Beltway Insider: US Bombs Iraq; Israel/Gaza; Scotland Succession; Brady Homicide; Ebola Cases in US

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 10 August 2014 15:54

Written by Janet Walker

President Obama announced targeted airstrikes in a new wave initiative that directs American bombers to assist the Iraqi Minster of Defense as they fight the advancing ISIL/ISIS terror organization dedicated to the annihilation of the Iraqi people.

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week increased two percentage points to 43% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President fell three percentage point to 51%. 

Middle East Explodes - President Orders Iraq Airstrikes

President Obama ordered targeted airstrikes, in assistance with the Iraqi Military, on the advancing ISIL/ISIS as the terror group that has renewed its march to overthrow the current government, destabilize the region and return the leadership to a dictatorial state.

The President took to the airwaves and announced his decision and motivation to use military action in Iraq.

"When the lives of American citizens are at risk, we will take action.  That's my responsibility as Commander-in-Chief.  And when many thousands of innocent civilians are faced with the danger of being wiped out, and we have the capacity to do something about it, we will take action.  That is our responsibility as Americans.  That's a hallmark of American leadership.  That's who we are," the President said in his address to the nation.

The new wave initiative, discussed with congress since June, has a two pronged objective. The first element is the protection of our embassy personal and facilities as ISIS/ISIL has advanced to threaten the city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, with over a million permanent residents, evidence of the increasing strength of this Islamic terror organization.

The ISIL/ISIS has been advancing, overtaking key Iraqi cities with a march for Baghdad for some time. As the cities of Erbil and Baghdad are crucial objectives for the terror organization loyal to Osama Bin Laden.

The second element, a humanitarian objective as the terror organization has vowed dominance through any means, the ISIL/ISIS uses standard terror tactics to exact its objective striking fear and disabling the population and retaliation. The recent target of the ISIL/ISIS has been to eliminate the Yizidi population.

In the face of a possible genocide, President Obama ordered the targeted airstrikes.

The President has maintained a "no boots on the ground" commitment and has publically stated there will not be a U.S. military solution to the Iraqi conflict. The Iraqi government, which is in process of electing a new Prime Minister, will be responsible with coordinated assistance from allies and partners to end the current dominance and advance of the ISIL.

The dedication to freedom and a new Iraq is the responsibility of the Iraqi people. Freedom, a hard won victory for all, has resulted in this new challenge. The people and government are faced now with new challenges as the old ways, dictatorial leadership and terror tactics, violence, subjection and fear rise once again.  

"It is their mission ISIL, and then al Qaeda in Iraq, same organization, to ethnically cleanse areas of anyone that it disagrees with, and that could mean Christians, it could mean Yazidis or anyone. In the case of the Yazidis, they were very clear that they were there to enslave the women and to kill all the men in these towns.  The people on the mountain needed water and food.  The Iraqi air force did a number of airdrops, but to limited effect.  And that is when we, with our national security team, began to review all of our options, and acted on a fairly rapid basis to put together a very good military plan through the Department of Defense and CENTCOM, which was executed tonight and we believe, quite effectively," said a senior administration official on background.

Israel/Gaza War

The Israel/Gaza conflict despite all efforts from neighboring governments, the United States, Secretary-of-State John Kerry and the United Nations, has carried on into the sixth week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is now facing the harsh public statements from the White House, as misguided or off target missiles are hitting United Nations facilities in neighboring Gaza, killing many innocent Palestinians.

"There have been a number of reports of the shelling of U.N. facilities in Gaza.  We have, over the course of time, expressed our concerns about the necessity of the Israeli military to live up to their own standards when it comes to protecting the lives of innocent civilians, even Palestinian civilians who are caught in the middle of this conflict.  What that statement from the State Department made clear is that the suspicion that militants are operating nearby does not justify strikes that put at risk the lives of so many innocent civilians," said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

Netanyahu has acknowledged some missiles have been off target.

As the more evolved country Israel is held to a higher standard, a standard they themselves have created and placed upon themselves and which they by their own admission have acknowledged and created a level of accountability throughout the world.

The United States remains a committed partner and ally to the nation of Israel. The Iron Dome, a successful joint US-Israel defense system that has protected Israel from many incoming missiles, has been credited for saving many innocent Israelis.

"Israel continues to be one of this country's strongest allies.  And you saw that sentiment reciprocated in the remarks delivered by Prime Minister Netanyahu over the weekend, where he praised the United States for the level of support that United States is providing to our ally.  He mentioned our strong statements condemning acts of terror and condemning the tactics of Hamas to fire rockets at innocent Israeli civilians. And you heard the Prime Minister mention the United States' close coordination with Israeli Defense Forces in operating the Iron Dome System that has shot down scores of Hamas rockets that were aimed squarely at Israeli civilians, thereby protecting the lives of countless Israeli civilians," Earnest said.

Until Israel's neighbors understand the strong commitment the current government has to the protection of their homeland and defense of its citizens they will be subject to continued aggressive strategy that includes annihilation of any enemies' defense systems.

Israel has the right, as every nation to defense its territorial sovereignty and its citizens. To that extent the level of commitment Israel has maintained is uncommon as most nations overlook, in the name of peacekeeping, smaller infractions, including the murder of a citizens.  

 "We resolutely defend Israel's right to take the kinds of military steps that they assess are necessary to protect their citizens.  In terms of the tactical execution, they have put in place very serious standards for the protection of civilians, and the United States has been steadfast in encouraging them to live up those standards. We believe is that Israel can and should do more to live up to the standards that they themselves have set for the safety and security of innocent Palestinian civilians," Earnest said.

Scotland Succession

The people of Scotland are preparing for the upcoming independence vote that will determine the future of an autonomous Scotland as an official referendum has been scheduled for September 18, 2014.

The Scotland Succession referendum, over the past two years have finalized all aspects of the voting procedures and ballot process, will, if approved will permanently separate the United Kingdom (UK) and Scotland, dividing the two into separate countries.

Organizations formed to address the pros and cons of independence and remaining united with the UK, "Better Together" and "Yes Scotland," as the referendum gained momentum each became visible in encouraging Scots to deeply consider all aspects of a self governing Scotland.

As the vote nears, many high profile British and Scottish citizens are voicing their opinions either for or against.

James Brady Homicide

The death of James "The Bear" Brady, who died this week 33 years after sustaining life threatening and permanently debilitating injuries in the attempted assassination of former President Ronald Reagan, has been ruled a homicide.

Brady's official cause of death was ruled a homicide sustained by injuries suffered from a gunshot wound by the Arlington, Virginia Medical Examiner. Brady had been living in a retirement community when he passed away.

With the ruling comes the possibility of a murder charges against the lone gunman, John Hinckley, Jr., now 59, who was initially tried and found not guilty by reasons of insanity, and confined to a permanent psychiatric hospital.

Hinckley, who had been hoping to impress the actress Jodie Foster resulting from ensuing publicity from the Martin Scorsese film "Taxi Driver," was immediately captured by police.

Hinckley lawyer, Barry Wm. Levine, has released a statement in which his client has the deepest respect for the Brady's, lives every day with remorse for his actions, and lived his life riddled with guilt. He also stated "a sensitive public would understand he was ravaged by mental disease at the time of the shooting."

Hinckley is longer permanently confined to the psychiatric hospital and is granted extended stays of up to 17 days to visits his family.

Brady, a former White House Press Secretary, had accompanied President Ronald Reagan, to a local speaking engagement held at the Washington Hilton on March 30, 1981, when Hinckley fired six shots into the Presidents detail.

Brady was directly wounded in the forehead and suffered grave brain injuries. The President was also injured, in the attack and was reported near death upon arrival at the hospital. He was soon stabilized and remained hospitalized for the next ten days. He became the only president to survive an assassination attempt.

Two other men, Thomas Delahanty, a former District of Columbia Police Officer, and Timothy McCarthy, a Secret Service agent who shielded the president with his body, were gravely wounded. Brady and Delahanty were pronounced dead in the March 31, 1981 attack. Neither died that day.

Confined to a wheelchair for the following 33 years after the attack, Brady and his wife, Sarah, founded the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which became the Brady Handgun Violence Prevent Act known as the Brady Bill and 13 years after the attack was passed into law.

James Brady died August 5, 2014 at his home in Virginia. He was 73.

Ebola Cases in US

The Ebola crisis reached American shores as two physicians infected with the deadly disease returned to the Centers for Diseases Control in Atlanta, after testing positive to the highly contagious which causes internal hemorrhaging causing death.

The CDC along with the WHO, World Health Organization has determined this current outbreak to be the deadliest so far. Although resisted any rash or preventative measure including stopping flights originated from the African countries containing the highest number of infected.

Two cases that have not been conclusively determined to be Ebola have been reported in Ohio and New York State. No additional information is available as the White House has downplayed the existence of any additional cases outside of those reported to the CDC.

Ebola is a blood and fluid born disease. It is spread through the transmission and handling of those infected with the disease, feces, blood, urine, bodily secretions, sexual fluid transmission. Ebola is not spread through the air, food, doorknobs, subway platforms, other common/public germ transmission beliefs.

The CDC has reiterated common sense diligence to medical personnel or others in handling exposure to any blood or fluid transmission.

A containment objective has not been discussed should the United States face an outbreak.

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

Sources: Whitehouse.org, Wikipedia.com