Posted on 08/04/2013 11:40:07 AM PDT by jazusamo
Key figures in the Obama administration met on the current al-Qaeda threat on Saturday while the president conducted an intensive golf fiesta at Andrews Air Force Base.
President Obama set off for the golf course at about 8 a.m., hoping to squeeze in as much play as possible before a scheduled departure to Camp David at 2:30 p.m.
Three all-male teams hit the golf course to mark the day before Obama’s 52nd birthday, including regulars Reggie Love and Marvin Nicholson, White House chef Sam Kass and college friend Wahid Hamid.
“Before departing this morning, the president was updated on a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. He will continue to be updated through the weekend,” a White House official told the press pool as they waited at the golf course food court.
After more than seven hours at play, Obama and some of his golf mates took Marine One from Andrews to Camp David for an overnight birthday party. Those who didn’t take the helicopter met up with the president via a van convoy up to the mountain retreat.
Hamid, Love, Kass and Laurent Delanney, another college friend, won the Obama Open, thus got to ride in Marine One.
That evening the White House released a readout of administration officials who met Saturday on the elevated terror threat that resulted in a global travel alert and the temporary closure of some embassies in the Middle East.
“Early this week, the President instructed his National Security team to take all appropriate steps to protect the American people in light of a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula. Given the nature of the potential threat, throughout the week, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco has held regular meetings with relevant members of the interagency to ensure the U.S. Government is taking those appropriate steps,” the White House said.
Obama left it to National Security Adviser Susan Rice to chair the meeting “to further review the situation and follow-up actions.”
At the meeting were White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President Jeff Prescott, Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Robert Mueller, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Brennan, Director of the National Security Agency Keith Alexander, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Matthew Olsen and Acting Assistant Attorney General John Carlin.
“The President has received frequent briefings over the last week on all aspects of the potential threat and our preparedness measures,” said the White House. “After today’s Principals meeting, the President was again briefed by Amb. Rice and Ms. Monaco.”
“This looks serious,” former CIA Director Michael Hayden said this morning on Fox News Sunday. “The only thing we are missing, as both of you suggested, is the geography. And therefore, we are taking caution and warning folks between Algeria and Bangladesh. Clearly, this is a serious thing. Also kind of points out that this al-Qaeda danger is not yet over, and at least elements of al-Qaeda aren’t yet totally on the run.”
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said on ABC’s This Week that the terror alert was so broad “because this threat was so specific as to how enormous it was going to be, and also there’s certain dates were given, but it didn’t specify where it’s going to be.”
“And, you know, the assumption is that it’s probably most likely to happen in the Middle East at or about one of the embassies, but there’s no guarantee of that at all. It could basically be in Europe, it could be in the United States, it could be a series of combined attacks. It can be the same concept as the 2006 liquid explosive planned attacks whether there are going to be a series of attacks carried out almost simultaneously. So we’re have to be ready for everything. And that’s what this is about,” King continued.
“And this is a wake-up call. Al-Qaeda is in many ways stronger than it was before 9/11, because it’s mutated and it spread and it can come at us from different directions. And al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is probably the most deadly of all the al-Qaeda affiliates.”
Obama’s week-ahead schedule includes the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Tuesday and another speech about strengthening the middle class.
Not many were chosen for their actual expertise.
"al Queda is on the run" (until 0bama re-armed and re-supplied them at Benghazi)
"The War on Terror is Over" - (someone needs to clue in his highness that it takes two to end a war)
But, is it me, or does anyone else think that this "WARNING" is just a smokescreen to divert attention from IRS, Benghazi, Fast and Furious, etc.,etc., etc.?
That certainly is possible but then those are just phony scandals dontcha know.
Since Obama’s presidency al-Qa’ida has become more powerful. Domestic black terrorists have become more vicious in there attacks on citizens. Obama plays more golf, and spends more time in his private bathhouse with his male friends. Everything costs more. Fuel is unaffordable. Jobs pay less, and offer fewer hours. Americans are barely getting by from one month to the next. And big terrorist threats are treated more like a distraction than something real. The media is happy.
He can’t even show up for this one meeting? I’m sorry, but this is beyond the pale. No matter what I think about the people at the meeting, at least they showed up. I would call Obama lazy, but he works at having a good time. 7 hours of golf? Does he even work that long in his office in any one month?
This latest move by Obozamma is, perhaps, the mostest stupidest thing he’s ever done.
The once world power, The USA, are shutting down embassies et al.
A REAL man would issue ammo, double the guard and tell the Muzzies to bring it on.
Oblamo heads off to the golf course to play with some balls and the Asst President Ricey his making security decisions.
God Help US.A
He was at the meeting. It’s a long list and includes all the big wigs who are in charge of keeping us safe.
That list information itself scares the crap out of me.
I couldn’t agree more and truly believe he’s the most uninformed and incompetent president on foreign relations in my lifetime and probably of all presidents.
dude has smegma, I’ll say that for him.. I wonder if he plays for carbon credits and waivers? :-)
Many people do not believe that the terror threat is any different that the ones that we hear all the time, that Obama is just using this one to make it appear that he is doing something to keep the US safe and pretend that the NSA spy program is working. Of course, the domestic spying by the NSA had nothing to do with uncovering the terror threat.
I call Bull $hit!
The Dept. of Homeland security has not prevented a damn thing since it was created.
NOW they trying to justify all the snooping and invasion of privacy.
“Yes we scan!”
One way or another it’s almost Monday over there.
If there was ever any doubt that Hussein is just a front man for the people who are really running things — this should dispel them forever.
Exactly! He just tells others to do their jobs while he runs off and plays. He’s totally uninvolved with anything that goes on. Can you imagine if Bush had acted like this?
Honestly, this is actually comforting. Because the current occupant of the white house has absolutely no strategic thinking skills, no military experience whatsoever, and surrounds himself with cabinet level appointees who are just political hacks who are, by and large, wholly unqualified to run the departments they are in command of, leaving this to staff that might have intelligence, military and strategic training is a hell of a lot better idea than Bamm-bamm trying to do it himself.
You got that right.
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