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July 2016

Posted by Vijeta Uniyal on July 26, 2016 19 Comments
With three major terror attacks in less than a week, Germany has been rudely awoken to a harsh new reality. Two of the attackers, Afghan (17) and Syrian (27) with refugee status, had pledged allegiance to Islamic State before embarking on their terrorist mission. Chancellor Merkel's government is responding to the rising threat of Islamist terrorism by proposing to tighten gun ownership laws and giving greater powers to the army in matters of domestic security. Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière called for tightening firearms laws, while Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen wants a greater role for German Army (Bundeswehr) in domestic situations.

Posted by Mary Chastain on July 26, 2016 52 Comments
French President Francois Hollande said the men who murdered 84-year-old Jacques Hamel pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). They also took four people hostage. Hollande said:
"[ISIS] has declared war on us," French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday. "We must fight this war by all means, while respecting the rule of law -- what makes us a democracy."
Authorities identified one terrorist as Adel Kermiche. His parents "flagged his radical behavior to authorities." We will continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on July 26, 2016 13 Comments
Many Americans are closely watching the dumpster fire of the Democratic National Convention. However, a true wildfire is blazing near Santa Clarita, the third largest city in Los Angeles County.
The effort to control the raging Sand fire in the Santa Clarita Valley mountains has drawn firefighters and emergency crews in the hills toward Acton. So far, the fire has burned an estimated 33,172 acres and continues to threaten hundreds of homes. The blaze has prompted the evacuation of at least 10,000 homes and fire remains only 10% contained. At least 18 structures have been destroyed.

Posted by Mark Finkelstein on July 26, 2016 13 Comments
Today's opening segment of Morning Joe was one—long—gush-fest over First Lady Michelle Obama's speech to the DNC last night. The apotheosis of adulation came from Joe Scarborough, who said that the speech "reminded me of Ronald Reagan." Scarborough also had an "America love it or leave it" message for those who think our country needs to be made great again: "we are the last best hope for a dying world. If you can't get behind that message as a Republican or a Democrat, then let me buy you a ticket to another country." Wonder if Joe offered Michelle a ticket out back in 2008 when she said that "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country?"

Posted by Mike LaChance on July 26, 2016 24 Comments
The Democratic National Convention is off to a great start for anyone who enjoys watching the Democratic Party implode under its own internal divisions. Not only are Bernie Sanders supporters putting on a show outside the convention center, they're in the hall and making themselves heard. That's a problem for the people who control the party. Blake Neff reports at the Daily Caller:
Bernie Fans Claim Their Signs Are Being Seized At Convention Bernie Sanders supporters at the Democratic National Convention claim people are seizing pro-Sanders signs in an effort to suppress the heavy support he is receiving on the convention floor.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 25, 2016 57 Comments
Believe me, I'm sympathetic to Russian conspiracy claims. I grew up reading John le Carre novels. No joke, I first read The Spy Who Came in From The Cold while riding the Moscow Metro back and forth from my dormitory on the outskirts to the classrooms in the center. When studying in the Soviet Union I learned that everyone was paranoid -- and justifiably so! The fire detectors on the ceilings of our dorm were really listening devices, a Hungarian student who hated the Soviets whispered to me. I couldn't prove it or disprove it. But based on circumstantial evidence of Soviet spying elsewhere, it certainly could have made sense. I had random, but minor, brushes with obvious KGB types.

Posted by Miriam Elman on July 25, 2016 2 Comments
On July 18, 2016, in a well-attended public ceremony in downtown Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority (PA) honored the life and work of Ahmad Ibrahim Jbara. Jbara, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Sukkar, was a terrorist who masterminded a deadly 1975 bombing attack in Jerusalem in which 15 people were murdered and nearly 80 wounded when a refrigerator packed with explosives detonated. For this heinous crime, Abu Sukkar was sentenced to life plus 30 years. In an Israeli prison, he would become among the most well-compensated individuals within the Palestinian community, benefiting from a generous monthly salary bestowed on him by the PA. In 2003, Israel released him along with 99 other prisoners as a ‘good will gesture’ to the PA on the eve of a summit meeting in Jordan.

Posted by Mary Chastain on July 25, 2016 8 Comments
Turkey continues to purge people after a failed coup two weeks ago. Authorities said ambassadors are next while Amnesty International reported authorities have raped and tortured the detainees already behind bars. Turkey blames the Gülen Movement and have said everyone purged has connections to the group. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said they are no concentrating on his department:
"Some personnel in the ministry had been given answered questions... and some personnel were placed in key positions in the ministry," he told broadcaster France 24.

Posted by Mike LaChance on July 25, 2016 2 Comments
Dinesh D'Souza's new film "Hillary's America" opened on Friday and will get plenty of buzz as the Democratic National Convention unfolds in Philadelphia this week. To help promote the movie, Dinesh and his team have released a music video featuring Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. The Hollywood Reporter has the story:
Dinesh D'Souza Drops Music Video for 'Hillary's America' Doc Ahead of the DNC Dinesh D'Souza on Saturday released a music video for his latest documentary, Hillary's America, featuring Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers singing "Stand Up and Say So," the song they wrote and performed for the film, which opened Friday.

Posted by Mary Chastain on July 25, 2016 5 Comments
Two Syrians in Germany attacked innocent civilians on Sunday. One killed a pregnant woman with a machete while the other detonated a bomb outside of a music festival. The bomber recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, which has led authorities to call it a terrorist attack. Authorities call the murder of the pregnant woman a crime of passion since the attacker was in love with her. The attacks come only days after Ali Sonboly, a German-Iranian 18-year-old, killed nine at a McDonalds in Munich.

Posted by Mark Finkelstein on July 25, 2016 23 Comments
Such a shame that current Philadelphia Mayor, Democrat Jim Kenney—and Hillary Clinton for that matter—weren't around for the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Back in 1776, Kenney and Clinton obviously would have been much more enlightened, morally-advanced voices than Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin . . . On today's Morning Joe, Kenney—who endorsed Hillary early in the primary season—was asked about the prevalence of Black Lives Matter voices and concerns to be heard at this week's DNC. He responded with a condemnation of law enforcement, the court system and even the Declaration of Independence. Kenney declared that black lives "haven't mattered in our country over the history of law enforcement and in the criminal courts and in the way people have been treated from the 1600s up until now. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, it was all men are equal: well, all white men with land were created equal."

Posted by David Gerstman on July 25, 2016 10 Comments
The Associated Press reported earlier this week that a previously secret document showed that a number of restrictions imposed by last year's nuclear deal with Iran will expire after ten years, allowing Iran to achieve a nuclear breakout time as little as three months by the end of the deal in 15 years. The AP described the concessions spelled out in the document:
The document obtained by the AP fills in the gap. It says that as of January 2027 — 11 years after the deal was implemented — Iran will start replacing its mainstay centrifuges with thousands of advanced machines. Centrifuges churn out uranium to levels that can range from use as reactor fuel and for medical and research purposes to much higher levels for the core of a nuclear warhead. From year 11 to 13, says the document, Iran will install centrifuges up to five times as efficient as the 5,060 machines it is now restricted to using.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on July 24, 2016 65 Comments
The Wikileaks release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails threatens to set the Democratic National Convention on fire this week. Whether the leaks prove the election was fixed is one thing; that it is perceived that way is beyond doubt. Already Debbie Wasserman Schultz has resigned as DNC Chair. Not enough. Bernie supporters are furious, and are demanding he withdraw his endorsement of Hillary. That's highly unlikely to happen, which will shut close a possible relief valve. The left wing of the left wing of the Democratic Party is ready to bust a gasket, and go full #NeverHillary and mean it. It will only take a few percent of Democrats to stay home or run to Green Party candidate Jill Stein for Hillary to be damaged in the general election. The media cannot let that happen. So expect several narratives to permeate the convention coverage.

Posted by Mary Chastain on July 24, 2016 10 Comments
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided not to fully ban Russia from the 2016 Rio Games even though the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found the doping scandal reached the government. The IOC said:
Given the urgency of the situation, with the Olympic Games Rio 2016 starting in 12 days, and the athletes’ entry process already underway, the IOC EB had to take a preliminary decision with regard to the participation of Russian athletes in Rio de Janeiro. Prof. McLaren states in his report that it “fulfils partially the mandate of the Independent Person”. This is why the IOC supports his request to continue and finalise his work. On the other hand, this situation leads to an urgency for the IOC which does not allow it sufficient time for hearings for affected athletes, officials and organisations.

Posted by AACONS on July 24, 2016 1 Comment
Kimberley Strassel is a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board. Since 2007 she has written the "Potomac Watch" column and has worked for the Wall Street Journal in Brussels, London, and New York. An Oregon native, Ms. Strassel is a graduate of Princeton University and lives in Virginia with her three children. Her new book is entitled, “The Intimidation Game: How the Left Is Silencing Free Speech.” Kim R. Holmes is a Distinguished Fellow and former Vice President of The Heritage Foundation, who oversaw the think tank’s defense and foreign policy team for more than two decades. Holmes also served as a U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for international organization affairs during most of the first term of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2004. His new book is entitled, “The Closing of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define the Left."
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