The Root

Jumping from Blogger to Wordpress

2007-04-06T09:25:00.000-06:00

This will be my last post on "The Root." I have created a new blog at www.beausams.com, and until I can afford to have this site link to my new one, I'm asking you to make that easy click on over. Don't worry, BeauSams.com contains the same astute analysis of just about everything under the sun. (I'm joking about the astute part.) Thanks for reading.

Best,

Beau

Watching 24 for the First Time

2007-04-05T22:06:00.000-06:00

As a 24 noob, I have to say that I've been impressed with the first four episodes. The pace is frenetic, if a bit implausible, and the balance of tension within each episode is fantastic. The season one DVD is nice to have because I find myself wanting to see what's next constantly.

The only show I'm hooked on at the moment is Lost, and I definitely have room for some Jack Bauer in my diet. I think, though, that I'll try to catch up with the show, now in season seven, by rental first. I can tell already that this is going to be an enjoyable ride.

Democrats and the "GWOT"

2007-04-05T01:27:00.000-06:00

FOX News reports that Democrats are fighting their Global War on Terminology again, attempting to strike "Global War on Terror" and "long war" from defense reports:

Erin Conaton, the committee's staff director, sent out the 15-page memo titled "Style Guide for Defense Authorization Report."

"When referencing military operations throughout the world, please be as specific as possible. Please avoid using colloquialisms such as, 'the war on terrorism, or the 'Long War' Please do not use the term 'global war on terrorism,' " according to the memo.

Rainbow Six, Vegas Style

2007-04-04T13:46:00.000-06:00

I admit I'm a little behind the curve when it comes to console video games, but I have recently been playing Rainbow Six: Vegas, and it really rocks. Having played Gears of War prior to this, I was familiar with the run, duck, and fire from cover game mechanics. What I wasn't expecting was the impressive amount of visceral fun Rainbow Six offers. While chasing terrorists through Mexico and into Vegas, you get to blow up pretty much anything that stands between you and them. Spraying a burst of gunfire through a casino's glass windows while a bad guy hides behind an escalator shouldn't be this much fun, but it is. Heck, sometimes I don't even know where the bad guys are, so I just fire randomly across the room, which is surprisingly rewarding.

The storyline leaves a lot to be desired, but part of my confusion comes from not being able to hear the important conversations before and during missions. I'm not sure if my television is to blame or if the dialogue is rather muted. Regardless, I tend to play games like this using Tuco's philosophy from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: "If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk."

For a generally good time, I can't imagine action games getting much better than Rainbow Six: Vegas. It's easy to pick up and hard to put down.

Happy Easter! Signed, Your friend Mahmoud

2007-04-04T11:21:00.000-06:00

Mad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (MMA) has agreed to "pardon" captured British soldiers and just in time for the Easter holiday! Well, how about that. FOX reports.

Ahmadinejad asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair not to "punish" the crew for confessing that they had been in Iranian waters when they were seized by Iranian coast guard. Iran broadcast videotapes of some of the crew giving confessions, infuriating Britain.

Aww, what a swell chap. It gets better:

Ahmadinejad said Iran was not seeking a "confrontation" when it intercepted the British, "but the deplorable conduct of the British government led to the prolonging of this incident."

He criticized Britain for deploying Leading Seaman Faye Turney, one of the 15 detainees, in the Gulf, pointing out that she is a woman with a child.

"How can you justify seeing a mother away from her home, her children? Why don't they respect family values in the West?" he asked of the British government.

Touche.

Taking One on the Stiff Upper Lip?

2007-04-03T20:20:00.000-06:00

Former soldier and current military analyst Frank Peters today questioned the actions of the British hostages in Iran, claiming the Brits "wimped out in a matter of days and acquiesced in propoganda broadcasts for their captors." Ouch.

Peters colorfully describes the situation:

What on earth happened to the Royal Marines? They're members of what passes for an elite unit. Has the Labor government's program to gut the U.K. military - grounding planes, taking ships out of service and deactivating army units - also ripped the courage from the breasts of those in uniform?

The female sailor who broke down first and begged for her government to surrender was pathetic enough. But when Royal Marines started pleading for tea and sympathy . . . Ma, say it ain't so!

Meanwhile, back at No. 10 "Downer" Street, British politicians are more upset that President Bush described their sailors and Marines as "hostages" than they are with the Iranians.

Okay, Lord Spanker and Lady Fanny - what exactly are those sailors and Marines? Package tourists?

Naturally, the European Union has praised Britain's "restraint." We've now got another synonym for cowardice.

I've always respected the Brits and quite liked those I worked with when in uniform . . . but I'm starting to wonder if I bought into a legend. While criticizing our military's approach to everything, the Brits made an utter balls of it in Basra - now they're bailing out, claiming "Mission accomplished!" (OK, they had a role model . . .) In Heaven, Winston Churchill's puking up premium scotch.

A-R-A-B: The Rap

2007-04-03T14:23:00.001-06:00

Another video from Remy and Habib, the guys who did the Warcraft vid.

Warcraft: The Rap

2007-04-03T11:00:00.001-06:00

My nerdy alter-ego is a huge World of Warcraft fan, and this is one of the best WoW vids out there right now. Even if you don't play, you might still enjoy this.

U.S. to Blame...Again

2007-04-02T19:41:00.000-06:00

It turns out Rosie O'Donnell is not the only voice in the liberal wilderness blaming the U.S. for the British hostage crisis. She is joined by the British daily, The Independent, which claims in an article today that a botched U.S. raid ten weeks prior to the hostage incident is ultimately to blame for Iran's actions.

I'm sure Iran is really miffed that we took a swipe at the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on his visit to Arbil in Northern Iraq. After all, I'm sure he was on a goodwill mission, delivering cookies and milk to Kurdistani diplomats there. But it stands to reason that they would send a clear message to us instead of the hopelessly mixed signals coming from Tehran at the moment. Also, nevermind the fact that evidence has been found showing Iranian involvement in resistance efforts against the U.S.; Rick Brennan covered this in a NYTimes piece two weeks ago. Nevermind Iran's repeated flouting of U.N. demands to come clean over their nuclear program. Simply forget Mad Mahmoud's eagerness to perpetrate another Jewish holocaust. It is, as always, those cowboys from the West who are to blame.

If only we wouldn't be so gung-ho. If only we would listen to the worldwide community (who, interestingly, spends most of their time listening to Iran's demands). If only we would reward bad behavior by the promise of incentives upon compliance. Then this hostage situation could have been averted. This whole Middle Eastern imbroglio might have been averted if we would have curried the favor of world opinion.

This article is, sadly, another example of a growing dhimmitude in Europe--a hope to achieve success through submission. That the UK would take so long to attempt to resolve this situation doesn't speak to patient virtue, but to indecisive weakness. There is a reason, after all, that British soldiers were kidnapped and not Americans, and The Independent never quite gets around to it. Iran's leaders know that kidnapping American soldiers would be the death knell for Ahmadinejad and his cronies. They understand the language of the strong man--that a strong man only submits to the stronger man. Unfortunately, as Tony Blair warns the Iranian government that he will move to a new diplomatic phase if pushed, British hostages are paraded, humiliated, and made a mockery of to a worldwide audience. Teddy Roosevelt said to "speak softly and carry a big stick." Thus far, the British only have the first part of that right.

Update: Allahpundit at Hot Air offers an extended debunking of The Independent's article here.

More on Britain's "quiet diplomacy" from Time.

At a Camp David press conference on the weekend, Bush reiterated his support for his friend across the Atlantic and deplored Iran's "inexcusable behavior" in "the British hostages issue." The use of the word hostages was "utterly careless," says John Williams, who in June 2004 as Director of News for the British Foreign Ministry, was involved in moves to free eight British service personnel, also detained by Iran on a stretch of the Shatt al Arab waterway. He argues that the British government must be seen to regard the current crop of detainees "as victims of a misunderstanding that could be resolved." That's a prerequisite for the kind of quiet diplomacy that prevailed back in the summer of 2004 when the eight were freed after three days.

Yes, but it is also a prerequisite for more aggressive behavior on Iran's part, as manifested in this latest hostage incident.

Newt Gingrich - How to bring the British hostages home

2007-04-02T16:16:00.001-06:00

Newt shoots straight regarding Iran.

Those who do not learn from the past...

2007-04-02T14:10:00.000-06:00

In a rather predictable move, some teachers and schools in the UK are refusing to teach certain inconvenient historical truths--namely the Holocaust and the Crusades--in an effort to appease the Muslim community, who are taught in their mosques ideas contrary to popular historical interpretation.

Well blow me down. If this type of behavior wasn't becoming commonplace in Europe, I'd be more aghast. The essence of politically correct behavior has always been to sacrifice truth at the twin altars of tolerance and multiculturalism, which is why it is ultimately doomed to fail. The question is will it fail because good people wake up and recognize it for the idiocy that it is or will it take the future Imam of England to decree it so?

Rosie O'Donnell--Less Cutie, More Patootie

2007-03-31T00:31:00.000-06:00

Rosie O'Donnell has been intellectually overboard for quite some time now. In fact, I don't know that there was ever a time when she was not. Her recent comments regarding the supposed joint British/American naval prisoner conspiracy is only more evidence that this is the case. She claims that the truth behind the facade is that the U.S. wanted to bully Iran into escalation, so we pressed our old fallguys, the British, into doing the dirty work for us. Now, I don't admit that this is beyond the realm of possibility anymore than, say, Hugo Chavez being hired to drive Al Gore around in an all-electric Toyota Prius. It could happen if the planets align just right.

Unfortunately, Rosie has turned The View into her bully pulpit, or Big Rosie's Playpen. She is one of those people who just has to speak their mind without consideration of others. I watched a show not too long ago where the gals interviewed Dennis Miller. Now, I'm no huge fan of Miller's, but I think he is an intelligent and reasonable guy. He appeared especially so when paired with Rosie O'Donnell, who felt it necessary whenever possible to try to steal some of Miller's building gusto. Her futile effort caused her to come off as bitter and childish. Her closing remarks didn't help matters as she threw in some comment to the effect that while Miller is an okay guy, his political views are drastically different from hers. This raised an interesting question of what's worse--her views or that many people in America actually care about them.

That Rosie has so much cultural capital when one would be hard-pressed to think of any redeemable thing she has done to deserve it kinda bums me out. It reminds me of a similar situation involving another rather big, umm, creature of Hollywood's imagination--the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. In Ghostbusters , Ray is told by the villain that the first thing that comes to his mind will be the thing that destroys the world. Ray imagines Stay Puft because he thinks there's nothing more harmless than a big marshmallow. Boy, was he wrong.

At the risk of exploding my analogy, our cult of celebrity magnifies Rosie's puffery to a status it doesn't deserve and, worse, seemingly justifies more of the same.

I'm Back (and with a movie review, no less)

2007-03-29T20:43:00.000-06:00

Okay kiddos and kiddettes, I've finally completed my thesis, defended that sucker, and now I'm almost out the door. I'm still teaching, but the lion's share of my writing energy has returned, so I'm going to start posting to my blog again.

I'm going to review a movie I just saw on date night with my wife--Reign Over Me. First, a guilty confession and digression. The only reason I was remotely interested in this flick was that Adam Sandler looked a dead ringer for Bob Dylan in the previews. Having seen the movie, the resemblance is uncanny at times and also a bit disconcerting, too. The feeling I had can only be compared to the feeling I have while watching a Tom Cruise movie. I can never look past Tom Cruise enough to enjoy any film with him in it. He's that absurdly ubiquitous in our culture. However, so is Bob Dylan (at least to music fans), and I lost the immersion factor a few times.

Overall, though, I'd have to say the movie was very enjoyable. The cast is strong, led by Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler, Jada Pinkett Smith, and, in a minor appearance, Donald Sutherland. However, this movie is primarily about the relationship between Sandler's character, Charlie Fineman, and Cheadle's, Alan Johnson. It is an odd coupling, to say the least, but the divergent personalities of the two (Fineman is borderline insane while Johnson is a reserved family man) work well against each other.

The storyline is plausible as the two former roommates link up only to find that their once close relationship is non-existent because of the events of Sept. 11th, 2001. Fineman lost his wife and three kids in that tragedy and has developed a post-traumatic stress disorder. Johnson tries to help him find his way back while dealing with some issues of his own. The misadventures that follow are entertaining, comic, and, ultimately, heartwarming.

However, there is a struggle at times to sympathize with Sandler's character because of his repetitive outbursts against those who both love and try to help him. Yet, just when I thought I couldn't handle another emotional tempest, the plot was gradually brought to a resolution. What is revealed throughout these episodes is the scope and size of Fineman's struggle (symbolized by his addiction to a video game where he fights enemies of colossal dimensions)and the difficulty he has not only with processing his loss, but with learning to trust and love again. And the struggle to relate is not only his, for the inability of well-meaning people to understand him is painfully obvious as well.

Sandler plays Fineman with a depth that surprised me honestly, having only seen him in movies like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and Big Daddy. He captures the fragility of psychosis during moments almost simultaneously charming and chilling. Cheadle turns in his usual excellent, although understated, performance. This guy is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood, and his comments on Captain America's black sidekick in the movie can be taken as a metatextual remark on his star status.

So, to bring this windy exposition to a close, I'd give Reign Over Me two-thumbs up.

R.I.P. Bo Schembechler

2006-11-18T00:50:00.000-06:00

I remember when the Schembechler-led Michigan Wolverines bested my Crimson Tide in the 1988 Hall of Fame bowl; it was the first time I saw Alabama lose a football game. I was inconsolable.

WWMcD? (What Will McCain Do?)

2006-11-17T09:40:00.000-06:00

Nate over at You Decide 2008 has put together a nice collection of John McCain's possible talking points for '08.

This is my personal favorite:

Republicans Vote Boehner House Minority, Blunt Whip

2006-11-17T09:07:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to be angry, but I don't feel that the Republican boat is headed in the right direction, unless, of course, a political iceberg in '08 is the desired destination.

Update: Mary Katherine Ham laments the status quo.(H/T Malkin

Update II: NR's Jonah Goldberg on the Republican penchant for old, white southern dudes:

Who says the Republicans are the Stupid party?

Huge numbers of voters told exit pollsters that they were disgusted with the nigh-upon Roman excesses of the GOP; the self-dealing, the pork-barrel spending, the aloofness — it was all just too much. Meanwhile, strategists warned that the Republican party was becoming too white, too male and too exclusively Southern. Ken Mehlman, the outgoing head of the Republican National Committee, declared just days after the GOP’s recent thumpin’, “We rely too much on white guys for our vote.”

So what did the GOP senators do when they needed to pick their No. 2 man in the Senate? They shouted, “This is a job for Trent Lott!”

Recall, if you will, that Lott, the Mississippi Republican, was Senate majority leader in 2002 until he proclaimed that America would be better off if only Strom Thurmond — the Dixiecrat segregationist candidate in 1948 — had been elected president.

The gale-force winds of the subsequent political maelstrom were not only enough to blow Lott from his perch as majority leader, but some witnesses actually swear they saw his hair move.

Also, Captain Ed offers a way back.

Common Sense Conservatism? Hmm.

2006-11-16T20:25:00.000-06:00

From Reuters:

Arizona Sen. John McCain, taking the first step toward a 2008 White House bid, said on Thursday a return to principles of limited government and "common sense conservatism" would carry Republicans back to power after last week's election drubbing.
[...]
"Common sense conservatives believe that the government that governs least governs best, that government should do only those things individuals cannot do for themselves and do them efficiently," he said.

Well, that sounds nice and all, but why do we have to keep repackaging conservatism? It reminds me of something Rush Limbaugh once wrote about New Democrats. He said something to the effect that anytime a Democrat runs as something new, rest assured that he's the same old Democrat with new packaging. Until McCain decides to define what exactly "common sense conservatism" means, especially where illegals and gay marriage are concerned, then I'm going to assume he's a moderate in conservative clothing.

New Assessment of the Jihadist Threat Released

2006-11-16T16:46:00.000-06:00

(H/T Jihad Watch)The United States Military Academy has released a report citing the declining influence of figures such as Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri in jihadist circles because of the increasing global spread brought about by the internet. The real cultivation of radical ideology seems to be coming from chatrooms and forums. But, here's the really harrowing news:

The report found that radical Islam, sometimes called Salafism, is so deeply embedded in the Arab world that Salafis now constitute a “majority or significant portion” of the Muslim population in the Middle East and North Africa.

Contrary to what I've read and heard--and most of that was from conservatives--the threat from radical Islam is much greater than many previously thought. The folks at Jihad Watch have been saying this for some time, but I guess I didn't want to overstate the problem.

One difficulty is being able to discuss this without the demanded qualifiers (you know, the litany of "of courses" that has to follow any claim about radical Islam.) Again, I think it's time we speak through the emotion surrounding this issue to get at the facts.

Not Groundbreaking, But Good News Nonetheless

2006-11-16T15:17:00.000-06:00

The Iraqi Interior Ministry reports that it has issued an arrest warrant for one of the top instigators of sectarian violence, the AP reports.

The Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant Thursday for the head of the influential Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars.

Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, a Shiite, said Harith al-Dhari was wanted for inciting terrorism and violence among the Iraqi people. Al-Dhari [is] the top leader for the Sunni minority.

Sounds like good news to me, especially given incidents like this:

In continuing bloodshed in Baghdad, police said gunmen opened fire on customers and workers in the bakery in the religiously-mixed neighbourhood of Zayouna.

Most bakeries in the capital are run by members of Iraq's Shia majority and are frequently targeted by Sunni militants.

Fair and Balanced Criticism

2006-11-15T16:02:00.000-06:00

I like most things about FOX News, but I can't say the same about the FOX Network. Why are they giving face-time to O.J. Simpson with this two-episode hypothetical confession? This is little more than pandering to the Nancy Grace crowd in order to boost ratings.

Here's the official word from FOX:

"O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes," the network said in a statement. "In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade."

Wait. He was the one responsible for the crimes; he was found guilty in a civil suit that awarded an enormous settlement to the families of his victims. He still hasn't paid them.

And yet, here's Orenthal again. On national television. Because he can't stand being out of the public eye. FOX doesn't have to show this program; it is an informed and deliberate decision. And it's one that I hope Americans will hold them accountable for.

But I'm not holding my breath.

Here's Predicting This Story Gets Downplayed

2006-11-15T12:57:00.000-06:00

From ABC News/The Blotter:

As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was one of the members of Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with federal prosecutors.
[...]
A source close to the investigation says Abramoff told prosecutors that more than $30,000 in campaign contributions to Reid from Abramoff's clients "were no accident and were in fact requested by Reid."
[...]
Sen. Reid has been an outspoken critic of the connections between Abramoff and Republican legislators.

In a speech earlier this year, Sen. Reid described it as "a program where the lobbyists paid and the Republican members of Congress played."

The Justice Department said it would have no comment on the ongoing Abramoff investigation.

I hope Abramoff squeals on every last one of these crooked jokers, Republican or Democrat.

Lott Is the New Minority Whip

2006-11-15T09:56:00.001-06:00

Fox News is reporting that Trent Lott is the new minority whip in the Senate.

Update: Breitbart reports that, according to outgoing senator Rick Santorum, Lott beat Lamar Alexander of Tennessee by one vote, 25-24.

Update II: With the election of Lott, are Republicans sending the message that the way forward is by going in reverse? Haven't we seen this song-and-dance already?

Daniel Pipes on Installing a Strongman in Iraq

2006-11-15T09:47:00.000-06:00

Pipes agrees with James F. Burns' article in the NY Times that suggests the idea of installing a strongman in Iraq may be an attractive alternative to the chaos existing there now.

Pipes' response is here.

The Only "Phased Redeployment" I Care About

2006-11-15T09:24:00.000-06:00

How about Republicans start advocating a phased redeployment of illegal immigrants back to their home country, and soon? All this talk of amnesty for illegals turns my stomach. We should see past the emotion on this issue and enforce the laws of our country.

Reflecting a glimmer of hope, Mike Pence, candidate for House Minority Leader, has recanted his original position of an amnesty compromise, the Washington Times reports.

"I [Pence] reject any form of amnesty, even if we've got border security," he said. "I really reject the idea that people whose first act in this country was a violation of the law ought to be able to get right with the law without leaving the country."

The Republican leadership needs to find some backbone and get tough on illegals.

Crazy Mahmoud?

2006-11-14T14:12:00.000-06:00

From Washington Post/AP:

VIENNA, Austria -- International Atomic Energy experts have found unexplained plutonium and highly enriched uranium traces in a nuclear waste facility in Iran and have asked Tehran for an explanation, an IAEA report said Tuesday.

The report, prepared for next week's meeting of the 35-nation IAEA, also faulted Tehran for not cooperating with the agency's attempts to investigate suspicious aspects of Iran's nuclear program that have lead to fears it might be interested in developing nuclear arms.

And it said it could not confirm Iranian claims that its nuclear activities were exclusively nonmilitary unless Tehran increased its openness.

"The agency will remain unable to make further progress in its efforts to verify the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran," without additional cooperation by Tehran, said the report, by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.

Such cooperation is a "prerequisite for the agency to be able to confirm the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program," it added.

As expected, the four-page report made available to The Associated Press confirmed that Iran continues uranium enrichment experiments in defiance of the U.N. Security Council.

Both highly enriched uranium and plutonium can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads, and Iran is under intense international pressure to freeze activities that can produce such substances.

But Tehran has shrugged off both Security Council demands that it stop developing its enrichment programs and urgings that it cease construction of a heavy water research reactor that produces plutonium waste. It insists it wants enrichment only to generate nuclear power and says it needs the Arak research reactor to produce isotopes for medical research and cancer treatment.

Earlier Tuesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that Iran would soon celebrate completion of its nuclear fuel program and claimed the international community was ready to accept it as a nuclear state.

Could the international community please wake up? What is it going to take for the UN to act? Does Israel have to be nuked first? A suitcase bomb set off around the Green Zone in Iraq? Oh wait, the UN doesn't act. It only talks, exhorts, condemns, and "isolates." Apparently, President Ahmadinejad thinks that the international community is ready to embrace a nuclear Iran--one more member of the nuclear gentlemen's club.

I really hope diplomacy works, but I'm almost sure it won't. If it doesn't, let's hope that the US is prepared to follow through with the alternative.

What Will the Baker Commission Accomplish?

2006-11-13T23:24:00.000-06:00

With Pres. Bush's appointment of Robert Gates to SoD, the media chorus of "Daddy Bush to the rescue" is all I've heard. Gates is a member of the Baker-Hamilton Commission on Iraq and is, some say, James Baker's mouthpiece to this administration. Gates, along with Baker, is part of the braintrust, if you remember, that stopped short of deposing Saddam Hussein, much to the chagrin of many a Shiite and Kurd. Of course, one could argue that the situation is not much better now. The Bush 41 gang are being hailed as realists, unlike the ideologues who dominated the first three years of this war.

We'll have to wait until December, presumably, to find out the specifics of the Commission's report and how President Bush will react to it. However, I have a feeling that it won't be long until the Dems aren't the only ones who will be accused of cutting-and-running.

In the meantime, the fellas at Jihad Watch have compiled a list of things the Baker Commission won't do.

Just Say No to Iran

2006-11-13T22:07:00.000-06:00

Tony Blair, for reasons yet unknown, seems to be backing away from his strong partnership with President Bush regarding Iran and Syria, the Times Online reports. Bush, who has long held the view that the two countries are part of the "axis of evil," is getting the Downing St. cold shoulder as Blair begins to sound more and more like Kofi Annan. Forget all that passe sabre-rattling of the past; if Iran continues supporting terrorism in Iraq (and, may I remind the PM, in Lebanon...remember Hezbollah?) and does not stop its nuclear weapons ambitions, then let it be known that full-scale isolation will ensue. To borrow from the Jerry Springer show, "I know he just didn't."

Yes he did. If Iran doesn't cooperate then it will face international time-out. And just like children who laugh in the face of parents who practice this, Iran will only resume its bad behavior once "isolation" is over. It's no accident that President Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong-il are big buddies; Chairman Kim has been working the UN for years now.

What does isolation mean anyway? That Iran won't get into the international gentlemen's club? That it will be denied the right to talk an issue to death until no one remembers what caused the discussion in the first place? I'm sure President Ahmadinejad will be wringing his hands over that until the 12th imam emerges from the well.

The reality is that Ahmadinejad is doing things his way. He wants to be the strong man in the Middle East and an usher of Islamic fundamentalist rule. He sees the potential power vacuum in Iraq and will not be shy about trying to fill it. After all, it was only twenty years ago that the two countries were at war. He has turned Syria into a puppet-state and recently waged a proxy war with Israel in Lebanon. Most fearful, perhaps, for the U.S. and its ally Israel is Ahmadinejad's quest for a nuclear weapon. For him, this represents real power: the power to bargain and, if that fails, to demand. Or, if you like, the power to get into the gentlemen's club and, barring that, to destroy it altogether.

It is becoming apparent to me in all of this that the approach to Iran is all carrot and no stick. Internationalists continue to offer incentives in the hope that this will prompt good behavior rather than demanding that good behavior preclude any rewards. They threaten isolation for the same reason that many parents send their kid to his or her room: because they either abhor or fear the traditional alternative. For progeny's sake, let's hope the world soon learns to discipline Iran.

U.S. Needs to Get al-Sadr

2006-11-13T16:57:00.000-06:00

Fox News reports that U.S. military forces raided the homes of several of Muqtadr al-Sadr's followers. This guy has been a thorn in the collective American military flesh for a while, and has helped to hinder the democratic process in Iraq.

Here's hoping that this is the beginning of the end for al-Sadr.

Hide Your Wallet! Hill-Care on the Horizon?

2006-11-13T15:17:00.000-06:00

From Breitbart/AP:

"Health care is coming back," [Hillary] Clinton warned, adding, "It may be a bad dream for some."

Yep, for taxpayers.

Cut-and-Run Dems?

2006-11-12T22:54:00.000-06:00

Today from Reuters:

Democrats, who won control of the U.S. Congress, said on Sunday they will push for a phased withdrawal of American troops from Iraq to begin in four to six months, but the White House cautioned against fixing timetables.

"First order of business is to change the direction of Iraq policy," said Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who is expected to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the new Congress.

Democrats will press President George W. Bush's administration to tell the Iraqi government that U.S. presence was "not open-ended, and that, as a matter of fact, we need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months," Levin said on ABC's "This Week" program.

While Dems have refused to give a specific date for troop withdrawal, or "phased redeployment," they insist that this process should start soon, perhaps within six months.

Getting our troops home will be a good thing; however, I think we have a moral obligation to the Iraqi leadership to continue to have an agressive military presence there until the government is able to protect its citizens. I hope President Bush and SoD Gates will trust the generals in Iraq to adjust their tactics and will resist the desire to micromanage the war. What I don't want to see change is our resolve to win this fight, for to leave Iraq now is to leave it in a worse condition than we found it.

Sir Elton the Tolerant

2006-11-12T17:32:00.000-06:00

From Drudge:

Sir Elton John wants religion banned completely -- because he believes it promotes hatred of gays.

Speaking to the Observer Music Monthly Magazine the singer said religion lacked compassion and turned people into "hateful lemmings".

This is just another hypocritical rant by the so-called tolerant set. Elton has no problem preaching that we all should be tolerant, but ol' Candle in the Wind doesn't seem to want to practice it himself. To borrow his logic, if one wants religion banned because it promotes a "hatred of gays," then how is that so different from someone who wants homosexuality banned because it promotes a hatred of religion, as exemplified by E.J.? And if in Sir Elton's example one is made into a homophobe by organized religion, does this make him a religiophobe because of his sexuality?

To Our Veterans: Thanks!

2006-11-11T09:57:00.000-06:00

A big tip of the hat to you guys. I appreciate that you are willing to defend, and even die for, the rights we all enjoy. Our armed forces are the most advanced, talented, and powerful in the world. And that's a good thing.

So kudos to you all and God bless!

A Struggle Worth Addressing

2006-11-11T09:38:00.000-06:00

President Bush and Nancy Pelosi spoke at length during their White House meeting on Thursday about the ongoing crisis in Darfur.

Here's hoping that something more than talking around the issue results. Stopping genocide, regardless of our political stripe, is something we should all endeavour to do.

Tear-Stained Letter

2006-11-11T00:17:00.000-06:00

From Reuters:

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida voter may have unwittingly lost hundreds of thousands of dollars by using an extremely rare stamp to mail an absentee ballot in Tuesday's congressional election, a government official said on Friday.

Unfortunately, this pales in comparison to the amount of money Floridians stand to lose if Dems raise taxes.

Scary Assessment from "Londonistan"

2006-11-10T10:36:00.000-06:00

From BBC:

MI5 knows of 30 terror plots threatening the UK and is keeping 1,600 individuals under surveillance, the security service's head has said.

Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller warned the threat was "serious" and "growing".

She said future attacks could be chemical or nuclear and that many of the plots were linked to al-Qaeda.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said the terrorist threat was "very real" and spoke of "poisonous propaganda" warping the minds of young people.

In the U.S., the threat from radical Islam is largely from outside the country; in the UK and the rest of Europe, it is increasingly home-grown. Muslims constitute almost 15% of the roughly 720 million people living in Europe. Of course, not all Muslims are radical fanatics. Most estimates I've read or heard place the number of radicals at 5-15% of the total Muslim population. And this may be too high yet. However, just calculating with the low number would mean that there are roughly 2.5 million radical Muslims in Europe. While having fanatical views does not make one a terrorist, the likelihood that radical Muslims either agree with or defend terrorist activities is not inconsiderable.

Combine this with the fact that the Muslim birth rate in Europe outpaces that of other Europeans by more than 2:1, and you can see why Blair would stress that the terror threat in the UK is likely to last for a generation.

"Citgo" Chavez Speaks Out

2006-11-09T21:31:00.000-06:00

In an illustration of Mark Twain's aphorism, "If the desire to kill and the opportunity to kill came always together, who would escape hanging?", Hugo Chavez claimed today that it is President Bush, not Saddam Hussein, who should face execution as a "genocidal dictator."

Shhh Hugo, your tin horns are showing. The fact that most intelligent people laugh at this buffoonery and grandstanding is reassuring. But Chavez's absent-mindedness concerning his ideological predecessors' predilection for systematic ethnic cleansing is, sadly, all too predictable.

R.I.P. Ed Bradley

2006-11-09T12:08:00.000-06:00

From CBS News:

Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley died of complications from leukemia this morning at Mt. Sinai hospital in Manhattan. He joined the staff of the venerable news magazine 26 years ago.

George Allen, It Was a Pleasure Knowin' Ya!

2006-11-09T11:26:00.000-06:00

Strike George Allen from the list of potential presidential candidates for 2008 (Not that you haven't already). Strangely, I had a dream not too long ago that I was a member of Allen's presidential staff and was being questioned by Newt Gingrich about my conservatism...

Well, it wasn't Allen's conservatism or lack thereof that beat him; instead, he absolutely bungled and fumbled his way to a lost election. In a collapse reminiscent of Greg Norman's meltdown in the 1996 Masters, Allen saw his lead in the polls and on election night evaporate before his, and our, eyes. I mean, this guy was the conservative choice for president only a few months ago. Now, he'll perhaps be preserved in dictionaries for his Youtubian reference to the obscure "macaca." It is inexplicable, really, as to why Allen did this. You can blame obsessive nutroots behavior if you want, but all Allen had to do was rise above it. After all, that's not too much to ask of a presidential hopeful.

It didn't stop there, however. One racial slur led to allegations of many others and both sides became embroiled in who said what when. Unfortunately, the last image I'll probably have of a political Allen is of him smirking while accusing Jim Webb of composing salacious and pornographic prose. It was sadly emblematic of a campaign in the dregs.

To Allen's credit, though, he almost pulled out a victory. He wasn't blown-out and will probably have another chance to fight back into the Senate. But this is a major case of what might have been both for Allen and conservatives.

Bush and Pelosi to Have Lunch, Chit-Chat

2006-11-09T11:05:00.000-06:00

From Breitbart/AP:

It started with what both described as a gracious phone call early Wednesday and, at Bush's invitation, continues over lunch on Thursday.

What's on the menu? "For the president, it's probably a little bit of crow," presidential counselor Dan Bartlett told CBS' "Early Show" Thursday.

Before lunching with Pelosi, the president was having breakfast with House and Senate Republican leaders and meeting with his Cabinet.

Bush and Pelosi pledged to find common ground in a turned-upside-down Washington.

"The people have spoken, and now it's time for us to move on," Bush told reporters in the East Room on Wednesday.

Said Pelosi in her own news conference at the Capitol: "Democrats are not about getting even. Democrats are about helping the American people to get ahead."

Here's an absolutely stunning and groundbreaking prediction: This pow-wowing won't last. Despite Pelosi's insistence that the liberal-values base of her party won't go after Bush's head, I don't think she'll be able to call off the partizan dogs for long. Hopefully, Bush will counter with some aggressiveness of his own and avoid the obsequiousness he has shown to Dems thus far.

To Dems: So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!

2006-11-08T22:11:00.000-06:00

First, a rant. I've just finished watching a heartwarming, hand-wringing performance from former everyman-staffer David Gergen on CNN. He seemed absolutely bumfuzzled, "mystified" to be more precise, that President Bush could play politics on this Rumsfeld announcement. Gergen must be forgetting the years he worked as an adviser for Bill Clinton. And now they're interviewing Andrew Sullivan. And my wife thinks he just called Anderson Cooper handsome.

This is just one more reason that these CNN guys kill me. Why do I watch? Well, Greta is on FOX at the moment, that's why. The only pundit I can stomach at CNN is James Carville. Despite his ravings, at least he's a known quantity. Cooper has this unassuming, politically naive act where everything seems to take him by surprise. Paul Begala is like the kid who would talk smack to the school bully only to come hide behind you when the going got rough. Jeff Greenfield just likes to hear and see himself talk, and Lynne Cheney smacked Wolf Blitzer all around the Situation Room a couple of weeks back. With a couple of exceptions, the guys of CNN are, well, kinda beta. But that's neither here nor there.

With all the Gergen-esque faux concern for the Republicans going on at CNN, I must say that I've never seen so many Democrats willing to lend helpful advice to Republicans regarding what they should do in the future. Yeah, the Republicans screwed this one up. But Democrats would do well to remember that that is the only way they won this election. This was little more than a referendum on the current Republican leadership and Iraq, not on the conservative movement in general--as some Dems would lead us to believe. All they'll have to do in January is look around at those new moderate to conservative faces in the House to see that.

The good thing for Republicans is that it is the Democrats' turn to handle the Iraq hot potato. They've been bombastic about Bush's failure in this department and about their desire to just get a chance to do something about it. Well Dems, it's yours. After all, it is all about the war isn't it, stupid? President Bush already has a 38% approval rating; what does he really have to lose? His historical legacy? This isn't Bill Clinton. His job? Dems will probably use impeachment as leverage anyway. Well, here's to getting what you wanted. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

"It Was a Thumpin'"

2006-11-08T12:21:00.000-06:00

President Bush definitely looks embattled at the podium today. I have to say, though, I think Bush wants to throw the mic at David Gregory. Gregory is a smarmy bore who thinks he's Sam Donaldson and is in need of the Mitt Romney treatment.

Rumsfeld to Step Down?

2006-11-08T11:52:00.001-06:00

According to FOX News, citing an AP bulletin, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is to step down.

This is not necessarily surprising because all I've heard is that pressure would be on Rumsfeld to resign, given that Bush said he would not remove him. If yesterday's election was a referendum on Iraq, as many Dems have claimed, then changes need to be made, and this looks like the first of many.

Update: Rumsfeld is to be replaced by ex-CIA director Robert Gates.

Update II: Predictably, some moron has hijacked Wikipedia's Gates page.

Update III: Wikipedia seems to have temporarily resolved the problem. More on Gates here.

Surprise! The Sun Came Up Today

2006-11-08T09:19:00.000-06:00

I feel great today despite the loss of the House and (presumably) the Senate. I think American voters spoke out against corruption in the Republican party and the War in Iraq, both of which needed addressing. Many bloggers have been posting that conservatism won last night, even though Republicans did not. Numerous moderate to conservative Democrats were elected, eminent domain was resisted or restricted in multiple states, gay marriage was defeated in four states, including Wisconsin, so I'm not fearing some drastic ideological shift in this country.

The fact is that most Americans are not liberals and are not going to become liberals anytime soon. If the San Francisco values crowd think so, then they're in for a rude awakening in 2008. In fact, I can't wait for Nancy Pelosi to attempt to push her agenda as Speaker; she will expose her wing of the Democratic party for what it is: anti-Bush (which I'm predicting will consume them), tax hungry, cut-and-run, anti-big business, and pro-big government.

This is a real opportunity for Americans to see the Harpy party in power. An opportunity to see if Dems can do something other than whine and complain. I'm guessing they can't. And that won't bode well in 2008. It's also an opportunity for Republicans to come back to the values they left over the past six years. Here's hoping that they will.

Exit Polls and Network Calls

2006-11-07T20:50:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that FOX, CNN, ABC, and others are willing to call races based so heavily upon exit polling, given the unreliability of this method in 2004. I mean, the Maryland race was called with 1% of precincts reporting. Literally 8,000 people had voted and the race was declared over.

I did hear Michael Barone state that FOX would no longer be relying upon exit polls to call races, so that's some good news.

Regardless, it looks like a tough night for Republicans, and it will be a fight to hold on to the Senate.

Update I:

George Allen is ahead with 86% of precincts reporting, Corker is looking good in Tennessee, and surprisingly to me, Talent is up in Missouri. Repubs need these badly.

Update II:

Allen is still winning in a nailbiter...12,000 votes ahead w/ 96% reporting. Corker is still up in Tennessee and Talent is winning in Missouri. Interestingly, the Washington Post pulled their projection of a Cardin win in Maryland, which I believed was a bit premature all along. Hopefully, Steele can win enough of the black vote to pull a comeback there. It looks like all is lost in the House, however.

Get Out and Go Vote

2006-11-07T12:15:00.000-06:00

You heard me people. Don't let stories of confusion and technical difficulties at the polls keep you away (and there are plenty on Drudge); the vote is more important than that. It doesn't matter if you're a disillusioned conservative Christian smarting over Ted Haggard's infelicities (and according to what I've heard on CNN, you are): he's not on the ballot. Go vote anyway. Mark Foley, Jack Abramoff, Bob Ney,Tom DeLay, or random crooked conservative got you down? Think of the alternative. It could be a Democrat in office.

Nobel Prize in the Works for Saddam?

2006-11-07T11:57:00.000-06:00

Two days removed from shouting "Long live the people and death to their enemies" following his sentencing, Saddam appeared contrite in court today, urging harmony between Kurds, Iraqis, and other Arabs. One can only speculate as to the sincerity of his motives, and I am persuaded to be doubtful, but I wonder how long it will be before the image of "Saddam the Humanitarian" is being bandied about.

Faith Hill Waxes Ballistic

2006-11-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

Faith Hill expresses her, erm, displeasure over losing to Carrie Underwood at the CMA awards last night.

She's on the inside track for this week's Bitter Root award.

Bitter Root Award

2006-11-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

This week's Bitter Root award goes to Ramsey Clark. Clark, lawyer for Saddam Hussein and Bush-hater extraordinaire, was ejected from the Iraqi courtroom where Saddam's trial was being held for labeling the procedure "a mockery of justice." Clark was promptly ordered out in English and, presumably, out of the public eye until the next murderous dictator comes to trial.

The Hugo Chavez Challenge

2006-11-05T19:41:00.000-06:00

It seems there are some folks who are unhappy with "El Commandante" Chavez's promise of a Venezuelan utopia. Chavez is being challenged by an opposition candidate promising to get tough on crime, to restore a working relationship with the Bush administration, and to redistribute the government's stash of oil revenues. While Chavez's opponent, Manuel Rosales, isn't Ronald Reagan, in this case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Sentencing Saddam

2006-11-05T19:08:00.000-06:00

Saddam Hussein received his due condemnation today, sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. It took awhile to reach the verdict, but it's good for the Iraqi democracy to handle these issues themselves. That they were able to do it in the face of sectarian violence, the murder of three lawyers, the dismissal of a judge, and repeated attempts by Saddam to upset the course of justice is a testament to their resolve. Kudos to Iraq.

A Haggard Story?

2006-11-03T09:50:00.000-06:00

According to the Denver Post, revelations about the Rev. Ted Haggard's purported affair with a gay prostitute grew a bit more complicated this morning when his accuser, Michael Jones, failed a polygraph test.

This is a weird story, to say the least, and hopefully judgment will be restrained until all the facts are in.

Update I: Breitbart reports that Ted Haggard admits to buying meth and receiving massages from Michael Jones, the man who claims that Haggard paid him for sex. However, Haggard says no sex was involved. The obvious question, to me at least, is what does buying drugs have to do with receiving massages?

This one looks ugly for the reverend.

Update II: The board of New Life Church dismissed Haggard as pastor, citing "sexually immoral conduct." While no one should condemn Haggard for his behavior, it is reasonable to expect better conduct than his. These men are in positions of influence and as such are held to higher standards. It is no secret, however, that pastors sometimes feel isolated, and it seems Haggard could have used some accountability along the way. Hopefully, his church can recover.

Voter Fraud in Tennessee?

2006-11-03T09:19:00.000-06:00

Drudge Report is covering a developing story about 12 missing smartcards, the cards that operate voting machines, in Shelby County, Tennessee.

This isn't podunkville; Memphis is the county seat, and its residents number over 900,000, according to the county's website.

Strong Economy: Too Little, Too Late for Republicans?

2006-11-03T09:02:00.000-06:00

From Reuters: A new report released today shows a strong American economy: job growth and wages are up, and unemployment is down.

"The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to its lowest in nearly 5-1/2 years during October as 92,000 more jobs were added and hiring in each of the two prior months was revised up, a government report on Friday showed.

The October new-jobs figure was below Wall Street economists' expectations for 125,000 but the Labor Department said a total 139,000 more jobs were created in August and September than it had previously thought. It revised up September's job-creation total to 148,000, or nearly three times the 51,000 it reported a month ago, and said there were 230,000 new jobs in August instead of 188,000.

The unemployment rate fell in October to 4.4 percent from 4.6 percent in September. It was the lowest unemployment rate since 4.3 percent in May 2001 and was likely to fan concerns that labor markets are growing tight and could contribute to inflation pressures."

The question remains whether or not it will matter in this election.

PR "Bomb" at Penn

2006-11-02T20:13:00.000-06:00

In the boneheaded move of the week, Penn president Amy Gutmann poses with a student dressed as a Palestinian suicide bomber at a Halloween event. The party was thrown by the president, and the student in the photo is Saad Saadi. His website is here (H/T Malkin).

My problem is not so much with the student; he's probably just being dopey. What I can't understand is what the president of an Ivy League school would be doing posing for a shot like this. She should and probably will apologize, but this looks like a well-deserved PR nightmare. A real head-scratcher.

Update: Penn president Amy Gutmann has posted a response to the publication of the photo on Saadi's website and others:

Statement by President Amy Gutmann
November 03, 2006

Each year, the president hosts a Halloween party for Penn students. More than 700 students attend. They all crowd around to have their picture taken with me in costume. This year, one student who had a toy gun in hand had his picture taken with me before it was obvious to me that he was dressed as a suicide bomber. He posted the photo on a website and it was picked up on several other websites.

The costume is clearly offensive and I was offended by it. As soon as I realized what his costume was, I refused to take any more pictures with him, as he requested. The student had the right to wear the costume just as I, and others, have a right to criticize his wearing of it.

So, we should all hold hands again and sing kumbaya?

Howard Dean on Bush's Competency

2006-11-02T17:20:00.000-06:00

Howie Shirt-sleeves criticized President Bush yesterday, calling him "the most incompetent president we've had in our lifetime." Hmm, had Dean not self-destructed his own campaign in '04, then perhaps he would own that label.

Lest we forget, a word or two from the "competent" one himself...

Another American Elitist Slams the Troops

2006-11-02T11:47:00.000-06:00

The unadulterated leftist id is really something to behold. First John Kerry's "botched joke" and now this in the McGill Daily from Seymour Hersh.

Decision at U.N. after Only 47 Tries

2006-11-01T21:41:00.000-06:00

Apparently, Hugo Chavez's quest for world domination has been delayed a bit. From Breitbart, but appropriate for The Onion: "Venezuela, Guatemala withdraw from race for Security Council seat, support Panama."

This is moving beyond the comic to the absurd.

A Message from Our Troops, "Stuck in Iraq"

2006-11-01T12:35:00.000-06:00

A great message for our most equine Senator Kerry.

Hillary's Internationalist Diplomacy

2006-11-01T09:31:00.000-06:00

Hillary Clinton today called for an "internationalist" approach to diplomacy and insisted that the U.S. not fight the War on Terror alone. However, a quick check of the coalition countries on the White House website seems to contradict the lone cowboy image Dems want to cultivate. I don't know how much more "internationalist" we could be, unless, of course, Hillary is suggesting we curry favor with the European Union or, forbid the thought,with nations who want nothing more than to wipe the U.S. from the earth.

The problem is that people like Hillary Clinton actually think it matters what nations like France, Germany, and Russia believe about the U.S. You see, some Dems desperately want to win the PR war. Perhaps even more than the War in Iraq. And her glib criticism of binary thinking--seeing nations and individuals as good or evil--points to a complete unreality where this war is concerned. Terrorists are misunderstood only in the minds of some liberals. They are very clear about their desire to kill all of us, whatever our political flavor. Negotiations do not work and diplomacy does not work. The only way to make a strongman submit is to encounter a stronger man. Let's hope the U.S. proves to be the stronger man.

Someone should tell God

2006-11-01T07:53:00.000-06:00

A recently completed Harris poll shows God slipping at this point in the season. I do find it interesting that 93% of born-again believers say they are certain that God exists. Not that there would be a correlation or anything.

John Kerry: American Elitist

2006-10-31T12:49:00.000-06:00

If there was any doubt whether the equine former presidential candidate was out-of-touch with the American mainstream, he dispelled those doubts yesterday and today.

After essentially labeling American soldiers as uneducated yesterday, the outspoken one tried his best to spin the story today. According to the Kerry camp, his insult was actually a mangled joke.

Whatever the intended outcome, the bottom line is, as Rush Limbaugh pointed out today, why make the comment in the first place?

Update:

In a speech in his defense, Kerry just accused the White House of distorting his "true statement." Please, John, stop talking now.

Update II:

Imus tells Kerry to "go home" and "get on the bike."

Mother China and Baby Pyongyang

2006-10-31T07:11:00.000-06:00

A congressional report cited in the Washington Post today states that China has "indirectly" helped North Korea develop its nuclear program and over the past year has grown closer to N. Korea rather than farther apart.

Now, I don't want to surprise anyone, but I'm not sure China is our biggest ally in this. These countries are still linked by a failing ideology, and that ideology, the last time I checked, was not pro-western democracy. We should really leverage China politically because I'm not sure we have many options other than to just ignore lil' Kim or call in airstrikes, neither of which are promising alternatives. Here's hoping that China will come around, but I wouldn't bet my Che Guevara t-shirt on it.

Update:

According to this AP report, the US and North Korea have agreed to a renewal of six-party negotiations. This is promising, and I may eventually lose my Guevara t-shirt, but I'm as wary of diplomatic efforts with N. Korea as I am of Middle East peace settlements. A lasting resolution seems hard to secure.

Of course, this could be a North Korean stall tactic; if there's one thing these rogue states learn when dealing with world diplomats and especially the U.N., it's that a sudden willingness to "dialogue" covers a multitude of past transgressions.

President Bush on H&C

2006-10-30T20:10:00.000-06:00

Anyone who doubts whether this election is serious business should hear the President speak. He's laying out plans for victory, defending our troops, shrugging off insults, and speaking about an "ideology of optimism."

I've read some conservatives speaking lately about President Bush's long-term vision, and I'm convinced. People who would have us withdraw in Iraq and leave a power vacuum for al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are near-sighted. To take this position puts our country in danger for years to come. I remember the President talking about how the war on terror was going to be a long and grueling process. This is a generational-conflict, one that will be fought by our brave men and women today and very likely, brave men and women 10 to 15 years from now.

Radical Islam is not going away; it must be defeated, and this President seems to have a good idea about what must take place for that to happen.

Islamic Madrassa Struck in the War on Terror

2006-10-30T18:59:00.000-06:00

Kudos to Pakistan. Today an Islamic madrassa was struck and 70-80 suspected militants died, the Pakistani army says.

The intended target was al-Qaeda number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri. It has been reported that he escaped but that Pakistan has him contained within a 40-mile radius. This is good news because the Pakistani military predicts it is just a matter of time before they capture him. This is also good news for the Republican party, and we'll see whether they take advantage of it.

For those who doubt that these madrassas, usually labeled as religious training schools, don't harbor terrorists, you should read this. It is rumored that U.S. predator drones were involved in the attack as well.

The liberal conspiracy theorists are already at it, however, predicting a November surprise from Republicans, whom they feel have the capability to catch these guys and refuse to do so until it is politically expedient.

Conspiracy or no, the world will be a better place without nutjobs like al-Zawahiri.

Bill Cosby Making News Again

2006-10-30T13:52:00.000-06:00

Cosby's critique of African-American parenting can be applied to all parents, regardless of race. Many of the policies liberals and conservatives call for might be unnecessary if parents would take more responsibility for rearing their children.

Brad Pitt=Concerned American

2006-10-30T08:32:00.000-06:00

Brad Pitt has come out and said that he is "shocked" at the way America is perceived in the world. According to Pitt, while he was in Amsterdam filming Ocean's Twelve, a group of Dutch toughs threatened to kill him simply because he was American. Now, I don't know Pitt's biases, but if he's like other Hollywood types, then he won't blame the Dutchmen for their irrational attitude; instead, he'll focus his anger on why we've "made them that way."

Now, I might understand if the guys actually paid to see Ocean's Twelve...

Bitter Root Award Winner

2006-10-29T23:32:00.000-06:00

The Bitter Root award goes to white supremacist, Hal Turner, who on his radio show threatened to assassinate all reelected incumbents. For some reason, I find myself dismissing these guys with uneasy laughs nowadays.

England: Prepare for the Gore Invasion

2006-10-29T20:11:00.000-06:00

In a long-overdue cultural exchange for the Beatles, America has promised to export its hottest commodity, Al Gore, to the UK.

Finding the Balance between Violence, UP, and the Ying-Yang Twins

2006-10-29T19:04:00.000-06:00

On Friday night, a University of Alabama student and Iraq War veteran was gunned down in a residential area following a Ying-Yang Twins concert on campus. According to reports, this incident had little to do with the concert, but students are already pointing fingers. Among the blamed is the group University Programs (UP), the organization responsible for bringing the YYT to Tuscaloosa.

This is just another black-eye for the maligned UP, who were heavily criticized earlier this week for separating (some would say segregating) the YYT and another act, country singer Neal McCoy.

Having been a student at UA since 2002, I can honestly say I don't remember a time when UP wasn't criticized, be it for concert selections or issues of fiscal accountability. Perhaps it's time for the group's leadership to take a step back and analyze how they fit into the University's purpose and even consider leadership changes.

Whatever happens, though, I hope the race-baiters will stay silent and let school administrators decide how this should be handled.

Romney Smackdown

2006-10-29T17:53:00.000-06:00

This is a bit dated, but is worth watching. Gov. Mitt Romney "speaks the truth" to media power.

Jack Cafferty: America's Most Unhappy Journalist

2006-10-27T14:14:00.000-06:00

I just finished watching another Cafferty segment on CNN, and I have to say, he's the grumpiest guy on cable television. After Lynne Cheney "blitzed" Wolf Blitzer about his reporting, Wolf cut to Cafferty, who jumped in to defend him. Responding to Cheney's assertion that CNN's series "Broken Government" ignores that a strong economy is an indicator of a healthy government, Cafferty replied with a gruff "So?". Way to debate a point there, Caff.

Cafferty went on to mention the Mark Foley scandal as an example of failed Republican leadership. Hmm, seems that's a sign of a broken individual, not necessarily a broken government. How soon Democrats forget their own argument that personal indiscretions are not indicative of an inability to govern.

Nice Response to the Hand-wringing over Iraq

2006-10-27T08:37:00.000-06:00

Gerard Baker of the TimesOnline argues that the Iraq War does not portend the colossal failure that many Bush critics have prophesied.

I have thought all along that the Vietnam/Iraq comparison was a bit trite and largely unfounded. Perhaps most importantly, the number of casualties our troops are suffering in Iraq doesn't even compare to the lives lost during Vietnam. Sure, you hate to measure the success of a campaign by contrasting troop losses, especially when Americans are dying everyday. But it is undeniably an indicator, given that CNN is keeping a running tally, shown every night with much gravitas, in an attempt to wear down public resolve for this war. If you're going to try to prove something by comparison, at least make sure the comparisons are somewhat similar.

In a sense, the Iraq situation is more complex than Vietnam as well. There is no North Vietnam in this scenario: no government with a consistent ideology, no diplomats, no homogeneity. Our foes in Iraq are a diverse mix, including Sunnis, Shiah, Baath loyalists, Al-Qaeda, and death squads with no intent other than to kill, maim, and destroy. In short, it's a real mess. But not a quagmire.

A quagmire indicates a slow descent, and I don't feel Iraq is there yet because we're still there. It is a mess, a confusion, and very likely, a civil war. However, it can be remedied. Bush's policy of benchmarks is a way forward, but they will have to be strictly enforced. Donald Rumsfeld came out today and belligerently denied that there would be a timetable for the Iraqi government to meet these standards, which, sadly, sends the wrong message to the American people. Perhaps he means to be resolute, but what it says is that we talk loudly but don't really have the stick to back it up.

The onus for change does not rest on the US alone. If we lose in Iraq, it will be because Iraq loses first. If their democratically-elected leaders cannot protect their people because of ineptitude or sectarianism, if their citizens do not realize that the challenges before them require unity and not division, and if these splinter groups do not realize that warring among themselves spells long-term disaster, then no US effort, outside of occupation, will work there.

The President has long said that if we lose, the terrorists win. While this is black and white thinking, here it is sufficient. We can pull out of Iraq, but Iraqis can't.

Failure to communicate?

2006-10-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

Byron York writes today about Bush's inability to articulate war objectives and victory conditions in Iraq.

I am for continued involvement in Iraq, and I agree with Bush's assessment that to abandon the al-Malaqi government at this juncture would be a critical failure. However, this war had better get some clear objectives and get them fast. Public approval for Bush and the war is abysmal, and it's not just Democrats and independents jumping ship: it's conservatives and members of the Republican party.

How this will play out on election day is beyond me, but it looks like Republicans will lose the House and maintain a tenuous control over the Senate. While this is not entirely Bush's fault (read Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley, et al.), voters are seeking answers from the President, and regarding the Iraq war--the most important issue in this election--Bush is struggling to communicate.

Saying goodbye is never easy...

2006-10-25T17:02:00.000-06:00

Here's a funny video showing Pres. Bush and Tony Blair serenading one another.

Lady Madonna with child

2006-10-25T13:37:00.000-06:00

I'm usually far from sympathetic toward celebrities like the UK's own Madonna. Besides a feeling that one should do his or her good deeds in secret, I'm not impressed with the reinvention these kinds of acts usually signify. However, in this particular instance, I think Madonna is being attacked unfairly.

I'm not convinced that this adoption is such a bad idea. Sure, Malawi has a strict policy regarding adoption to foreigners, one which Madonna undoubtedly abridged, but given the economic straits of the country, is that a good thing? Wouldn't one less mouth to feed only help?

Then there's the question of the boy's father, who claims he's been duped during the whole process. Madonna disputes this, saying that everything was on the up and up in her face-to-face meeting with him. A translator was provided for the father, so his post-adoption complaint about not understanding English seems to be moot.

My initial reaction to all of this was to question Madonna's adoption of a single child, when she could donate enough money to assist many Malawians instead. Apparently, though, she has been quite the philanthropist where Malawians are concerned, donating large sums of money in the past.

So I guess the question remains for me, why are the media so obsessed with this particular adoption?

President Bush's latest speech

2006-10-25T09:44:00.000-06:00

Is it just me (and I assume that it is not) or is the current war in Iraq in need of more than a change in the way that we describe it. Democrats blast the President's insistence on "staying the course" as being stubborn and unyielding, and I see their point. Yet, I had my doubts that what they were doing was little more than calling out the President semantically. That was, until today.

After hearing Bush speak, I believe that he is the one playing word games. Although he has promised to eschew the "stay the course" mantra, I cannot help but notice that his rhetoric about the war has not significantly changed. He believes that this war is crucial to our nation's security, and I tend to agree. He promises to send more troops if his generals suggest it. He believes that the Iraqi prime minister al-Malaqi's government is seemingly one good break or two away from establishing control over the insurgent forces. However, just today al-Malaqi condemned a joint raid by U.S. and Iraqi military forces because he wasn't informed beforehand by American officials. It seems the administration publicly supports the Iraqi government while privately ignoring it.

To his credit, Bush indicated a willingness to seek outside advice and stressed an openness to revising the war strategy to keep up with the fluid situation on the ground, but he avoided specifically saying what that will look like. It's indicative of this administration's continued failure to win the PR war, which, unfortunately, seems to be the one most important to American voters.