March 22, 2016

"A series of deadly terrorist attacks struck Brussels on Tuesday..."

"... with two explosions at the city’s main international airport, and a third in a subway station at the heart of the city."

The report now is of 13 killed in the airport and 15 killed in the subway.

Prime Minister Charles Michel is telling his people to "avoid all movement."

151 comments:

Moneyrunner said...

Police search for clues and motive.

tim in vermont said...

No need to reconsider refugee policy. Circulez, rien a voir!

tim in vermont said...

I think that working to overthrow Assad, leaving a vacuum in Iraq, and destabilizing Libya had zero to do with this.

tim in vermont said...

Because Obama promised not to do stupid things.

Lyle Smith said...

Down with Muslim supremacists!

Michael K said...

We were in both those places in September.

Michael K said...

Your link is dead.

tim maguire said...

Islamists have no idea the hornet's nest they are opening. When it comes to mass slaughter, they are children compared to the Europeans.

Paco Wové said...

"Prime Minister Charles Michel is telling his people to "avoid all movement.""

Another in the "great moments in diversity" series.

gspencer said...

Oh, Quelle Horreur!

Muslim men acting like, well, Muslim men.

Hey, lets bring even more of them into Europe.

____

Since Europeans and their leaders don't want to learn about the aggressive, supremacist ways of Islam through the study of history, then they will be taught those lessons up close and personal.

Life's a tough teacher. It gives the test first; then comes the lesson.

Paco Wové said...

"When it comes to mass slaughter, they are children compared to the Europeans."

Compared to what the Europeans were. Is that still true?

traditionalguy said...

Relax. It's just The Religion of Peace slaughtering them some sacrificial Infidels to please allah. That makes it more peaceful for the practice of Sharia Law in Brussels by eliminating filthy dog infidels and mongrel Jews that are despised by all Muslims.

Paco Wové said...

For example, on the very same page that it reports on this atrocity, the BBC is also giving a podium for some daft "philosopher" to gas on about the evilness of closed borders. I fear there are millions of Europeans who would not defend themselves to save their own lives, or or even their few children's lives.

Martha said...

The death toll is higher. Much higher.

tim in vermont said...

I am sure this is just a case of European intolerance of the free expression of religion. These bombings are just religious performance art in the tradition of Michelangelo's religious art.

Anonymous said...

tim maguire: Islamists have no idea the hornet's nest they are opening. When it comes to mass slaughter, they are children compared to the Europeans.

One hopes that there is still a heart in Europe.

But, all told, we in the West seem content with our weak and foolish governing classes. They, in turn, believe the West is theirs to give away, and they will use this attack, just as they have used all the others, as an excuse to continue with that project.

I predict that the response to this latest attack will be an increase of Muslim immigration into all Western countries.

Because, apparently, "that's who we are".

Paco Wové said...

"You can destroy some lives, but never our way of life!"

"But we can destroy your lives, right? Ok, that's cool. We'll take that."

tim maguire said...

Paco Wové said...
"When it comes to mass slaughter, they are children compared to the Europeans."

Compared to what the Europeans were. Is that still true?


I think so. It takes more than a few generations of self-absorbed leisure to change a culture's basic nature. Look at the Germans. Just as love is not the opposite of hate, pacifism is not the opposite of militarism. They are two sides of the same coin of extremism, and that coin can flip in an instant.

Why has Europe largely failed to assimilate their immigrants? It's because, even two or three generations later, they still see these immigrants as visitors, temporary guest workers, and every European knows where the door is when it's time for them to go.

tim in vermont said...

On MSNBC they are dreading how the presidential race will process this. Presumably they are fearful that the American people may draw conclusions that are incorrect.

tim in vermont said...

Europe is still processing the horror of the 20th century, but at some point, poke them with enough sticks, they will wake up again.

tim maguire said...

Paco Wové said...
For example, on the very same page that it reports on this atrocity, the BBC is also giving a podium for some daft "philosopher" to gas on about the evilness of closed borders.


Sorry, I exaggerated when I said "every European knows where the door is." But while not every European, most. Enough to keep the bayonets pressing firmly against the guest worker's backs as they are marched south east.

Martha said...

What we feared has happened,’ said Belgian PM Charles Michel.

What US should fear might happen here.

Politico has excellent coverage.
http://www.politico.eu/article/several-killed-in-two-explosions-at-brussels-zaventem-airport/

PB said...

Yes, in times like this, by sll means, elect a 3rd Obama administration via a an angry, spiteful, criminal, nihilist Hillary Clinton.

Michael K said...

Typical comment at HuffPo: "If you're equating criticism of Islam with murdering people then you're a sad miserable person."

No "Islamophobia here, please."

We have a way to go before the left will accept this.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

"Well, before we get on our high horse...." Fitting that President Affirmative Action is busy legitimizing another vicious idealogy right now.

Anonymous said...

"You can destroy some lives, but never our way of life!"

In fact the Muslims have made good progress toward destroying their way of life:
in some parts of Europe, residents fear even turning out the city lights at night, lest
they be raped by their Muslim "refugees."

tim in vermont said...

We have a way to go before the left will accept this

Well, the more Jihadis shit in the punch bowl, the fewer people will be hanging around it. There were still lefty Stalinists right up to 1989, but they cease to matter at some point.

AllenS said...

I don't think that vending machines could have caused that much death.

tim in vermont said...

It was sort of amusing when they cancelled the lights out thing for Earth Hour due to a newly acquired concern for rape. Not really, but sort of. So at some point they can prioritize.

Michael said...

American Airlines check-in counter. Terrorists have finally figured out that there are more people in the terminals than on the planes. Not as dramatic as the planes-into-buildings plan but effective.

There are often four or five hundred people in a sheep corral at the Atlanta airport waiting to go through "security."

It is perfectly acceptable to be "afraid" of Donald Trump but if you suggest that Islam has anything to do with terrorism you are a racist. One fear is irrational. The other is not.

tim in vermont said...

"No Islamophobia here, please."

Can you imagine the orgasm of self righteousness that must have shook the body of whoever wrote that when they hit the publish button?

rhhardin said...

The Islamic strategy depends on news coverage.

The actual damage is insignificant.

Wait until they get some technology.

SteveR said...

Unexpectedly...

AllenS said...

Some fence sitters on voting for Trump, might just have fallen off on his side.

Christopher said...

I assume that Obama is going to be disappointed that the media will let this overshadow his Cuba trip.

tim in vermont said...

You think they will let Obama execute a political prisoner personally, as part of his Che fantasy camp experience?

Alexander said...

Reality continues to demonstrate a Trump bias; Allah Ackbar delivers Arizona to the one candidate who sees the invading hoards claiming to be refugees and doesn't feel the need to virtue-signal by responding 'Welcome'.

gerry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JRoberts said...

"There are often four or five hundred people in a sheep corral at the Atlanta airport waiting to go through "security.""

I sometimes think about that as I go through security at ATL. I would estimate there are many times when there are far more than 400-500 people - plus the dozens of TSA agents with their hands in their pockets, or my luggage...

Michael said...

Quick, put a Belgian flag over your Facebook cover picture. Be one of the first to virtue signal.

gerry said...

I assume that Obama is going to be disappointed that the media will let this overshadow his Cuba trip.

His Soros handlers have lost control of the Islamist gang. This probably wasn't supposed to happen this Tuesday.

Are there any open primaries today? Will this bait cause any voters to switch?

David Begley said...

More chaos courtesy of the failed policies of Barack and Hillary. Why would we continue with these failed policies by electing Hillary?

Hillary's biggest fear is a Paris-Brussels style attack here. Probably the only way she loses the election.

Michael said...

JRoberts

My very careful review of TSA at ATL is that there are four resting or standing around for every one "working."

As Kabuki theatre goes it is amusing enough. Except, as we see in Brussels, it is stupid.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

AllenS said...

I don't think that vending machines could have caused that much death.

I see what you did there...

Paco Wové said...

Be one of the first to virtue signal.

♫ ♪ Imagine there's no cunnntreeeees..... ♩ ♮

C'mon! Everybody sing! (Remember to look sad and soulful.)

exhelodrvr1 said...

Cue another round of proclamations that this isn't related to true Islam.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Huffpo is where all the stupids congregate.

Anonymous said...

tim maguire: I think so. It takes more than a few generations of self-absorbed leisure to change a culture's basic nature.

But it doesn't take more than a few generations of differential reproduction to "change a culture's basic nature" via demographics. I recently came across a stat claiming that 25% of teenagers in France are Muslim. Probably not all that different in several other Western European countries. If Europeans are going to "do something" (and that something would require dismantling a good deal of the self-strangling "human rights" legislation cooked up by Eurocrats in the last few decades), they had better move soon.

"Doing something" would require inconveniencing, and perhaps injuring the amour-propre of, people who have no business being in Europe. The people in charge don't have the balls for that, and I suspect the majority of the native population is still too easily cowed by cries of racism, colonialism, xenophobia, blabbity blah blah. I'd like to be proved wrong about this.

Not singling out Europeans here. I don't think we Americans are really any different when push comes to shove. In fact, push has already come to shove here, a bit more subtly, and most of us don't even realize it.

Oso Negro said...

The price of spicy curry and cheap kebabs.

PB said...

Bombs of peace.

jr565 said...

This is only going to help Trump.

David Begley said...

Jr565

An attack like this in America and Hillary loses.

Phil 314 said...

But according to Google today these lives don't matter; only black lives matter.

Virgil Hilts said...

What David Begley said. I remember reading last Fall that Trump's strategy (to the extent he has one) really relied on one or two Paris size attacks happening before the main election. I don't think this one will have that sort of ripple.

Michael said...

David Begley

It should be remembered that of all the airlines flying out of Brussels the Islamists chose the American Airlines check-in counter. Now maybe we can get Inspector Cleauseau to look into this to see if there might have been a reason to choose American Airlines versus Air Arabia or Emirates or Qutar or Fly Egypt or even FinnAir. Is it possible that the barbarians might have thought that there would be Americans standing in line at the American Airlines check-in counter?
Hard to say, eh?

tim in vermont said...

I remember reading last Fall that Trump's strategy (to the extent he has one) really relied on one or two Paris size attacks happening before the main election.

Do you think Hillary really believed that something like this wouldn't happen? Is she that captive to her own rhetoric?

David said...

Please don't avoid all movement. You hugely outnumber them. Your society is more powerful (if it chooses to be) in myriad ways. A second wave of attacks in Brussels is very unlikely. They don't (can't) do second waves. (Yet.) Some day they might but don't give in.

wendybar said...

Oh, That damned climate change!!! Obama was right when he says that climate change is our biggest threat to us!! Now climate change has bombs in Belgium. We need to get together to fight it!!!

grimson said...

The articles posted on "The Daily Mail" include reactions from David Cameron and Donald Trump, but not Obama.

Hagar said...


"When it comes to mass slaughter, they are children compared to the Europeans."


Not exactly. The atrocities committed in the East just do not make it into European (or American) high school history texts. You have to be interested in history to get and read books mentioning eastern rulers competing to see who could build the largest pyramids out out of their enemies' heads, etc.

Or the Japanese raiding Korea and deciding that bringing Korean heads back to Japan would take up too much room in their ships, cut their victims noses off instead and pickled them to bring home to show their emperor.

Bay Area Guy said...

I read Althouse's headline, but not the article, nor any comments. So, I don't know what actually happened.

Bombing in Europe? Innocent people murdered?

Hmmm. Lemme guess. An aggrieved, non-assimilated group, who doesn't share Western values, it's on the tip of my tongue....

Hagar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tim maguire said...

Thanks Hagar, but when I said "they are children," I wasn't talking about the Japanese. Or the ancient Egyptians. I had a particular culture in mind.

AllenS said...

34 dead. Just imagine how many more were horribly injured.

David Begley said...

Wendybar

This very day on CNBC the NYT's Thomas Friedman attributed Islamic terrorism, in part, to climate change. Seriously. Science.

james conrad said...

This illustrates exactly why Trump's message has a real chance to win the election this year. Politicians on both sides would be wise to hear and respond in a positive way to what the voters are saying about the immigration issue. Trump has ripped the scab off the stupid arguments on both the left & right, it's the main reason he could win this fall.

Fabi said...

I sure hope this incident doesn't interfere with Obama's commie-for-a-day celebrations down in Cuba.

Roughcoat said...

Che fantasy camp experience

Heh heh. Good one.

Wince said...

Prime Minister Charles Michel is telling his people to "avoid all movement."

Why does that make me think of a painted-faced mime standing perfectly still.

Drago said...

Uh oh. Amanda is really going to be on the warpath against islamophobia now.

Besides, those bombs weren't like "bomb bombs"

Peter said...

The one certainty is that after each Islamist atrocity a great cry shall arise from those who have been targeted: "Oh, the poor Muslims, how can we better protect them from the hate that is sure to follow!"

Yet somehow the subtext of the attack, that the message of the attackers is always the same ("convert, submit or die") will be lost. Rather than foster honest discussion of the threat and how best to meet it, the Euro elites shall offer, yet again, a nice, big lukewarm bowlful of multiculturalist pablum.

Anonymous said...

Merkel ist Tot!

(To our NSA and DHS observers: That does not constitute a death threat, merely an electoral observation, IAW 1st amend)

Browndog said...

If the left is to be believed, and capitalism and individualism are the greatest enemies of America, not islamic terrorism..

...then it's a good thing our President is in a "safe space" today.

Rusty said...

Bush!
Climate deniers!
Trump!
Just thought I'd save the usual suspects some trouble.

Rusty said...

That can't possibly happen here.
Oh. wait.
It did

Browndog said...

Today, the police across Europe are desperately searching for islamic terrorists in order to prevent a follow on islamic terrorist attack.

Tomorrow, they will be searching for a motive.

grackle said...

Why has Europe largely failed to assimilate their immigrants?

Maybe we have finally found a group that cannot be assimilated, if by assimilation we mean a group that doesn’t condone terrorists murdering as many of us as it can and then does not shelter the terrorists in their No Go Zones, laughingly labeled “enclaves.” Could it be that the Muslims do not WANT to be assimilated?

It's because, even two or three generations later, they still see these immigrants as visitors, temporary guest workers, and every European knows where the door is when it's time for them to go.

But many of these terrorists are home-grown 2nd generation citizens. They let them in, they gave them citizenship and that “door” to “go” is closed forever – now they have to live with them.

Reality continues to demonstrate a Trump bias …

Ssssh. Sure, but it’s not polite to point that out. That racist bastard Trump is appealing to our worst instincts – right? That pesky self-preservation instinct against being murdered keeps popping up every time not all Muslims kill a few folks, darn it. Very inconvenient.

Big Mike said...

Is there anyone in a position of responsibility anywhere in western Europe who grasps the concept that efforts to assimilate Muslims are taken by those same Muslims as a religious affront to which they must -- MUST! -- respond with violence?

Sow the wind; reap the whirlwind.

Sal said...

This is probably a good time to get into the airport/train station remodeling business in Western Europe. And I've heard there's lots of new, cheap labor available too.

Fernandinande said...

In Phlegmland saying "fewer Moroccans" is naughty:

Geert Wilders’s Opening Statement To Court During ‘Hate Speech’ Trial: ‘I Will Never Give It Up’

cubanbob said...

To European leftists these type of attacks are tolerable in the sense that automobiles aren't banned despite people getting killed in accidents. For the Euros these things just happen periodically and there is no need to panic or dwell on them.

Peter said...

"Why has Europe largely failed to assimilate their immigrants?"

The first generations of Muslim immigrants seem to have assimilated quite well acting (as immigrants sometimes will) more French than the French, more German than Germans, etc., etc.

But their children often became radical, and their children's children more radical still.

The failure of assimilation isn't so much that it never happened, but that it (somewhat) happened and then happened in reverse. With the result that European Europeans now feel increasing pressure to assimilate to the cultures of their immigrants.

So, the former colonizers have themselves been colonized. And some, it seems, think perhaps they had it coming.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

If the next president doesn't deport all Muslims from the US, he or she should be killed.

Matt said...

Considering Europe's suicidal immigration approach, the terrorists should not be called "suicide bombers". They should be called "assisted suicide bombers".

jr565 said...

Then again trump also just said we needed to cut back on NATO and that he wouldn't send people into ME but t wants them to deal with them more. And we'd provide air support.
It's like he's channeling a mix of Ron Paul and Barack Obama.

n.n said...

The Islamic state is completing their interrupted colonization of Europe. However, this time, they have the aid of their left-wing counterparts in the top echelons of European governments, non-profits, academia, and popular culture.

Alexander said...

@jr565,

NATO should disappear.

1. The United States is NATO, in blood and treasure. We don't need it.

2. If we must have international treaty obligations, let us at least save it for countries interested in being around in a generation or two. For its practical results, we ought scrap the treaties with Europe and just pledge American protection of Morocco, Pakistan, and Algeria.

3. NATO is immoral. It not only forces Americans to pay for the protection and well-being of other nations, but it allows those nations to decay. Europe would be in a better position today if she had expected to maintain something of her own defense. Instead, she no longer values - because she has never had to put anything of value into it - the very first thing a civilization must do for its people. A temporary alliance of interests against a specific military threat has manifested into a suicidal welfare state. It is an abomination.

n.n said...

The premise of class diversity is that through suppression or marginalization, a large (i.e. diverse) population can be tamed and managed by a minority elite. So, they corral people into ghettos or minority fiefdoms, and use redistributive change, environmental lobbying, crony regulation, reactive parenthood, etc. as an effective eminent domain to enact this vision for population control and monopoly establishment.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I am sorry for the innocent people harmed in these terrible attacks.

I wondered when they announced that the captured terrorist was talking whether the result would be an immediate attack/rushing of plans already in place (since members of his cell/organization had to assume he'd give them up); the tough thing is that the authorities apparently thought the same thing but were still unable to prevent this particular attack.

Fernandinande said...

Char Char Binks said...
If the next president doesn't deport all Muslims from the US, he or she should be killed.


Careful! Justice Department subpoenas Reason.com over threats to judge in comment section
The commenters said: “Its judges like these that should be taken out back and shot” and “Why waste the ammunition? Wood chippers get the message across clearly. Especially if you feed them in feet first."
Or here.

Sebastian said...

There y'all go again, overreacting. Look, President Obama just told us we've been blowing the dangers of terrorism out of proportion. And Ann Althouse has told us that there's no point blaming Islam for bad stuff, because it's actually due to "closed cultures." So calm down.

Michael said...

Oh, God, here we go again. Every major city will be shut down with Muslims marching in solidarity against these hideous attacks, proving once again how it is only a very very teeny tiny group of Muslims who sympathize with the barbarians.

J. Farmer said...

White people have to be the most suicidal race that has ever walked the planet.

Tim said...

A phobia is an irrational fear. Islamophobia is a misnomer. It is rational to fear islam.

jr565 said...

Alexander wrote:
3. NATO is immoral. It not only forces Americans to pay for the protection and well-being of other nations, but it allows those nations to decay. Europe would be in a better position today if she had expected to maintain something of her own defense.

NATO is also an alliance that is there for our mutual protection. We shouldn't leave NATO. We should get countries that dont seem to have that in mind anymore THROWN OUT OF NATO.If coutnries dont pay for defense because we do, it doesn't negate the value of NATO. It simply suggests they are a terrible ally.

Gahrie said...

White people have to be the most suicidal race that has ever walked the planet.

It's almost a wonder that we created the modern world and dominate it in every way to this day....

jr565 said...

Trump has also said while pulling back from NATO that he'd work more closely with putin. I'm sure this is music to Putin's ears. What was the thing that Obama said? How, after the election he'd have more flexibility in dealing with Russia. So, Trump is Obama?

Everyone complains about Europe not paying enough for their own defense. But the key then is to make them pay more for their defense, not end NATO. As clinton, might say mend it, dont end it.
But what is Trump's end game here. To align with PUtin?

jr565 said...

and besides that, its pretty bad timing talking about cutting back on NATO the day a huge terror attack occurs in Europe. Even if Brussells is not part of NATO, Europe is, or should be invested in dealing with terror attacks. Which is also our goals. (or should be). And so cooperation between allies should be a top priority. NATO allows for that. If countries aren't pulling their weight though, get them out of NATO, and get other countries that align with us into NATO.

J. Farmer said...

@Gahrie:

"It's almost a wonder that we created the modern world and dominate it in every way to this day...."

Try advocating American or European-stule immigration for Japan or South Korea. You'd be laughed out of the room.

jr565 said...

"To European leftists these type of attacks are tolerable in the sense that automobiles aren't banned despite people getting killed in accidents. For the Euros these things just happen periodically and there is no need to panic or dwell on them"

There is no terrorist threat. There is no terrorist threat. Yes, there have been horrific acts of terrorism and, yes, there will be acts of terrorism again. But that doesn't mean that there's some kind of massive terrorist threat." - Michael Moore. Said back in 2001. The attitude hasn't changed one iota. He's probably repeating the same talking point today.

Gahrie said...

"Doing something" would require inconveniencing, and perhaps injuring the amour-propre of, people who have no business being in Europe

I don't think it is all that long until the pitchforks and torches are broken out.

It saddens me that it has come to this, but I believe that we are soon going to be reminded that Europeans have a brutal side to them too...when the European people finally get tired of the failure of their governments, they will take things into their own hands.

J. Farmer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
J. Farmer said...

@jr565:

"and besides that, its pretty bad timing talking about cutting back on NATO the day a huge terror attack occurs in Europe."

NATO should be disbanded. The threat it was created to deter no longer exists. Pushing NATO to tiny countries in Russia's sphere of influence (e.g. Estonia, Montenegro, etc.) is idiotic. That said, NATO is a pretty useless tool against what is essentially insurgent, guerrilla warfare. See the last decade and a half in Afghanistan, for example.

Gahrie said...

Try advocating American or European-stule immigration for Japan or South Korea. You'd be laughed out of the room.

Oh, no...I'm personally in favor of Mexico's immigration laws...including the laws about political participation and property ownership.

It is precisely because of our strength and dominance that we can survive stupid indulgences such as our immigration policies.

Gahrie said...

I fear there are millions of Europeans who would not defend themselves to save their own lives, or or even their few children's lives.

There are. But there are millions more, disenfranchised and politically powerless now, who will....through political means if possible...violence if not.

J. Farmer said...

Gahrie:

It is precisely because of our strength and dominance that we can survive stupid indulgences such as our immigration policies.

Take a peek at continent-wide demographic projections through 2050. Psst...we're doomed.

cubanbob said...

J565 the purpose of NATO was to keep the Germans down, the Russians out and the Americans in. Russia while not as weak as it was 20 years ago still isn't that big a military threat. It's economy isn't big enough to support that large a military to be truly threatening (other than nuclear threats). Russian forces can put down a Georgia and occupy part of the Ukraine but a full on invasion of Western Europe even with the current weak European forces is probably beyond their conventional means. So why are we still in Europe? If keeping the Russians out is still a valid reason for keeping the US in then the Europeans should be reimbursing the US for the favor.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Dear Muslims

It's just not working out between us. You're not happy in the west, and we're not happy with you here. It's time to go back to your sandbox.

Ma al-salamah and God bless!

Gahrie said...

Take a peek at continent-wide demographic projections through 2050. Psst...we're doomed.

Then I guess it is a good thing that history is made by people, not demographics.

So far the Western governments dominated by the appeasers have managed to contain their people...largely by lying to them...they can't last forever..

Rusty said...

. Farmer said...
@jr565:

"and besides that, its pretty bad timing talking about cutting back on NATO the day a huge terror attack occurs in Europe."

NATO should be disbanded. The threat it was created to deter no longer exists. Pushing NATO to tiny countries in Russia's sphere of influence (e.g. Estonia, Montenegro, etc.) is idiotic. That said, NATO is a pretty useless tool against what is essentially insurgent, guerrilla warfare. See the last decade and a half in Afghanistan, for example.


Please ignore those three new army groups Russia has placed on its western boarder.
The gun is always unloaded until the gun goes off.

Anthony said...

Don't worry this has nothing to do with Islam it's all our fault because GLOBAL WARMING.

Oh, and the most important thing we have to worry about is anti-Muslim backlash.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

@Fernandinande

I was just paraphrasing Jefferson (Thomas, not William Clinton). THAT is still allowed, isn't it? Anyway, I'm sure the Feds have their hands full investigating al Qaeda and ISIS, LOL!

jr565 said...

cubanbob wrote:
J565 the purpose of NATO was to keep the Germans down, the Russians out and the Americans in. Russia while not as weak as it was 20 years ago still isn't that big a military threat. It's economy isn't big enough to support that large a military to be truly threatening (other than nuclear threats). Russian forces can put down a Georgia and occupy part of the Ukraine but a full on invasion of Western Europe even with the current weak European forces is probably beyond their conventional means. So why are we still in Europe? If keeping the Russians out is still a valid reason for keeping the US in then the Europeans should be reimbursing the US for the favor.

I never said that NATO members shoudn't pay more for defense. but it sounds like you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And lets not discount that Russia actually IS a pretty important geopolitical threat. Obama poo pooed that ID and Putin essentially anally raped him in the ME. If you have an alliance you already have it. You don't have to create it. If we are all alone in the world and run into issues, we'd have to create that alliance all over again. So fix it.

Robert Cook said...

"If the next president doesn't deport all Muslims from the US, he or she should be killed."

Does this include all the Muslims who are native born U.S. citizens?

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Belgium was obviously attacked due to their middle east meddling and involvement in wars for oil. What did they expect?

J. Farmer said...

@Gahrie:

"Then I guess it is a good thing that history is made by people, not demographics."

Demography is destiny.

@Rusty:

"Please ignore those three new army groups Russia has placed on its western boarder.
The gun is always unloaded until the gun goes off."


Do you have the slightest idea what kind of military capabilities Russia has? Where do you think it would obtain the ability to invade western Europe? And even if it made such a suicidal move, Germany, France, and the UK have more then enough resources to create a mutual defense guarantee against Russia. They already have one inside the neo-German empire known as the European Union. Not to mention, France and Uk are nuclear-armed state.

NATO is a useless waste of resources that should be scrapped.

exhelodrvr1 said...

"And even if it made such a suicidal move, Germany, France, and the UK "

And in 1939, the French by themselves had a larger military than Germany. Remember, size doesn't matter, if you don't have the willpower, and the knowledge of how, to use it.

Rick said...

Robert Cook said...
"If the next president doesn't deport all Muslims from the US, he or she should be killed."

Does this include all the Muslims who are native born U.S. citizens?


A bunch of muslims killed innocent civilians today. Naturally Cook's reaction is to find Americans to attack.

It's a form of force protection. Even in offensive operations certain units are assigned the specific task of defending the assault forces.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Robert Cook said...
"If the next president doesn't deport all Muslims from the US, he or she should be killed."

Does this include all the Muslims who are native born U.S. citizens?

Yes.

J. Farmer said...

@exheldovrvr1:

"And in 1939, the French by themselves had a larger military than Germany.

And this has to do with what I wrote how? Germany attacked Russia twice in the 20th century, so I don't think the Russians have much reason to expect Germany to capitulate to invasion. Also, I mentioned nuclear weapons possessed by France and UK, and it wouldn't be that difficult for Germany to go nuclear. But I know for incessant interventionists, it's always 1939. It's the only historical analogy they seem to have in their quiver, and it's now more than 75 years removed.

NATO is not needed to secure the peace in Europe. And it is beyond foolish for America to support the expansion of the EU, which is essentially a German empire by another name. A smarter policy would encourage so called Brexit.

J. Farmer said...

@Char Char Binks:

How do you deport US citizens who have not been accused of a crime? Where do you deport them to? If liberty can be so easily sacrificed for security, then why not just turn the country into a police state? I am sure the 4th and 5th amendments have burdened criminal investigations; why not give them they old heave-ho?

JAORE said...

An attack like this in America and Hillary loses.

You mean ANOTHER attack like this, do you not? The Boston Marathon was an attack like this in most ways. We have had several others varying in size and complexity. And yet, Trump, who I do not support, is still branded a racist for questioning open borders.

JAORE said...

"How do you deport US citizens who have not been accused of a crime? "

Our President says it is OK to hit them with a drone strike. So there is that....

khesanh0802 said...

I had accepted the "value" of NATO based on what I see now are outdated conditions. I am not a defense expert, but I suspect that combined NATO forces today are not adequate to defeat the Russians without large inputs from the continental US and we no longer have the ability for large inputs. NATO has talked about its own rapid reaction force. Is there one that does not depend on US forces as the core component?

The purpose of NATO is mutual defense but that has, it appears, deteriorated to US provided defense - certainly for the western European countries. Maybe Trump is right we should think about leaving or reconfiguring NATO. Certainly worth talking about. I don't in anyway advocate a withdrawal from the world, but it may well be time to reconfigure our alliances with our own interests more in mind. Perhaps NATO like the UN has outlived it's usefulness and its time to do something about it.

Anonymous said...

http://www.motherjones.com/contributor/2016/03/why-do-they-call-it-ovaltine-it-isn't-even-oval-sad

"The Washington Post Asked Donald Trump If He Would Nuke ISIS. This Was His Response. Transcript.

RYAN: You [MUFFLED] mentioned a few minutes earlier here that you would knock ISIS. You’ve mentioned it many times. You’ve also mentioned the risk of putting American troop in a danger area. If you could substantially reduce the risk of harm to ground troops, would you use a battlefield nuclear weapon to take out ISIS?

TRUMP: I don’t want to use, I don’t want to start the process of nuclear. Remember the one thing that everybody has said, I’m a counterpuncher. Rubio hit me. Bush hit me. When I said low energy, he’s a low-energy individual, he hit me first. I spent, by the way he spent 18 million dollars’ worth of negative ads on me. That’s putting [MUFFLED]…

RYAN: This is about ISIS. You would not use a tactical nuclear weapon against ISIS?

[CROSSTALK]

TRUMP: I’ll tell you one thing, this is a very good looking group of people here. Could I just go around so I know who the hell I’m talking to?"

Gosh, I'm feeling so confident in Trump's foreign policy chops, he's so confident and strong. Maybe Scott Adams can convince us that Trump is in full control of his thought processes.

Robert Cook said...

"A bunch of muslims killed innocent civilians today. Naturally Cook's reaction is to find Americans to attack."

Rick responds with an insane non-sequitur. When you come down, Rick, perhaps reconsider my question in a more sober frame of mind.

Robert Cook said...

"'Does this include all the Muslims who are native born U.S. citizens?'

"Yes."


Thank you for your honest, if hateful (not to mention illogical) answer. Where would the natural born Muslim citizens be deported to?

eddie willers said...

As harsh as it sounds, I wish we had followed Ann Coulter's advice of September 2001:

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.

Robert Cook said...

"If liberty can be so easily sacrificed for security, then why not just turn the country into a police state?"

Don't kid yourself, J. Farmer, we're halfway there already.

tim in vermont said...

Don't kid yourself, J. Farmer, we're halfway there already

We are not half way to where the communists and their fraternal twins the fascists had it, not even close. I understand that you advocate a totalitarian system where bankers can be banned, but we are not anywhere close to that. Are you still upset that they caught Bill Ayers after be bombed that dance by tapping his phone?

walter said...

Sometimes the containment of the JV team seems overstated.

Rusty said...

o you have the slightest idea what kind of military capabilities Russia has? Where do you think it would obtain the ability to invade western Europe?

Do you have any idea how big an army group is? And these three are just to add to those already there. Do you have any idea how weak NATO is? Marines are prepositioning their armor in........wait for it..................Sweden. Or Norway. i get those two switched. Sweden requested American military help because they are not prepared. They estimate that Russia will make a move in Scandinavia in the next two years. Probably nuclear.

Real American said...

obviously, the solution is to import more people who believe this type of thing is justified into our own country!

Jeff said...

Somebody is financing this stuff. Bombs don't just assemble themselves out of thin air, someone is paying to buy the explosives, presumably on some black market, and someone is paying to recruit suicide bombers. The bombers themselves are, as always, peons. Follow the money. Then kill whoever you find at the end of that trail.

khesanh0802 said...

@ Amanda Trumps answer to the question " I don’t want to use, I don’t want to start the process of nuclear." That seems clear and definitive. He could have simply answered "No." That would have been ample.

Anonymous said...

Video. Trump's response to the terror attacks on Brussels. Gott im Himmel...

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"RYAN: This is about ISIS. You would not use a tactical nuclear weapon against ISIS?

[CROSSTALK]

TRUMP: I’ll tell you one thing, this is a very good looking group of people here. Could I just go around so I know who the hell I’m talking to?""

Trump knows a bullshit gotcha question when he hears one. I love how he blows these clowns off.

khesanh0802 said...

@ Rusty Don't know if you are responding to my comment, but no I don't know what military capabilities Russia has, but just from the actions in Crimea I would bet that a Russian "Blitzkrieg" would overrun a substantial part of eastern Europe and Germany even with some outmoded equipment.

Here's Nato's puff piece on the reaction force. The reaction force with all combined arms and logistics appears to be about the size of a Marine Expeditionary Force. I have all the faith in the world in Marines when properly used, but one infantry division with combat support will not slow the Russians down much. The Response force calls for deployment of the Recon (!) portion within 5 (!) days. In five days there can be Russian tanks in Berlin.

As far as I can tell the US has only two infantry divisions (on paper) with supporting armor, air and logistics- not army groups - in Europe. Presumably these can be deployed overnight ( the Army?) so maybe the Russians would only get to Warsaw.

I reiterate that I think Trump is correct to say that NATO needs a rethink that leads to a serious commitment on Europe's part.

J. Farmer said...

@Rusty:

"They estimate that Russia will make a move in Scandinavia in the next two years. Probably nuclear."

I'll bet you $10,000 that that doesn't happen. If you're interested, I'll give you my email address and you can contact me privately for the details.

Guildofcannonballs said...

Has Obama asked folks to politicize this man-caused disaster yet, or is Obama out and proud racist now?

Robert Cook said...

"I understand that you advocate a totalitarian system where bankers can be banned...."

Your own statement impeaches itself, as I have never advocated a totalitarian system--my every comment here is informed by my opposition to totalitarianism--and neither have I ever advocated bankers be banned. They should however, be bound strictly by law and regulation, and punished criminally when they violate those laws.

Of course, many of the laws that once restricted the legal activities of bankers have been dismantled or loosened to the point of non-existence in the last several decades, by banker-friendly graft-takers in Washington. You, apparently, approve of this quasi-official form of government-by-financial services industry, the result of which is the ongoing impoverishment of our populace and the casting of hundreds of thousands of jobs to the winds, in order to enrich the parasites in Wall Street offices and corporate boardrooms.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"... reconsider my question in a more sober frame of mind.

3/22/16, 3:18 PM"

Isn't that freak Glenn Beck sober though? Does him no good.

Fabi said...

Guild@6:54 -- I hate to expel perfectly good Scotch through my nose, but that comment was worth it!

Gahrie said...

You, apparently, approve of this quasi-official form of government-by-financial services industry, the result of which is the ongoing impoverishment of our populace and the casting of hundreds of thousands of jobs to the winds, in order to enrich the parasites in Wall Street offices and corporate boardrooms.

When obviously you should approve of an official form of government-by-party elite, the result of which is the ongoing impoverishment of the populace and the casting of hundreds of thousands of lives to the winds, in order to enrich the parasites in Kremlin offices and party boardrooms.

Four legs good, two legs better

Rusty said...

J. Farmer said...
@Rusty:

"They estimate that Russia will make a move in Scandinavia in the next two years. Probably nuclear."

I'll bet you $10,000 that that doesn't happen. If you're interested, I'll give you my email address and you can contact me privately for the details.

I wouldn't want to take your money. The betting of which you seem to think makes your claims valid.
You miss the point.
Scandinavia thinks the situation, Putin vs the west, is dire enough to warrant these precautions.
Poland has more than doubled it's military spending and has gone so far as to allow military type firearms in civilian hands. The Polish government is supplying the kalashbikovs.
Perhaps you should talk to them and not me.
Russia has delayed the production of the SU 50 in favor of its new tank.

Robert Cook said...

Why do they hate us?

This analysis is hardly new, in fact, it's pretty much conventional wisdom. However, no one gets it because no one wants to get it.

Robert Cook said...

Gahrie, your comment @ 8:44 pm is a senseless non-sequitur; the Russians are not the cause of our nation's ongoing slide into terminal decline. It is by our own doing.

Robert Cook said...

Why do they hate us? (pt.2)

Guildofcannonballs said...

Robert you might be under a spell of reactionary Hate America First self-loathing comparable to Robert Fisk.

I would be enlightened to know what is your answer to Muslims killing other Muslims, is that America and the West's fault too? Of course you know that has been happening for long before America existed, which is why I have trouble blaming Bush or Lincoln or Washington for this long-standing terrorism of others.

Also before America went to Tripoli at our country's beginning what aggression had been previously committed by us resulting in the trip East?

Lastly aren't you a bigot for denying Muslim radicals the concept of agency to murder for their religion, instead of merely reacting like an animal to whatever the West has done as you seem to feel is the case?

Rusty said...

And then, Mr. Farmer. The is the interesting development of our president making secret deals with Iran. The latest is rumored to cost the US taxpayer 1.7 billion and that's just the first installment.
Yep. A rosy future indeed.

J. Farmer said...

@Rusty:

"I wouldn't want to take your money."

Bullshit.

"Perhaps you should talk to them and not me."

Yes, Scandinavia and Poland should worry about Russia. It's a large, powerful country that they will need to make accommodations with. They don't have a giant ocean separating them from the continent. But here's the point that you seem to be missing. Good relations with Russia are worth way more to the US than good relations with either Poland or Sweden. If you wanna risk nuclear war over Sweden, then it's a good thing you are very far removed from the decision-making process.