Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Benghazi.....get your red pencil out, folks!

Beware the Benghazi diction wars



President Obama's forceful response to the Benghazi hearings in Congress this morning is accurate. There is no there there. The hearings are a "sideshow." A circus. 
And it is. It is also, at its core, a debate about diction. And debates about diction by definition can never be won. Nothing Obama says, short of: "I am an evil person who deserves to be impeached" is going to placate those who use language games to exploit the partisan kulturkampf. 

The irony: Obama is not blameless. He is just not blameless for stuff the Republicans are ignoring, like: what was the administration's long-term plan for Libya? What dynamic between the CIA and the State Department was festering, and why didn't his National Security Staff tend to it? What was the CIA really doing in Benghazi?  
The diction debates aren't real debates because the opponents aren't interesting in arriving at a truth. The opponent insists that he or she knows the motivation for key words and phrases that were used during the aftermath of something. The opponents also take their infallible notion of history and the motivation of actors and read it backwards.  There is simply no room in that paradigm for anything resembling a reasonable counter-argument.

Diction debates therefore almost always obscure more important issues.Back to the specifics of Benghazi:
By the time Susan Rice appeared on the Sunday shows, the idea that Benghazi wasn't an attack by terrorists had been largely dismissed. That's why her comments seemed so weird. That's why people called her out. The zeitgeist already knew what the White House was allegedly trying to cover up.  To me, that suggests that the fact of a cover-up is unlikely. Why cover up something that people already knew? And why do it so clumsily?  Interagency rivalries DO produce Sunday show bungles. All the time.

Something else: for good or ill, the Obama administration's counter-terrorism policy includes strategic restraint when it comes to using the word "terrorism" to apply to acts committed by violent extremism. Perhaps it's an over-reaction to the Bush administration's willingness to use the word without discrimination. But more likely, it's an effort to reduce the psychological effect that a successful, small-scale (as compared to 9/11) attack in a foreign country can and will have on U.S. foreign policy.  

Go at it............!!
oh, by the way...this mess of mischaracterizations and untruths isn't hidden in some leftwing site, it's a headline on Yahoo Homepage :-)
Z

35 comments:

Z said...

Sorry this published late; I hadn't realized I hadn't set the time.
Man,I am itching to write more on this but I want you to have the fun!

Divine Theatre said...

Yahoo is a branch of the US government.

Andie

“Don’t Bother Me With Facts!” said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Z said...

Question Man...
We have four Americans DIE and don't have answers and their families deserve better. You know, this might help you; there are probably outstanding black men and women in the diplomatic service all over the world; they're not feeling protected now, nobody has their back. Is that okay by you? I figure I need to slant it to Black Americans or you wouldn't give a damn what happened because you apparently don't care what happened to those four great white guys who were working for us in Libya.

I'm only leaving your rant here and not deleting it because it's so terribly indicative of people who are so enjoying their victimhood they can't see otherwise.

Please, please start watching ALL the news, not just MSNBC; you need to be better informed.

Oh, and also...I'd vote for Alan West today over Romney if I could. Bigoted, huH? (as if I have to prove anything to you).

Also, I believe there are excellent BLack leaders.... and I'm hoping we finally get one in politics. Clarence Thomas is amazing. Imagine writing me a hand written note for my letter to him complimenting his book? That's class and dignity.

You forgot to mention the IRS and, hold tight, man, because your hero's in trouble;...this AP thing isn't going away and the Obama people made a huge mistake messing with the journalists who've been protecting them.
Frankly, until their ire showed over this intrusion into their privacy, I thought our media was far too indoctrinated to even understand a breach of the constitution, but they're on it.
And, he's losing Maureen Dowd. She a racist, QM?

I wish you and I and my wonderful commenters could actually have a conversation and the facts would be revealed and we could work toward a better America, not have to listen to you use ridiculous insults as a way of argument.
What the heck's the matter with you, anyway?

A Blog dedicated to the idea that people should be permitted to run their own lives as they wish. said...

Mr. Dave Miller, Blaming the organized Al Qaeda backed organized terrorist attack on a video that nobody watched,many times, days after the attack when they knew that it ,the video, had not one bit to do with the attack.

You know lies the ones RICE repeated 5 times on Sunday morning new shows,then followed up by Obama on late night,then before the world at the UN

Those lies recorded for ever for all to see, these lies were a "COVER-UP"
And a man is still sitting in Jail because of their LIES!

Ducky's here said...

What was the CIA really doing in Benghazi?

-----
Ask the Israelis. It was probably their operation.

I'm surprised no one ask Joe Lieberman that question when he testified.

A Blog dedicated to the idea that people should be permitted to run their own lives as they wish. said...

Late Breaking News!

Reince Priebus Chairman of the Republican National Committee
has called from Attorney General Holder's resignation

Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig.

But of course the big bad wolf couldn't blow the Pigs house in But the sly old wolf didn't give up, and he huffed and he puffed and eventually the Piggies House went tumbling down.

Conversations Over Dinner with a Brainless Liberal said...


I agree with Dave Miller, exactly what was “Covered Up” And exactly what law did the IRS break by scrutinizing Tea Party wackos?
From reading news accounts, I can find no mention of any laws the IRS violated when they put Tea Party wackos under extra scrutiny.
Personally I think that John McCain has finally lost it. It's time to put this old Goat out to pasture. He probably had eaten too much humble pie in the past few years. He and Graham are two of the worst in the Senate. And let’s please remember who joined Sen. Paul and Sen. Cruz during the “wacko” filibuster. Sen. John Thune, Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Pat Toomey, Sen. Marco Rubio, Rand Paul,Ted Cruz. Sen. Tim Scott and, oh yes, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Wackos” each and every one of them.
Mark my words, the economy is improving, the stock market is hitting new highs every day, a few IRS nuts will get fired, and the rightwingloons will continue to meltdown over the next conspiracy.

Anonymous said...

@Z:


"What the heck's the matter with you, anyway?"

One...being stuck in the 60's.

Two...a troll for the NBPP and Malik Shabazz.

His rhetoric, hate and lies are their usual talking ( ranting, frothing, hateful, racist, bigoted ) points that these kumquats believe in. Next he'll say he wants a white free America or that blacks need to segregate themselves!

Anonymous said...

@Ravi:

"And exactly what law did the IRS break by scrutinizing Tea Party wackos?"

What laws did they break by seizing AP journalists phone records....dipstick?

Your boy Holder and Obutthead are in for it. As soon as the AP wackos get through with them.

Tom said...

The reality is these idiots like the Question Man who have their freedoms and waste it….Look at our prisons across the nation more blacks than any other race. I know they are not all bad and many of them are upstanding and respectable citizens. It is amazing that they almost seem to be the thorn in Obama’s side which I find hilarious.
New Black Panther Party is nothing more than an organized street gang that get more media attention then they should..

Z said...

Oh, gee, Ravi...are they "WHACKOS"...better believe you and not them. Thanks for the insight!! :-)

Please, PLEASE, watch all the news; not just leftwing news, you need to be better informed.
OH, then write a letter to leftwinger Maureen Dowd, who's just about done with her erstwhile hero, Obama...and make sure those leftwing AP journalists are hushed up because they're hopping mad at him, too.
Just dump the families of the dead in Benghazi in the mud; I'm guessing you don't care if they never know what happened or if our diplomats in other areas don't feel that we've got their back.

WOW...reading you leftwing commenters is an education; too bad that's not meant in the good way.

Imp; I'm guessing that this AP situation FINALLY is going to be what gets Holder out; Obama has to do this because it's going to reflect badly on him, except he's really so very good at deflecting.

I read just now that Carney didn't even answer AP questions...telling people to ask the DoJ? Wait, does the DoJ do press conferences?
No, I didn't think so :-)

Am I missing a comment by Dave Miller here?

Tom said...

Yesterday, we were privileged in seeing another very satisfying sight seeing a fat handcuffed OJ Simpson in a prison jumpsuit chained to a courtroom chair?

Anonymous said...

@Z:


"Am I missing a comment by Dave Miller here?"


No Z..you know lib loons have the IQ of a turnip and have limited reading / info skills and are slow to learn...he was just behind a day...DM's post from yesterday?

Mista Anonymous said...

I guess that the looney Lib Dave Miller is missing in action.

He ran away before I was able to debate him on his bone-head statement.

JonBerg said...

Question Man,

I think that you are a bigger fraud than the one currently occupying the White House. The 'left' does a perfectly good job of discrediting itself without the hyperbolized doltishness so replete in your ramblings. You really can't be serious! From now on when I see your stuff, under any moniker, I will know that it's just a joke and ignore, accordingly.

JB, AKA: The Answer Man

Z said...

Imp; I understand that but who comments on someone from a post yesterday? That's just plain weird.

Rational Nation USA said...

JonBerg, if you want to reach that Moron "The Question Man", you can comment directly on his blog.
I have outed him many times before.

Here:
http://newquestionman.wordpress.com/

Pris said...

Ravi,
Here's the truth! An IRS spokeswoman revealed this activity and apologized for it. Perhaps if you watched Fox news you might have known this!

Furthermore, the IRS asked the Tea Party Associations for lists of their donors names! Is that within their purview?

Since when does the Govt. have the right to go after any group who disagrees with the President, and other officials in the Govt., or grassroots movements which are conservative?
Sounds like they want an enemies list to me, or to be more accurate, a data base! Tell me why!


Ducky,
Do you think Benghazi is the only place where the CIA is? Who knows? Besides, that's one place they ought to be. The middle east is of great concern as it should be!

Their job isn't a walk in the park, and whatever they're doing there I'm sure is classified!
When you are clueless Ducky, it's better to say nothing if you can't think it through!

BTW, so what if they were working with the Israeli Govt. Israel is an ally, and from what we have heard they themselves have an excellent intelligence operation.

Z said...

Pris..BRAVO!
And yes, if WE had the GUTS to do what Israel does with their Intelligence, we wouldn't be facing what we're facing.
They're not so PC that their people suffer because they can't stop the bad guys.
They suffer enough, because their enemies are so vile, but they'd be an ash heap if they weren't so good at Intelligence.

And yes, the IRS has apologized, but the left denies there's a story there :-) Including Obama.

Re the CIA in Libya...how about us finding out what took about 23 days for our own FBI to finally sift through the ravages and make a report? unreal

Liberalmann said...

Benghazi bombshell: Email supporting GOP “conspiracy” theory is fake
http://americablog.com/2013/05/white-house-email-benghazi-fake.html

JonBerg said...

RR,

Thanks for the tip but I, respectfully, decline!

Mustang said...

How interesting that there is a rush of liberals showing up at a conservative blog to defend the most corrupt president since Richard Nixon. How to explain these unusual phenomena? Hmmm. Saul Alinsky, perhaps?

Z said...

Mustang, good point;

I'm disappointed that I don't see any red pencil editing.
I could make a long list of inaccuracies and incorrect assumptions in this bit of 'journalism'...enough that I was laughing out loud last night at the sheer gumption of it.

Anonymous said...

@Pris:

"Israel is an ally, and from what we have heard they themselves have an excellent intelligence operation."

Duck was just being consistent in his disdain and hate for israel.....it's always them damn Jooooos to Duck.

Sam Huntington said...

So Impertinent, why are so many Jews aligned with the communist left? I am banging my head against the wall on this question.

Anonymous said...

Z,
It is fun to watch the sycophants scramble to fall on their sword for the emperor. Every time someone from this regime opens its mouth they get in deeper. This writer is trying be a master of relativism. He isn't skillful enough.

On a side note saying OJ was in court and fat. How does a prisoner get fat in prison? Isn't their diet controlled? Just a thought.

Ed Bonderenka said...

I had to wipe all the red marks off my tablet screen to read other peoples comments.

Anonymous said...

@Sam:

"why are so many Jews aligned with the communist left..?"

I'm not certain but I doubt that you'll find this in Israel itself. I see it as uniquely home grown for them to follow the left. In the old country the commies were seen to represent the common man and the downtrodden. They came here and were certainly unwelcome...but not as unwelcome as they were in Europe then...and even today.

Many Jews here still see themselves as downtrodden and disliked...many were outed by McCarthy in the 50's and rightly so because many were openly communist and in the arts...but today their children and grandchildren ( the Speilbergs, Weinsteins..etc ) are still in the arts and haven't forgotten. What flabbergasts me is why they'd want to associate with such garbage when they've been so hugely successful.

TS/WS said...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
.
The Founders Chose Words for this very reason.
Congress SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING...
Shall... is a word for doing something Legally, or, Shall NOT (shall make NO law) do something Illegally.
Respecting... is a word that means-concerning/about.
Abridging... bridging one law to another law of different concerns (seemingly).
The Tax Code does ALL of this.
Senator Lyndon B. Johnson did just this with keeping the Churches out of the "right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".
Now political speech is also ABRIDGED with the Tax Code.
The right to peaceably assembly with a organization called The Tea Party was attacked with the Gov. demanding Donors list and Members list, and questions of - "who in your organization will be running for Office?" HOW CAN ANYONE answer that? Not being truthful will be a JAIL SENTENCE! Again WHO COULD ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE?
And AGAIN, WHO WROTE THE TAX CODE?
THE CONGRESS!
What is the first line in the 1st Amendment?
Congress SHALL Make No Law RESPECTING..., or ABRIDGING...

Anonymous said...

@L&O:

" How does a prisoner get fat in prison"?

You don't think that slob is lifting weights at 67 yo do you?

All that muscle mass he obtained as an athlete turns to flab if he doesn't keep up a fitness regimen.

And they don't allow golf in the slammer either.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Tell us what's wrong with this.............have fun!

Muhahahaha.

President Obama's forceful response to the Benghazi hearings in Congress this morning is accurate. There is no there there. The hearings are a "sideshow." A circus. And it is. It is also, at its core, a debate about diction. And debates about diction by definition can never be won. Nothing Obama says, short of: "I am an evil person who deserves to be impeached" is going to placate those who use language games to exploit the partisan kulturkampf.

Diction? Do you really believe the torture and death of a American diplomat to be a figure of speech? How about his pleas for help? Was it all just some background noise while the Prez hits Vegas to get blazy with Jay-Z?

The irony: Obama is not blameless. He is just not blameless for stuff the Republicans are ignoring, like: what was the administration's long-term plan for Libya? What dynamic between the CIA and the State Department was festering, and why didn't his National Security Staff tend to it? What was the CIA really doing in Benghazi? The diction debates aren't real debates because the opponents aren't interesting in arriving at a truth. The opponent insists that he or she knows the motivation for key words and phrases that were used during the aftermath of something. The opponents also take their infallible notion of history and the motivation of actors and read it backwards. There is simply no room in that paradigm for anything resembling a reasonable counter-argument.

Ah, the ol' "arsonist has bottles, gas, rags, and matches, but no Molotov cocktails" argument. Ask Saddam Hussein how that worked out for him.

The Obama Administration blamed a parody video on YouTube for the incitement against America of the al Qaeda fighters he provided air support to against Quadafi. Bask in how monumentally stupid it was for the President on down to pin the deaths of four Americans to a sustained attack with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, and machine guns in a hostile land upon the video recording of satire.

While that sinks in, diction? Did you know that that satirist is in a very non-metaphorical jail right now?

The fucks wrong with you left-wing idiots?

Diction debates therefore almost always obscure more important issues.Back to the specifics of Benghazi:
By the time Susan Rice appeared on the Sunday shows, the idea that Benghazi wasn't an attack by terrorists had been largely dismissed. That's why her comments seemed so weird. That's why people called her out. The zeitgeist already knew what the White House was allegedly trying to cover up. To me, that suggests that the fact of a cover-up is unlikely. Why cover up something that people already knew? And why do it so clumsily? Interagency rivalries DO produce Sunday show bungles. All the time.


Is incarcerating a scapegoated satirical filmmaker for his use of his right to expression diction, bungle, or the administration's reasonable counter-argument? Hello?

Something else: for good or ill, the Obama administration's counter-terrorism policy includes strategic restraint when it comes to using the word "terrorism" to apply to acts committed by violent extremism. Perhaps it's an over-reaction to the Bush administration's willingness to use the word without discrimination. But more likely, it's an effort to reduce the psychological effect that a successful, small-scale (as compared to 9/11) attack in a foreign country can and will have on U.S. foreign policy.

Really? Who did the Bush administration mislabel as a "terrorist?"

Psychological effect? Like being one YouTube video away from Pakistanis nuking India? Diction, right?

Anonymous said...

systemic...parse...now diction?

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

systemic...parse...now diction?

You know, a teleprompter fail. Like the time the economy was improving and it was Bush's fault.

Mustang said...

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck—it’s a duck. In a similar way, if the highest ranking diplomat in Libya tells Hillary Clinton via telephone that Ambassador Stevens was being attacked by terrorists, and if the President of Libya informed the press that the attack was perpetrated by terrorists, and if the CIA informed the Obama administration that it was a terrorist attack … then damn it, it was a terrorist attack. For all the leftist loons out there who think it was still a spontaneous reaction to an obscure video about Mohammed … you should shoot yourselves immediately. There is no remedy for what ails you.