Just like Topsy, the Obama shit-heap grows and grows!

The Oklahoma tornado has provided a brief, if tragic, pause in the slow but steady prising open of the government scandals in America.  I have been, and still am, somewhat short of time and frankly I can barely keep up with the latest developments. Nor can I judge which, in the end, will prove to be the most damaging to the Democrat party because each time I choose one, something else crops up in another which takes your breath away!

My favourite is still the Internal Revenue Service imbroglio in which during the run-up to a presidential election they targeted Right-wing groups for special investigation, in other words, the sort of behaviour you would take for granted in some third world, Latin American dictatorship.  The latest development is that a senior IRS executive due to be hauled up in front of a Congressional committee is likely to 'plead the Fifth' - how good will that look on prime-time TV?

The Benghazi affair may yet erupt some more if Roger L. Simon at PJ Media is correct in assuming that two new State Department whistleblowers are seeking legal advice before revealing amongst other things that the commander of the Africa-Command ordered units to move in support of the beleaguered consulate but his deputy was ordered to arrest him if the orders were not rescinded!  Also, it is possible that part of what lay behind the attack was the fact that the State Department, not the CIA, had sold ground-to-air missiles to anti-Ghadaffi groups who had turned out to be linked to terrorists and part of the reason why Ambassador Stevens was there was to try and get them back.  If that ain't dynamite, I don't know what is!

The number of reporters who have now discovered they were subjected to secret government surveillance is growing by the day.  The latest is the Washington Fox News team including their respected reporter James Rosen.

And as a last dollop of cream on this 'mess of potage', it looks like the whistle-blower who broke the story of the disasterous 'Fast and Furious' operation was deliberately smeared by Federal authorities.

The liquid, smelly, brown stuff is slowly seeping under the locked door and the stench is unavoidable!

(Sorry for typos but I'm in a hurry) 

Comments

[JK]

The MANPADS (shoulder fired antiaircraft missiles) were sold via "regular" arms transfers after Gaddafi (The Leopard) was seen to change his spots back beginning in 2007 - coincidentally the year we [US] began releasing our Gitmo'ed Libyan detainees into Said Gaddafi's custody with the aim of rehabilitating the "soon to repudiate AQ" members of Libya's LIFG.

Following the LIFG's repudiation of AQ the former fighters (Iraq) were allowed to return home to primarily Dernaa [Dernah] and the peaceful little hamlet of Benghazi. We [US] stopped missile transfers in 2009 but since Libya had been removed from the "State Sponser of Terrorism List" [2005] there was no restriction on other countries continuing to do so - that's how Libya came to possess Russian SA-17s.

I don't/can't know - but on the date of the Benghazi attack, the number of State employees was seven while the number of CIA operators (and contractors) ranged from (open-source reports) 30 to 44. Perhaps coincidentally, NightWatch & others, were reporting SA-17s were showing up in Syria, reportedly transiting via Turkey.

[Up2L8]

Typical Obama M.O. by using devastating events/crisis coupled with political blame shifting designed to divert/distract, disorient/confuse the less than knowledgeable voting public. Thought being, by the time the pendulum swings back to the current scandal(s), the above mentioned voting block will have been reduced to having nothing more than a passing interest, if that much. Obama and entourage relies on the below sub-normal level of the political attention span.

IRS: The IRS thing has huge political ramifications. They have the means and capacity to delve into the lives of virtually every individual with an SS#. And putting them in charge of enforcing The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) should certainly raise some red flags. Unfortunately many people will just shrug, say “Oh well” and continue on, as long as it doesn’t effect them directly they soon lose interest.

Benghazi: Knowing the truth may have very well played a part in the outcome of the election, but what that truth is still remains a mystery, at least to me. The WHY Stevens was in Benghazi instead of in Tripoli (where the Embassy is located) and meeting (at night) with a Turkish official, is a question needing to be answered. Weapons may have played a major part. Supplying anti-Ghadaffi groups or Syrian rebels with Turkey being the go-between as transporter or both. Hopefully, in time, the truth will prevail. This goes much deeper than the reason given by the administration and the Obama media is backing.

DOJ: This could be on par with the IRS. Should a quantity of reporters get a burr up their backside, they could take things to an almost intolerable level for the administration. As long as Fox News is getting the brunt of the assault, the rest may exhibit an mild irritation.

So, Obama is absent during Benghazi attack, knows nothing about an IG investigation into IRS targeting conservatives, and had no knowledge of the DOJ targeting the AP and Fox News.

Press secretary Jay Carney gave an official explanation that Obama was kept out of the loop and White House personnel withheld information from him. So, basically what Jay Carney is saying: “We're not crooked, were just incompetent“.

Being out of the loop does not exempt him from responsibility. The facts are clear his supporters used their Gov’t power to hinder his opponents. He should be held accountable -- unless his apology includes the termination of all involved.

[JK]

Speculation Ups but from knowledgeable friends very recently-post Gaddafi - to a person they each stated (in various wordings) the greatest fear is what's to come from (and who has possession) of all these weapons.

State, it would seem to me, though diplomats might be well expected to engage in negotiation - would NOT be on my short list for who to put in charge of "disarming" the locals.

But then if not State ... & then even if "disarming" was feasible - what to do with any recovered weapons? My money's on Benghazi being an Agency Op using the Turks as cover to supply the Syrian rebels.

Two birds with one stone - and 'plausible deniability' in overdrive. What could go wrong?!!

Personally, I'm of the opinion the media's [FOX is media too]getting snooped has the longer legs. I'm of the general feeling a sizeable portion of the US population has come to expect this sort of thing from the IRS. After all - if there's one agency of the government which is always in mind to screw somebody - which do you think would top the list?

Having had a slew of government agencies after him for decades, reckon which one Al Capone might say?

[Able]

Jeez, I go away to for'n parts for a few days and I miss the great 'tampon debate' (I always carry a few myself - purely as wound dressings I hasten to add, being British I cope with heat by imbibing copious amounts of G&Ts, haven't got malaria yet so it must be working and nothing dripping out of my ears either, although the unimpeded airflow from one ear through to the other may have something to do with that).

I think when the facts come out (if ever) we'll find that the Ambassador was meeting someone other than an unnamed 'Turkish' official. Ambassadors do not go out into the boonies to meet low-level functionaries of, an ostensibly, allied power (all of that will have been dealt with by minions). The question then is, whom exactly of sufficient seniority in an unnamed organisation was he actually meeting? And are even a few weapons really sufficient to draw a very senior diplomat out into the line of fire?

As to why "the number of State employees was seven while the number of CIA operators (and contractors) ranged from (open-source reports) 30 to 44"? Since when, JK, did State ever do anything other than 'supervise' and 'lord it'? The 'work' will have been done by the 'plebs' of the CIA - control was theirs. Seven State officials in a nowhere place? Happen often does it? As you say, State and 'minor' weapons? Not likely!

For me, everything that is coming out now simply reinforces my opinion that all government departments are effectively (and actually) dominated by the faceless statist, left-leaning, big-government, paternalistic, elites. Whoever is elected has little or no effect. The only difference being that with the likes of 'The O' in power, they're free to act 'openly' and without the slightest restraint. More to come I suspect (although being paranoid, I suspect what is 'being admitted' is not even close to as bad as what they're trying to conceal with these 'distractions'. Worrying?).

[JK]

Since when, JK, did State ever do anything other than 'supervise' and 'lord it'?

In my experience Able, that would be NEVER!

Mind, far as the (current) Benghazi mess goes, I'm merely "speculating" - based on some extensive reading of reports prior to Gaddafi's, er, abdication.

[David Duff]

Well, Gentlemen, this is Roger Simon's report from, as he admits, un-named, *potential*, State whistle-blowers:

"Stevens’ mission in Benghazi, they will say, was to buy back Stinger missiles from al-Qaeda groups issued to them by the State Department, not by the CIA. Such a mission would usually be a CIA effort, but the intelligence agency had opposed the idea because of the high risk involved in arming “insurgents” with powerful weapons that endanger civilian aircraft. Hillary Clinton still wanted to proceed because, in part, as one of the diplomats said, she wanted “to overthrow Gaddafi on the cheap.”"

Will this mysterious pair come out? Who knows?

[David Duff]

Able, I forgot to say welcome back, I assume it was a holiday in sunny climes but I trust you will not be showing us your white bits! (Er, there are white bits, aren't there - oh, no, say it ain't so!)

[JK]

& Able,

I [too] think when the facts come out (if ever) we'll find that the Ambassador was meeting someone other than an unnamed 'Turkish' official.

A "possible" scenario might go something like this:

A "Representative" (likely a Ringer) of the Free Syrian Army was accompanied [escorted] by the Turk to a pre-arranged meeting with our Ambassador (for whatever "ostensible" purpose - most probably, to ensure the Ambassador's presence). The SEALs accompanying Amb. Stevens it now turns out were CIA employees - they had been, true, recently detached from active Navy - but "I know" this practice has roots going back to [at minimum] 1979.

While Agency folks work on a "flexible" timeframe - State folk's schedules are "fixed" and thus dependable - at least dependable enough so any attacking force could base a reasonable timing for an assault to be initiated.

I could speculate further, but for you Sir - that should be sufficient.

[Able]

Sawadee krup - Holiday? I was 'working' hard, researching suitable locations to retire (I aimed for 35, missed that by a way but still aim to be early)- all that slaving away lounging by the pool, fine dining and imbibing imported liquors (local brew is reminiscent of industrial alcohol). Oh, and no tan either - the local ladies insisted on rubbing factor 150 all over me - I really don't get paid enough for all the hardships I suffer!

[David Duff]

Yeeeees, quite so, Able, I feel your pain!

[Up2L8]

Able:
Your ability to endure such anguish is admirable.

[David Duff]

You're right, Uppers, he's a hero to us all!