If so then this is a sure sign of disaster...

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/WATCH-LIVE-UN-chief-Ban-Ki-moon-meets-Netanyahu-during-snap-visit-to-Israel-427525

Mahmoud Abbas joins Hamas and ISIS?!?!? Well if this is true about joining ISIS, then things could get very bad very quick. The recent stabbings throughout Israel indicate a bold turn by the Palestinians to escalate their war agaisnt Israel. Yet it could be a sign of what is to come. Today Israel, tomorrow the United States. The stabbings in Israel could very well be a practice run for such incidents in the United States quite possibly in the very near future. Can anyone imagine the fear and paranoia that will engulf the USA should US citizens get stabbed en masse especially during rush hour and during a night out on the town? This wouldn't be the first time that another country was the site of a practice run when it came to terrorism that was ultimately carried out in the Unites States. In December 1999 terrorists carried box cutters and hijacked a plane that was leaving India. The hijackers used one of  the said box cutters to execute a hostage on the plane.

The 2.5% Rule...What a Stupid Criteria for Debate Eligibility...

   What ever happened to each candidate having an equal voice in their quest for elected office?  Well according to the GOP, having less than 2.5% of popular support disqualifies a candidate from participating in the next GOP presidential debate.  I know that there is an effort by the GOP to reduce the field of candidates from fifteen to a select few. Not for anything, but there are twenty names beibg floated for Speaker of the House. Well what do you expect from a party that had as many as 17 declared presidential candidates for crying out loud.  More on that later. 

     Has anyone forgotten to allow the process of Democracy to play itself out? I mean look at the Democrats more or less pushing John "The Annointed" Kerry adter his Iowa win in 2004. There were other viable candidates such as Retired General Wesley Clark (I thought he would've made an outstanding president by the way) who were drowned out that year.  What happenes if Trump suddenly takes a dive in the polls and no other viable candidate is able to prove themselves to be the nominee due to the GOP forcing candidates out of the race? This would give watered-down a completely new meaning.  What if Trump slips and there is no further reduction in the number of candidates? Someone can step up and prove themselves. Just throwing it out there.

As for the Speaker of the House debacle that I briefly touched off on earlier. Twenty candidates does not show variety, it shows further indecisiveness when it comes to the direction of a politcal party. Vetting the viability of a candidate? How about letting the voting process to play itself out. This coming from a political party who in the 2000 presidential election tampered with votes in Florida and God knows how many other states. Um George Clooney you can use this as a premise for Ocean's Fourteen.  You know graduate from robbing to tampering votes. What a sad commentary when it comes to the direction that Democracy is heading in. What happened to allowing every candidate to make their case for you vote...what ever happened to allowing every vote to count? I'm just the son of a Korean War Veteran...My dad fought in Korea to allow Democracy to continue on in the USA. He fought so we can be free and that I have the right to ask these questions without the threat of being jailed or executed.

Tom

Could these weapons fall into the wrong hands? Mistakes of previous administrations revisited?

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/With-Obamas-new-plan-for-Syrian-rebels-new-worries-427566

President Obama's decision to send weapons to Syrian rebels indicates the effort to fight ISIS is becoming more aggressive. However it could backfire and evoke memories of similar mistakes by previous administrations in recent decades. First and foremost the decision to arm the Afghan citizens and foreign fighters who came to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet invasion. Well those weapons fell into the hands of foreign fighters who later became known as al-Qaeda. We even trained them before they turned against us.

Lest we forget the other colossal mistakes of the so-called iconic Reagan administration. Bad enough we chose to arm Iraq to fight Iran during the Iran-Iraq War drom 1980-1988 due to the fact that Iran was holding 52 Americans hostage, but Iraq used these weapons to invade Kuwait that resulted in Operation Desert Storm, but also influenced the rise of al-Qaeda. Then we ship arms to Iran to free American and other Western Hostages held by the Iranian backed Hezbollah. To all insult to injury, Hezbollah proceeded to replenish their supply of Western hostages in order to get more arms. We all know that Iran-Contra was a result of this ineptitude and hypocritical conduct of the Reagan Administration. This after Ronald Reagan said that the US does not negotiate with terrorists. That said if there was ever a textbook case for impeaching a president this was the case. However there were too many gutless cowards who played the "US is not ready for another round of impeachments this sok after Watergate" card. Well they called for the impeachment of President Clinton for using his PhD on Monica Lewinsky. For thsoe who do not what I mean by PhD, it's called Pimpin' Honeys Degree.

Now on to the next one...aka act of presidential incompetence. This honor goes to none other then George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The Elder Bush for failing to topple Saddam after his invasion of Kuwait not to mention his role in Iran-Contra. The Little Bush for arming the Iraqi insurgents who later evolved into ISIS over time. I will refrain from discussing the Bush family's other incidents at this time,  but as a hint the dual offenses took place from  November 2000 through September 2001.

With all this history that I have discussed, I have no question that the arming of Syrian rebels will prove to be another epic disaster especially if they fall into the hands of ISIS. I shudder to say this but it's not if but when given the recent track record.

Tom