BloggeRhythms

While the incumbent’s in California playing golf, after pressing for another billion dollars to combat the climate change farce, Drudge posted an interesting article from the dailycaller.com, as follows:

 

“Food stamp redemption at military grocery stores, or commissaries, has nearly doubled since the beginning of the “Great Recession,” topping out at $103.6 million in fiscal 2013, from $31.1 million in 2008.

 

From FY 2009 to FY 2010 the level of spending jumped from $52.9 million to $72.8 million; from FY 2010 to FY 2011 the amount of SNAP benefits redeemed increased from $72.8 million to $87.8 million; from FY 2011 to FY 2012 it increased from $87.8 million to $98.8 million; and from FY 2012 to FY 2013 from $98.8 million to $103.6 million.”

 

So, what this indicates is that by pandering, fawning and kicking-back billions to the special interest groups that fund him, the incumbent's literally taking food out of the mouths of those in the military who willingly risk their lives to protect the nation and its inhabitants. Because, evidently, they need supplemental assistance for mere sustenance. And that’s why the the headline caught my eye, because I doubt any politician could get lower than that.

 

At the same time, according to Fox News on-line, The Wall Street Journal reported that, “An Iranian hack of the Navy's largest unclassified computer network reportedly took more than four months to resolve, raising concern among some lawmakers about security gaps exposed by the attack.”

 

The newspaper cited current and former U.S. officials who said the cyberattack targeted the Navy Marine Corps Internet, which is used by the Navy Department to host websites, store nonsensitive information, and handle voice, video, and data communications. 

 

The quoted official said that the Iranians were able to conduct surveillance and compromise communications over the unclassified computer networks of the Navy and Marine Corps. However, another senior official told the Journal that no e-mail accounts were hacked and no data was stolen. There is also no evidence that Iran was able to penetrate classified U.S. computer networks. 

 

The cyberattack is one of the one of the most serious infiltrations of government computer systems by the Iranians. The Journal reported that U.S. defense officials were surprised at the skill of the hackers, who were able to enter the network through a security gap in a public-facing website.” 

 

The reason this display of Iranian technical capability is so important can be seen in another aspect happening simultaneously.    

 

Pepe Escobar, of Asia Times on-line writes a column headed, The Roving Eye.

 

In one titled, “Iran's real 'nuclear' revolution,” Mr. Escobar reports that, “The nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) are back this Tuesday in Vienna. The stakes couldn't be higher. It will be a long and winding road. Hidden agendas on both sides badly want the talks to fail - and will spare no effort towards that goal.”

 

Therefore, Mr. Escobar’s conclusion was, “Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei could be interpreted as a stony realist, when he said that the talks will go nowhere.”

 

 

So, here we have an enemy nation demonstrating it’s technical sophistication on one hand, while continuing it’s nuclear capability on the other, seemingly having no intention of heeding any guidelines now, or later, imposed. And at the same time, the U.S. administration apparently ignores cold, hard, facts, playing instead to political supporters comprising its base.

 

Therefore, what today’s items illustrate is that when leaders are political hacks having no governing skills whatsoever, the nation not only deteriorates internally but becomes exposed to foreign threats that could easily be stopped were a real, knowledgeable, forceful effort made.

 

That’s if for today folks.

 

Adios