This and That...

[Warph]

Stunning: WH Officials Thought Exchanging 5 Taliban Leaders For 1 Deserter Would Encourage
"Moderate" Taliban To Take Peace Process Seriously

(It's mind-boggling how clueless this administration is. In reality it does nothing except encourage the Taliban to kidnap more U.S. soldiers)

Via WaPo:
Inside the administration, the calculations over Bergdahl's fate were complicated by seemingly unrelated events, including the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in May 2011, when U.S. forces traveled deep into Pakistan and killed the al-Qaeda leader. The operation infuriated Pakistan's government and raised fears among U.S. officials that their uncertain ally's already mixed support for the war effort would wane further.

Around that time, U.S. officials began to contemplate an operation to rescue Bergdahl, according to a former senior administration official who participated in the discussions.

At least twice before Bergdahl's release, U.S. officials had a possible fix on where he was being held, but some administration officials familiar with the intelligence said there were gaps that left his circumstances unclear. And there were strong voices opposed to an operation, led by then-national security adviser Thomas Donilon and his deputy, Denis McDonough, who is now White House chief of staff.

Their concern, the official said, was further angering Pakistan's government and spy agency, which has close connections to the Haqqani network.

Those who supported a rescue operation included Adm. Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and then-CIA Director Leon E. Panetta. Their argument in favor of a high-risk, lower-reward operation than the bin Laden raid eventually failed.

During the same debate, officials were considering the emerging prisoner-exchange proposal. White House advisers believed that a successful exchange would not only free Bergdahl but would also encourage moderate Taliban members to take an Afghan-led reconciliation process seriously.

[Warph]

Secret Service Wants Software That Detects Sarcasm On Social Media

Via Washington Post
The agency wants to buy software that, among other things, has the ability to "detect sarcasm" and language that may mean something different than it appears on first glance.

Government agencies and corporations have long used social media to try to influence the public and get their messages out, while law enforcement agencies increasingly monitor such sites for signs of trouble.

But getting a computer to detect sarcasm and its linguistic complexities can be difficult — and some experts worry at the prospect of attempts to parse speech by a government agency that has the power to arrest people for posting alleged threats online.

"It does appear that it's going to be a pretty broad monitoring program. It will likely sweep in some First Amendment protected expression," said Ginger McCall, associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). "It is troubling, because it really stifles people's ability to freely express themselves, and it has a tendency to quell dissent, to make people think twice before they express themselves online."

The Secret Service request for the software, first reported by nextgov.com, was posted Monday. The agency is accepting proposals until next Monday.

The work order asks for a long list of specific tools, including the ability to identify influential figures on social media, analyze data streams in real time, access old Twitter data and use heat maps. (It also wants the software to be compatible with the five-year-old Internet Explorer 8 browser — a sign of the government's outdated technology.)

[Warph]

Goofy Fluke: "It Took Everything We Had To Secure Victory On Tuesday" . . .
One Problem, The Pinko Came In Second Place

(Sandra is a special kind of stupid... you lost to some guy named Ben Allen. 
Moonbat vs Moonbat... Allen?... is Harvard grad, and Berkeley lawyer)

[Warph]

Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Thinks Obama Wants Cuba Spy-Swap

(Obuma is holding out for a box of Cuban cigars)

Via Miami Herald
After news broke about President Barack Obama's prisoner swap involving five Taliban Guantánamo Bay detainees, many wondered about the fate of another person, this one locked away in Cuba: Alan Gross, the U.S. government contractor believed by many to have been railroaded on trumped-up spy charges.

The Obama administration says it is not negotiating for Gross.

Yet U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Miami Republican Cuban exile leader, doesn't think the administration is being honest.

"I seriously believe the administration is considering a swap," Ros-Lehtinen said. "The administration has shown itself not to be faithful to the law and is not to be trusted."

For instance, Ros-Lehtinen said, the administration two years ago briefed her and other members of Congress in a closed-door intelligence briefing on the proposed swap of the five Taliban for U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl, a likely deserter during his tour in Afghanistan

Ros-Lehtinen, House Speaker John Boehner and others objected to negotiating with terrorists.

"They said: 'We hear you loud and clear.' And two years later, what do we have?" she asked. "A prisoner swap."

In between, Congress passed a bill that would require notification of any Gitmo prisoner transfers 30 days in advance. Obama, in signing the law, issued a signing statement to essentially give him wiggle room to ignore that under unique circumstances.

Obama, as a candidate in 2007, criticized the prior administration's use of signing statements, saying, "I will not use signing statements to nullify or undermine congressional instructions as enacted into law."

In the case of Gross, Ros-Lehtinen issued press releases earlier this week in English and Spanish mischaracterizing news reports about Gross, who was arrested in Cuba in 2009 after Cuban authorities said he possessed satellite telephones and other banned communications equipment. Gross said the equipment was intended for the Jewish community on the island.

Ros-Lehtinen's press release said that "news reports" indicated the administration "may be considering" a swap with Cuba: Gross in return for the three remaining "Cuban Five" espionage convicts imprisoned in the United States.

The news reports at the time said Obama wasn't considering it.

Ros-Lehtinen's Spanish-language press release was more off the mark, saying that Obama "is considering" a swap.

Ros-Lehtinen acknowledged the error, but she said it doesn't matter. She believes the administration is talking quietly with Cuba.

She pointed to a Tuesday back-and-forth between a reporter and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki , who was asked repeatedly about Gross. In a final question, a reporter asked whether "the administration is still opposed to any deal with the Cubans for Alan Gross that involves the three remaining Cuban Five?"

Psaki: "Nothing has changed in that case, no."

So, in public, Obama and Ros-Lehtinen have the same position.

[Warph]

Son Of Abortion Doc Gosnell Shot While Robbing College Student's Home

(Not exactly the tax payer relief shot)

Via NBC Philly
The son of Kermit Gosnell, the infamous Philadelphia abortion doctor serving a life sentence for killing newborn children and at least one adult, is now in the hospital fighting for his life after an alleged home invasion.

Police say Gosnell's son, 22-year-old Barron Alexander was shot several times while he was burglarizing a row home shared by a group of undergrads in West Philadelphia on Wednesday morning.

The incident occurred on the 3700 block of Brandywine Avenue in the Mantua neighborhood around 7 a.m., according to Philadelphia Police.

Investigators say Alexander, who legally changed his name after his father's conviction, broke into the home while the three male residents were home. According to police, he broke into the home three times, stealing cash and electronics — including an X-Box and a laptop.

Police Capt. John Przepiorka said Alexander went through a rear bathroom window during the third break-in, causing two of the residents to wake up.

"He was taking items from the property and a resident from the property woke up startled," said Przepiorka. "A struggle started at that point, the resident screamed for help."

A second roommate then shot Alexander multiple times, said Przepiorka.

Officers rushed Alexander to the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania where he remained in critical, but stable condition.

Przepiorka said investigators were trying to find out if Alexander was armed.

The third roommate living in the home slept through the entire ordeal.

Police say the gun used in the shooting is legally registered to the home owner.

Alexander's father, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, is serving a life sentence without the possibility for parole after a jury found him guilty of killing three babies born alive at his West Philadelphia abortion clinic.

Two years ago, Alexander legally dropped his father's last name, claiming he could not get work or an internship due to his father's crimes.

Police say Alexander faces several charges including robbery, burglary and receiving stolen goods.

[Warph]

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei Taunts Obuma
Saying He Doesn't Have The Guts For a Military Attack

(Sadly, he's right... the community organizer is a failure)

Via Daily Mail:
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taunted President Barack Obama, claiming that the U.S. no longer has the guts for battle.

Speaking at an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei, the 74-year-old Shiite Muslim cleric proclaimed that 'military attack is not a priority for Americans now.'

He stood on a podium amid banners boasting 'America Cannot Do a Damn Thing' as he reacted to a speech President Obama gave to West Point last week.

'Since World War II, some of our most costly mistakes came not from our restraint, but from our willingness to rush into military adventures – without thinking through the consequences,' Obama told graduating cadets.

Khamenei took the president's message to mean, 'They have renounced the idea of any military actions.'

Khamenei called the U.S. the 'Great Satan' and said its effort to bring Iran 'to its knees' have failed.

He said: 'Despite the sanctions imposed upon it, Iran today is launching satellites and sending live organisms into space and is producing nuclear power.'

[Warph]

Obuma Cartel Predicts "Substantial Progress" In Freeing Remaining Gitmo Terrorists This Year

(I'm sure al-Qaeda could use the extra men... and we can use them for target practice once they are released)

Washington (AFP) – Moves to free detainees from the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay are gathering pace as the administration works to close the notorious jail, a top US official said Thursday.

"There are a significant number of transfers in the pipeline at various stages and I think you're going to be seeing substantial progress this year," the senior administration official said, amid a furor over the release of five Taliban prisoners for a captured US soldier in Afghanistan.

(What are the odds he fails to notify Congress again?)

[Warph]

Lawmakers Announce Bipartisan Deal To Reform Veterans' Medical Care

(The legislation contains more than medical care.  The upside is that Sanders didn't get the Unions more money)

Via Washington Examiner
Senate lawmakers announced a bipartisan agreement on reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs, but the bill could face opposition from Republican lawmakers who want to amend it.

Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., announced the deal on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon.

The bill would provide veterans "choice cards" to allow them to obtain private medical care if they face long wait times at VA hospitals. It would also give the VA secretary expanded power to quickly fire or transfer poorly performing senior executives.

The bill appears to be a hybrid of a GOP bill announced earlier this week and legislation unveiled Sunday by Sanders.

The GOP bill, authored by Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Richard Burr of North Carolina, called for the privatized care and firing power for the VA secretary. Sanders' legislation included expanded services for veterans and some of those provisions were included in the compromise bill.

They include hiring more nurses and doctors at VA medical centers, in-state tuition for all veterans at public universities and other benefits.

"This legislation empowers our veterans with more flexibility to choose the health care they've earned while bringing much-needed accountability to VA operations, including the ability to immediately fire poor-performing employees with no pay during the appeals process," McCain said.

But McCain added that he wants an opportunity to vote on amendments to the legislation.

The compromise bill excluded some key provisions supported by McCain, such as the requirement that VA hospitals publicly disclose wait times.

The bill did not include many of the expanded benefits Sanders wanted in the legislation, including an expansion of veterans care for medical problems not related to military service.

But it includes expanding VA hospital leases to 26 new facilities, a provision favored by Sanders.

"That will help us, in many parts of the country, in providing the quality, timely care our veterans deserve," Sanders said upon announcing the deal.

[Warph]

Poll: 84% Says Obama's Prisoner Swap With The Taliban Puts U.S. Soldiers At Risk

Via Fox News:
Americans hold mixed views of the Obama administration's deal to swap a captive U.S. soldier for five Taliban prisoners, yet almost all fear that negotiating with terrorist groups will put U.S. troops at risk.

That's according to a Fox News poll released Wednesday.

A prisoner exchange Saturday that released U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five top-level Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay has sparked debate over negotiating with terrorists. Fully 84 percent of voters are concerned that making deals with terrorists will encourage those groups to take more American soldiers hostage. That includes a 57-percent majority that is "very" concerned and another 27 percent that is "somewhat" concerned.

Only 15 percent aren't worried deals like this will put more troops at risk.

[Warph]

Obama Could Be Facing 10 Years To Life In Prison..."No exception for the President's behavior..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shepard Smith of Fox News asked Judge Andrew Napolitano whether or not the Taliban prisoner exchange was legal under the NDAA H.R. 1960 Statute.  The judge explained that the swap was illegal because taxpayer dollars were spent to remove these prisoners from Guantanamo Bay without giving Congress 30 days notice.  However, Napolitano goes a step further by pointing out that Obama has provided material assistance (human assets)  to the Taliban, which has been identified by Congress to be a non-state terrorist organization.  This is a crime punishable by imprisonment of 10 years to life, which covers all Americans–including the President.

Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/judge-napolitano-obama-aided-abetted-enemy/#kwZ1JWcyVjhEmQgR.99

[...]

Published on Jun 4, 2014

Judge Andrew Napolitano talked with Tim Constantine on The Capitol Hill Show, and explained that very serious charges could and should be brought up against President Obama over his GITMO prisoner swap. He also took the chance to bash Eric Cantor and John Boehner, for being too scared to do anything about this out of control administration.