Monday 18 July 2016
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Photo, left:
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-host: Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, The Great Voice of the Great Lakes
Hour One
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 1, Block A: Rita Cosby, WABC Senior News Director, in Cleveland; in re: Rules Committee; how many delegations asked for a ballot instead of a c voice vote? Chair ruled over the objectors. The NeverTrump crew immediately objected, incl Ken Lee and Cucinelli: “We want avenues so our guy can get in.” Chair immediately gavelled over, kept talking. Everyone in shock. Celebrities present, also heroes of Benghazi “She failed us, and she failed you, America.” Trump’s wife Melania: coming from Slovenia to America legally. Funny hats: huge elephant hats. A cordoned are a quarter-mile from convention for protestors; fence already broken through.
Tom Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor & FDD, and Bill Roggio, Long War Journal senior editor & FDD, in re: Jihadi network: al Qaeda difference- ObL objected to using a truck to mow people down — wanted the al Qaeda message to be absolutely clear. Charlie Hebdo followed that dictum Nice killer went ‘way off. Note that at any time a Q could attack an aircraft and kill civilians. Mookie Sadr: the devil of the first Iraq war, works with Iran. Threatens US troops arriving in Iraq to help fight ISIS. Mookie Sadr’s militia might be involved in Mosul, but most are south, in Samara area.
------US troops ‘are a target for us,’ Iraq’s Muqtada al Sadr says The radical Shia cleric responded to the US military deployment of an additional 560 troops to aid in the fight against the Islamic State by threatening to attack them.
Islamic State claims its ‘soldier’ carried out Bastille Day attack in Nice, France
------ The Islamic State's propaganda arms have claimed responsibility for the July 14 attack in Nice, France, saying that a "soldier" of the so-called caliphate carried out a "unique operation." The statements do not include any details about the terrorist that aren't already widely known. Counterterrorism officials are still investigating the attacker's possible ties.
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 1, Block B: Tom Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor & FDD, and Bill Roggio, Long War Journal senior editor & FDD, in re: Abu Omar al Shishani’s death; the red-bearded commander. Was part of Georgian Special Forces trained by US to fight Russia; then became a key commander in Syria. Then defected and took most of the Chechen contingent with him. A top al Qaeda cleric in Syria celebrated his death. AQAP Special Forces training camp: probably in southern Yemen; named after Zingibari, a field commander. Train highjacking cars, assassinations from motorcycles, other effective modes. Nice mass-murder: yesterday seven people in custody being questioned; no idea if they were connected to a larger group. “A vast map, all battle.”
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Gordon G. Chang, Daily Beast & Forbes.com, in re: South China Sea: Hague issued a condemnatory report of China’s aggression in taking a bunch of rocks and claiming them as sovereign Chinese territory and pencilling in a vast area of “Chinese” Sea. Begin with flyovers; Chinese sortie in H6K, (like a Soviet Badger; big); the Chinese air force showed their aircraft over the Scarborough Shoal, a nuclear-capable bomber and apparently threatening to bomb everybody. However, they’ve also stopped Filipinos from going to Scarborough, and sent their fishing fleets into other s’s exclusive economic zones. All forbidden by by the Hague ruling. “Beijing will continue construction regardless of foreign opposition. We will ever stop our construction on Nansha Islands” –Adm Wu. Context; US Chief of Naval Ops visiting there for a few days. China is starting an escalatory cycle, dangerous esp with nuclear threats. We sent John Richardson to try to talk the Chinese down to calm; State speaking with countries telling them not to challenge Chinese chis in their very own waters – this is cowering, not a good idea. You deal with China by showing strength.
China could make hay by saying, ”The colonialists are against us.” China got 12 nautical miles around Gavin Reef. Japanese, like Chinese, claim an exclusive zone of 200 mi around some of their features, incl Akamashori(?). China’s rhetoric rings false to neighbors; sounds like, “We’re China and we’ll do whatever we want.” Manila; Foreign Affairs notes nuclear plane over Scarborough; foreign affairs dept will review. New Filipino president said everything from good to bad on the ruling US State is trying to lean on him and Indonesia . China is incurably aggressive. State is great lawyer: they lawyer for the Iranians, they lawyer for Russia, and now they lawyer for the Chinese. They should send a bill!
China to Continue Construction on Disputed Islands China’s navy chief told his U.S. counterpart that Beijing would continue construction work on disputed South China Sea islands regardless of foreign opposition, state media said. http://defence.pk/threads/china-air-force-h6k-flies-through-the-huangyan-island.439472/#ixzz4Eh5lphuu
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 1, Block D: Gene Countryman, KNSS. in re: See the first flight of the B29, a huge plane made in Kansas. They call the plane “Doc”: rescued it from the California desert (China Lake) where for 31 years it’d been used for missile testing. Four thousand originally built cost $650K each. Squadron was named for Snow White and he Seven Dwarfs. Boeing mfrg mostly now by Spirit or Air Capital. Runway 12,000 feet. McConnell AFB. Each engine 3600 horsepower; unique and exciting sound. Hard to start: oil settles in bottom cylinders. Bomb doors inexplicably popped open . . . Connie Blasia, now 91, was an original Rosie the Riveters. Could identify a dozen rivets she had installed in the nose of the plane. Pilot here was Charlie Tillman. One other B29 in the world; called Fifi. Only two FAA-authorized pilots to fly B29. Nose gear can't be steered; it sort of swivels according to aircraft speed. Owned by Friends of Doc; will bld a new hangar for it.
Hour Two
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 2, Block A: John Fund, NRO, and David M Drucker, Washington Examiner, in re: GOP convention: Mike Lee, and the Colorado and Utah rebellions today. Governor of Ohio is not in attendance. Pandemonium on the convention floor; insurgency defeated. A group of GOP delegates opposed to Trump aligned with a delegates not against Trump but opposed toe some fog the new rules. Top brass decided to avoid embarrassment and squashed, Delegates got time to pull their names from a list . . . vote; Utahans told not enough signatures.
NY Post: “Bring in the clowns!” – Giuliani with a clown’s nose. Delegates originally aligned against Trump were for Ted Cruz. If Trump wins the November election, the Party will move toward his style If not, the Scott Walker and Ted Cruz and others will run again: ”Time for a real conservative.” Mike Lee: young, active, busy. Conservative. His conduct today gathered major headlines; it was his idea to de-fund Obamacare. Positing himself as a grass roots leader, stay n Senate. He’s talented on air; is the son of Reagan’s 1980s Solicitor =-General. Aligned with insurgents against a bossy RNC that wanted nothing to interfere with TV cameras. 538 site: “America” used 144 times by speakers, and “conservative” zero times. Mitch McConnell is confident he’l hold the Senate; new generation coming – estblishment and insurgency factions. Mike Lee will lead the latter.
“Never bet against the casino. The machine always wins.”
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 2, Block B: John Fund, NRO, and David M Drucker, Washington Examiner, in re: Mike Pence. On 60 Minutes on Sunday; was deeply, thoroughly dissed by Trump. . . . Gravely disorganized Trump campaign; general alarm in GOP.
Tiffany Trump at New York dinner parties: “My father is in the first stages of dementia.”
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 2, Block C: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Turkish coup attempt. Incirlik. Reports of massive arrests; at least 20,000. All senior officers. NATO ‘s anchor in the Black Sea Basin is wrecked; front line – on the border with Kurds, ISIS and al Nusrah. Commander of Incirlik (NATO nuclear base) is under arrest; base on internal power for days. Also arrested 8,000 police, 30 Brig-Gen; two members of Supreme Court, overwhelming number of judges. Six thousand soldiers in jail. How did these lists appear so fast? Is Gulen involved [no –ed.] Of those in jail, what fate? Will they succeed in reinstituting the death penalty? EU and US opposed but Erdogan wants it. Any amnesty coming? [don't hold your breath –ed.] Israel was repairing relations with Turkey, incl mil-to-mil. Even Iran opposed the coup. All govt’l processes on hold. Judiciary: “Will be docile.” Cases had been brought vs Erdogan by opposition, those judges have been removed. Erdogan wishes to destroy the secular humanists in Turkish society. Pix of soldiers being beaten by civilians, sitting in warehouse with hands bound behind back. Scary. Some blame the US for the uprising — pretty unlikely. Mobs in streets for five days. Brings the economy to a halt. Israel is OK with Turkey; however, Turkish domestic community lays low, is not entirely safe. Churches damaged. Orthodox and Jews issued a statement supporting the regime against the coup. In Egypt, we saw the military wresting power back from Ikhwan; rumor that coup plotters got word that [something awful would soon happen].
Turkey Coup Attempt: Erdogan Rounds Up Suspected Plotters
Two days after a failed military coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed a continued crackdown on those behind it - and those perceived to have been involved - as large crowds heeded his call to fill the nation's streets.
Thousands of soldiers have been arrested and hundreds of judiciary members removed since Friday's uprising, which left at least 290 people dead and more than 1,400 injured in a chaotic night of violence. Clashes occurred Sunday between security forces and coup plotters resisting arrest nearly 200 miles south of Ankara at Konya Airbase.
In addition to those detained, Erdogan is demanding the United States arrest or extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he blamed for the attempt to overthrow the government.
See also Video: The Sights and Sounds of the Attempted Coup
At Height of Turkish Coup Bid, Rebel Jets Had Erdogan's Plane in their Sights At the height of the attempt to overthrow Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights. And yet he was able to fly on. "Why they didn't fire is a mystery," a former military officer told Reuters.
See also Turkey Government Seemed to Have List of Arrests Prepared: EU Commissioner
The swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey's membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said on Monday.
Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors.
Israel Expects Reconciliation with Turkey to Remain on Course
Israel reacted tersely on Sunday to a thwarted coup in Turkey, saying it expected a new reconciliation deal between the two regional powers following a six-year rift to be implemented as planned.
"Israel and Turkey recently agreed on a reconciliation process. We estimate that this process will continue, unrelated to the dramatic events in Turkey over the weekend," Netanyahu told his cabinet in televised comments.
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 2, Block D: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Syrian civil war & Golan. Withdrawal of UN observer force at demil zone on Israeli-Syrian border; IS and al Qaeda took over; Hezb tried to enter but was rebuffed. Now enough IS and Nusrah to have power, there are 150 rebel groups there. Encroachment by these groups in to Northern Golan. UNESCO: World Heritage Council mtg in Istanbul, stripped Christian and Jewish identity from all site in Jerusalem and left only Muslim names. Head of UNESCO opposed this eloquently. Now trying to put the walls under Muslim dominance. The coup cut the mtg short; will reconvene in October. Obliterates 2100 years of Christian history and 3000 years of Jewish history. This is extremely odd. Why does an intl body recognize only Muslim names? / Under Iran deal. Turns out that a secret portion of the deal lets Iran move ahead in eleven years, enrich at double the speed and install new eqpt, Breakout period will take six months, and probably occur before 2017. Why was this not made public?? The entire world is affected by this. Fourth ballistic missile test this week – will carry nuclear warheads from the Iran deal weaponization. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz – don't even dare to ask him to make change for you.
Hour Three
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 3, Block A: Mary Kissel, WSJ Opinion Journal, in re: Opinion Journal: Turkey’s Islamist Moment. Global View Columnist Bret Stephens on the failed Friday coup attempt and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s response.
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 3, Block B: Harry Siegel, New York Daily News and Daily Beast, in re: Giuliani has become the caricature that opponents saw when he was mayor. Racist, rude, harsh. The mud-slingers are overwhelming the muckrakers in Trump's America, where everyone looks dirty.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/harry-siegel-confidence-man-candidate-article-1.2713366
A brief history lesson, relevant now: In the Civil War, the Confederacy both printed its own dollars and flooded the North with phony U.S. bills as a form of economic warfare. President Lincoln created the Secret Service — which started protecting Presidents only at the turn of the 20th Century — to fight the counterfeiting.
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 3, Block C: Gregory Copley, Defense and Foreign Affairs, in re: Profound instability now remains in Turkey. For the 20,000-plus citizen arrested in three days, Erdogan now wishes to reinstate the death penalty. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of generals and admirals. Military totally hobbled in a major NATO member. Resume Erdogan’s war against Kurds. Erdogan was in any case preparing a big round of purges; looks as thought h coup-plotters thought they had to move pre-emptively to protect the very functioning of the military. Meanwhile, Turkey is in a war – with Syria; migrants, Islamists, jihadists. Turkey starting to withdraw its unequivocal support of IS/Da’ish. This coup may be the start of the end of the war in Syria since the Turkish state cannot afford to support ISI any more, although Saudis and Qataris may continue support. This is a reprieve to Ikhwan and Hamas, alienates Turkey from the EU. Finally got Merkel to say that any reversion to death penalty would scotch Turkey’s chance to join the EU. Kurds: will be almost relieved that the coup failed, as the coup leaders would have strengthened secularists and made a deal with Kurds not to separate. Now they see that the war is back on and they have a better chance. Since the general at the head of the Second Army was arrested, Turkish fighting force is no longer effective.
Erdogan Purges the Military. Speaking through his translator in an exclusive interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the failed military coup a "clear crime of treason." The Turkish people have made it clear they want death for the "terrorists" who plotted the coup, Erdogan said in his first interview since the July 15 attempt.
"The people now have the idea, after so many terrorist incidents, that these terrorists should be killed, that's where they are, they don't see any other outcome to it," he said.
Who is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan? "Why should I keep them and feed them in prisons, for years to come? That's what the people say," he said. "They want a swift end to it, because people lost relatives, lost neighbors, lost children ... they're suffering, so the people are very sensitive and we have to act very sensibly and sensitively." (1 of 2) http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/europe/turkey-president-erdogan-interview-coup/index.html
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 3, Block D: Gregory Copley, Defense and Foreign Affairs, in re: Turkey will be unstable as long as Erdogan is in power. Anent Kurds in Syria: to what extent does Assad help the Syrian Kurds (who support Turkish Kurds) and risk losing territory to Kurdistan? Iraqi Kurds under Barzani reviewing utility of working with Turkey. Turkish intell (MIT): a lot of Turkish-sponsored jihadi units have been pulled back from Syria and redeployed against Russia in Ukraine and Crimea. Support from Saudis and Qatar? Wahhabists in al Nusrah and Da’ish are in competition with them. Erdogan purging officers who’ve helped in Turkish govt rapprochement with Israel and other nations. Funding will henceforth go not to army but to MIT like the SS /brownshirts in Germany, Night of the Long Knives. Like Iran, where IRGC is more powerful than the army. Breakup of Turkey: how much will intl community facilitate that, esp Russia and Iran? Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran. Erdogan’s rabid Sunni fundamentalism is at odds with Azerbaijan’s more secular and certainly Shia population. O&G coming from that region: going to the port of Ceyhan. Erdogan has tried to have a superficial amity with Russia and surreptitiously continue undermining it, incl in Crimea where he’s sent Tatar forces to wrest it into Turkish control. Russia is totally aware, of course. It wants access to Bosphorus, but not a strong Turkey, so the break-up of Turkey might serve it well.
Erdogan Purges the Military. Speaking through his translator in an exclusive interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the failed military coup a "clear crime of treason." The Turkish people have made it clear they want death for the "terrorists" who plotted the coup, Erdogan said in his first interview since the July 15 attempt.
"The people now have the idea, after so many terrorist incidents, that these terrorists should be killed, that's where they are, they don't see any other outcome to it," he said.
Who is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan? "Why should I keep them and feed them in prisons, for years to come? That's what the people say," he said. "They want a swift end to it, because people lost relatives, lost neighbors, lost children ... they're suffering, so the people are very sensitive and we have to act very sensibly and sensitively." (2 of 2) http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/europe/turkey-president-erdogan-interview-coup/index.html
Hour Four
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 4, Block A: Peter Berkowitz, Hoover, in re: “…Roger L. Simon has a theory about the dysfunction of American politics that has explanatory power beyond our shores. In “I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Undermining Our Republic, if It Hasn’t Already,” Simon argues that an excess of self-love is impairing the American capacity for self-government.
“Like Narcissus of Greek mythology—mesmerized by his reflection in water, the handsome hunter gazed longingly upon his image until he died—human beings have always been susceptible to the psychological malady we call narcissism.
“Distinctive to our era, according to Simon, is a special form of the general personality disorder. In the case of ‘moral narcissism,’ he writes, ‘What you believe, or claim to believe or say you believe—not what you do or how you act or what the results of your actions may be—defines you as a person and makes you “good.” ’ The incidence of moral narcissism, he contends, has reached epidemic proportions.
“A novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, and co-founder of PJ Media, Simon is in a good position to reflect on American politics, having journeyed from the civil-rights left of the 1960s to the limited-government right of today.
“Simon is well aware that moral narcissism can be found among his political allies—in the belief that less government is always better government; in the opinion that government has the right and responsibility to impose traditional morality; and in the article of faith that America has the tools and the wherewithal to remake the world in its liberal and democratic image. But whereas on the right love of one’s own moral posture is constrained by competing conservative impulses—particularly the tension between conserving tradition and expanding freedom—moral narcissism, according to Simon, is “a pathology that underlies the whole liberal Left ethic today.” http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/07/12/the_perils_of_moral_narcissism_131162.html
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 4, Block B: John Tamny, author; Forbes; RealClearPolitics; in re: True recessions are healthy and very brief, and follow lots of investment-driven experimentation. The recession is the mothballing of failed experiments so that the successful ones and new ideas can utilize always limited resources. Slowdowns are a sign of a lack of experimentation thanks to high taxes or devalued money making investment too expensive. Rising gold and oil signal the dollar's declining value, and a slowdown thanks to reduced investment. I say the devaluation reflects the weak-currency policies of the two major presidential candidates (markets anticipating their policies), but whatever the answer, the renewed dollar weakness is an unhealthy sign. Rising Gold and Oil Prices Are a Slowdown Signal
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 4, Block C: John Schwartz, NYT, in re: Climate Change & Its Discontents. @JohnSchwartz, NYT. “…There are sharp disagreements over whether or not nuclear plants should be part of the energy mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Disasters like that at the Fukushima plant in Japan have undercut confidence in the technology, but it remains attractive to the Obama administration and many in the environmental movement, including James E. Hansen, a retired NASA climate scientist.
Supporters argue that nuclear plants can produce enormous amounts of power without the carbon dioxide that burning coal and natural gas produce. They also point out that the energy sources replacing existing plants tend to come from natural gas, causing greenhouse emissions. That was the case in New England when the Vermont Yankee plant was shut down, and in California after the closing of the plant at San Onofre.
“California has decided to wind down the Diablo Canyon reactors by 2025, a lengthy transition that could allow a buildup of renewable energy sources to replace the lost power. The nuclear power debate extends to questions of whether to develop a new generation of plants that supporters say would be less expensive and safer, or whether to extend the lives of existing plants….”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/science/climate-change-movement.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
Another Inconvenient Truth: It’s Hard to Agree How to Fight Climate Change While activists can agree that something must be done, differences arise over exactly what and how, on issues like nuclear power and fracking. (1 of 2)
Monday 18 July 2016 / Hour 4, Block D: John Schwartz, NYT, in re: Climate Change & Its Discontents. @JohnSchwartz, NYT. “…There are sharp disagreements over whether or not nuclear plants should be part of the energy mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Disasters like that at the Fukushima plant in Japan have undercut confidence in the technology, but it remains attractive to the Obama administration and many in the environmental movement, including James E. Hansen, a retired NASA climate scientist.
Supporters argue that nuclear plants can produce enormous amounts of power without the carbon dioxide that burning coal and natural gas produce. They also point out that the energy sources replacing existing plants tend to come from natural gas, causing greenhouse emissions. That was the case in New England when the Vermont Yankee plant was shut down, and in California after the closing of the plant at San Onofre.
“California has decided to wind down the Diablo Canyon reactors by 2025, a lengthy transition that could allow a buildup of renewable energy sources to replace the lost power. The nuclear power debate extends to questions of whether to develop a new generation of plants that supporters say would be less expensive and safer, or whether to extend the lives of existing plants….”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/science/climate-change-movement.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
Another Inconvenient Truth: It’s Hard to Agree How to Fight Climate Change While activists can agree that something must be done, differences arise over exactly what and how, on issues like nuclear power and fracking. (2 of 2)