Larwyn's Linx: “A conspiracy so immense” -- Ideological commitment and the timidity of pragmatic politics

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Nation

Ideological commitment and the timidity of pragmatic politics: ProWis
Dems' Next Push: Amnesty, Fast Track Citizenship For Illegals: Joshua
Obama Blames Congress For His $5 Trillion Debt: IBD

Disarming America: Loudon
Deadly Quiet Conversations: TL in Exile
These are the times that try men's souls: AWD

Liberalism vs. Blacks: Sowell
Colon Powell Plays the Race Card: Wehner
The Increasingly Execrable Colon Powell: AmSpec

Economy

Weapon of Mass Distraction: DLim
Now We Know… Closet Communists Destroyed Detroit: GWP
Debt up 60% since Obama took office. This can't go on forever: Reynolds

House to Vote on Sandy Pork: Ace
NJ Senate Excludes Non-Union Sandy Reconstruction Workers: LUR
Bernanke: Get rid of debt ceiling: it has no practical value: Exam

Scandal Central

Cuomo proposes immediate ban on assault rifles: Twitchy
Obama: Some Gun Control Measures 'I Can Accomplish Through Executive Action': WS
GOP Rep. Threatens Impeachment If Obama Goes Around Congress to Enact Gun Control: Blaze

Climate & Energy

EPA Email Release “Gravely Compounded Unlawful Activity We Have Exposed”: CEI

Media

HuffPost Parrots Communist Propaganda: Loudon
Mark Levin Reacts To Obama Presser: "We Have An Imperial President": RCP
Rasmussen: Republican Establishment Declares War on GOP Voters : NB

I’m all for this Gun Appreciation Day on January 19: ProWis
Levin: Background Check Needed for Barack Obama: Western
Reid Downplays Chances for Assault Gun Ban, Filibuster Changes: Roll Call

NBC: 'Big Differences' Between Obama's 2006 Vote Against Debt Ceiling And Today: NB
Like David Gregory, Jimmy Saville Was Given Free Pass by Law Enforcement and Media Colleagues: Ace
Hollywood Hypocrisy on Full Display at Golden Globes: CFP

World

Chuck Hagel Linked to Institute for Policy Studies, Anti-Military Marxists: Loudon
NYT Calls US Anti-Terror Strategy in North Africa a Catastrophe: Mead
Report: Assad on warship with Russian security: ynet

It’s a date: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify on Benghazi Jan. 23: Twitchy
Report: Hamas test fires improved long-range missiles: Hayom
72% of US casualties in Aghan War under Obama's watch: CNS

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue.com/Tech)

Gartner: PC sales continue to slide as tablets eat their lunch: Engadget
Apple Slashes iPhone 5 Part Orders Due to Weak Demand: MacRumors
Yes, you can eat your cake and diet too: Ace

Cornucopia

Angry White Dude confesses to taking blog-enhancing drugs: AWD
@Liberty_Chick Needs Our Help: Camp o' the Saints
Biden Identifies 19 Different Executive Orders Obama Should Take On Gun Control: WZ

Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Petition for Transparency

QOTD: "Since Obama took office the US spent almost $600 million to combat Islamic militancy across North Africa. In countries like Mali and Niger US forces trained local soldiers in counterterrorism skills. Arms and equipment were bought so local governments could protect their territories. This strategy, in theory, would protect North Africa from falling into the hands of Islamist militants—who would impose strict Sharia rule on unwilling locals and use lawless territory to launch attacks on Western targets—without involving a heavy deployment of American troops like in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That was the theory. But as heavily armed Islamist militants battle French forces in the Battle for Mali, it’s clear Obama’s strategy to help weak North African states protect themselves from terrorists has failed catastrophically...

...The [New York] Times story underlines the point Via Meadia has been making for some time: the intervention in Libya set off consequences the administration neither understood nor prepared for. " --Walter Russell Mead, "NYT Calls US Anti-Terror Strategy in North Africa a Catastrophe"