SAR #16267

Patriot or terrorist? Depends on where you're standing.

Dinner's Getting Cold: Mr. Obama has gotten his revenge on the rude Mr. Netanyahu, while generously giving Israel $38 billion in military aid over the next ten years. But Israel lost the ability to spend 25% of that sum domestically, instead it will all go to American arms manufacturers. Plus Israel had to disavow AIPAC and to promise not to lobby for more money from the US Congress or to accept any increase even if Congress awards it unasked. Rather sets the US Congress free from the Israel lobby for the first time in 65 years.

Tensely: President Obama has warned that if global warming is not rapidly curtailed the world will face “mass migrations.” I guess he hasn't talked to Angela lately.

Corrected Version: The financial services industry claims that setting them free on the unbanked masses in developing nations would make the masses $3.7 trillion richer. The $3.7 trillion is a guess and that's before the banks get through fleecing their new marks.

Wise, Word To: Edward Snowden, who's been right once or twice before, warns that you should not – under any condition whatsoever – use Google Allo.

Popeye World: Eight years after Wall Street collapsed the world economy into the Great Recession, little has changed and economic performance is so persistently tepid that mediocre is as good as it gets. Seems the Fed didn't know its own strength – kept over-estimating its magic abilities.

If Only: In Bombay an Indian High Court ruled that a woman has “sole right over her own body” and should be allowed to end a pregnancy even when there is no risk.

Quoted: “Terrorism is a nearly nonexistent danger for Americans. You have a greater chance of being hit by lightning, but fear doesn’t work that way. There’s no 24/7 coverage of global lightning strikes or “if you see something, say something” signs that encourage you to report thunderstorms.”

More Of The Same: The Pentagon wants to send 500 more troops to Iraq to continue their decade-long PTSD experiment.

Enlightened Self-Interest: The EU backs President Obama's intention to veto legislation that would allow survivors and families of the Saudi-planned-and-financed 9/11 disaster to sue the Saudis for damages. No, they're not trying to protect Saudi Arabia, they are all too aware of the crimes against civilians that they have committed in the last few years at US behest, plus a few centuries of various depredations in the name of empire around the world. They cite the applicable part of 'international law' in this matter which says “Tough.”

Revisionism: Turkey has announced that it will not take part in a joint military operation to retake Raqqa from ISIS if Kurdish militia are part of the force. In the Middle East it is quite possible that the enemy of my enemy is my enemy.

Self-Hoisting Petard: Is Shareholder Value Maximization the Dumbest Idea in the World?

A Parting Shot: