Reader’s links for November 22 – 2016

Daily Links Post graphic

In order to preserve the flow of conversation about various posted items, and also in order to make it easier for visitors to find the list of related links being shared by other readers, regulars and interested parties in one place, each day a post is automatically created at a minute past midnight ET.

This way, under the various posts of the day, conversation can take place without as much ‘noise’ on the various links and articles and ideas in the main posts and all the news links being submitted can be seen under these auto-posts by clicking on the comments-link right below these ones.

Thank you all for those that take the effort to assist this site in keeping the public informed. Below, typically people can find the latest enemy propaganda, news items of related materials from multiple countries and languages, op-eds from many excellent sites who write on our topics, geopolitics and immigration issues and so on.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

120 Replies to “Reader’s links for November 22 – 2016”

  1. Egypt court overturns life sentence against ex-president Mursi (reuters, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-politics-mursi-idUKKBN13H0JD?rpc=401

    “Egypt’s Court of Cassation overturned on Tuesday a life sentence against deposed President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial in the case that revolves around accusations of espionage with Palestinian group Hamas.

    The court last week overturned a death sentence against Mursi in a separate case, meaning he no longer faces execution.

    Democratically elected after the 2011 uprising, Mursi was overthrown in mid-2013 by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass protests against his rule, and was immediately arrested.

    He remains in jail on separate convictions…”

  2. Iran to BOLSTER military after US ‘aggression’ and build FIVE naval bases along coast (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/734913/Iran-to-build-naval-bases-in-response-to-Washington-threats-Pentagon-Donald-Trump

    “IRAN has announced plans to bolster its armed forces by building five naval bases – sparking fears the Islamic republic is beefing up its military might ahead of Donald Trump’s Presidential inauguration…”

  3. Now Czech Republic goes against EU and backs Donald Trump’s ‘views on migration’ (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/734906/Czech-Republic-EU-Milos-Zeman-migration-Donald-Trump-Eastern-Europe

    “THE Czech Republic has shown its backing for US President-elect Donald Trump’s views on migration as the list of countries supporting the Republican continues to grow.

    Czech president Miloš Zeman openly supported Trump during his election campaign and also backed his fight against the evil Islamic State.

    After the vote he said: “I agree with his views on migration and the fight against Islamic terrorism”.

    Zeman added that he hoped Ivana Trump – the President-elect’s first wife – would become the US ambassador to the Czech Republic after she expressed an interest in the post earlier this month.

    Tomáš Prouza, the state secretary for European affairs at the Czech Prime Minister’s Office, said: “She would definitely reach out to people easily and could be very good in public diplomacy.

    “I don’t expect anyone to protest.”

    Czech Finance Minister, Andrej Babiš, who like Trump is a billionaire, said he believed the President-elect’s policies could help to end Europe’s migrant crisis – although he also claimed he hoped Trump “would respect the Nato alliance” in a Facebook post.

    It comes after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbàn showed support for the new US leader, using similar rhetoric to Trump to oppose the arrival of Muslim migrants.

    Following Trump’s landmark win, Orbàn said: “We are living in the days where what we call liberal non-democracy — in which we lived for the past 20 years — ends, and we can return to real democracy.”

    Meanwhile, Poland – who share a border with the Czech Republic and Russia – has more concerns about Trump’s presidency…”

  4. Milan’s migrant crisis: 150 soldiers ordered into chaos-hit city after horror knife fight (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/734786/Migrant-crisis-Milan-150-soldiers-ordered-chaos-hit-city-horror-knife-fight

    “THE ITALIAN government is planning to send in 150 soldiers into Milan over claims the city is at breaking point because of an influx of migrants.

    Interior minister, Angelino Alfano, added he would double the number of officers in the army to handle the chaos.

    Mr Alfano said: “We will send 150 more soldiers to Milan to support the police, who are already operating at the highest level.

    “When I became minister there were 400 military officers. The goal is to double that number.”

    The minister was speaking at a security summit in Milan where the city’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said he begged the government to intervene after the city became overrun with migrants…”

  5. THE BLACK AXE: Italy faces chilling new organised crime group MORE RUTHLESS than the mafia (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/734772/Black-Axe-Mafia-Cosa-Nostra-Sicily-Palermo-Italy-Nigeria-Lagos

    “ITALY is facing a terrifying new organised crime threat from gangsters who are even more merciless than the homegrown mafia.

    The Black Axe – a Nigerian criminal network that rules by fear – is involved in drug dealing, prostitution and the fraudulent transfer of money between Europe and Nigeria.

    And the ruthless organisation is now working alongside the Sicilian mafia – the notorious and powerful Cosa Nostra – after striking a deal with underworld bosses in the island’s capital Palermo and buying the rights to operate in designated areas.

    Deputy prosecutor Leonardo Agueci said: “Cosa Nostra tolerates the Nigerian mafia in Palermo. Cosa Nostra allowed the Nigerians to organise a subordinate structure they were tolerated as long as they didn’t come outside their perimeter.”

    Mr Agueci was speaking after ordering a crackdown on senior Black Axe figures which saw 17 men arrested and taken into custody.

    He said: “Thanks to this operation, which took place a few days sooner because authorities feared some central parts of the organisation would escape, the danger of possible conflicts and internal wars was avoided.”

    His investigators said the Black Axe had a gruesome reputation for carrying out atrocious punishments and physical torture which has been likened to a cross between black magic and revenge mafia.

    One initiation ritual is said to involve drinking human blood.

    An investigator said: “Nigerian mafia is sometimes more violent than the mafia from Palermo. There are many cases of violence. People who did not follow the rules were punished in an extreme violent way.”

    He said a man thought to be in a relationship with the wife of a Black Axe leader was subjected to a horrific 12-hour ordeal in which he was beaten, stripped naked, tortured and raped on the floor of a room at the back restaurant.

    The officials compared the crime network to a full-fledged state with leaders, defence ministers, soldiers and even a national holiday. They said it is based on a pyramidal structure of obedience and terror…”

    • Illegal criminal organization coming to a new country have to be more violent then criminal organizations present in a country.. They have to fight for resources and win some territory from the old illegal organizations. And Cosa Nostra is not only the mafia who cooperates with other organised criminal entities,. for example Ndrangheta cooperates with Los Zetas

  6. Half of US Arms Sent to Syrian Kurds Go to Daesh Militants – Erdogan (sputniknews, Nov 22, 2016)
    https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611221047700795-syria-kurds-daesh-us-arms/

    “Half of US arms supplies airlifted to Kurdish fighters to help them in the struggle against the Daesh terrorist group end up in terrorist hands, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

    ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkey is part of the US-led coalition targeting the Daesh in Syria. However, a rift within the coalition has been caused by Turkey regarding Syrian Kurdish militias to be allied to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey.

    “The questions about fighting terrorism should be directed at the West above all. Right now, we are the ones fighting the IS [Daesh]. The United States sometimes provide air support, but, unfortunately, we see the IS armed with weapons produced in the West. Of course, they [US] do not say they support the IS, but we see that half of their weapon airdrops end up with the Kurds and half with the IS,” Erdogan said in an interview with the Israeli Channel 2 broadcaster.

    In late September, reports emerged of the United States supplying Kurdish militias, namely the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with light arms and other weapons. SDF are currently advancing on the self-proclaimed Daesh capital of Raqqa.”

  7. Putin moves his missiles in new threat to Europe

    Russia accuses Nato of military expansion

    Russia is deploying short-range ballistic missiles to its western European enclave, it emerged yesterday as President Putin threatened “counter-measures” against Nato expansion.

    A senior Russian MP said that Moscow would permanently station the nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a region between the Nato states of Poland and Lithuania, in retaliation for a military build-up by the alliance in eastern Europe.

    John Kirby, spokesman for the US State Department, said that the deployment of the missiles was “destabilising to Euro

    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/putin-moves-his-missiles-in-new-threat-to-europe-fbqpr9m9g

    Richard: Putin is testing Trump to see if he will cave.

  8. Richard: The rule of law just died in the US, it is official that some people receive special treatement and are above the law.

    Trump won’t pursue charges against Clinton

    President-elect Donald Trump won’t subject Hillary Clinton to a criminal inquiry — instead, he’ll help her heal, his spokeswoman said Tuesday.

    “I think when the president-elect who’s also the head of your party … tells you before he’s even inaugurated he doesn’t wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone and content, to the members,” Kellyanne Conway told the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” who first reported that the president-elect would not pursue his campaign pledge to “lock up” Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

    “Look, I think, he’s thinking of many different things as he prepares to become the president of the United States, and things that sound like the campaign are not among them,” Conway, who is now on the Trump transition team, said in her interview.

    She continued: “I think Hillary Clinton still has to face the fact that a majority of Americans don’t find her to be honest or trustworthy, but if Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps that’s a good thing.”

    http://nypost.com/2016/11/22/trump-wont-pursue-charges-against-clinton/

    • Former AG John Ashcroft is now on FOX saying that this statement does not mean that all current investigations have been stopped or that no prosecution will be made on any evidence coming out of the investigaitons.

      I hope/pray that he isn’t just voicing what he hopes is the facts instead of saying what is reality.

    • I must say I find this news disquieting, because how can you drain the swamp when you let one of the worst offenders get away with it. However unless he intends to pardon her, that decision is not his to make, I expect the investigations will continue.

      I think that is Trump walking away from being blamed for victimising her which is a smart political move, but he has to expose the wrong doing to be able to drain the swamp and he just decided to appear to continue with a two tier law system for the powerful.

      Looking at this from a strategic point of view, I think I would have made this decision at a later date, perhaps this is his attempt to placate the mobs of Soros funded goons running around in hate Trump rallies, it will not work…

      • This is what more people on FOX are saying, I hope so because if she isn’t tried (along with others in the Obama administration) the rule of law is dead in the US.

        • I agree, we have a three tier legal system in Europe, one for the Elites, another for Muslims and another really harsh one for all the others, to see the USA under Trump not get how important that this is,is a major worry.

          • I’m hoping this statement is intended to thwart any meddling by Obama on his way out while at the same time leaving the door open for a full investigation and prosecution of the Clinton Foundation.

            • Mr. Obama can pardon the Clinton Familyi on inauguration day.
              From the past http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0908.html
              Washington, Sept. 8–President Ford granted former President Richard M. Nixon an unconditional pardon today for all Federal crimes that he “committed or may have committed or taken part in” while in office, an act Mr. Ford said was intended to spare Mr. Nixon and the nation further punishment in the Watergate scandals.

              Mr. Nixon, in San Clemente, Calif., accepted the pardon, which exempts him from indictment and trial for, among other things, his role in the cover-up of the Watergate burglary. He issued a statement saying that he could now see he was “wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate.”

              ‘Act of Mercy’

              Phillip W. Buchen, the White House counsel, who advised Mr. Ford on the legal aspects of the pardon, said the “act of mercy” on the President’s part was done without making any demands on Mr. Nixon and without asking the advice of the Watergate special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, who had the legal responsibility to prosecute the case.

              • That is what we are afraid of. Obama on the other had is afraid that an investigation into the email server will also prove that he knew about it and is guilty of the same crimes. Unless both of them are tried for their crimes the precedent will have been set that Liberal Democrat Presidents are above the law. which will probably mean that the next time a Democrat is elected it will be for life.

            • I’m hoping this statement is intended to thwart any meddling by Obama on his way out while at the same time leaving the door open for a full investigation and prosecution of the Clinton Foundation.

              One can only hope so. Most certainly, this is an example of Trump learning about DC’s ancient tradition of, “go along to get along”. For example, look at the abrupt toning down of Florida Senator Allen West’s anti-Islamic rhetoric immediately after his arrival in Washington.

              Trump is about to find out what happens to political outsiders when they step into one of the world’s most massive (and lucrative) good-old-boy networks. Just his threats about curtailing lobbying opportunities (much less his highly inflammatory suggestion of federal term limits) is likely to create an uproar in the hallowed halls of our nation’s capitol.

              Only time will tell if there are “work-arounds” being crafted as alternatives to this, otherwise, expectable (however cynical it may be) conciliatory gesture.

    • This may be why he said he would start new investigations.

      GOP Pledges to Move Forward With Clinton Investigations

      Republican lawmakers are now telling Fox News that they intend to go forward with at least four separate congressional investigations into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. These investigations, which were expected in the wake of a Clinton victory, were the subject of intense curiosity in light of what actually happened. If Donald Trump is the president, is there an exceptional need to follow through on these inquiries?

      According to the Republicans who spoke to Fox News, the answer is yes. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told the station that it was still imperative for Americans to get to the bottom of this scandalous situation.

      “I still don’t have the information I need,” Johnson said. “I think it’s one of the messages of this election that the public is disgusted when they see double standards, when they think people in high places, high government officials can get away with what ordinary citizens can’t. So, I just think it’s extremely important to follow this thing through and get all the information. Make it public.”

      http://www.conservativefreepress.com/politics/gop-pledges-move-forward-clinton-investigations/

        • I pray that is what is happening, the rule of law and thus freedom is at stake in the outcome of the investigations.

    • Judicial Watch Calls for Trump Administration Investigation of Hillary Clinton

      https://twitter.com/TomFitton/status/801107872771960832

      (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding reports that President-elect Trump decided that his administration will not pursue investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email scandal or the Clinton Foundation:

      Donald Trump must commit his administration to a serious, independent investigation of the very serious Clinton national security, email, and pay-to-play scandals. If Mr. Trump’s appointees continue the Obama administration’s politicized spiking of a criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton, it would be a betrayal of his promise to the American people to “drain the swamp” of out-of-control corruption in Washington, DC. President-elect Trump should focus on healing the broken justice system, affirm the rule of law and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Clinton scandals. In the meantime, Judicial Watch will vigorously pursue its independent litigation and investigation of the Clinton email, national security, and other corruption scandals.

      http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-calls-trump-administration-investigation-hillary-clinton/

      • I am not the only one who is worried by the statement.

        All we can do is wait and see, and worry while we are waiting.

  9. EU Army set to be agreed TODAY – and BRITAIN will foot the £420m-a-year bill
    THE EU will today ratify the creation of a continent wide super army that will be up and running next year – and blame BREXIT for its creation.

    Brussels politicians convened in the French city of Strasbourg to thrash out the plans that will cost taxpayers’ £420m-a-year.

    They will vote on the issue to establish an “EU-wide system for the coordination of rapid movement of defence forces personnel” across Europe later today.

    If agreed Britain will not only be forced to foot the bill because it is timetabled for before the triggering of Article 50, but it will also be legally drawn into it.

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/734711/EU-army-agreed-strasbourg-defence-Britain-pays-bill-blame-Brexit-article-50-NATO-SHAPE

  10. Marine Le Pen looms over a Trumpian world

    French presidential election will pit far-right leader against establishment figures
    Gideon Rachman

    This time last year, I wrote that “I have a nightmare vision for 2017: President Trump, President Le Pen, President Putin.” So, after Donald Trump’s victory, the next question is whether Marine Le Pen can indeed capture the French presidency?

    Following this weekend’s centre-right primary, it seems likely that Ms Le Pen will face a run-off in May against either François Fillon or Alain Juppé. Both are Hillary Clinton-style establishment figures, who would be ideal opponents for the leader of the far-right.

    The consequences of a victory for the far-right in France would be drastic for both European and world politics. A Le Pen presidency could well lead to the collapse of the EU. She wants to pull France out of the European single currency and to hold a referendum on France’s EU membership.

    https://www.ft.com/content/141beb44-ad83-11e6-ba7d-76378e4fef24

  11. Richard: This is very disturbing

    IG report: Thousands of green cards, sent to wrong addresses, have simply ‘disappeared’
    By LU Staff November 21, 2016

    Thousands of green cards are missing because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials apparently sent them to the wrong addresses, jeopardizing national security, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (IG) report made public Monday.

    “It appears that thousands of green cards have simply gone missing,” DHS Inspector General John Roth said in a news release. “In the wrong hands, green cards may enable terrorists, criminals, and undocumented aliens to remain in the United States. It is vital that USCIS ensure better tools and procedures are in place to mitigate such risks.”

    The USCIS in the last three years received more than 200,000 reports from approved applicants claiming their cards were never delivered, the IG found. Monday’s audit — a follow-up to a March IG report saying USCIS officials sent hundreds of green cards to the wrong addresses — revealed “the problem was far worse than originally thought,” the IG said.

    But the actual number of missing cards is unknown, as USCIS relies on reports from applicants, the IG said.

    http://libertyunyielding.com/2016/11/21/ig-report-thousands-green-cards-sent-wrong-addresses-simply-disappeared/

    • The number is suppose to be 90,000+ and the IG says they can find no evidence on who got them or where they are.

        • He should but I don’t think he will, Obama and his people still think they can take the US full socialist/communist. This isn’t a job for faint hearted people.

  12. The latest BS to manipulate those for whom Facebook is sole frame of reference

    At first you might think, “Why is this post-worthy?”

    The video is about making sure you always “fact-check” before you share things on Facebook. The fictional example of a potentially damaging post is “Sweden bans Christmas Lights – to avoid angering Muslims.” Someone reads the headline, gets angry, shares the post and then the entire planet is thrown into angry chaos. Tsk tsk!

    But then (on the left side of the screen, of course) they show you the way! The way to the Truth! Hazah! The way to peace and happiness and rainbows and unicorn farts…GOOGLE! “Just use good old, faithful and trustworthy, not-manipulating-search-results-in-anyway-Google boys and girls! And you will learn that all of that horrible, nasty, anti-Muslim rhetoric is not true! Now go have a cup of tea and get back to what is really important: cat videos, Kardashian updates and makeup tutorials.”

  13. the daily beast – Muslims at the Pentagon Brace for Trump Administration

    For Muslims inside the national-security apparatus whom the Obama administration welcomed with open arms, fear of Trump is already pervasive, U.S. officials tell The Daily Beast.

    Donald Trump’s inauguration may be 58 days away, but for the Muslim officials once welcomed into the U.S. government’s war on terrorism, the change already has begun.

    Four U.S. officials who spoke to The Daily Beast said fear is pervasive among Muslims inside the halls of the Pentagon, the CIA, and the Department of Homeland Security in anticipation of a Trump administration. Already, the officials said, they are seeing colleagues who are less willing to share their thoughts about national security. They fear they will no longer be seen as an asset to confronting terrorism but rather suspect members of the government they serve.

    It is, one U.S. official explained, a climate of “anticipatory freakout.”

    Muslim employees at the Pentagon, both civilian and military, were reticent to talk about their fears, even in a building where there are Muslim services every Friday.

    “I am scared to speak,” one civilian told The Daily Beast. “We don’t know what it is going to mean for us.”

    Will Muslim CIA agents be asked to register? Will the next commander in chief ban the family of Muslim troops from visiting this country? Will Muslim members of the Department of Homeland Security face increased scrutiny based on their faith?

    “It’s one thing to attack your argument. It’s another to attack your person. And that is what people fear: that if they speak up too much, they will be attacked,” the U.S. official continued.

    “You are less likely to speak up if you are against the prevailing view. Before, that was not a consideration.”

    Managers throughout the departments already are trying to calm staffers, reassuring them they will not be treated differently by those around them.

    It is not just Muslims who are worried. Gays and lesbians, African Americans, Hispanics, and women all have expressed some level of concern. After all, the national-security community has historically lagged behind other government agencies when it comes to embracing diversity.

    It was not until a 1995 executive order that gays and lesbians could serve openly in national-security jobs and get clearances. At the same time, women climbed the ranks of the agencies, most notably in 1997, when Madeleine Albright became the first female secretary of State, the highest national-security position ever held by a woman. Post-9/11, two presidents publicly spoke on behalf of Muslims and said they are a part of the American fabric, not a segment of the population that should be equated with extremists.

    According to the White House, minorities now make up 20 percent of senior diplomats and 15 percent of senior military officers and intelligence officials.

    Despite that, the fear these days among Muslims especially is born out of both the rhetoric of the election and, more recently, Trump’s picks so far for his national-security team. Ret. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the incoming national security adviser, has called fear of Muslims “rational.” On Sunday, Reince Priebus said on Meet the Press that while there was no plan for a Muslim registry, “I’m not going to rule out anything.”

    Also Sunday, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach met with Trump and was photographed carrying a document spelling out a 100-day plan for the Department of Homeland Security that included a proposal to question “high-risk” immigrants over support for Sharia law and belief in the U.S. Constitution.

    Perhaps the most searing interaction between Muslims and Trump, for Muslims who serve in national security, was Trump’s treatment of a Muslim Gold Star family during the presidential campaign. After Khizr Khan—whose son, Capt. Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq in 2004—spoke at the Democratic National Convention, Trump attacked him and his wife, and insisted that he too had “made a lot of sacrifices.”

    The result is a president-elect not welcome in the nation’s mosques.

    For some, there already is a litmus test for incoming members of the Trump administration: Will agency heads and Cabinet secretaries let the mistreatment of Muslims or any other minority be tolerated? Some said they hope Congress poses such questions to Flynn during the confirmation hearings.

    Either way, the new administration is a marked change. For the Obama administration, diversity within the administration was not just about politics but a means to better secure the country. And officials advocated it aggressively. Departments now are filled with younger staffers, many of whom never anticipated anything other than a government that embraced diversity.

    Where minority staffers once were in lower-level jobs, now it is no longer uncommon to see a Muslim in hijab at the table of a high-level meeting.

    “I truly believe that the business case for diversity is stronger for CIA than it is for any organization in the U.S. government,” CIA Director John Brennan told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in June. “Diversity not only gives us the cultural understanding we need to operate in any corner of the globe, it also helps us avoid groupthink, ensuring we bring to bear a range of perspectives on the complex challenges that are inherent to intelligence work.”

    Just last month, President Obama issued a memorandum about “Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the National-Security Workforce” that called for better data about the makeup of national-security employees and to help expand diversity within the national-security community.

    There is nothing that binds the incoming president from adhering to any part of the memorandum.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/22/muslims-at-the-pentagon-brace-for-trump-administration.html

    • Islam is an evil ideology as Communism and Gonaduality: It paralyses the host to think through the impact of a trauma in childhood.

      This fixation is the survival of life itself.

      The beheading, the abandonment or the sitting at uncle Jade’s knee.

      Set them free.

    • Once again the Moslems and their leftist allies are busy making themselves the victims and the rest of us evil.

      You would think that the ease with which Trump won over their crooked machine and vote fraud would make them more cautious.

    • Anyone who can be easily compromised cannot remain in service. This is standard security vetting which has been ignored for 8 years. So now they’re scared? Right. Only now to they worry about scrutiny? You know what you were up to and now the game is over. Consider yourself lucky to walk away a free person. In fact you should run away before someone changes their mind. There’s a new sherif in town.

      I just hope Trump doesn’t lighten up too much. I think NorseRadish said it the other day–he didn’t get here by being a wimp!

    • “Native informants” have been uniformly useless to the security community. I’m sure you’ve seen the same reports, I can’t find the links. No doubt they’ve been worse than useless, tipping off in-house MB and free-range jihadis.

      • It will take time to develop reliable human intel sources, then they have to worry about the infiltrators discovering who they are and about the Dems winning the next Presidential Election. This is one of the things that is going to make it a long war, the Israeli intel sources will make it easier as long as we are getting along with Israel.

    • Waterboarding is not terror.

      McCaine is a RINO Alpha Hotel who should be removed by the voters as soon as possible.

      • Gorka is right we must help our friends fight their own fight, not takeover for them but help them. This is one of the things the Green Berets were trained to do and they have only rarely been used in that role because way too many people in DC have the racist attitude that our friends overseas can’t fight for themselves unless we have massive number of troops doing most of the fighting.

  14. France: Trump will ‘bring about a major change’ in Syria, NF’s General Secretary tells EP

    General Secretary of the National Front Nicolas Bay stated that the election of US President-elect Donald Trump was an opportunity to “bring about a major change” in the Syria conflict, speaking during a European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, Tuesday. He noted that this seemed evident “particularly since he’s clearly stated that he’ll be associated with the Russians.”

    SOT, Nicolas Bay, General Secretary of the National Front (French): “The new president-elect of the United States has recognised that his predecessors bear a tremendous responsibility in the emergence of the Islamic State. His election to leader of a superpower should finally bring about a major change in the situation, particularly since he’s clearly stated that he’ll be associated with the Russians. The Russians, in conjunction with the Syrians are indeed the only people who have effectively combatted the Islamic barbarians who have been ravaging the country for more than five years.”

  15. DoD Releases Plan to Allow Personnel to Carry Firearms on Base

    Select Service

    Army
    Marines
    Navy
    Air Force

    National Guard
    Coast Guard
    Spouse

    Member? Login
    News

    Army
    Navy
    Air Force
    Marine Corps
    Coast Guard
    Procurement
    Technology
    Gear

    Most Popular Military News

    A U.S. Marine fires a M27 infantry automatic rifle at simulated enemies during an Integrated Training Exercise at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Aug. 18, 2016 (U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Danny Gonzalez) The Marine Corps Is Experimenting With a New Service Rifle
    President-elect Donald Trump talks to the media as he stands with retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse in Bedminster, N.J., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Trump: ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis Is ‘Very Impressive’ SecDef Candidate
    Sgt. John W. Perry, left, who died recently in Afghanistan, and his father, Stewart Perry, on the right. (DoD photo via AP) Gold Star Family of Slain California Soldier Booed on Flight
    Staff Sgt. Travis Groeschel, an EOD technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, is outfitted in his bomb suit before performing a demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (US Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.) Air Force Bomb Squad to Protect Trump’s Florida Mansion
    Seen in uniform before he left the Army, John Hamen died in Yemen in November 2015. (FACEBOOK photo) Death in Yemen: A Nightmare Ordeal, a Haunting End

    More Military Headlines

    Department of Veterans Affairs US Report on Tucson VA Wait Times Validates Whistleblower’s Claims
    U.S. Admiral Harry Harris, U.S. Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, poses with Philippine Armed Forces Chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya following their annual Mutual Defense Board meeting northeast of Manila, Philippines, Nov. 22, 2016. (AP/Bullit Marquez) Philippine, US Military Chiefs Say Ties Remain Robust
    Defense Secretary Ash Carter announces the results of the “Hack the Pentagon” pilot program at the Pentagon, June 17, 2016. (DoD photo/Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Tim D. Godbee) Pentagon Waives Penalties for Hackers to Test its Cybersecurity
    Sen. John McCain, left, and President-Elect Donald Trump, right. (Photos: Associated Press) McCain Doesn’t Care What Trump Wants: No Waterboarding
    In this photo taken Oct. 20, 2015, former Army Captain Florent Groberg poses for a portrait at the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Medal of Honor Recipient Honored at Citizenship Ceremony
    FILE – In this Jan. 24, 2008 file photo, then Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba reviews the guard of honor during a ceremony for Japanese navy destroyer Murasame at Yokosuka naval port. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File) Japan Defense Adviser Sees Chance to Update Alliance with US
    Oklahoma City Police Capt. Paco Balderrama briefs reporters about the shooting at Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport Nov. 16, 2016. Balderrama identified the shooter as Lloyd Dean Buie. (Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman via AP) Military Records Show Airport Shooter Was Decorated Marksman
    Afghan Municipality workers sweep Baqir-ul Ulom mosque after a suicide attack, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. An Afghan official says that dozens of civilians have been killed after a suicide bomber attacked a in Suicide Bomber Targets Shiite Mosque in Kabul, Killing 32
    Navy’s Jahmaal Daniels runs past an East Carolina defender on the way to a touchdown during a college football game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016. (Rhett Butler/The Daily Reflector via Navy Earns AAC West Title with Big Win over East Carolina
    In this Nov. 11, 2016 photo, a gravestone, left, with the inscription UNKNOWN U.S. SAILOR, is adorned with a flower and a small pumpkin at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman) WWII Mystery: Are ‘Missing’ Sailors Actually in NY Cemetery?
    A woman fires to the air at a Popular Mobilization Units base south of Mosul, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Iraqi Troops Search for Suicide Car Bombs in Eastern Mosul
    Tuskegee Airmen – Circa May 1942 to Aug 1943. (U.S. Air Force photo) Oldest Remaining Tuskegee Airman Dies at 101 in Florida

    KitUp!

    Marines Bring Ammo Professionals Out to the Range
    Christensen Arms Unveils its New Lightweight Bolt Gun
    Army to Field New Groin Protector
    Berne Apparel’s New Concealed-Carry Jacket
    Hogue Inc.’s Newest X5 Folding Knife
    SureFire’s New WristLight May Replace Your Trusty Headlamp

    View More
    DoDBuzz

    Marines’ F-35B Passes Final Ship Qualification Test
    UK Plans to Buy $1 Billion Worth of Enhanced Reaper Drones
    Carter: Temporary Budget ‘Unfair to Troops,’ Puts Programs in Limbo
    The Marine Corps Needs More Vehicles That Fit Inside Osprey, Report Finds
    Exposing Frays in GOP, McCain Rips Trump-Putin Talks
    British Firm Tapped to Build V-22 Refueling Pallet

    View More
    Defense Tech

    Navy ‘Doomsday Plane’ Spotted in Colorado
    DARPA Wants to Help the Human Brain Learn Faster
    ‘Mutt’ Robot Stands Back at Big Marine Training Exercise
    US Weapons to Pacific Signals Regional Commitment: Admiral
    Snowden Hurt Pentagon Push to Recruit Hackers: Carter
    Firm Plans to Build Autonomous Huey Helicopters

    View More
    DoD Releases Plan to Allow Personnel to Carry Firearms on Base
    Fort Huachuca Main Post Exchange gun sales supervisor Dawn Deslatte shows Sgt. 1st Class Atthaporm Khaek-on, 309th Military Intelligence Battalion, an American Classic handgun at the PX gun counter (Photo: Gabrielle Kuholski)
    Fort Huachuca Main Post Exchange gun sales supervisor Dawn Deslatte shows Sgt. 1st Class Atthaporm Khaek-on, 309th Military Intelligence Battalion, an American Classic handgun at the PX gun counter (Photo: Gabrielle Kuholski)
    Military.com | Nov 21, 2016 | by Matthew Cox

    The Pentagon recently released detailed guidance that allows U.S. military personnel to carry privately owned, concealed firearms on base, a move that the Army’s service chief argued against publicly.

    “Arming and the Use of Force,” a Nov. 18 Defense Department directive approved by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work, lays out the policy and standards that allow DoD personnel to carry firearms and employ deadly force while performing official duties.

    But the lengthy document also provides detailed guidance to the services for permitting soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard personnel to carry privately owned firearms on DoD property, according to the document.

    Commanders, O-5 and above, “may grant permission to DoD personnel requesting to carry a privately owned firearm (concealed or open carry) on DoD property for a personal protection purpose not related to performance of an official duty or status,” the document states.

    http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/11/21/dod-releases-plan-allow-personnel-carry-firearms-base.html?ESRC=army_161122.nl

  16. Obama Won’t Go Away After He’s Done. That’s Good News.

    So, soon-to-be-ex-President Obama won’t be going away anytime soon.

    After George W. Bush left office, he essentially went silent. He had no criticism for President Obama; he didn’t sound off about Mitt Romney or Donald Trump. He went away. Not so for Obama. It seems that Barack Obama will follow the Jimmy Carter pathway to Annoyingland: he’ll be commenting whenever possible. After acknowledging that Bush “could not have been more gracious to me when I came in,” Obama said, “As an American citizen who cares deeply about our country, if there are issues that have less to do with the specifics of some legislative proposal or battle or go to core questions about our values and ideals, and if I think that it’s necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, I’ll examine it when it comes.”

    http://www.dailywire.com/news/10972/obama-wont-go-away-after-hes-done-thats-good-news-ben-shapiro?utm_source=dwemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=111616-news&utm_campaign=position2

    • The main point of the article is that Obama turns off Middle America every time he talks and having him staying in DC bloviating is going to make The Donald and his policies more popular with all but the true believer leftist. I guarentee he will make me happy he is out of office every time he opens his mouth.

      • I'm channeling John Quincy Adams via my ever-present, friendly ghost John Adams.

        We’ve got to be realistic to confront this threat.
        He’s still personally popular. He’s remained aloof, his brand has been promoted by experts. He’s still going to be a media magnet – a major distraction, a spoiler opposing every Trump initiative.

        It’ll waste time and prevent the almost automatic approval every new president has a right to expect.

        • That is why he is staying in DC, he wants to prevent any change to what he has done.

          This action is one of the reasons we are still facing a shooting civil war. I expect his interference to cause the various Soros paid riot organizations to go crazy on a regular bases.

    • Modern technology is giving the big government types the ability to create the total surveillance from Orwell’s 1984 and in the near future the genetically engineered under class from Huxley’s Brave New World. Used correctly the new technology gives the free people a way to get around the MSM filtering of the news. In the hands of the left it gives them to ability to create a nation of slaves who have no hope of ever gaining their freedom.

      It is sad to think that the nation that gave up so much treasure so many lives and their Empire to fight against Fascism is one of the leading nations in using technology to enslave its citizens or more properly slave subjects.

      Britain wake up you achieved the voters for Brixet and now must find enough to break free from the institutional slavery of the left.

  17. Hezbollah’s Brazen Display
    Flush with cash, Iran’s terror proxy shows off its wares but the group should be careful what it wishes for.

    Last week the Shia terrorist organization and Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, held a military parade in the city of Al-Qusayr, located in western Syria. The venue was likely chosen for its symbolism. In 2013, it was the site of fierce battles between the Free Syrian Army and Hezbollah. Though it suffered heavy casualties, the Shia terror group eventually gained the upper hand over the rebels and succeeded in ejecting them from the city and surrounding region.

    The parade featured a wide assortment of Russian weapons including laser guided AT-14 Kornet anti-tank missiles, T-72 tanks equipped with reactive armor and R-330P electronic warfare vehicles. But among the weapons displayed, one stood out as a curiosity – the American made M-113 armored personnel carrier. The Hezbollah configuration mounts a twin 23mm anti-aircraft cannon that could also be used in an infantry support role.

    The M-113 is essentially a battle taxi whose primary purpose is to ferry troop into battle while offering a measure of armored protection. It was introduced into the U.S. military during the early 1960s and is a versatile platform that has since been configured to take on a variety of roles including mortar and anti-tank missile carrier. One highly effective variant, known as the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System, mounts a six-barreled 20mm cannon.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/264904/hezbollahs-brazen-display-ari-lieberman

  18. Obama: In a Democracy Everyone Should Agree With Me

    We’re polarized. It’s the fault of the right!”

    That’s the familiar narrative of the left. Polarization, like tribal impulses, is the exclusive preserve of the right. While the left are noble heroes who patiently offer every possible compromise (on doing what they want to get done anyway) before doing what they want to do regardless of the law or any national consensus.

    Here’s Obama complaining about the GOP and global warming.

    “That marked a decisive change from previous political eras, he maintained. “Ideally, in a democracy, everybody would agree that climate change is the consequence of man-made behavior, because that’s what ninety-nine per cent of scientists tell us,” he said. “And then we would have a debate about how to fix it.”</blockquote)

    • “A GROUP of migrants has been rescued from British waters after a port in Morocco tipped off authorities about three ships found just off the coast of Gibraltar…”

      Wasn’t Gibraltar originally constructed to blast maritime vessels out of the (flippin’) water?!?

      Whatever went wrong?

      • It is a fortified Island that was taken from the Spanish in in 1704 during one of the wars with Spain, Britain kept the Rock as it is known to ensure that British ships had free passage into the Med. I don’t know what the current state or armament on the Rock is but it should be fairly well armed.

        Cultural Marxism has made it politically impossible for the Brits to sink the ships with the invaders aboard.

        The following movie is a true story about the British frogmen who fought the war against the Italian frogmen who were attacking shipping. The British frogman who is the main character disappeared while trying to get pictures of the bottom of a Soviet ship in the Themes during the 1950s.


        • It is a fortified Island…

          Fortified “Island”? … Ummm, no. Effing reinforced peninsula? Most definitely, yes.

          Other than that, England’s wisdom in holding on to this insanely strategic “spit” is something that benefits from being viewed through the lens of the entire Falkland Islands war.

          Please tell me when you’re ready to discuss that in detail.

  19. Spanish tourism boosted by a MILLION thanks to terror threat in France and Turkey (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/735158/Spanish-tourism-boosted-million-terror-threat

    “INTERNATIONAL tensions have caused a massive rise in the number of tourists heading to Spain, it’s reported.

    Fraught political situations in Tunisia, France, Turkey, Egypt and Greece have lead to between 30 and 36 per cent growth in tourism to the country.

    Since 2010, Spain has seen the number of travellers headed to its shores rise dramatically, seeing three consecutive years with record numbers of visitors.

    The main cause, according to the Economic Observatory of BBVA, is geopolitical tensions causing holidaymakers to avoid surrounding countries…”

  20. Terrified Italian women turn against migrants: ‘It is not safe here anymore’ (express, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/735078/Italy-migrant-crisis-women-protest-Aurelio-Rome

    “AN Italian town has been left gripped by fear after an influx of migrants has seen terrified women too scared to leave their homes.

    Frightened females have taken to the streets to protest against the opening of a new refugee reception centre, which will welcome the arrival of more than 250 asylum seekers.

    In front of the group are banners emblazoned with the powerful message: “No security, no freedom” as shockwaves are sent across the entire community of Aurelio in Rome.

    Ilaria, 20, said: “We didn’t want the opening of a new centre.

    “It is not easy to get around this neighbourhood at night.

    “You feel followed, you feel observed. It is not safe here anymore. “

    Soon-to-be-mother Eleanor, 30, added: “I no longer dare to go home alone in the evening, I call my husband after dark.”

    Another slogan to support the protest read: ”Some Italians do not give up.”

    One protestor, 63-year-old grandmother Simonetta claims she witnessed a migrant man masturbating in broad daylight. She added: “We must defend ourselves”.

    But some protestors have taken matters into their own hands, with some camping outside the new centre to “watch the neighbourhood”…”

  21. 2 Qatari Sisters Relieved of Millions in Highway Heis (abcnews, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/police-qatari-tourists-robbed-car-arriving-paris-43714676

    “Three masked thieves stopped a Bentley carrying two Qatari sisters on a highway north of Paris, sprayed their driver with tear gas and stole belongings worth as much as 5 million euros ($5.3 million), French officials said Tuesday.

    An official familiar with the investigation said the sisters, aged 60 and 61, were targeted on the A1 highway en route to Paris’ high-end 16th arrondissement after arriving in a private jet Monday night at the Le Bourget Airport.

    Two officials said the women told police the robbers fled with goods including jewelry, luxury fashions, leather goods and luggage worth an estimated 5 million euros ($5.3 million).

    The two officials were not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing investigations.

    The French driver, who works for the women on a regular basis, reported the incident to police.

    The first official said the three robbers were in a car which forced the Bentley off the highway and then to stop in an emergency zone.

    The sisters’ names were not released.

    Earlier this month, Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat and partner Cyrille Auxenfans were the targets of a robbery attempt, also involving tear gas, in their home in a wealthy area of Paris. The robbers fled empty-handed.

    In 2014, a Saudi prince’s diplomatic convoy was ambushed in a heist similar to Monday’s one, as it headed to Le Bourget Airport, commonly used for private jets.”

  22. Interpol: Use Biometric Data to Find Extremist Fighters (abcnews, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/interpol-biometric-data-find-extremist-fighters-43721805

    “Interpol urged all countries on Tuesday to obtain biometric data from fighters for the Islamic State and other extremist groups to help law enforcement track them down, especially when they return home.

    Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said in an interview with The Associated Press that the international police organization only has biometric data — fingerprints, DNA, iris scans and the like — for about 10 percent of the 9,000 “foreign terrorist fighters” in its database.

    Stock said Interpol is helping countries to develop biometric technology not only to identify fighters from extremist groups but criminals as well.

    He cited the case of “a terrorist” who attacked a police station in France last year who had traveled across Europe using 20 different identities — something that could have been thwarted with biometric data.

    Stock said there are an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 “foreign terrorist fighters” from almost all over the world — and about 15,000 from over 100 countries remain mainly in Syria and Iraq.

    With 9,000 names in the Interpol database, this means that about 6,000 of the extremist fighters are not on an international register where they could be tracked, which Stock said is a “serious gap.”

    But he said the database has grown rapidly when it started in 2013 with just 12 files, and will hopefully continue to add names and biometric data.

    The Interpol chief came to the United Nations from the organization’s headquarters in Lyon, France to speak to the General Assembly which adopted a resolution expanding the organizations cooperation with the U.N.

    Stock called the Internet “a virtual university of terrorism,” where extremist groups attract and radicalize would-be fighters, and where information on building or buying bombs and explosives is readily available.

    “The threat level with regard to international terrorism is unprecedented,” he said, with international “terrorists” moving to short-term actions using simpler methods such as knives, axes and in the deadly attack in Nice, France on July 15 a truck.

    “We are fighting a terrorist network or an organized crime network with a law enforcement network,” he said.

    But Stock said it’s “not easy” because of legal issues which differ in various countries, including on sharing information, and the difficulties in ensuring that relevant data gets to police, border guards and other officials who need it.

    He said the increasing use of encrypted websites by extremist groups is also posing “a huge challenge to law enforcement” authorities trying to conduct surveillance or track fighters and potential “terrorists.”

    The “dark net” has also become a major trading place for weapons and explosives used by “terrorists,” Stock said.

    “Investigations into the dark net are not impossible, of course,” he said. “We are developing our tools, but it creates a challenge.”

    Stock also said Interpol is cooperating with industry on new tools “to make sure that there’s no safe haven for terrorists or criminals.””

  23. Be ready for terrorist attacks in Europe during holiday season – State Dept. to US citizens (RT, Nov 22, 2016)
    https://www.rt.com/news/367776-us-warns-attacks-europe/

    “The State Department has issued an alert to US citizens about a “heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe,” particularly during the holiday season. “Have an emergency plan of action ready,” officials say.

    “US citizens should exercise caution at holiday festivals, events, and outdoor markets,” it said in a statement, adding that there was credible information that Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates continued to plan attacks in Europe, “with a focus on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”…”

  24. Turkey seeks arrest of Syrian Kurdish political leader (BBC, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38068008

    “Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for a Syrian Kurdish leader over a deadly bombing in Ankara.

    The warrant named Salih Muslim of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and nearly 50 other people.

    The PYD is affiliated with YPG Kurdish militias, who are backed by the US in the fight against jihadist group Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

    Turkey has blamed the PYD and the YPG for the bombing of a military convoy in Ankara in which 28 people died.

    Both groups have rejected claims that they had any involvement in the February attack…”

  25. Turkey Post-Coup Purge: 15,000 More Government Employees Fired (nbcnews, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/turkey-military-coup/turkey-post-coup-purge-15-000-more-government-employees-fired-n687181

    “ANKARA/ISTANBUL – Turkey dismissed 15,000 more state employees on Tuesday, from soldiers and police officers to tax inspectors and midwives, and shut 375 institutions and several news outlets, deepening purges carried out since a failed coup.

    The dismissals, announced in two decrees, bring to more than 125,000 the number of people sacked or suspended in the military, civil service, judiciary and elsewhere since July’s coup attempt. About 36,000 have been jailed pending trial in the crackdown condemned by Western allies and rights groups.

    President Tayyip Erdogan said the measures had significantly weakened the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers are blamed by Ankara for infiltrating state institutions over several decades and carrying out the attempted putsch…”

  26. Study says refugee allocation doesn’t help integration chances (DW, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.dw.com/en/study-says-refugee-allocation-doesnt-help-integration-chances/a-36481827

    “A new report says Germany’s federal states should steer refugees toward communities where integration is more likely. But would such communities accept more people in need at a time when migration itself is under fire?

    Ever since Germany’s new refugee integration law in August, the country’s 16 federal states have had the right to settle refugees in some places while prohibiting them from living in others. That provision of the law is intended to encourage integration and keep refugees from drifting solely into urban areas and forming highly segregated sub-communities.

    But thus far only two federal states, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, have implemented what are known as “refugee residency requirements.” And a study presented on Tuesday in Berlin by the Council of German Foundations for Integration and Migration says that the way states allocate refugees fails to maximize their chances of integrating into mainstream German society.

    By law, refugees are supposed to be distributed evenly across German society, and since August they are required to remain for three years in the federal state that granted them asylum. But in reality, says the primary author of the Council study, Jan Schneider, refugees end up congregating in Germany’s urban areas.

    “In recent years, we’ve seen a massive migration of refugees within Germany,” Schneider said.

    “Many times the national average of refugees live in big cities like Hamburg, Essen, Bremen, Berlin or Wuppertal. In 2014, the average was three refugees per thousand people, but there were eight to ten refugees per thousand people in the urban centers.”

    Schneider said that around one half of refugees recently allocated to the five former East German states and northern Bavaria had moved on. Amazingly for a statistics-obsessed country like Germany, there are no reliable figures for how many refugees migrate within Germany, but in some areas of the eastern German state of Brandenburg, an estimated 75 to 80 percent of foreigners
    granted asylum move elsewhere. Meanwhile, some refugees in Berlin, which attracts more than its “fair share,” are forced to camp out for years in school gymnasiums.

    So how can Germany distribute refugees to a variety of locations attractive enough that those in question actually want to stay there?

    Not all communities are equal

    The Council report looked at Brandenburg as a case study and concluded that spreading refugees evenly according to population numbers is a mistake. Schneider recommends that, instead of simply allocating more refugees to larger communities, states should send greater numbers to specifically targeted areas.

    “If the states want to use the residency requirement to encourage integration, they need to change the way they think,” Schneider said. “They need to examine the structural conditions and possibilities for integration.”

    The places most suitable for settling refugees and most likely to convince them to stay are those with low unemployment, good educational and training opportunities and lots of available housing.

    According to those three criteria, Potsdam and other relatively affluent districts around Berlin are better equipped to integrate refugees than further-flung ones with high joblessness like Uckermark in northeastern Brandenburg.

    But the study also found that none of the districts or cities in Brandenburg had conditions favorable to the settlement of refugees in all three categories.

    “Generally the more distant a community or region is from Berlin, the weaker the structural conditions in terms of the labor market and infrastructure are,” Schneider said. “On the other hand, the further you are from Berlin, the more places there are to live. It’s a core dilemma.”

    And another obstacle standing in the way of the study’s recommendations is opposition to the very idea of residency requirements.

    One of the most controversial measures

    Although residency requirements are explicitly aimed at integration and numerous exceptions apply, for instance, if refugees are employed or want to move to join family members, these sorts of legal instruments are very unpopular among those affected and their advocates. At the beginning of November, for instance, 14 refugee advocacy groups wrote an open letter condemning such regulations to the government of the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

    “We appeal to the government of Saxony-Anhalt not to make use of this latitude and not to enact any residency requirements,” the signees wrote. “Local communities’ desire for better planning should not outweigh people’s basic right to freedom of movement.”

    Local authorities from communities with high levels of refugees welcomed the integration law, but although North Rhine-Westphalia plans to enact residency requirements in December, most states view the idea with skepticism and sometimes outright hostility, fearing that requirements would create additional bureaucracy and might actually hinder integration. Five states have yet to decide one way or another, while six – including Brandenburg – have rejected any such measures.

    “There’s conceptual uncertainty about what forms such requirements can take, and there’s a political uncertainty preventing agreements from being reached,” Schneider said.

    But he also acknowledged that the residency requirement provision was still “one of the most controversial measures of the integration law.”

    Selling the advantages of refugees

    The waves of migration from crisis regions like Syria to Germany has given rise to populist hostility toward refugees and has caused the anti-immigration, nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to surge in polls, particularly in eastern Germany. So how can advocates of reform get communities like Potsdam to accept more refugees without a spike in support for the populist and often xenophobic far right?

    Schneider says one key is to couple acceptance of refugees with additional money for infrastructure programs.

    “We need to ‘sell the idea’ to the local districts and convince them to see accepting more refugees as an opportunity,” Schneider told DW. “That could include the individual federal states increasing support for such localities, investing more in job training, transportation and public housing. There are also per capita payments by the national government, and the national government might consider making additional payments for the three years that the requirements are in force, before the refugees find work and get integrated into society.”

    In other words, communities could be rewarded financially in return for taking in and making themselves attractive to refugees. Whether that would be enough to blunt right-wing hostility to migrants in general is debatable. Almost 900,000 refugees came to Germany last year.”

    • Using taxpayer money to bribe communities into taking in more refugees. Hmm.

      Did it ever occur to the government idiots that the citizens who pay their salaries with their taxes do not like the idea of dishes out billions in tax payer money to re-educate, re-socialize 3rd world degenerates that have no interest in intergration? Tax payers living in Germany did not invite these people, most of whom are not coming from a war, but are economic migrants. Mama Merkel invited them and forced them into German society. Maybe that´s where the hostility is coming from and where it is directed. Get Merkel out!
      German´s should take note of the demonstration in South Korea.

      This money should be going to these communities for the failing infrastructure, building roads, for repairing schools, in the pensions for senior citizens (many of whom barely get by month per month) or helping underprivileged German families – NOT being used as a bribe to repopulate the nation with muslim invaders.

  27. Denmark suspends quota refugee programme (thelocal, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.thelocal.dk/20161122/denmark-suspends-quota-refugee-programme

    “The Danish government said on Tuesday that it had suspended a programme to receive around 500 refugees per year through the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) indefinitely.

    “It will give the municipalities a little breathing space and room to better take care of those who have already come here,” Integration Minister Inger Støjberg told a meeting in the Danish parliament.

    Støjberg, an immigration hardliner, said in August that the reception of 491 refugees through the programme this year had been postponed.

    The decision to suspend the programme indefinitely had been taken so that Denmark could cope “economically, socially and culturally,” she said.

    The centre-right minority government’s move was backed by the anti-immigration Danish People’s Party as well as the biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats.

    Denmark, which has a population of around 5.7 million, has received around 5,700 asylum seekers so far this year, and expects the annual number to be less than half of the 21,000 applications it received last year.

    In 2015 an influx of migrants led to chaotic scenes with hundreds of people marching on Danish motorways — most trying to reach neighbouring Sweden, which has more generous asylum rules.

    Copenhagen enacted a host of measures to deter migrants from coming to the country earlier this year, including a controversial rule allowing police to confiscate their valuables to help pay for their accommodation.

    It has also introduced legislation to allow it to turn back asylum seekers at its borders if the number of migrants spikes, and has made it harder for migrants to obtain permanent residency.”

  28. Libyans arrest wife of senior al-Qaida-linked militant (ahram, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/250535/World/Region/Libyans-arrest-wife-of-senior-alQaidalinked-milita.aspx

    “Libyan authorities said Tuesday that they have arrested a wife of the one-eyed militant leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar, once considered the most dangerous man in the Sahara and a veteran al-Qaida-linked figure.

    A Libyan anti-terrorism force said that one of Belmokhtar’s wives, Asma Kadousi, was arrested Saturday along with a female companion. It said she had recently given birth in the militant stronghold of Darna, in eastern Libya. It said Belmokhtar is believed to be in southern Libya.

    A witness told The Associated Press earlier this month that he had seen Belmokhtar in the southern town of Sabha, where a drone attack reportedly killed a militant leader linked to Belmokhtar, along with six others, last week. The witness asked not to be named for security concerns, and it was not possible to confirm the report.

    The Algerian militant, once the leader of al-Qaida’s North African affiliate, is one of the most-wanted militants in the region, with a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. He escaped a U.S. drone strike in eastern Libya last year…”

  29. Egyptian CEO of Abu Dhabi Islamic bank found murdered in Cairo home (ahram, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/250542/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-CEO-of-Abu-Dhabi-Islamic-bank-found-murde.aspx

    “The CEO of the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Nevine Loutfy was found murdered at her home in the 6th of October suburb on the outskirts of Cairo on Tuesday.

    An investigation and forensic team arrived at the murder scene shortly after the incident.

    Her body was discovered with multiple stab wounds, according to Ahram Arabic website.

    Loutfy began her banking career with Citibank in March 1976 where she joined the Cairo office as a Financial Analyst. She graduated with a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

    With over three decades of banking experience, Loutfy has a diverse background and has worked across the corporate, SME and retail sectors.

    She has extensive international experience gained in the US, Europe and emerging markets, with primary areas of expertise in local corporate and SME business management, in addition to credit risk and capital management.

    As part of a series on pioneering Egyptian women, Ahram Online interviewed Nevine Loutfy, as she was the first ever female head of an Islamic bank.”

    • Why am I having such an exceptionally difficult time summoning forth even an atom of sympathy?!?

      • I am curious about the motive? Was there some financial motive? Did the motive include laundering money for the Brotherhood, or possibly refusing to launder money.

  30. Exclusive: Russian tankers defy EU ban to smuggle jet fuel to Syria – sources (reuters, Nov 22, 2016)
    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-fuel-exclusive-idUSKBN13H1T8

    “Russian tankers have smuggled jet fuel to Syria through EU waters, bolstering military supplies to a war-torn country where Moscow is carrying out air strikes in support of the government, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

    At least two Russian-flagged ships made deliveries – which contravene EU sanctions – via Cyprus, an intelligence source with a European Union government told Reuters. There was a sharp increase in shipments in October, said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

    A separate shipping source familiar with the movements of the Russian-flagged vessels said the ships visited Cypriot and Greek ports before delivering fuel to Syria.

    The Russian defence and transport ministries did not initially respond to requests for comment. The defence ministry later said EU sanctions on fuel supplies to Syria could not be applied to the Russian air group in that country.

    A spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs and security policy said the implementation of EU restrictions lay with member states. “We trust that competent authorities are complying with their obligation to ensure respect of the restrictive measures in place and to pursue any circumvention attempts,” she added.

    Greece’s foreign ministry referred questions to the shipping ministry, which was not immediately available to comment.

    The Cypriot government said its authorities had not approved the docking of any Russian tankers carrying jet fuel bound for Syria. “We would welcome any information that may be provided to us on any activity that contravenes U.N. or EU restrictive measures,” the Cypriot foreign ministry added.

    Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011, has become a theatre for competing global powers, with Russia and Iran supporting President Bashar al-Assad, and the United States, Gulf Arab and European powers backing rebels who want to depose him.

    Russia changed the course of the conflict in favour of Assad’s government last year when it intervened with air strikes. Moscow says it targets only Islamic State militants and other jihadist fighters.

    EU Council Regulation 1323/2014, introduced two years ago, bans any supply of jet fuel to Syria from the EU territories, whether or not the fuel originated in the European Union.

    Over one two-week period in October, Russian tankers delivered 20,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel to Syria – worth around $9 million at today’s world prices – via the European Union, according to the EU government intelligence source…”

  31. Schumer Warns Donald Trump About Supreme Court: ‘If He Doesn’t Nominate A Mainstream Candidate . . .’
    Share this Tweet th

    ncoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged President-elect Donald Trump to select a “mainstream” nominee to the Supreme Court, suggesting that Democrats would not back away from using the filibuster.

    Speaking with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press, Schumer signaled that the Senate Democratic caucus would filibuster Trump’s nominee should they perceive the pick to be an ideologue.

    http://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2016/11/20/schumer-warns-trump-pick-a-mainstream-supreme-court-nominee/

  32. Translation: Schumer, we don’t give a damn who won the election you are going to nominate a liberal to tilt the Court to the left or we will throw several hissy fits. If the Republicans in the Senate have any guts (which I doubt) they will use the nuclear option and remove the filibuster for so they can do what the people want, not what the left wants.

    Things are going to get interesting as the left in Congress and the Soros riot organizations attack the idea of Democracy.