Righteous Indignation

DDT is once again doing what it does best....

2006-10-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

saving lives.....

According to Kim Du Toit, DDT is coming back compliments of the WHO, and he offers up
some unique commentary:

Too bad it’s about 29 years too late for about 50 million people who have died unnecessarily because of the stupid Green ban on DDT.

Of course, the dead people are only Africans—had these deaths been in, say, Los Angeles, the WHO, United Nations and the U.S. Department of Health would now be involved in trillion-dollar lawsuits.

I think I’m going to go out and punch a hippie. And then I’m going to spit on Rachel Carson’s grave.

I had to trudge thru Carson's drivel when I was younger, and knowing now, what I knew then, it is a terribly bitter irony that this "mother" of the evironmental religion and its bible, Silent Spring, has been responsible for the death of more Third World residents than every war and plague since its publication in 1962. Now at least the long ignored Africans, unable to muster any resistance, now have a fighting chance to stop the spread of polio, maliara and other insect borne plagues which have caused the death of millions upon millions.

But that's important only if you believe that humans have a higher place on our priority list than mosquitos.

Don't tell PETA.

Strata on the NIE release...

2006-09-27T19:47:00.002-07:00

Here are a few of the many interesting points:

This first section is a overview of where we are. Cleary the IC sees terrorism as having been dealt serious blows to its organization, leadership and operations. Translation: we have been very successful. But the consensus is, while we have severely hit the movement, it is not giving up yet. Instead it is adapting - which should put our news media on notice since they have helped the terrorists adapt by leaking classified material regularly on all aspects of our efforts, including on going investigations. It is telling that that gem of information has never shown up in the compliant news media

{snip}

The terrorists’ adaptation is to spread out support away from our targetted enemies. In essence it is a strategy to retreat and regroup. And though this is happening, the other great news in this is the Jihadist movement remains a small fraction of the Muslim population. Which means the Arab street backlash everyone predicted, and still claim is happening, is not happening.

{snip}

Iraq is seen as the central battle in the Jihadist War on The West. Lose Iraq and the enemy’s ranks will swell with enthusiasm and confidence. Win in Iraq and it will likely cripple the movement for good. This is from the IC folks and completely contradicts the cut-and-run plans of the Democrats. These sentences are never produced in tandem like they are in the report and have been here. This is one conclusion being presented here. Iraq is everything for our future.

{snip}

The media has clearly misread or misrepresented these findings. You cannot separate the dispersion of Jihadists from the fact they dispersion was caused by our highly successful attacks on them. The dispersion is not as much adding strength as a tactic of retreat and regrouping. These conclusions cannot have their elements taken out of the context intended by the IC itself. Of course dispersion could imply a growing threat if one doesn’t have the information in the leading paragraph that set the stage for the dispersion.

You won't read that in the MSM or hear it from the Dims in Congress. Read it here.

The religion of Perpetual Outrage.....

2006-09-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

I was amazed by the national news headlines concerning the muslim reaction to Pope Benedict's historically accurate comments (it's not like he made something up is it???)

The reports described the rage and violence and anger - from muslims who resented that the Pope impugned the "religion of peace." Even showed pics of a violent mob scene....

Does anyone else see the irony of that?

Next: Why do they call terrorists "radical muslims"? That is not what they are.
They are devout muslims who are dedicated to following Mohammed's example and teachings. This is a guy that was a pedophile and mass murderer. How can one expect better from his followers.....

Here's an example of the teachings of the "religion of peace":
On unbelievers is the curse of Allah. - Sura 2:161
Slay them wherever ye find them and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. - Sura 2:191
Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme. (different translation: ) Fight them until there is no persecution and the religion is God's entirely. - Sura 2:193 and 8:39
Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. - Sura 2:216
(different translation: ) Prescribed for you is fighting, though it is hateful to you.
Those who believe fight in the cause of God, and those who reject faith fight in the cause of evil. - Sura 4:7

Faithful muslim = terrorist. It's not that difficult.

Remembering Jayesh Shah

2006-09-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers
join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each blog will pay tribute to a single victim.

We honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by dwelling on the tragic way in which they died.

I was given the opportunity to honor Jayesh Shah. Jayesh was a native of Bombay India, who came to the US when he was six. He graduated from Tulsa with a degree in Petro Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science. His worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor in Tower One. The most oft quoted comment left by those that knew him is that of remembering his smile and is often described as having a playful, fun spirit. He was married for 12 years to his wife Jyothi, and had 3 kids - 10-year- old, Nikita (who he coached in soccer), and his other children, Sonia, 8, and Kevin, 6.

Jayesh was a active family man, putting his family first. He cared first and formost for his children's education, both academically and in life as evidenced by his involvement in his daughter's extracurricular activities. He was happy to pursue pleasures like dressing up like a mummy while on a camping trip - going from door to door - never discouraged by the sound of doors slamming in his face. His attitude was "'You can't just sleep away a camping trip. Let's have some fun."

While I've not had the honor of meeting his wife and children, I did find this while searching the net:

Dear Daddy, I miss you. It has been 3 months now and I pray for you to be at peace everyday. I miss you coaching me in soccer, baseball, and swimming. I miss you at dinner and when it will first snow. I wish you were with us when we went to see the Harry Potter movie. And I miss you in many more ways. I Love you.
Nikita Shah, daughter

I've never met this man, nor anyone in his family. But I feel a deep sense of loss for his wife, children, brothers and other relatives. I feel for his wife and children who will not see him at the dinner table or at the soccer field. I feel for his daughters and son who will not have her father watch them run and sing and graduate from school.

It's been 5 years. But I and millions of other Americans will never forget. I will never forget this man who was a stranger to me before this day. This man I've spent time in the last few weeks reading about. I don't understand, and never will understand why this fine young man had to die so young. However, after reading what I have, I know we can not mourn that such a man died, but rather thank God that such a man lived.

I also want to credit these sites for info on Mr. Shah:
Newsday
CNN
Sept 11.
Sept11Victims

Suicide Bombers - Islamist psychotics....

2006-08-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Neville Chamberlains of today cry again "Peace, Peace, Peace in our lifetime!" Whatever their intentions, they simply ignore reality because they never address the problem or the true cure. The following interview does both. It addresses the psychology behind suicide bombings. The interview confirms what most of us already knew: these guys are insane and committed to our destruction. We will know that the true reality has sunk in when the western media starts describing these acts accurately, as in: "another radical Islamist religious psychotic committed mass murder today."

On July 15, MSNBC's "Connected" program discussed the July 7th London attacks.

One of the guests was Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas. Pierre's upcoming film, "Suicide Killers," is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. Pierre agreed to a request for a Q&A interview here about his work on the new film.

Q - What inspired you to produce "Suicide Killers," your seventh film?

A - I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one-second before they blow themselves up.

Q - Why is this film especially important?

A - People don't understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem, showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has become their only certitude.

Q - What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?

A - I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute. So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil.

Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on Earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.

Q - What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?

A - It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying "Thank God, my son is dead." Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize.

This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement goal is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a Shaheed or the family of a shaheed.

They don't see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.

Q - You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?

A - Not death as an end, but death as a door opener to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God's sword.

Q - Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.

A - Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don't see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the afterlife in Paradise.

Q - Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?

A - Yes, it is their only conviction. They don't act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.

Q - Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?

A - All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and there is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their lifetime, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.

Q - Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.

A - Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women's behavior.

Q - What socioeconomic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?

A - Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).

Q - Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?

A - There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein ($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.

Q - Why are so many suicide bombers young men?

A - As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheeds are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?

Q - What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?

A - The U.N. is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communist countries. Their hands are tied. The U.N. has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the U.N. leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the U.N. is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the U.N. has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to "return" into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which still live in deplorable conditions. Four hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film "Hostages of Hatred").

Q - You say that a suicide bomber is a 'stupid bomb and a smart bomb' simultaneously. Explain what you mean.

A - Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn't know it.

Q - How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?

A - Stop being politically correct and stop believing that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Nazism. Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.

Q - Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers? Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East?

A - Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam expands there is regional conflict. Right now, there are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S. Sadly, this is only the beginning.

Clarity of thought on the middle east...

2006-08-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

attributed to Dennis Miller, I've no definate link, but it's still outstanding. Also, apologies for the delays in posting. School has been kicking my....

Anyway, thanks to whomever:

"A brief overview of the situation is always valuable, so as a service
to all Americans who still don't get it, I now offer you the story of the
Middle East in just a few paragraphs, which is all you really need.

Here we go:

The Palestinians want their own country.

There's just one thing about that: There are no Palestinians. It's a made up
word.

Israel was called Palestine for two thousand years.

Like "Wiccan," "Palestinian" sounds ancient but is really a modern invention

Before the Israelis won the land in the 1967 war, Gaza was owned by Egypt,
the West Bank was owned by Jordan, and there were no "Palestinians."

As soon as the Jews took over and started growing oranges as big as
basketballs, what do you know, say hello to the "Palestinians," weeping for
their deep bond with their lost "land" and "nation."

So for the sake of honesty, let's not use the word "Palestinian" anymore to
describe these delightful folks, who dance for joy at our deaths, until
someone points out they're being taped.

Instead, let's call them what they are:
"Other Arabs Who Can't Accomplish Anything In Life And Would Rather Wrap
Themselves In The Seductive Melodrama Of Eternal Struggle And Death."

I know that's a bit unwieldy to expect to see on CNN.

How about this, then: "Adjacent Jew-Haters."

Okay, so the Adjacent Jew-Haters want their own country.

Oops, just one more thing. No, they don't.

They could've had their own country any time in the last thirty years,
especially two years ago at Camp David but if you have your own country, you
have to have traffic lights and garbage trucks and Chambers of Commerce,
and, worse, you actually have to figure out some way to make a living.

That's no fun. No, they want what all the other Jew-Haters in the region
want: Israel.

They also want a big pile of dead Jews, of course -- that's where the real
fun is -- but mostly they want Israel.

Why? For one thing, trying to destroy Israel - or "The Zionist Entity"
as their textbooks call it -- for the last fifty years has allowed the
rulers of Arab countries to divert the attention of their own people
away from the fact that they're the blue-ribbon most illiterate,
poorest, and tribally backward on God's Earth, and if you've ever been
around God's Earth . . . you know that's really saying something.

It makes me roll my eyes every time one of our pundits waxes poetic about
the great history and culture of the Muslim Midleast. Unless I'm missing
something, the Arabs haven't given anything to the world since Algebra,
and, by the way, thanks a hell of a lot for that one.

Chew this around & spit it out: 500 million Arabs; 5 million Jews.

Think of all the Arab countries as a football field,
and Israel as a pack of matches sitting in the middle of it.
And now these same folks swear that, if Israel gives them
half of that pack of matches, everyone will be pals..

Really? Wow, what neat news. Hey, but what about the string of wars to
obliterate the tiny country and the constant din of rabid blood oaths to
drive every Jew into the sea?

Oh, that? We were just kidding.

My friend Kevin Rooney made a gorgeous point the other day:
Just reverse the Numbers. Imagine 500 million Jews and 5 million Arabs.
I was stunned at the simple brilliance of it. Can anyone picture the Jews
strapping belts of razor blades and dynamite to themselves? Of course not.

Or marshaling every fiber and force at their disposal for generations
to drive a tiny Arab State into the sea? Nonsense.

Or dancing for joy at the murder of innocents? Impossible.

Or spreading and believing horrible lies about the Arabs baking their
bread with the blood of children? Disgusting.

No, as you know, left to themselves in a world of peace,
the worst Jews would ever do to people is debate them to death.

Mr. Bush, God bless him, is walking a tightrope. I understand that,
with vital operations in Iraq and others, it's in our interest, as
Americans, to try to stabilize our Arab allies as much as possible,
and, after all, that can't be much harder than stabilizing a roomful of
super models who've just had their drugs taken away.

However, in any big-picture strategy, there's always a danger
of losing moral weight. We've already lost some.

After September 11th, our president told us and the world he was going
to root out all terrorists and the countries that supported them.
Beautiful.

Then the Israelis, after months and months of having the equivalent of
an Oklahoma City every week (and then every day), start to do the same thing
we did, and we tell them to show restraint.

If America were being attacked with an Oklahoma City every day,
we would all very shortly be screaming for the administration
to just be done with it and kill everything south of the Mediterranean
and east of the Jordan. "

Ayaan Hirsi Ali on multiculturalism

2006-06-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is an excerpt from the preface to her upcoming book:

I am optimistic, and I normally would have looked to the West for help in reforming Islam, from secular liberals, Westerners who are traditionally opposed to the enforcement of religious beliefs and customs. In certain countries, "left-wing," secular liberals have stimulated my critical thinking and that of other Muslims. But these same liberals in Western politics have the strange habit of blaming themselves for the ills of the world, while seeing the rest of the world as victims. To them, victims are to be pitied, and they lump together all pitiable and suppressed people, such as Muslims, and consider them good people who should be cherished and supported so that they can overcome their disadvantages.

The adherents to the gospel of multiculturalism refuse to criticize people whom they see as victims. Some Western critics disapprove of United States policies and attitudes but do not criticize the Islamic world, just as, in the first part of the twentieth century, Western socialist apologists did not dare criticize the Soviet labor camps. Along the same lines, some Western intellectuals criticize Israel, but they will not criticize Palestine because Israel belongs to the West, which they consider fair game, but they feel sorry for the Palestinians, and for the Islamic world in general, which is not as powerful as the West.

They are critical of the native white majority in Western countries but not of Islamic minorities. Criticism of the Islamic world, of Palestinians, and of Islamic minorities is regarded as Islamophobia and xenophobia. I cannot emphasize enough how wrongheaded this is. Withholding criticism and ignoring differences are racism in its purest form. Yet these cultural experts fail to notice that, throught their anxious avoidance of criticizing non-Western countries, they trap the people who represent these cultures in a state of backwardness. The experts may have the best of intentions, but as we all know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

al-Zarqawi's take on the American "quagmire" in Iraq:

2006-06-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is text of a document discovered in terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's hideout. The document was provided in English by Iraqi National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie. I've copied only part, but the whole makes good reading.

Here is al-Zarqawi's view:

"However, here in Iraq, time is now beginning to be of service to the American forces and harmful to the resistance for the following reasons:

1. By allowing the American forces to form the forces of the National Guard, to reinforce them and enable them to undertake military operations against the resistance.

2. By undertaking massive arrest operations, invading regions that have an impact on the resistance, and hence causing the resistance to lose many of its elements.

3. By undertaking a media campaign against the resistance resulting in weakening its influence inside the country and presenting its work as harmful to the population rather than being beneficial to the population.

4. By tightening the resistance's financial outlets, restricting its moral options and by confiscating its ammunition and weapons.

5. By creating a big division among the ranks of the resistance and jeopardizing its attack operations, it has weakened its influence and internal support of its elements, thus resulting in a decline of the resistance's assaults.

6. By allowing an increase in the number of countries and elements supporting the occupation or at least allowing to become neutral in their stand toward us in contrast to their previous stand or refusal of the occupation.

7. By taking advantage of the resistance's mistakes and magnifying them in order to misinform."

Good read if you're interested. That is, if you enjoy reading about Uncle Sam's boot up AQ's arse. There's a reason you won't read this in the MSM. Allah Akbar!!

Great Happy Birthday to the U.S. Army

2006-06-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

on the occasion of its 231st birthday, from Jeff Goldstein:

to the US Army, which today turns 231--though to look at it, you'd swear it couldn't possibly be a day over 40. And it still moves pretty well for its age, too--as quite a few erstwhile "freedom fighters" in Iraq and Afghanistan would be the first to tell you.

If they weren't off humping white raisins in Paradise, that is.

Iraqi update from those who would know....

2006-06-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

This one came in via the retired Marine circuit. It's a bit lengthy, but an informative read. Here tis:

Immediately below is a introductory paragragh written by the original sender. Below that is a self-explanatory conference report. For those who may wonder about a Naval Academy graduate becoming an Air Force general officer, it is not all that uncommon. There was a time when the Naval Academy and West Point were required to send 25% of their graduates to the Air Force. Even after the Air Force Academy started producing graduates, a small number of graduates of any of the academies were permitted to transfer to one of the other services.

The report provides an excellent summation of the situation in Iraq as viewed by recently returned officers.

The most striking (to me), observation concerned the media and the home office editing of reports submitted by reporters in the field. This is Vietnam all over again. I recall talking to the Saigon Desk Chief of US News & World Report one day at Con Thien. Intelligence info indicated that we were to be attacked on 20 July 1968. Enemy activity to our north and east indicated that there was something to the intell. The Desk Chief (whose name I have long since forgotten), came to Con Thien to see the terrain, talk to the Marines and get a general feel for the position prior to the attack because he felt that, once it started, he would not be allowed or not be able to get into Con Thien to write the story. I told him that I mistrusted reporters because what I found in Vietnam was not what I had been reading about in the States. His response was to the effect that, what the reporters sent from the field was heavily edited in New York or elsewhere and the final product often did not remotely resemble what the reporter had sent. Here we have Yogi's "deja vu all over again" and those who do such things should be publicly hung.

During the night of 18 July, we had all the intell we needed and destroyed the attacking force with arty, mortars and several fixed wing flights (nape and snake...nothing like it). That was no small satisfaction, just as today's gunfighters have their own triumphs, irrespective of what the mainstream media says and does. Unfortunately, the media plays into the hands of the enemy, just as they did in Vietnam. There's nothing like a few agendas, especially political ones, to get a few more troops killed, is there?

A Naval Academy classmate of mine who is a retired Air Force general officer recently attended a conference at Fort Carson which was a briefing on the Iraq War. This is the report he sent out about the conference. I thought you would be interested in reading Dick's report. Knowing the author of the report, I know it is factual.
Regards.....
(name removed)

Earlier this week I attended a retired general and flag officer conference at Fort Carson, hosted by MGen Bob Mixon, the 7th Infantry Division Commander which calls the Fort its home. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ft. Carson, it is a huge installation located to the south of Colorado Springs; it's in the process of becoming one of the larger Army installations in the country (26,000 soldiers); and it is the test location for the new "modular brigade" concept that will reflect the Army of tomorrow by 2008. It is also the home post of the largest number of troopers who have served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and, regrettably, the largest number of troopers who have died in combat there over the past three years. There are Ft. Carson units going to and returning from the combat area virtually on a monthly basis.

The conference was primarily organized to explain the modular brigade concept, and it featured a panel of officers who had either very recently returned from commands in the combat zone or were about to deploy therein the next two months. Three of the recent returnees were Colonel H.R. McMaster, Colonel Rick S., and Captain Walter Szpak.

McMaster is the commander of the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, the unit that, through very innovative and population-friendly tactics, rid the city of Tal Afar of insurgents. The mayor of Tal Afar came back to Carson two weeks ago to thank the troopers and their families personally for "freeing his people". (You say you didn't hear about that in the mainstream media?) McMaster is considered the foremost U.S. expert on modern insurgent warfare, has written a book on the subject which is widely circulated at the war colleges and staff colleges, and he was asked to testify before Congress when he returned from the 3rd ACR combat deployment. He is obviously one of the great combat leaders that has emerged from the war and is highly respected (some would say revered) by his troopers and his superiors alike.

Colonel S. is assigned to the 10th Special Forces Brigade and he headedup all of the 31 Special Forces A-teams that are integrated with the populace and the Iraqi Army and national police throughout the country. Many of these are the guys that you see occasionally on the news that have beards, dress in native regalia, usually speak Arabic and don't like to have their identities revealed for fear of retribution on their families (thus the Colonel S.) Captain Szpak was the head of all the Army explosive ordnance teams in Iraq. He and his troops had the job of disarming all the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosive formed projectiles (EFPs) that were discovered before they were detonated. They also traveled around the country training the combat forces in recognizing and avoiding these devices in time to prevent death and injury. IEDs and EFPs are responsible for the vast majority of casualties experienced by our forces.

Despite the objective of the conference (i.e., the modular brigade concept), it quickly devolved into a 3½ hour question and answer period betweenthe panel and the 54 retired generals and admirals who attended. I wish I had a video of the whole session to share with you because the insights were especially eye opening and encouraging. I'll try to summarize the high points as best I can.

* All returnees agreed that "we are clearly winning the fight against the insurgents but we are losing the public relations battle both in the war zone and in the States". (I'll go into more detail on each topic below.)

* All agreed that it will be necessary for us to have forces in Iraq for at least ten more years, though by no means in the numbers that are there now.

* They opined that 80% to 90% of the Iraqi people want to have us there and do not want us to leave before "the job is done".

* The morale and combat capability of the troops is the highest that the senior officers have ever seen in the 20-30 years that each has served.

* The Iraqi armed forces and police are probably better trained right now than they were under Saddam, but our standards are much higher and they lack officer leadership.

* They don't need more troops in the combat zone but they need considerably more Arab linguists and civil affairs experts.

* The IEDs and EFPs continue to be the principal problem that they face and they are becoming more sophisticated as time passes.

Public Affairs: We are losing the public affairs battle for a variety of reasons. First, in Iraq, the terrorists provide Al Jazeera with footage of their more spectacular attacks and they are on TV to the whole Arab world within minutes of the event. By contrast it takes four to six days fora story generated by Army Public Affairs to gain clearance by Combined Forces Command, two or three more days to get Pentagon clearance, and after all that, the public media may or may not run the story.

Second, the U.S. mainstream media (MSM) who send reporters to the combat zone do not like to have their people embedded with our troops. They claim that the reporters get "less objective" when they live with the soldiers and marines - they come to see the world through the eyes of the troops. Asa consequence, a majority of the reporters stay in hotels in the "Green Zone" and send out native stringers to call in stories to them by cell phone which they later write up and file. No effort is made to verify any of these stories or the credibility of the stringers. The recent serious injuries to Bob Woodruff of ABC and Kimberly Dozier of CBS make the likelihood of the use of local stringers even higher.

Third, the stories that are filed by reporters in the field very seldom reach the American public as written. An anecdote from Col. McMaster illustrates this dramatically. TIME magazine recently sent a reporter to spend six weeks with the 3rd ACR as they were in the battle of Tal Afar.

When the battle was over, the reporter filed his story and also included close to 100 pictures that the accompanying photographer took. TIME published a cover story on the battle a week later, allegedly using the story sent in by their reporter. When the issue came out, the guts had been edited out of their reporter's story and none of the pictures he submitted were used. Instead they showed a weeping child on the cover, taken from stock photos. When the reporter questioned why his story was eviscerated, his editors in New York responded that the story and pictures were "too heroic". McMaster had read both and told me that the editors had completely changed the thrust and context of the material their reporter had submitted.

As a sidebar on the public affairs situation, Colonel Bob McRee, who was also on the panel and is bringing a Military Police Battalion to Iraq next month, invited the Colorado Springs Gazette to send a reporter with the battalion for six weeks to two months. He assured the Gazette, in writing one month ago, that he would provide full time bodyguards for the reporter, taking the manpower out of his own hide. The Gazette has yet to respond to his offer.

Ten More Years: The idea that we will have troops in Iraq for ten more years sounds rather grim, even though by contrast, President Clinton sent troops to Bosnia and Kosovo nearly ten years ago. And they're still there with no end in sight. While Iraq is clearly a different situation right now, the panelists believe that within a few years at the most, it will become very much the same - a peace keeping, nation building function among factions that have hated one another for centuries. There is factionalism and there was bitter fighting in the Balkans before NATO intervened and with peace keepers, the panelists believe that Iraq will be a parallel situation.
This, by the way, is why they all believe that linguists and civil affairs military personnel are so necessary for the future.

Colonel S. went out on a limb by suggesting that if most of the troops in Iraq were deployed home "tomorrow" he could have the entire country "pacified" and the terrorist situation brought under control with just one brigade of Special Forces. Since these guys are linguists, civil affairs experts, among many other skills and talents, he may not be too far wrong.

Iraqi Attitudes: The panelists agreed that the public affairs problem manifests itself most significantly in the American public belief that the people of Iraq want us out of their country which we are occupying. They have served in different parts of the country but each agreed that we are wanted and needed there. I refer you to the anecdote from Col. McMaster and the thousands of pictures available on the internet of the U.S. forces shown in very cordial relations with the locals. Of course, our media's obsession with Abu Graib and, if the initial reports regarding the small group of Marines at Haditha prove to be true, then those attitudes will change somewhat. But as one of the panelists pointed out, the atrocities suffered under Saddam were much worse and much more common.

Morale and Capabilities: Two weeks ago, the local TV channels showed a 3rd ACR re-enlistment ceremony held at Ft. Carson and officiated by Colonel McMaster. Mind you, this unit has just returned from a one-year combat tour of hard and bloody fighting in Iraq and will likely return there again in eight to ten months. Of the 670 soldiers eligible for re-enlistment, 654 of them held up their right hands and signed on for another four years.
Incredible!

The Army goal for re-enlistments for fiscal year 2006 was for 40,000 soldiers to extend their active duty commitments. With four months remaining in the fiscal year, they have already exceeded their goal of 40,000 and may have to go back to Congress for authorization to exceed their force structure manning limitations. Since Congress has been pontificating for the past couple of years that the Army is woefully under strength, that should not pose any difficulty.

Iraqi Forces: Every one of the returning commanders had experience in joint operations with the Iraqi soldiers - and in the case of some of them, with the local and national police. They all are supportive of the quality of the forces, but culturally, they believe that we may be expecting too much from them as a pre-condition for handing over greater responsibility for area control. McMaster said that he worked with the army and the police at Tal Afar and was not the least bit reluctant to assign major responsibilities to them in the operations that were conducted.

Col. S.'s Green Berets, on the other hand, caught a national police lieutenant who was directing the emplacement of an IED by cell phone in order to disrupt a convoy - immediately after the lieutenant had been briefed on the convoy's route. The good news in this situation was that they were able to reroute the convoy, safely, and track the lieutenant's entire network through the use of the speed dial on his phone. Having terrorist infiltrators in both the army and the police force remains a problem. But by no means does that detract from the courage and determination of those who are loyal to the new Iraq.

Explosive Devices: The combined command in Iraq is becoming increasingly effective in countering the significant threat posed by the IEDs and EFPs. The frequency of attacks has decreased in large part through training to recognize the threat, the new technology (UAVs - unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, for example) which help to discover where the devices are emplaced, the infiltration of some of the terrorist cells, etc. However, the technology being used by the terrorists is also improving measurably. In the past six weeks, two bomb making sites were found, raided and the bad guys arrested. In both cases, the head bomb makers were master's degree graduates (one in chemistry and one in physics) from American universities.
That's a lot of brain power to bring into the fight, but we also have some pretty talented people in the military, industry and academia who are doing their best to even the odds.

Conclusion: This is more than I had intended to write on the subject -so what's new a lot of you might say - but it is a subject that doesn't get the proper balance from other sources, in my judgment at least. I trust the information that we received far more than anything that I have heard or seen in our usual news sources. The most disturbing thing that I heard was that our MSM is changing the stories filed by their own people on the scene because they sound "too heroic".

The over riding opinion that I came away from the conference with is that we have incredibly talented and professional leaders who are facing up to the challenges and are making inexorable progress toward the goals of our nation. We're fortunate to have courageous and valorous people on the combat front, even though there seems to be a serious dearth of these same types of people in Congress and the mainstream media.

I told you it was good. And that's why you won't find it on MSM..

Iraq & Zarqawi - what you'll never see in American Media

2006-06-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

From the Arab News:

Editorial: Turning Point

Arab News | June 9, 2006 | Staff

The outpouring of joy with which Iraqis from all communities have greeted the news of the death of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, says everything. They, Sunnis and Shiites alike, are sick of the endless slaughter of innocents for which Zarqawi was often responsible and for which he, with his infinite capacity for cruelty, became the incarnate symbol. They are sick of the kidnappings, the beheadings, the suicide bombings which he organized or inspired. The removal of this monster, who will go down in history as the most evil person in the Middle East for well over a century give Iraqis a chance to believe in the future once again, to hope that it will be better. They can believe it because they know that while the death of this publicity-seeking thug who clawed his way over the corpses of thousands by an absolute ferocity to the very peaks of depravity and notoriety will not end the violence, it will drain it. This may be the beginning of the end of the so-called Sunni insurgency which Zarqawi spearheaded (a misnomer if ever there was one — the overwhelming majority of Iraqi Sunnis are as revolted by the mass slaughter of Shiites as everyone else).

The dividends from hunting down and removing terrorist leaders have been seen in Saudi Arabia where the militants have been broken. The difference with Iraq of course is the power vacuum there and while that continues the chances of someone stepping into Zarqawi’s boots cannot be ruled out. But Zarqawi was not the only person killed in yesterday’s air raid; others close to him were killed as well. His web of death which extended beyond Iraq — he was linked to the bombings in Amman in November and in Istanbul and Casablanca in 2003 — has been torn apart. His removal will embolden ordinary Iraqis to provide greater information about the militants. More are likely to be captured and killed in the weeks ahead.

Zarqawi’s elimination could therefore prove a psychological turning point for Iraq — the chance to rebuild and reunite, to reconcile Iraqi with Iraqi, to put fear behind them. It is the most significant event in Iraq since the capture of Saddam Hussein. It provides a tremendous boost to the government of Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki who has made reconciliation his priority — rightly so, for without it, there is no hope of ending the insurrection, no hope of ending the fear and suspicion on which the violence thrives. Happily, by pure chance, Zarqawi’s appointment with death came just a day after the first of 2,500 prisoners, mostly Sunnis, were set free in a reconciliation initiative.

The Iraqis have reason then to hope. They know that the violence will continue but the giant shadow of death stalking the streets of their cities daily has been removed. The worst may be past. And not only for Iraqis. Jordanians, Moroccans, Turks too will rejoice.

We can all rejoice. The death of Zarqawi makes the world a safer place. A notable victory in the global war against terrorism has been achieved.

You won't find stuff like this on MSM

Concerning CNN's constant harping on Haditha...

2006-06-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

my advice to the Marines would be for the accused Marines to convert to Islam. Then CNN wouldn't care who they killed.

Gore admits to being a propagandist....

2006-05-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

The self-proclaimed inventor of the internet, paradigm of integrity, Albert Gore himself, in an interview with Grist magazine recently shed light on his efforts to persuade people by saying,

“I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous it is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis.”

Over-representation, indeed.

War for Oil.... Idiots abound.

2006-04-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

Saw this quote from Joes Dartblog, citing Scott Adams ( Dilbert's creator) describing his confusion over the "no war for oil" theory:

I don’t understand the theory that we attacked Iraq for oil. Can one of you geniuses explain that to the rest of us?
I like a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person. And I certainly think governments are capable of doing bad things. But I don’t understand the concept of attacking Iraq “because of oil.” What does that even mean?
Do you think the plan was to conquer Iraq and give the oil fields to Exxon?
Do you think the idea was to depose Sadam so the free Iraqis would boost oil production, thereby lowering costs at the pump?
Was the idea to bomb Iraq until they loved American oil companies and wanted to do business with them?
Seriously. Can anyone explain what the plan was?

You just gotta laugh... or cry. Maybe both.

Replace the Star Spangled Banner??????

2006-04-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

Before one even considers the possibility, desiring something "easier to sing", they should read the following:

All Four Stanzas
By Isaac Asimov

I have a weakness -- I am crazy, absolutely nuts, about our national anthem.

The words are difficult and the tune is almost impossible, but frequently when I'm taking a shower I sing it with as much power and emotion as I can. It shakes me up every time.

I was once asked to speak at a luncheon. Taking my life in my hands, I announced I was going to sing our national anthem--all four stanzas.

This was greeted with loud groans. One man closed the door to the kitchen, where the noise of dishes and cutlery was loud and distracting. "Thanks, Herb," I said.

"That's all right," he said. "It was at the request of the kitchen staff."

I explained the background of the anthem and then sang all four stanzas.

Let me tell you, those people had never heard it before--or had never really listened. I got a standing ovation. But it was not me; it was the anthem.

More recently, while conducting a seminar, I told my students the story of the anthem and sang all four stanzas.

Again there was a wild ovation and prolonged applause.

And again, it was the anthem and not me.

So now let me tell you how it came to be written.In 1812, the United States went to war with Great Britain, primarily over freedom of the seas. We were in the right. For two years, we held off the British, even though we were still a rather weak country. Great Britain was in a life and death struggle with Napoleon. In fact, just as the United States declared war, Napoleon marched off to invadeRussia. If he won, as everyone expected, he would control Europe, and Great Britain would be isolated. It was no time for her to be involved in an American war.

At first, our seamen proved better than the British. After we won a battle on Lake Erie in 1813, the American commander, Oliver Hazard Perry, sent the message "We have met the enemy and they are ours." However, the weight of the British navy beat down our ships eventually. New England, hard-hit by a tightening blockade, threatened secession.

Meanwhile, Napoleon was beaten in Russia and in 1814 was forced to abdicate. Great Britain now turned its attention to the United States, launching a three-pronged attack. The northern prong was to come down Lake Champlain toward New York and seize parts of New England. The southern prong was to go up the Mississippi, take New Orleans and paralyze the west. The central prong was to head for the mid-Atlantic states and then attack Baltimore, the greatest port south of New York. If Baltimore was taken, the nation, which still hugged the Atlantic coast, could be split in two. The fate of the United States, then, rested to a large extent on the success or failure of the central prong.

The British reached the American coast, and on August 24, 1814, took Washington, D. C. Then they moved up the Chesapeake Bay toward Baltimore On September 12, they arrived and found 1000 men in Fort McHenry, whose guns controlled the harbor. If the British wished to take Baltimore, they would have to take the fort.

On one of the British ships was an aged physician, William Beanes, who had been arrested in Maryland and brought along as a prisoner. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and friend of the physician, had come to the ship to negotiate his release. The British captain was willing, but the two Americans would have to wait. It was now the night of September 13, and the bombardment of Fort McHenry was about to start.

As twilight deepened, Key and Beanes saw the American flag flying over Fort McHenry. Through the night, they heard bombs bursting and saw the red glare of rockets. They knew the fort was resisting and the American flag was still flying. But toward morning the bombardment ceased, and a dread silence fell. Either Fort McHenry had surrendered and the British flag flew above it, or the bombardment had failed and the American flag still flew.

As dawn began to brighten the eastern sky, Key and Beanes stared out at the fort, tyring to see which flag flew over it. He and the physician must have asked each other over and over, "Can you see the flag?"

After it was all finished, Key wrote a four stanza poem telling the events of the night. Called "The Defence of Fort M'Henry," it was published in newspapers and swept the nation. Someone noted that the words fit an old English tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven" --a difficult melody with an uncomfortably large vocal range. For obvious reasons, Key's work became known as "The Star Spangled Banner," and in 1931 Congress declared it the official anthem of the United States.

Now that you know the story, here are the words. Presumably, the old doctor is speaking. This is what he asks Key:

Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

"Ramparts," in case you don't know, are the protective walls or other elevations that surround a fort. The first stanza asks a question. The second gives an answer.

On the shore, dimly seen thro' the mist of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep.
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses.

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream
'Tis the star-spangled banner. Oh! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

"The towering steep" is again, the ramparts. The bombardment has failed, and the British can do nothing more but sail away, their mission a failure.

In the third stanza, I feel Key allows himself to gloat over the American triumph. In the aftermath of the bombardment, Key probably was in no mood to act otherwise.

During World War II, when the British were our staunchest allies, this third stanza was not sung. However, I know it, so here it is

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more
Their blood has washed out their foul footstep's pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The fourth stanza, a pious hope for the future, should be sung more slowly than the other three and with even deeper feeling.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation,
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n - rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, for our cause is just,
And this be our motto--"In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I hope you will look at the national anthem with new eyes. Listen to it, the next time you have a chance, with new ears.And don't let them ever take it away.

--Isaac Asimov, March 1991

There is nothing more I can add to that.... JW.

The Libs/Dems Oil Paradox....

2006-04-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

We are frightenly dependent on foreign oil. But we shouldn't develop domestic oil or boost our refining capacity. We need a gas tax to wean Americans from foreign oil, but high gas prices are an outrage. We need alternative forms of energy, but we shouldn't use nuclear power. We need renewable, sustainable energy, unless it spoils the view of rich liberal icons. Got it?

$1 to Jonah Goldberg on The Corner.

In addition, there was this quote from one Congressman who gets it:

"If America was facing shortages of milk or water, Congress would certainly take steps to increase supplies," Rep. Pombo continued. "But as soon as we start talking about oil and natural gas - the lifeblood of our economic and national security - liberals in Congress turn the simple principle of supply and demand on its head in ways that defy logic and common sense. Opposing everything accomplishes nothing, except high prices and economic vulnerability for Americans.

As developing nations like India and China increase the use of energy to improve the quality of life for their people, global demand for energy continues to rise with prices in tow. Fortunately, American taxpayers own roughly 2 billion acres of federal lands and the massive energy resources that lie beneath them. Putting Americans to work producing this energy is the key to lower prices and a strong economy. While some in Congress chain themselves to the door of supply - keeping the resources of the ANWR, the deep ocean, and other federal lands under lock and key - many Americans today are struggling to get to work because of high gas prices. This country has made incredible strides in conservation and efficiency, and we must continue to improve, but Americans cannot conserve their way out of an empty tank of gas. Democrats must join Republicans to increase supply. There is no silver bullet in solving this side of the equation, but a billion barrels here, and a billion barrels there, and pretty soon we are talking about real energy.”

Well, Clinton and Kerry didn't have any trouble lying...

2006-04-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Kerry didn't have any problems selling out his country either. So should we be surprised when their "followers" follow in their footsteps?

Guess who's responsible for the leaks of classified information from the CIA? We're talking about leaks that endangered US and coalition troops by energizing their adversaries, the leaks that caused foreign intelligence services to ask if the CIA could handle confidential information (possibly causing hesitation in sharing such - which endangers our nation and it's citizens), the leaks that made it more difficult to obtain information from known terrorists which could save lives?

Be it none other than Clinton appointee and Kerry supporter Mary McCarthy who was senior director for intelligence programs at the National Security Council, where she served under President Bill Clinton after her appointment by Sandy Berger.

Recently, McCarthy was working at the agency's inspector general's office where she obtained the information leaked to the Wapo which served to aid and abet the enemies of this country, which the Wapo didn't hesitate to publish.

Seriously, is anyone surprised when people imitate their leaders? The angst and hatred many libs have for this country and its traditions knows no bounds, gives no thought to the pain it may cause others or even the deaths it may bring to many.

And Kerry wants to run again...

Camp Gitmo...

2006-04-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here's something else you won't read in the MSM:

Two Afghan boys give Gitmo rave reviews
$1 to: Little Green Footballs

Asadullah strives to make his point, switching to English lest there be any mistaking him. "I am lucky I went there, and now I miss it. Cuba was great," said the 14-year-old, knotting his brow in the effort to make sure he is understood.

{SNIP}

On January 29, Asadullah and two other juvenile prisoners were returned home to Afghanistan. The three boys are not sure of their ages. But, according to the estimate of the Red Cross, Asadullah is the youngest, aged 12 at the time of his arrest. The second youngest, Naqibullah, was arrested with him, aged perhaps 13, while the third boy, Mohammed Ismail, was a child at the time of his separate arrest, but probably isn't now.

Tracked down to his remote village in south-eastern Afghanistan, Naqibullah has memories of Guantanamo that are almost identical to Asadullah's. Prison life was good, he said shyly, nervous to be receiving a foreigner to his family's mud-fortress home.

The food in the camp was delicious, the teaching was excellent, and his warders were kind. "Americans are good people, they were always friendly, I don't have anything against them," he said. "If my father didn't need me, I would want to live in America."

Asadullah is even more sure of this. "Americans are great people, better than anyone else," he said, when found at his elder brother's tiny fruit and nut shop in a muddy backstreet of Kabul. "Americans are polite and friendly when you speak to them. They are not rude like Afghans. If I could be anywhere, I would be in America. I would like to be a doctor, an engineer _ or an American soldier."

Guess these kids forfeited any chance of attending Yale.

Also, tommorrow is the 3 year anninversary of the onset of the Iraqi Liberation/destruction of the Al Quaeda training camps harbored there. Say a prayer for the men and women (as well as their families) who have sacrificed much so that we may sleep well at night.

Passed this car with the bumper sticker:

2006-03-23T15:35:00.000-08:00

Pro-war is not Pro-life....

As I passed this oblivious driver, all I could think was if destroying innocent life doesn't bother you, why is destroying an evil one a problem? Is that the most intelligent argument the left can come up with for opposing the war???

The problem with Libs is not their constant hypocrisy, we expect that from them. Some contradiction is a part of human nature, it's just that the libs have elevated it to an art form. But the critical issue is on the extreme left, they fundamentally have a problem with right and wrong. They can use the words, but they are without content, empty and void of meaning. They ultimately don't believe in a true "right" or true "wrong". There is no good nor evil allowing the libs to switch between positions without any appeal to conscience. They can subtly cheer for our nations enemies (sorry, the freedom fighters) while rejoicing in the sickness (and hoping for the death) of our nation's VP and sleep well at night. How does one communicate with such?

Increasingly, as these concepts of good and evil have less and less meaning, words in general have less and less or even no meaning, it is left to the listener to try to interpret what the speaker means, rather than incumbent upon the speaker to clearly communicate his thoughts. Simple communication, hence reason, is becoming increasingly impossible. Where or how did we learn not to communicate?

Was it at school, as the teachers dumbed down the curriculum - getting rid of all the "evil" white guy's writings? Was it our increasing wealth and leisure time - has it turned our focus more and more to a desire to be entertained, rather than being willing to strive to master difficult material? Was it TV with it's incessant efforts to visually stimulate, versus mentally stimulate? Arcade games - encouraging the attention span of a gnat? Are we on a course of entertaining ourselves to death?

It will only get worse, as this current x-box generation comes of age. Talk about an inability to develop cogent thought and argue a position thoughtfully....

People worry about global warming. They ought to be concerned about something far more insidious - our love for entertainment above all else.

Anybody that questions....

2006-03-16T05:57:00.000-08:00

what we are doing in Iraq, needs to view this site... put it on your calendars to view at least once a year and tell yourself, never again.

Never Forget

For those who think the war is misguided, ask yourselves, how often has this act been repeated in this country since 9/11? There is the answer to any concern one might have as to the effectiveness and proper execution of the war on terror by this President and it's soldiers.

The Lion Hearted Men of Iraq....

2006-02-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Posted without comment, a letter written to the troops of the 3rd Calvary, by the mayor of the Iraqi city of Tall Afar:

In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful

To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall’ Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.

To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.

To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young. This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi’s followers after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani finally destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.
The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom. Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.
Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment, I haven’t the words to describe the courage of its officers and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall 'Afar, Ninewa

A cure for suicide bombers...

2006-02-18T10:17:00.000-08:00

You have to keep in mind - what kind of people send their children and mentally ill on this type of "mission" anyway? Obviously not a kind of people that we will ever, EVER, be able to conduct reasonable discussions with. But there must be a way of "communicating" with them that they will understand. I think I have it. I personally think this would solve the problem of suicide bombers and be a great boon to security of our troops as well as our agricultural economy.

Apparently the Pentagon has done research into implanting chips into mice/small animals to use for special assignments - put a camera on their back and control the animals movements via the chip. Well, step it up a notch. Implant these control chips into pigs. Yep PIGS. Big nasty, stinking honking boarhogs. The kind moslems fear touching or eating or dying while in contact with. The kind that they are convinced will, if they come in contact with, cause them to be eternally damned.

Then, for every suicide bomber, take these pigs, strap a bomb to it's back and release it near the PLO's headquarters, or a mosque where the imam's preach hatred and glorify suicide bombers or near one of the cult of islam's shrines. Start off with the one where they have the fake hair of the pedophile mohammad at the Dome of the Rock. Then direct the pig into the mosque or shrine and blow it up. Wallah! Pig guts everywhere. Rich dark luscious flowing pig honey (make sure their last meal is a goodun before they are sent on assignment.) Let the worshipers bow down and recite their prayers scented with the smell of pig guts. We can call it islamic incense. This could lead to a whole new industry and give the pork industry new avenues for marketing! I was kinda tired of the "other white meat" ads anyway. Can you imagine the ads for "Mohammad's Valkyries"? Do this for each suicide bomber - the ragheads know we're not gonna use our children, but pigs...

I know, PETA would rather see children blown up than pigs, but if they wanna volunteer, I'd consider it the equivalent of the pigs. I'm sure the moslems would too....

More great news....

2006-02-17T06:09:00.000-08:00

that you won't read on the MSM (courtesy of Strategypage.com):

February 15, 2006: DNA analysis of the bodies recovered from the attack on an al Qaeda meeting in Pakistan last month, have confirmed that the main target, al Qaeda number two leader Ayman al Zawahiri, was not there. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, it was apparent that al Zawahiri was late arriving at the dinner meeting. However, the DNA tests did show that at least five foreigners were present.

One of them was a close relative of Ayman al Zawahri, while a second was bomb building expert Midhat Mursi, who, like al Zawahri (who has $25 million reward on him), had a $5 million reward on his head. Another of the dead foreigners was Abdul Rehman al-Misri al-Maghribi, a son-in-law of Zawahiri and in charge of the al Qaeda's Information War operations. Another of dead was Abu Obaidah al Misri, who was in charge of terrorist operations just across the border, in Afghanistan's Kunar province.

Initially, al Qaeda tried to spin the attack as a complete failure, saying that only civilians were in the building, that 18 were killed, and that this included women and children. Demonstrations were held and indignation was high. Islamic radicals also made much of the fact that the attack was apparently (no one admitted anything) by U.S. Predator UAVs firing Hellfire missiles. But the Pakistani police got to the scene, and conducted their investigation, and released the information on the foreigners killed during the attack.

The Pakistani government wants the U.S. cooperation, because the Islamic terrorists are at war with the Pakistani government as well, including assassination attempts on the president of Pakistan.

More dead ragheads. But the MSM is still grieving that Harry Whittington didn't die....

Muslim Rave Party...

2006-02-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

I simply post this without further comment....

Go Daddy-O...

Ok, I'll comment - we're supposed to believe these mullets are reasonable people???

Educated to imbecility... U of Wa doesn't deserve to have Pappy as alum.

2006-02-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

The liberal, hypocritical elite has spoken again, and loudly. The University of Washington student senate voted to reject a memorial for Congressional Medal of Honor winner "Pappy" Boyington, due to his service as a Marine. Yep, because he defended the parents who failed to train these snotty-nosed kids in decency, respect and any notion of honor, they decided that he was undeserving of any appreciation for his sacrifice.

Some of the quotes from minutes of the meeting are: "Jill Edwards said she didn't believe a member of the Marine Corps was an example of the sort of person UW wanted to produce." Then, there was the erudite Ashley Miller who commented that "many monuments at UW already commemorate rich white men."

Uh, Pappy was rich?? Where was that in the motion to commemorate him? Do these intellectuals really have to conjure up this stuff or do they keep the standard talking points handy? Do these two sound like Woman's Studies majors or what????

The solution is simple. The taxpayers who do appreciate Pappy's courage can simply refuse to subsidize these brats anymore, through tuition supplements and federally insured loans. While they have a 'right' to speak their minds, they don't have a right to have it funded/subsidized by taxpayers. And the University can establish sufficient academic standards requiring a rudimentary knowledge of American history and the price of our freedoms, which these senators abuse every time they open their mouths.

Here are the senator's email if you care to write them and express respectfully why you disagree with their position:
jae6@u.washington.edu
armiller@u.washington.edu
alkim84@u.washington.edu

UPDATE: A resolution has been offered demanding Jill Edwards apologize for her remarks about Marines and that she be required to familarize herself with the history of Pappy Boyington by reading his book "Baa Baa Black Sheep", under penalty of losing her senate seat. The sad thing is, she's having to be forced to apologize.

Libs simply don't know any better or how to admit their mistakes whith being forced I guess...

I see where Cheney accidently shot someone....

2006-02-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

Wonder if he could take Hillary hunting next time??

And lets face it, you're safer hunting with VP Cheney than riding with Ted Kennedy.

By the way, has Kennedy requested that the sealed records from the Chappaquiddick 'investigation' be opened yet?

Islam, religion of idiots....

2006-02-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've been hesitant to post about the pics of the prophet of the peaceful religion, it was easy to see the reaction of the mullets as inflamed by the mullahs, but the cat is out of the bag. I feared it may complicate things for our troops in the middle east, and it may well increase the danger they face and decrease the assistance they get. But the time for silence has passed. There is a strong current in Islam that simply hates Christianity and freedom, it is not limited to an extreme but small minority.

While I appreciate the reaction of a few muslim countries such as Turkey, that is the minority. We simply are at war with these idiots, it will be long and only one side will win. Besides, some of the cartoons coming out now are just too damn funny. I found these on a Danish site I can't even begin to tell you what they say, but the pics speak for themselves. There are some on the site I can't post here, but dang...

God bless our troops who give us the freedom to post such:

Slavery Reparations

2006-01-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

came across this article, while somewhat dated, I thought the points were interesting and worthy of some discussion, as the issue of reparations keeps arising from time to time. Written by Fred Reed:

On the Web I find that Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the chairman of Afro-American Studies at Harvard, is demanding that whites pay reparations to blacks. It's because of slavery, see? He is joined in the endeavor by a gaggle of other blacks.

I guess he'll send me a bill, huh? I feel like saying, Let me get this straight, Hank. I'm slow. Be patient. You want free money because of slavery, right? I don't blame you, I'd like free money too. Tell you what. I believe in justice. I'll give you a million dollars for every slave I own and anther million for ever year you were a slave. Fair enough?

But tell me, how many slaves do you suppose I have? In round number, I mean. Say to the nearest dozen. And how long were you a slave? Oh? In other words, I owe you reparations for something that I didn't do and didn't happen to you. That makes sense. Like lug nuts on a birthday cake.

Personally, I think you owe me reparations for things you didn't do and never happened to me. I've never been coated in Dutch chocolate and thrown from the Eiffel Tower. I'll bet you've never done that to anyone. I want reparations. Kinda silly, isn't it?

But if we're going to talk about reparations, that's a street that runs in two directions. You want money from me for what some other whites did to some other blacks in another century. How about you guys paying whites reparations for current expenses caused by blacks? Not long ago blacks burned down half of Los Angeles, a city in my country. Cities are expensive, Hank. Build one and you'll see what I mean. Whites had to pay taxes to repair Los Angeles for you. You can send me a check.

Now, yes, I know you burned LA because you didn't like the verdict in the trial of those police officers. Well, I didn't like the verdict in the Simpson trial. But I didn't burn down my house and loot Korean grocers. Over the years blacks have burned a lot of American cities: Newark, Detroit, Watts, on and on. Now add in the fantastic cost over the years of welfare in all its forms, of large police forces and jails and security systems in department stores. I can't live in the capital city of my own country because of crime committed by blacks. Toss in the cultural cost of lowering standards in everything for the benefit of blacks. See what I mean?

Now, I'd view things differently if you said, "Fred, blacks can't get anywhere in a modern country without education. We know that. We need better schools, smarter teachers, harder courses, books with smaller pictures and bigger words. Can you help us?"

I'd say "Hallelujah! Hoo-ahh! Not just yes, but hell yes. Let's sell an aircraft carrier and get these folks some real schools and get them into the economic mainstream." I'd say it partly because it would be the right thing to do, and partly because I'd like to add you guys to the tax base. The current custodial state is expensive . I'd just love for blacks to study and learn to compete and stop burning places. But is it going to happen?

You may not believe it, but I, and most whites, don't like seeing blacks as miserable and screwed up as they are. I spend a fair amount of time in the projects. Those places are ugly. It's no fun watching perfectly good kids turn into semiliterate dope dealers who barely speak English. It just plain ain't right. But, Hank, what am I supposed to do about it? I can't do your children's homework. At some point, people have to do things for themselves, or they don't get done. Maybe it's time.

I'll tell you what I see out in the world, Hank. I think blacks are too accustomed to getting anything they want by just demanding it. True, it has worked for over half a century. Get a few hundred people in the street, implicitly threaten to loot and burn, holler about slavery, and the Great White Cash Spigot turns on.

Thing is, whites don't much buy it any longer. Most recognize that what once was a civil-rights movement has become a shakedown game. Few people still feel responsible for the failings and inadequacies of blacks. Political correctness keeps the lid on -- but everyone knows the score.
Which scares me, Hank. On one hand, blacks hate whites and incline toward looting and burning. (The whites you hate are the ones who marched in the civil-rights movement. Ever think about that?) On the other hand, whites quietly grow wearier and wearier of it. Not good.
On the third hand (allow me three hands, for rhetorical convenience), blacks keep demanding things. As I write, you demand reparations for slavery. Blacks in Oklahoma (I think it was) want money for some ancient race riot. Other blacks reject the Declaration of Independence, blacks in New York hint broadly at burning and looting over a trial, yet more demand the elimination of the Confederate flag, and the federal equal-opportunity apparatus, which means blacks, wants to sue Silicon Valley for not hiring nonexistent black engineers.

That's a lot of demanding for one month, Hank. What happens if whites ever say, "No?"
Now, how about you? You've got a cushy job up there at Harvard, and you can hoot and holler about what swine and bandits whites are. I guess it's lots of fun, and you get a salary for it. But don't you think you might do blacks more good if you told them to complain less and study more? For example, if you want blacks to work in Silicon Gulch, the best approach might be to find some really smart black guys, and get them to study digital design, not Black Studies.
That's how everybody else does it. It works. Then blacks wouldn't feel left out, and racial tensions would decline. Sound like a plan?

Just out of curiosity, how many hours a week do professors of Afro-American Studies spend in the projects, encouraging poor black kids to study real subjects, Hank?

Why is it not a shock...

2006-01-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

That the MSM has failed to cover the story of the German hostage Susanne Osthoff who was recently freed by her Iraqi "kidnappers." The worst kept secret was that the German government, doing it's best French imitation, paid ransom to the kidnappers and made a deal to release the murder of Navy diver Robert Stethem -Mohammad Ali Hammadi.

Now however, we find out, immediately after being freed, while she was taking a shower in the German embassy, some of the money paid in ransom was discovered in her baggage and clothing. That's right - the serial numbers matched the bills given to the "kidnappers."

Hmmm.... She converted to Islam, was "kidnapped", then she's filmed talking about how her kidnappers weren't "criminal" because they couldn't get in the green zone to "kidnap Americans."

I say the next time she's "kidnapped" we talk the Germans into letting the followers of the religion of peace keep her. Promise them they can keep France the next time they take it.

Gotta wonder if the Germans hold any other murders of Americans in their prisons....

Reuters has a brief blurb about the "freedom fighters" ($1 to mikey moore), so far haven't seen a thing elsewhere.

2006-01-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

Outstanding read (excerpt) from the Belmont Club:

"One of the biggest factors of instability in the world today is that the other major political party in the United States has no 21st century foreign policy. Wikipedia, in its survey of American liberalism, notes that the Cold War was fought very much on a bipartisan basis.

To begin with, Vietnam was a "liberal war", part of the strategy of containment of Soviet Communism. In the 1960 presidential campaign, the liberal Kennedy was more hawkish on Southeast Asia than the more conservative Nixon. Although it can be argued that the war expanded only under the less liberal Johnson, there was enormous continuity of their cabinets.
Roosevelt, Truman, JFK. The party which dropped the A-bomb, fought the war in Korea, built the Minuteman, started the race to the moon were in the end represented by John Kerry, who began his acceptance to the nomination for Presidency in 2004 with these words (actual audio transcription):

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, so much. Thank you. Thank you, so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for duty. Thank you.

But insofar as the world was concerned his party was (is - my edit) missing in action. "

And a hearty thanks to Kerry, who so eloquently details why he is the vocal and intellectual leader of modern liberals. Someone must explain to me how the leadership of this group, so devoid of honor, courage and wit can continually muster the support of 25 to 30% of the American populace?

While your doing that, 'splain also how he won 3 Purple Hearts without spending a day in a hospital or getting nothing more than a band aid for them and his Bronze Star.

Al Quaeda wishes to thank the NY Times...

2006-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

as well as Senator Reid and the rest of the liberal dims, who continue to leak confidential information concerning its intelligence gathering methods and who work tirelessly to gut the Patriot Act. This legislation is dreadful due to it simply gives the government the same power to track terrorists as it does drug dealers and allows inter-agency cooperation. How unconstitutional is that?

With the NY Times detailing how we track domestic individuals who are talking with known AQ individuals, is it not logical for the terrorists to adopt their tactics to avoid detection? Apparently there has suddenly been an increase in the demand for disposable cell phones. ABC News is reporting large purchases of disposable cell phones by individuals of Middle Eastern or Arabic descent. These phones, paid for by cash, are impossible to track and also are the phone of choice for Iraqi and Hamas IED's (remotely detonated bombs.) Individuals are coming in buying 60 or 160 phones at once.

I'm sure the NY Times will simply ignore this, refusing modestly to take credit where credit is due and the Dims will simply condemn those reporting it by saying it is grossly wrong to profile individuals and ascribe evil motives to innocent business transactions. I can think of a lot of reasons why Arabic individuals would want to buy 160 disposable cell phones at once, can't you?

IT"S SNOWING IN HELL!!!!!!!!

2006-01-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

I hope you are sitting down, maybe had some of your favorite 41 year old scotch (doesn't matter what time of day...) Are you ready for this?

The AP (not a missprint, the Associated Press) actually interviewed and QUOTED some troops on the ground in Iraq, as to their opinions on the war and early withdrawal. The resounding sound in AP's ears?? "Finish the job we came here to do" and yes, the AP actually reported it. This article doesn't slam the troops or President Bush for speaking the obvious truth. Surely this slipped by the AP editors or something. Or maybe, maybe they're just tired of continually declining readership and decided it would be best to get back to reporting the news, rather than trying to shape it in a Bash America First Fest. We can only hope.

A good read and credit to the character of our troops, who actually understand what is going on in Iraq and what is at stake. Great read and good work by the AP (can't believe I said that.) Click on the link.

AP Finally Reports

The Greatest Christmas Story you never heard......

2005-12-30T09:15:00.000-08:00

The following article appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News on December 22, 2005, there is nothing I can add to it, other than a sincere thank you. It was written by Ronnie Polaneczky:

AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard.

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops.

"We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett.

So they organized a trip to bring s! oldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.

The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it.

Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.

He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard.

One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D.C. for burial.

"That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett.

He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played.

The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D.C. and Bethesda, in Maryland.

"We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."

Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's commanding general, who loved the idea.

But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media circus.

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op."

And no Pentagon suits on-board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands.

"I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs.

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? ! The Liberty Limited.

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D.C. - where they'd be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game.

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite.

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:

From Woolrich, stadium blankets. From Wal-Mart, digital cameras. From Nikon, field glasses. From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.

Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D.C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day.

"They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They we! re all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so full of life and determination."

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group's rollicking mood.

Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda.

"The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it."

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodb! ye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

"One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be f---ing beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him."

It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love.

"My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air."

Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.

And bless the troops, every one.

Islam - Military Enemy or religion of Peace??

2005-12-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

Is the war really against "terrorism" or are we truly fighting the "Nation of Islam"? Is Islam another Nazism or Communism, where the conflict is between unreconcilible ideas and principals? Finally, the question is being asked in the Pentagon according to an article in Frontpage Magazine.

In an article titled The Pentagon Breaks the Islam Taboo, Paul Sperry reveals the Pentagon is asking if Islam is an ideological engine of war: "The government asks the forbidden question: How closely related is Islamic terrorism to mainstream Islam itself?"

Finally, we quit taking the Moonbats ($1 to Michelle) word for it that Islam is a religion of peace (despite the beatings and murder of women who are victims of rape, the massacre of Christian girls and missionaries, and the public stoning of people who just irritated the wrong Iman) and seriously consider the question, what motivates these people? Is Islam absolutely hostile to free men and women, and people who wish to worship God in the manner they see fit? Are they compelled by their cult to destroy all who won't submit?

The article revealed:

'So far the conclusions of intelligence analysts assigned to the project, who include both private contractors and career military officials, contradict the commonly held notion that Islam is a peaceful religion hijacked or distorted by terrorists. They've found that the terrorists for the most part are following a war-fighting doctrine articulated through Muhammad in the Quran, elaborated on in the hadiths, codified in Islamic or sharia law, and reinforced by recent interpretations or fatwahs.

'Islam is an ideological engine of war (Jihad)," concludes the sensitive Pentagon briefing paper. And "no one is looking for its off switch.' Why? One major reason, the briefing states, is government-wide 'indecision [over] whether Islam is radical or being radicalized.' "

The report also notes according to the Quran, jihad is not something a Muslim can opt out of. It is required of a believer, even the weak and infirm must give "asylum and aid" (Surah 8:74) to those who seek to destroy the nonbelievers of Mohammed's writings. Conservatives have been pointing to this for several years, even pointing to Mohammed's own track record of murdering approximately 64 "heathens" including women and children, who didn't acknowledge him as a prophet and conform to his demands.

In further analyzing the threat here in the States, the Pentagon briefing details the U.S. has not suffered from scattered terrorist attacks, versus the elaborately planned and devastaing attack against the WTC, because it has a relatively small Muslim population. The report indicates that could change as the Muslim population grows and gains more confidence and power.

Sperry also writes:

The internal document explains that Islam divides offensive jihad into a "three-phase attack strategy" for gaining control of lands for Allah. The first phase is the "Meccan," or weakened, period, whereby a small Muslim minority asserts itself through largely peaceful and political measures involving Islamic NGOs -- such as the Islamic Society of North America, which investigators say has its roots in the militant Muslim Brotherhood, and Muslim pressure groups, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, whose leaders are on record expressing their desire to Islamize America.

In the second "preparation" phase, a "reasonably influential" Muslim minority starts to turn more militant. The briefing uses Britain and the Netherlands as examples.

And in the final jihad period, or "Medina Stage," a large minority uses its strength of numbers and power to rise up against the majority, as Muslim youth recently demonstrated in terrorizing France, the Pentagon paper notes.

It also notes that unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam advocates expansion by force. The final command of jihad, as revealed to Muhammad in the Quran, is to conquer the world in the name of Islam. The defense briefing adds that Islam is also unique in classifying unbelievers as "standing enemies against whom it is legitimate to wage war."

It's an excellent read, and I highly recommend it, except for the libs. Maybe they can have someone read it to them since it does contain some big words. Also, since it's based on Islam's own words, examples of it's founders, quotes it's strategy and is written/assembled by people whose careers and possibly lives depend on an accurate portrayal, they won't believe it anyway.

Besides, according to the French-wannabe surrender monkey deanocrats, we've already lost. Wonder if the Iraqi's will even bother to show up for their third non-election this year since it's meaningless...

Damnit - Tookie is to die.

2005-12-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

Now who will be left to write all the children's books???????

URGENT UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: Have no fear, all is well!!! We've just now been informed by our anonomous sources that Tookie has passed off this awesome responsiblity to Charles Manson and Scott Peterson. Whew! There for a minute I was worried stiff .....

It's official, Bill Clinton is an idiot....

2005-12-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a guy, who doesn't know what the meaning of "is" is, but who is arrogant enough to presume to lecture the President and the rest of the nation on the latest research and findings concerning Global Warming. Last week he ushered forth with a definitive pronouncement of Global Warming and that no doubt remained as to it's existence or causality.

Global warming - is that why we had such a mild summer/cold winter here in the south and why NYC had one of the heaviest and earliest snow storms last week? And now, I see Bush has also screwed up the magnetic pole (which is shifting.) Can't wait for Hillary to get in office so she can fix it.

But she needs to do something with her hubby since he has apparently has given up cigars and gone with a higher class of women, crack-ho's.

Saddam and Dean, Dean and Saddam...

2005-12-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

Two great visionaries and emissaries for the ideals and principles of the modern Democratic Party.

First you've got Saddam at his trial angrily declaring he's not afraid to die. And like most of the previous blustery rhetoric of the Dim party, we have every confidence that it's true and sincerely spoken. After all, that's why he was cowering in a spider hole for months when he was dragged out by the scruff of his neck... he was just looking for a few good Marines down there so he could kick their arse in Bush's unwinnable war... Which brings up the second great leader of the dims....

Howard Dean, he of the psychotic scream which even today, resonates in the hollow recesses of the liberal as their rallying cry (the French have already trademarked the term "surrender"). Deano has now declared the Iraq war to be "unwinnable."

NEWS FLASH -- the war is over - we actually, contrary to CNN reports, steamrolled Saddam's forces in a few weeks! What's left now is prolly about 10,000 Al Qaida/ Baathists/ Islamofascists versus about 26 million Iraqis. Not that actual experience counts for much, but if I remember, after Germany was defeated in WWII, there were still pockets of resistance, but the war was over. How long did it take for the last Japanese soldier to surrender - 1974? Was the war not over by then? Same in Iraq - we've won, we just got to finish the job to insure it sticks. We stayed in Germany and Japan for about 9 or 10 years, we'll be done in Iraq in half that time due to an outstanding job by our military.

There will always be those in this country that support the enemies of this nation, in some manner or form. The amazing thing is that such a portion of the American populace do not find it alarming that the leadership echoes the same refrains as Hussein and Bin laden, that they share the same practical goals such as emasculation of this President, the military and the war on terror.

Those who celebrate our enemies are cheered while they jeer those who fight for our freedom.

And that's not a problem??

Fahrenheit 911, opps - 1861

2005-12-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

What if Michael Moore and Moveon.org were around in the 1850's and 60's? Do you ever wonder? Well, wonder no more. We have the answer:

Lincoln Lied, People Died.

This is so true, it hurts. Can't wait for Part II.

Hurricane Relief, Liberal boondoggle.

2005-11-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, Steven Landsburg wrote an article for "Everyday Economics" in Slate Magazine. He noted that the Federal Government will spend approximately $200 billion on New Orleans disaster relief. Those affected total about 1 million people. Hmmm... Think about it. That's $200,000 per person. Let's see, for a family of four, that's $800,000.

What would you rather have?? Nearly a million dollars for your family to "start new" somewhere else (or rebuild in New Orleans) or a crappy mobile home for a couple of years and some cans of beans and bottled water?

Can anyone really argue that those affected by Katrina wouldn't be a lot better off if given the money to spend at their own discretion? If the residents want the levees rebuilt, they could then pool their own resources and still have more money left over to rebuild their lives. For those poor who had no homeowners insurance, it would give them the opportunity to own a nice home and go to school, start a company.... anything that would offer then a chance to better themselves, as compared to their existence in government/low rent housing and living off of food stamps.

But as is normal with Liberal "concern", it's not really finding the best solution that matters, it's the appearance of doing something, something that forces others to do what the Libs think is best for them. This is just another elitist ruling over those the elite deems incapable of making decisions on their own - and performing this "charitable" work with someone else's money of course.

The question needs to be asked: Are liberals better at finding problems, or creating them?

Interesting article, I recommend it highly: Read Me

To Posterity

2005-11-24T08:51:00.000-08:00

This was lifted from Powerline via The Remedy - everyone should read and give due consideration to these words. They continue to echo in the recesses of my mind.... :

At The Remedy, Matthew Peterson recalls the April 1777 letter from "a depressed John Adams" to his wife Abigail in which Adams concludes:

Is it not intollerable, that the opening Spring, which I should enjoy with my Wife and Children upon my little Farm, should pass away, and laugh at me, for labouring, Day after Day, and Month after Month, in a Conclave, Where neither Taste, nor Fancy, nor Reason, nor Passion, nor Appetite can be gratified?

Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may God bless.

Libs Rejoice, Glam on the lam in Vietnam...

2005-11-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

Gary Glitter, most known for his rock hit "Rock and Roll Part II", has been a living example of liberal virtue and a glowing example of the success of liberal justice.

He was 'kicked out' of Britain in 1999 for possession of more than 4000 (not a typo -4000!!!) images of kiddie porn, and amid some accusations of such activity. Kicked out, hmmmmmm... Doesn't that simply mean don't mess with kids in our neighborhood, go find some others elsewhere? Allow me to ask - isn't that the heart and soul of liberal justice - that the perp just needs understanding and rehab? Glitter apparently told the judge he needed another chance.

He just didn't say a chance at what. Glitter left England then traveled to Cuba then Cambodia where he was booted after an uproar by women's and children's groups and then he settled in Vietnam - where he claims he was teaching a 12 year old English. She along with a 15 year old, claim he had sex with them repeatedly. He was arrested trying to flee Vietnam.

Should the charge be true, and there is reason to believe it is (and if not, there are 1000's of child molesters roaming the streets after prior convictions looking for other victims) -- doesn't the judge who set him free, as well as the politicians that passed the sentencing law have to share the responsibility for the raping of the young girls? Didn't they in effect 'aid and abet' his activity by allowing it, by giving him other opportunities to do it again?

That is what the libs and Dims just don't understand. There are certain crimes that the perp should never get a second chance to commit again. Do something once (like murder or child molestation) and you should have forfeited the chance to ever, ever do it again. I saw one commentator state the penalty, if convicted in Vietnam, could be a firing squad.

Damnit, I hate to admit it - but we've got something to learn from Vietnam if true. Hell, I'll chip in to buy the bullet, and I know the spot on Glitter's anatomy where I hope where they aim it....

Congrats to Kerry and the Dims for electing Kerry...

2005-11-23T14:33:00.000-08:00

I see he was elected Jury Foreman in a civil trial in Va the other day. How apropos. It is no secret, that people selected for juries are usually those without strong convictions or opinions and who are 'open minded' enough to be led.

Who else is so well suited to "lead" as the vaunted leader of the Dim party....

I personally can't think of anyone who has less convictions or who is intellectually more gifted to lead the vacuous of mind.

Happy Anniversary Yasser Arafat!!!!

2005-11-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

One year in hell.

Many more to come...

Gawd, I love Michael Moore...

2005-11-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

Stupid ass clown and a wuss....

Look below at the link for Moore's version of Semper Fi. Click on it. WHOOSH!! And like that - its GONE. The boy doesn't want to be held accountable for what he wrote. He's not man enough to apologize for it, so it's like it never happened.... Like that's a big shock for libs or the Dims.

With character like that aligned against us, how can we not win. Surely he doesn't have children, I hear it's impossible for a man to reproduce without balls.

The Libs replacement for Kerry in the Senate....

2005-11-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Massey, former Marine, comes with impeccable credentials. Here's Michael Moore's enthusiastic embrace of his courage in the telling of the evils of the American soldier: Moore's version of Semper Fi.

Here's the redoubtable "Veterans for Peace" swooning over one of their own: The TRUTH the Marines taught.

Here is the self proclaimed "America's Best Newsletter" doing what it does best: Moment of TRUTH.

He told his tale alongside Cindy "I'd kill my son before I'd let him become a Marine" Sheehan, and Florida Democrat Frank Gonzalez. Are you getting the picture? This "soldier" is recounting the horrors of serving as a US Marine, and exposing the evil that they wrought in Iraq and how he cheated to recruit for the Marines. He even has a book coming out "Kill, Kill, Kill" based on his experiences.

There is only one problem here - a problem common to most liberals and that is the facts are lacking. Great stories, moving stories, memorable stories, only they are just that - stories. That's right, the courageous boy wonder, so enthusiastically embraced by the Dims and the left, is an outright liar.

Each of his claims is either demonstrably false or exaggerated - according to his fellow Marines, Massey's own admissions, and the five journalists who were embedded with Massey's unit, including a reporter and photographer from the Post-Dispatch and reporters from The Associated Press and The Wall Street Journal.

Kudos to Ron Harris, of the St. Louis Dispatch for following up on the story, something the libs never do if it's destructive to America. After all, it has to be true if America's at fault doesn't it? If it's not true, it should have been because we all know America is depraved and evil.

Here's a link to the whole article: OUTSTANDING . Some are suggesting that we drop Harris a note thanking him for his diligence and perserverance for the truth.

Funny thing is, the libs will defend this guy and still call him a hero. Just like Kerry....

Watch and see.

UPDATE: The Gateway Pundit picks up on this theme detailing some great commonalities between the two.

Liberal Progress....

2005-11-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

The much admired France - again leading the way showing the benefits of progressive liberal ideas:

Intifada in France
Srdja Trifkovic

The northern industrial suburbs of Paris suffered the worst of eight consecutive nights of rioting on November 3-4. Disorder has now spread to dozens of provincial towns, including Dijon, the first city outside Ile-de-France (the metropolitan region) to be affected by unrest. Hundreds of cars, as well as schools, stores, and warehouses have been torched or ransacked. A disabled French woman, unable to escape from a bus set alight by the rioters in Sevran (Dept. Seine-Saint-Denis), was badly burned. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy noted “a great coordination” among rioters, hinting that the unrest was far from spontaneous.

The rioters are mainly young, French-born North African males. Last week in the Parisian banlieu of Clichy-sous-Bois—a concrete and steel high-rise monstrosity that is now over 80 percent Muslim—they rose in anger when two teenagers were accidentally electrocuted while hiding from the police in a fenced-off area housing a high-voltage pylon. Shouting “Allahu akbar!” groups of youths armed with clubs and sticks went on a rampage forcing the regular police to retreat. When the riot police came in force to reclaim the area, the protests became focused on the demand that the French police get out of the “occupied territories.” The trouble would be ended, various Muslim “community leaders” claimed, if the French authorities accepted that there were de facto no-go areas within the country which should be self-administered. “All we demand is to be left alone,” said Mouloud Dahmani, one of the local “emirs” engaged in negotiations to persuade the French to withdraw the police and allow a committee of sheiks, mostly from the Muslim Brotherhood, to negotiate an end to the hostilities.

The demand is not new and it will be made with increasing frequency in the years to come. Many Muslims in France and elsewhere in Europe already consider themselves de facto autonomous, a community justifiably opposed to the broader society of infidels and centered on mosques and Islamic centers. The emergence of a huge diaspora of the faithful away from the heartland is seen by pious Muslims as an event archetypically linked to conquest. The demand for the predominantly Muslim areas to be granted communal self-rule will inevitably lead to the clamoring for the sharia law in a segregated Muslim France.

Assimilation is no longer a viable option in France, the country that used to pride itself on its ability to turn foreigners into Frenchmen. That was possible with the Italians, Spaniards, Poles and Russians becauyse they were culturally assimilable and because they came in tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands even (e.g., the non-French Pieds-Noirs), but not in the millions. The Muslims now account for ten percent of France’s population and for more than one-fifth of all newborns. They live in compact communities in which it is no longer possible to buy wine in a local store or to see Amelie in a cinema. Their leaders regard their faith and culture as superior to that of the host society. Those who have doubts wisely keep quiet.

Young Muslim men direct particular violence against Muslim women who try to follow French ways. Many French-born Arab girls in the ghettos resort to wearing hijab as the only protection against face-slashings and gang rapes. Not having one makes a girl fair game for both. (A knife slash across the cheek from the lip to the ear is common, and known as a “smile.”) Samira Bellil, a third-generation woman of Algerian origin, has written a book about the hell of the suburban ghettos. She was was gang raped by three people she knew, but could not say anything because her family would be dishonored. She recalls the case of a girl who was raped in a school: “Of course, everybody knew, but they’re so afraid of these young men that they prefer to close their eyes. That’s the price of peace in the ghettos.”

This reality is light years away from the desire of Gilles Kepel, President Jacques Chirac’s advisor on Islamic affairs, to create “an Andalusia” of multi-denominational tolerance in France. As French commentator Yves Charles Zarka, director of Cités, has warned, even that price cannot maintain the semblance of peace for long because the roots of “ideological Islamism” are deep and enduring among the young rioters. France is experiencing “a central phase of the more general and mutually conflicting encounter between the West and Islam, which only someone completely blind or of radical bad faith, or possibly of disconcerting naiveté, could fail to recognize.” Outside the ghettos the price of a wider societal “peace” is a complex web of lies and half-truths by which the elite class has sought to conceal the truth about what it has done to the French nation.

The real cause of the French intifada is the enormous growth, dysfunctionality, and arrogant self-confidence of the Muslim immigrant community within France, coupled with the cultural enfeeblement and demographic decline of the French nation. The mix is dangerous. Its result has been stated with haughty arrogance by Tariq Ramadan, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and a grandson of Hasan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Ramadan proposes through his teachings and writings that Muslims in the West should conduct themselves not as hyphenated citizens seeking to live by “common values” but as though they were already living in a Muslim-majority society and were exempt on that account from having to make concessions to the faith of others. Muslims in non-Muslim countries should feel themselves entitled to live on their own terms—while, under the terms of Western liberal tolerance, society as a whole should feel obliged to respect that choice.

That “liberal tolerance” and the accompanying “societal obligation,” is the true enemy. “No other race subscribes to these moral principles… because they are weapons of self-annihilation.” They need to be understood for what they are, and discarded, if France is to survive.

The Rockford Institute

Celebrate Ramadan...

2005-10-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

We're having pork roast, gonna read from the Torah and promise our pets and children that we won't strap bombs on them tonight. I know, I know, I'll have to forgo my shot at 75 virgins, because I won't cowardly massacre innocent women and children, but as long as my wife is ok with it I'll just have to live with myself.

May "allah" forgive me.

Oh, by the way, where has Islam ever improved the lives and standard of living of it's citizens? There's a reason why they're all third world nations and when the artificial wealth from the oil runs out, they'll return to their tents, beating their women and having their sheep wander around in constant fear.

Happy Ramadan. Woo-hoo.

Soldiers aren't fit parents.....

2005-10-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

Or so says' a "family" court. A Michigan judge has decreed that National Guard Spc. Joe McNeilly of Grand Ledge isn't fit to be a custodial parent because of his 'Abandonment" of his child while he serves in Iraq. Oh, and don't forget his other horrible offense as a parent - he wrote his child letters and enclosed pictures or postcards of soldiers - with guns. The horror.

What better way for the libs to demoralize the soldiers defending their children than by abusing the court's power to take those children from them, and make no mistake - that is their goal. They're not concerned about the welfare of the child but are simply concerned about the advancement of their agenda - that this country isn't worth defending ($1 to Cindy Sheehan and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream) and being a soldier in the service of this country is morally repugnant.

In this case the court used it's own whimsy and it's power to abrogate parental rights, despite a 5 year joint custody with no problems or reports of abuse. Since when can a court overrule parental rights because the judge has a personal aversion to military service? Well, we now know that answer. This begs the question of what the courts will come up with next. Personally, I can't wait.

The mom's rationale? Who knows for sure, but now, since McNeilly no longer has custody, he has to pay child support. Can you say - follow the money?

If we'd had this kind of mentality/jurisprudence combined with the liberal's vitriolic hatred of all things American during WWII, would we have won? I seriously doubt it. Between this and eminent domain can most Americans desire anyone but conservative judges on the courts? How much rule by whimsy is enough?

You can read the Human Events article here.

SITREP - Outstanding.

2005-10-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

Also, I apologize for being so infrequent. Many of you have been very loyal. However, looks like I'm swamped till Christmas at least, so I will be posting rather infrequently. Please keep checking and thanks.

Now, from our new Director of the JCS:

SITREP Iraq: Tell It to the Troops
Lieutenant General James T. Conway U.S. Marine Corps
Proceedings, October 2005

DOD (R.D. WARD)
One hundred and forty-four years ago last month, the first major battle of the American Civil War had been joined on a small stream named Bull Run, outside Washington D.C. As the fighting neared its climax, a Confederate staff officer galloped his horse up Henry Hill and hailed Brigadier General Thomas Jackson. He shouted above the din of cannon and musketry, "Sir, I fear the battle is lost." Jackson, astride his horse near the crest of the ridge watching the advancing Union brigades, looked over his shoulder at his own brigade of Virginians on the reverse slope, lying prone but at the ready. He then turned his gaze on the officer and responded in a low voice, "You may think it, Sir, but you had best not say it to those troops!"

Jackson's words of so long ago still contain sound advice for those journalists, pundits, and official visitors who journey to Iraq. If you have any misgivings that the Coalition and Iraqi Forces are losing this war against insurgents and terrorists, then you had better not say so in their presence—lest you attract a hostile crowd. The fact is, they get it. They are closest to the action, they feel the momentum shifts, and they know when they have taken the best the enemy can dish out. They know what victory looks like and smells like—and they know it's only a matter of time. This youngest generation of warriors has been a welcome surprise to those of us who weren't certain they would have the discipline, the spirit, the aggressiveness to go forward when shrapnel filled the air and enemy machine guns were talking. Indeed, time will show they are worthy successors to a long line of American heroes who have stepped forward and volunteered for duty at a time when our country needed their services most. They have performed magnificently.

If you ask the troops, they will paint for you the big picture. These are well-read young men and women who grasp the importance of establishing a free and hopefully democratic Iraq, geographically situated in the middle of terrorist producing states that include Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Our people understand that a progressive and prosperous Iraq can help destroy the very roots of the extremist movement in a way that just killing terrorists would never accomplish. They accept that the eventual form of Iraqi government must be an Iraqi decision and therefore understand that the result may not be a mirror image of our own. However, the troops view with satisfaction the steady drumbeat of successes that have occurred over the past several months: The retaking of Fallujah, successful elections, and development of the Transitional National Assembly. A critically important nationwide constitutional referendum will now occur on schedule by mid-October and a new government will be elected by mid-December. Finally they point with justifiable pride to the security conditions they and their Iraqi counterparts have created that have allowed the fledgling government to move forward. Duty in Iraq is hot, dangerous, and dirty work, and some have spent over twenty-four total months in-theater; but the men and women who are there will look you squarely in the eye and say with enthusiasm that their morale is just fine—that they are making a difference for millions of people—and that it's worth their sacrifice.

Soldiers, Marines and our Special Operations Forces will tell you, in plain-spoken terms, that they particularly relish the mission to capture or kill foreign fighters who have come into Iraq. Our troops who were in the ranks during the devastating attacks on 9/11 shared an immediate sense of disillusionment and dismay. The very basis of our National Military Strategy called for U.S. combat forces to engage and defeat our nation's enemies on foreign shores, well before they could reach our homeland. Suddenly that concept was challenged on 9/11. Nineteen fanatics had somehow slipped through our defenses, attacked two of our key cities, and killed almost 3,000 of our countrymen. Events of that day made us reexamine our strategy and reconfirm our beliefs. Today the troops are comfortable that they are once again playing a dominant role, overseas, to defend America from terrorist attack. They believe those violent extremists who might otherwise attempt to enter the U.S. to attack New York, Boston, or San Diego are the same foreign fighters they are facing in Iraq. These terrorists are a dangerous and fanatical enemy, but our warriors will tell you they would much rather deal with them in Iraq than give them the opportunity to attack our unsuspecting and defenseless citizens at home.

U.S. troops in all assigned sectors will readily comment on the steady and sometimes remarkable change in the quality and capability of Iraqi Security Forces. Since May 2004, a period of just 17 months, they have seen the Iraqi Army grow from one battalion with the courage and determination to fight in Fallujah, to over 88 battalions that are trained, equipped, and engaged in counterinsurgency operations. In spite of the deadly explosions and attempts at intimidation by insurgents, there is no shortage of young Iraqi males seeking to join the armed forces. The eventual target is to build Iraqi Security Forces to approximately 300,000 strong. Quality leadership was previously lacking but officer training is now selective and challenging—focused on the tasks at hand. Our troops see the change. They know well the spirit that competent and aggressive leadership can bring to a combat unit. Iraqi and Coalition battalions now "partner" for combined operations, generating greater competence and teamwork. Teams of Coalition advisors work and live with Iraqi battalions to enhance their combat capabilities as well as provide access to Coalition firepower when it's needed. A Marine company commander recently wrote his father from Fallujah:

The Iraqi army troops are doing pretty well. They are friendly, brave, and happy to be working with us. I think they need heavier weapons and better vehicles to fight the bad guys. However, they are fairly sound in the fundamentals of patrolling, VCPs (vehicle check points), and cordons & searches.

The Iraqi people also see the change. In a recent public opinion poll over 80 percent said they now have confidence in the Iraqi Security Forces. The number of hotline tips on insurgent activities provided by Iraqi citizens in recent months has soared. Perhaps most importantly, the insurgents see the change. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the number one terrorist in Iraq, said in a cable to his followers during 2004, "With the spread of the army and police, our future is becoming frightening. . . the problem is you end up having an army and police connected by lineage, blood, and appearance to the people of the region. . . how can we kill their cousins and sons and under what pretext after the Americans start withdrawing? This is the democracy, we will have no pretext. . ."

Our troops are not oblivious, however, to the challenges that Coalition forces will face in Iraq for some time to come. Major portions of the Iraqi population still need reliable electrical power and a clean water supply. Industry, which will employ young Iraqis and perhaps draw them away from life in a labor pool for insurgents, has not yet matured. The porous borders must be sufficiently sealed to prevent Jihadists from filtering into Iraq from neighboring Muslim countries. Iraqi police forces have not yet stepped up to the plate in the way they must to counter an insurgency. Lastly, there is no shortage of available ammunition and explosives for those who would continue the IED attacks. Though less than a quarter of all attacks are successful, those that do cause casualties are becoming increasingly lethal for our troops.

All that said, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines realize that the biggest threat to mission accomplishment does not depend on what the Iraqis do—rather it's what their fellow Americans do. As in any democracy, the support of the population is the center of gravity for continuation of war. Our forces in Iraq know this and so does the enemy. The insurgents realize full well the only chance they have of defeating the U.S. military is to weaken the will of the American population—and every facet of their strategic communications effort is focused on that aim. The insurgents maim and kill the less protected Iraqis—but their real target is that portion of American public opinion that is shaped by the news media. They openly cite our premature withdrawals from Vietnam, Beirut, and Somalia as a national tendency to cut and run if the cost is too severe—and hope to force a repetition in Iraq. For their part, our troops write articles, make statements, and give interviews in an attempt to steel the will of the American public; yet their most fundamental question is "Does our country still support us?" They seek only one answer to the question because they understand failure, forged by premature disengagement, is not truly an option. They realize that a crucial battle in the global war on terrorism, whether it was originally intended that way or not, is being fought in Iraq. Our young warriors understand it is a battle the United States cannot afford to lose. They get it.

LtGen. Conway is the Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has served two combat tours as Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Nagin - perfect example of liberal hypocrisy.

2005-09-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

It's simply nauseating to have to listen to New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin, whine and complain about the efforts of the Federal relief effort (check out Michelle's blog for more details Michelle Malkin). Here's a guy, who led one of the most corrupt, inefficient city governments in the nation, whose own police force is either looting, aiding the looters or turning in their badges because they don't want to take the risk of enforcing the law and the best he can do is blame others for his plight.

He needs to grow a pair and get the log outa his own eye. But what else can we really expect out of libs other than blame America first while refusing to take any responsiblity for their own actions.

The comedy is never ending with these assclowns.

"Finding bread in a grocery store" OR

2005-08-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

Looting to all the non-liberal elites. Take a look at this photo: Liberal Truth

OK, let's state a few facts here:
(1) This is not the first time that "looting" has occurred in a major U.S. city in modern times. It has happened time and time again, and it's perpetuated by the same groups of people each time it happens.
(2) Such looting is not an accident; and it is often pre-meditated or threatened ahead of time. Remember the promises of looting over a guilty OJ verdict?
(3) This same "looting" happened with the Watts riots in California in the 1960's. It happened after the Oakland Earthquake, and after the Rodney King beating. I still remember the photos of the truck driver being ripped out of his truck and beaten to death. It happened during the power black-outs in the Mid-West. And it is happening again in New Orleans.
(4) Thus far, the New Orleans looting is not about hunger. The storm was less than 24-hours old and it was already widespread. Besides, you don't need to loot a "Best Buy" or sporting goods store to feed your family. This looting is about selfishness and greed -- justified by a political ideology that excuses criminal actions with the rhetoric of class warfare. I argue that this looting is a learned behavior, taught and practiced in many cities in our Nation.

Looting has become a new entitlement for our urban poor, just listen to the libs justify it. Now the trigger for the looting may vary. This week it's a flood; last year it was a power outage; and maybe next year it will be because of particular court room verdict or election result. But these triggers are never the actual reason for the looting.

The "reason" provided for the looting always lies within the various justifications. Justifications like: "the wealthy deserved it"; "this is in return for racism"; or "we are oppressed".
This begs the question, from whom did our urban poor learn this mentality?

Well, let's see. When the looters try to rationalize their illegal actions with the socio-political terminology of Leftist propagandists, you are seeing the direct fruits of Left wing ideology.
And when then you see the Democratic Underground (save a few sane voices) defending their actions, that is also a clear connection as well.

The poor are kept as a permanent victim class by "The Great Society" programs put into place by LBJ and the continuing dialogue of the elitists heading the Democratic party. Our poor are kept in environments of permanent despair and decay, and their anger is nurtured like a cash crop by the American Left. Any attempt to break the cycle, whether through school choice, welfare reform or enforcement of drug laws is met with shrieking disapproval from the Left. They don't want the status quo to ever change any more than they want the terrorists locked up in Gitmo. Poverty and misery are their best sellers.

It is precisely the counter-cultural rhetoric of the Left that has put the notions of "oppressors", "hierarchical structures" and "revolution" in the minds and mouths of these looters. Having nurtured the conditions, they now see to reap the harvest. Revolution is now defined as the violent transfer of property and power from the working class to the non-working class.

When you see this justified/rationalized brand of "looting" at every possible opportunity, what you are really seeing is a form of trained behavior and a muted form of "practice" revolution.
And you can thank the "visionaries" of the Left for that.

Update: Here's a Reuter's article describing the Class Divisions and excusing the looting due to the oppressed status of the thieves (their poverty is now THE "crime" while the looting is understandable) in case any doubted. Stay tuned for more.

Sorry for being away...

2005-08-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

got swamped with work and Anniversary, so have been out of touch. Got a few things to finish up then will be back on track next week.

Thanks and God bless.

Collateral Damage and RU-486

2005-08-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Bill from IDC launches into some more kind of tirade against Michelle Malkin for her posting about the deaths of at least 4 women from the use of the abortion inducing drug RU-486. He, somewhat shrilly, indicts her for "shoehorning science and medicine in order to fit an ideological agenda, misrepresenting risk and utilizing hyperbole". How hypocritical.

He "demonstrates", based on numbers supplied by the company who produces the product (wonder if he gets his "tobacco is safe" info from RJ Reynolds) the supposed complications rate per application. He then compares this favorably to the higher death rates for an anti-depressant (which is taken daily for a whole year.) Lets see, one treatment, versus 365 treatments. OK, that works for libs. There are nearly as many women dying from this drug as were dying from the much ballyhooed "back-street abortions" before Roe v. Wade. So we're still killing women who want abortions, but the libs want to defend this with their lives, they're only satisfied as long as babies and women are killed the way they want. The goal is more abortion, women dying are just collateral damage.

Bill then goes on to compare the mortality rate versus that of giving birth. Again, a poor use of statistics. Several problems with this - first of all, almost 100% of the incidents of women with childbirth are reported. I would easily imagine, that many/most abortion clinics don't report complications from either an abortion or the use of the RU-486. They've not been the best source for this type of info in the past, it's doubtful they would have suddenly seen the light and decided disclosure and transparency were to their advantage. No, what they do is best done in the dark.

Secondly, comparing the health of a mother at 8 or 10 weeks of pregnancy, versus that of the mortality of taking the drug at this time is no contest. The mothers are much better off (not to mention the babies they are carrying.) Third, RU-486 doesn't affect the mortality rates of childbirth. It is generally the richer, healthier women that buy the drug, those that can afford good health care anyway. Their mortality rate is virtually nil due to their ability to have good medical care before and during delivery. It is the sick, poor, druggie, rural folks who still will experience the highest mortality rates and who will not be "given" RU-486.

The whole comparison is bogus to begin with.

In addition, RU-486 is not prescribed for an illness or is it medically necessary for the health of the patient(s). It in fact, has over a 50% fatality rate - which obviously is its goal. There simply is no medical, ethical or philosophical need for this drug. What Bill and other libs miss completely is that the women's deaths are unnecessary.

It is, for the conservatives, still an issue of life and protecting it, an issue of protecting both lives.

Update: Just came across this great medical discussion of the effects of RU-486 and a possible rationale for the deaths by infection. Good Read - Hyscience

The Religion of the Leftist Elite...

2005-08-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

In a largely overlooked editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Former Energy Secretary James Schlesinger succulently elaborates on the primary fallacy behind the cult of Global Warming. Besides the obvious but little noted fact in the MSM that GW has developed a cult following, is the bigger fact that GW is not a fact. At least not the GW that the Libs are always harping on - that GW is primarily a result of human actions and can be corrected by human actions.

Secretary Schlesinger points out 3 critical aspects in his commentary. First, that the science behind it is often not science and this particular claim is certainly not accepted by all scientists familiar with the subject. He points out there are scientists who don't bend the knee before this god and surrender their scientific objectivity for the sake of political correctness (where can one read about these guys??) Secondly he shows the Kyoto treaty will do nothing to improve the situation, that even the Europeans can't keep the agreement they so chastised the US for not signing, and thirdly (and fundamentally) that "science is not a matter of consensus, as the histories of Galileo, Copernicus, Pasteur, Einstein and others will attest". The mainstream of science has been wrong more often than the French have surrendered (hat tip to Piltdown Man among others.)

It is an outstanding article and worthy of a few minutes consideration.

BWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

2005-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

I have seen it all. And I thought (stupid me) that the elitist tinsel town Dims couldn't do anything else that would surprise me.

I was wrong, so very, very wrong. This is priceless. Where's MasterCard's Marketing Department when you need it?

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS???

Fabulous, simply fabulous. Can we dream - this may be the first time in history where the Dims have two women running for the Presidency.... While we're dreaming, can you imagine the genius who wrote this running for the nation's highest office?

"If you want to learn how to build a house, build a house. Don't ask anybody, just build a house." C. Walken.

Feel free to write me and tell me this is a joke. I'm not kidding.

Libs are renewing their zeal...

2005-08-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

by following in their grandest tradition, that of hoping for America's defeat by her enemies. In the 60's it was Vietnam that inspired Hanoi Jane (now Jihad Jane) and her cronies. We all heard of the glories of the communist way, it's enlightened management of human potential and how the US shouldn't interfere in resisting the people's will. The lib's, aided by the MSM, constant sniping at America's effort to provide for a democratic process (isn't it amazing that libs can redefine the "people's will" as desirous of a murderous totalitarian dictatorship while free and open elections are "evil", but I digress) ultimately undermined America's support for the troops and the will to fight for freedom (forget Pay any price, Bear any burden", it's "Take it to the UN and the court of world opinion!")

Well 30 years later, we've got an equally erudite group and they are still true to their principles refined during the Vietnam war - never missing an opportunity to distort what has happened in Iraq or gloat over the death of American soldiers. Take the N.Y. Times Frank Rich's latest column Someone tell Frank Rich he's an idiot where he barely can contain his enthusiasm in painting a picture of American defeat. Again, notice how the libs redefine the meaning of words. Saddamn has been removed, his sons killed, free elections have been held, by a massive turnout, a Constitution is just days away from being approved, the incidence of IED's has declined greatly, power/schools/services have been restored beyond what was possible under Hussein, and the US and it's allies are targeted for major withdrawals next year - far surpassing the 9 year occupations of Germany and Japan, but this is "DEFEAT."

How lucky are we this party didn't exist in WWII. We'd all be goose-stepping and saying "Sieg Heil" (of course, next time the Germans invade France, I vote we let them keep it.) To read Rich's article, one would think we did nothing of value in Iraq, save for constant missteps and mindless acts of futility. Then you realize, hey, this is the NY Times! Who can trust it? Just peruse Rich's article for numerous statements of well, non-fact (he must be trying to be the NYT's next Pulitzer Prize winner.)

Rich, for example, takes one obscure article about recruiting for the Army, (he doesn't give a cite) and then boldly proclaims that "Bush... has lost the Army." Be it far from a NYT editor to seek out the truth, but with all the online blogs from military personnel and the troops in Iraq - one could modestly hold some hope for that penetrating research the old gray lady is known for. The facts are, that Bush and the war in Iraq is supported by the vast majority of the troops involved. They actually get to meet with the Iraqi citizens and see their efforts and appreciation for the Coalition's help. In addition, the Air Force, Navy and Marines have all met their recruiting goals. Interesting, the one that bears the heaviest casualties (Marines) is still meeting it's recruiting goals. Do you think there's a snowball's chance of reading that on the front page of the Times??

This is only one distortion/lie in the article. There are too many (start off with Rich's regarding Wilson's Report on the Niger Yellowcake story as authoritative when it's poor construction/ research/ methodology was what started the whole Palme affair) to detail, but Rich is most impressive in his track record for error. The distortions are simply too many, and Rich is not alone in this talent among liberal commentators. The libs as a group, particularly their leadership, continues to "blame America first" while chanting the mantra of her enemy. First it was Ho Chi Minh, now the Dims are Bin Laden's greatest asset and ally. And yes, if you are wondering, I am questioning their allegiance.

It is impossible to claim support for someone, while doing everything you can to undermine their efforts. That is, unless your a liberal. This is America's Democratic Party, with a jackass as their mascot (how appropriate,) and the white flag of surrender as their banner (the French forgot to copyright it). Everyone knows, America's stated enemies hate President Bush and the American troops with a passion. Isn't it interesting that is also the Democrat's primary position/emotion and basis for their every action? If it walks like a duck......

The Great Great Raid...

2005-08-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

In yet another example of the great disconnect between the liberal media and mainstream America, the reviews of Miramax's latest release The Great Raid have been less than stellar. Well, to hell with them. I'm telling you, go sell all you have and buy a ticket to watch it. Most of the criticism reflects around the whiney "lack of character development" which means, none of the characters are running around buck nakked yelling the f-word.

This is not a story of "characters" but of unusual courage, audacity and fidelity. It is the story of warriors, not of individual nuances or of those seeking their own glory. And that makes it absolutely glorious. This the story of honorable men, who conducted themselves in the best tradition of the United States military. And that makes it anathema to the libs.

I hope this does as "poorly" as Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ. Something about the critics dislike of the character development in that one rings a bell....

Update: A special thanks to Powerline for the kind mention. I'm feelin' all cocky now that I've made Powerline. I prolly won't blog with the same humilty and political sensitivity in the future. :-)

Sincerely a warm welcome to all the Powerline readers. Thanks for coming.

The hits just keep coming...

2005-08-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

First, sorry for the delay posting. Been making some changes to the blog and work has me swamped. Now on to the hits.

A quick question for all = how many times will the MSM continue to repeat the lie that there was no WMD in Iraq? I wish one of them would have the decency to inform the Marines who just discovered a ChemWep plant in Mosul - Saddamn's hometown and the place where he sons assumed room temperature. The Marines found over 1500 gallons of chemicals necessary for the manufacture of chemical WMD. The exact nature hasn't been released yet or who had the expertise to build the plant and handle the chemicals. In it's usual outstanding work, Counterterrorism Blog also gave pertinent testimony by Charles Duelfer (leader of Iraq Survey Group) before Congress in March of 2004. The pertinent quote: " Iraq did have facilities suitable for the production of biological and chemical agents needed for weapons. It had plans to improve and expand and even build new facilities." With the MSM obsessed over ignoring the facts, there is little doubt this discovery will get the attention it deserves in the MSM. But who really believes they are trying to present the factual news anyway?

Next, you can't love libs without loving their gift for redefining the accepted meanings of words in the English language. Here's a great example regarding NARAL's most recent distortion of the historical record. This time their target wasn't the assassination of defenseless babies, it was the character and good name of Judge Roberts. In Michelle Malkin's blog (via the Post) she lists a quote which struck me as another occasion to love libs for their entertainment value. Here is Kerry advisor Jim Jordan talking about NARAL's SNAFU: "The problem is our politically impractical insistence on always residing on the moral high ground" There you have it. Intentionally lying about a man's actions to discredit him and ruin his opportunity for advancement is now "the moral high ground."

There is just nothing else I can add to that.

Update: http://www.powerlineblog.com/ has photos and details an AP distortion. Shock.

Righteous Indignation is now officially "hate speech"

2005-07-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

and is also "threatening". This according to a report filed by WNBC . They cover the story of Arlene Scala, Chair of Women's Studies at William Paterson University, who filed a complaint for discrimination, intimidation and sexual harassment against 63 year old Jihad Daniel, an employee and student at Paterson.

His offense? After receiving an email from Scala, promoting a homosexual film (Ruthie and Connine: Every Room in the House', a lesbian relationship story") he responded to Scala (by clicking on the link provided ) and stated:

"Do not send me any mail about 'Connie and Sally' and 'Adam and Steve.' These are perversions. The absence of God in higher education brings on confusion. That is why in these classes the Creator of the heavens and the earth is never mentioned."

And that's it. In it's entirety. The whole shebang (did I just now violate some sexual harassment standard?). Upon receiving this request, Scala fired off a complaint to the university claiming that Daniel's email was "threatening" and was discriminatory. The school's President concluded that Daniel violated the school's discrimination policy and issued a letter of Reprimand which was to be placed in his file.

So now, a person with sincere religious beliefs, who does not want to be on someone's email list, who emails them only once and who gives his reasons privately for not wanting to be on the list, is guilty of discrimination? What's next, prosecute people who asked to be removed from spam lists for Restraint of Trade or some violation of the Commerce Clause?

It's simply not enough for liberal colleges to proclaim they are bastions of free speech and thought, they must actually pretend like it on occasion.

**UPDATE: Daniel's cause has been taken up by FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education). You can find out more at their site: FIRE

The loss of the ruling elite.

2005-07-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Most telling of Libs perspective on the SCOTUS is Senator Schumer's comments on Judge Roberts nomination and hearings before the Senate:

. . It is vital that Judge Roberts answer a wide range of questions openly, honestly and fully in the coming months.

His views will affect a generation of Americans, and it his obligation during the nomination process to let the American people know those views.

In a editorial, the New York Sun takes Schumer to task and reminds us of Schumer's prior rebukes from Judge Roberts and fellow Senators about his inappropriate line of questioning during Judge Roberts earlier confirmation. The interesting thing is not that the libs would do something inappropriate, that's pretty much the norm. No, it's the implication by Schumer that SCOTUS judges should let the "American people know those views" -- WHICH is entirely reasonable IF you believe the Supreme Court is responsible to make new law. If you view the Supreme Court as an extension of the Congress, an arm to effect legislation that Congress itself won't pass, then it's logical to demand that any new appointees (dictators for life?) should reveal their feelings toward various positions.

Many libs have oft scoffed at Conservatives talking about court activism. There is an effort underway to redefine someone who would rule according to the original intent of the Founding Fathers as an "activist judge" for it is likely he would vote to repeal bad law (laws not voted on by the representatives of the people.) Only to libs, would that be a bad thing. This is the true test of Conservatives versus Liberals: Are we a nation of "rule by law" or are we a nation of "rule by men." We thank Senator Schumer for clearly delineating this distinction for us.

Kerry is unconscionable

2005-07-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

If any, and I do mean any, had lingering doubts as to John Kerry's integrity or sense of honor, let all doubt be removed. He simply has none. But that's why he makes such a good lib. Examine, if you will, his latest pronouncement from Foxnews:

WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. John Kerry urged the White House on Friday to release "in their entirety" all documents and memos from Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' tenure in two Republican administrations. "We cannot do our duty if either Judge Roberts or the Bush administration hides elements of his professional record," said the Massachusetts senator who was his party's presidential candidate last year.

Surely, surely someone, somewhere, in the MSM will simply reply to Kerry "Can you say medical records?" Oh, in their entirety. Only a man with no conviction can so brazenly demand from someone else, something he's so unwilling to provide himself. And there you have John Kerry, the leader of the Dims. And that is the best they can do?

Rove - a bunch of hooya about nothing.

2005-07-15T07:49:00.000-07:00

While the Dims rant about Rove's supposed treachery (is that pot kettle black??) in leaking the name of a covert agent, Mr. Wilson (the supposed covert agent's husband) has had some interesting things to say according to Newsday (sorry, can't get hyperlinks to work http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/sns-ap-cia-leak-rove,0,4798469,print.story?coll=nyc-nationhome-headlines ), it appears, from Mr. Wilson's own mouth, that he admits his wife wasn't a covert op at the time the story was published. His statement was "My wife was not a clandestine officer the day that Bob Novak blew her identity," while, according to reports, she hadn't been a covert op for years. Are the Dims gonna argue it's illegal to discuss ANY CIA employee?

Not only that, but the Wilson's themselves were "liberal" with "outing" Mrs. Palme. In the Washington Times, (http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050715-121257-9887r.htm ">Washington Times), Fred Rustman, a former undercover agent, stated that the Wilson's were very open about their employers, including Mrs. Palme(Wilson's) job at the CIA. He stated emphatically "She made no bones about the fact that she was an agency employee and her husband was a diplomat" Anybody find it hypocritical that Wilson wants Rove fired for the same thing he did? If you don't your a Dim.

She wasn't covert, she was telling neighors and people she met she worked at the agency. So the Dims are just doing what they do best, becoming more insignifigant every day by focusing/hyping beyond belief, non-issues and leading their flock of sheep on about a non-existant grand conspiracy of evil. Typical.

Again, waiting on all the facts to come out.... but one thing is relatively clear - IF Bush had lost the election, this wouldn't be a story or a problem. The Dims are still just mad they lost.

Saw where Mary Jo Kopechne would be 65...

2005-07-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

This year, if she'd never met Ted Kennedy that is.

I can't help but watch the dims labor on about Rove and integrity, while watching one of their main mouthpieces on the subject continue to hide his actions on that fatal night, July 18th, 1969 in Chappaquiddick.

When Sen. Ted Kennedy was merely just another bloated Democrat making grand pronouncements on behalf of liberal causes, it was just preferable to ignore this degenerate, drunk. But now that he's feeling free to position himself as the judge and jury of moral positions, well, I liked him better with his mouth shut - which is relative of course.

But the time has come for decent people to rise up - righteously indignant - and remind a new generation why this drunk had to abandon his presidential bid in back in 1980. It's time to point out the type of men the modern liberal democratic party looks to as leaders.

As is often the case, Republicans have kept silent about their opponents nature and actions. But it is time to remind people that this Liberal "Icon of Integrity" left Miss Kopechne behind in an overturned car to suffocate and drown beneath the Edgartown Bridge on July 1969. The "Senator" married, with 5 other married men and 6 single women, had after a night of drinking and partying, taken the attractive and young blonde campaign worker for a ride. A ride which resulted in her tragic death. But most Americans under 35 have never heard that story, or details of how Kennedy ran the car off the bridge, got himself out, swam to safety (did anyone ever see him wet?), never tried to free Miss Kopechne or notify anyone for 9 hours that a wreck had occurred. No one remembers why it was he didn't seek help in a lighted house only yards from the bridge or use the fire-alarm phone at a fire station he passed on the way back to the party. No one knows why the next morning two of his buddies were waiting for him at 9 A.M. to catch the first ferry across the river his car was in. At that time, the ferry operator said Kennedy appeared to be in a jovial mood, but that was probably lasted until he was told that his Oldsmobile had been found in the river. Wouldn't you hate being reminded you drowned a girl the night before? Talk about a mood spoiler. Oh, and only then did Kennedy report the accident to the police. Then then police chief was kind enough to vacate his office so Kennedy and his friends could wait in comfortable surroundings and continue their strategy planning session.

He even tried to get Joe Garghan to say he was behind the wheel at the time of the accident. We all know perjury is the felony of choice for Libs. Not only that, he used his powers in the state of Massachusetts to get the court records sealed. How many "ordinary citizens" can get a court to seal records of a drunk driving incident?? Why is it the Dims are always refusing to release info? Anybody seen Kerry's complete medical records yet?

Anyway, back to Ted, most young voters don't know how Miss Kopechne, trapped inside Kennedy's Oldsmobile, gasped for air in the footwell of the car until she finally suffocated, while the Democrats' leader went back to his compound to nap, and then encourage his cousin to commit conspiracy while formulating the best alibi he could think of.

Neither does Generation X know how Kennedy was thrown out of Harvard on his ear 15 years earlier -- for paying a fellow student to take his Spanish final. Or, why the US Army denied him a commission because he cheated on tests.

As anyone listens to the Democrats' leader accuse President Bush of "telling lie after lie after lie" to get America to go to war in Iraq, young voters don't know about that infamous 1991 Easter weekend in Palm Beach, when Uncle Teddy rounded up his boys (nephews) for a night on the town, an evening that ended with one of them credibly accused of rape. Was he teaching them the tricks of the trade that night?

It's time for Republicans to state unabashedly that they will no longer tolerate it when it comes to Uncle Ted's rants about deception and moral failings inside the Bush White House. It's time for the Republicans to grow a pair, by showing everyone what a fraud and fake Teddy really is.

The Democratic Party should be ashamed to have this lying, drunken disgrace as their spokesman. Of course, without Kennedy, they'd be left with Kerry or Pelosi, so it really doesn't matter does it? Integrity just ain't a thang with Dims.

London only further proof of the demise of Al Quaeda.

2005-07-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

While the world wrings it's hands and weeps (everyone except the Brits - they're going on about their business) over the London Bombings, many interesting details are being overlooked. While certainly I do not seek to diminish or play down the loss of life, I believe history will more note the relative ineffectiveness of the attack, versus the loss of life. That's right, this attack shows how weak AQ has become.

Four bombs - in one of the largest, most densely packed cities in the world. Four bombs - in a crowded mass transit system - in a major metropolitan center. Four separate bombs, and only 50 to possibly 75 dead - out of 10's of thousands using the system, out of several million living in the city. A train or ferry accident - usually kills more people. The key to this is not that AQ struck - everyone knows that a man who's willing to give his life, can't be stopped from taking others with him. It's the Secret Service's greatest fear in guarding the President. While the Secret Service goes to great lengths to prevent such attacks on the President, obviously such efforts are simply not workable or available for everyday citizens. So we'll always have, in a free and open society, this exposure to homicide bombers. The key is not that the 4 bombs went off within minutes. Setting your watch to agree with 3 other persons is not a hugely difficult technical accomplishment - unless your a muslim bomber I guess.

The key is that AQ is being reduced to using firecrackers, compared to dynamite. If this attack had been planned and executed before Iraq, before 9/11, it is likely that hundreds or thousands would have died. But AQ doesn't have the goods. They're being used up in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. It's been said that AQ has concentrated it's efforts in Iraq, fearing it's loss of a great ally and the beginnings of democracy in the bed of Islamic totalitarian dictatorships that are the Middle East. This is AQ's worst nightmare, and London is further proof that AQ's assets (men) and material (explosives) are being methodically destroyed. It can't even muster more than 10 kilos of explosive strike at the heart of one of it's greatest enemies.

Simply, we're winning the war. As AQ becomes more desperate, it reveals only their failing condition. We will still get our nose bloodied from time to time, as will the Brits, but there is no doubt, we're kicking their arse.

Why is it....

2005-06-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

that the "people" who have a such a fit over the phrase "One nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance (or on our coin), who fight tooth and nail to keep prayers from being said before school related athletic events, who go to the courts to prevent Christmas songs from being sung in the classroom and nativity scenes from being placed on the town square during the Christams season, are the same ones who are soiling themselves over the U.S. military's supposed lack of sensitivity to the religious beliefs and practices of the muslim terrorists at Gitmo?

Speaking of doing away with Gitmo, which lib wants to house the inmates in his back yard??

This was just too good to miss.....

2005-06-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Libs and major media have waxed long and hard attempting to come up with some evidence of Republican Filibusters of Judicial Nominees. In this article by Edward Whelan , further light is shed on this non-event. In talking about a hypothetical nominee, Mr. Whelan writes:

"...Let’s assume, for example, that this nominee had expressed strong sympathy for the position that there is a constitutional right to prostitution as well as a constitutional right to polygamy.

Let’s say, further, that he had attacked the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts as organizations that perpetuate stereotyped sex roles and that he had proposed abolishing Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and replacing them with a single androgynous Parent’s Day.

And, to get really absurd, let’s add that he had called for an end to single-sex prisons on the theory that if male prisoners are going to return to a community in which men and women function as equal partners, prison is just the place for them to get prepared to deal with women.

Let’s further posit that this nominee had opined that a manifest imbalance in the racial composition of an employer’s work force justified court-ordered quotas even in the absence of any intentional discrimination on the part of the employer. But then, lo and behold, to make this nominee even more of a parody of an out-of-touch leftist, let’s say it was discovered that while operating his own office for over a decade in a city that was majority-black, this nominee had never had a single black person among his more than 50 hires."

The nominee ends up to be not so mythical. It was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Senate confirmed her appointment to the Supreme Court by a vote of 96-3. If the Libs and the MSM really want to be honest about Republican Filibusters, they should be ripping them for not using it. But if they did that, we wouldn't have anything to laugh at.

Brainless Blackmun...

2005-05-31T11:49:00.000-07:00

while most observers of the Supreme Court have little doubt as to Justice Blackmun's incompetence, his own notes and papers provide stunning evidence of just how true this was. In a most interesting article, Brains Behind Blackmun, David Garrow reveals how Blackmun left most of his significant opinions to the whimsy of his clerks. Not only did he not provide them guidance as to constructing of the various opinions (including Roe v Wade, Bowers, Webster...), he was often unaware of what his opinions, over his signature, contained.

Now we know, to pass Liberal muster for a Supreme Court seat, you must not only be willfully ignorant of the law, but willfully ignorant of your own opinions. No wonder Bork didn't stand a chance.

Let's hear them talk about how they saved the Constitution again. Their rank hypocrisy just never tires.

Saddam birthed Al Quaeda in Iraq...

2005-05-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

How many times have we had to listen to libs loudly proclaiming that Saddam had nothing to do with Al Quaeda? Despite the fact that you can usually tell how wrong libs are by their decibel level and shrillness, this one just jumps off the B.S. meter. Ignoring the huge amounts of evidence presented by Iraqi intelligence officers, the public knowledge of Saddam paying families of suicide bombers, the evidence that Hussein's intelligence staff spent months before the U.S. attack destroying documents and computers with any pertinent information stored on them, the evidence of the mukhabarat training "Arab's" at
Salmon Pak in hijacking a plane without weapons (does that ring a bell?), the libs continually, steadfastly keep repeating the mantra that Saddam had nothing to do with Al Quaeda or terrorism against the US specifically. It's as if a Moslem terrorist leader, who tried to assassinate an American President, who was forced to give up captured lands and oil by the US, would go after everyone else but the US. Who really believes that? Do the libs really, honestly believe that or do they just hate W so much, that they don't care what lies they conjure up?

I know this will come as a shock to many, but there's even more evidence that they're wrong again. Former Iraqi premier Iyad Allawi revealed to the Arab daily al-Hayat that information discovered by the Iraqi secret service in the archives of the Saddam Hussein regime shows Saddam's early support of Al Quaeda and it's 'birthing' in Iraq. The #2 man in Al Quaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, visited Iraq under a false name in September 1999 to take part in the ninth Popular Islamic Congress. The article quotes Allawi stating:

"Saddam's government "sponsored" the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, coordinating with other terrorist groups, both Arab and Muslim. 'The Iraqi secret services had links to these groups through a person called Faruq Hajizi, later named Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and arrested after the fall of Saddam's regime as he tried to re-enter Iraq. Iraqi secret agents helped terrorists enter the country and directed them to the Ansar al-Islam camps in the Halbija area,' he said.

The former prime minister claims that Saddam's regime sought to involve even Palestinian Abu Nidal - head of a group once considered the world's most dangerous terrorist organization - in its terrorist circuit. Abu Nidal's organization was responsible for terrorist attacks in some 20 countries, killing more than 300 people and wounding hundreds more."

Interesting. It's known that Saddam invited Al Quaeda's #2 man al-Zawahiri, to Iraq in 1999, brought in "The Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi" where according to Allawi he began to form a terrorist cell, coordinated Al Quaeda's contacts with other terrorist organizations including efforts to link it with Abu Nidal, afterwards training unknown Arabs in hijacking and hostage taking, but it's all of no import to libs.

W was right, and he's owed an apology. We'll now wait for the libs to do the right thing, but we won't hold our breath.

My take on the Republican French Victory...

2005-05-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

First and perhaps foremost, it would seem that you can take McCain and Frists name out of the 2008 nomination pot. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but I could also be streaching to find the silver lining. Let's face it, McCains a nut and a RINO, and Frist simply isnt electable. Obviously, neither have the backbone to lead the party. Then, I got to experience McCain and Byrd grandstand, which made me sick to my stomach.

Second, the deal is nothing more than a delay of the inevitable. The Deanocrats can still filibuster whensoever they please and the Senate can exercise the Constitutional option should the libs filibuster when its not an extraordinary circumstance. Two of the seven French, err GOP, Senators who lost their nerve can claim, based on the three that will be voted on, that an originalist philosophy could not be considered an extraordinary circumstance and move for cloture. The media will say they are breaking the deal, the GOP loses that fight regardless.

Bottom line, the deal sucks, but its not as big of a deal as it seems. It does point out a huge vacuum of principled, determined leadership in the Republicans. This will come back to haunt them later. I personally would love to see McCain look Saad and Myers in the eye, but Mephistopheles, aka "sheets" Byrd, could do it easily. In this case, having no conscience is an asset.

Personally, Id rather use the option today and lose the media fight now, while most are not paying attention, rather than when the world is watching when Rehnquist steps down. If I was Bush, Id get Estrada to the floor now, to test everyones will, before we have a battle over the Supreme Court.

It's official, SEC is committed to screwing investors...

2005-05-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

Not sure I thought I'd ever see this day, but watching some of the latest shenanigans at the SEC, particularly with the SEC's Division of Market Regulation, headed by Ann Nazareth, leaves little doubt that protecting the investor is a rather low priority.

The primary issue apparently concerns Strategic Naked Short Selling. This is where a company (think Soros Hedge Fund here), sells a stock it doesn't own. Normally, in short-selling, the stock will have to eventually be purchased by the seller and supplied to the buyer. This aids in liquidity of the market. Easy enough. The control on the damage short selling could cause is the requirement to supply the actual stock at a later date and the "up-tick" rule (more later).

But the difference here is in the word "strategic" - that in some of the smaller cap stocks, the buyer never goes out and buys the stock. He just keeps shorting and shorting - forcing the companies price lower and lower. This in turn, makes it impossible for them to raise capital and eventually forces them into bankruptcy. Happily, for the seller,he is then clear of any responsibility to ever supply the stock to the unfortunate buyers. His profits from the sale of the stock is his to keep.

While not common on the NYSE or AMEX, the complaint's have come frequently, and with increasing frustration from the OTC market - where a lot of companies historically have started. The claim from many of these small cap companies is that the SEC and DTC (Depository Trust Company) not only overlook, but even contribute to this ruining of American companies by their tacit agreement or direct aid by not requiring delivery of the shares - in effect creating phantom shares not issued by the company. The DTC will credit a buyer's account with shares that were not actually procured in the market, they just tell the broker to reflect them in the account (simplified, but accurate.)

Now of course, Ms. Nazareth - who has been nominated for a Commission seat, and who ultimately is charged with overseeing these type of infractions, has denied that Strategic Naked Shorting exists. She's indicated it's just whiney shareholders who can't handle their liquor or something. Here's where it gets interesting.

The SEC recently, on the small cap companies, eliminated the "down-tick" rule. This has been an important safeguard to keep the price of the stock from being driven down by continuous short shelling. Simply, a short can't be executed unless the price just increased, if even only by a small amount. Now, the shorts can be continuiously executed and systematically force the price down. That's just wrong.

Next, the SEC has granted the DTC (and it's sister the NSCC) limited liability for "direct losses caused by the NSCC's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or violation of Federal securities laws for which there is a private right of action."
Protect Me!

Read that again. That's right.... The DTC/NSCC can't be sued for actual damages, by investors, if they willfully screwed the same investors over. The agency charged with protecting investors, has ruled that companies willfully violating U.S. Securities Law to the detriment of U.S. shareholders, are protected by statue. IF Nazareth is correct, and this type of intentional fraud - Strategic Short Selling - doesn't go on, then why does the DTC/NSCC need such protection??

But it gets even better. Guess who is one of the main "owners" of the DTC?? Would you believe our own Federal Reserve? Now, understand this - the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Reserve System is Rodger Ferguson. Guess who's married to Ferguson? It's simply beautiful. Let me give you a hint. Who's responsible for regulating the DTC? Bingo.

Ms. Ann Nazareth is also Mrs. Rodger Ferguson. Isn't somewhat akin to the fox watching the henhouse? Can a spouse legally have regulatory authority/oversight for the other spouse?? What a great country. Do you wonder what would happen to President Bush's Private Accounts and investing in general, if this kind of intentional fraud, perpetuated by the Regulators themselves, is revealed? I think the time's drawing near for such discovery. Several lawsuits have been filed, a Federal court has finally ordered the DTC to turn over it's actual records to a company (Eagletech: EATC) where two different shareholders each claim to own certificates for the Outstanding shares (should be impossible without some fraud occurring.) Why wouldn't the DTC release the company's records anyway?

There needs to be answers. Until then, can you name me one woman who doesn't need a position on the Commission??

The absolute best thing to ever happen to the Republicans....

2005-05-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

is Howard Dean becoming the leader of the Democratic Party. Now, not only has their fundraising fallen to levels matched only by their principles, but they are now able to wallow in their folly in a much more entertaining way. I'm just all breathless waiting for the next Dean attempt at the Rebel Yell (Yeagh!) or his pronouncements that the tax cuts will "bankrupt" this country. If I owned one of the Major Media outlets, I'd give Dean his own show. I'm shocked Visa hasn't contacted him for a "priceless" ad.

Now however, after watching his latest performance on NBC's "Meet the Press", I noticed he's gone off into something that he knows even less about than politics - theology. He stated that he "doesn't go to church all that much," and indicated some frustration that many consider him a non-devoted Christian or non-committed Christian. Dean said: "I consider myself a deeply religious person... and some of the other Christians would dare to say that I'm not a Christian. Frankly, it's what gets my ire up... I am sick of being told what I am and what I am not by other people." Dean added: "I'm a committed Christian. I worship in my own way. ... That's my business."

This is just full of interesting. There's the obvious issue of what is a "non-devoted Christian", according to any direct reading of the Bible you either are a Christian (and committed/ devoted) or you are not. I simply can't imagine any other application of Rev 3:16 "because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth." Can we just call Dean "Luke" for short?

Secondly, Mr. Dean refers to him worshipping "in his own way." That to me is just fascinating. Where in the Bible is man ever allowed to worship in his own way or approach God in any manner he sees fit. From the giving of the instructions on the building of the Tabernacle on the Mount, to Daniel's Vision, to the apostle's instructions in the Epistles, to the descriptions of Heavenly Worship in Revelations, there is no doubt of man's ability to innovate or alter the worship of God. The repetition of God's command to Moses and the Israelis' of "do exactly as I have shown you" should be most instructive. Where oh where is an allowance for man going to God and saying - I want to do it this way and Daddy God saying "Sure, knock yourself out. It's all good"?

We do have many examples in the Scriptures of well intentioned people trying to do their own thing. The obvious example is Cain, but consider even a better example - Aaron's son's Nadab and Abihu in Lev 10. They sought to offer strange fire - that which was not commanded - to God. Keep in mind they were also Priests. They were particularly equipped to present offerings to God. What happened when they tried to offer up their own, well-intentioned, sacrifice? Simple. God then consumed them with fire and told Aaron not to mourn their death, for He (God) will be sanctified in all those who come before Him. This is the reference in Hebrews 12: 28-29 about reverencing God with Fear, for He is a consuming fire - to those who don't worship Him rightly. God simply has not changed on this point, and I really, really doubt he ever will. Even for Howard Dean.

Soros and Buffett are my hero's ....

2005-05-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Other than buying the Deanocratic Party, thru Moveon.org ($1 to Soros' lacky Eli Pariser: "Now it's our Party: we bought it, we own it, and we're going to take it back") George Soros, joined by Warren Buffett, continue to demonstrate that their hatred for this country is so strong that it is ruining the luck they had in becoming billionaires. That's right, as if the lousy investment they made in politics wasn't loss enough, they are now following it with investments in the currency markets. Unable to foster ruin upon this country by influencing it's Presidential campaign, they now seek to encourage it's economic decline by shorting the dollar (adding pressure and betting that it continues to fall, putting more stress on the economy.) Warren Buffet, by his own admission, has placed a $21 Billion bet on the dollar falling. Nothing like trying to make a self fulfilling prophecy huh?

But their continued pronouncements of this nation's demise and efforts to bring it about, though consistent, are wrong. Estimates indicate that Buffett alone is down nearly a $1 Billion on his bet (if he's still invested), Berkshire reported a $310 million dollar loss in the first quarter of this year on the gamble and Buffett has indicated his inclination to continue the position. Soros has no comment. Do you blame him? Of course, Buffett's prognostication are legendary - as we all breathlessly await the collapse of the economy due to the 2003 tax cuts, which would do great harm to the economy - according to Mr. Buffett.

Bottom line is, there simply is no stronger or better or freer economy in the world. There is no better, more liquid or safer place to invest money. For a global investor - where else would you want to put your money? In Europe - with it's socialistic restrictions, soaring unemployment and lack of innovation? In the Middle East? Lol... I amuse myself. How about in Africa or China? You may make good money and you may never see it again. Which South American Dictator or Drug Lord do you trust with your money? The choices kinda narrow don't they?

The Twins are convinced that keeping your own money and buying imported stuff is inherently bad. Hence, their bet. But shucking it down to the cobb - Americans are the richest and wealthiest people on the planet. We possess a lot of extra cash (think tax cuts here) that we can spend on imported goods. We don't need 5 TV's with DVD players and 3 microwaves in our houses, but we want them. So a trade imbalance is not necessarily a bad thing. Economies don't exist in a vacuum, there are other factors involved. By Soro's, Buffett's and the libs exclusive and intense focus on the trees rather than the forest, they simply are practicing the weath transfer they so desperately desire from government by tossing their wealth away (and that of shareholders who invest with them) and giving it to those who recognize their folly.

Ahhhh, there is a God in heaven. I'm going now to go check my currency portfolio balances.

Why are the Dems....

2005-05-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

acting like it's a horrific crime for the majority party in an elected representative government to exercise the power given them by the voters and use their majority to do the things they were elected to do? Isn't that what the majority is supposed to do?? What is the right of the Democrats that is being violated? The right to disrupt and lockup an orderly government???

Good Job Newsweek.

2005-05-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Led by Isikoff, Newsweek proudly demonstrated that getting a "scoop" is more important than people's lives and supporting troops who are risking theirs. After all the mission in Iraq is, in the common phraseology of the liberal elite - a "disaster." Remember, we are simply trying to establish a new democracy in a region of the world where self-determination has been noticeably absent. The MSM does not hesitate to offer up anything or anyone on the high altar of the religion of "journalism" where the value of people's lives are insignificant compared to the potential value of the propaganda.

The liberal bias only encourages a willingness to sacrifice truth in pursuit of the joy that instills a passion to blame America first. Beat the rush, join the modern liberals in hating America. Hollywood will love you tons. You'll probably win an award at Cannes. However, this time, the Mooreish perversions are directly responsible for the deaths of many individuals and of greatly increasing the risks faced by troops stationed in foreign lands. Thanks to Newsweek's strict adherence to it's publishing standards, they directly prolonged the troops mission and delayed their return home. The lib's incessantly whine "bring the troops home" while doing everything in their power to make the troop's task more difficult. Nothing less than another Vietnam style withdrawal, complete with mother's passing their children to American soldiers to keep them away from certain torture and suffering, will please them or quell their dissent. After all, America is bound to fail. What else could happen with a Republican in the White House? Establishing a freely chosen government in the Middle East is a "disaster" of epic proportions and President Bush is simply another Hitler or Sith Lord ($1 to Lucas) for doing so.

Lib's just couldn't stand the fact that democracy is breaking out all over the Arab world, that even Al-Jazzera was no longer talking about an American occupation and 'abuses', but the opportunity for Arab self-determination thru popularly elected officials. Newsweek appeared desperate to give them reason to change their focus, so they would again hate America, as we so justly deserve. More people died as a result of this article, than have in the Abu Ghab prison humiliations. Much of the liberal media called for swift justice for the evildoers then. Now, when people are actually hurt and die, Newsweek and other liberals want the readers to recognize an honest mistake when they see it. No wonder the left is becoming as irrelevant as the French.

Many on the right have long questioned the far left's allegiance to this country and it's principles, feeling that the Deanocrats would willingly sacrifice either - with a zeal - to dishonor those that would defend it from those wishing to destroy it.

Newsweek, you simply went to great lengths to prove them right. I congratulate you, great job.