Benghazi House Select Committee - 2nd Term Blues

CNN - Politics: Reports the following from Capital Hill, " House Republicans have decided the select committee to investigate the Benghazi terror attack will include seven Republicans and five Democrats, according to two senior House GOP leadership aides. "

Lets Get Real:

It will be interesting to see if the House Committee can find anything that the Obama Administration is hiding, if the Oval stalls it will be worried that any secrets that are let out will harm President Obama and Secretary Clinton.   One could postulate, and this is just a theory that the idea to stress the video came from the Oval and State went along with it during the run up to the 2012 Presidential Election.   The next question is who gave the order for the US Armed Forces not to try some helpful action, that also leads to the Oval, or high up at Defence.   One can expect the Democrats on the Committee to take the Party line, that it is a pointless investigation, that all the facts are out, and that Country should move on, while the Republicans will go through every shred of paper, lets see win wins. 

Russian DEMANDS for new talks - Ukraine Crisis Latest

Guardian: Reports the following from East Ukraine, " Casualties on both sides as Kiev attempts to regain control of east and Russia insists that rebels be included in talks on equal terms. "

Lets Get Real:

It is now plain that Russia lied in the previous talks, they have no interest in real talks, they want to annex the East of the Ukraine or have it totally under its control, the West should send small arms to the Kiev Government and give them raw intelligence on the movement of the Russian Army.  If Russia invades the US and its allies should back the Kiev Government will bigger arms, such as tanks, helicopters, and planes.   The Russians should pay a cost for any invasion, the CIA should trained Ukraine Special Forces to fight an unconventional war, as faced by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, lets make the Ukraine the new Afghanistan for Russia, lets make them pay.  Politics is harsh, it is  lesson that Russia might have forgotten. 

Monica and that dress - Clinton Era

BBC News: Reports the following on Monica Lewinsky , " The one-time White House intern whose affair with President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment in the US Senate has broken her long silence in the media. "

Lets Get Real:

Monica Lewinsky is the woman who almost bought down President Clinton in 1998, their affair made headlines around the World, it was her word against his in till she produced that dress that confirmed that an affair had taken place.   Its odd this blog is only a few years older than Ms Lewinsky, the Clinton Era feels  a life time ago, the 1990s, the US was going through an economic boom, the US lead the Western alliance, and its leader Bill Clinton could not help himself, he had an affair, then denied that affair for months in till the polls changed in his favour.   The Lewinksy scandal has come back to life because of the good chance that former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for President in 2016, thus the shadow of the old dog comes in to question, how will Republicans deal with the issue, Jeb Bush it can be expected will not bring it up, while others who really want the nomination will take the issue and make it a major issue.   Lets be honest Al Gore lost in 2000 because of the scandal, he should have won, Bill Clinton has a lot to answer for on the political front. 

Obama and the Ukraine - Ukraine Crisis Latest 3

Telegraph: Reports that President Obama has stated that the  " ..violence escalating in eastern Ukraine is making it obvious to the world that pro-Russia militants there are not peaceful protesters. "

Lets Get Real:

This could be a lead by the Oval to the Kiev Government to go in hard in the East of Ukraine, before they lose the entire area, also before the Russians have the chance to go in and annex the East from the rest of the Ukraine.   There will be more deaths in the Ukraine, it could even lead to Civil War, one doubts that even Russia wants to see that, as Civil Wars have a habit of not staying within the border.   Thus Russia could face refugees from the East, that would not look good for the Putin image.  One wonders what the Kremlin will do, the deaths in Odessa could be used as a reason to send in the troops, but that has risks, the pro Kiev supporters in the East could fight back, as stated in previous post, Putin could lose big time if he has another Afghanistan on his plate. 

Kerry and Benghazi - 2nd Term Blues

CNN - Politics: Reports the following, " House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa announced Friday he has subpoenaed Secretary of State John Kerry to testify about the terror attack in Benghazi. "

Lets Get Real:

The Oval Office has to decide who will take the FALL for pushing the idea that a foul video was the reason for a terrorist attack on the US Consulate in Libya, the Oval is not going to throw himself under the bus, the Clinton Camp will make dam sure that Hillary Clinton does not get thrown under the bus in the lead up to 2016.   Thus someone has to be found who is willing to take the blame for that night, it can not be some one who was on the National Security Staff at mid level, it has to be someone either still high in the Obama Administration or someone who has left who has finished with a political career, the dogs need feeding, and the story will not go away in less there is a political scalp, think Iran - Contra and you get the idea. Politics is harsh business, the Oval has to be protected, everyone else can be sacked or replaced. 

Trouble in Odessa - Ukraine Crisis Latest 2

Guardian - Ukraine Live: Reports the following news from the Kiev Government in its 8.01pm post, " 38 people died in the fire in the Odessa trade union building. The ministry says eight died jumping from the building and 30 died from smoke inhalation. "

Lets Get Real:

In this case from reports it seems that pro Kiev supporters have the upper hand in Odessa, and the pro Russian protesters are in the minority, the above is a reference to the deaths of pro Russian protesters, thus this could be a reason used by Moscow to take military action in the East of Ukraine, if not the WHOLE of the Ukraine.   The Kiev Government has to ACT, it needs to get some control of the East as to allow for fresh elections, the Russians do not want that, they want to cause more trouble, as Secretary Kerry stated the US has information that the attacks are being planned in Moscow.   Thus we see the origins of a the new Cold War 2. History changes but stays the same. 

The Battle for Sloviansk - Ukraine Crisis Latest

BBC News: Reports the following from the East Ukraine, " Many pro-Russia rebels have been killed, injured and arrested in the Ukrainian government offensive in the eastern city of Sloviansk, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has said. "

Lets Get Real:

It is about time the Kiev Government started to take firm action, they have to show the Russians that if they invade it will not be cost free, they have to show that the majority of the people of the Ukraine will fight back, that they want freedom.   The Russians if they see that it will not be a walk over will blink, Putin does not need another Afghanistan on his hands, that helped bring down the USSR.   Also the West should send in small arms to help the Army of the Ukraine, also Western Special Forces should take a covert role, hitting Russian special forces, one thinks that the US and UK special forces could kick the butt of the Russians, SAS are rather good at this kind of action, lets see if THE USSR moves, sorry Russia moves in to East Ukraine.  Interesting week, in a long running story.