COLD ANGER – A religious-freedom advocacy group has filed its second grievance in as many weeks with the Army, again demanding that imagery featuring a red crucifix be removed from Army signage — and this time, insisting the aviation unit involved change its logo and its nickname.

The logo of Echo Company, 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment, based at Fort Rucker, Alabama, contains “blatantly unconstitutional Christian Crusader imagery” and should be discontinued immediately, Military Religious Freedom Foundation president and founder Mikey Weinstein wrote Monday in an email addressed to Maj. Gen. Michael Lundy, commanding general of Fort Rucker and the Army Aviation Center of Excellence.

Weinstein, an Air Force Academy graduate whose MRFF claims more than 40,000 active-duty clients across the military, also demanded the unit cease using the name “Crusaders,” which he called “incredibly offensive and unconstitutional.” (more…)

The story of CENTCOM analysts accusing commanders of manipulating intelligence reports on ISIS to appease the White House is a story that has some interest in the mainstream media – but what if it is actually connected to a larger issue?

Washington DC -Allegations are mounting that senior intelligence officials at Central Command not only skewed findings on the ISIS war to please D.C., but tried to hide what they did.

In July, a group of intelligence analysts at the U.S. military’s Central Command accused their bosses of distorting and selectively editing intelligence reports about the fight against ISIS in order to portray that campaign as more successful than it really was. As a result of those complaints, the Pentagon’s inspector general opened an investigation.

Now, the allegations of misconduct have extended to a possible cover-up, with some analysts accusing the senior intelligence officials at CENTCOM, Maj. Gen. Steven Grove and his civilian deputy, Gregory Ryckman, of deleting emails and files from computer systems before the inspector general could examine them, three individuals familiar with the investigation told The Daily Beast.

One U.S. official said the alleged activity could amount to obstruction and interference with the inspector general’s investigation, which began last summer.  (read more)

The presumption within the controversy (as it is generally discussed by the media) is that CENTCOM bosses changed the intel to give the impression of success to please the White House.  But what if that wasn’t the reason?

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You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that Turkey, via Erdogan, has been supporting, aiding and funding ISIS for the past two years. Erdogan would never shoot down a Russian fighter without President Obama’s prior approval.

(Begin at 06:00 mark) Putin is putting out a public statement that he is fully aware President Obama and President Erdogan support the Islamic State and ISIS.

Oh SNAP This is Interesting –   General Wesley Clark (Retired) Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander is a deep blue Dem/Obama/Clinton supporter. He just went off the Obama range on CNN and admitted Turkey has been supporting ISIS… Interesting.

Details sketchy – However, as previously anticipated this action could easily be seen as Turkish President Recep Erdogan working diligently to keep the ISIS supply lines open.

Remember, Turkey is a NATO member – if they engage in hostile actions with Russia, it could draw in other NATO allies….. Not Good.  The insufferable Erdogan escaping Putin’s wrath by hiding behind the skirt of U.S., France, Germany and U.K

According to media reports (and video here) a Turkish F16 fighter has shot down a Russian made SU24 (also used by Syrian air force). Here’s the media outline from Reuters:

Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a war plane of unknown origin on Tuesday after it violated Turkish air space close to the Syrian border and ignored warnings, a Turkish military official told Reuters.

Separately, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s office said he had spoken with the chief of military staff and the foreign minister about developments on the border. The statement did not mention the downed jet. (link)

Excl: 2 pilots ejected from Sukhoi24 along Turkish border N of Latakia after Turkish F16 fires air to air missiles, downing plane. @FoxNews

— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 24, 2015

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General Patton arose and strode swiftly to the microphone. The men snapped to their feet and stood silently. Patton surveyed the sea of brown with a grim look. “Be seated”, he said. The words were not a request, but a command. The General’s voice rose high and clear:

“Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. (more…)

The White House Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes was on Fox News Sunday today.  One of the topics discussed was importing more Syrian refugees:

https://youtu.be/dV-H4049_8w?t=2m19s

Video Prompted to [@02:19] Wallace “One of the attackers in the French slaughter was carrying a Syrian passport that seemed to indicate that he had been a refugee that had come into Europe along with the flood of migrants in October. Given that, is President Obama reconsidering the plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year?”

Rhodes: “No, Chris, we’re still planning to take in Syrian refugees,we have very robust vetting procedures for those refugees.”

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At a rally in Sioux City, IA, GOP Presidential candidate and front-runner Donald Trump took a question from a Wounded Warrior named Todd, who explained his frustration with the VA. Mr. Trump then took down his information and offered to personally put pressure on the VA:

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U.S. Special Forces helped rescue 70 ISIS hostages facing “imminent mass execution” early Thursday morning at a prison near Hawijah, Iraq, but one American service member was killed in the operation. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following statement:

Early today in Iraq, at the request of the Kurdistan Regional Government, U.S. Special Operations Forces supported an Iraqi Peshmerga operation to rescue hostages at an ISIL prison near Hawijah, Iraq.

This operation was deliberately planned and launched after receiving information that the hostages faced imminent mass execution. It was authorized consistent with our counter-ISIL effort to train, advise, and assist Iraqi forces.

The U.S. provided helicopter lift and accompanied Iraqi Peshmerga forces to the compound. Approximately 70 hostages were rescued including more than 20 members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Five ISIL terrorists were detained by the Iraqis and a number of ISIL terrorists were killed as well. In addition, the U.S. recovered important intelligence about ISIL. (more…)

Following up to yesterday and the Elijah Cummings pre-testimony report, let’s focus on the CBS presentation therein.

CBS is a good reference to show the media obfuscation attempts because CBS holds a vested self-interest in deflections around the various Benghazi narratives.  You might remember it was Ben Rhodes who wrote the Benghazi talking points; Ben’s brother David is President of CBS News.

In addition, you might also remember it was CBS, via 60 Minutes, who withheld/embargoed a broadcast pre election 2012 where President Obama denied al-Qaeda’s terrorist involvement.

A claim Obama denied making in the Candy Crowley debate against his opponent Mitt Romney.  CBS covered Obama’s ass allowing the lie to go undiscovered until after the November 2012 election.  It was also CBS who refused to allow Sharyl Attkisson to continue investigative reporting on the Benghazi story.

Here’s the current presentation of the Elijah Cummings report by CBS: (more…)

There is a lot of talk from the White House of President Obama vetoing this bill.

WASHINGTON DC – Senate Democrats on Wednesday joined with Republicans to approve an annual defense bill, defying a veto threat from President Obama.

The Senate voted 70-27 in favor of the $612 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a wide-ranging measure that would set policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon. Twenty Democrats voted yes, as did Sen. Angus King (Maine), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats.

While the vote total would be enough for Republicans to override Obama’s promised veto, Democratic leaders insist that some of their members would vote differently if asked to override the president. (more…)