♫ While My Nine Iron Gently Weeps ♫

Obama Heads to Golf Course After Receiving Reports on Berlin Attack and Russian Ambassador Death

With the dual breaking news events surrounding potential terrorism and a foreign diplomat being shot to death, White House pool reports showed that President Barack Obama headed to a country club in Hawaii near his rental house, where he is vacationing.

Don't expect much from El Presidente for the next four weeks, he's got his work cut out consoling his Big Bertha. Or is it his Little Loretta? He is getting on in years ya know.

Story here.

Better Tell Your Boss Too

Washington D.C. -  an American Secret Service Agent scolds a Turkish security agent regarding their offensive treatment of protestors and journalists, "This is America!"

That Secret service guy needs to tell his boss the same thing.

Story here.

We'll Be Lucky To Live Through It

That's what actor Fred Thompson said when he portrayed Admiral Painter on "The Hunt for Red October." In this thriller, international events were spiraling out of control and a military confrontation between the USA and Russia seemed imminent.

The conflict in Syria has the potential to do the same thing. Obama's pussy footing diplomacy has worsened the situation and Russia is calling the shots now. Putin has not hesitated to put Russian boots on the ground in Eastern Ukraine, Georgia, the Crimea and in Syria.

It's not the boots so much that is of concern, it's the tanks and combat aircraft that are raising the possibility of a NATO-Rooskie showdown.

First, LL's comments about the fighting around Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border.

The Turks and Saudis appear desperate to try to keep Aleppo under opposition control. Aleppo’s capitulation would virtually end the organized opposition in western Syria. ISIL and militant groups affiliated with al-Qaida. At the recent pace of the offensive by the Syrian government and allied forces, the Turks, NATO and the Saudis appear to have missed the opportunity to rescue the Syrian opposition forces in western Syria.

While all this was going on, Syrian and allied forces continued their offensive to encircle Aleppo. Several news services reported that Aleppo is effectively cut off from any high volume line of communication to Turkey. A million people are trapped in Aleppo, according to one credible report.

The Kurds are fighting the ISIL terrorists in Northern Syria. No way the Turks are going to let the Kurds get a foothold in Syria without a fuss. And Putin is still stewing over the loss of a Russian SU-24 fighter that was downed by Turkish F-16s. It could be very possible that Putin is putting together a scenario wherein Turkey's goose is cooked and the US is asked to come to the aid of a NATO member. Now the question is; is Putin banking on a limp wristed American response? Might could be...

After years of weakness and vacillation, the Obama administration may find itself backed into a corner by aggressive Russian action. Particularly if coupled with intemperate Turkish reactions, that could create a nightmare of historic proportions around Aleppo. Although the White House has foresworn any military intervention in Syria’s fratricide, it’s worth noting that Mr. Obama led NATO to war in Libya exactly five years ago to prevent possible slaughter in Benghazi, a far smaller humanitarian threat than the terrifying sword of Russian artillery and airpower that’s hanging over Aleppo right now.

For their part, the Russians are upping the ante with regime media publishing claims by the Defense Ministry that air attacks on Aleppo yesterday that killed civilians, including the bombing of a hospital, were actually perpetrated by U.S. Air Force A-10s, a war crime that they say the Pentagon has tried to pin on Moscow. In fact, American intelligence knows this was the work of the Russian Air Force: “We have intercepts of the Russian pilots talking during the attack,” a Pentagon official explained. “As usual, the Russians are lying.” Yet this sort of dishonest Kremlin propaganda, what spies term disinformation, is exactly what the Obama administration has refused to counter...

Between the Bitch of Benghazi and Obama, America is facing an Islamic nightmare that has been mishandled from the get go. That wasn't just a phone call at 3:00 AM that Clinton was referring to years ago, it turned out to be a D-9 bulldozer taking out the front door. And this administration is still hiding under the bed.

By letting Mr. Putin get away with whatever he likes in Syria, Mr. Obama has created a deeply dangerous situation in the region. By abandoning his infamous Syria “redline” in September 2013, the White House in effect outsourced American policy there to Mr. Putin, as I warned at the time, and which the Obama administration, powerless to influence terrible events in Syria, is slowly realizing.

“Are we heading for our ‘Sarajevo moment’?” a senior NATO official bluntly asked. “It’s clear that there has to be some actual ‘redline’ for Mr. Obama, something that the United States cannot tolerate Russia doing—but where is it? If I don’t know, I’m sure the Kremlin doesn’t either.”

That is NATO’s top concern right now: After years of weakness and vacillation, the Obama administration may find itself backed into a corner by aggressive Russian action. Particularly if coupled with intemperate Turkish reactions, that could create a nightmare of historic proportions around Aleppo.

Biden: It's Friday So This Must Be Singapore

Biden's Excellent Adventure  in Istanbul.

About 300 people have protested U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Turkey, chanting: “Biden get out. This country is ours.”

The demonstration occurred on the European side of Istanbul on Saturday, as Biden was on his way to a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the Asian side of the city.

Biden didn’t see the protest, which was organized by the Youth Association of Turkey, the same group that roughed up three U.S. Navy sailors while chanting “Yankee, go home!” a week ago in Istanbul.

The protesters threw red paint at the sailors and briefly succeeded in putting white sacks over their heads.

When advised of the protest, the Vice President responded graciously stating, "For centuries there have been strong historic ties between the United States and the French people. A few demonstrators cannot change that. I love the food here, especially your cheese."

Story here.

Palace Envy?

It's big and bodacious. It's 1000 rooms and over 3 million square feet - that's over 71 acres of opulence. And it's the new palace of Turkey's King. I mean mean Turkey's President.

It is well known and accepted in international circles that President Obama’s BFF is President Recep Erdogan of Turkey.

It is also reasonably accepted that Erdogan is a Sunni Islamist and power thirsty Marxist who views his job to resurrect the ottoman empire.

Those of you who have followed our research into the psyche and ideology of Erdogan might be interested in the newly finished palace he built for himself.

I wonder if after the shellacking Obugger just suffered, will he perhaps develop a case of palace envy? After all, the Turks loved their President enough to plop down $500 mill for his new digs...

Story here.

Tit For Tat

Putin has a big set of balls when dealing with the Dancing Queen of DC.

From the UK Telegraph:

A new frontier has been laid down within Europe as Russian forces laid landmines at the top of the Crimean peninsula and fired warning shots at a European observer mission.

A convoy from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was stopped by Russian soldiers and armed militias on a main road into the Crimean peninsula.

Three bursts of automatic gunfire were fired into the air as the checkpoint commanders insisted the OSCE had no authorisation to enter the area. Witness said the shots were fired by men in balaclavas.

The Russian's Black Sea outlet to the Mediterranean can be bottled up in a heart beat - mine the Dardanelles.

The Germans did it a hundred years ago to keep the Brits out during WW I and there are much better mines now to keep the Rooskies in.  Of course the Turks may have something to say about that...