Syria reported to have use Chemical Warfare

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Not much to say about this, but...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/susannahgeorge/syria-researcher-elizabeth-o-bagy-fired?s=mobile

A young researcher whose opinions on Syria were cited by both Senator McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry in congressional testimony last week has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly faking her academic credentials

Ohhhh lord.

I like how this:

The Journal was forced to post a clarification that "in addition to her role at the Institute for the Study of War, Ms. O'Bagy is affiliated with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit operating as a 501(c)(3) pending IRS approval that subcontracts with the U.S. and British governments to provide aid to the Syrian opposition."

wasn't the problem. Apparently we just don't believe in conflict of interests anymore.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Not much to say about this, but...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/susannahgeorge/syria-researcher-elizabeth-o-bagy-fired?s=mobile

A young researcher whose opinions on Syria were cited by both Senator McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry in congressional testimony last week has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly faking her academic credentials

Ohhhh lord.

I like how this:

The Journal was forced to post a clarification that "in addition to her role at the Institute for the Study of War, Ms. O'Bagy is affiliated with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit operating as a 501(c)(3) pending IRS approval that subcontracts with the U.S. and British governments to provide aid to the Syrian opposition."

wasn't the problem. Apparently we just don't believe in conflict of interests anymore.

We - by which I mean our nations - don't believe in anything, anymore.  That's why we fall for this shit.  That's why a rolling ball of incompetence and failure is just "how the world works". 

When a man or a nation loses his or its principles, a monster is created.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Not much to say about this, but...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/susannahgeorge/syria-researcher-elizabeth-o-bagy-fired?s=mobile

A young researcher whose opinions on Syria were cited by both Senator McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry in congressional testimony last week has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly faking her academic credentials

Ohhhh lord.

I like how this:

The Journal was forced to post a clarification that "in addition to her role at the Institute for the Study of War, Ms. O'Bagy is affiliated with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit operating as a 501(c)(3) pending IRS approval that subcontracts with the U.S. and British governments to provide aid to the Syrian opposition."

wasn't the problem. Apparently we just don't believe in conflict of interests anymore.

We - by which I mean our nations - don't believe in anything, anymore.  That's why we fall for this shit.  That's why a rolling ball of incompetence and failure is just "how the world works". 

When a man or a nation loses his or its principles, a monster is created.

It's really disturbing, to say the least.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I catch a lot of shit from my folks about having bailed completely on Obama in particular and the dems in general. 

"That's just a half a vote for the teabaggers", they tell me. 

"I fail to see ANY functional difference", I respond.

Then they look all disappointed and compare me to my arch-conservative brother.  Doesn't work.  I have beliefs, not affiliations.  I am a liberal, for the most part, and if the dems aren't reflecting my beliefs at least in the majority of issues, then I am not a dem.  If the dems are functionally identical to the GOP, then I am an opponent of the dems.

Fuck that shit.  I'm a Goddamn American, not a dem or a republican.  I'm also not the world's cop, nor am I one more faceless fucking retard backing a monster because he's on "my side".  And I think the term "American" has been co-opted and dragged through the sewer pipes long enough, and I think maybe it's time I took it back. 

And I think I know just how to do that.  Poster/Rant/propaganda forthcoming this week.  That isn't going to help anything, but there's a potential meme rattling around in my head that might have a tiny chance of catching on.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

As usual, I think Jon Stewart summed things up nicely. If we avoid another stupid war, that's great.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

I see Putin put an op-ed in the NYT, which I understand is a rarely executed maneuver. Basically disputed Obama's argument point by point. It seems Russia is trying to go ahead and move into the #1 position. Personally I have no issue with this. 21st century America might as well be 1960s USSR anyway.

[Cain]

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[Cain]

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[LMNO]

I see Putin put an op-ed in the NYT, which I understand is a rarely executed maneuver. Basically disputed Obama's argument point by point. It seems Russia is trying to go ahead and move into the #1 position. Personally I have no issue with this. 21st century America might as well be 1960s USSR anyway.

If they keep outlawing homosexuality, I have a big problem with this.  At least in the US, the gayness is spreading.

[Junkenstein]

The question is, Will Obama reach out to the russian people?

I hope he does, because the results of that could be hilarious. World leaders playing the media game like this is already funny enough. What's next? Cameron sticking up an Op-Ed in "The sun"? Assad appealing for peace in the telegraph? So much fun to come in the future. 

[tyrannosaurus vex]

I see Putin put an op-ed in the NYT, which I understand is a rarely executed maneuver. Basically disputed Obama's argument point by point. It seems Russia is trying to go ahead and move into the #1 position. Personally I have no issue with this. 21st century America might as well be 1960s USSR anyway.

If they keep outlawing homosexuality, I have a big problem with this.  At least in the US, the gayness is spreading.

That's the only thing that stops me from writing in Putin for every office in the next election.

[Cain]

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[LMNO]

That all went MUCH better than I expected.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That was VERY interesting. What happens if Russia decides to become America's watchdog, stepping in to provide reasonable solutions that avert our intentions to invade? It happens once and it's whew, what a relief, but if it happens two or three times it starts to be embarrassing and obvious. What then?

[LMNO]

This feels like a Cold War role-reversal.