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Saturday, January 16, 2016

Iran reportedly frees 4 U.S. prisoners, including Jason Rezaian, in swap



Finally

Very happy with this latest development. 

But it does bring this to mind. As it turned out this was basically another hostage situation with Iran winning again. Who has better negotiation skills Iran or the U.S.? Giving them $150 billion wasn't enough! We had to throw in six Iranian-Americans held on charges related to sanctions.

 They can read us like a book thanks to the guy who authored:




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Iran has freed four prisoners from the United States, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, Iran's semi-official FARS news agency reported Saturday, quoting Tehran's prosecutor.

According to FARS, it has freed Rezaian, Marine veteran Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, who had been held on various charges. The news agency did not name the fourth person released.

The release is part of a prisoner swap deal in which the United States reportedly freed six Iranian-Am ericans held on charges related to sanctions against Iran, FARS said.

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The kiss of death






Lindsey Graham endorses Jeb Bush for president










The South Carolina senator's support is a major get for Bush's flailing campaign.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday endorsed Jeb Bush for president, a major get for the former Florida governor who has struggled to gain traction in the contest. 

"Honored to have @GrahamBlog on our team. A proven leader with a clear understanding of the national security threats we face," Bush tweeted on Friday morning. Later when approached by reporters he added, "If only we could get Jim Gilmore to get out of the race and endorse me it would send my campaign over the top." 

The GOP field had been scrambling to secure the support of Graham and his backers, all four of them, since the hawkish South Carolina senator, an influential foreign policy voice, dropped out of the race last month. The former governor is looking to make South Carolina, along with New Hampshire, a key state in his push for the Republican nomination.

But there are questions about how much of an impact the endorsement will have on Bush's political fortunes at this point since he and Grahamnesty both support open borders. With his long family history in politics and a deep reservoir of campaign cash, Bush began the primary race as the frontrunner but has fallen into the middle of the GOP pack, far behind poll leaders Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. With just over two weeks until the Iowa caucuses, though, Bush's advisers hope that Graham's endorsement will give him a shot of momentum. One of Bush's top advisors stated, "We have the momentum now. Our staff is putting in calls to Pataki, Walker, and Rick Perry as I speak." He lamented, "If only Arlen was alive."  

After Graham's withdrawal in late December, Bush moved quickly to snap up his supporters, including David H. Wilkins, who chaired Graham's finance team, and some of the co-chairs of Graham's state finance operation — Eddie Floyd, Anita Zucker and Bob Royall. Bush's quick action saved all four from the application desk at Walmart. Graham at the time said he wasn't ready to endorse and was instead focused on the coming holidays drinking plenty of Almond Schnapps with his best friend John McCain to discuss importing more illegals into the United States. Lieberman was supposed to join them but was busy at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new PP abortion clinic.

Graham waged a longshot bid for the nomination, presenting himself as a strong foreign policy leader. But he barely registered at the polls, despite delivering memorable zingers during the undercard debates. To ISIS in a show of strength he said, "They're ready to die. Bring on the virgins." Not realizing he would be one of the 72.

When he exited the race, he touted his influence on pushing his hawkish stance. “I got into this race to put forward a plan to win a war that we cannot afford to lose and to turn back the tide of isolationism that was rising in our party. I believe we made enormous progress in this effort," Graham said at the time. On Russian President Vladimir Putin he said, "I'm not afraid of a guy running around on a horse without a shirt." Probably because he's got a guy running around the house without pants.

The endorsement will come on the heels of the sixth GOP debate in South Carolina that was dominated by the feuding between Trump and Cruz. Bush attempted to put the fight to Trump, following his chiding of the real estate mogul as a “chaos candidate”. "Don't be concerned with me just keep attacking Marco in your ads keeping you firmly entrenched in 5th place". Trump responded. Bush and Carson learned the lesson of debating skills during the last primetime showdown, as the two poll leaders brawled with each other.

Bruce Haynes, president of Purple Strategies, on Friday, expressed doubt that Graham's endorsement would reverberate, noting the breakdown in hierarchical politics in South Carolina. "The latest trends in South Carolina suggest it won't mean much," Haynes tweeted. Trump also fired off a tweet, "Getting an endorsement from Lindsey Graham is like getting the thumbs up sign from Charlie Sheen after dating your daughter."

He said that in the current climate, the more valuable endorsement would be from political figures who have risen from the grassroots, including Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Trey Gowdy, and Gov. Nikki Haley. While Gowdy has thrown his support behind Rubio, Scott and Haley remain uncommitted, although Haley couldn't resist stabbing Trump in the back then wiping the blood off with the confederate flag after the SOTU. Scott is expected to announce an endorsement in the coming weeks hoping of becoming Carson's VP giving new meaning to the phrase... hope springs eternal.





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Friday, January 15, 2016

This piece disgusts me in more ways then one




Planned Parenthood files federal lawsuit over undercover videos



We have all seen the despicable videos on TV and I have posted a few on THR. For someone to believe they're talking about something other than selling baby parts would have to be out of their mind. The callousness of the "sale" bartering about their organs as if they were strolling through the mall window shopping for jeans and sweaters is what struck me.

The second thing that pisses me off is the House and Senate. After all the hoopla with the videos plastered all over TV and the internet, Republicans coming forward, some Democrats, denouncing PP with cries to defund them and what was the end result? They funded PP. I can't stand Democrats but one thing I have to say their party delivers for their constituents. They delivered Obamacare, the stimulus bill, same-sex marriage. Republicans took over the House in 2010 the Senate in 2014. What they deliver to their constituents could be summed up in two words.

Jack Shit.

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Planned Parenthood filed a federal court lawsuit Thursday alleging extensive criminal misconduct by the anti-abortion activists who produced undercover videos targeting the handling of fetal tissue at some Planned Parenthood clinics.

"The people behind this fraud lied and broke the law in order to spread malicious lies about Planned Parenthood," said Dawn Laguens, the organization's executive vice president. "This lawsuit exposes the elaborate, illegal conspiracy designed to block women's access to safe and legal abortion."

The anti-abortion activists, who named their group the Center for Medical Progress, began releasing a series of covertly recorded videos in July alleging that Planned Parenthood sold fetal tissue to researchers for a profit in violation of federal law.

Planned Parenthood has denied any wrongdoing, saying a handful of its clinics provided fetal tissue for research while receiving only permissible reimbursement for costs. The lawsuit says the videos were the result of numerous illegalities, including making recordings without consent, registering false identities with state agencies and violating non-disclosure agreements.

The civil lawsuit was filed on Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as legal fees. A Planned Parenthood lawyer, Beth Parker, declined to estimate how much money would be sought, but it said the amount would include extra money spent since the videos' release on additional security for Planned Parenthood clinics.

David Daleiden, a founder of the Center for Medical Progress who oversaw the video operation, said he looked forward to confronting Planned Parenthood officials in court.

"My response is: Game on," he said in an email. "I look forward to deposing all the CEOs, medical directors, and their co-conspirators who participated in Planned Parenthood's illegal baby body parts racket."

(I'd pay to watch this)

The lawsuit alleges that Daleiden and several collaborators, including longtime anti-abortion activist Troy Newman, "engaged in a complex criminal enterprise to defraud Planned Parenthood." The suit contends that the Center for Medical Progress violated the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act (known as the RICO Act), engaging in wire fraud, mail fraud, invasion of privacy, illegal secret recording and trespassing.

According to the suit, Daleiden, Newman, and other defendants used aliases, obtained fake government IDs and formed a fake tissue procurement company, Biomax, in order to gain access to private medical conferences and health care centers, and to tape private professional conversations of medical providers.

The videos provoked an outcry from the anti-abortion movement and prompted numerous investigations of Planned Parenthood by Republican-led committees in Congress and by GOP-led state governments. Thus far, none of the investigations has turned up wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood in regard to fetal tissue research, but Republicans in Congress and in several states are seeking to cut off government funding to the organization.

The videos created a "poisonous environment" in which Planned Parenthood staffers were targeted with hate mail and death threats, said Parker, the organization's lawyer. She cited the attack in November on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado in which three people were killed; the man arrested in the shooting depicted himself in court as a "warrior for the babies."







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Thursday, January 14, 2016

Kurt Russell talks about gun control



I'm sure Hollywood went into a collective Grand Mall Seizure when this video came out!


This video contains two separate videos where Kurt Russell talks about gun control.

The first is The View, where he talks about the 2nd Amendment and why we have always needed to protect ourselves from tyrannical governments depicted by actual history. 

The second interview is with Jeffery Wells... a bleeding heart liberal. It's better than The View!


Video 204











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Will U.S. sailor filmed apologizing to Iran be reprimanded?




Commander may have breached Navy code of conduct by saying 'sorry' for drifting into Iranian waters

WOW!
This guy has drawn more wrath than Bergdahl. If you're going to go down this road then Barry should be impeached for the Iranian deal, not imposing the red line in Syria...let alone "you can keep your insurance period". 

In a perfect world... sailors adrift approached by the Iranian military:





“Hey, American sailor I’m Hamed what are you up to?”


“Damn engine broke down.”

“Both boats?”

“Yeah."

“You Americans better stop buying shit from China.”

“You can say that again.”

“You Americans bett…"

“Never mind.”

“ Just kidding, we have a rope. We'll tow you back to your ship.

“Thanks, Hamed I owe you a beer.”

“I don’t drink.”

“Okay, I’ll send you a virgin.”

They both laugh as they tie the tow line to the cleat.


Of course, we’re dealing with Iranians which make's the above scenario impossible.

       

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The U.S. sailor filmed apologizing after two Navy vessels drifted into Iranian waters and were captured could face disciplinary action, it has been reported.

The sailor, who has not been identified, was one of ten crew members aboard two Riverine patrol boats captured in the Persian Gulf yesterday after apparently losing power.

In footage broadcast on Iranian state television the sailor, who appears to be in command, is filmed saying: 'It was a mistake. That was our fault. And we apologize for our mistake.'



The U.S. sailor filmed apologizing on Iranian State television could be disciplined after appearing to breach the Navy Code of Conduct, it has been reported




The serviceman, who has not been identified, was one of nine men and one woman captured in the Persian Gulf yesterday after their two patrol boats apparently lost power and drifted into Iranian waters


His statement directly contradicts comments from Department of Defense spokesman Mark Toner, who said there was not 'a need for any kind of apology here' before the video emerged.

The sailor's apology also flies in the face of assertions from John Kerry that he did not personally apologize to Iran in order to have the ten captured service personnel released.

Kerry's spokesman John Kirby insisted the Secretary of State did not say sorry to his Iranian counterparts - because there was 'nothing to apologize for'.

Vice President Joe Biden also backed Kerry's claims he didn't apologize, telling CBS' This Morning: 'There's no apology and there's nothing to apologize for. 

'When you have a problem with the boat do you apologize to the boat having a problems? And there is no looking for any apology. This was just standard nautical practice.'


Despite assertions by the Department of Defense that the situation did not require 'any kind of apology', the sailor (left) was shown on Iranian state television just hours later issuing an apology




According to the Navy Code of Conduct, prisoners are required to give their name, rank, service number and date of birth, but should 'evade answering further questions to the utmost of [their] ability'



According to item five of the U.S. Navy's Code of Conduct, available via their website, captured personnel are required to give their 'name, rank, service number, and date of birth.'

It then says: 'I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.'

The Daily Caller reports that the sailor's apology appears to breach this part of the code, and as such could be subject to disciplinary action.

Attempts by the Dailymail.com to contact the State Department for comment were unsuccessful.

The Navy personnel were captured yesterday near Farsi Island, an area of land in the Persian Gulf shut off to the public, after being accused of snooping on Iranian forces.

Iranian television also released images of the service personnel kneeling on the deck of one of the captured vessels earlier today, before they were taken to a compound and held for 16 hours 



John Kerry, who had a hurried series of telephone conversations with Iranian officials after the boats were captured, also insisted today that he did not apologize - and was backed up by Joe Biden
(Two known liars collaborated)



Iran captured these two Riverine patrol boats yesterday afternoon near Farsi Island after accusing them of trying to spy on their operations, though the U.S. maintains a technical fault was to blame



The nine men and one woman were held for more than 16 hours by the Revolutionary Guard before being released earlier today.

Footage released this afternoon shows the sailors being forced to kneel on the deck of one of their craft before being taken ashore.

More film, taken inside a military compound, shows them sitting in a circle before being fed, while it appears the female sailor has been forced to put on an Islamic head covering.

The standoff came at an embarrassing time for President Obama after he trumpeted closer relations with Iran following a much-criticized deal over the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear program. 








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