Bomb Scare at Long Beach City College Forces Evacuations, Cancellation of Classes

Well, we had a shootout at the Pacific Coast campus last year, so this is no surprise.

Kinda freaky, though, with all the recent jihad terrorism.

At the Long Beach Press-Telegram, "Long Beach college evacuated amid bomb probe."

It turns out a car was parked and abandoned on Carson Avenue, the central boulevard that dissects the campus. Building T, where I teach, is just a few feet from the street.

Why We're Losing to Radical Islam

From Newt Gingrich, at the Wall Street Journal, "Fourteen years after 9/11, we still lack a strategy. Congress should lead with hearings on the enemy and how to prevail":

The United States has been at war with radical Islamist terrorism for at least 35 years, starting with the November 1979 Iranian seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and taking of 52 American hostages. President Jimmy Carter , in his State of the Union address two months later, declared the American captives “innocent victims of terrorism.”

For the next two decades, radical Islamist terrorism grew more powerful and more sophisticated. On Sept. 11, 2001, a remarkably sophisticated effort by Islamist terrorists killed nearly 3,000 Americans in New York City, Washington, D.C., and western Pennsylvania.

In response to the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor, President George W. Bush told a joint session of Congress: “Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.”

We have clearly failed to meet that goal. After more than 13 years of war, with thousands of Americans dead, tens of thousands of Americans wounded, and several trillion dollars spent, the U.S. and its allies are losing the war with radical Islamism. The terrorists of Islamic State are ravaging Iraq and Syria, Boko Haram is widening its bloody swath through Nigeria, al Qaeda and its affiliates are killing with impunity in Somalia, Yemen and beyond, and the Taliban are resurgent in Afghanistan. The killings in Paris at Charlie Hebdo and at a kosher supermarket are only the most recent evidence of the widening menace of radical Islamism.

Confronted with the atrocities in Paris, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told his people on Jan. 10 that they were at war: “It is a war against terrorism, against jihadism, against radical Islam, against everything that is aimed at breaking fraternity, freedom, solidarity.”

Yet France, like the U.S. government, doesn’t have a strategy for victory in this war. Ad hoc responses to attacks have failed to stop the growing threat. We remain vulnerable to a catastrophic attack (or series of smaller attacks) that would have dark and profound consequences for the American people and for freedom around the world.

The U.S. and its allies must now design a strategy to match a global movement of radical Islamists who sincerely want to destroy Western civilization...

Okay, additional hearing might be helpful, although it's not like we don't know what to do about global jihad. Personally, I'll take the Ralph Peters method, "Exterminate the Terrorists and 'Leave Behind Smoking Ruins and Crying Widows...' (VIDEO)."

Newbie Host Rosie Perez Quits as Far-Left Talkshow 'The View' Crashes and Burns, Facing Cancellation

It's been all downhill for that show since conservative hottie Elisabeth Hasselbeck quit to join Fox & Friends.

At London's Daily Mail, "Rosie Perez quits 'The View' as ABC considers abandoning the show amid plummeting ratings and behind-the-scenes skirmishes":

Rosie Perez will be leaving The View after less than a season, insiders revealed Wednesday.

Currently on a month-long leave to perform in Broadway's Fish in the Dark, the 50-year-old actress has said she will not return to the show, according to Variety.

Her departure comes at a reportedly tumultuous time for The View, which insiders said recently may not be back for a 19th season.

Perez was added to the show last minute and joined two other incoming hosts--Rosie O'Donnell and politico Nicolle Wallace.

The shakeup came amid plummeting ratings and after show creator Barbara Walters' retirement.

While ratings stabilized, sources told Variety that Perez never quite got the hang of the show's signature hard news/soft news chat format. The source said the stage and screen actress never quite got the hang of reading a teleprompter.

What's more, network insiders revealed to Daily Mail Online on Tuesday that the long-running talk show could end after this season, amid struggling ratings and infighting among the talk show hosts.

The show is suffering some of its lowest ratings ever with its new team of Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell, Nicolle Wallace and Rosie Perez.

Now under the umbrella of ABC News, the network is considering the possibility of ending the show and replacing it with an extended version of 'Good Morning America.'

'The brass at ABC feels like they've tried to do everything possible to breathe new life into this show,' said the insider. They moved it from ABC Entertainment Daytime to the ABC News division, that was having so much success with Good Morning America.

But in spite of the changes, nothing seems to be helping the sluggish ratings for the show.

'They're ready to abandon ship at this point,' the source told Daily Mail Online.

When contacted by Daily Mail Online, a show spokesperson denied any plan by ABC to end the show...

Chris Kyle's Widow Breaks Down on Fox News, Says Upcoming Film Is 'Authentic'

At Downtrend:

The widow of Chris Kyle, the hero depicted in American Sniper, appeared on Fox News last night. She said that the soon to be released film is “authentic.”

Just before she was interviewed by Martha MacCallum, the news program played a lengthy trailer of the upcoming movie about her late husband, Chris Kyle.

The trailer is powerful stuff to anyone with a heart. Unsurprisingly, it also moved Kyle’s widow, as she was seen holding back tears just after the trailer finished.

MSNBC Morons Hilariously Censor Images of #CharlieHebdo Muhammad Cartoons

"Hey, we're a progressive network! We can't go around offending tender Muslim sensibilities. Besides, we could get killed!" --- MSNBC talking heads.

Icons of liberty over there. Truly courageous.

At NewsBusters, "MSNBC's Maddow Shows ‘Piss Christ’ But Not Latest ‘Charlie Hebdo’":

On MSNBC Tuesday night Rachel Maddow described the cover of the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo because, "NBC News will not allow us to show it to you." A different perspective than Maddow and MSNBC had in 2011 when showing the image of the “Piss Christ” photo by Andres Serrano.

"The cover is a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed shedding a tear beneath the words ‘all is forgiven’ he’s also holding a sign that says 'Je suis Charlie'", Maddow said on her program. "The reason I’m describing it to you rather than showing it to you – is because we operate under NBC News rules and NBC News will not allow us to show it to you."

On April 18, 2011 Maddow and her network had no difficulty showing and discussing the “Piss Christ” photo by Andres Serrano after it was destroyed in a museum in France by protestors upset with the image of a crucifix submerged in urine...

Because consistency and integrity, or something. Fucking morons.

More at Jihad Watch, "MSNBC blurs Charlie Hebdo cover during interview with contributor":

This represents a capitulation to the jihadists who murdered twelve people in the Charlie Hebdo offices. They committed mass murder in order to “avenge” Muhammad. They didn’t want people drawing Muhammad. They wanted the West to comply with Sharia blasphemy restrictions. And MSNBC, along with most others in the mainstream media, appears happy to accommodate them...

Say it ain't so, Joe!

Princess Catherine Arrives at Barlby Primary School in London's Ladbroke Grove

She does look impressive.

At London's Daily Mail, "Every inch the yummy mummy! The Duchess of Cambridge is pretty in navy as she meets arty children (and Grayson Perry)."

Disneyland Measels Outbreak Blamed on Anti-Vaccine Movement

At Truth Revolt.

And at CBS This Morning, from yesterday morning, "Disney measles outbreak highlights anti-vaccine movement."

Also from yesterday's front-page at the Los Angeles Times, "Disneyland, holiday travel a perfect mix for measles' spread":

Quelling the outbreak has taken on special urgency as measles cases have increased dramatically in the last year and as child immunizations have dropped. This decline has come amid fears of some parents that the vaccines can cause autism, a theory that has been discredited by numerous scientific reports.

A "significant number" of the Disneyland patients involved people who were not immunized, said Dr. James Watt, who heads the California Department of Public Health's division of communicable disease control...

Four Top Secret Service Executives Forced Out in Agency Shake-Up

Good.

The president and his family are lucky they've not been attacked. Sheesh.

At LAT, "In a shake-up, Secret Service reassigns key officials":

The Secret Service is removing four officials from key positions as the agency continues to deal with fallout from a series of security lapses, according to an agency official.

Four senior officials from the agency have been told they must leave their current jobs. A fifth official, Vic Erevia, had recently decided to retire, the agency said. Erevia, an assistant director for training, had once headed President Obama's detail.

The moves were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Secret Service confirmed that the officials being reassigned within the agency or the Department of Homeland Security are Mark Copanazzi, assistant director for technology; Jane Murphy, assistant director for government and public affairs; Paul Morrissey, assistant director for the office of investigations; and Dale Pupillo, assistant director for protective operations.

The personnel moves come after a series of incidents last year that included a dramatic breach at the White House when a military veteran with a history of mental health problems hopped the fence and made it all the way into the residence.

In addition, there was concern raised after an armed guard who did not have security clearance rode in an elevator with President Obama while he was visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The prestigious agency had faced criticism two years earlier when Secret Service agents were involved in soliciting prostitutes ahead of Obama's visit to Colombia for a conference...

Charles Warner, Black Mofo Dead-Man-Walking, to Be Executed Today for Rape and Murder of 11-Month-Old Baby

Hopefully, it'll be a botched execution and the motherfucker will go down in excruciatingly caustic pain from the burning, death-bringing pharmaceuticals coursing through his evil system.

At NBC News, "Oklahoma Execution: Baby's Mom Says Killer Charles Warner Should Live":

Death-row prisoner Charles Warner is set to be executed in Oklahoma on Thursday for the rape and murder of an 11-month-old baby, but one person who doesn't want to see him killed is the infant's mother.

Shonda Waller told defense lawyers in a videotaped statement that a lethal injection for Warner — the first in the state since a bungled procedure nine months ago — would be a "dishonor" to her daughter Adrianna's name and against her religious beliefs.

"I don't see any justice in just sentencing someone to die," Waller said. "To me, the justice is in someone living with what they have done to you, your family, and having to live with that for the rest of their life knowing they will never walk out those bars."

The statement made last January was played for Oklahoma's parole board in March when Warner was up for clemency. The panel voted not to give him a reprieve and he was scheduled to die April 29. He was waiting to be escorted to the death chamber when an earlier execution that same night was so badly botched it sparked global outrage.

That inmate, Clayton Lockett, was supposed to die within minutes after a doctor ran three drugs through an IV in a vein his groin, but he regained consciousness and appeared to writhe in pain midway through the procedure. He said, "Oh man," and tried to rise from the gurney.

The warden tried to halt the execution, but Lockett died anyway, after 43 minutes of suffering.

The disturbing scene made headlines around the world, prompted President Obama to order a Justice Department review of lethal injection protocols nationwide — and bought extra time for Warner, whose execution was called off while the debacle was investigated.

Among the questions asked: Did Oklahoma's use of midazolam contribute to the debacle? The sedative was the first of three drugs administered and critics say it carries the danger of not rendering an inmate fully unconscious before the other two chemicals, a paralyzing agent and a heart-stopper, hit the bloodstream with potentially excruciating results.

The Oklahoma probe ultimately determined the midazolam itself was not the culprit and a poorly placed IV that leaked the drug into the surrounding tissues instead of a central vein was to blame.

The corrections department promised to increase the dose of midazolam for future injections, improve training for the execution team and revamp procedures to make it easier to stop an execution gone awry.

A new date with death was set for Warner, whose latest appeal is sitting with the U.S. Supreme Court after a federal appeals panel this week rejected his claims that midazolam would cause too-painful an end, in violation of the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

There could be no debate about the cruelty of the crime.

It happened Aug. 22, 1997, in the home that Warner and his two children shared with Waller, who is variously described as an ex-girlfriend or former roommate in court papers. Waller went out to run errands and when she returned, the child was unconscious. Resuscitation efforts failed and the baby was pronounced dead at the hospital...

The death penalty is available for society's most heinous crimes. You don't get much more heinous than this. Fry the fucker.

More at Politico, "Oklahoma prepares to use controversial execution drug."

In Wake of #CharlieHebdo March, France Cracks Down on Hate Speech. Wait. What?

It was a nice march, but pessimists sure didn't have to wait long to be proved correct.

At the BBC, "Paris attacks: Dieudonne held as France tackles hate speech," and the Guardian, "Dieudonné arrested over Facebook post on Paris gunman."

Video here, "French Comic Dieudonne Faces 7 Years in Prison for Paris Attack Facebook Post."

Also, from Neo-Neocon, at Legal Insurrection, "France is cracking down on “hate speech”."

And don't miss civil liberties drama queen Glenn Greenwald, at the Intercept, "FRANCE ARRESTS A COMEDIAN FOR HIS FACEBOOK COMMENTS, SHOWING THE SHAM OF THE WEST’S “FREE SPEECH” CELEBRATION."

As they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Seattle Couple's Non-Traditional Baby Announcement Goes Viral

Modern family.

A few years back, before all of the recent court ruling favoring homosexual marriage, a gay man in one of my classes defiantly proclaimed, "You don't even need a man and a woman to have a baby!" He meant of course that traditional marriage was for the birds. Who needs a married man and woman when two gay guys can hire and impregnate a surrogate mother with their sperm?!!

Or in the Seattle couple's case, who needs a man? Well, who needs a married man? Just get a sperm donor down at the clinic and you're all set. Hooray!

Marriage is dead.

At ABC News Los Angeles, "'NONTRADITIONAL' COUPLE ANNOUNCE THEIR PREGNANCY WITH A FUNNY PHOTO."

Heidi Klum Strips Down in Racy New Underwear Campaign Replacing Elle Macpherson's Intimates

Out with the old, as they say.

In this case, however, they're both kind of old. I suppose Ms. Klum's got far greater name recognition though, hence Ms. Macpherson was dumped.

At London's Daily Mail, "Battle of 'The Body': Heidi Klum strips down to racy and lacy lingerie in new campaign for underwear line that replaces Elle Macpherson's Intimates range."

Also, "Too legit to quit! Elle Macpherson shares a flashback shot of herself on bus shelter starring in campaign for The Body Intimates range after being replaced by Heidi Klum."

PREVIOUSLY: "Heidi Klum Christmas in St. Barts."

The Threat to the West from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

The tide of war is receding and we've got the terrorists on the run.

Famous last words.

See Ahmed Rashid, at the New York Review, "Waking Up to the New al-Qaeda":

The Yemen branch of al-Qaeda should be a particular concern to the West. AQAP is almost as old as the original al-Qaeda organization formed in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Osama bin Laden in the early 1980s. Bin Laden’s family was from Yemen and it was always his aim to maintain an organization in that country, where territory was fairly easy to acquire, in order to provide permanent bases from which to eventually seize power there. It never happened in bin Laden’s own lifetime, but now the Yemeni state is in chaos and the possibility that AQAP could gain control of a significant part of the country cannot be ruled out.

Moreover, in its fundamental aims, AQAP poses a more direct threat to Western targets than ISIS. From its initial rise to power in Iraq and Syria, ISIS has given top priority to the “near enemy,” what it views as the corrupt secular Arab regimes of the Middle East. Thus, while there have been some attacks in the West by supporters of ISIS, the group itself has set out to seize Arab territory, destroy borders, and establish a unitary Islamic state or Caliphate stretching from Morocco to India. By contrast, AQAP has maintained the original al-Qaeda aim of attacking the “far enemy”—Western countries and Western capitalism—in order to bring about the collapse of Arab regimes.

Despite a sustained US drone campaign and a brutal civil war in Yemen, AQAP continues to have a strong organization and is far from being annihilated. Unlike other branches of al-Qaeda, AQAP has never picked a fight with ISIS, despite rivalry between the two groups. ISIS may have ambitions in Yemen but the country is far from ISIS’s heartland in Iraq and Syria, and the group has decided for the moment to leave AQAP alone. All of this should make Western intelligence agencies particularly vigilant about further AQAP attacks in the West.

However, the phenomenal growth of ISIS in the past twelve months has distracted Western intelligence from the continued threat of al-Qaeda. ISIS battlefield successes have helped draw some 18,000 foreign jihadists from ninety 90 countries to join and fight for the movement in Syria and Iraq. The original al-Qaeda never managed to recruit such large numbers of followers, and ISIS’s success has provided inspiration and ideological clarity to many extremists in Europe and around the world. It also has overwhelmed Western intelligence agencies. In numerous reports, we have been told that the European intelligence agencies had far too many leads to follow, too many returning fighters from Syria and Iraq to keep tabs on, and not enough manpower to do all the tasks required. There is now little doubt that the first beneficiary of this de-facto switch in Western intelligence priorities was AQAP.

The attacks in France killed seventeen people—far fewer than the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11—but they seem to have had nearly as powerful an effect, terrifying governments across Europe, turning security protocols and precautions upside down, and even provoking demands by some leaders that the Schengen open-border policy be revised. Doubtless, in the weeks ahead we will see even greater social, political, and economic repercussions in France and other European countries, including a change in security practices at airports and train stations, and possibly in laws and detention rules by the courts. Worst of all, it may draw new support to right wing, anti-migrant, anti-Muslim political parties, making them more likely to win elections in several countries, including France.

In other words, the Paris attacks could dramatically change the way Western governments operate, which is exactly what the old al-Qaeda tried to do when it attacked the twin towers in New York. AQAP will continue to make this its strategic aim—to bring Western capitalism to its knees. ISIS represents an extraordinary threat of its own, but the Paris attacks have demonstrated that the greatest danger to the West is still al-Qaeda.

Be sure to RTWT.

Plus, from Reuters, "Al Qaeda claims French attack, derides Paris rally."

Woman Beheaded in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian justice, at Blazing Cat Fur, "VIDEO: Saudi Arabia: Woman murderer beheaded – Warning Graphic."

Pakistan Protesters Pay Tribute to #CharlieHebdo Jihadists, Hail Kouachi Brothers as 'Martyrs'

Video at AFP, "Pakistani protesters celebrate Charlie Hebdo attackers":

Dozens of people in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar pay tribute to the brothers who carried out the Charlie Hebdo murders.

Flagstaff Officer Tyler Stewart Shot to Death While Wearing Police Body Camera (VIDEO)

Well, it's definitely up close and personal.

At the Arizona Republic, "Flagstaff police officer's body camera captures fatal shooting":

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video below is graphic and may not be something you want to see. It was released by Flagstaff Police honoring a public records request by media, including azcentral, The Arizona Republic and 12 News. The video will be part of the ongoing discussion about safety for officers and for the people they encounter, which is why we think it is newsworthy.

There's video at that above link.

And see the Los Angeles Times, "Body camera video of Arizona police officer's killing stirs ethical debate":

The video footage is raw, showing Flagstaff, Ariz., police Officer Tyler Stewart chatting with a man accused of breaking a couple things in his girlfriend's apartment a day earlier. That's what body cameras do: capture the daily work of police officers up close.

"Do you mind if I just pat down your pockets real quick? You don't have anything in here?" Stewart, 24, can be heard asking the suspect, Robert Smith, 28, who had his hands jammed in his pockets. They had been talking in the cold for a few minutes outside Smith's home Dec. 27.

"No, no — my smokes," replies Smith, who had been chuckling moments earlier. Smith then draws a revolver so fast that the gun is almost a blur. The video stops. Stewart is shot five times before Smith fatally shoots himself.

The graphic video altered the usual conversation about body cameras and police accountability by capturing — up close — a polite conversation that instantly turned into a deadly encounter in which the officer had little chance to react.

The Flagstaff Police Department released body camera footage this week in response to several media public records requests.

For several months, nationwide calls for police to wear body cameras have grown as activists and some public officials have pushed for answers after several high-profile use-of-force incidents, including the fatal police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson Mo.

In Albuquerque this week, body camera footage was used by prosecutors in their decision to seek charges against two police officers after they fatally shot a homeless man while he appeared to be turning away during a standoff.

"That's what these cameras are for," said Tim McGuire, who teaches ethics at the Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "They're for accountability, and they're designed to minimize controversy and educate the public about how these things come down."

But the Arizona footage raises questions about the balance between the public's right to know and privacy concerns for officers and bystanders as authorities around the country wrestle with how to regulate the rapidly spreading technology.

"We are currently crafting or looking at legislation that may very well discuss this," Levi Bolton Jr., executive director of the 14,000-member Arizona Police Assn., said Wednesday shortly before a meeting to discuss body cameras at Arizona's state Capitol.

"We acknowledge that the public and the media should have access to this information," Bolton said of body camera footage. However, he was concerned about the appropriate timing for its release and whether such footage should be regulated so that confidential informants, undercover officers or victims of sex crimes are not identified...

Hmm... Actually, the body-camera genie's not going back in the bottle at this point. There's too much demand for accountability. If folks are worried about the sensitive nature of these recordings, there should be strict protocols for public release. I suspect the public's right to know, especially in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting death in Ferguson, is going to outweigh worries about privacy, however.

Still more at the link.

Holly Williams Reports on the Islamic Reaction to Charlie Hebdo's Latest Issue Featuring Muhammad Cover

A mixed reaction, to say the least. Lots of blame placed on the West.

From CBS Evening News, "Muslims respond to latest Charlie Hebdo issue."

East London Café Owner Gets Death Threat After Placing 'Je Suis Charlie' Sign Outside

Heh, maybe East London's looking to become a "no-go" zone.

At BCF, "East London café threatened for placing #JeSuisCharlie sign outside – owner says he won’t back down."

Obama's Pathetic Bombing Campaign Hasn't Stopped Expansion of Islamic State in Syria

Military and strategic experts hammered the administration's tepid bombing campaign last summer, and now there's evidence that ISIS is not only holding the line, but expanding its presence in Syria.

Military air campaigns as leftist window dressing for appeasement. Seriously. It's come to this.

And by the way, no offense to the honorable U.S. military personnel who're on the front lines of the battle. Your sacrifice is forever appreciated.

At the Wall Street Journal, "Months of Airstrikes Fail to Slow Islamic State in Syria: Militant Group Has Gained Territory Despite U.S.-Led Strikes, Raising Concerns of the Obama Administration’s Mideast Strategy":

WASHINGTON—More than three months of U.S. airstrikes in Syria have failed to prevent Islamic State militants from expanding their control in that country, according to U.S. and independent assessments, raising new concerns about President Barack Obama ’s military strategy in the Middle East.

While U.S. bombing runs and missile strikes have put Islamic State forces on the defensive in Iraq, they haven’t had the same kind of impact in Syria. Instead, jihadist fighters have enlarged their hold in Syria since the U.S. started hitting the group’s strongholds there in September, according to the new estimates.

Islamic State’s progress in Syria is partly the result of the U.S. decision to focus its military efforts on Iraq, where the militant group has seized major parts of the country and declared them part of a new Islamic caliphate. The U.S.-led military effort has pushed the forces out of some key battlegrounds in Iraq.

But Syria still serves as a haven for Islamic State fighters, also known in the West by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL.

“Certainly ISIS has been able to expand in Syria, but that’s not our main objective,” said one senior defense official. “I wouldn’t call Syria a safe haven for ISIL, but it is a place where it’s easier for them to organize, plan and seek shelter than it is in Iraq.”

The assessments come as the Obama administration is considering whether the U.S. should embrace more aggressive ideas for containing Islamic State forces in Syria. Some administration officials have been pushing the U.S. to once again rethink its “Iraq-first” strategy and focus more attention on Syria, including training thousands of Syrian fighters to take on the feared group.

Among suggestions: The U.S. military could help set up a buffer zone along Syria’s border with Turkey that would be protected by American air power. It could start coordinating airstrikes with rebel forces currently fighting in Syria. And it could provide Kurdish forces now fighting in Syria with more sophisticated weapons.

But there is significant opposition within the administration to any idea that would drag the U.S. military deeper into a country where few see options that will make things better, officials say. Military officials say the concerns are understandable. But containing the dangers posed by Islamic State forces will take time and patience, they say.

For now, the U.S. strategy remains focused on pushing Islamic State forces out of Iraq, where they control major parts of the country, including Mosul, its second largest city, and Fallujah, a longtime stronghold of anti-American resistance northwest of Baghdad.

That focus is likely to be questioned in the coming weeks when the new Republican-controlled Congress holds hearings on Mr. Obama’s strategy in the Middle East. Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), the new chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is likely to challenge the strategy when he holds a confirmation hearing in early February for Ashton Carter, a longtime Pentagon official who is Mr. Obama’s nominee to be his next defense secretary.

Col. Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East military campaign, said the airstrikes weren’t intended to prevent Islamic State fighters from gaining ground in most of Syria.

While the U.S. has stepped in to help Kurdish fighters in Kobani, Col. Ryder said coalition strikes in Syria are primarily “shaping” operations meant to weaken their hold in neighboring Iraq. “Gaining territorial control in Syria has never been our mission,” he said. “That wasn’t the objective of our airstrikes.”

One senior administration official said Wednesday that the strategy remains focused on training Syrian rebels to eventually lead the fight in a complex civil war.

Right. "Training Syrian rebels." What rebels? They've either been exterminated by ISIS or they've sworn fealty to their Islamic State overlords to save their own necks.

Syria is virtually lost. We'd need bombing campaigns to match Dresden in World War II to start having an impact, and that's not something the United States will do, especially under the continued cowardice and appeasement of Barack Hussein.

Still more.

No! You Can't Murder Our Freedom!

Via Daniel Greenfield, at FrontPage Magazine, here's Berliner Kurier getting right to the point:

#CharlieHebdo: Millionen-Reichweite auf Facebook - Netz-Reaktionen auf die KURIER-Titelseite http://t.co/Dfs607MEAc pic.twitter.com/C7Eydl8nAn
— BERLINER KURIER (@BERLINER_KURIER) January 8, 2015