Beltway Insider: Obama/Israel; World Leaders in NYC; US Bombs Syrian Troops; NYC Explosion Suspect; Faint-Gate; Wells Fargo

  • Print

President Obama, in his most direct statement to date, denied African American voters were moving away from Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary R. Clinton and said he would take it as a personal insult if they pledged support to the Republican's candidate.

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, decreased by two percentage points to 52% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased one percentage points to 44%. 

New York City on High Alert Following Explosion; Additional Explosives Found in NJ; Suspect Named

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio and the New York Police Department has named Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year old naturalized U.S. citizen from New Jersey, for his possible role in the bombing of a Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan. 

Federal authorities have, separately, found several explosives in backpacks on commuter train platforms in New Jersey, reminiscent of the horrific explosions 2004 Madrid Spain bombings in which ten backpacks were used on multiple train cars.

The United Nations General Assembly is meeting this week in New York City, ISIS believes they are a nation state founded with the purpose of liberation through armed struggle, along the lines of the Palestine Liberation Organization, pre-United Nations acceptance and therefore look to make their presence known and noted.

New York City Bombing

A powerful homemade bomb placed in a steel garbage unit exploded in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 29, just after 8:30pm Saturday, launching a fireball into the air, blowing out windows, rocking cars and sending residents running.

The bomb, with enough strength to mangle the heavy duty steel container, was a direct terror attack on the people of New York and the United States. Federal, state and local first responders were on the scene in minutes.

Chaos was quickly calmed by the NYPD's rapid response.

A second device was found after the New York Police Department secured the area of the initial blast. Sources have reported the second bomb resembled the pressure cooker style used at the Boston Marathon and was found at W. 27th Street.

Surveillance footage shows a normal September Saturday night with small pockets of pedestrian traffic when the blast rocked the area and residents running.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also issued a statement saying that "State officials are coordinating our response with federal and New York City authorities, and full State resources have been made available for this investigation."

The NYPD Twitter feed was utilized to inform local residents of the step by step measures enacted by the Department as a hard target search was conducted throughout the areas. It was stated the area is an active crime scenes and is intensive.

One week after residents quietly held remembrance services for the victims lost during the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, New Yorkers are again facing the possibility of homegrown terror attacks.

Mayor Bill De Blasio has not commented on the origins of the perpetrators. Missing from the bank of officials former NYPD Top Cop William Bratton whose last day was Friday. James O'Neill, NYPD's newest Police Chief is a longtime veteran and faced trial by fire with the bomb blasts occurring on his first day.

Unlike the Minnesota Mall Killings which the Islamic State has claimed direct responsibility, no international group has claimed responsibility for the twin bombs found in Manhattan.

AMAQ News Agency posted this message on Twitter "The executor of the stabbing attacks in Minnesota yesterday was a solider of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls to target the citizens of countries belonging to the crusader coalition."

President Obama and Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu Meet

President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made have had their final meeting this week during which the president in an effort to repair the strained relationship pledged the largest aid package Israel has ever received from the United States.

Detractors of the record $38 billion, ten-year deal, have said Prime Minister Netanyahu could have received more if he had been less vocal in his opposition of the Iranian Nuclear Deal President Obama had initiated.

The deal is also a guaranteed of trade relationships between the two nations as part of the agreement calls for the Israeli Military to purchase, exclusively, American Defense systems and goods. The $3.8billion dollar annual package, also, prohibits Israel from seeking additional supplemental aid during the funding cycle.

The United States has made it clear throughout the history of friendship with Israel that the United State has no better friend or allies in the region than Israel and Israel has no better friend or ally than the United States. The two nations are partnered to create a more secure and peaceful existence in an extremely volatile region. Friendships may experience growing pains that enrich relationships the past two years has allowed the United State and Israel to move from strength to strength to this conclusion.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was clear. "No better deal could have been secured."

The General Assembly Meets; Draws World's Leaders to New York

The world leaders will be meeting this week in New York City at the United Nations Annual General Assembly that brings every member nation of the united Nations to the city that never sleeps for a week of meetings and addresses.

With New York City on high alert residents can expect a virtual shut down of the area surrounding the United Nations building on First Avenue and E. 42nd with the FDR possibly closed also.

The blasts the rocked the Chelsea area over the weekend brought renewed attention to the possibility of sleeper cells and any number of terror, homegrown or international, to Manhattan to protest the "crusader coalition leader" as the Islamic State often refers to the United States.

US Bombs Syrian Troops – Apologizes

United States led airstrikes targeting Islamic State held areas of Syria mistakenly fired upon a convoy of Syrian Forces inadvertently killing a number of Bashar Al- Assad military personnel and destroying multiple armored vehicles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a meeting with the United Nations Security Council in an effort to counter what was considered hostile, confrontational and aggressive action against Syria's Bashar Al Assad.

"The US military said Saturday a coalition airstrike may have struck Syrian soldiers, but the coalition never intentionally targets regime troops. A statement from US Central Command said the coalition conferred with the Russian military before the strike. "The coalition airstrike was halted immediately when coalition officials were informed by Russian officials that it was possible the personnel and vehicles targeted were part of the Syrian military," CENTCOM said.

CENTCOM is the theater ready United States Central Command headquarters dealing with the world's conflicts. An unidentified Sr. White House official conveyed this statement: "The United States has relayed our regret through the Russian Federation for the unintentional loss of life of Syrian forces."

U.S. military officials had been watching the area for some time and over the past week saw a buildup of activity including six troop transport vehicles and one tank. Russian officials were notified of the coordinates of the attack prior to deployment. Exact position was not disclosed and the Russians who are operating as the Syrian overseer seemed unaware of Assad's military buildup in the region.

The coordinates are known strongholds for the Islamic State and were not relayed to the U.S. from the Russians as possible strike free zones. The Russian did not issue an objection or in reality an override of the intended region and target.

The United States officials are calling the reactions of the Russians a "stunt" geared to gain sympathy for Assad especially as the United Nations General Assembly is meeting. The probability of definitive statements from the United Nations, on any number of issues including War Crimes, Assad's use of Chemical weapons and violations of the proliferation of agreements, and his support of Islamic State, are very real and pose a threat to the Russians on a number of issues.

Assad contacted the Russian Defense Minister after the attacked indicting 62 of its personal were killed.

It was the first direct attack on Bashar al-Assad military and while apologies were spoken all involved had sufficient time and knowledge to call off the airstrike or at minimum issue a hold.

For more than a year now, the U.S. led coalition on behalf of the rebel opposition and Russian performing airstrikes for the Syrians. Both superpowers may come under chastisement of the UN Security Council for waging a war against each other under the cloak of foreign aid and assistance to each particular position.

The Islamic State, believing falsely they are a recognized government-state with power and influence over Syrian and Syrian forces proffered their statement which addressed the airstrike as a "serious and blatant attack on Syria and its military," and "firm proof of the U.S. support of Daesh and other terrorist groups."

The United Nations General Assembly will hold special meetings during the upcoming week addressing the migration and refugee problems.

Faint-gate: Did Hillary Clinton's Personal Health Crisis Give Voters a Sample Of Her Veiled White House Strategy

Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton fainted . . .well nearly fainted . . .it looked like she fainted, for all intents and purposes she fainted or did she? According to her statements she chose the most common deflective reply to direct health questions: The Weather. Good in New York; Stormy on the campaign trail.

Attending the September 11, Memorial Services the two parties' respective candidates and their entourages squared off on either side of the black marble granite. Each there to pay their respects to the nearly 3000 men and women who lost their lives September 11, 2001 in separate attacks.

The weather, unseasonably warm, the battle grounds only the most sacred ground in our nation next to Washington D.C. Mrs. Clinton, not unaccustomed to the dignitaries and stresses of the electoral process held fast and in command.

The challenger GOP candidate Donald J. Trump stood flanked by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has been named as his transition team lead, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani who also faced an election fifteen years ago.

Clinton has been to many of these services, always remembering that day when the unthinkable happened. A day that is revered throughout the terrorist community marked as a high holy day, a day when Americans seem to let down their guard, instead of adding security, positive in their arrogance it won't happen again.

On this day, Mrs. Clinton, who had been battling a persistent cough and not unusual for millions of single parents, of adults, male or female, until it fells you, powering through is the appropriate response.

On this day, Clinton, who had also been facing attacks on her health by the GOP challenger felt it best to keep her personal health issues private. No presidential candidate has ever been pressured to disclose health issues and neither should Mrs. Clinton.

Although in the past week we have found her challenger is overweight (okay we are a blind nation) and is on medication for High Blood pressure. Color me jaded. The obvious is simply smoke screens in elections. Yes. Mr. Trump, like many Americans, could use some power moments in the gym. Exercise is healthy for everyone.

The issue on health comes when, in the case of Mrs. Clinton, a very public fainting spell leads to a whitewashing of the incident.

Imagine watching the presidential candidate supported to her vehicle with her legs buckled underneath her. The scene was quite concerning. Her response to direct health questions "It's a beautiful day."

Clinton's Missed Payday

Hillary Clinton is very much in charge of her Presidential strategy. With two winning campaigns and now her own campaign one can be sure that each move is calculated with precision. No stone unturned, no unknown variables, no unpredicted issues. The Clinton's in their political rise have seen them all except now a health issue that is like that persist cough clinging to the Democratic candidate for her lack of transparency in dealing with the issue.

Any person who has spent any time in the workforce and even some who haven't understood the golden ticket Mrs. Clinton possessed. She apparently was the only person who had no idea the American public would be so forgiving with one simple phrase, "I had a Doctor's excuse." No worries, no problem.

She refused to use it depending on the air tight Watergate, sealed, closed ranks, circle the troops, deflect questions, strategy. It failed miserably.

A demographic of chronic pain sufferers who thought this could be their moment finally to receive some public understanding for the years of living and suffering in silence, powering through the pain only to be slapped with the hypochondria label again by the very person whom everyone expected would understand.

Wells Fargo Slapped With Massive Fine

Wells Fargo, the oldest financial house in the nation is facing a public nightmare and mega scandal including a public image crisis, a substantial fine, mass termination of more than 5,000 employees and public embarrassment of the exposure of illegal business practices.

For the 5,300 employees who were operating under directed approved actions to fraudulently create illegal accounts using the personal information and pin numbers of existing customers to build false profiles of new customers.

The staggering $185 million dollar doesn't top the charts for the highest fine ever levied against a financial house with Bank of America holding the dubious title with a fine of $16.65billion for the role in the Mortgage Crisis.  

For more information on President Barack Obama: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com, ballotpedia.com,