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When Ideologies Collide
Author: BobR    Date: 10/19/2011 10:28:06

Between Occupy Wall Street and the Republican race (with their mind-numbingly repetitive debates), there seem to be few news cycles for anything else. Foreign affairs normally get short shrift as it is, and the last couple weeks have been no exception. As the war in Afghanistan continues in seeming perpetuity, the war in Iraq (or at least U.S involvement) is finally coming to an end.

So it's no surprise that other than our own TriSec reporting yesterday, we have seen very little coverage of our newest military entanglement: Kenya. Naturally, there will be the conspiracy theorists going on about it because of President Obama's father, but look at the details and it's clear that it has more to do with Uganda than Kenya.

The LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) is a guerilla army in Kenya committing atrocities against the people of Uganda. The details are not for the faint of heart. Their leader - Joseph Kony - is wanted by the International Criminal Court. I know Ron Paul would disapprove, but then he's not against letting people die from lack of health insurance either. Most people, however, should feel that something needs to be done.

Naturally, there are idealists that feel that ANY military involvement is wrong, regardless of the reason, and this case is no exception. Either they look for conspiracies (like oil in Uganda), or simply chalk it up to imperialism. Never mind that progressive darling Russ Feingold created the legislation authorizing intervention (although he has stated that it didn't include armed combat):
The author of that legislation, former Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., told ABC News in a statement that “our legislation did not authorize the use of force by American troops anywhere,” but he noted that the bill “did call for a comprehensive approach in dealing with the Lord’s Resistance Army, which includes military, intelligence, diplomatic, and development components.”

Feingold said, “If the military advisors being deployed by the President are being used to facilitate information and intelligence sharing, including among regional militaries, that is consistent with part of what our bill was seeking. But that mission should be just one piece of a larger strategy that focuses on civilian protection in the broadest sense.”

A coalition of human rights groups applauded the president’s move.

“By deploying these advisers, President Obama is showing decisive leadership to help regional governments finally bring an end to the LRA’s mass atrocities,” said Paul Ronan, Director of Advocacy at Resolve.

So we have human rights activists at odds with anti-war activists. Most liberals/progressives embrace both ideals, but with a dose of common sense and a grip on the reality of the world in which we live. How is Joseph Kony any different than Osama bin Laden? He is a religious extremist using extreme violence against civilians to fulfill what he believes is his Supremely Ordained destiny.

The difference, of course, is that Joseph Kony is a Christian extremist, and that makes all the difference to some people... and by "some people" I mean Rush Limbaugh (and I quote):
Now, up until today, most Americans have never heard of the combat Lord’s Resistance Army. And here we are at war with them. Have you ever heard of Lord’s Resistance Army, Dawn? How about you, Brian? Snerdley, have you? You never heard of Lord’s Resistance Army? Well, proves my contention, most Americans have never heard of it, and here we are at war with them. Lord’s Resistance Army are Christians. It means God. I was only kidding. Lord’s Resistance Army are Christians. They are fighting the Muslims in Sudan. And Obama has sent troops, United States troops to remove them from the battlefield, which means kill them. That’s what the lingo means, “to help regional forces remove from the battlefield,” meaning capture or kill. [...]

Most Republicans have shown to be reflexively against anything President Obama says, does, or supports, even if it's something they would normally be in favor of. Limbaugh, however, seems to have gone one step farther, and tacitly endorse a maniacal killer simply because the president he hates is taking military action against him. How many of Limbaugh's listeners are going to hear this and reinforce in their minds that our president is a Muslim trying to kill good Christians. How long before one of Limbaugh's listeners decides it's time to be a Christian Soldier and "do something about it"? This kind of purposeful disinformation is irresponsible at best, and dangerous at worst.

Although the motivations are different, one has to wonder when anti-war activists disagree with human rights advocates, and come down on the same side as Rush Limbaugh in their criticism of this limited military involvement. Strange bedfellows indeed...
 

86 comments (Latest Comment: 10/20/2011 00:56:58 by TriSec)
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Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2011 13:04:07
Morning. So what was the Big Announcement? I am behind.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 13:07:34
Morning

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 13:12:26
Yeah, what was the big annoucment?

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2011 13:16:58
Morning, comrades!






Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 13:18:40
Mornin' all.. AGH who replaced my whole milk with skim?!

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2011 13:18:52
Anyone else out there think the wild animals running loose in Ohio has the hallmarks of some kind of PETA action?



Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 13:44:08
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all.. AGH who replaced my whole milk with skim?!



Why are you using my Skim Milk?

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 13:48:13
Good Morning!

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 13:49:23
We had a presidential candidate on the show last night. @35ratliff2012 on twitter.


Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 13:51:47
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all.. AGH who replaced my whole milk with skim?!

Why are you using my Skim Milk?

Oh goodness did I grab the wrong bottle?

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 13:53:25
Quote by Raine:
We had a presidential candidate on the show last night. @35ratliff2012 on twitter.



Very cool

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2011 14:09:13
Quote by Raine:
We had a presidential candidate on the show last night. @35ratliff2012 on twitter.



Oh fancy!

Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 14:11:25
.... Did Michelle Bachmann REALLY say she wants a "double walled fence" on the Mexico border?

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 14:11:48
Sounds like the debate last night was quite rambunctious!

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 14:17:01
Quote by Scoopster:
.... Did Michelle Bachmann REALLY say she wants a "double walled fence" on the Mexico border?
It's even worse, imo:
"The person who really has a problem with illegal immigration is President Obama," she answered solemnly. "It's his uncle and aunt that have had immigration problems."

While it is true that the Obama family have had some issues with immigration, it is entirely unclear what that has to do with President Obama's policies, particularly since there is no indication that these family members have even spoken to the President in recent memory. Rep. Bachmann rounded out her answer by asserting that she would "build a double-walled fence with an area of security neutrality" and, in a policy point that seems impossible to constitutionally enforce, "I will enforce English as the official language of the government."



Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 14:17:14
From the DKos rolling debate summary..
6:22 PM PT: Newt Gingrich says something about morals and faith. He knows a lot about that because he keeps on doing it over and over, different women, different religions.


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 14:23:39
I may have a lot of questions about Occupy, but dammit THIS is police brutality and this shite needs to stop. A white shirt punched a woman in the face.


In other news... and this is a good damn start:
An internal New York Police Department review has found an official violated department guidelines when he used pepper spray on Occupy Wall Street protesters last month, a person with knowledge of the investigation said Tuesday.

Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna faces discipline of a loss of 10 vacation days after the Sept. 24 incident near Union Square, shortly after the now-global protests began in a tiny private plaza in lower Manhattan, the person said. The person had direct knowledge of the review but was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Bologna should be canned.


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2011 14:42:34
Quote by Raine:
I may have a lot of questions about Occupy, but dammit THIS is police brutality and this shite needs to stop. A white shirt punched a woman in the face.


In other news... and this is a good damn start:
An internal New York Police Department review has found an official violated department guidelines when he used pepper spray on Occupy Wall Street protesters last month, a person with knowledge of the investigation said Tuesday.

Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna faces discipline of a loss of 10 vacation days after the Sept. 24 incident near Union Square, shortly after the now-global protests began in a tiny private plaza in lower Manhattan, the person said. The person had direct knowledge of the review but was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Bologna should be canned.



Three word: Civil Service Protection. Hard to can him. Okay that was more than three words.

Comment by velveeta jones on 10/19/2011 14:56:43
Morning! Great post. I've been for straightening out some of these rogue dictators in Africa long before going into Iraq or Iran..... too long coming.



Comment by velveeta jones on 10/19/2011 15:03:45

Oh NOOOOOOOes! I have that symbol on my phone! Wait! It's on my keyboard(s) as well!!! Oh the HORROR!


Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 15:14:01
Oh lord

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2011 15:32:41
Good morning everyone. Glad I don't have to watch the debates since I am usually at work. I think I would need a good stiff drink.

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2011 15:33:50
Quote by velveeta jones:

Oh NOOOOOOOes! I have that symbol on my phone! Wait! It's on my keyboard(s) as well!!! Oh the HORROR!

So do I! I guess I must run off screaming into the night so I don't get possessed.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 15:48:01
Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 15:48:36
Quote by velveeta jones:
Morning! Great post. I've been for straightening out some of these rogue dictators in Africa long before going into Iraq or Iran..... too long coming.


I agree Vel.



Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 15:52:16
Occupy Batman?

Could be...

"The Dark Knight Rises," Christopher Nolan's third film in the Batman trilogy, has been shooting in Los Angeles in recent weeks. But the Christian Bale-led production is now set to make a trip to New York and could be heading to a fraught locale: the Occupy Wall Street protests.

Under its code name "Magnus Rex," the Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures production will arrive in the nation's biggest city for 14 days starting Oct. 29, according to a casting notice recently issued by producers. And, according to a person briefed on actors’ schedules who requested anonymity because production details were being kept confidential, cast members have been told the shoot could include scenes shot at the Occupy Wall Street protests.


Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 16:08:57
BoA shifting garbage derivatives from unsecured Merrill Lynch to a taxpayer-insured division

And JP Morgan is doing the same thing apparently.. WHAT THE FUCK?!

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:24:30
Quote by Scoopster:
BoA shifting garbage derivatives from unsecured Merrill Lynch to a taxpayer-insured division

And JP Morgan is doing the same thing apparently.. WHAT THE FUCK?!

This is getting ridiculous. Absofukinlutely ridiculous.

I am reading the original article from Bloomberg now.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:30:04
So if I am under the correct assumption, they moved money to areas that are covered under the FDIC as opposed to the fed?

One is taxpayer funded the other is not, right? (I get very confused with all of this.)

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:34:44
BoA looks like they are in serious trouble, IMO.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 16:41:41
Quote by Raine:
So if I am under the correct assumption, they moved money to areas that are covered under the FDIC as opposed to the fed?

One is taxpayer funded the other is not, right? (I get very confused with all of this.)



I don't understand the difference between the FDIC and the fed. In fact anything financial and my eyes glaze over

Comment by BobR on 10/19/2011 16:45:42
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
So if I am under the correct assumption, they moved money to areas that are covered under the FDIC as opposed to the fed?

One is taxpayer funded the other is not, right? (I get very confused with all of this.)


I don't understand the difference between the FDIC and the fed. In fact anything financial and my eyes glaze over

The Fed is the US government's central banking system. The FDIC is insurance for depositors (ie: customers, ie: us) insuring our deposits in the bank in case the bank fails.


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:47:05
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
So if I am under the correct assumption, they moved money to areas that are covered under the FDIC as opposed to the fed?

One is taxpayer funded the other is not, right? (I get very confused with all of this.)



I don't understand the difference between the FDIC and the fed. In fact anything financial and my eyes glaze over

Mine too, I try to understand.

The FDIC is a federal insurance program -- one that we as taxpayers help fund. That I know. it's a social safety net.

The Fed Reserve is one of those murky private entities. To the best of my knowledge (and someone please correct me here) BoA and JP Morgan are moving the derivates money to the banking [ ie: regular people money and deposits etc] to be covered by the FDIC.

From the Bloomberg link:
Derivatives are financial instruments used to hedge risks or for speculation. They’re derived from stocks, bonds, loans, currencies and commodities, or linked to specific events such as changes in the weather or interest rates.


This I believe is a loophole they found in the Frank-Dodd act -- and it certainly was illegal before Glass Steagal was repealed.

These moves should NEVER have been allowed. I remember there were commercial banks, personal banks and investment firms. Now they are all a big muddy mess.

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2011 16:47:15
Quote by Raine:
BoA looks like they are in serious trouble, IMO.

At this point I would love to see their board thrown in jail for what they have done. They have been probably breaking the law in the way they have been handling mortgages and then end up with no paperwork when they try to foreclose because they were betting on that mortgage failing in the first place.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 16:47:47
Quote by BobR:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
So if I am under the correct assumption, they moved money to areas that are covered under the FDIC as opposed to the fed?

One is taxpayer funded the other is not, right? (I get very confused with all of this.)


I don't understand the difference between the FDIC and the fed. In fact anything financial and my eyes glaze over

The Fed is the US government's central banking system. The FDIC is insurance for depositors (ie: customers, ie: us) insuring our deposits in the bank in case the bank fails.



still seems like the same thing to me - isn't it the Fed that backs up the FDIC?

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:49:18
Also from the Bloomberg article:
Dodd-Frank Rules
Keeping such deals separate from FDIC-insured savings has been a cornerstone of U.S. regulation for decades, including last year’s Dodd-Frank overhaul of Wall Street regulation.

The legislation gave the FDIC, which liquidates failing banks, expanded powers to dismantle large financial institutions in danger of failing. The agency can borrow from the Treasury Department to finance the biggest lenders’ operations to stem bank runs. It’s required to recoup taxpayer money used during the resolution process through fees on the largest firms.


So BoA decided to move it's hedge fund arm to make sure it was covered under the FDIC. I am damn pissed.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:56:28
Quote by wickedpam:

still seems like the same thing to me - isn't it the Fed that backs up the FDIC?
No.

about the FDIC
The FDIC also examines and supervises certain financial institutions for safety and soundness, performs certain consumer-protection functions, and manages banks in receiverships (failed banks).

Insured institutions are required to place signs at their place of business stating that "deposits are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government." Since the start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, no depositor has lost any insured funds as a result of a failure.


BoA is moving there crappy shit to be covered by the FDIC.

The Federal reserve however... As, Bob so aptly put it, is to provide the GOVERNMENT a banking system.

FDIC : Federal deposit INSURANCE company.
Fed: A bank






Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:57:40
BoA is taking advantage of the fact that corporations are people, so says the ruling of citizens untied.

Scoop -- am I off base here?

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2011 16:57:49
Quote by Raine:
Also from the Bloomberg article:
Dodd-Frank Rules
Keeping such deals separate from FDIC-insured savings has been a cornerstone of U.S. regulation for decades, including last year’s Dodd-Frank overhaul of Wall Street regulation.

The legislation gave the FDIC, which liquidates failing banks, expanded powers to dismantle large financial institutions in danger of failing. The agency can borrow from the Treasury Department to finance the biggest lenders’ operations to stem bank runs. It’s required to recoup taxpayer money used during the resolution process through fees on the largest firms.


So BoA decided to move it's hedge fund arm to make sure it was covered under the FDIC. I am damn pissed.

And if it helps, BoA is probably hoping they get the money and not the depositors. Fuckers, I really hope they end up going under.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 16:59:26
I hope I am making sense here. I think I am understanding, but I hope I am not misrepresenting information.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 17:03:32
Quote by livingonli:
And if it helps, BoA is probably hoping they get the money and not the depositors. Fuckers, I really hope they end up going under.
The depositors are going to pay -- as the depositors are taxpayers who are supposed to have the social safety net afforded us by the FDIC.

This needs immediate investigation from the administration. Once again, read the bloomberg article:
The Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. disagree over the transfers, which are being requested by counterparties, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The Fed has signaled that it favors moving the derivatives to give relief to the bank holding company, while the FDIC, which would have to pay off depositors in the event of a bank failure, is objecting, said the people. The bank doesn’t believe regulatory approval is needed, said people with knowledge of its position.

Three years after taxpayers rescued some of the biggest U.S. lenders, regulators are grappling with how to protect FDIC- insured bank accounts from risks generated by investment-banking operations. Bank of America, which got a $45 billion bailout during the financial crisis, had $1.04 trillion in deposits as of midyear, ranking it second among U.S. firms.



Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2011 17:04:48
Quote by Raine:
I hope I am making sense here. I think I am understanding, but I hope I am not misrepresenting information.



yep, I think I got it - eye's glazed over and all

So what I'm getting is they are putting that crappy stuff, the stuff that will tank out, epic fail or whatever into a place that is FDIC backed so when the it does tank it's insured up to 250K (I know there's a limit on the amount the FDIC insures for can't remember what it is though)

Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 17:09:25
Quote by Raine:
BoA is taking advantage of the fact that corporations are people, so says the ruling of citizens untied.

Scoop -- am I off base here?

Honey... I really hope you are. Because if not we're FUCKED.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 17:10:28
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I hope I am making sense here. I think I am understanding, but I hope I am not misrepresenting information.



yep, I think I got it - eye's glazed over and all

So what I'm getting is they are putting that crappy stuff, the stuff that will tank out, epic fail or whatever into a place that is FDIC backed so when the it does tank it's insured up to 250K (I know there's a limit on the amount the FDIC insures for can't remember what it is though)

Yes, you get it! What I am trying to find out ios how they can count on the FDIC insurance.

I have always been under the impression that it was 250K per depositor per bank. This is where I am trying to understand.

It makes me ask a LOT of questions. It almost looks like they are banking on things to fail. Individual depositors will still be insured -- but that also means we will still pay for bank failure.

Still researching. Still hoping someone can tell me if I am hunting down the wrong foxhole.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 17:13:09
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
BoA is taking advantage of the fact that corporations are people, so says the ruling of citizens untied.

Scoop -- am I off base here?

Honey... I really hope you are. Because if not we're FUCKED.
Mala brought up a VERY good point about the FDIC and the account insurance.

It provides deposit insurance, which guarantees the safety of deposits in member banks, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per bank.
This needs to be seriously looked at.




Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 17:16:18
If I remember that FDIC limit was increased from $100k per investor sometime in 2009..

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 17:29:29
Quote by Scoopster:
If I remember that FDIC limit was increased from $100k per investor sometime in 2009..

Was it?

OOh shit. Are you talking about this?

I'm still not quite understanding. Are you saying the FDIC starting insuring investors in 2009? (please forgive me -- I follow a LOT of things. I am terrible -- like Mala -- when it comes to this issue)

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2011 17:36:57
Thom is now talking about this issue.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2011 17:38:02
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
If I remember that FDIC limit was increased from $100k per investor sometime in 2009..

Was it?

OOh shit. Are you talking about this?

I'm still not quite understanding. Are you saying the FDIC starting insuring investors in 2009? (please forgive me -- I follow a LOT of things. I am terrible -- like Mala -- when it comes to this issue)

Nonono.. I'm saying the limit for how much FDIC would insure used to be $100k and I believe it was increased to $250k at some point during the past couple years.

Ah! Here's the article.