Stats from Blogs for Bush:
National Review Online held a symposium concerning the Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack Editorial in the NY Times ("A War We Might Just Win"). Here's Victor Davis Hanson's view to which I strongly concur:In a wider sense, the war is as most wars: an evolution from
blunders to wisdom, the side that makes the fewest and learns from them the most
eventually winning. Al Qaeda and the insurgents in 2004-6 developed the means,
both tactical and strategic, to thwart the reconstruction, but we, not they,
have since learned the more and evolved.
As in the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, the present American
military — which has committed far less mistakes than past American forces — has
shifted tactics, redefined strategy, and found the right field commanders. We
forget that the U.S. Army and Marines, far from being broken, now have the most
experienced and wizened officers in the world. Like Summer 1864, Summer 1918,
and in the Pacific 1944-5, the key is the support of a weary public for an ever
improving military that must nevertheless endure a final storm before breaking
the enemy.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Like all plans, the Surge deserves a chance to succeed. America's reputation as a dependable ally is at stake.
Democrat Congressman James Clyburn from SC speaks to the Washington Post:Clyburn, in an interview with the washingtonpost.com video
program PostTalk, said Democrats might be wise to wait for the Petraeus report,
scheduled to be delivered in September, before charting next steps in their
year-long struggle with President Bush over the direction of U.S.
strategy...
"I think there would be enough support in that group to want
to stay the course and if the Republicans were to stay united as they have been,
then it would be a problem for us," Clyburn said. "We, by and large, would be
wise to wait on the report."
Powerline responds-"Clyburn's candor may be commendable, but it's unfortunate that the Dems regard strongly positive news from Iraq as a problem."
Also read-Kansas Congresswoman Walks out on General’s Positive Iraq Testimony.
First the NY Times, now this! Via Iraqupdates.com:Six weeks after the deployment of 28,000 additional troops was
complete, the US military says it has seen a dramatic drop in US troop deaths in
July and the death rate for Iraqi civilians is also down.
In April, the
number of US soldiers who died was 104, spiked in May at 126 dead, and decreased
slightly with 101 troops dead in June. For the month of July, at least 69
US soldiers have died, about half the casualties in May. Overall violence
is also down, with the Iraqi police saying the number of civilian deaths
decreased by 36 per cent, from an estimated high of 1,900 in May to 1,342 in
June.
This is proof that a counter-insurgent strategy, properly applied as Gen. Petraeus has done, can bring results. If only we had done this sooner, but this is most welcome. We may get out of Iraq soon now, and not the way some would like to see it, with our tails between our legs!
H/T to Bill Roggio.
I'm a conservative for some kind of gun control, ever since my neighbor was killed by a robber and the local pawn shop, where the weapon likely came from in my view, had a big gun sale the next day. This is from Richard Cohen:It's a shame that Fred Thompson is too young to have played Matt
Dillon, the no-nonsense marshal of Dodge City in the long-running radio and
television series "Gunsmoke." That role on the radio went to William Conrad
(later TV's "Cannon") and on television to James Arness. But whether TV or
radio, Marshal Dillon had the same policy for cowboys when they rode into Dodge:
They had to surrender their guns.
The Marshal Dillon Rule is based on common
sense, not to mention the law of averages: The more guns you have, the greater
the chance they will be used.
Many gun owners, I believe, are responsible NRA members, but there are so many fatherless youth growing up these days, someone needs to save them from themselves. These days, our freedoms are frequently abused. The press uses its freedom to publish military secrets, immigrants proponents think anyone should come into our country, and gun advocates want everyone to have guns. When is enough too much?
Statistics are from this Strategypage article:
Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand:
We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two
analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable
handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to
produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and
the Iraqis could live with...
Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they
feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are
confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have
the numbers needed to make a real difference.
In case you missed it , over the weekend I posted on how the liberal Campaign for America's Future group, along with Daily Kos and Move.org are behind attempts to intimidate Fox News sponsors. Here are a list of CAF's "advisors" from their own website, via Let Freedom Ring:Ann Beaudry, PFAW; Mary Frances
Berry, US Commission on Civil Rights; Julian Bond,
NAACP Board Chair; Hodding Carter; Betty
Friedan; Tom Hayden, ex-husband of Jane Fonda, fmr.
Gore Campaign manager; Denis Hayes, Earth Day founder; Jim Hightower, Hightower Radio; Patricia
Ireland, fmr. Pres. NOW; Jesse L. Jackson, Rainbow
Coalition; Gerald W. McEntee, AFSCME; Howard
Metzenbaum, US Senator (retired); Robert Reich,
Brandeis University, Former Secretary of Labor; Mark Ritchie,
Inst for Agriculture and Trade Policy; John J. Sweeney,
AFL-CIO; Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO.
Anyone sound familiar on that list? The blogger goes on to say "This is being directed from the highest levels of the Democratic Party." You know, bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, going after sponsors, outright Censorship, working with Bin Laden, whatever it takes to keep Liberals in charge come election time in 2008.
Update-Roger Simon asks Is the Internet the enemy of free speech?
Here's Don Surber's take:But farm subsidies strain international relations. The BBC reported that the United States just had
its chops busted by the World Trade Organization for giving subsidies to cotton
farmers. Brazil had complained.
The WTO reviewed the complaint and said
Brazil would be right to retaliate against this unfair trade practice.
Has
anyone in America ever heard of free trade?
Certainly we need all the friends we can get. Murdoc posts an older article which details "two-thirds of subsidies went to the top 10% of recipients." I have seen this firsthand. When I was a kid here in rural South Carolina in the 1970's, small family owned farms were plentiful. Now the small farms are mostly gone, with their owners taking jobs in factories. These were the original small businesses which government seems so concerned, but they have mostly dried up today.
Though I agree that allowing a flood of foreign goods into the country would hardly help the small farmer, likely it eliminate what few farms we have left. Obviously though, socialized farming isn't the answer either.
The Week at War:
Improved Ninewah security may mean fewer U.S. troops in future.
Operation Olympus opens route, secures towns.
Local residents lead Soldiers to huge weapons cache.
LEADERSHIP: Iran Looks For a Fight.
NY Times: Support for Initial Invasion Has Risen.
Al-Qaida in Iraq equals al-Qaida.
General, Diplomat: Don't Cut Buildup Yet.
Is the War Lost? Three Inconvenient Truths About Iraq Right Now.
Iraqi security forces & U.S. advisors battle Mahdi Army in Karbala.
MND-B attack aircraft kill 7 insurgents.
Michael Yon: Bird’s Eye View.
The New Iraq Country Facts.
Officials: Progress continues in Iraq.
Iraqi Army conducts independent operation, tips lead to weapons cach.
British and Afghan Forces launch new offensive against the Taliban.
Iraq Report: Al Qaeda Strikes in Baghdad.
Al-Qaeda mortars kill children in Al Awad.
Survey: Muslims Around World Rejecting Islamic Extremism.
MoveOn.org, the Campaign for America's Future and liberal blogs
like DailyKos.com are asking thousands of supporters to monitor who is
advertising on the network. Once a database is gathered, an organized
phone-calling campaign will begin, said Jim Gilliam, vice president of media
strategy for Brave New Films, a company that has made anti-Fox videos.
ummm... nope. The republic still limps along.dKos is simply
pointing out the strange comments and viewpoints of Fox News and Fox fans to
their advertisers and asking if they still want to support them, or make the
case for them not to support Fox. Hugo just shuts down dissent, period. How is
what dKos, et al. is doing here anywhere near that? Answer: It's not. News Corp.
can keep on propagandizing out of it's $25 billion in revenues. dKos can not
shut it down. Why would they want that? Fox News is HILARIOUS. Progressives
thrive on it. Fox just getting a taste of his own medicine (via Billy O) for
compelling JetBlue to pull sponsorship from YearlyKos. But nice try
though...
I'll admit becoming hooked on the almost cancelled series Jericho from the CBS Network, which is saying something because I NEVER watch the Big 3 Networks anymore, since we have satellite. You can view the entire series for free over at their Interlube site, and I've begun at the start, slowly working my way through. Really a great drama with an interesting cast, including the always excellent Gerald McRaney, plus a lot of familiar faces, the kind you've seen somewhere before but don't recall the names. Anyway, I've always enjoyed the post-nuclear holocaust stories whether in print or on film.
I'm also amazed how its just business as usual for most folks on the show, even in the face of a national catastrophe far beyond 9/11, 2001 ( obviously an inspiration for Jericho). Kids are having parties, people drive around when ever and where ever, food isn't rationed; you just go to the store and help yourself. In one episode, the main characters have to beg for gas to keep the hospital generator going.
This reminds me alot of the ongoing War on Terror. Everything seems to be working out, but our strategy is so messy and disorganized. Everyone still heads to the Mall whenever we feel like it, or to the nightclubs, or a ball game as if we are never at risk from terrorists. The President asks for the most minor sacrifices such as airport screening and he's denounced as a dictator or Hitler. Gas goes up a dollar and we nearly have a revolt.
We are so complacent, some can dub the War on Terror as nonexistent, or just a "bumper sticker" slogan, or merely blame it own Bush.Much like on the show, only a few Americans, less than one percent of the population in the military, carry the burdens of the many. Most people support the troops, but usually it is "out of sight out of mind".
I honestly believe we are winning the War in Iraq, partly because of our technology, partly because of our marvelously trained troops, and largely by the grace of God. That said, when only a few people are carrying the load for the nation, those who sacrifice may some day wonder why pay heed to a constantly bickering and increasingly unconcerned rabble at home.
Modern Day Pirate Hunters.
More Thoughts on the CGN(X) Nuclear Cruiser.
Building Canada's Future Fleet.
Modernized MK 41 Vertical Launching System on Guided Missile Cruiser.
Northrop Grumman to Develop New Submarine Technology.
Delivery of Austal's LCS next summer.
Video: New British Supercarriers.
NATO Force to Circumnavigate Africa.
Coast Guard commissions first Maritime Force Protection Unit.
House panel approves more sub funding.
UK Carriers - Now The Work Starts.
House Armed Services Committee: Navy Shipbuilding.
USS Enterprise "Traps" French Fighters.
CB90 Riverine Command Boat (RCB).
25,000-ton cruiser under consideration.
The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Submarines.
Subs Are Vital For Future Tasks.
Admirals to review maritime strategy.
The LPD 17 Program Takes Center Stage .
Related: Navy at Fault, says Senator.
The New Republic finally reveals the mysterious author of it's "slander the troops" article:I am Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp, a member of Alpha Company,
1/18 Infantry, Second Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division.
My
pieces were always intended to provide my discrete view of the war; they were
never intended as a reflection of the entire U.S. Military. I wanted Americans
to have one soldier's view of events in Iraq.
You may recall, Beauchamp had this to say in the TNR about the troops:One particular day, he killed three dogs. He slowed the Bradley
down to lure the first kill in, and, as the diesel engine grew quieter, the dog
walked close enough for him to jerk the machine hard to the right and snag its
leg under the tracks. The leg caught, and he dragged the dog for a little while,
until it disengaged and lay twitching in the road. A roar of laughter broke out
over the radio. Another notch for the book.
Michelle Malkin reveals some more work by Beauchamp, including this "poem":
Every morning I get up and I’m a little more liberal than the day before
It's not enough they don't support the war, but now they're supporting the other side! HonestReporting has the details.
This from Congressman Kevin Brady of Texas (H/T to Don Surber)"Mr. Speaker, traveling to Iraq this past weekend to see firsthand
how the surge is working, I really expected the worst. Instead I am very
encouraged. Communities all across Iraq are turning against al Qaeda and working
with Iraqi and coalition forces to take back their cities. Half of Baghdad is no
longer safe for insurgents. Al Qaeda is not down and out but clearly back on its
heels rejected by the very communities and religious leaders its claims to fight
for.
Come September, we might see some signs of progress against AL Qaeda in Iraq. Is this why the opposition is fighting desperately for a US pullout?
Today's announcement also paves the way for the purchase of
two new aircraft carriers, a decision which will offer unprecedented
capabilities for the UK's Armed Forces... Defence Secretary Des Browne
said:
"... we can confirm that we will now place orders for two 65,000
tonne aircraft carriers – the largest ships ever sailed by the Royal Navy. The
carriers represent a step change in our capability, enabling us to deliver
increased strategic effect and influence around the world at a time and place of
our choosing."
Received this via electronic mail:
This past Monday, The Victory Caucus re-launched with a major redesign that brings us closer to our vision of
being a one-stop-shop for concerned citizens to understand what is really going
on with our war effort. The site now includes automatic aggregation of official
US sources like MNF-Iraq, DoD, and CENTCOM, as well as key bloggers who are
reporting from Iraq like Michael Yon and Michael Totten. The entire site is
enabled with a powerful mapping/charting package, which allows us to present
information in interesting and visually appealing ways. See, for instance, this map of major
operations.Additionally, we now have a library of official
documents (weekly State Department status reports;
transcripts of DoD briefings, etc.) --- all of which, along with the core
content of the site, are tied in with a search engine. We are at a critical time
for the war effort: just as we are seeing real signs of progress on the ground
in Iraq, defeatists in both parties are stepping up their efforts to push for a
swift withdrawal. Our goal at The Victory Caucus is to fight this, and to give
the brave men and women of our armed services the time they need to win the war
on the ground.
The Center for Security Policy is gratified that its efforts,
those of innumerable bloggers, radio talk show hosts and other public-minded
citizens translated into an important legislative victory late last
night...
Center President Frank Gaffney said on learning of this
extraordinary development:
"Thanks to courageous, principled and tenacious
efforts by key legislators like Rep. King and Sens. Lieberman and Collins, the
American people are going to be free to do their part in the War for the Free
World – serving as indispensable eyes and ears for those trying to protect us
against terrorism – without fear that the likes of CAIR will be suing them for
doing so."
Pentagon rethinking plan to cut Army troops by half in Europe.
M-109 Replacement Enters Production.
AARGM Missile: No Place To Hide Down There.
RoboSwift - the micro airplane with morphing, feathered wings.
Force Protection warns Congress of sub-standard MRAPs.
Boeing's truck-mounted laser system.
Meet the Future Bomber-Gunship.
New Iranian Fighter Unveiled.
B-2 Bomber with Massive Penetrator weapon.
FA-18 AESA Radar Soars Into Full Rate Production.
First All-Composite Humvee Unveiled.
Marines in Iraq Deploy JERRV Mine Disposal Vehicles.
Canada to Form New Expeditionary Air Wing.
NATO jets tail Russian aircraft.
South Koreans Downsize Faster.
The Ultimate Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
USMC Transitioning to Shadow UAV.
PAC-3 shoots down cruise missile in test.
Anti-RPG Cage for British Vehicles.
Force Protection Gears Up New Factory in NC.
Putting Warheads (More Accurately) on Foreheads.
Gen. Shinseki's Pacific Legacy.
Airborne Laser Successfully Tested.
What If France Had Not Fallen in 1940?
The surge has basically been chasing the terrorist and criminal
gangs around the suburbs of Baghdad, or even into northern or western Iraq. This
has taken its toll. Time spent in flight cannot be spent planting IEDs or
killing people. Putting all these guys on the road, also makes them more
susceptible to capture. A lot of important terrorists have been captured this
way. The chief liaison between al Qaeda headquarters and al Qaeda in Iraq was
nabbed, as well as many mid-level terrorist cell leaders.
What
most of the troops, and Iraqi civilians, notice is the lower level of violence.
Since the surge offensive began four months ago, Iraqi (military and civilian)
deaths have declined by more than 50 percent, and American casualties are down
by over a third.
The key theater in this global war is Iraq. Our troops are serving
bravely in that country. They're opposing ruthless enemies, and no enemy is more
ruthless in Iraq than al Qaeda. They send suicide bombers into crowded markets;
they behead innocent captives and they murder American troops. They want to
bring down Iraq's democracy so they can use that nation as a terrorist safe
haven for attacks against our country...
There's a debate in Washington about
Iraq, and nothing wrong with a healthy debate. There's also a debate about al
Qaeda's role in Iraq. Some say that Iraq is not part of the broader war on
terror...
That would be news to Osama bin Laden. He's proclaimed that the "third
world war is raging in Iraq." Osama bin Laden says, "The war is for you or for
us to win. If we win it, it means your defeat and disgrace forever." I say that
there will be a big defeat in Iraq and it will be the defeat of al Qaeda.
That's according to the Washington Times:Public pressure is mounting on Capitol Hill Democrats to include
the "John Doe" provision into a written conference report of the final 911
Commission bill.
The provision would protect the public for reporting
suspicious behavior that may be terrorist connected, and is the result of a
current lawsuit against U.S. Airways and "John Doe"passengers filed by a group
of imams who were kicked off a flight...Some Republican aides are attributing
the mounting pressure to support the provision to press reports and the
blogosphere, where bloggers turned bloggyists are posting phone numbers of
Democrat congressional leaders and urging readers to call in with their
support.
The recent bill passed by Democrats in favor of suing whistle blowers will likely come back to haunt them as we near the elections. How can they say they are tough on terror when they pass a bill protecting these enemies of America?
This is heart-rending. Welcome home soldier, and thank you and your family for its sacrifice!
Hat tip to W. Thomas Smith Jr. who I think is still overseas with the troops. God bless and be safe!
Right Wing Nuthouse has more on the questionable New Republic tale which lambasts the troops:The Editor of The New Republic Franklin Foer must be feeling very
lonely today. His boss, Martin Peretz, has yet to rush to his defense in the
Scott Thomas controversy. The left has been skewering The New Republic for
months over their criticisms of the netroots and their undue influence on the
Democratic party and not surprisingly, are either questioning the Thomas stories
along with their conservative blogging brethren or maintaining a pregnant
silence on the matter.
Foer is maintaining a stiff upper lip and stonewalling
as if his job depended on it. Come to think of it, that’s not far off the mark.
Given that Foer admitted yesterday that he failed to check out the Thomas
stories until questions were raised by conservative bloggers about the veracity
of many of the incidents catalogued by the anonymous diarist, Foer may not be
out the door as Editor quite yet. But Peretz’s silence could signal that he’s
being handed his hat.
My own take is, this sounds eerily like John Kerry's Winter Soldier testimony from the early 70's, more "fake but accurate" stories to promote a Liberal anti-military agenda.
And Powerline has more from TNR editor Franklin Foer.
From the Answers in Genesis Website:Less than two months after opening its doors to the public, the
Creation Museum hosted its 100,000th guest this past weekend—a milestone not
expected for months to come and a sign, museum officials say, of the continuing
popularity of the critically acclaimed high-tech facility...
The museum
and planetarium are located in northern Kentucky, just west of the Cincinnati
Airport. The museum presents a walk through history according to the Bible, from
creation to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. Along the way, it uses
animatronic dinosaurs (and real dinosaur bones and eggs, plus large models) as a
main teaching tool, and to present the gospel message.
Apparently, all the negative publicity from Evolutionists has had the opposite effect, and is helping to drum up business!
This is reported by Bill Roggio in the latest Iraq Report:The London Times reported that junior al Qaeda in Iraq foot
soldiers are turning on their leaders and acting as informants
in the Baghdad district of Doura. "The ground-breaking move in Doura is part of
a wider trend that has started in other al-Qaeda hotspots across the country and
in which Sunni insurgent groups and tribal sheiks have stood together with the
coalition against the extremist movement," the Times said. The low level
operatives have become disgusted with al Qaeda's tactics of
brutality...
U.S. forces continue the process of turning tribal leaders and
Sunni insurgent groups against al Qaeda in Iraq. The latest success came in
Salahadin province, where 25 Sunni and Shia tribes in and around the city of
Taji banded together to fight both al Qaeda in Iraq and the Mahdi
Army. Taji is just 12 miles north of Baghdad and sits
along the strategic supply lines to the northern provinces.
This is a key turning point in the war. As Democrats place blame on America for the bombings in Iraq, the citizens there are going after the real culprits, Al Qaeda and its Mahdi minions.
Plus the UK Times reports Al-Qaeda faces rebellion from the ranks.
As reported by the Washington Times:...China's normally secretive military has revealed a new
version of the DF-21 short-range missile, also known as the CSS-6, that is
outfitted with an advanced guided warhead...the shorter-range DF-21 missile is
China's first anti-ship ballistic missile designed to attack U.S. aircraft
carriers and other warships. New Chinese radar and photographic satellites are
signs that the new anti-ship ballistic missile may be close to initial
operational status, the report said.
The new anti-ship ballistic missile poses a serious threat to
U.S. ships because "the U.S. does not have anti-missile capabilities to defend
large U.S. ships against this threat, so vulnerable targets, most importantly
aircraft carriers, will have to remain out of missile range in order to
survive," the report said.
The report also discloses for the first time that
China has deployed its third Type 093 nuclear-powered attack submarine, which
also was pictured for the first time this week on a Chinese Web
site.
If they must remain out of missile range, what good are they? Considering the short range of US naval aircraft, the big carriers might soon find their mission replaced by long-range cruise missiles.
If he could get by CNN censors, here are some questions a Citadel Cadet would like to ask the Democrat Presidential contenders in Charleston tonight:What initiatives, such as the Solomon amendment, have they
sponsored to strengthen recruiting efforts for our all-volunteer force?
Unlike The Citadel, many high schools and colleges nationwide restrict the
access students have to meet with military recruiters on campus and refuse to
host the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). What have these
candidates done to expand our military, such as pushing for a military presence
on campus at schools like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford?
If we can all agree
that America is the best country in the world, then why can’t we agree that
America should be readily protected by the strongest military in the world and
that having the strongest military in the world means we need to encourage as
many people from as many places as possible to serve voluntarily?
Furthermore, can’t we all agree that members of the military should be treated
with the utmost respect at all times through words and, much more importantly,
deeds?
It does seem hypocritical to support the troops but not the war. The question I'd like to ask them is Have You Forgotten?
Received this in the comments section:Hi Mike, thanks so much for blogging on Vets For Freeedom's
efforts. They've done an awesome job the past few weeks. I invite you and your
readers to join us at Move America Forward as we launch our national,
cross-country "Fight for Victory Tour" this September 3 - 15 ending in DC where
we'll have a rally with a collection of pro-troop groups including Vets for
Freedom, Gathering of Eagles, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Free Republic,
Protest Warriors and others. It's a vital time for us to be mobilized and
speaking out and it's for such a just, worthy, noble, and pertinent cause. So
let's kick some butt and stand up to those who wish to force surrender terms
upon our troops! http://www.MoveAmericaForward.org
A Great bunch of Patriots who do a worthy service for our troops. What you don't hear much in the Media is when these guys congregate on Washington, they often outnumber the war protesters!
Looks like The New Republic has been had again. And this time it is
so obvious it is embarrassing.
Of course with journalists today being the
gentle allergic-to-combat darlings they are on both left and right... they can't
be expected to know something as simple as there ARE no "square back" 9mm
cartridges... or that anyone who tries cute tricks like the "diarist" describes
with a Bradley has a very good chance of flipping his vehicle like a turtle
exposing his lightly armored belly or leaving himself an immobile target in
enemy country...Meanwhile, The Weekly Standard is full of indignant blather from
Editor Bill Kristol, but fails to do a thing to advance the story or blow it by
having it gone over by its own experts.
I linked to a Don Surber's article last week, detailing how Bush's approval rating is over twice as high as the Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid Congress. I wrote:
Whither goes Democracy is we can't govern?
In driving down the public's confidence in the federal government,
Democrats are counting on apathy... But what if it doesn't? What if the public
sees this cynicism for what it is? Whither the
democracy?
Petition sent to me by my friend John Burtis, via Patriot Petitions:To President George Bush, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and
Republican Leader John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell:
We, the people of these United States, rightfully
petition our President, on behalf of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos
and Jose Alonso Compean, and their colleague, former Sheriff’s Deputy Guillermo
Hernandez, to commute their sentences.
Further, we ask that Congress insist
that the DEA prosecute Mexican national Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila on felony drug
distribution charges.
Finally, we demand that Congress and the Bush
administration secure our borders.
Please head on over and sign up!
The 9/11 Generation.
Sheiks meet in reconciliation effort.
Michael Yon- 7 Rules: 1 Oath.
Bush Calls on Congress to 'Rise Above Partisanship' on Iraq.
Brits: "We Shall Never Surrender".
The Terror Threat to America.
Coalition Forces Capture High Value Terrorist with Ties to Iran.
Israel Releases 250 Palestinian Prisoners as Goodwill Gesture.
Weapons stockpiles destroyed near Iranian border.
Now, An American Vision for Iraq.
Desires of the Human Heart, Part One.
Desires of the Human Heart, Part Two.
Iraq Report: On the offensive in the belts.
Sunnis end Iraqi parliament boycott.
Myths and Realities of the George Bush Presidency.
Vets for Freedom Speak Up.
"If We Don't Call Them Names, the Terrorists Win".
Militants say ready to talk to end Lebanon fighting.
Top al-Qaida in Iraq Figure Captured.
You don’t hear much about Anbar anymore.
Gen. Peter Pace Sees Positive 'Sea Change' in Iraq.
They have answered the call, unlike their forbearers, says Dean Barnett:Confronted with a generation-defining conflict, the cold war, the
Boomers--those, at any rate, who came to be emblematic of their generation--took
the opposite path from their parents during World War II. Sadly, the excesses of
Woodstock became the face of the Boomers' response to their moment of challenge.
War protests where agitated youths derided American soldiers as baby-killers
added no luster to their image.
Few of the leading lights of that generation
joined the military. Most calculated how they could avoid military service, and
their attitude rippled through the rest of the century. In the 1970s, '80s, and
'90s, military service didn't occur to most young people as an option, let alone
a duty.
But now, once again, history is calling. Fortunately, the present
generation appears more reminiscent of their grandparents than their
parents.
What a great celebration of these young people! Like the World War 2 generation, they are spreading freedom and democracy, rather than hording for themselves here at home. I might also liken them to our Revolutionary Era, but this time they are exporting liberty.
The New Republic editor, the magazine which filed the article, gets defensive in the Washington Post:"Conservative bloggers make a bit of a living denying any bad news
that emanates from Iraq."
Might I point out that Liberal Media makes a living by only reporting bad news about Iraq! At the very least, there are as much positive reporting emanating from the Old Media, as there are conservatives employed by these institutions ( which ain't many).
And Hugh Hewitt offers a refresher in case you've forgotten the New Republic's accusations:The soldiers in the story humiliate a woman in a military dining
hall who has been disfigured in an IED explosion; they discover human remains
and one private spends a day and night playing around with a child's skull
("which even had chunks of hair"), amusing his fellow soldiers; and one private
routinely drives a Bradley Fighting Vehicle recklessly and uses the vehicle to
kill stray dogs.
Also, over at the Worldwide Standard, FOB Falcon, the base mentioned in the tale, responds.
Bush will visit the Charleston Air Force Base and speak to
military personnel, the White House said Thursday.
No other details were
immediately available.
White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters
aboard Air Force One on Thursday the president will visit the state and said it
is “likely” the issue of the war in Iraq will come up in his speech next
week.
As we mentioned yesterday, the Weekly Standard continues to investigate the highly inflammatory New Republic article on the troops in Iraq. These new observations are from our troops on the front lines:One active duty soldier who asks that his name be withheld
writes in:
I was based at Falcon last year for six months with the 101st
Airborne. I never saw a woman who fits Thomas's description. That's not
conclusive since I haven't been there for almost eight months. But I can say
this. The dining facility at Falcon is not large (maybe 200 yards by 50 yards)
and the tables are very close together. I cannot remember eating a meal without
having an officer or a senior NCO in earshot -- none of whom would tolerate such
cruelty for a moment. Moreover, Falcon isn't that large and the faces become
familiar quickly. One gets used to and comes to know everyone pretty
easily.
Another active duty reader writes in:
In the 11 months I've been here [at FOB Falcon] I've never
once seen a female contractor with a burned face. In a compact place like this
with only one mess hall I or one of my guys would certainly have noticed someone
like that. There are a few female contractors, I think maybe a dozen, but none
fit the horrific description given in that article. Further, I've personally
seen guys threatened with severe physical harm for making jokes of any kind
about IED victims given the number of casualties all the units on this FOB have
sustained. It is not a subject we take lightly. Gallows humor jokes do get told,
but extremely seldom and never about anyone they actually know or are in the
presence of.
We will continue to follow this story as more info comes in.
Update-Scott Johnson at Powerline calls on the New Republic editors to explain themselves.
And via The Tank, Slate Online wonders if the story is all Shock and bull?
More-Confederate Yankee writes TNR a letter ( you can too via letters@tnr.com)
A Bloggers Roundtable.
Update-New Republic responds.
UK govt to approve new aircraft carriers next week.
DDG-1000 Could Change Shipyards.
Carriers without Harriers.
Students build Robot Sub.
Chavez Orders Kilo Subs.
The Russian Kilo class sub.
Maiden Voyage for Type 45 HMS Daring.
Mega Indian Ocean Excercise Planned.
The Sinking Of The Fleet.
Royal Navy Hands Over Combined Task Force 158 to U.S. Forces.
Wizard cruise missile decoy tested.
Sailor Reenlists On Board Sunken Carrier.
Soft Power in South America.
Bangladesh re-commissions frigate after five-year delay.
Hydrogen Powers Greece's First Fuel Cell Submarine.
A REALLY Undergunned Frigate.
Navy asserting control over shipbuilding.
LPD 17 Program: Drama or Comedy?
U.S. may cut back to one aircraft carrier in the Gulf region.
First the Bad News, via Instapundit:
THE SENATE JUST KILLED the
John Doe amendment. Terrorists will be happy.
Senate Rejects Moving Gitmo Detainees to U.S. Soil
In From the Cold can explain this better than me:The blogosphere is abuzz about "Shock Troops" a combat
"dispatch," published in the current edition of The New Republic. Supposedly the work of a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq, the article details alleged, atrocious behavior by American troops, ranging from running over dogs with Bradley fighting vehicles,
to mocking a victim of an IED attack. Michael Goldfarb at the WorldwideStandard.com (and others) have been
doing yeoman's work in debunking these claims.
My own thought is, this sounds much like the stuff which is emanating from Holly wood these days concerning the troops (read:ALL FICTION!) For exerts of the article, plus counterpoints from the bloggers, check out these links:
Fact or Fiction?
"Shock Troops" Update.
More on "Shock Troops".
"Shock Troops" Links.
Oh, and Michael Yon says "That story about American soldiers at FOB Falcon sounds like complete garbage. I spent time with them this year, and in fact keep them on the front page of my site. 1-4 CAV is an excellent unit."
Update-Ace of Spades compares New Republic's tale to John Kerry's Winter Soldier false testimony (scroll down).
Another travesty of justice is rectified. From MyWay News:Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had accused
Vice President Dick Cheney and others of conspiring to disclose her identity in
2003. Plame said that violated her privacy rights and was illegal retribution
for her husband's criticism of the administration.
U.S. District Judge John
D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not
express an opinion on the constitutional arguments.
Bates dismissed the case
against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove, former
White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and former Deputy Secretary of State
Richard Armitage.
Judge Patrick Fitzgerald allowed this show trial to continue far too long while sitting on evidence of the real leaker, former Powell aid Armitage. Isn't this much like the false Duke Rape Case, another example of judicial activism and overstretch? In other words, you could say Scooter Libby was Nifonged, and saved by President Bush's commuting of his sentence.
From Box Office Mojo, here's a list of the 10 Top Grossing movies of all time. Adjusted for inflation, the Classics still hold top spots. (First amount is adjusted for inflation, second is actual gross):
1. Gone with the Wind MGM- $1,329,453,600***$198,676,459 (1939)
2. Star Wars Fox- $1,172,026,900***$460,998,007 (1977)
3. The Sound of Music Fox- $937,093,200***$158,671,368 (1965)
4. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Uni.- $933,401,500***$435,110,554 (1982)
5. The Ten Commandments Par.- $861,980,000***$65,500,000 (1956)
6. Titanic Par.- $844,515,900***$600,788,188 (1997)
7. Jaws Uni.- $842,758,600***$260,000,000 (1975)
8. Doctor Zhivago MGM- $816,811,300***$111,721,910 (1965)
9. The Exorcist WB- $727,541,800***$232,671,011 (1973)
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Dis.- $717,220,000***$184,925,486 (1937)
I post these because New Wars Mike is a Classic Movies junkie. Is there a cure for that? Hope not!
Ugh... Via Don Surber:Got that? The Democratic Party gets 14% job approval. Bush
34%.
If this were a Little League game, the 10-run rule would
apply.
Congressional Democrats are spinning their wheels trying to “get”
George Bush. Democrats promised not to waste their time impeaching Bush. That is
what they are doing. The public disdain for Democrats is overwhelming.
My favorite quote is from Glenn Reynolds, "this has gone past the point of being funny. It’s really worrisome.”
Whither goes Democracy is we can't govern? And I'm wondering, if we can't win a counterinsurgency war, secure our borders, fix Social Security and Health Care, ect, what can we do?
This couldn't have come at a better time. From the AP:BAGHDAD - Sunni lawmakers ended their five-week boycott of
parliament Thursday, raising hopes the factious assembly can make progress on
benchmark legislation demanded by Washington...The 44 members of the Iraqi
Accordance Front attended Thursday's session after striking a deal with other
blocs to reinstate the Sunni speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who was ousted by
the Shiite-dominated assembly last month for erratic behavior.
Al-Mashhadani
is expected to gracefully resign after presiding over a number of
sessions...
"We all have to work together to rescue Iraq from the
catastrophe which has befallen it," Sunni leader Adnan al-Dulaimi told
parliament. "This is the first step in solving the Iraqi problem and in stopping
the bloodshed."
This will dash the hopes of those who wish for an early pullout, while maintaining the Iraq government isn't performing up to par.
Those who believe the War in Iraq has failed, are those who think that the world's greatest superpower has once again crumbled before the tactics of the Third World ideologue. This perception is being fed by the Mainstream Media which greatly magnifies reports of terrorist attacks and suicide bombings far beyond their effect on the battlefield. So, while our Army in the Middle East continues to induce slow and steady success, as they endure light casualties compared to previous conflicts in our nation’s history, the MSM has convinced elites in America the war is lost.
Just as this message of doom and gloom emanates from the old Broadcast News on TV and the printed paper, so is the story itself weakened and cast into doubt by the New Media of Talk Radio and the Internet. As a mighty torrential flood that sweeps all before it, but gradually peters out into numerous eddies and streams, so has the constant death count in the news been reported so often as to fall on increasingly deaf ears.
The same pessimistic tale is repeated so consistently on TV, radio, and spread into the vast ether that is the World Wide Web, it is viewed with unconcern by a public who go about their daily lives in spite of the war. It’s not that they do not care what goes on in the Middle East, or for our brave and brilliant soldiers constantly putting their lives at risk, but feel they have little part in the affair, preferring to leave the fighting and the worry to the experts, either in Washington or on the front lines.
Interesting interview via the Corner: CHETRY: And, I'm Kiran Chetry. America' top general is in Iraq
right now, and he is actually taking a surprising step. He wants to show that
things are safe enough that he could actually walk through the streets of one of
the most dangerous areas of Iraq in the Sunni Triangle. The streets of
Ramadi.
That is where General Peter Pace is right now. CNN Pentagon
Correspondent Barbara Starr is actually traveling with him as well...Are you
guys actually walking through the streets as we speak, Barbara?
VOICE OF BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, it is an
extraordinary thing. I hope everyone can hear me. We are absolutely walking
through the marketplace as we speak. General Pace just stopped and brought some
fruits and vegetables from a dealer here in the market. He is stopping to say
hello to every little kid he can find and take pictures with them.
I'm ashamed to admit I've never heard this story before, by Gregg Easterbrook:Born 1914 in Cresco, Iowa, Borlaug has saved more lives than anyone
else who has ever lived. A plant breeder, in the 1940s he moved to Mexico to
study how to adopt high-yield crops to feed impoverished nations. Through the
1940s and 1950s, Borlaug developed high-yield wheat strains, then patiently
taught the new science of Green Revolution agriculture to poor farmers of Mexico
and nations to its south. When famine struck India and Pakistan in the
mid-1960s, Borlaug and a team of Mexican assistants raced to the Subcontinent
and, often working within sight of artillery flashes from the Indo-Pakistani War
of 1965, sowed the first high-yield cereal crop in that region; in a decade,
India's food production increased sevenfold, saving the Subcontinent from
predicted Malthusian catastrophes. Borlaug moved on to working in South
America.
Please read the rest of this inspiring message.
Read this from former Clinton aid Dick Morris:When the House of Representatives voted, on July 12,
2007 — by a margin of 223-201 — against the Iraq war, the news media
characterized the bill as requiring a “withdrawal” from that war-torn country. Media reports said that the legislation required the start of withdrawal in four months and mandated that it be completed by April of 2008.
Nonsense. The bill did nothing of the sort. Rather, it
specified that its goal was to “require the secretary of defense to commence the reduction of the number of United States armed forces in Iraq to a limited presence by April 1, 2008” (emphasis added).
And this may happen anyway, if the Surge continues to show success. If I didn't know better, I'd say Harry Reid is purposely making his own Party appear anti-war to garner more sympathy for the Bush-Petraeus strategy and make his own Party appear weak, thus tanking any chance for Liberal control of Congress continuing in 2008, because this is exactly what's happening.
This is interesting, apparently Sen. Reid was an early casualty of his own All Nighter.
Airborne Laser Successfully Tested.
Video: Robotic Pack Mule.
Excalibur shell kills top al Qaeda leader.
Michael Yon on the Stryker.
USAF increases Predator flights.
RAID "barrage balloons" to Iraq.
PVI Offers Three Sources Of EFP Protection.
India & Israel Introducing MR-SAM.
'New rules for new wars'.
Household Items or Deadly Arms?
Reapers Bound for Iraq.
MRAP Vehicle Gallery.
UAVs Replacing F-16s.
Meet the Scar.
Typhoon assumes air defense of Britain.
A while back I wrote-"To an extent, I agree with the Left’s claim that Iraq is a distraction in the War on Terror, in that it is distracting the terrorists from attacking us here at home."
Now it seems our 4 year sojourn in Saddam's former bastion is distracting many in Congress from doing what they were elected to do: their job! The Dems are missing a golden opportunity to prove they can govern better than the Republicans, and are botching it big time. Now they are conducting what is for all sense and purposes a "publicity stunt", perhaps hoping they won't lose the respect of their radical Left-wing Base. Meanwhile, as the following posts prove, they aren't accomplishing anything, let alone out-governing the Right:
The most “do-nothing” Congress of all
Dems Lament "Do-Nothing Congress"
300 Investigations. 1 Major Law Passed.
Congress' Approval lowest in Gallup history
Among Republicans, I might clarify. This polling report is from Rasmussen, and Mark Noonan explains why:This would be the source of the President's continuing strength vis
a vis Senate Republicans - the fact that the GOP base understands that victory
in Iraq is more important than the knee-shaking worries of a few GOP Senators up
for re-election in 2008...Courage is rewarded, always - and the President has
shown remarkable courage; the sort of political courage not seen in an American
President since Lincoln faced down his critics in the summer of 1864.
Its a good lesson in sticking with your principles. Democrats, though they have some good ideas, jump around on the issues so much, like they were for the war before being against it. Its very difficult for voters to see what they're actually for, if anything.
Even more good news, read this from FoxNews-"President Bush shocked Capitol Hill staffers and Republican leaders Monday when he crashed a meeting at the White House to deliver a blunt message that he wasn't backing down on Iraq and Republicans need to understand that."
It amazes me how these articles written by Africans keep popping up. Will the West listen? This is by Uzodinma Iweala in the Washington Post:There is no African, myself included, who does not appreciate the
help of the wider world, but we do question whether aid is genuine or given in
the spirit of affirming one's cultural superiority. My mood is dampened every
time I attend a benefit whose host runs through a litany of African disasters
before presenting a (usually) wealthy, white person, who often proceeds to list
the things he or she has done for the poor, starving Africans. Every time a
well-meaning college student speaks of villagers dancing because they were so
grateful for her help, I cringe. Every time a Hollywood director shoots a film
about Africa that features a Western protagonist, I shake my head -- because
Africans, real people though we may be, are used as props in the West's fantasy
of itself. And not only do such depictions tend to ignore the West's prominent
role in creating many of the unfortunate situations on the continent, they also
ignore the incredible work Africans have done and continue to do to fix those
problems.
Reminds me of the old Jungle pictures Hollywood produced during its Golden Era. The Africans were rarely portrayed as real people, just backgrounds to dress up Tinsel Town's latest pet project. Seems the natives are now saying "Enough"!
Remember reading in your history books in school how during America's own Revolution from 1775-83 the French Monarchy at the time imposed on us several conditions before they would support our fledgling New Nation? These initial benchmarks before we could get official recognition, military supplies, plus the vital naval and military support to help defeat our British Overlords, included:
Of course, none of this happened until AFTER we had won the war with the British. If we were forced such conditions while we were STILL FIGHTING for our Independence we might be toasting the British Queen to this day. During our 8 year struggle for freedom, we had no President, and only a very weak Congress, under the loosely worded Articles of Confederation. The inability for the new government to raise taxes during the conflict often forced General Washington to beg, borrow, or steal, to keep his rag-tag but determined Army intact and in the fight.
Yet these are the conditions we are imposing on the new Iraq Democracy, while they are in the midst of a brutal fight, not only with their own people who pine for the days of Saddam Hussein, but Al Qaeda terrorists wishing to impose their own hegemon on the Middle East. Many of the stipulations which we are ramming down the Iraqis' throat occurred in the US until long AFTER our War for Independence, until 1787 when the Constitution was ratified, 4 years AFTER THE WAR and not accepted by the entire 13 states until 3 years later, in 1790. Official ratification of the Bill of Rights didn't occur until December, 1791!
We are currently trying to establish a perfect Western style democracy in a region where individual freedoms are scarcely known, and while in the midst of a terrible struggle with Islamic radicals. While the Iraqis' should be held accountable, and no true peace can be established by military force alone, we should recognize that WINNING THE WAR, like in our own struggle for a true democracy, is the key. We can always sort out the details of government afterwards.
Posts
All Comments
