Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Foreign policy so easy even a "monkey" could do it, and this is no country for old [black] men.

Wow, I guess "the times they are a changing". Now the right has new found love for the Russians and Vladimir Putin is their hero(The enemy of my enemy is my friend.) Nice. They deserve each other.

Anyway, here is hoping that O rethinks his Syria strike. Forget the poll numbers, forget the neocons and a pliant media, forget the criticism of his seemingly fractured plan when it comes to Syria. If a new compromise (A Russian proposal no less) is what it takes to say no American bombs in the Middle East, well then so be it.

The irony is, of course, that O made a big political miscalculation by asking congress to authorize the use of force in Syria. But I am glad for that mistake, because it's looking more and more like it's not going to happen.

Still, I wouldn't want to be one of O's speechwriters right about now. This was supposed to be his turn to explain to the American people why Bashar Assad was going to catch a beat down for gassing his own people. Now, given the way the world is turning, this is probably not going to happen. That, to me, is a good thing.

Sometimes the Big R wants you to chase, but it is not always wise to bite.

Take for instance Ann Coulter's latest cry for attention. Ann didn't want to be left out of the Syria debate, but rather than give us something of substance, she gives us this:

 "Ann Coulter joined Sean Hannity on Monday night to bash President Obama for a failure of leadership on Syria. Hannity called Obama “confused” and “wimpy,” while Coulter derided the White House for thinking this is a simple Aaron Sorkin monologue away from being solved, adding that she believes Vladimir Putin has made Obama into a “monkey” on Syria.

Hannity found the day’s events “embarrassing” for Obama, while Coulter acknowledged that Kerry’s off-the-cuff comment about Syria handing over their chemical weapons was ver cleverly snatched up by Putin. Hannity was astonished that Putin appears to be the “great peacemaker” in all this, with Coulter saying he’s “looking like a man” while Obama looks week.

She reminded Hannity how much the media (“Obama’s PR crew”) mocked Mitt Romney last year for saying Russia is America’s “number one geopolitical foe.” After using the Obama-as-Putin’s-”monkey” line again, Hannity asked her why she’s using that word specifically. Coulter simply insisted that “Putin is playing with him and making him look ridiculous.”

Moving right along and giving chase where the Big R needs chasing; Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

The more I read this story the angrier I get. (h/t Mike)

"When the time came to move 107-year-old Monroe Isadore to a new home, police say he resisted and barricaded himself inside. Authorities tried using a camera to monitor him, along with negotiating tactics, and finally gas to get him to come out.

None of it worked.
So, a SWAT team went inside and was greeted by gunfire, authorities say. The team fired back, and Isadore died.
The weekend confrontation raised a flurry of questions Monday as residents struggled to make sense of how someone known as a pleasant, churchgoing man who was hard of hearing and sometimes carried a cane had died in an explosive confrontation. Did authorities know how old he was? Did they follow proper procedure? Could they have done anything differently?
“It’s just a big puzzle,” said Ivory Perry, who has known Isadore for decades.
The standoff began Saturday, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press. Laurie Barlow, 48, of Lonoke, told officers she had gone to the house where Isadore was living temporarily to help him move to a new home. She said Isadore had previously been excited about the move but that when she arrived Isadore barricaded himself in a room.
“Ms. Barlow stated his granddaughter finally got him to open the door and she went around to speak with Mr. Isadore, at that time she stated Mr. Isadore raised his arm and pointed a gun at her and stated `You better stop breaking in to my house,’” the report said.
After police moved Barlow and the granddaughter across the street, Isadore fired at a door moments after police tried to contact him. A SWAT team, called out when negotiations failed, maneuvered a camera into the house to see how Isadore was armed, then stormed inside after deploying gas and a distraction device, the report said. When Isadore fired, the entry team fired back.
Police Sgt. David DeFoor said Monday that Isadore had been living at the home temporarily, but did not go into more detail. The sergeant also said officers may not have been aware of the man’s age.
“The only thing they knew that I’m aware of was that he was older,” DeFoor said." [Source]
Sgt., I am quite sure that they knew something else, and it had nothing to do with his age.  

















  


34 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:31 PM

    I think it was a good thing that Obama went to the Congress. Firstly, it is consistent with his message in 2008. President's should go to Congress for authorization of force when America's national interest is not directly at risk. Syria poses a grave international problem but there is no clear risk to America at this point. Secondly, by going to the Congress he's allowed Assad and Putin sweat things out as Obama and team begin to beat the war drum. Bush did something similarly but Bush was pushed by neocons to actually ignore the UN inspectors and invade Iraq regardless of WMD. Anyone who knows anything about Obama realizes that Obama was in no mood for invasion. He was going to use authorization as a threat to convince Assad to back down. Assad is a coward most of all and Obama's plan worked (not as he probably intended) but Putin blinked quicker that the media would have expected. Now we are going to see a resolution that is limited in scope and cost, something we would have cheered had Bush been so responsible.

    But of course the media is more interested in the "weak" Obama storyline at the moment and is falling over themselves to avoid giving the President and his teams credit for helping to solve an extreme crisis. Had there been a president Romney *shudder* you'd better believe McCain and crew would already be setting up bases in Damascus readying for a new decade long occupation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:55 PM

    Field, AB gave a million links on FN to the story of the 107 year old man being shot by a SWAT TEAM--waay before Mike told you. You constantly ignore where you get the story first. Instead you selectively choose those you prefer because they agree with everything you say. Nevertheless, everyone knows that AB gave FN the information FIRST, two days ago. You act like a white right winger with deep prejudices.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:48 PM

    To Anon @ 8:55,
    That's impossible...he sounds nothing like you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. StillaPanther210:08 PM

    Your title states that America is not a good fit for an (old) Black man. I would appeal to you yo include America is not a good fit for the (young) Black men as well. Now being retired, I travel here and there and I see no or few Black males in this America experience. My city, having a minority population greater than the majority race, has few Black male firemen, police, city workers, and less than 1% of business. Black males, if not entertaining the majority, have not a niche in America. AND this- I know- has been some of the fault of the (Old) Black male. I am sorry that I did not do more in my youth. So now I will continue to encourage and support all the young Black males that have not received the knowledge to live in America outside of her cages. A Black Panther Forever. I just saw The War Speech by President Obama and was not encouraged by his direction. He seems so sincere in his delivery about the poor children that we SHOULD view on TV political shows. Being a war survivor (for now), I get it. I know that wars are messy. We always harp on the tune that he did this to his "own people". These people are trying to kill him. He uses whatever available for his surviving this civil WAR.

    Additionally the president gave us a mini lesson on the past use of chemicals of our enemies in WW1 and WW2. He used the past to justify actions in the present. So I would contend that America can NEVER take the high road by pointing fingers. Seeing that President Obama has no knowledge of war. Please inform him that America used an atomic bomb as well as agent orange in our adventures. He getting in the habit of just repeating the same tired tripe that lead America in the current debacles. He is at the mercy of a military that needs a battle.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous12:40 AM

    @StillaPanther2

    It was neither yours nor your peers nor our recent forebearers fault. Considering that Black unemployment is roughly the same as it was during the March on Washington and that, according to the Nation Magazine, there are more Blacks in jail, now (with a nod to Blackmon's "Slavery By Another Name") , in America's world-leading prison system than there were in U.S. Slavery in 1850, it's pretty clear that the destruction, no, genocide that we remain embroiled in is in fact deliberatley socially engineered or by design. Two of your peers, well, one of your peers, Wallace Terry, in "Bloods", cites the U'S. Domestic Policy of a Drug Pacification Program and, a recently deceased elder, Samuel Yette, in his seminal work, "The Choice," also cites the Federal Government establishing a cocaine and heroin drug economy as a Pacification program, along with CointelPro, with the expressed purpose of killing the Civil Rjghts Movement (and, to a lesser extent, the Hippie Movement). Phillip Agee, former CIA Operative, before he died in exile in Cuba, came to my alma mater a gave very particular details about just what the U.S. has done and Bush Sr's role in establishing the cocaine and heroin drug trade in the U.S. and how Bush's oil platforms were used as drug depots. Nixon's War on Black Men, better known as the War on Drugs, was apart of the state-sanctioned plan of mass incarceration such that America's prison system has exponentially increased by 700% since 1970 (according to mhpshow) and a whooping 800% since 1980 (with an acknowledgment of the drug dealing involved in Iran Contr)! Thus, when one ways the aforementioned factors coupled with what Terry cited as "disproportionate conscription," such that the vietnamese people thought they were fighting an African country, it appears that you were socially engineered to be destroyed no different than a fellow Black Vietnam vet who was said to have one of the highest if not THE highest confirmed kills, there, being later shot and killed "allegedly" holding up a liquor store in Detroit. With LBJ's Great Societyalso pulling Black men out of the homes as a precondition for families to receive aid, there were many forces put into place to destroy us. The saddest takeaway from all of this is that Dr. King and the SCLs goal was to "redeem the souls of White America." Unfortunately, we've discovered that, certainly, collectively, they have NO SOULS. So, please, don't be so hard on yourself. Clearly we should all leave this place...

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  6. Anonymous12:50 AM


    Anonymous said...
    To Anon @ 8:55,
    That's impossible...he sounds nothing like you.

    9:48 PM
    --------
    Anon, fyi...below comment from Sunday 8, post:
    ----------------------------------------

    Blogger alicia banks said...

    due to that racist global warlord bankster hobama

    racism in amerikkka is worse than ever

    no one is safe

    not even a 107 year old black male in his own home...shame!!!!!!!


    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415455/107-year-old-man-killed-fight-SWAT-team-threatening-people-home.html

    http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/09/08/arkansas-swat-team-kill-107-year-old-man-in-standoff/

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/08/monroe-isadore-shot-dead_n_3889930.html

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/08/monroe-isadore-shootout_n_3889826.html

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/107-year-old-man-shot-dead-shootout-2260630

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/09/08/220306510/man-107-dies-in-shootout-with-police

    http://www.fox16.com/mostpopular/story/107-Year-Old-Man-Dies-in-Shootout-With-SWAT-Team/TRAXEQNAaUm_iQ4tjYcx6A.cspx

    http://rt.com/usa/107

    http://www.thv11.com/news/article/278849/2/107-year-old-Arkansas-man-dies-in-shootout-with-SWAT-suspect-killed-swat-568/

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601870/swat-team-kills-107-year-old-arkansas-man-in-shootout/


    http://www.wcpo.com/news/national/arkansas-man-107-shot-killed-in-swat-standoff


    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12:58 AM

    Field, "Sgt., I am quite sure that they knew something else, and it had nothing to do with his age."

    It had nothing to do with his color either. It had EVERYTHING to do with a gun he was firing at the officers. As I mentioned before in a previous thread:

    NEVER FIRE AT POLICEMEN. THEY WILL SHOOT YOU DEAD.

    Having said that, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ANY BM IN AMERICA....PERIOD. If GZ can kill a black teen and get away with it, anybody can.

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  8. Wow, great commemts. I think my troll spray is working.:)

    My brother Panther, you are right, it's not great for ybm.We have some work to do.

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  9. Anonymous6:44 AM

    I'm sure you've heard about the 31 year old negro woman who stabbed her 17 year old son to death over some ice cream. Why don't you write about that?

    I'm sure Focused Purpose will show up to explain why this negro was justified in murdering her own teenaged son over some ice cream because, you know, negro women are always right. Always.

    And did you see the mug shot. A typical nappy headed hood rat. The negro cow was only 14 when she had him.

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  10. Anonymous7:22 AM

    "So now I will continue to encourage and support all the young Black males that have not received the knowledge to live in America outside of her cages."

    This is something for FN to think about. Most young black males in America do not seem to have the skills to navigate outside their "hoods". Why is this? A better question would be what can be done about it? Maybe nothing can be done about it, in which case this is all a waste of time.

    Ed

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  11. Anonymous12:31 PM

    IDK, I think the O-man, by going to Congress for war approval, accomplishes two goals.
    1) It leaves himself an out, because, of course, the teabaggers won't approve anything with Obama's name on it.
    2) Which also, deliciously, makes the 'baggers look like pansy pacifist bleeding hearts who *DON'T SUPPORT OUR TROOPS*.
    Once again, the O-man ropes the dopes.

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  12. @Anon 12:40am said: "Clearly we should all leave this lace."

    This is a worthy comment, but what destination are we going to flee to? What potential host country will accept as an intentionally broken people? How much land will be provided so that we are literally a free people and not just in theory as we find ourselves in Amerikkka? Will we be in control of our own educational, manufacturing, political, judicial, commercial and financial systems and not piggy-back on to someone else's ideaologies that's already in place?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:05 PM

      @Black Sage

      In an ideal world, the trillion dollars, each, that the NBA, NFL, MLB, and, heck, even hockey generates would be great bargaining chips to negotiate such an en masse move (See also the individual successes of former NBA Players Stephon Marbury and Tracey McGrady). However, because one of the unintended consequences of surviving the Middle Passage and U.S. Enslavement is that our hardiness correlates to an overall worldwide, unmatched athletic prowess, it makes our value such that the larger society would not only seek to sabotage such efforts, but they would certainly attempt to overthrow the prospective country(ies). Whether you're talking slavery, imprisonment, Jim Crow, drug dealing, colonialism, neocolonialism, neofeudalism, or, what we're subjected to here - we're "internally colonized" (as identified by Charmichael & Hamilton's "Black Power."), the name of the game is dependency/subjugation. Studying "Dependency Theory," most notably a work entitled, "The Political Economy of Development and underdevelopment," really lays out how the larger society does this, including using Blacks here as a "Buffer Group" between poor whites (especially), but also against Native Americans. Whites used Asian Indians as a buffer group against the South Africans, Ugandans, etc. Rumor has it, whits have imported Mexicans in other places within Africa, as well. Thus, considering the aforementioned, I feel that we, in this burning house, must leave any way we can. At least, that's what I'm working on for myself. When Henrietta Lacks family came to present their story in my city, and their presenter, a medical doctor, unraveled our perilous condition, it was perfectly clear that Black folk don't really have a choice. Being here makes us sick and kills us, such that we suffer premature deaths.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:04 PM

      What choice do we have? Moreover, their are far too many who share our phenotype, like this POTUS, who, just like him, don't give a tinker's dayum about the group.

      The larger society targets and kills off and imprisons young and old Black males the same way that the DNR, Department of Natural Resources, manages the deer population i(they call it thinning the herd) n upstate Michigan. I had a white state rep tell me that this was discussed and planmed, among other jawdropping, eyeopening things (like AIDS beimg genetically engineered at Ft. Dietrick, MD, which I later heard broadcast on a Canadian TV station via Pravda). What will we humans do in the face of this unparalleled inhumanity/genocide? Pray to a Christian God who didn't save the Taino In dios/indians of the West Indies fron extermination from those savage, subhuman Chistians, Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella? What makes us so special that this Christian, German-named "God" would save us as opposed to the Taino In Dios?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:54 AM

      Science, history, and our present-day experiences, in conformance with Sun Tzu's admonishment for one to know thyself (members of the parent African human species) as well as thine enemy (Lethal Mutations that are a virulent, amoral, psychopathic, invasive subspeies), also enables us to make smart decisions of where we should consider going. Presently, as I've mentioned, Stephon Marbury, Tracey McGrady and other former educators and alum are already making great strides in China. Some have intimated that they have no intentions on returning. In fact, I'm shifting my business interests to focus primarily between Brazil and China, two of the BRICS, which constitute the world's fastest growing economies. While many try to disparage China for it's trade with Africa, China is building roads, wells, and other infrastrucural projects that the West couldn't be bothered with since their "Scramble for Africa," which began in the 1880s (See Also The Treaty of Berlin). Unfortunately, just as Lethal Mutations have had the audacity to disparage China, you're hard-pressed to hear Africans doing so. Between those of us who allow the larger society to tell us who are enemies (when they view us as their existential enemy with the mixed POTUS as Exhibit A) are, despite their relentless attacks upon us and those of us who persist out of sheer laziness to stand on the same spiritual ground as the oppressor by persisting in exhibiting slavish obedience to the slave religion, those of us old and Young who know better must go. We'll have to let the Christian God that couldn't be bothered with savimg the Taino In Dios - save them.

      Delete
  13. Ssshhh, Ann Coulter incorrectly believes that since she f*cked Jimmie Walker for a while, she now has the license of an open mike to refer to black people as a monkey. Such funky temerity she beholds. Apparently she also believes that black people reside within the sphere of monkeys and orangutans. No surprise here though, what else could one expect from an individual who has the countence and behavior of the ultimate harrenvolk. Get a life Ann!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous2:58 PM


    that inept monkey shining bankster hobama
    is dumber than any rabid monkey

    cc banana republic usa/africom/fema/nsa/wwiii/syria etc

    and

    hobama's own blatant racism and martial law have made black life mean less than ever before in amerikkka

    cc racial wage gaps./assata/ hobama'snever existing black agenda/PIC/MIC


    what a gd shame!!!!!

    http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous3:20 PM

    Focused Purpose said:
    "folks that cannnot get along, function according to their roles, nor respect each other need to go their separate ways...now if you could cc the uber violent negro males that seem to think they own ALL bw...that would be helpful+ great!"

    That goes both ways. Let me tell you a story. This happened years ago but ... a black woman attacked and KILLED a white woman who was married to a black man in my city. Admittedly this happened years ago but it still happened. The black woman (who had a minor son) was sentenced to, if I recall correctly, about 25 years in prison.

    More recently, black men with non-black women get eye rolls, nasty looks, disgusted looks, loud laughs/noises, etc., from black women these days. Yes, this still happens FP. Maybe if BW left BM who don't want them ALONE, BM would leave BW who don't want them alone.

    Question: Most black men in their 20s and 30s, who have options, are NOT looking for black women (not even the yella ones) these days and you know this. So why are you, FP, even talking to a group of people (BM) who are not interested in ANYTHING you has to say about anything?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous3:57 PM

    Yo, yo FN! Check it homeslice, da rest of da world ain't guilt-ridden and politically correct. Remeber dat as you cheer da decline of amerikkka!!!! Wazzzuuuuup!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous5:25 PM

    more proof that a race riot was planned post mortem....shame!!!

    kudos to all who did not riot!!!

    who else was paid to throe this trial!

    cc that kkkiller gz

    rip tm
    u r in a better place

    http://newsone.com/2715972/dr-shiping-bao-lawsuit/

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous5:26 PM

    who else was paid to throw this trial???????

    cc rachel and her inept handlers

    shame!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anon@3:57 thanks to folks like u I have plenty to "cheer" about.

    ReplyDelete
  20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fQss8OL9Q

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  21. http://focusedpurpose.blogspot.com/2013/09/gogmagog-all-day-folkswatch-signs.html


    ________________

    @ Anons 6:44 am and 3:20 pm

    LOL!!!

    tell us why you mad, sons! lol!

    we are in agreement. i AM talking to all that can hear...ignorant foolish end times folks need to cut it out. BOTH male AND female...considering Galatians 3:28.

    why i AM on a recompense mission talking to dead head negroes that are on auto animal pilot as they follow their penises around (women, too, are being led by lower regions+ idolatry. ALL need to stop it, already):

    simply said secular speak:

    wayward, bad azz, stiffnecked, dead head bm (with+ w/o options) are our SONS/brothers/husbands and DESPERATELY need to get their ish together. ASAP. Almighty is NOT joking!!!

    Almighty made a promise...as long as i do my part.

    start with definition of the greek work 'resurrection' for your understanding:

    resurrection- strong's greek G#386-feminine noun, anastasis:

    1) a raising up, rising (eg. from a seat)
    2) a rising from the dead
    a) that of Messiah
    b) that of all men at the end of this present age
    c) the resurrection of certain ones' history who were restored to life (Hebrews 11:35)

    _________________


    then go here and get familiar:

    http://focusedpurpose.blogspot.com/2013/08/resurrectiontake-2.html

    ________________

    read my blog or at least the comments i have been leaving for several weeks now here @ FN...before you step to me with such utter foolishness, ok?

    time is short...i have covered much of your gripes ALREADY for YEARS.

    catch up, quiet down, or be ignored...

    spiritual grown folks are handling business+ there is no time for emotional outbursts.

    get it together menfolk...or not. we are where the rubber meets the road...i AM sent to tell you His Universal Law...what you do with it...is your personal business.

    blessings all!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous7:15 PM

    AB, thanks for that link that reveals the prosecutors threw the TM/GZ trial. I always felt they threw the trial. There was just too much overlooked by them that any moron could see. Thank you and I hope the state of Florida pays for this grievous injustice to TM. It's not over yet...KARMA or GOD, if you prefer, works in ways unforseen The Universe tends to bend toward Justice.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous7:58 PM

    FP, dear Sister, thanks for your comment@7P, esp the link to 'resurrection'...I need to read that again, and again.

    Many bm are angry, it's a fact in our black community. But so are bw, they too are angry. Looking through my sad black eyes, I don't see another race with so many angry rageful people! No wonder we break Spiritual Principles without regret, guilt or conscience.

    We truly need GOD. Most importantly we need to 'hear' HIS counsel. We need to:

    "catch up, quiet down, or be ignored", as you say. I don't know if our time is short, but it sure feels like it. As I live from day to day, week to week, month to month and year to year, I can feel time speeding up, which, in a sense of 'time shortening'. I see that, yet question myself because no one else is noticing or talking about it except you.

    I see the foolish pride that is killing so many of us, yet it seems to be increasing, not decreasing. And time is getting shorter! I believe the black race is experiencing a spiritual death with little hope of a comeback. Nevertheless, I know there is nothing GOD cannot do, but HE must have co-operation and agreement in order to do it.

    And, so far, GOD does not have the cooperation of Blacks. How did we get here in this hell?

    Anyway, I thank you for these precious gifts of grace.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous8:17 PM

    "HOUSE NEGROES OF THE DAY

    HOUSE NEGROES OF THE DAY
    (THE SELF HATING NEGROES AT THE DEBORAH BROWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL)"

    Field, I agree with you. On the other hand, some of those hairstyles look pathetic.

    ReplyDelete
  25. more proof that gz is an unarmed child kkkiller

    and

    that his "trial" was a setup/false flag


    kudos sb

    http://newsone.com/2715972/dr-shiping-bao-lawsuit/

    ReplyDelete
  26. Still laughing@Black Sage @1:04 PM.

    ReplyDelete
  27. That flugelrod lady really gets under my darn skin!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous3:40 PM

    Brother Black Sage, your demeaning remarks about Ann Coulter and Jimmy Walker should be applied to Obama.

    It's OBAMA who is the racist that is really hurting us. That's who you should be slamming, instead of wasting your time and life with Coulter.

    It never ceases to amaze me how Negroes can spend a lot of time slamming those who are irrelevant to our progress, but we say nothing about those like Obama who is burying the black race for decades to come.

    Why not go after those who really matter to our well-being?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anon@3:40PM, what can Obama do for u that u can't do for yourself?

    ReplyDelete
  30. BARBBF1:21 PM

    OOOOoooopppps!!


    http://blacklistednews.com/?news_id=28803&print=1


    Syria "Expert" Cited by Kerry, McCain Fired for Lying about Academic Credentials
    September 12, 2013

    Source: Common Dreams

    Think tank that employed Elizabeth O'Bagy fires analyst who made case that Syrian opposition was more moderate


    Foreign policy analyst Elizabeth O'Bagy appeared on numerous media outlets and was cited by high-level officials, but both her objectivity and credibility have been put into grave question. (Image: Fox News screenshot)A foreign policy analyst repeatedly cited by U.S. government officials—including Secretary of State John Kerry in testimony before Congress last week—has been fired after the think tank where she has been working discovered she was lying about her academic credentials.

    Elizabeth O’Bagy, who has been cited as an expert on Syria by numerous media outlets, was employed by the Institute for Study of War in Washington D.C., but has been terminated after it was discovered she did not hold a doctorate from Georgetown University as she had claimed.

    “The Institute for the Study of War has learned and confirmed that, contrary to her representations, Ms. Elizabeth O’Bagy does not in fact have a Ph.D. degree from Georgetown University,” the think tank announced in a statement. “ISW has accordingly terminated Ms. O’Bagy’s employment, effective immediately.”

    O'Bagy's expertise on the rebel forces aligned against President Bashar al-Assad was used to bolster arguments by those calling for U.S. intervention by painting a picture that the moderate elements within the opposition were in the ascendent over more extreme militias, such as the Al Nusra Front which has pledged allegiance to al Qaida.

    Her objectivity, however, was questioned even before these new revelations about her academic background surfaced.

    As McClatchy reports:

    O’Bagy’s termination followed a controversy that erupted last week when it emerged that in addition to being an institute analyst, she worked for the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a non-profit group that lobbies for U.S. support for Syrian rebel forces.

    The controversy arose after an opinion piece she wrote for the Wall Street Journal said that, contrary to news reports, the Syrian opposition isn’t dominated by al Qaida-linked groups. Moderate groups, she wrote, have made significant gains in some areas and deserve outside military aid. The assertions were greeted with skepticism by other Syria experts.

    The article identified her only by her institute affiliation, but the Journal later acknowledged that she also was the task force’s political director. The Journal described the group as providing “aid to the Syrian opposition” under contracts with the U.S. and British governments.

    Kerry and McCain, R-Ariz., cited O’Bagy’s piece during congressional hearings last week in response to questions about whether missile strikes on Syria might empower al Qaida-affiliated fighters in the rebel movement.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wow, I guess "the times they are a changing". Now the right has new found love for the Russians and Vladimir Putin is their hero. (The enemy of my enemy is my friend.) Nice. They deserve each other.
    Hotep Bro/son
    Barak could never have chosen a better bud smh!

    ReplyDelete