Robin Wright writing at The New Yorker.

Suleimani, a flamboyant former construction worker and bodybuilder with snowy white hair, a dapper beard, and arching salt-and-pepper eyebrows, gained notice during the eight-year war with Iraq, in the nineteen eighties. He rose through the Revolutionary Guard to become head of the Quds Force—an Iranian unit of commandos comparable to the U.S. seals, Delta Force, and Rangers combined—in 1998. He was the most feared and most admired military leader in the region. He famously rallied followers with flowery jihadi rhetoric about the glories of martyrdom.

“Construction worker,” a real man’s man.  To wit, a “bodybuilder” (I lifted on the Clemson powerlifting team in college – tell me if this guy looks like a “bodybuilder”?).  “Salt-and-pepper eyebrows.”  “Flowery rhetoric.”

Good Lord, Robin.  You want to go to bed with him or something?  But this isn’t the best part.  Let’s repeat it again for good measure.

He rose through the Revolutionary Guard to become head of the Quds Force—an Iranian unit of commandos comparable to the U.S. seals, Delta Force, and Rangers combined—in 1998

That’s it.  Combine the Rangers, Delta, and SEALS (she forgot to mention Green Beret, some of whom are part of Tier 1 SOC), and that’s what Quds is.

She might have said that Suleimani was responsible for the attack that killed Americans at Benghazi, you know, that attack where my own military readers knew within 24 hours that it was a pre-planned, well-coordinated operation using combined arms and emplaced crew-served weapons, for which Obama trotted out Susan Rice for half a year to claim it was some idiotic video.

She might have mentioned that Suleimani was responsible for the deaths of over 600 American servicemen in Iraq.  She might have said that Quds was a brutal, thuggish group that wars against its own people.  There are a whole host of things she could have mentioned, but honestly, it never occurred to me that anyone would associate him with bodybuilding or creating the combined Rangers, Delta and SEALs in a single unit called Quds.

Robin, have you been on your meds lately?  Are you under supervision?

How do my SpecOps readers feel about being bested by Quds? Green Berets. How do you feel about being left out of the best? How about you guys, Marine Recon and MARSOC? One of the hardest, most squared away guys I’ve ever known was a Recon Marine who did four consecutive tours of Iraq by switching units. He literally never came home until four tours were over.

Guess he’s nothing compared to Quds.

David Codrea.

Where he runs into problems is on immigration, where Numbers USA gives him a “B” for “Recent, but an “F-“ for “This Congress” and a “C+” for “Career.” This comes with a history of supporting Chuck Schumer’s immigration/amnesty and “praising the Gang of Eight.”

And so you can claim to support the 2A all you want, but when you flood the country with men and women who have proven to undermine that right by their votes, the electorate will rebel because you’re seen as a hypocrite.

You cannot support the 2A and then undermine it later with secondary causes.  You cannot serve corporatists and the voters too.  You cannot serve two masters.  You must choose.  McConnel apparently chose a long time ago, and thus his future is in doubt.

‘Tis a shame, really, given the support he has been in the senate for federal court nominees.

USMC:

R 311847Z DEC 19
MARADMIN 719/19
MSGID/CMC WASHINGTON DC PP&O//
SUBJ/CONCEALED CARRY OF PRIVATELY OWNED FIREARMS FOR U.S. MARINE CORPS LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  This MARADMIN authorizes qualified active Marine Corps Law Enforcement (LE) professionals who possess valid Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) 18 U.S.C. §926B credentials to carry concealed privately owned firearms (POF) aboard Marine Corps property in the United States and U.S. territories for personal protection not in the performance of official duties.
2.  In December 2019, the Department of the Navy (DON) suffered two fatal active shooter incidents aboard Naval Base Hawaii and Naval Air Station Pensacola.  These tragic events prompted Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) to accelerate existing efforts to develop concealed carry policies aligned with SECNAVINST 5500.37, “Arming and the Use of Force.”
3.  SECNAVINST 5500.37 authorizes the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) to grant permission to Marine Corps uniformed and civilian personnel to carry a POF aboard Marine Corps property for personal protection not in the performance of official duties or status.  Through this MARADMIN, the CMC authorizes only Marine Corps LE professionals who possess valid LEOSA 18 U.S.C. §926B credentials to carry a concealed POF aboard Marine Corps property.  Marine Corps property are Marine Corps installations, bases, and stations in which the Marine Corps exercises primacy for LE functions.
4.  MCO 5580.4, “Implementation of the Amended LEOSA,” with changes captured in MARADMIN 470/18 and AMHS message DTG 231907Z Aug 18, codifies requirements for the concealed carry of a POF by Marine Corps LE professionals for personal protection not in the performance of official duties.  Per MCO 5580.4, Marine Corps LE professionals are defined as Military Police, Criminal Investigators, and Marine Corps Law Enforcement Program Police Officers who meet credentialing requirements for concealed carry of a POF for personal protection.
5.  This MARADMIN authorizes Marine Corps LE professionals, who maintain LEOSA 926B credentials, to carry a concealed POF aboard Marine Corps property while off-duty.  The authority of this MARADMIN does not extend to Marine Corps LE professionals on joint bases, on other Department of Defense (DOD) property under the cognizance of another DOD service, or on other federal facilities.  This MARADMIN does not authorize other DOD LE professionals to carry a concealed POF on Marine Corps property.
6.  Marine Corps LE professionals must comply with concealed carry requirements as set forth in DODD 5210.56, “Arming and the Use of Force.”  Restrictions and special considerations, including POF registration, POF storage and transportation, and adherence to POF concealed carry policy, as prescribed in MCO 5580.4, remain in effect.  Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §930(d) and DODD 5210.56, Marine Corps LE professionals are authorized to carry a concealed POF for personal protection not related to the performance of official duties within buildings and facilities located on Marine Corps property except for DOD schools in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §922(q), “Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995,” courtrooms unless previously authorized by the military judge, or where otherwise prohibited by law.
7.  HQMC will continue to develop policy to address the total force  requirements for the carry, transport, and storage of concealed POFs aboard Marine Corps property aligned with SECNAVINST 5500.37.  Installation commanders and arming authorities charged with implementing the provisions of this MARADMIN should consult their servicing Staff Judge Advocate to ensure local policies comply with law, regulations, and policies.
8.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General G. W. Smith Jr., Deputy Commandant, Plans, Policies, and Operations.//

Here’s a quick note from a former Marine Corps parent whose son served honorably and earned the CAR to Lieutenant General G. W. Smith Jr., Deputy Commandant.

You suck.

Your MARADMIN essentially says that only LE officials’ lives are worth saving.  You and the USMC are willing to sacrifice the lives of the sons of America anywhere on the planet for U.S. interests, but are unwilling to arm them to defend their own lives on U.S. soil.

MAC continues the BCM AR-15 testing.

The Daily Wire.

Gun retailers in Virginia say they’re seeing sales of weapons and ammunition skyrocket as the now fully Democratic Virginia legislature moves closer to passing strict gun control within the state — including a provision that allows the state government to confiscate so-called “assault weapons” if citizens who own them don’t register the weapons.

The Washington Examiner reports that at least one gun retailer has seen sales rise more than 200% year over year. Cash sales are way up, especially amid news that Democrats in Virginia and in Congress want to use credit card information to track gun purchases.

“This is the largest Christmas and November, December that we’ve had, basically, since Trump has come on board. The only other person that was a better salesman right now is when we had President Obama,” one retailer told the Examiner.

[ … ]

Democrats in Virginia say they’re paving the way for a national gun control program, and have proposed a number of possible restrictions, including a complete ban on assault rifles, backed up by the threat of confiscation. The Examiner adds that Democrats are also pursuing  “restrictions on magazine capacity, universal background checks, and restrictions to one gun a month purchases.”

This is a continuation of the trend we already noted.  Meanwhile, governor Ralph “Kill the babies give me all your guns” Northam continues Virginia careening down the road to possible civil war.

“We see in the governor’s proposed budget that he wants $4 million and 18 new law-enforcement positions to enforce a ban on commonly-owned firearms,” said Erich Pratt, Gun Owners of America senior vice president.

“Gun owners want to know: Is this money going to be used for the gun confiscation?” he added.

[ … ]

At today’s budget hearings, the groups have urged their members to ask questions about Northam’s budget that includes $4.8 million for an 18-person force to implement his proposed assault weapons ban.

Anyone who joins that 10-person force is a fool, and it isn’t clear that 18,000 would be enough.  That’s all assuming that Virginians are serious about this thing.  As I have said before, this “cannot be an empty warning.  If it is, no one should be issuing the warning at all.  If the next step is to turn to the black-robed tyrants, you will lose …

So-called “assault weapons” bans are in place in New York and Connecticut and have been for some time.  No state or federal court has ever struck them down.  If you trust your future to the tyrants, you’ll be disappointed.  When Sheriffs say they will deputize a posse, they must mean it.  State agents will have to be put in county prisons.  Road blocks will have to be set up.  Show downs will occur, and they’ll be armed show downs.  Teams of agents will have to refuse to do the bidding of the state tyrants for fear of the consequences.  The same goes for the national guard troops.”

I’m certain that the baby-killing governor is certain that he intends to do all of this.  What I’m uncertain of at the moment is whether Virginians intend to go down peacefully.  There is a huge difference between active resistance and hiding weapons in the back yard, never again being able to go to the shooting range for practice, waiting for that time when the .gov finds you out, and hoping for leniency.

Examiner.

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie thinks some local law enforcement leaders will be willing to go to jail rather than comply with state gun control laws they deem unconstitutional.

“Attended my first 2A sanctuary meeting today in Lewis County (where I live). Standing room only. Friends and neighbors spoke passionately and articulately. County officials unanimously passed a resolution,” Massie tweeted on Dec. 30. “This grassroots movement feels even stronger than the Tea Party in 2010.”

[ … ]

Massie cited Weld County, Colorado Sheriff Steve Reams, a critic of the state’s “red flag” law, who has offered to put himself in his own jail rather than enforce the state law.

“His county government has already voted to fund his legal fees should he end up in a protracted legal battle that might go all the way” to the Supreme Court, Massie told the Washington Examiner.

“And so that’s one of the things that when you boil it all down and say, ‘What does the sanctuary county movement mean?’” Massie said. “So, what it could mean is that county governments decide to use taxpayer dollars, with the blessing of the taxpayers in those counties, to support the sheriffs in their court battles.”

Massie compared the potential circumstances to the jailing of Rowan County, Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis by a judge when she refused to sign same-sex marriage certificates in 2015.

“A lot of people didn’t think she was willing to do this, but she resisted a judge’s order to issue marriage licenses with her name on it, and she refused to do it, and he found her in contempt and threw her in jail without a jury trial,” Massie said.

“So, she was basically a political prisoner,” Massie said. “She stayed in jail until it became a national issue.”

That is a horrible analogy.  She lost her legal battle, cost the state a quarter of a million dollars in legal fees, and then lost her bid for reelection.

I do like Thomas Massie, but listen to me sir.  This isn’t anything at all like Kim Davis.  That time has come and gone.  The ballot box is corrupted, the voice box is being used now, and the warning to the Virginia legislators is to use the cartridge box next.

That cannot be an empty warning.  If it is, no one should be issuing the warning at all.  If the next step is to turn to the black-robed tyrants, you will lose, just like Ms. Davis.  So-called “assault weapons” bans are in place in New York and Connecticut and have been for some time.  No state or federal court has ever struck them down.

If you trust your future to the tyrants, you’ll be disappointed.  When Sheriffs say they will deputize a posse, they must mean it.  State agents will have to be put in county prisons.  Road blocks will have to be set up.  Show downs will occur, and they’ll be armed show downs.  Teams of agents will have to refuse to do the bidding of the state tyrants for fear of the consequences.  The same goes for the national guard troops.

I’m not getting the vibe that the participants understand all of this.  I’m virtually certain the Sheriffs don’t.

Fox News.

At least three rockets were fired at Baghdad International Airport Friday killing at least seven people, including Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, according to multiple reports early Friday.

Soleimani is the military mastermind whom Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had deemed equally as dangerous as Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

[ … ]

Soleimani was the long-running leader of the elite intelligence wing called Quds Force – which itself has been a designated terror group since 2007, and is estimated to be 20,000 strong. Considered one of the most powerful men in Iran, he routinely was referred to as its “shadow commander” or “spymaster.”

I won’t shed a tear.  In 2012 I said “Are you sure that you don’t want to take my advice and reverse executive order 12333, and assassinate General Suleimani?  It would make life a lot easier.”

The U.S. doesn’t have to be hurled headlong in a new (or renewed) war.  In fact, it might avoid war because of this.  The U.S. is protecting an embassy, not invading a country.

He should have been dead a long time ago.  Welcome to the lake of fire, Suleimani.

Via David Codrea, this amusing report.

DAVIE, Fla. – A Davie police officer accidentally shot himself Friday morning, police said.

The officer was attempting to shoot a dog that charged at him during a non-criminal incident at a home on Southwest 116th Way, Davie police Lt. Mark Leone said.

“When the police officer got to the front door of the residence, the family pet — happens to be a female boxer named Bella — ran right past him and went toward the officer,” Leone said. “The officer was in fear, drew his firearm and fired one shot.”

Leone said the officer’s hand got in the way of the gun’s muzzle.

Home surveillance video shows what appears to be the officer walking back and forth from the home.

Moments later, more police cars arrive — lights flashing — and officers run toward the home.

A short time goes by when two officers are seen walking on the sidewalk, one of them grasping his hand.

He gets to the back of a patrol car and appears to start wrapping something around the wound to stop the bleeding, seemingly frustrated.

Several of the officers gathered around shine their flashlights on the wound. An ambulance arrives and the officer gets in the back before it drives away.

The officer was expected to be OK, as is the dog that was grazed by the bullet, Leone said.

The officer is expected to be OK.  I don’t care.  I want to know how the dog is?

Okay, so let’s cover this in a little more detail.  The dog was doing its job.  It was running to see if there was a threat.  The dog lives there.  The cop doesn’t.  This is what good dogs do.  This is not what good cops do.

The options for the cop would include, but not be limited to, the following: (a) call ahead of time and ask the owner to secure his beasts, (b) carry a dog treat in his pocket (which would be a good thing to do anyway), (c) learn to handle dogs, farm animals and other household pets by volunteering at a local ranch or farm to help feed animals, clean stalls, mate dogs and horses, doctor animals, etc., etc., something I’ve recommended many times before, in which case he probably could have discerned the intentions of the dog or held him at bay with voice commands (d) or finally, if he is highly emotional and feels that he just can’t handle the pressure, he could have used pepper spray rather than [intended] lethal means to stop the dog.

The dog never intended to attack the cop, as evidenced by the broken off [ahem] attack when the cop shot himself.  One more thing: ” … the officer’s hand got in the way of the gun’s muzzle.”  I take it this means he shot his hand?  This would have been a much simpler and grammatically correct way to say it.  When did they stop teaching English in journalism school?

AP:

… in all of history there has never been a civil war where, at the outset of hostilities, the resisting indigenous population was armed to the teeth with rifles capable of making 500 to 1,000 yard aimed precision shots. Never.

[ … ]

I’m simply not aware of any previous civil war where tens of thousands of aggrieved citizens began the struggle armed with rifles capable of making 500 yard and greater precision shots. This is an equation changer. Gun raids will not be possible for long if law enforcement convoys are taken under accurate fire en-route to and from gun confiscation operations, and roadside car-search checkpoint duty becomes a suicide mission. Never forget what happened to the British redcoats on the famous 1775 gun confiscation raids at Concord and Lexington, and perhaps more importantly, remember what happened to them during their retreat to Boston.

I simply don’t know where this is all headed yet, and reiterate that it depends on the will of the people who have shown up to support the 2A sanctuary resolutions.  Where is the line in the sand?

One thing I’m sure of, however, is that the collectivists will not budge.  “Can a leopard change its spots?”  It will be decision time very soon.