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Syrian Army recaptures Palmyra, aided by Russian Air Force: Kremlin
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 6: Politix
16 19:32 Zenobia Floger6220 [4] 
4 16:14 Blinky Ulains1437 [1] 
3 21:47 trailing wife [5] 
3 09:22 Skidmark [2] 
3 17:15 ed in texas [3] 
6 21:46 CrazyFool [5] 
3 17:18 ed in texas [4] 
14 18:02 Pappy [6] 
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8 17:19 AlanC [2]
3 09:39 g(r)omgoru [2]
4 12:05 Abu Uluque [4]
Page 4: Opinion
1 23:48 Tiny and Company8334 [4]
1 08:21 Bobby [4]
16 17:40 rjschwarz [2]
Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russian Spokesperson to CNN: 'Stop Spreading Lie and False News'
[PJ] CNN interviewed the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, who said their ambassador is not a spy. She echoed President Trump and said, "Stop spreading lies and false news. This is a good advice for CNN." [sic.] Zakharova described the ambassador as a "world-class diplomat who was a deputy minister of foreign affairs in Russia, who has communicated with his American colleagues for decades on different fields."
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Things must be getting pretty serious when the Russians begin complaining about propaganda.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/03/2017 0:01 Comments || Top||

#2  These lies will ruin the Russian airsupport the navy has in the Black Sea please be nice!
Posted by: Crinegum Ulaigum2776 || 03/03/2017 7:54 Comments || Top||

#3  Here's a thought. How about an independent commission to investigate inappropriate ties between US politicians and Russia. And China. The initial list of persons of interest would necessarily include dozens of Democrats, including the Clintons. Lets see how far the Left wants to take their Russia scare.
Posted by: Iblis || 03/03/2017 14:11 Comments || Top||

#4  Rantburg... Come for the articles. Stay for the snark. :)
Posted by: Blinky Ulains1437 || 03/03/2017 16:14 Comments || Top||


Europe
Marine Le Pen Declares War on Merkel


Enjoy!
Posted by: 3dc || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Moslem Colonists

#1  I like that lady!
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 03/03/2017 11:31 Comments || Top||

#2  A bit dated. The speech is from October 2015.
Posted by: European Conservative || 03/03/2017 16:21 Comments || Top||

#3  So, cage match in Alsace-Lorraine?
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/03/2017 17:18 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Study Find Losers Fall for Media Hoaxes

A new study shows that an increasing amount of Democrats are likely to embrace conspiracy theories in the media after losing the 2016 election.
You could've knocked me over with a feather!
The study, entitled "Conspiracy Endorsement as Motivated Reasoning: The Moderating Roles of Political Knowledge and Trust," compares how Republicans and Democrats changed their responses to a conspiracy predispositions scale.
Conspiracy statements at link
The percentage of Democrats who agreed on average with a conspiracy claim increased from 27 percent before the 2016 election to 32 percent after President Donald Trump won. But Republicans' inclination to embrace a conspiratorial claim overall declined in three of the four statements. The amount of Republicans who agreed on average with conspiratorial statements decreased from 28 percent before the election to 19 percent afterwards.
One in three Dems are dim, compared with only one in five trunks.
The managing editor of Snopes told The Atlantic in February that since Trump's election, more conspiratorial stories have risen aimed at liberals. "Yes, there has been more coming from the left. A lot of dubious news, a lot of wishful thinking type stuff."

Since the 2016 election, idea-based articles have swept the internet.
Including gobs of Russian conspiracy froth.
Posted by: Bobby || 03/03/2017 08:04 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  There has to be faultfinding and someone to blame. Democrats can never face the fact that they had nothing to sell and were are losers. Hillary was a bad candidate. Next, the call for victimhood; it was Trump and the Russians.
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/03/2017 8:43 Comments || Top||

#2  How loose did they get? They get so loose they fall off?

Oh, lose? They're losers? Geez it makes our side look like the morons they say we are when we can't even speak our own language correctly.
Posted by: Herb McCoy7309 || 03/03/2017 9:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Herb, the laughing fits we experience whilst pointing at lib-progs, loosens our loins and we lose our concentration.
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 || 03/03/2017 9:38 Comments || Top||

#4  Most unhinged people fall for these. Yes, not a surprise.
Posted by: DarthVader || 03/03/2017 9:47 Comments || Top||

#5  "Loosers" instead of "Losers" bugs me two to too. They'll get their just deserts
Posted by: Frank G || 03/03/2017 11:08 Comments || Top||

#6  How liberal! Focus on the typographical error, not the content!
Posted by: Bobby || 03/03/2017 11:22 Comments || Top||

#7  Losers or losels?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 03/03/2017 11:54 Comments || Top||

#8  losels
Posted by: 3dc || 03/03/2017 12:37 Comments || Top||

#9  Or losells, if you use 16th century spelling...
Posted by: Pappy || 03/03/2017 13:24 Comments || Top||

#10  But Frank, are those dry deserts or are they cold deserts or salty deserts?


Of course any of those would be a just dessert for those loosers, know?
Posted by: AlanC || 03/03/2017 13:26 Comments || Top||

#11  Your absolutely correct, Alan.
Posted by: Pappy || 03/03/2017 15:37 Comments || Top||

#12  I couldn't stand it. Title typo fixed, while acknowledging that the discussion is utterly delightful, in an extremely painful kind of way. Carry on.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/03/2017 16:05 Comments || Top||

#13  Its a crying shame too have done that, tw. In it's own way, it was... well, it was.
Posted by: Pappy || 03/03/2017 17:58 Comments || Top||

#14  R-burg's resident poet(s) casn take a crack at this. Maybe they can put together something with looser and loser. Rhyming words might be: user, abuser, boozer, lose her, choosers, cruiser, end users, accusers, drug abuser, oozer, schmoozer, …
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/03/2017 19:09 Comments || Top||

#15  There, girths grow too great to be girt
But billow from under their shirt.
Like locusts on honey
(but focused on money)
They're blundering through the dessert.

DC? Dunno.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 03/03/2017 19:12 Comments || Top||

#16  The playwright, reduce-and-reuser:
"Just Hitler, conducting a newser."
Enthused the producer,
"A mortal lock looser!"
"A coup, sir. A guaranteed snoozer."

Feh... gut nuthin.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 03/03/2017 19:32 Comments || Top||


The Rules of Congressional Investigations and Trump's Growing Russia Problem
The "Money Shot"
[LawfareBlog] So, Will Congress Investigate?

Congress has the necessary tools and historical precedent to conduct this investigation. The questions at issue here not only fall within Congress’s constitutional authority, but arguably implicate a constitutional duty to investigate.

High-minded rhetoric aside, as with Sessions decision to recuse himself, in practical terms the calculations are political. As Brooking’s Molly Reynolds noted in a recent podcast with Susan, Congress typically undertakes serious investigation of a President of its own party only when the political costs of not investigating are higher than those of investigating. Senator Rand Paul was remarkably frank (if unadmirable) on the matter in saying that it "makes no sense" to have "Republicans investigat[ing] Republicans." And yet, principled conservatives-- Senators McCain, Graham, and Collins
Aaaaaannnnnd it's gone.
among others--have held fast in calling on their colleagues to place country before party and undertake a credible independent inquiry.
Is it yet time to establish a "Fake News" category?
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Just a smokescreen to hide the Chinese funding of the Democrats.
Posted by: phil_b || 03/03/2017 3:20 Comments || Top||

#2  There's a growing Russian problem?
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/03/2017 8:37 Comments || Top||

#3  Clearly they need a 'Sex Czar' like Spain and Denmark for advice on growing Russians.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/03/2017 9:22 Comments || Top||


Former U.S. Attorney Claims FBI Has Names of CIA Leakers
CIA officials know who has been leaking classified information to The New York Times and The Washington Post, and the officials have passed that information on to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to a former U.S. attorney for President Ronald Reagan.

Joseph diGenova, the former U. S. attorney for the District of Columbia under Reagan, told LifeZette that in private conversations with CIA officials they confirmed they have the names of alleged leakers and have given the names to the U.S. Department of Justice.

DiGenova’s claim comes after yet another case of leaked classified information to The Washington Post made headlines late Wednesday night.

The New York Times revealed in a report Wednesday that President Obama’s staffers left bread crumbs for anyone looking to undermine the Trump administration throughout the federal government. The revelation by The Times indicates how a steady drip of embarrassing leaks has tormented the new administration of President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday night, The Washington Post reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had met the Russian ambassador twice in 2016. Sessions was then the junior U.S. senator from Alabama.

In his confirmation hearings last month, Sessions said he was not aware of any contact between Russian officials and the Trump campaign, a common complaint Democrats have made since the middle of last year. Sessions appeared to include himself in that denial.
Continues. LifeZette is a division of [Laura] Ingraham Media, Inc.
All these phony scandals are doing is helping Mr. Trump's team identify the moles who are going to have to go. And demonstrating the urgency of cleaning house...
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This is Purge - American Anthem style. The Colonial British Loyals are in all Government Offices. What do you do?
Posted by: newc || 03/03/2017 2:14 Comments || Top||

#2  Laugh!
Posted by: Crinegum Ulaigum2776 || 03/03/2017 7:53 Comments || Top||

#3  Prosecute Barack, Hillary, Schumer, Holder for this coup attempt and this stops.

For once I have to give someone credit on the left for staying clean and quite here, Joe Biden.
Posted by: Nero White 3083 || 03/03/2017 13:17 Comments || Top||

#4  This should be interesting, the FBI blackmailing the CIA for a change.
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/03/2017 17:17 Comments || Top||

#5  Prosecute Barack, Hillary, Schumer, Holder for this coup attempt and this stops.

They really need to feel some heat soon or they're going to continue unabated.
Posted by: Crusader || 03/03/2017 19:21 Comments || Top||

#6  Give them enough rope Crusader and they will hang themselves.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 03/03/2017 21:46 Comments || Top||


Report Says US Attorney General did not divulge contact with Russian ambassador
[ENGLISH.ALMANAR.LB] US Attorney General Jeff Sessions came under fire late Wednesday after the Washington Post reported he met twice last year with Russia’s ambassador to Washington, seemingly contradicting statements he made in Senate confirmation hearings in January.

The revelation cast a fresh cloud over President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
’s administration -- which has repeatedly denied any suspected ties between members of the Republican’s election campaign and Russia -- which US intelligence says interfered in the 2016 election against Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton
... former first lady, former secretary of state, former presidential candidate, sometimes described by her supporters as the smartest woman in the world, usually described by the rest of us as a crook...
The White House quickly labeled the report an attack by partisan Democrats, confirming the meetings but arguing Sessions did nothing wrong.

In a statement Sessions said: "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false."

But with US intelligence agencies, the Department of Justice, and four Congressional committees examining the Russia scandal, Democrats demanded Sessions -- the Trump administration’s top law enforcement official -- recuse himself from investigations, and for Congress to name an independent special investigator to oversee a broad probe.

"Given AG Sessions’ false statements about contacts with Russian officials, we need a special counsel to investigate Trump associates’ ties to Russia," said Democrat Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The Washington Post reported late Wednesday that Sessions -- formerly a senator who advised Trump’s campaign on foreign policy and other issues -- met Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in July and September, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting.

Sessions, however, told his confirmation hearing at the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 10 that he did not know of contacts between Trump campaign members and Russia.

"I did not have communications with the Russians," he said under oath.

Posted by: Fred || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Dems hate white folk talking to white foreigners.
Posted by: Nero White 3083 || 03/03/2017 0:28 Comments || Top||

#2  There is nothing here
Posted by: newc || 03/03/2017 3:00 Comments || Top||

#3  There is nothing here except for the Donk hijinks. Recall this story: Schumer has meeting with Putin in donut shop in NYC in 2003. Hypocrisy ad nauseam.
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/03/2017 8:36 Comments || Top||

#4  Trump's speech the other night was a yuuuge success. The Dems need to do something to get control of the news cycle again. Obviously, "Mom, Kelly Anne has her feet on the couch!" wasn't working.

Anyone remember our previous Prez caught on a hot mic saying to Medvedev "I'll have more flexibility after the election"?
Posted by: SteveS || 03/03/2017 10:00 Comments || Top||

#5  In the future, everyone will have 5 minutes of contact with a Russian 'official' (besides past and current Donk operatives).
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/03/2017 10:38 Comments || Top||

#6  All those who have not spoken to a Russian official in the last ten years raise your hand.

That's what I thought.
Posted by: Bobby || 03/03/2017 11:20 Comments || Top||

#7  So what if the worst case scenario is true? So what if Sessions told the ambassador to hack the DNC email server, hack Podesta's email and then release all the nonsense they find. Does anyone really believe that? Can they prove that Sessions sold some valuable future consideration for this service...like a uranium mine? Was it anywhere near as bad as illegal aliens and dead people voting in the election? What does any of this prove except that donkeycrats are technologically challenged and incapable of managing email servers?
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 03/03/2017 11:54 Comments || Top||

#8  Obama Administration Officials Set Up Jeff Sessions’ Meeting With the Russian Ambassador
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 03/03/2017 13:22 Comments || Top||

#9  VIDEO: Awkward silence after Pelosi asked if she’s ever met with Russians

After Nancy Pelosi accused Republicans of “splitting hairs” over Jeff Sessions’ reported meetings with the Russian ambassador, she did the very same thing when she was asked a similar question.

“You’ve been in Congress a little bit and you’re in leadership, have you ever met with the Russian ambassador?” Politico reporter Jake Sherman asked Pelosi on Friday.

After an awkwardly long silence, Pelosi answered, “Not with this Russian ambassador, no,” before quickly trying to move on.

“Is it normal to meet with ambassadors?” Sherman asked.

“Yeah,” Pelosi responded.
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 03/03/2017 13:26 Comments || Top||

#10  Guess who sat with the DEMOCRATS at Trump’s speech?
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 03/03/2017 13:32 Comments || Top||

#11  Ted Kennedy* was unavailable for comment.


* But they were Soviets back then - so it was okay!
Posted by: Pappy || 03/03/2017 15:46 Comments || Top||

#12  But they were Soviets back then - so it was okay!

Which brings to mind an interesting point. Given that FSB kept everything of KGB except the name --- in particular, the files --- Putin must have enough dirt on any prominent Democrat to start a banana plantation in Antarctica.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 03/03/2017 16:06 Comments || Top||

#13  Speaking of bananas, let's not forget their ‘Dear Comandante’ letter. Remember, its OK when they do it.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/03/2017 17:02 Comments || Top||

#14  Putin must have enough dirt on any prominent Democrat to start a banana plantation in Antarctica.

I am stealing that.
Posted by: Pappy || 03/03/2017 18:02 Comments || Top||


Government
Ben Carson confirmed as HUD secretary
[UPI] The Senate on Thursday confirmed Ben Carson
... a neurosurgeon who is under the delusion that being brilliant qualifies him to be president....
, a pediatric neurosurgeon-turned-politician, as President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
's secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Yuck. Carson's been parked in the "black" cabinet post. I thought better of Trump.
The vote was 58-41. Carson won over a handful of Democrats, a relative moment of bipartisanship after heated debate and mostly party-line votes over other Trump Cabinet nominees. Carson also received the unanimous vote of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee following his confirmation hearing in January.

During those hearings, Carson pledged to uphold longstanding federal bans on housing discrimination and to continue to work to remove lead paint from public housing units.
Posted by: Fred || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  A Boerboel attending the Westminster. Sadly, a gross waste of talent.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/03/2017 5:19 Comments || Top||

#2  Agreed.

Only upside, he'll be immediately available for advice if/when something arises within his true expertise.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 03/03/2017 9:12 Comments || Top||

#3  He doesn't rally have political experience, nor does he have management experience beyond the department level. Once he's done this for a while he'll be ready to do other, bigger things.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/03/2017 21:47 Comments || Top||


Rick Perry confirmed as Energy secretary
[USATODAY] The Senate has confirmed former Texas governor Rick Perry to serve as Energy secretary under President Trump.

The vote was 62-37 on Thursday.

Perry -- who once pledged to eliminate the department -- has repeatedly promised be an advocate for the agency and to protect the nation’s nuclear stockpile. Perry also has said he’d rely on federal scientists, including those who work on climate change.

Perry has said he’ll work to develop American energy in all forms -- from oil, gas and nuclear power to renewable sources such as wind and solar power.

Democrats say they accept Perry’s disavowal of his 2011 pledge to abolish the Energy Department. But they’re worried he may not stand up to GOP proposals to slash the department’s budget.

Posted by: Fred || 03/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Ol' Rick overstayed his welcome here in Texas. I don't think he remembers what it's like to actually have a real job
Posted by: Texhooey || 03/03/2017 1:55 Comments || Top||

#2  C'mon, Tex. He was on Dancing with the Stars. Give him a chance.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 03/03/2017 11:33 Comments || Top||

#3  Ricky's now got what he always wanted, an office in DC.
It's all downhill from here.
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/03/2017 17:15 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
30[untagged]
14Islamic State
5Taliban
4Sublime Porte
2Govt of Iraq
2Commies
2Govt of Iran
2Govt of Syria
2Moslem Colonists
1Abu Sayyaf
1Hamas
1al-Qaeda in Arabia
1Thai Insurgency
1Arab Spring
1Salafists
1al-Qaeda
1Ansar al-Sharia

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In no particular order...
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tu3031
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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2017-03-03
  Syrian Army recaptures Palmyra, aided by Russian Air Force: Kremlin
Thu 2017-03-02
  Islamic State supreme leader’s speech admits defeat in Mosul
Wed 2017-03-01
  Two women in nerve agent attack on Kim Jong-nam charged with murder
Tue 2017-02-28
  Islamic State claims attempted bombing in Algeria -AMAQ
Mon 2017-02-27
  Taliban shadow governor among 21 killed in counter-terrorism operations
Sun 2017-02-26
  Hamas Diggers Dead in Gaza Tunnel ‘Work Accident'
Sat 2017-02-25
  Iraq Forces Enter First West Mosul Neighborhood
Fri 2017-02-24
  German police arrest 26-year-old over terror plot
Thu 2017-02-23
  Pakistan Army launches 'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad' across the country
Wed 2017-02-22
  Suicide bombers attack Pakistani court, killing seven, as wave of violence continues
Tue 2017-02-21
  Libyan PM survives assassination attempt in Tripoli
Mon 2017-02-20
  Iraq Digs Anti-IS Trench around City of Ramadi
Sun 2017-02-19
  62 ISIS Bad Guys die in airstrike in Mosul
Sat 2017-02-18
  Breaking: Blind Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman Dies in Prison
Fri 2017-02-17
  At least 70 dead as bomb rips through Lal Shahbaz shrine in Sehwan, Sindh


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