Obama Administration

Fundamentalist Muslim Nation Trying to Drag NATO Into Jihad

The Keystone Pipeline debate isn`t really about the environment at all, but rather money.

“Russia’s installation of their anti-aircraft missile-defense system increases that possibility of — whether it’s intentional or even an accidental event — where one side may shoot down the other side’s plane. And that’s really where the potential is for this devastating nuclear war."

So what do you do when you’re a barbaric monarchy with a justice system remarkably similar to ISIS, but at the same time want to remain very close ally of the U.S. government? You create a sophisticated propaganda network, naturally.

D'uh!

For all intents and purposes, the National Security Agency has supposedly ceased its bulk collection of metadata from Americans’ phone calls, but read the fine print: nothing is going to change.

"...we didn’t go after oil wells - actually hitting oil wells that ISIS controls because we didn’t want to do environmental damage."

It's no secret that the US has played an outsized role in facilitating Syria's five-year civil war by funneling money and guns to a hodgepodge of opposition groups. It's also no secret that The Pentagon's latest "train and equip" program was a disaster of epic proportions. But rest assured, if Washington can make it worse, Washington will make it worse, which is why we weren't surprised that the 2016 NDAA authorizes more taxpayer money for the funding of "moderate" Syrian rebels.

It's the kind of business plan that would be laughed out of a business school classroom. "The co-ops were essentially amateur exercises." Why not scrap the perverse ACA regulations and admit it was a pipe dream to ever assume young, healthy people could be coerced into paying several times their expected costs to cover other people’s excessive spending.

U.S. drone operators are inflicting heavy civilian casualties and have developed an institutional culture callous to the death of children and other innocents, four former operators said at a press briefing today in New York. “We have seen the abuse firsthand... and we are horrified.”

Why Now?

• Turkey downs Russian warplane near Syria border, Moscow denies airspace violation (Reuters)
• Investors seek safety in bonds, yen after Turkey downs Russian jet (Reuters)
• Donald Trump Is Not Backing Down (BBG)
• Uber's Exposure May Grow as U.S. Drivers Seek 57.5 Cents a Mile (BBG)
• U.S. issues global travel alert as manhunt continues for Paris attackers (Reuters)
• Stung by Oil, Distressed-Debt Traders See Worst Losses Since '08 (BBG)

"Warning: airstrikes are coming. Oil trucks will be destroyed. Get away from your oil trucks immediately. Get out of your trucks and run away. Do not risk your life."

After calling repeatedly for the US to stop supporting militants in an effort to oust the Assad government in Syria, Hawaii Congresswoman Gabbard has now introduced bi-partisan legislation to put an end to what she calls an "illegal", CIA-sponsored war.