Germany vs. Greece - EU Crisis

Telegraph: Reports " Greece 'on a collision course with EU' warns Germany..Country’s far-Left anti-austerity opposition stands poised to win snap election in four weeks’ time following defeat for Greek government’s presidential candidate "

Lets Get Real:

Thus in the New Year expect the Greek mess to be at the front of the news headlines, the Germans have made it clear that the only path is their path, if Greek votes left then the Germans will cut the money that keeps Greece going.    The people of Greece have to GROW UP, without the German tax payer giving handouts to the Greek Government the Greek economy would be in the toilet.   The austerity plan for Greece is the ONLY plan in town, wake up with a left wing Government Greece and your OUT of the Euro. 

LBJ and Civil Rights - LBJ Era

Guardian: Reports on a recent row on the role of President Johnson in the Civil Rights movement, the article notes the following on LBJ, " He embarked on an ambitious legislative programme which included the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the “War on Poverty”, though his presidency was later undermined by an unpopular and costly war in Vietnam.  "

Lets Get Real:

This blog admits it, it has a soft spot of LBJ, this President was willing to go to the wall to defend new civil rights for African - Americans, as he stated at the time what was the point of the Oval Office is not to take risks to do the right thing.   This blog would have respected President Obama if he had stated that ObamaCare was a tax to help poor people, might not agree how it worked but one could understand the moral point, instead the President stated it would help ALL Americans, also they could keep their Doctor if they liked their heath plan.   That is now taken as the one of the biggest lies in political history.   LBJ was willing to use the power of the Oval Office to get Civil Rights through the Congress and have diect talks with Governors so they would protect African - Americans.   This blog hopes that this film is not meant to downgrade LBJ as to put Obama in a better light, one got that impression with the Butler.   If your making a left of centre film say so, if your going to mess up facts expect come back from historians, its your own fault.   This blog will wait in till the film Selma comes out.   Then will do a full historical review of the film and history. 

IS in Iraq - Update

BBC News: Reports " Iraqi government forces and allied Shia militia have recaptured the town of Dhuluiya, north of Baghdad, from Islamic State, security sources say. "

Lets Get Real:

This is a good start by the new Iraqi Army and Government, but they should not run before they can walk, after this victory they will go to Mosul, but that means house to house fighting, one doubts the new Army has the ability to win a major city without the US ground forces.   Thus early next year the Baghdad Government might ask for the US to help with ground forces, that is the day the Oval Office has dreaded for months.   Thu Oval can not afford for the Iraqi Army to lose in Mosul, thus they will need to be backed up by US/UK special forces.  That fight will decide how long the new War on Terror goes on in Iraq and Syria.