The Walls

This American Life: The Walls

The podcast will be available soon, but the link to the transcript is available now.  Actually really interesting about walls in Morocco and Spain (Spain has two small city states on the Moroccan coast), Israel and Palestine, North Korea, and elsewhere in the world.  

Worth listening to. Nations have a right to defend their borders and restrict people coming in. Oppressive regimes like North Korea (or the former East Germany) use walls to keep their citizens from getting out. I found the stories interesting.  

DRUDGE REPORT: RECORD FLOOD AT BORDER

Instapundit: Trump considering declaring emergency

Lem's Place: Wall

If walls don’t work, explain ice cubes trays.

— Not GayPatriot Whatsoever (@BruceTheGay) January 8, 2019

H.R. MCMASTER for Trump's National Security Advisor

While I would have liked to see John Bolton get the tap (if only to fire up the media and left to start soiling themselves again), McMaster is a very solid pick. Even though his choice will appeal to those on the left and the right (given this book which is on the recommended reading list of the Commandant of the USMC), that does not mean McMaster is not an excellent advisor for President Trump. I assume James Mattis supported this choice.

A war hero and smart guy who is focused on winning, what's not to like?

John Bolton was definitely in the running for this job. President Trump says John Bolton will be assisting the administration in a yet undefined roll.

H.R. McMaster: Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam.

Instapundit: Instapundit readers weigh in on McMaster (overwhelmingly positive), Washington Examiner: Lemonade, President Trump picks Lt. General H.R. McMaster for National Security Advisor

Legal Insurrection: H.R. McMaster for National Security Advisor and Praise for McMaster pick

Foreign Policy: Called this pick

Heavy: Five Facts

Smitty: Acts of Trump 4: 7-12

Robert Spencer:  Hmmmm, this is troubling...

U.S. Army training presentation has Hillary Clinton listed as an insider security threat...

AoSHQ: PJMedia:  Boom!

Is this embarrassing enough that even the pro Hillary media will have to report on it?  You would think so.  It was not part of a national training program, and it has since been taken down, but it was developed by a local command. This slide has been confirmed as real.  

Instapundit: Maybe this is something that could cheer Ed Driscoll up





Wombat: American Power: Crooked Hillary Inescapable Cloud of Corruption

The Next Ukraine: The South China Sea

I can understand the Chinese claiming the Paracel Island group (even if Vietnam also has a legitimate claim) but the Spratly Islands?  How is that Chinese territory?  But don't tell the Chinese that, they want them and are probably willing to go to war over them.  Will the U.S. offer any resistance?  And if not there, what is going to happen to Taiwan?  Given the weak response in Ukraine of Obama and Hagel, the Chinese must know that the U.S. is not going to do anything.  The Chinese are ready to take on Japan north of Taiwan too.

This is very dangerous because it could quickly escalate out of control.  

The Philippines screwed up by ejecting the U.S. bases, because the Chinese are moving in…

China is building an artificial island in the Spratly Islands at Johnson Reef (just off of Palawan)

Update:
Wombat Live at Five : South China Sea: What Happens Now?

Is Obama National Security Advisor Tom Donilon the leaker?

Is Obama's National Security Advisor Tom Donilon the leaker?  

Flashback (from the Huffington Post): Tom Donilon would be a disaster as National Security Advisor...  
Instapundit: The current Obama White House leaks are way bigger than the Valerie Plame leaks... 

Meanwhile:
Eric Holder will not get this resolved...
More Obama Administration Crimes and Misdemeanors

Update:  Instapundit:  The leak is in the White House...

Obama criticized for politicizing Osama bin Laden kill...

"Why can't I just eat my waffle spike the football on my Osama kill (again)?"

Clint Bruce, who gave up the chance of an NFL career to serve as a SEAL officer before retiring as a lieutenant after nine years, said: ‘We were extremely surprised and discouraged by the publicity because it compromises the ability of those guys to operate.‘It’s a waste of time to speculate about who would and wouldn’t have made that decision. It was a symphony of opportunity and intelligence that allowed this administration to give the green light. We want to acknowledge that they made that decision.‘Politicians should let the public know where they stand on national security but not in the play-by-play, detailed way that has been done recently. The intricacies of national security should not become part of stump speeches.’

I give the President credit for getting Osama bin Laden.  Good for him in making the right call.  And had it not worked out, I would not have criticized him for trying.  I do not want to discourage president's taking risks like that.

But I cannot imagine any president not making the same call given the circumstances (even Jimmy Carter would have done it).  Trying to use this to attack Mitt Romney, especially given it is a lie what Team Obama is saying, reflects badly on Barack Obama's character.  Phineas at Sister Toldjah argues it diminishes the office (I would rather say it diminishes the officer holder).  As the Virginian notes, when you score a touch down you are supposed to act like it is not the first time you did that.

Flying to Afghanistan just to spike the football  on the anniversary of the Obama kill is so transparent I am not sure why they think it would work.  It may be counter-intuitive to Alexrod, but some humility and grace in praising the Seal Team and President Bush would have probably benefited Barack Obama's reelection efforts far more than this nonsense.  A visit to the ground zero memorial (perhaps even inviting President Bush and some wounded warriors to join him) would have been classy.

Update:

h/t:  The Campaign Spot

Update II:   14,000 miles for a brief visit missing one crucial word...

Update III:  Obama does the Funky Chicken...  h/t:  Trooper York.  Here are some more...

Barack Obama confides he will be "more flexible" after being re-elected...

This candor by Barack Obama should scare you.
Richard Fernandez
Tammy Bruce
Allahpundit
Instapundit
Drudge

Update:
 
Life imitates art...
Obama denies he was trying to cover the mic...
More Obama lies at Hot Air...
Sister Toldjah on what was happening at that moment...

Cocktail of the Night:  The Obama White Russian