I'm not sure how this is supposed to help

The Pentagon has announced that it will be sending a Marine Corps unit to Bulgaria to help our Eastern European allies buck up. Sounds great, right? Yeah, until you get into the details:

BERLIN — A U.S. Marine Corps unit equipped with tanks, light armored vehicles and artillery will be sent to Bulgaria this fall as part of American plans to help reassure NATO allies worried by Russia's involvement in Ukraine, a top commander said Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Norman Cooling, deputy commander of U.S. Marine Corps Europe and Africa, told The Associated Press that 155 Marines equipped with four Abrams main battle tanks, six light armored vehicles and three howitzers are scheduled to be in place at the Novo Selo training area by early September. He spoke as NATO defense ministers met Thursday in Brussels.

OK, let's break it down. Four tanks is a platoon. Six LAVs is a platoon. Three howitzers is a platoon. Basically, they are sending a combined arms task force, reinforced company strength. These guys aren't a deterrent, they're a tripwire. They can't stop anything, but they give NATO and the US an excuse to get further involved should they get wiped out during a Russian invasion, something that apparently is an increasingly non-zero likelihood. These guys are Task Force Smith. They're a sacrificial lamb. Apparently, as announced by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter late in June, we're going to scatter Task Force Smiths all over Eastern Europe:

The U.S. will temporarily pre-position a brigade's worth of tanks and other vehicles in the Baltics and elsewhere in eastern Europe, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in Estonia Tuesday, as the U.S. continues efforts to reassure allies concerned about Russian revanchism.
The U.S. will spread about 250 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, artillery and other equipment around Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, according to the plan, to make it easier for U.S. forces to participate in training maneuvers in those countries, according to the Defense Department. Such equipment is also stationed in Germany.

This is supposed to be a deterrent to Russian aggression. A single brigade, spread all over Hell's half-acre, isn't going to deter anyone, especially someone like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who knows that the guy across from him is a monumental pussy. Putin took Crimea, and Emperor Barry did nothing. He has taken half of Ukraine, and Emperor Barry commits token troops elsewhere, but won't help Ukraine with military aid. Putin muses in public that maybe Russia shouldn't have recognized the independence of the Baltic states, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. If a guy who has shown that he is willing to take what he wants decides he wants Bulgaria, or the Baltic states, or whatever, does anyone think that a reinforced combined arms company is going to stop him? Putin knows we won't send more troops. He's been watching Barry get buttfucked by the Iranians, who basically are trying to get all sanctions lifted while having no meaningful restrictions on their nuclear weapons program. It looks like they are succeeding in both goals, so Putin is not exactly that Barry is going to show Churchill-like spine any time soon. Putin knows he can take what he wants.

I ust feel sorry for the grunts in the new Task Force Smith.

The bear is loose my ass

Apparently, it is a favorite phrase of President Obama's to utter as he goes on his pointless trips to various food vendors. He apparently loves to say "The bear is loose!"  I don't think he realizes how stupid that makes him look, given the current world environment. But he does it anyway:

WASHINGTON (AP) — "The bear is loose!"
Those were President Barack Obama's words as he ditched his motorcade and left the White House on foot, favoring the fresh air in a walk toward the Interior Department.

As President Obamaa drinks beer in Colorado and eats Mexican in DC and grabs a burger in Delaware while Russian special forces disguised as pro-Russian separatists shoot down airlines, it seems pretty fucking clear who the bear is, and it ain't Barry:

Cracow — According to the July 11 Washington Post, aides to President Obama are using a Twitter account with the moniker #TheBearIsLoose to drum up trade for the president’s current magical mystery tour. Here, along the banks of the Vistula River, with the immediate neighborhood getting more ominous by the week, the notion that the Bear is loose has a different connotation: The Bear is indeed loose, once again, and has been making a lot of trouble, first in Crimea, then in Donetsk and Luhansk and other parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, while continuing to threaten the Baltic democracies and occupy Transnistria in Moldova. The Bear is Vladimir Putin’s Russia on the prowl, not the beer-swigging Barack Obama, “connecting” with the citizenry.

Never mind that Obama is getting jacked up globally by Russia (and pretty much anybody else who feels like taking a shot at the U.S.). This "bear" horseshit is embarrassing. Russian strongman Vladimir Putin isn't worried about hashtags. He's too busy making Barry his bitch:

One can trace a line from any global hotspot to Russia and its authoritarian ruler. Iran? Russia has assisted its nuclear program for decades. Syria? Russia is Bashar Assad’s arms dealer. Iraq? Russia is sending men and materiel to the central government. Afghanistan? Putin muscled nearby Kyrgyzstan intoclosing our air base there, crucial for transport, resupply, and reconnaissance in the war against the Taliban. The contretemps between the United States and Germany is the result of Edward Snowden’s breach of national security. Where is Snowden? In Russia, where he has just asked to have his visa renewed. I wonder if Vladimir Putin will say yes.

Look, I can't find the reference, but somebody smarter than me tweeted out that "the bear is loose, and it just ate Crimea," or words to that effect. Face it, Barry ain't the bear. The bear is a badass animal, and that ain't Barry. Putin, maybe. And Barry not only isn't the bear, he isn't ready for the bear. Unlike Ronald Reagan, for instance, in 1984:

Kerry tells Russia to leave Ukraine alone by Monday or we'll really get mad -- "Don't make me get out of this chair!"

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, continuing the administration policy of speaking loudly and carrying no fucking stick at all., apparently has given Russia until Monday to do, um, something about Ukraine or the U.S. is going to get really serious about this and Russia will be sorry:

Secretary of State John Kerry warned of serious repercussions for Russia on Monday if last-ditch talks over the weekend to resolve the crisis in Ukraine failed to persuade Moscow to soften its stance.

Soften it how? For Christ's sake, they invaded Crimea, took it from Ukraine and are occupying it, knowing that Ukraine lacks the power to take back its territory and that the West -- mostly the U.S. -- lacks the nuts to do anything about it. If Kerry thinks this is a red line, Russia knows full well what a U.S. "red line" means under President Obama -- fuck all. Russian President Vladimir Putin already beclowned Obama over Obama's "red line" in Syria. Putin knows Barry won't do anything. Putin simply isn't worried about Obama and the U.S. interfering with Putin's actions. How do I know this? Because of this:

With a referendum on secession looming in Crimea, Russia massed troops and armored vehicles in at least three regions along Ukraine’s eastern border on Thursday, alarming the interim Ukraine government about a possible invasion and significantly escalating tensions in the crisis between the Kremlin and the West.

While the Obama administration shouts about illegal secessions and territory seizures, Putin continues along his merry way. We'll be lucky if Russia doesn't seize all of Ukraine, just because it can. The U.S. State Department continues to send out signals that we are a bunch of politically correct pussies who see the world as we wish it were, not as it is:

Asked about Russia’s military moves, a senior State Department official said, “We’re very concerned.”
“It certainly has created an environment of intimidation,” said the official, who cannot be identified under the agency’s protocol for briefing reporters. “It certainly is destabilizing.” Mr. Kerry plans to ask for an explanation of the military moves when he meets with [Russian Foreign Minister] Mr. Lavrov, the official said. Mr. Kerry said in testimony on Thursday that further sanctions would be announced Monday if the referendum went forward on Sunday. “There will be costs if the referendum goes forward,” the official said. If Russia escalates the crisis further, those costs will be increased, the official added.

Boy, I'll bet the Russians are shitting their pants worrying about how those costs will be increased. So far, the costs have been zero. The U.S. is "concerned" about "destablizing" "intimidation" on Russia's part. Putin hears this and says to himself, "I'm in." We're "concerned," Putin is consolidating his conquests. So long, Ukraine. Hope you enjoyed independence while it lasted.

How's that reset button working for you?

Great editorial cartoon from Nate Beeler:

Hillary should be in there somewhere, seems to me. Hat tip to Hot Air.

Barry plans sternly worded letter to Putin over 'uncontested arrival' of Russian troops in Ukraine.

Boy, that'll show him. Thank God Russia is not invading Ukraine by sending troops into Ukrainian territory -- it's just an "uncontested arrival." That characterization sounds vaguely reminiscent of how Nazi Germany took over Norway -- hey, kids, no fighting, so it wasn't an invasion, right? Certainly it is all the indication anybody, especially good old Vlad Putin, the cupcake who runs Russia, needs to know that Russia can do whatever it wants in Ukraine and Obama and the rest of the West -- but especially Obama, the leader of the only country with the wherewithall to do anything meaningful -- will do fuck all about it.

Of course, Barry threatened to cancel trade talks and boycott the upcoming G8 summit in Sochi, Russia. Like Vlad gives two shakes of a rat's ass about that. Does Barry think he gains influence at the G8 by not attending and leaving Vlad alone with mostly European leaders who depend on Russia for natural gas shipments (through a pipeline across Ukraine, no less)? As Ace  would say, Vlad will just tell the other G8 members, "You may have your natural gas. But first, you will blow me."

As it is, The Independent in Great Britain is reporting that Russian troops are in Ukraine:

Russian troops were on the move inside Ukrainian territory on Friday, prompting US President Barack Obama to warn Moscow that “there will be costs for any military intervention”.

Moscow obviously is quaking in its collectivist boots. Barry, after all doesn't intend "costs" to imply we'll do anything -- he just means that it's expensive to send troops into other countries, whether that's at invasion or just an uncontested arrival. And Charles Krauthammer makes it clear Barry intends to do nothing and that the rest of the civilized world is a little surprised at how clear Barry made it that he intends to do nothing:

Charles Krauthammer responded on Special Report tonight saying, “The Ukrainians, and I think everybody, is shocked by the weakness of Obama’s statement. I find it rather staggering.”
Krauthammer thinks Obama’s statement is about “three levels removed” from actual action. He explained: Obama said “we will stand with the international community — meaning we are going to negotiate with a dozen other countries who will water down the statement — in affirming that there will be costs — meaning in making a statement not even imposing a cost, but in making a statement about imposing a cost — for any military intervention.”

Separated at birth?

As we get ready for the formal opening of what doubtless will be the most corrupt, bungled and all-around fucked-up Olympics ever, I think it is important we remember who we are dealing with here:

Is it Vladimir Putin, president of Russia?

Or Harry Potter's favorite house elf, Dobby?

You decide.

The Obama vs. Putin photo death match

Over at The People's Cube, found this magnificent comparison of Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama. Guess who wins?

Yeah, that about says it all. On the other hand, Obama has a better domestic spying apparatus. So he's got that going for him.