Category Archives: Failed foreign policy

Obama’s Paris Climate Agreement to Cost Trillions

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Obama’s Paris Global Warming Treaty Will Cost At Least $12.1 Trillion

A.Follett/DailyCaller: The United Nations Paris agreement to stop dangerous global warming could cost $12.1 trillion over the next 25 years, according to calculations performed by environmental activists.

“The required expenditure averages about $484 billion a year over the period,” calculated Bloomberg New Energy Finance with the assistance of the environmentalist nonprofit Ceres.

 

That’s almost as much money the U.S. federal government spent on defense in 2015, according to 2015 spending numbers from the bipartisan Committee For Responsible Federal Budget. The required annual spending is almost 3.7 times more than the $131.57 billion China spent on its military in 2014.

Bloomberg’s estimates are likely low, as they exclude costly energy efficiency measures. The amount spent to meet global carbon dioxide emissions reduction goals could be as high as $16.5 trillion between now and 2030, when energy efficiency measures are included, according to projections from the  International Energy Agency. To put these numbers in perspective, the U.S. government is just under $19 trillion in debt and only produced $17.4 trillion in gross domestic product in 2014.

American taxpayers spend an average of $39 billion a year financially supporting solar energy, according to a report by the Taxpayer Protection Alliance. The same report shows President Barack Obama’s 2009 stimulus package contained $51 billion in spending for green energy projects, including funding for failed solar energy companies such as Solyndra and Abound Solar.

Solyndra was given a $535 million loan guarantee by the Obama administration before filing for bankruptcy in 2011. Abound Solar got a $400 million federal loan guarantee, but filed for bankruptcy in 2012 after making faulty panels that routinely caught fire.

Despite relatively high levels of taxpayer support, in 2014 solar and wind power accounted for only 0.4 and 4.4 percent of electricity generated in the U.S., respectively, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Ironically, solar and wind power have not done much to reduce America’s carbon dioxide emissions. Studies show solar power is responsible for one percent of the decline in U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions, while natural gas is responsible for almost 20 percent. For every ton of carbon dioxide cut by solar power, hydraulic fracturing for natural gas cut 13 tons.

*** Really dude?

Protect the health of American families. In 2030, it will:

  • Prevent up to 3,600 premature deaths

  • Prevent 1,700 non-fatal heart attacks

  • Prevent 90,000 asthma attacks in children

  • Prevent 300,000 missed workdays and schooldays

Boost our economy by:

  • Leading to 30 percent more renewable energy generation
    in 2030

  • Creating tens of thousands of jobs

  • Continuing to lower the costs of renewable energy

Save the average American family:

  • Nearly $85 a year on their energy bills in 2030

  • Save enough energy to power 30 million homes
    in 2030

  • Save consumers $155 billion from 2020-2030

*** Climate Action Plan

Explore the infographic to learn about the progress we’re making to combat climate change, and read President Obama’s full Climate Action Plan here.

 

34 Groups Connected to Militant Islam

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UN chief: 34 groups now allied to Islamic State extremists

UNITED NATIONS (AP)— Thirty-four militant groups from around the world had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State extremist group as of mid-December — and that number will only grow in 2016, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report Friday.

Ban said IS poses “an unprecedented threat,” because of its ability to persuade groups from countries like the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Libya and Nigeria to pledge their allegiance.

He said U.N. member states should also prepare for an increase in attacks by IS associated groups traveling to other countries to launch attacks and develop networks.

“The recent expansion of the ISIL sphere of influence across west and north Africa, the Middle East and south and southeast Asia demonstrates the speed and scale at which the gravity of the threat has evolved in just 18 months,” Ban said, using another abbreviation for the group.

Adding to the threat, IS is “the world’s wealthiest terrorist organization,” Ban said, citing estimates the group generated $400-$500 million from oil and oil products in 2015, despite an embargo.

According to the U.N. mission in Iraq, cash taken from bank branches located in provinces under IS control totaled $1 billion. The mission also estimates that a tax on trucks entering IS controlled-territory generates nearly $1 billion a year, he said.

The extremist group captured large swathes of Iraq and Syria less than two years ago and despite international efforts to oust them, Ban said IS continues to maintain its presence in both countries and is expanding to other regions.

But the report and vote was in November of 2015:

UnitedNations: The Security Council determined today that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS) constituted an “unprecedented” threat to international peace and security, calling upon Member States with the requisite capacity to take “all necessary measures” to prevent and suppress its terrorist acts on territory under its control in Syria and Iraq.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2249 (2015), the Council unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIL — also known as Da’esh — on 26 June in Sousse, on 10 October in Ankara, on 31 October over the Sinaï Peninsula, on 12 November in Beirut and on 13 November in Paris, among others.  It expressed its deepest condolences to the victims and their families, as well as to the people and Governments of Tunisia, Turkey, Russian Federation, Lebanon and France.

The 15-member body condemned in the strongest terms ISIL’s gross, systematic and widespread abuses of human rights, as well as its destruction and looting of cultural heritage.  Those who committed, or were otherwise responsible for, terrorist acts or human rights violations must be held accountable.  By other terms, the Council urged Member States to intensify their efforts to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into Iraq and Syria, and to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism.

Following the vote, nearly all Council members took the floor to decry the “barbaric” attacks and hateful world view espoused by ISIL, reaffirming their support in both stemming the threat and bringing perpetrators to justice.  In an echo of the sentiments voiced by many around the table Spain’s representative declared:  “Today, we are all French, Russian, Malian and Arab,” adding:  “It is time to act with a French, Russian, Malian and Arab heart.”  The Council had a duty to guarantee the values and principles of the United Nations, and all must close ranks to vanquish terrorism, he stressed.

France’s representative, recalling that Da’esh had perpetrated an act of war against his country on 13 November, said today’s vote signalled recognition of the threat’s exceptional nature.  The fight against terrorism could only be effective if combined with a political transition that would eliminate Da’esh, he said, adding that France had obtained activation of the European Union’s mutual solidarity clause.

The Russian Federation’s representative said today’s unanimous vote was a step towards the creation of a broad anti-terrorism front aimed at eradicating root causes.  That also had been the aim of a Russian draft presented to the Council on 30 September, he said, describing attempts by some to block his delegation’s efforts as politically short-sighted.

Also speaking today were representatives of China, United States, Nigeria, Lithuania, Jordan, New Zealand, Chile, Angola, Venezuela and the United Kingdom.

Spooky Dude Behind Migrants and Benefits

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United States Programs via Open Society Foundation, George Soros:

The Open Society Foundations’ U.S. Programs is committed to building a vibrant, inclusive, and more just society in the United States. Through grant making, the Soros Justice Fellowships, and a special reserve fund used as crises and unexpected opportunities arise, U.S. Programs seeks to promote full participation in the nation’s civic, political, and economic life—particularly for communities that are historically marginalized and vulnerable—and to ensure that the core institutions of civil society are effective and accountable to the public.

The work of U.S. Programs is organized around four central goals: a more inclusive and accountable American democracy; a fair criminal justice system; full political, economic, and civic participation of communities of color and immigrants; and equitable economic growth.

Among its priorities:

Justice

Working to end mass incarceration; making police departments more accountable to the communities they serve; challenging the death penalty; and replacing youth justice policies that stigmatize and suppress with those that safeguard the rights of children.

Drug Policy

Promoting policies that address drug use—and the health, mental health, and social needs it creates—within the context of communities rather than the justice system, and working to ensure access to comprehensive treatment.

Equality

Promoting fairness and equality for all people in the United States by removing barriers to full participation in economic, social, and civic life for marginalized communities; seeking to reduce the racial wealth gap and reform harsh school discipline policies that disproportionately impact children of color; working to improve life outcomes for boys and men of color; and changing the racial narrative in this country.

Democracy

Supporting high-quality journalism to help hold powerful institutions accountable; protecting the free flow of information through an internet accessible to all; reducing the undue influence of money in politics; expanding electoral participation and combat voter suppression; and advancing reforms safeguarding the independence of state courts.

Economic Advancement

Working to promote economic opportunity for all Americans, reduce income equality, and advance fair housing and lending policies.

National Security & Human Rights

Working to promote the rule of law, defend civil liberties and human rights, and combat Islamophobia in the face of overbroad or discriminatory U.S. counterterrorism policies and practices.

Philanthropy of Place

Testing ideas at the state and local level through our sole field office, the Open Society Institute–Baltimore, which focuses on drug addiction, over-reliance on incarceration, and obstacles that prevent youth from succeeding inside and out of the classroom, as well as through the Open Places Initiative, which promotes equality and improved civic participation in Buffalo, San Diego, and Puerto Rico.

***

Countless pages here on who he gives grant money to.

Programs
George Soros: Open Society Foundation: International Migration Initiative

Governance and Accountability
Through empowerment, policy change, and legal action, we target reforms that meaningfully improve the working and living conditions of migrants.

The International Migration Initiative seeks to address exploitation, discrimination and violence against migrants at every stage of their migration journey. Specifically, the initiative aims to increase protections for migrants in the Asia/Middle East and the Central America/Mexico corridors while improving policymaking and the governance of international migration.

Two unique aspects of the initiative’s approach amplify its impact: First, our focus on migration corridors means the initiative is active in both countries of origin and destination, and thus targets every stage of the migration journey. Second, we bridge advocacy and policy by drawing on the experience of grassroots organizations, while engaging with policymaker and political leaders. Through empowerment, policy change, and legal action, we target reforms that can meaningfully improve the working and living conditions of migrants.

The International Migration Initiative’s main areas of work are built around increasing protections for migrants and improving migration policymaking and the governance of international migration. Within these strategic priority areas, the initiative targets three overarching goals:

  • Deterring rights violations and increasing access to justice: The International Migration Initiative aims to demonstrably improve the working and living conditions of migrants by bringing about a measurable decline in acts of violence against them and reducing the incidence of forced labor. This requires the development of a broader, stronger network of organizations and practitioners engaged in advocacy. We are pursuing initiatives to increase access to justice by building capacity among legal practitioners so they can overcome legal and jurisdictional hurdles impeding migrants’ access to redress.
  • Empowering migrants: The initiative seeks to strengthen the ability of migrants to assert and defend their rights, primarily by increasing access to information. This involves improving the quality, coverage, and effectiveness of training and orientation seminars prior to departure and upon arrival in countries of employment. We also aim to create an enabling environment in which migrants can mobilize and make their voices heard through grassroots organizing, the development of associations and informal support networks, and the creation of migrant-run, community-based media.
  • Enhancing regional policymaking and dialogue: The initiative advances policy reform and the promulgation of best practices by enabling dialogue among key stakeholders, including among actors who might not otherwise come together. We also aim to build the evidence base necessary to inform these conversations and to deepen networks among policymakers, as well as between the state and civil society. In the long term, we aim to promote more inclusive, tolerant communities and a better-informed public in order to combat xenophobia and discrimination.

Hat tip to Michael

Hillary, FBI Investigation is a Security Review, Wrong

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It was a moment where words could be applied in general. Hillary stating that the FBI probe was merely a security review is flatly wrong. There are at least 2 tracks to the investigation. 1) Reviewing classified material in violation of the Espionage Act. 2) Reviewing whether there were foreign intrusions into her server, any of her devices or at the State Department.

One question that has not been asked: If Hillary did not have a dot gov email address nor did she have any government issued devices, ‘exactly how DID she receive classified material including material all the up to TS-SCI material? Was she ever in a SCIF?

Hillary misleading about email probe during debate, former FBI agents say

FNC: Hillary Clinton used misleading language in Thursday night’s Democratic debate to describe the ongoing FBI investigation into her use of a private email server to conduct official government business while she was secretary of state, according to former senior FBI agents.

In the New Hampshire debate with Senator Bernie Sanders, which aired on MSNBC, Clinton told moderator Chuck Todd that nothing would come of the FBI probe, “I am 100 percent confident. This is a security review that was requested.  It is being carried out.”

Not true says Steve Pomerantz, who spent 28 years at the FBI, and rose from field investigative special agent to the rank of assistant director, the third highest position in the Bureau.

“They (the FBI) do not do security reviews,” Pomerantz said. “What they primarily do and what they are clearly doing in this instance is a criminal investigation.”

Pomerantz emphasized to Fox News, “There is no mechanism for her to be briefed and to have information about the conduct, the substance, the direction or the result of any FBI investigation.”

Separately, an intelligence source familiar with the two prongs of the ongoing FBI probe, stressed to Fox that the criminal and national security elements remain “inseparable.”  The source, not authorized to speak on the record,  characterized Clinton’s statement “as a typical Clinton diversion… and what is she going to say, “I’m 95 percent sure that I am going to get away with it?”

Fox recently learned that one of the FBI’s senior agents responsible for counterintelligence matters, Charles H. Kable IV, is working the Clinton case, another indicator the intelligence source said that the FBI probe is “extremely serious, and the A-team is handling.”

Kable, known as “Sandy,” was appointed special agent in charge of the counterintelligence division at the Washington field office by Director James Comey in December.

He had recently served as the chief of the counterespionage section at FBI headquarters.  In that capacity, a bureau press releases says the 15-year, well-respected FBI veteran, “provided leadership and oversight to the field offices engaged in espionage, economic espionage, and insider threat investigations.”

While his responsibilities are not publicly known, Kable was described to Fox as “tough and no- nonsense FBI ” and analyst and agents are exploring whether the mishandling of classified information was “intentional” and who may have benefited.

A spokeswoman for the FBI took Fox’s questions, but said they would not be providing comment on Kable’s role or the FBI case.

In 2009, Kable led investigations against known and suspected Chinese intelligence officers in the U.S.  In January, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, told the Hugh Hewitt radio show that “the odds are pretty high” that then-Secretary of State Clinton’s personal email server was hacked by Iran, China and Russia.

An intelligence source told Fox, “it is no less of a violation of espionage statutes if any material was classified secret or top secret….All the statute requires is national defense information or NDI,” adding “this is way past accidental spillage…(it) is being investigated as intentional mishandling….in this kind of high profile investigation, the most damaging information takes primacy.”

Investigations into the compromise of classified information include damage assessments.  In the recent case of former CIA Director David Petraeus, the damage was deemed to be limited, discreet, and knowable because the highly classified information was shared with his biographer, who also had a security clearance.

In Hillary Clinton’s case, if the private server was compromised by a third party, the extent of the damage maybe unknowable.

The hacker “Guccifer” compromised Clinton’s adviser Sydney Blumenthal’s aol account, and he copied the email exchanges sent to Clinton.  The Romanian hacker, whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar, has an extradition hearing February 17, and in an interview, indicated he would welcome extradition to the U.S.

The amount of classified information, now including top secret emails the State Department withheld from public release last week, and more than 15-hundred containing classified information at various levels.

At the State Department briefing Thursday, spokesman John Kirby was asked by Fox News chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge whether Clinton, as well as aides Huma Abedin, and Cheryl Mills, completed the required classified training that includes the proper storage, handling, and identification of classified information.

“Everybody here is trained in how to handle sensitive information. Sometimes that takes place in in-person briefings and I can’t comment any further,”  Kirby said.  Asked it was documented, Kirby said he had nothing more to offer, but did confirm Clinton, Abedin, Mills were not exempt from the strict rules that apply to State Department personnel.

Fox: “So they would not be an exception?”

Kirby: “Everybody that works at the State Department gets trained in how to handle sensitive information.  Sometimes that’s done in- person briefings.”

This is important because, on its face, it undercuts Clinton’s claim she had no way to know it was classified because the emails were not marked.  Personnel are trained (IF?) the content is classified, it can be marked, unmarked, or given in oral communications.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Judicial Watch sought the records documented (IN?)the classification training, but in a letter dated January 22, 2016, exactly seven years after Clinton signed her Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to serve as Secretary of State, the government watchdog was told “no responsive records” could be found.

Catherine Herridge is an award-winning Chief Intelligence correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC) based in Washington, D.C. She covers intelligence, the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Herridge joined FNC in 1996 as a London-based correspondent.

Pamela K. Browne is Senior Executive Producer at the FOX News Channel (FNC) and is Director of Long-Form Series and Specials. Her journalism has been recognized with several awards. Browne first joined FOX in 1997 to launch the news magazine “Fox Files” and later, “War Stories.”

 

Benghazi Cmte: Dem. Staffers Got Bonuses

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Bonuses for what, stonewalling and refusals to cooperate or investigate?

Who authorized the bonuses and what staffers? Hello Congressman Cummings, you have a call holding on line 3 and there may be a knock at the door with a subpoena. Did the congressman himself take a bonus for leaking testimony to the press?

Did any of the surviving warriors get a bonus?

Benghazi committee Dems gave thousands in bonuses while blasting probe’s cost

FNC: Democrats on the House committee probing the 2012 Benghazi terror attacks awarded tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses to their staff, while at the same time repeatedly attacking Republicans over the rising cost of the investigation.

According to publicly available reports, a total of $33,600 was given to six Democratic staffers at the end of 2014 and 2015.

While the bonuses make up only a fraction of the panel’s total expenses to date, critics suggested they undermine the minority members’ complaints about the budget.

“This is the height of hypocrisy,” Lisa Boothe, a Republican strategist and president of High Noon Strategies, told FoxNews.com.

Democrats complain the committee’s investigation, established in May 2014, has gone on longer than the 9/11 Commission’s review of the 2001 terror attacks and have accused Republicans of using the committee as a political weapon to attack Democratic 2016 front-runner Hillary Clinton — who was secretary of state at the time of the Benghazi attacks.

And they have been relentless in describing the investigation as a waste of money, even including a “Benghazi Spending Tracker”on their website. The total taxpayer tab is now at nearly $6 million.

“Republicans continue to drag out this political charade closer to the 2016 presidential election, and the American taxpayers continue to pay the price,” ranking member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said in January.

Boothe suggested there’s a disconnect.

“The Democrats on the committee want to criticize Republicans for investigating the deaths of four Americans to ensure a Benghazi style attack never happens again, but they have no problem doling out bonuses to their government staffers,” she said.

However, Democrats responded to questions about the bonuses by saying they have fewer staff and do more work than their Republican counterparts.

“Republicans are responsible for the decision to drag out this partisan charade for almost two years and for spending nearly $6 million to date. Democrats have about half the staff as the Republicans, spend less than half the budget of the Committee, and do just as much work, if not more,” a Democratic committee spokesman told FoxNews.com.

Last week, committee Republicans accused the Democrats of spending $2 million — more than one-third of the committee’s total cost — on what they called “politically motivated efforts to undermine and obstruct the investigation.”

Committee Republicans declined to comment, other than to confirm they have not given any bonuses.

Interesting that Elijah Cummings never talks about the 600 requests for more security in Benghazi.

In part from WaPo: “The chart was displayed in the hearing when the numbers were discussed, so all of the media and anyone else in the room could see it,” said the GOP staff member. “We also provided it to anyone who asked for a copy. As I’m sure you understand, members are often rushed when asking questions due to the limited time allotted them. Since Pompeo was discussing the numbers on the chart when it was right there for everyone to see, there was clearly no intent to mislead.”

As an example of a “concern,” the GOP staff provided a copy of a previously unpublished memo, embedded below. This memo, dated Aug. 28, 2012, or two weeks before the attacks, was written by the regional security officer in Benghazi as a transition memo for an incoming officer.