Interesting how the Navy boat seizure from the other night — and the images of the kneeling sailors at gunpoint, along with the administration’s perceived “groveling” in response — have played so strongly into the GOP campaign. It’s become a poster child moment that for many illustrates the weakening of American strength and position in the world.
With the little info he has, the local Navy guy thinks the sailors are lucky the Iranians didn’t shoot their boats out of the water. Trespassing in national waters like that in war vessels can be perceived as an act of war and destruction is permissible under the rules of engagement.
Granted, there are a lot of questions to be answered — mechanical trouble explanation now abandoned?
___________________________________________
Questions abound in the case of the two ships and ten sailors captured by the IRGC in the Persian Gulf earlier this week. We can be grateful that the sailors have been released by Iran, but the groveling exhibited by the Obama administration is a matter of profound national embarrassment, which seems to be exactly what the Iranians intended. ….
Yesterday Secretary Carter asserted that the boats “stray[ed] accidentally into Iranian waters due to a navigation error.” An IBD editorial raises questions about the purported navigation error, but this is far from the only unanswered question.
IBD quotes Christopher Harmer, retired operations commander for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Harmer told CNN there was “no reason for a small vessel to be out that far and especially without escorting ships around it,” and “the Navy has to explain why you have small ships transiting 300 miles of open ocean.” …
… Regardless of the applicability or terms of the Code of Conduct, the spirit of resistance (among the sailors) was conspicuous by its absence. What happened? As Seth writes, it’s too soon to answer the question, but it’s certainly not to soon to ask. …
____________________________________________
One of those mentioned is World News Daily, which I think I have seen quoted here. Or maybe it was another site with a similar name that I’ve seen here.
One of my ultra-liberal friends (not YF), who has a genius IQ, often falls for fake news stories that paint conservatives or Christians in a very bad light. Her disdain & contempt for us is such that she wants to believe those fake stories.
I appreciate snopes, but I believe that site trends a bit liberal itself, so …
I think we all need to know how to distinguish between commentary sites & news sites.
I take some with a huge grain of salt (I’m not overly familiar with WND but it is one I don’t typically “use” or look to — the more extremely partisan a site is, the less credence I tend to give it without cross-checking the information elsewhere).
So I guess rather than a “fake” news site I’d call it a commentary site (one that trends far right and should be read with discernment).
After all, a lot of people I know refer to Fox News as “Faux” news —
So often it depends on your own view of the world whether a site is trustworthy or not.
I think Fox does a good job with news, often covering stories that need to be covered (and aren’t always covered so well).
Their partisan commentators I take (mostly) with a grain of salt. 🙂 Hannity, O’Reilly, a few of the others, I just don’t spend a lot of time listening to — and if I do, I don’t take what they say as gospel.
When it comes to the radio, I prefer the likes of Dennis Prager or Michael Medved over say someone like Rush or Levin(?) who push a little too rightward for my taste.
But they’re all essentially partisan commentators, not straight news sources.
I believe you are mistaken. I did an administrator omni-search of the site and there are zero hits for a World News Daily. There are several from World Net Daily, or http://www.wnd.com/, which is a legit site, although a “right-wing” leaning one.
From the link Karen gave to the slopes article, it’s talking about the really weird stuff that you sometimes see on social media — I guess some of that can be political, but a lot of it is just silly.
About this business of the navy patrol boats captured by Iran. As Scott and Investors Business Daily point out, there’s something off about the official story that a “navigation error” caused the boats to stray into Iranian waters. I don’t believe this story for a moment. (And the initial explanation that the boats “drifted” there after engine trouble has already been withdrawn. Why was that put out or not disavowed immediately?) One hopes that boat crews would navigate by means in addition to GPS since GPS could be taken out in a serious conflict, but unless our sailors have become incompetent or there was some extraordinary failure on these boats (unlikely I think), this “navigation error” sounds like either a deliberate mission that the Pentagon can’t acknowledge*, or the Iranians captured the boats in international waters, and we’re not willing to dispute their claim because of the Iran arms treaty agreement.
My conclusion: we’re being lied to by the Obama Administration (I know—shocker). …
_____________________
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – With the important caveat that not a single vote has been cast in any state firmly in place, the 2016 GOP primary increasingly feels like a three-man race. Last night, the trio of candidates at the top of the polls turned in strong performances; each man helped himself while dispensing and absorbing some hard jabs ….
… Strap it in, because the next month is going to get turbulent.
______________________
… But the fact is 2 Chronicles 7:14 isn’t talking about America or national identity or some generic sense of “revival.” To apply the verse this way is, whatever one’s political ideology, theological liberalism.
This verse is a word written to a specific people – the people of God – who were coming home from exile. …
… But the temptation to apply 2 Chronicles to the nation rather than to the church persists, for the same reasons that some insist on applying Genesis 12:3 (“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will dishonor”) to foreign policy rather than to where the Bible applies it: to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:7-14).
This happens because the first question of culture is one of identity, who are we and where do we fit in the broader culture. We too often see America as some how more “real” than the kingdom, and our country as more important than the church. But 2 Chronicles 7:14 itself starts with the question of identity: “If my people…called by my name…” This, or any other country, is not called by the name of God. The kingdom of God, on the other hand, is (Isa. 62:3-5). …
__________________________
Doesn’t mean we don’t work to make sure we get the best government possible out of our love for neighbor.
Ted Cruz is doing well, but wouldn’t the fact that he was born in Canada become a problem if he wins the nomination? What is the explanation for why he is allowed to run for president?
Wandering Views 
NO. I didn’t see the debates.
LikeLike
I did.
Good nights for Trump, Cruz & Rubio. So, in other words, everything probably is going to stay about the same in the polls — for now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting how the Navy boat seizure from the other night — and the images of the kneeling sailors at gunpoint, along with the administration’s perceived “groveling” in response — have played so strongly into the GOP campaign. It’s become a poster child moment that for many illustrates the weakening of American strength and position in the world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
With the little info he has, the local Navy guy thinks the sailors are lucky the Iranians didn’t shoot their boats out of the water. Trespassing in national waters like that in war vessels can be perceived as an act of war and destruction is permissible under the rules of engagement.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Granted, there are a lot of questions to be answered — mechanical trouble explanation now abandoned?
___________________________________________
Questions abound in the case of the two ships and ten sailors captured by the IRGC in the Persian Gulf earlier this week. We can be grateful that the sailors have been released by Iran, but the groveling exhibited by the Obama administration is a matter of profound national embarrassment, which seems to be exactly what the Iranians intended. ….
Yesterday Secretary Carter asserted that the boats “stray[ed] accidentally into Iranian waters due to a navigation error.” An IBD editorial raises questions about the purported navigation error, but this is far from the only unanswered question.
IBD quotes Christopher Harmer, retired operations commander for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Harmer told CNN there was “no reason for a small vessel to be out that far and especially without escorting ships around it,” and “the Navy has to explain why you have small ships transiting 300 miles of open ocean.” …
… Regardless of the applicability or terms of the Code of Conduct, the spirit of resistance (among the sailors) was conspicuous by its absence. What happened? As Seth writes, it’s too soon to answer the question, but it’s certainly not to soon to ask. …
____________________________________________
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/01/remember-the-pueblo.php
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some fake news sites to watch out for online.
One of those mentioned is World News Daily, which I think I have seen quoted here. Or maybe it was another site with a similar name that I’ve seen here.
http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of my ultra-liberal friends (not YF), who has a genius IQ, often falls for fake news stories that paint conservatives or Christians in a very bad light. Her disdain & contempt for us is such that she wants to believe those fake stories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate snopes, but I believe that site trends a bit liberal itself, so …
I think we all need to know how to distinguish between commentary sites & news sites.
I take some with a huge grain of salt (I’m not overly familiar with WND but it is one I don’t typically “use” or look to — the more extremely partisan a site is, the less credence I tend to give it without cross-checking the information elsewhere).
So I guess rather than a “fake” news site I’d call it a commentary site (one that trends far right and should be read with discernment).
LikeLiked by 2 people
After all, a lot of people I know refer to Fox News as “Faux” news —
So often it depends on your own view of the world whether a site is trustworthy or not.
I think Fox does a good job with news, often covering stories that need to be covered (and aren’t always covered so well).
Their partisan commentators I take (mostly) with a grain of salt. 🙂 Hannity, O’Reilly, a few of the others, I just don’t spend a lot of time listening to — and if I do, I don’t take what they say as gospel.
When it comes to the radio, I prefer the likes of Dennis Prager or Michael Medved over say someone like Rush or Levin(?) who push a little too rightward for my taste.
But they’re all essentially partisan commentators, not straight news sources.
LikeLike
If it sounds too crazy and nutty to be true, it probably is? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Karen,
I believe you are mistaken. I did an administrator omni-search of the site and there are zero hits for a World News Daily. There are several from World Net Daily, or http://www.wnd.com/, which is a legit site, although a “right-wing” leaning one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I think I had them confused, too.
From the link Karen gave to the slopes article, it’s talking about the really weird stuff that you sometimes see on social media — I guess some of that can be political, but a lot of it is just silly.
LikeLike
More on the Navy boats:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/01/no-so-swift-boats.php
_________________
About this business of the navy patrol boats captured by Iran. As Scott and Investors Business Daily point out, there’s something off about the official story that a “navigation error” caused the boats to stray into Iranian waters. I don’t believe this story for a moment. (And the initial explanation that the boats “drifted” there after engine trouble has already been withdrawn. Why was that put out or not disavowed immediately?) One hopes that boat crews would navigate by means in addition to GPS since GPS could be taken out in a serious conflict, but unless our sailors have become incompetent or there was some extraordinary failure on these boats (unlikely I think), this “navigation error” sounds like either a deliberate mission that the Pentagon can’t acknowledge*, or the Iranians captured the boats in international waters, and we’re not willing to dispute their claim because of the Iran arms treaty agreement.
My conclusion: we’re being lied to by the Obama Administration (I know—shocker). …
_____________________
LikeLiked by 2 people
Last night’s debate:
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2016/01/15/analysis-trump-cruz-rubio-pull-away-from-pack-at-charleston-debate-n2105035
___________________________
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – With the important caveat that not a single vote has been cast in any state firmly in place, the 2016 GOP primary increasingly feels like a three-man race. Last night, the trio of candidates at the top of the polls turned in strong performances; each man helped himself while dispensing and absorbing some hard jabs ….
… Strap it in, because the next month is going to get turbulent.
____________________________
LikeLiked by 1 person
I still like Carson the best, and I think he would be the one candidate who could best unify our nation.
LikeLike
Russell D. Moore’s column on America and God. Thoughts?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/01/14/sorry-the-bible-doesnt-promise-to-make-american-great-again/
______________________
… But the fact is 2 Chronicles 7:14 isn’t talking about America or national identity or some generic sense of “revival.” To apply the verse this way is, whatever one’s political ideology, theological liberalism.
This verse is a word written to a specific people – the people of God – who were coming home from exile. …
… But the temptation to apply 2 Chronicles to the nation rather than to the church persists, for the same reasons that some insist on applying Genesis 12:3 (“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will dishonor”) to foreign policy rather than to where the Bible applies it: to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:7-14).
This happens because the first question of culture is one of identity, who are we and where do we fit in the broader culture. We too often see America as some how more “real” than the kingdom, and our country as more important than the church. But 2 Chronicles 7:14 itself starts with the question of identity: “If my people…called by my name…” This, or any other country, is not called by the name of God. The kingdom of God, on the other hand, is (Isa. 62:3-5). …
__________________________
Doesn’t mean we don’t work to make sure we get the best government possible out of our love for neighbor.
LikeLiked by 3 people
AJ – That’s why I added, “Or maybe it was another site with a similar name that I’ve seen here” – because I wasn’t sure it was the same one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gps problems could be at the heart, though, those were river boats . . . USNA has just started training on sextant a again after a long time not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ted Cruz is doing well, but wouldn’t the fact that he was born in Canada become a problem if he wins the nomination? What is the explanation for why he is allowed to run for president?
LikeLike
And more on the Navy incident (along with an interesting cartoon)
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/01/obamas-iran-policy-explained.php
LikeLike