/old-guy-biker-gangs-busted-brooklyn-article-1.1185219#ixzz29btKJV5p<br /><br />http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/old-guy-biker-gangs-busted-brooklyn-article-1.1185219Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-2751488489557106062012-10-16T18:27:00.587-07:002012-10-16T18:27:00.587-07:00James,
The Romans were the best! If we had a SecS...James,<br /><br />The Romans were the best! If we had a SecState like Julius Caesar, our problems in Libya would be over very quickly. <br /><br />Back then, before nation-states and treaties, they conducted negotiations by exchanging hostages. In fact, the word "negotiator" back then meant hostage. Julius Caesar used it in that sense in Gallic Wars.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-45690603210401075962012-10-16T18:00:54.932-07:002012-10-16T18:00:54.932-07:00TSB:I meant the "act of war" was used m...TSB:I meant the "act of war" was used more as a threat to the host country to police their own. Of course that's not always possible, but it definitely was there. You're right about Vienna, I had forgotten. The idea though is quite old, the Romans and Mongols were so adamant about it that they were known to hold sometimes 3 or even 4 press conference after a violation.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13642228725661059539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-24977316947440125792012-10-16T17:47:46.093-07:002012-10-16T17:47:46.093-07:00GWB: we might see an attack on Benghazi sooner tha...GWB: we might see an attack on Benghazi sooner than that. How far has Obama fallen in the Ohio polls? TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803385070922797451.post-17726333520321055892012-10-16T17:44:58.018-07:002012-10-16T17:44:58.018-07:00James,
That agreement is written - the Vienna Con...James,<br /><br />That agreement is written - the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. States that receive foreign diplomatic missions are obliged to protect the mission facilities and staff. Sometimes they are unable to do so, maybe temporarily, and sometimes they are unwilling to do so. When that happens, like it did in Tunis, Khartoum, Cairo, Benghazi, etc., we have to consider how we respond.<br /><br />Acts of war are a problem, because wars are between states and our attackers are usually sub-state actors like al Qaeda. I don't know how we go to war against a fuzzy group like the Ansar al Sharia militia. So far, the only act of retaliation against them for the Benghazi attack was carried out by a mob of Libyans who killed a dozen of them and forced them to withdraw from Benghazi. That might be all the payback they get.TSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790614121966204073noreply@blogger.com