About all you can say so far is that Biden hasn't interrupted the vaccine production and distribution system he inherited. Which is good.
Texas is not a symbol of preparing for global warming climate change. It was a once-in-a-century cold wave. And Texas just got an award for renewable energy, which it invests heavily in. Because of heavy subsidies. And if Senator Schumer's scolding of Texas for failing to prepare for climate change is sincere, didn't Schumer just admit that New York could tax its citizens to Hell and back to prepare on its own without worrying about the rest of us? Indeed, isn't his charge an admission that the so-called solutions don't have to be national or international?
Somalia. Clusterfuck with a UN seat. And don't get your hopes up for South Sudan, either.
Looking back at Russia's drive-by shooting of Georgia in 2008. The war inspired a Russian drive to reform and rebuild their military. Nukes had the priority. And yes, even though Georgia initiated an offensive in their own legally recognized territory, Russia started the war. Russia planned for and set up Georgia for an act of aggression.
This will be one of Biden's challenges in "restoring" the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance: "Only nine of the alliance’s 30 countries meet the agreed goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense (the U.S., Greece, Britain, Bulgaria, Estonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania)." Funny, I think Trump mentioned that issue once or twice.
Here's another NATO issue: "Many of the NATO nations don’t want to be put into a binary choice between Washington and Beijing, and the European Union in particular wants strong economic and tech relationships with China. This will wear away at NATO cohesion." [emphasis added] A major point of the EU is to wear away NATO cohesion.
Iraqi Kurdistan used to be a bastion of security. Iran has penetrated the region to wage war on Turkey and America, while pressuring the Kurdish government.
As it turns out, Russia's economic problems from the Xi Jinping Flu didn't seem to have been worse than Russia's long-term decline. Russia's problems continue to be the mismatch between their caviar border length and their spam economy.
It is a higher priority for New York City government to punish the Bad Orange Man than to relieve the dreary lives of its lockdown afflicted subjects. Tip to Instapundit.
Wait. What? "On Monday, the Supreme Court threw out several of the remaining challenges to the 2020 presidential election as moot, considering that former President Donald Trump conceded to Joe Biden, who has now become president." So Trump was condemned for challenging the election process after the November election results. But because Trump conceded the election the court won't rule on potential problems in the election process? Is the possibility of more mistrusted elections moot, too? Shouldn't the Supreme Court of the United States want to settle some of that uncertainty when it can? WTF?
As always, the key to comedy gold is timing.
So the man is getting attention for pointless determination? Why should anyone care? But hey, I'm just relieved this doesn't raise Peak Stupid higher.
It makes as much sense as a lot of things I've heard governments say: "Reviewing changes to the priorities for Covid-19 vaccine recipients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the nation was entering a new phase of vaccine distribution where Capricorns, gymnasts, and childless uncles were now eligible for inoculation."
Who knew being a super hero had so many ... problematic ... aspects?
Why North Korea's rulers aren't hanging from lamp posts is beyond me. But I've thought that as long as I've been blogging. Things just keep getting worse. Even after the "an idea so crazy it just might work" resort to limited capitalism. It's a long death rattle.
Turkey is pushing an effort to legalize the status of their portion of Cyprus.
France plans to build a new generation of SSBNs to maintain their sea-based nuclear deterrent.
China rejects the charge of genocide against Uighurs in China. The Chinese Communists Party is counting on a technicality, of course. Because until all the Uighurs are dead it doesn't count, I guess.
Russian nuclear missile base defense vehicles. Somebody thinks enemy special forces are pretty badass.
Biden's effort to get Iran back into the nuclear deal is "off to a rocky start." Well sure. Iran knows that Biden is eager for a deal so the mullahs won't sell that rug cheap. And the price will go up with the hostages Iran holds. Iran knows that releasing hostages gives the illusion of an American success. Iran can always take more hostages. And does.
Greece and Turkey continue to throw elbows in the Aegean Sea.
Lukashenko has endured the protests over his "reelection" fraud. Now he has to pay the price by getting Russia to loan Belarus money. Talk about a debt trap. What is Putin's price?
Collusion. Of course this man was involved. Tip to Instapundit.
Well after the teachers demonstrated such skill at teaching math and reading, why not branch out into "cultural competency?" Tip to Instapundit.
When food goes bad. Woke people are repulsive and the reason Peak Stupid keeps getting pushed higher.
The Ukrainians and Poles aren't happy with European efforts to expose former Soviet vassal states to energy blackmail via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. A European Union with the powers of an empire will screw those newly democratic states fully.
I noted a different angle above on this odd aspect of the Supreme Court election decision: "Monday’s non-decision to turn away a case involving “absentee” ballots that arrived up to three days after the November election as “moot,” was in fact a decision in itself, indeed the Catch-22 of Robertsian jurisprudence. [para] The Court had shunted aside the case (in a 4-4 decision with Roberts siding with the liberals and Amy Coney not yet confirmed) back in October, in effect inviting the plaintiffs to come back after the voting to show injury, if any. Heads, Democrats win, tails, Republicans lose. After all, Trump finally conceded, didn’t he, so what’s the problem? Case closed." Excellent point. But it is not Catch-22. It is Catch-45.
Will Democrats focusing on punishing Republicans and weeding out so-called extremists lead an enemy to believe America is unable to resist an enemy attack? I hope not. Enemies just have to believe they are momentarily stronger than America to launch a war. Ask Iraq how that worked out in 1980.
Wow! Can we dare to start calling them "freedom fries" to honor the French! May they lead the Western counter-attack to success against woke cancel culture.
America went in to Iraq to end a regional conventional threat to allies, reduce terrorism, and end a potential nuclear threat. America went into Afghanistan to end a terrorist threat. In both cases America turned enemies into allies who are now imperfect democracies. Russia is spending money in Ukraine and Syria for what exactly? Ukraine was a conquest and a reaction to the fall of a pro-Russian ally. Crimea secured Russia's Sevastopol bases that Russia once leased from Ukraine. Intervening in Syria to support a brutal dictator was in part, in my opinion, a way of justifying the conquest of Crimea. And now Ukraine and Syria are circular justifications that keep Russia spending on wars it can barely afford.
The Democratic urge to censor speech is frightening. When the government "asks" private entities to suppress freedom of speech, how is that not scary to everyone? Remember when "liberal minded" meant "open minded?" To be fair, too many in the Democratic Party aren't liberals any more. They are progressives. Or worse.
The French-led Sahel anti-terrorist operation.
Well-connected terrorists get a plea deal. Whew! They almost ran afoul of the new Democratic war on domestic political opponents "terrorists." Tip to Instapundit.
"Report: Mansplaining Down But Woman Confusion Up[.]" Heh.
Amnesty International joins the ACLU as just one more far left activist group.
"Women and children first" has a very different meaning for jihadis. I'll say again that I have no idea why feminists aren't the most hard core anti-jihadists in the West.
Well sure: "Human rights will feature significantly in the Biden administration's relationship with Egypt, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Egyptian counterpart on Tuesday[.]" Who do the Egyptians think they are?! China? Egypt isn't as powerful as China, so human rights aren't just something America has to bring up because of our cultural norms before going on with business as usual.
Does Biden really want to reverse Trump's Iran policy? I'm worried. And I worry that Democratic love of Iran's mullahs is more powerful even than hate of Trump. Combined, what can't mullah-run Iran achieve? But I hoped Trump created enough facts to make a return to a Obama policy impossible. Fingers crossed.
Another story on South Korea's plans for a light carrier to embark F-35Bs. China frowns.
Desert Storm was thirty years ago. Here are my ten-year anniversary thoughts on lessons from the war.
The sound of boots stomping on human faces--forever: "China's People's Liberation Army soldiers are teaching Hong Kong police the mainland style of marching for the first time[.]"
Europeans complained (falsely) that Trump undermined trans-Atlantic NATO relations. Despite Biden's claim that America is "back," France's Macron makes it clear that the EU wants NATO to die in favor of an EU military. If Trump really had wrecked NATO, the EU would have pinned a medal on Trump. And isn't this a scary thought? "And statesman-to-statesman, the 43-year old French leader will have to convince the 78-year old Biden — or, at least, Biden’s team of Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan." That's pretty damning.
Nigeria has sent its navy to deal with Gulf of Guinea piracy.
This seems overly ominous. Will the Chinese really use force--even if disguised--against Britain's carrier group in the South China Sea? Although Lord knows I'm a fan of overwatch just in case.
Brian Stelter is a moron./NOTHING FOLLOWS/
I'm bummed at the shift from micro-aggressions to systemic racism obsession. It was easy to micro-care about micro-aggression allegations. It sounds like a lot of work to systemically not care. Discrimination should of course be fought. And our laws prohibit discrimination. But the woke people who can't see the tremendous progress America has made on this issue are just annoying and dangerous.
Well, this would not shock me. What shocked me was Erdogan's flirtation with mullah-run Iran. Although this is part of my larger bewilderment at Erdogan's decision to alienate America and Israel in favor of reaching out to traditional enemies in Russia and Iran while angering Arabs by treating the former Ottoman realm as Turkey's playground. In the end Turkey may have no friends at all. Still, I'm not sure what to make of an analyst who can say Iran has defeated Saudi Arabia because Aleppo fell to Assad forces four years ago. Syria is a secondary front for the Saudis where actors with more reason to resist Iran there exist. Like the Turks. And the Russians. And most importantly, the Israelis.
Peak Stupid climbs ever higher.
With the accusations against Governor Cuomo, is #BelieveAllWomen still a thing? No matter how odious Cuomo is, some proof is needed. But activist rhetoric says that the accusation is all that you need. So we'll see. Actual misogynists are fools to identify as anything but a Democrat, eh?
Hahaha! In light of my above comment on Erdogan's alienation of America, I see this post about Erdogan reconsidering his policy of alienating America.
Fear and corruption defined the USSR's domestic politics. In Russia it is just corruption. Which has crippled Russia's civilian space launch industry. Among other things.
It truly is an accomplishment for China to have ended "extreme poverty." But the price has been high in lives lost and Chinese Communist Party oppression of the people. Does this achievement mean that the Chinese people should move on from the CCP monopoly on power? Perhaps the CCP wasn't thinking this boast through completely, eh?
The fact that a minority that succeeds in America in now "white adjacent" is proof that there is no "systemic racism" in America today. The dominant people in any country set the rules for succeeding. Which in America was white people. White northern European protestant people. Anybody who works within the rules the system rewards can succeed. That's it. Bigotry certainly exists. In all people. Because people are people. And when bigotry was backed by racist laws, minorities were harmed by hindering them from working within the rules the system rewards. But America has moved beyond the racist laws and much of the societal bigotry. We're doing pretty well, actually. Let's not destroy the melting pot that allowed immigrants to build America and achieve the American Dream with their own success (via Instapundit).
Media Kamalamania. Am I wrong in my assumption that Democrats want Biden to last two years and one day to maximize Harris' potential time as president? If I'm wrong, Democrats will want to push Biden out of the way as soon as possible to maximize her first term as president. Does Biden get 100 days to "fix" the Xi Jinping Flu pandemic and then given a gold watch and praise as the moving vans send him on his way? After all, if the pandemic is in the rear view mirror it is harder to hide Biden's limited stamina under cover of social distancing. Tip to Instapundit.
We have met the enemy, and he is us: "Domestic political and cultural divisiveness has become the United States' greatest strategic weakness. This grim vulnerability, exploited by international rivals and authentic domestic enemies who despise the U.S. Constitution, puts the U.S. republic in peril." And we did it to ourselves. The Resistance was a massive force multiplier to a ham-handed and tiny Russian effort to sow division during our 2016 election. And if we lose our freedoms here, our soft power appeal to people around the globe who suffer under autocrats and thug rulers is thrown away. When raw power alone determines how nations take sides, America will be on a dangerous path.
Israel is worried about Iran. Is Israel trying to deter Iran or is Israel preparing to strike Iran? And if striking Iran is the goal, will it be against Iran itself or Iran's proxies in Lebanon and/or Syria?
Is India on a path to win their border disputes with China? China has been gnawing away at Indian control for decades.
Yeah: "Partisan strife produces high voter turnout, but no big boost for either party[.]" Decades ago those on the left decried low voter turnout in America. I defended it by saying it spoke to the lack of fear of losing. So it was a good sign in contrast to higher voter turnout in other countries where losing was a big deal. So yeah, we got what we they wanted. Good and hard. Tip to Instapundit.
Armenians are unhappy with their government for losing their war with Azerbaijan last year.
Despite my concerns, the Russian vaccine for the Xi Jinping Flu virus seems to work safely. Did China give them a hand with data on the virus?
A trip to the Memory Hole on dismissing the seriousness of the Xi Jinping Flu virus: Nancy Pelosi Visits San Francisco’s Chinatown Amid Coronavirus Concerns. “’[W]hat we’re trying to do today is to say everything is fine here,’ Pelosi said. ‘Come because precautions have been taken. The city is on top of the situation.’” Tip to Instapundit.
Good Lord. That can't be normal modern building practice, can it? I think the ancient Egyptians lost fewer slaves building the Great Pyramid of Giza.
I'm not happy with our budget deficit and climbing debt. But at least we won't pretend to address the problem on the backs of the defense budget.
Nigeria will deploy its military to protect oil infrastructure from thieves. Criminals tapping pipelines has long been a problem. Both financially and ecologically. Will military involvement stop the theft or just give the military a piece of the corruption action to look the other way?
Is it just me or is Germany more active lately in going after Islamist extremists?
So what the polling is saying is that if I ever want to date when the pandemic is over, I have to move. Democrats have gone insane. Truly it is mass hysteria.
The media is nothing but a Biden publicity agency. Tip to Instapundit.
CSI: T-Rex. Tip to Instapundit.
I knew China's Xi Jinping Flu virus anal swab was designed for spite. I guarantee the Uighurs can't protest.
Russia's parade tank battalion.
This is a light story, but I can't imagine Russia is happy with North Korea over this.
Thoughts on defeating China "over there".
Russia's "doomsday" Poseidon nuclear torpedo. Why would Russia bother with this unless their ICBMs aren't reliable?
It looks like China's fleeting dominance of rare earth elements will be fleeting. "The United States and Australia have more than enough untapped reserves to be self-sufficient. In a single deepwater discovery in 2013, Japan found enough rare earths to meet its needs for centuries[.]" Japan has to figure out how to mine there discovery. But it is there. And there are other sources around the world.
Huh? Clearly my phone app translator needs this upgrade:
The Bee beat me to it. Hahaha!
Our partisan press requires them to engage in Bizarro World reporting on state Xi Jinping Flu pandemic responses. Tip to Instapundit.
I don't remember seeing this news, but naturally last month's drone attack on a Saudi palace was launched by pro-Iran militias in Iraq. Feel the potential of Iran as America's partner!
The Democrats think they took aim at conservative Christians with this bill. Wait until they discover it hits Moslems, too. That will be fun to watch unfold.
I retain hope that liberals and moderates will regain control of the Democratic Party. Progressives (that is, Marxists) dominate the party now. Liberals and moderates see me as their political foe. Progressives see me as their enemy. And unfortunately the progressive view has infected the liberals to varying degrees.
Even if Biden submits a written "state of the union" address to Congress because he isn't up to a live speech, I think I'll have to support it in the hope it becomes the new norm--as I've often said I want.
Well, it could be an accident. Or Iran attacked it. "A Bahamas-flagged ship, the MV HELIOS RAY, was hit by an explosion in
the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade
Operations (UKMTO) and a maritime security firm said on Friday." Later, the plot thickens. The ship is Israeli-owned and the Israelis think Iran did it. Question. Was it just civilian cargo delivered to the Gulf? What other cargo could have been left in the Gulf? Could Israel be prepositioning equipment or supplies in the Gulf area for possible military action?
Why Western feminists aren't the most hard core uncompromising anti-jihadists is beyond me: "Gunmen kidnap more than 300 schoolgirls in increasingly lawless northwest Nigeria[.]"
Well, of course. That's a widely held myth? I remember reading about a Cold War exercise where Red Team guys sent our Blue troops into chaos by getting in the Blue communications network. And in the war on terror we have at times left jihadi web sites or Internet presence up to try and use them for intelligence or to manipulate the Islamists. Still, it is simpler to stop communications than to "turn" them.
Yeah, we've reached the point where the French are figuratively demanding that we stop calling them french fries. Maybe woke fries? I forget the train of links that got me there.
One thing I miss without cable TV is seeing the relentless media questions to Democratic politicians about whether they reject Governor Cuomo's treatment of senior citizens and women.
When near, appear far: an author with a think tank affiliated with the Chinese Foreign Ministry says the idea of China trying to take Taiwan is ridiculous! My view is different.
As I take walks, am I imagining things to think people are getting even more fanatical about masking up even when walking outdoors and passing somebody? With a lot of Cold War Army training on the use of masks, I'm not against them. But on Friday I had a number of people mask up as they saw me walking toward them. I mask going into stores but I'll be damned if I mask walking on uncrowded sidewalks for this virus. What is going on?
Kids in cages: bad. Bambinos in boxes: good!
How long before the "privacy" of those shipping container shelters allows older migrant kids to bully and abuse younger kids?
Huh: "YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK: COVID Aid Bill Would Pay Federal Employees $1400 a Week if Kids Are Out of School." Democrats stalled giving ordinary Americans a one-time payment of $1,400. But while you have to make do with that, the Democrats' most loyal voters (well, aside from teachers who have their own pallets of cash) get $1,400 more every week. And actually, much of that $1,400 per week will probably go to teachers who are tutoring the children of the well off anyway.
So where's Human Rights Watch when you need them?
I thought China might use their hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics as cover to invade Taiwan. I was wrong. But was my logic solid? Might typhoon season lead China to use their 2022 Winter Olympics as cover to prepare an invasion before typhoon season starts? Typhoons would hamper an American counter-attack and help China dig in. Or cause America to rush to failure to beat they typhoons. If China digs in, I don't know if we'll ever drive them into the sea. If we don't do that, as I wrote in Military Review, we won't get China off the island.
It's quite the mystery: "Militant attacks are on the rise in Pakistan amid a growing religiosity that has brought greater intolerance, prompting one expert to voice concern the country could be overwhelmed by religious extremism." That dread "religiosity." I wonder what religion is promoting that extremist religiosity, according to the experts? I keep reading and I ponder whether Pakistani Lutherans are getting hopped up on intolerance? Murder-crazed Buddhists? Maybe the dreaded weather-controlling Jeeewws? Mysteries abound in this world. You have to read on to the 18th paragraph to get the only mention of "Islam" or "Muslim" in the long article. Both words--one mention each--are conveniently walled off in that one paragraph. Seriously, bravo on the linguistic gymnastics in that article.
All I know for sure is that this isn't a racist or xenophobic African Ban, now that Biden is president.
Unhappy minorities in Iran's southeast were hit with an Internet shutdown by Iran's government. Pity they chose now to make their unhappiness evident. Biden will throw anybody under the bus to get a glorious Iran Nuclear Deal 2.0.
The people who see micro-dog whistles are just nuts and sad people. How can they go through life like that? TDR has video from the conference. But the stage is rectangular, so no problem:
Meanwhile, communist Antifa scum riot in Portland with nary a concern from the left. Also, if leftists think Republicans are stupid and ill-educated, how are they recognizing such an obscure micro-dog whistle? But hey, for the last four years they were happy with dog whistles rather than getting any actual racist policies. So what do I know? Just how did leftists become so wise in the ways of racists?
Somebody launched missile and "suicide" drone strikes on Saudi Arabia. I guess the Houthis and their Iranian patrons aren't feeling the love of Biden's decision to halt some support for Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthis and their Iranian patrons. At what point does Saudi Arabia join with Israel and other Gulf allies to just hammer Iran?
The good news is that the Biden administration is okay with some energy pipelines. The bad news is that it is a Russian one. I assume a well-funded multi-year investigation into collusion will commence.
The war in Syria continues to linger on.
Is this a surprise? "The Biden administration said Sunday it remains open to talks with Iran
over the 2015 nuclear deal despite Tehran’s rejection of an EU
invitation to join a meeting with the U.S. and the other original
participants in the agreement." The Iranians walked away, getting the upper hand. Biden will prove he wants a deal more than Iran says it does. Iran will need "coaxing" with concessions before the talks even begin. And the Biden administration will provide those concessions. Ah, Smart Diplomacy!
