Obama has used 5 words for war on ISIS. War isn't one of them.

Obama gets called out by liberal Salon no less.

Via Salon:

1) “Effort” Perhaps Obama’s favorite euphemism for what the U.S. is up to. In his September 10 address, Obama distinguished the “wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan from the “effort” against ISIS. “This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist, using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground,” Obama explained. In his weekly address on Saturday, the president said that “[t]his is an effort that America has the unique ability to lead.”
2) “Process” Asked in August 28 press conference whether he planned to seek congressional authorization for military action against ISIS, Obama sounded like the caricature of the professorial, technocratic president his critics purport him to be. “You know, I have consulted with Congress throughout this process,” Obama replied. “I am confident that as commander in chief I have the authorities to engage in the acts that we are conducting currently.”
3) “Fight” As close as Obama’s willing to get to saying the W-word. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday before departing for the United Nations, Obama said that U.S. air strikes in Iraq and Syria were “not America’s fight alone,” echoing his September 20 address in which he said that it was “a fight in which all countries have a stake.”
4) “Campaign” Not unlike a swing through Iowa and New Hampshire! Explaining his expansion of the war into Syria on Tuesday, the president noted, “I made clear that as part of this campaign the United States would take action against targets in both Iraq and Syria so that these terrorists can’t find safe haven anywhere.”
5) “A Moment of American Leadership.” Concluding his radio address on Saturday, Obama called this “a moment of American leadership … a moment we will meet.” Leadership. Exceptionalism. America.

Video of the Day: 10 minutes about living on the Gaza border

Worth your 10 minutes.

Ukraine graphic video: Dozens dead, many injured in brutal Kiev clashes

War...

Video of the Day: Syrian Wahhabi mosque gets minaret blasted off

You can then hear shouts of Allahu Akbar. Can you imaging the outrage if Christians or the U.S. were responsible?

Unbelievable: Climate change advocate blames war in Syria on global warming...

I have an idea. Instead of dropping bombs on Syria, let's drop Al Gore and his friends...

Via Climate Depot:

William Polk, an ex-US State Department advisor, has written a meticulously detailed account of the genesis of the conflict over at The Atlantic…”Syria has been convulsed by civil war since climate change came to Syria with a vengeance,” Polk writes. ”Drought devastated the country from 2006 to 2011. Rainfall in most of the country fell below eight inches (20 cm) a year, the absolute minimum needed to sustain un-irrigated farming. Desperate for water, farmers began to tap aquifers with tens of thousands of new well.  But, as they did, the water table quickly dropped to a level below which their pumps could lift it.”  – So this is our mess too. We’re still cranking away at the carbon pump, and no nation is as culpable as the United States—and as long as we do, we’ll be at least in some small part, responsible for the starving, rioting masses all the way across the globe. If we’re so dead set on intervention, maybe we should be focusing less on missiles and more on clean energy.

Flashback to 2002: Barack Obama doesn't support a strategy of preemptive strikes when Bush is President

George Bush got authorization from Congress, but State Senator Barack Obama  didn't think a strategy of preemptive strikes set a good precedent. President Obama seems willing to make full use of this precedent now. This must be some more of that Obama evolution thing.

Zoom to bout the 1:50 mark if you are in a hurry.


It is interesting how closely related the two decisions are. Iraq used chemical weapons against their own people. So, has Syria. WMD is the driving factor in both decisions.

Flashback: Sen. Joe Biden threatened to impeach President Bush if he went to war w/o congress approval...

I wonder if VP Joe Biden will want to impeach Obama if he attacks Syria?

Japan and China war of words over disputed islands heats up...

Don't be surprised when this one goes hot...

When Chinese and Japanese fighters met for the first time over disputed islands in the East China Sea earlier this month, Japan promptly declared its right to fire tracers at China's jets.

Though met with outrage by China at the time, Japan continues promoting the live firing which Chinese military academics are calling the "first shot."

The Tokyo AP reports Japan believes it's simply following protocol:

“Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures,” Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday when asked if tracer shots would be fired against intruding aircraft that refuse to change course. “We have response measures ready that are consistent with global standards.”

If Japan is using the talk of tracer fire to gauge Chinese reaction, the tactic worked.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Sunday his country is on "high alert" and that Japan and the U.S. are ignoring the fact that "the islands are China’s inherent territory."

Argentina starts Another Falkland Islands' War

 

No, not that kind of war. This time Argentina has started a squid war.

Argentina has started a ‘squid war’ as part of its relentless campaign to annexe the Falkland Islands.

It has told its fishermen to catch the creatures before they reach the waters around the British territory.

The inflammatory move is designed to deal a damaging blow to the islands’ booming £90million economy. Keep on reading...

Saturday Fun Video: 2000LB JDAM CRUSHES TALIBAN FIGHTERS - SLOW MOTION

Enjoy!

2000LB JDAM CRUSHES TALIBAN FIGHTERS - SLOW MOTION

John Boehner draws a line in sand over Libyan War

Doesn't Boehner know President Obama is above the law?

(Washington Times) – Stepping up a simmering constitutional conflict, House Speaker John A. Boehner warned President Obama on Tuesday that unless he gets authorization from Congress for his military deployment in Libya, he will be in violation of the War Powers Resolution.

In a letter sent Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Boehner, the top Republican in the constitutional chain of succession, said Mr. Obama must provide a clear justification by Friday for committing troops to Libya.

Sunday marks the 90th day since the president notified Congress that U.S. troops had been committed to help enforce a no-fly zone overLibya, which is designed to protect the rebels fighting Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s government.

Obama Claims He Doesn't Need Congressional Authorization To Continue Libyan War

Photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

When the U.S joined military action against Libya, President Obama cited the 1973 War Powers Act as a legal basis. That act requires a congressional vote withing 60 days. Now, Obama is contradicting himself.

(ABC News) — In an effort to satisfy those arguing he needs to seek congressional authorization to continue US military activity in accordance with the War Powers Resolution, President Obama wrote a letter to congressional leaders this afternoon suggesting that the role is now so “limited” he does not need to seek congressional approval.

“Since April 4,” the president wrote, “U.S. participation has consisted of: (1) non-kinetic support to the NATO-led operation, including intelligence, logistical support, and search and rescue assistance; (2) aircraft that have assisted in the suppression and destruction of air defenses in support of the no-fly zone; and (3) since April 23, precision strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles against a limited set of clearly defined targets in support of the NATO-led coalition’s efforts.”

From the beginning of the U.S. military intervention in Libya, the Obama administration has cited the 1973 War Powers Act as the legal basis of its ability to conduct military activities for 60 days without first seeking a declaration of war from Congress. The military intervention started on March 19; Congress was notified on March 21. Those 60 days expire today.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner ElBaradei threatens to "declare war" on Israel

2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei is running for the presidency of Egypt and threatening war on Israel if they attack Gaza.

(Ynet)- Former International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who had previously announced his intetions to run for the presidency of Egypt, said Monday that “if Israel attacked Gaza we would declare war against the Zionist regime.”

The Nobel Committee must be nuts.

US Military Blast Libyan Navy Vessels

 
They were firing indiscriminately at shipping.

From Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn Public Affairs

USS MOUNT WHITNEY, At Sea (NNS) -- A U.S. Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft and guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52), engaged Libyan Coast Guard vessel Vittoria and two smaller craft March 28.

The vessels were engaged after confirmed reports that Vittoria and accompanying crafts were firing indiscriminately at merchant vessels in the port of Misrata, Libya.

The P-3C fired at Vittoria with AGM-65F Maverick missiles, rendering the 12-meter patrol vessel ineffective and forcing it to be beached after multiple explosions were observed in the vicinity of the port.

Two smaller Libyan craft were fired upon by the A-10 using its 30mm GAU-8/ Avenger cannon, destroying one and forcing the other to be abandoned.

Barry provided situational awareness for the aircraft by managing the airspace and maintaining the maritime picture.

Video: British Airstrikes on Libyan Tanks

RAF Tornadoes destroy Gaddafi’s tanks.

Via WeaselZippers:

Obama defends Libya attack and claims former President Bush did not have full international support

Pot meet kettle. Russia and China call for immediate ceasefire.

The Plum Line reported, via FOX Nation:

In Chile, Obama puts forth his doctrine, defending the Libya mission by claiming that humanitarian interventionism is the “core principle that has to be upheld.”
Crucially, Obama also took a tacit shot at Bush, comparing his own multilateral approach favorably to the former president’s:

“In the past there have been times when the United States acted unilaterally or did not have full international support, and as a consequence typically it was the United States military that ended up bearing the entire burden.”

War Number #3 (video)

Raw video from CBS News of gunfire and anti-aircraft guns lighting up the night sky over Tripoli



Newshound - Military push against Gaddafi in full swing

Michael Moore Declares War or Something (video)

Michael Moore is declaring the standoff in Wisconsin a war. What ever happened to "Give peace a chance?" Last night, Wisconsin Republicans bypassed fleebagging Democrats and cut public employee union collective bargaining rights.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From the video:

“I just want to say anybody who lives within driving distance of Madison, Wisconsin right now should make their way to the capitol. I would love to see thousands of people there right now, in that capitol building, in the rotunda, on the lawn, whatever it takes. Really, this is really — this is war. This is a class war”

Unlikely: North Korea Threatens War Over Giant Steel Christmas Tree

                                                      (Herald Sun)

North Korea's latest reason to threaten war is a giant steel Christmas tree near the demilitarized zone.

The Telegraph reported:

South Korea has lit a massive steel Christmas tree that overlooks the world’s most heavily armed border and is within sight of North Korea, prompting threats of attack from the communist state …

North Korea, officially atheist and with only a handful of sanctioned churches in Pyongyang with services for foreigners, warned that lighting the tree would constitute a “dangerous, rash act” with the potential to trigger a war.

Hat tip Jim Hoft.

From the War Front: Extreme Special Forces Extraction Afghanistan (video)

Good thing the Taliban didn't have a SAM.