Everything President Obama does is first poured through the political prism of how the cost/benefit of action either assists or diminishes his personal agenda.  DUH- This is no remarkable insight, by now everyone admits it.

However, to understand the equation of political cost/benefit analysis in the decision to try and rescue hostage Luke Somers, you only need to put the facts onto the table – the pattern forms itself.  This is the White House view:

♦  The al-Qaeda captors stated they were going to kill Somers on Sunday. That wouldn’t look good – but, well, meh, really no biggie.
♦  The al-Qaeda captors stated they were going to release the South African hostage, Pierre Korkie, on Sunday.  Alone, that’s a neutral factor.
♦  The al-Qaeda captors were going to release Korkie simultaneous to killing Somers. Rut Roh – That looks worse – now ears are perked.
♦  The al-Qaeda captors were going to kill Somers because the U.S. wouldn’t do what Korkie’s country did. Even worse yet – Fox News type alarm bells ringing.

Against the backdrop of the last point, the potential for public scrutiny / political embarrassment becomes too risky.   Hostage Somers net value now weighted on the political ego of President Obama?  Yikes. (more…)

President Obama made the right call.  President Obama approved the best chance to rescue Luke Somers.  Period.

There are voices angry at the outcome because unknown to the rescue unit there was a second hostage, held by al-Qaeda terrorists, in the same building.  A South African hostage was also being held with Somers – both died as a result of the terrorists shooting them as the rescue was underway. 
Reports are now saying, according to the employer of the South African hostage, Pierre Korkie, he was scheduled to be released as ransom had been paid.
Obviously the outcome is tragic.  However, regardless of outcome, President Obama made the right decision.  The details are outlined below. 
(CNN) — Al Qaeda militants killed two Western hostages in Yemen — an American photojournalist and a South African who was employed by an aid group — during a raid conducted by U.S. forces, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday.
President Barack Obama ordered Friday’s mission to save the American, Luke Somers, because “there were compelling reasons to believe Mr. Somers’ life was in imminent danger,” Hagel said.
A U.S. official said that during the raid, one of the terrorists ran inside the compound and shot the hostages.
A video of Somers pleading for his life was released earlier this week by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The U.S. was given three days to comply with unspecified demands made by the terror group; that time was due to run out.
During the raid, the militants with AQAP also killed South African hostage Pierre Korkie, according to his employer, the relief group Gift of the Givers. (more…)

Thoughts and prayers for his family.

The media reported recently on an al-Qaeda video threatening to kill U.S. hostage Luke Somers in Yemen.  Early this morning his family announced he was killed in a failed rescue attempt:

CAIRO (AP)– The sister of American photojournalist Luke Somers says he has been killed in a failed rescue attempt in Yemen.

Lucy Somers told The Associated Press on Saturday that she learned of her 33-year-old brother’s death from FBI agents. There was no immediate comment from Washington.

Lucy Somers said:  “We ask that all of Luke’s family members be allowed to mourn in peace.”

Luke Somers was abducted in September 2013 in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. This week, the Pentagon confirmed it launched an earlier failed raid to rescue him. (link)

~ “Shades of Gaza” ~

The PC media is desperate to avoid using the chosen names of the black panther terror suspects Brandon Muhammad, and Olajuwon, also known as Olajuwon Ali and Brother Ali.  This is a follow-up to the previous outline where the FBI revealed the two men were involved in straw purchases for firearms and making pipe bombs.
We now know they were plotting assassinations of Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson, and Saint Louis Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, in addition to bombing the Gateway arch.

(Left) Brandon Muhammad – (Right) Olajuwon Ali

ST. LOUIS • Two men indicted last week on federal weapons charges allegedly had plans to bomb the Gateway Arch — and to kill St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch and Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson — the Post-Dispatch has learned.
Sources close to the investigation were uncertain whether the men had the capability to carry out the plans, although the two allegedly did purchase what they thought was a pipe bomb in an undercover law enforcement sting.
The men wanted to acquire two more bombs, the sources said, but could not afford to do it until one suspect’s girlfriend’s Electronic Benefit Transfer card was replenished. (more…)

No surprise really.  The laziest, and doofiest, defense secretary ever – just got axed by the laziest president ever.  Go Figure.

Chuckie’s greatest hits:  “ISIS, ISIS Baby” –  “GITMO 5 All You Brother” – “The World Is All Splodey” – “Love Letters From Rand Paul” – “Me and My Friends of Hamas” – “What Dis Confirmation?” – “I Really Didn’t Want This Job“.
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down under pressure, the first cabinet-level casualty of the collapse of President Obama’s Democratic majority in the Senate and a beleaguered national security team that has struggled to stay ahead of an onslaught of global crises.
The president, who is expected to announce Mr. Hagel’s resignation in a Rose Garden appearance on Monday, made the decision to ask his defense secretary — the sole Republican on his national security team — to step down last Friday after a series of meetings over the past two weeks, senior administration officials said. (more…)

The Mike Rogers/Dutch Ruppersberger report was predictable in the extreme; anyone who has researched the surrounding issues of the Benghazi backstory knew to expect it:

…”with Rep Trey Gowdy’s Chairmanship of a Select Committee on Benghazi anticipated to start up again in January, and with House Intel Chair Rogers exiting from congress, the authors of this report hold a motive to undercut Gowdy’s investigation into the missing 2011/2012 intelligence oversight that would normally be part of Rogers/Ruppersberger’s responsibility.”…

In addition, the media skipping gleefully in circles while waving the Rogers/Ruppersberger report, was similarly predictable – as seen here in this recent CNN interview.

However, despite how much the media want to avoid the sunlight there are too many people who understand the motives of Mike Rogers, including his own financial stake in the Benghazi security contract. Here’s a great op-ed outlining some of that understanding. It is well worth reading: (more…)

Those of you familiar with the Benghazi Brief will note the alignment and expectation of the Rogers/Ruppersberger report.  Their report is exactly as we anticipated it would be.
With a House Select Committee (Trey Gowdy) already in place, you might rightly ask yourself why did Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersberger even produce a report?  As you read their House Intelligence Panel Report on Benghazi it is important to note a few key aspects:

• Both Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersberger are members of the Congressional Gang of Eight.  They are the ONLY authors.

• This is not a House Intelligence “Committee” report on Benghazi.  This is only two committee members writing a report based on prior information.

• Both Rogers and Ruppersberger would have been briefed on the CIA operations in Benghazi during 2011/2012 as the covert operation began.

• President Obama signed a finding memo in 2011 permitting Operation Zero Footprint to begin. The congressional “gang of eight” held oversight responsibilities.

• Rogers, Ruppersberger along with Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Saxby Chambliss and Diane Feinstein would have been notified of the presidential authorization. In 2011 they were the congressional Gang of Eight.  Their lack of oversight reflected a willful blindness to the operation.

• In addition to the covert Zero Footprint Operation, the Benghazi CIA annex served as a rendition site. [We find this out in 2013 from Paula Broadwell, who was the pillow-talk recipient of information from 2012 CIA Director General David Petraeus. Broadwell and Petraeus had an extramarital affair.]

[scribd id=247819208 key=key-rry9o06IDR3YfzhJhGb3 mode=scroll]
The Rogers/Ruppersberger Report is specifically designed, by wording, to provide political cover to both parties – Republicans and Democrats within the Gang of Eight particularly  included, and protected.
It is professional obfuscation in structure, content and wording. Here’s an example: (more…)

They’re trying to flood the field ahead of Thanksgiving, it’s brutally obvious.  This is classic use of “the bathtub principle” at work:

Today IRS reports recovery of 30,000 Lois Lerner emails from ’09 to ’11

Today House Intel “Panel” Releases Benghazi Report

Today Obama gives speech on highly anticipated immigration Executive Order

Today media and nation await Saint Louis Mike Brown shooting verdict. 100 FBI agents dispatched to Ferguson

DOJ Releases 40,000+ Fast and Furious documents (emails)

HHS Admits ObamaCare enrollment overstated.

If you have read the Treehouse Benghazi Brief you already knew to expect this outcome.  However, it’s important to note who conducted the investigation and published the report:

…[…] “We spent thousands of hours asking questions, poring over documents, reviewing intelligence assessments, reading cables and emails, and held a total of 20 committee events and hearings,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the committee’s chairman, and Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the ranking Democrat, in a joint statement.

Both Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersberger were members of the “Gang of Eight” who were fully aware of operation Zero Footprint in 2011 which led to the Benghazi issues:

FULLY RESEARCHED:  “THE BENGHAZI BRIEF” HERE

TODAY: WASHINGTON (AP) — A two-year investigation by the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee has found that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and asserted no wrongdoing by Obama administration appointees. (more…)

…”Students should walk out of school when they hear another murdering pig has gone free”…

Mommy, why did the masked man say we needed to murder a pig?
Early in the Ferguson protesting a group of professional communists and antagonists from Chicago arrived on scene to exploit the Mike Brown shooting outrage.

Today within an article highlighting school closings for Monday and Tuesday in/around the Saint Louis/Ferguson area you find the following disturbing mentions:

[…]  School district representatives from several north St. Louis County districts say they’ve been requested by law enforcement to close for two days immediately after the announcement to keep buses and excess traffic off streets in the event of unrest.

Children in Jennings don’t have bus service. Most of them walk, making Anderson even more concerned for their safety.

On Thursday, Anderson said a group of adults wearing masks and claiming to be from Chicago were passing out fliers to students as they walked home along Cozens Avenue. The street has an elementary school, the junior high and high school.

(more…)