We don’t look for any major melt-up in the market today.
In fact, it looks like we will get some continuation of the rally that started last week.
But the big story to focus on this morning is the president’s latest “talk around” on Islamic terrorism – now come to America – while his attorney general is attempting to hush the issue with vague threats to prosecute those who don’t “drink the Kool-Aid” of White House jingoism and sloganeering.
To begin with, the president’s speech: So far as we know, he have never been able to call out Islamic jihadists directly. And if you’d like to read his latest “talk-around” it is available on the White House website here.
Obama did get close to calling out Islamic jihadists, but close doesn’t work when plain speaking is in order:
Here’s what else we cannot do. We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That, too, is what groups like ISIL want. ISIL does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more than a billion Muslims around the world — including millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology. Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. If we’re to succeed in defeating terrorism we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate.
That does not mean denying the fact that an extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities. This is a real problem that Muslims must confront, without excuse. Muslim leaders here and around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and al Qaeda promote; to speak out against not just acts of violence, but also those interpretations of Islam that are incompatible with the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and human dignity.
More important, to the aware reader, is the administrations continued deference to terminology like ISIL instead of ISIS.
In our study of predictive language, we note a critical difference.
ISIS stands for “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or al-Sham” while ISIL means the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.”
Just how big is “the Levant?” Well,, there’s a good discussion of it over on the Wikipedia site, but the main thing is to study this map (borrowed from the Wikipedia discussion) because it lays out the critical difference:
In other words, if the president was referring to the rowdy/killers in Iraq and Syria, it would lend them very limited legitimacy.
But, as you can see in the map, “the Levant” in modern times goes all the way down to the border of Egypt, which is also included in some accounts of the modern Levant.
Here’s why this matters so greatly:
The term “ISIL” is not one being used by ISIS and their recruiters.
It is a term which is government-arising.
And in particular, it is a term that extends the legitimacy of including the Levant by repetitiously using it at all levels of government.
In other words, ISIL includes some might key real estate in the Middle East: Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank, and so on.
Therefore, one of the least surprising long-term outlooks is for the Obama apologists to come up with some kind of “ISIL deal-making” – before the election – which would reinforce the legitimacy of ISIL and do so far outside of the limited area of conflict.
While the U.S. does have a legitimate concern about the movement of high-performance S-400 anti-aircraft emplacements into Syria to protect president Assad, the use of the term ISIL says clearly that the embedded neocons still in the State Department will be able to funnel guns and supplies well outside of the conflict area where (prediction follows so pay attention) they may be used counter to American interests again. Only this time in areas larger than Syria.
And that will, as I see it, possibly bring an “ISIL” deal before Obama leaves office. Where things could be “flipped” in such a way that ISIL will achieve some level of recognition while America screws over Israel and Lebanon in the process.
For a country founded on the basis of non-interference and freedom, the Obama administration has as dismal record of respecting the territorial boundaries of other countries. And if you hadn’t noticed, countries don’t particularly care for the U.S. playing God with Middle East borders.
Meantime, making veiled threats against opinion-leaders, attorney general Loretta Lynch is off on a wrong-headed gun-grab campaign. Attacking the Second Amendment is predictable.
Lynch and her boss remain mute on the core problem: How do you make ISIS and drug cartels follow gun laws? As we read it, the solution is not to disarm the innocents…it’s to kill the bad guys. Unfortunately, the mush-for-brains syndrome that disables clear thought in Washington is still running rampant.
This administrations immigration polices, which allowed liberalization of of fiancé visas.
In Europe, ISIS is reported to have weapons of mass destruction.
And the open borders administration has a report that says not only is the border with Mexico leaking like a sieve, but so is the one with Canada…if you’re a terrorist.
And we have to ask hard questions about the sincerity of targeting when oil tankers still move, and pictures are flowing out of militant Islamic training camps in Afghanistan.
We may not need more bombs, but we sure as hell need to build borders…or is that just too freaking obvious?
The Week Ahead
Other than looking at the daily Gallup numbers (here) there’s not a lot to get excited about on the economic front this week.
Sure, we have Producer Prices on Friday. But this will likely be a week of rehash and rewrite. Things typically slow down a bit around the holidays.
Next week, things will light up with consumer prices and a Few rate decision. So rest up this week.
More future hints at Grady’s www.nostracodeus.com site…odd stuff flying ion language now.
Change in Venezuela
Socialism only works a little bit. Note the socialist majority has been bounced in Venezuela and that may account for some of the weakness in oil prices this morning.
Quake-Time
Big earthquake of 7.2 in Tajikistan which rattled Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
U.S.G.S. data page for this one is located here if you want the maps and details.
Me Too Journalism Dept.
Being December 7, and all, here’s a Google News search of more Pearl Harbor stories than you can shake a stick at. 7.65 million story hits on Pearl Harbor…
Few warn that a sneak attack on America today would be a rhyme, though.
By the year 2020 there will be 20 million muslims living in Germany. Untold number in France and UK. There will be no more Germany, France or England. Europe will be all muslims.
Even if you believe that untold numbers of ‘muslims’ will ‘flood’ said countries – isn’t that like saying ‘untold numbers of Christians lived in said countries during the Middle Ages’ – I think that the people who are German, French, English, etc today, regard their nationalities as different from each other – the immigrants will adapt to the culture of the place they moved to – don’t paint everything with one brush, one color . . .
“…isn’t that like saying ‘untold numbers of Christians lived in said countries…”
it WOULD be, except that, as George points out, Muslims generally don’t assimilate (‘melt’ into the pot) – they set up distintive communites – like has been done in northern Paris.
Then it will be Putin’s biggest problem.
“We may not need more bombs, but we sure as hell need to build borders…or is that just too freaking obvious?”
Assuming each country to be like a family ;-), would it be wise to interfere in other families affairs? Why can’t we just simplify issues and fix our own problems at home?
How difficult is it to see the entire program by the whitehouse is an effort to degrade our country; it’s defenses, it’s economy, individuals rights under the constitution?
George, isn’t blaming Muslims in general for these very few terrorist criminals like blaming Italians for the Mafia? Isn’t it giving too much legitimacy to these few to call them “Islamic” extremists? Muslim families are no different from everyone else; they are busy working, just trying to survive, and often lose track of their kids’ activities. Our energy is better spent getting experts to teach their community how to spot the signs of disaffection and alienation to help them help themselves protect their kids. Probably the same thing with kids’ drug use and gang affiliation. BTW, we love you George, and wish you and yours all the best. Mike.
I do not blame Muslims in general, any more than I blame Germans in general for WW II.
What we need to be clear on, however, is that America is based on a melting pot. Muslim, Chinese, Japanese or whoever…we melt or we burn. It’s as simple as that. Italians melted, Irish melted, Mexicans, especially illegals are not melting as quickly. But Muslim extremists, who want to tear down America, well no, that I’m not OK with.
Even the more moderate Amandi Muslims believe they carry the “final dispensation before end times” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadiyya) but that runs head-on into beliefs held by the Baha’i faith: From Wikipedia:
The Bahá’í Faith (Persian: ???????? Bahá’iyyat, Arabic: ???????? Bahá’iyya /b??ha?/[note 1]) is a monotheistic religion which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind.[1] Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá’í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, that there is only one God who is the source of all creation; the unity of religion, that all major religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God; and the unity of humanity, that all humans have been created equal, coupled with the unity in diversity, that diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance.[2] According to the Bahá’í Faith’s teachings, the human purpose is to learn to know and to love God through such methods as prayer, reflection and being of service to humanity.
The Bahá’í Faith was founded by Bahá’u’lláh in 19th-century Persia. Bahá’u’lláh was exiled for his teachings from Persia to the Ottoman Empire and died while officially still a prisoner. After Bahá’u’lláh’s death, under the leadership of his son, `Abdu’l-Bahá, the religion spread from its Persian and Ottoman roots, and gained a footing in Europe and America, and was consolidated in Iran, where it suffers intense persecution.[3] After the death of `Abdu’l-Bahá, the leadership of the Bahá’í community entered a new phase, evolving from a single individual to an administrative order with both elected bodies and appointed individuals.[4] There are probably more than 5 million Bahá’ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.[5][note 2]
On a timeline, the Baha’is would have a more recent dispensation, it appears…and the Baha’is who have been in the US have always been onboard wit melt-and-share. Leaves of one tree, drops in one ocean.
But where’s the power trip in that?
Which came first the chicken or the egg? Neither it was the zoroaster.
What would Zarathustra do? Lol The father of all faiths, the begining of all religons. If you search his scriptures it reveales the life of those who survive the ice age and the epic flood of noah. Long before it was biblical and long before bhuda was a twinkle in his mothers eye.
Nevertheless,
The recent events was/is a (proxy) form of psychological supressive fire. You can disect all its facets if you want but it doesn matter. It is what it is.
I think R.F.Dibble said it best in his book titled Mohammed, written in 1928.
“And how much more industrious, are they that weave legends than that of all the spider’s in the world.”
Thanks for the smiles and good thoughts. Later dude.
If you look at his image in artistic expression, he looks much like the one’s of Jesus and by sheer coincidence, Zarathustra was a shepard who like Mohammed and Abraham traveled in caravan. Lol
Yes, i agree a melting pot isnt much of a melting pot when the fire below it is going out.
” But Muslim extremists, who want to tear down America …”
And just how much of the ME has America torn down so far?
Now just who are funding the extremists … ?
My daughter works for the local Wal-Mart. Each work shift is given the usual pep talk, which usually includes how the companies latest days sales compare with the same day one year ago.
For the last month, with very few exceptions, each day has been down 9% or more from the same day a year ago.
I think this is a great indicator of how the economy is actually going.
Why should America be concerned with Russia using its S-400 system to defend Assad? Assad is one of the last legitimate leaders in the ME. I see George that you have drank the US koolaid and think Assad is one of the bad guys! Syria was quite stable before the US and Israel decided to relieve Assad and allow the thugs of ISIS (or whatever you want to call them today) to inhabit Syria and destroy a truly ancient and beautiful country. The Russians may have their agenda too, buy helping to defend a legitimate regime like the Assad government makes huge sense, especially when the US has not intervened on the side of sanity and legality.
George…I have been reading your blog a long time and appreciate your extensive knowledge on many things, but you have missed an important issue dealing with ISIS vs. ISIL. The book of Genesis chapter 15 verse 18 details the land given to Israel {Abraham’s chosen son} by God: Genesis 15:18 KJV) ‘In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:’ It is for this cause the whole of the Muslim/Israel conflict is raging…and Obama as a Muslim {at least it appears so} is calling this land ISIL….because the Levant is encompassed in these borders mentioned here in Genesis 15:18
ISIL, ISIS….Why can’t everyone get on the same page and refer to the radicals as Islamic STATE? Operative word being STATE.
Some years back (before 911) I had the privilege of working with a Muslim, good man and a good friend/co-worker. He had an excellent insight as to what was coming and feared for what his religion was morphing into. Case in point; the Mosque he attended, only one in town and some three blocks from where we worked, was repeatedly raided by the FBI for terrorist supporting activities. He took his religion to the privacy of his home.
Can’t say all Muslims are terrorists but anyone supporting a Muslim STATE, circa 12th century; is a danger to civilization. If the Idiots in Washington refuse to accept that, forget their own agendas for a while, and work with whoever they have to in an effort to eliminate the threat; it is time for everyone to look out for themselves as things will only get worse.