Bye, Bye Turd...

If you told me during the reign of Brave Sir Clinton that Saddam Hussein would be hung my mental picture would have been:




Maybe that is the same image floating around my noggin even now!!!




Smile...
We just won a battle!!!

‘Going Roman’ the American Way…

Re(1): “You've got money. But what do you want to buy?”, The Belmont Club, Wretchard TC
Re(2): “Things are coming to a head”, Works and Days, VDH
Re(3): “Yeah, We Can Win - If We Decide We Want To”, Daily Pundit, Bill Quick
Re(4): “The Three Conjectures”, The Belmont Club, Wretchard TC

Wow, a confluence of articles on really one topic. The topic is summarized best by the following:

In order to win a war, you first have to have the will and intention to wage a war. Nobody, Hanson included, has demonstrated anything like the will needed to defeat our Islamist enemies. Instead, to a lesser or greater degree, none of these people - from the Hansons to the Bushes - are talking about actually waging a war.

I have nothing against Mr. Quick but, and this is a big but, he apparently hasn’t read VDH’s authored works. VDH does, in fact, know what a ‘total war’ is. He does know, and in his referenced article demonstrates that fact, that there is a requirement of civil willpower and drive required for a Democracy to fight. These are things he knows and understands.

If Total War is initiated than it will look like:

At this point, a United States choked with corpses could still not negotiate an end to hostilities or deter further attacks. There would be no one to call on the Red Telephone, even to surrender to. In fact, there exists no competent Islamic authority, no supreme imam who could stop a jihad on behalf of the whole Muslim world. Even if the terror chiefs could somehow be contacted in this apocalyptic scenario and persuaded to bury the hatchet, the lack of command and control imposed by the cell structure would prevent them from reining in their
minions. Due to the fixity of intent, attacks would continue for as long as capability remained. Under these circumstances, any American government would eventually be compelled by public desperation to finish the exchange by entering -1 x 10^9 in the final right hand column: total retaliatory extermination.

Once started, there is no solution other than the final solution. That is why we stay our hand. Our civilization, our culture, our people will change in ways we cannot comprehend if we destroy their civilization, their culture, and their people. As Wretchard notes:

The attempt to establish a democratic Iraq, however disappointing the experience has been so far, is unlikely to be abandoned very easily in the near future -- and perhaps not for as long as a the ghost of a shadow of a chance remains that it may be attained -- not only because the current administration is so invested in it, but because the alternatives of divide and rule and naked power politics, which would have been adopted without a second thought by Empires in the early 20th century, are too cold-blooded and heartless to be easily embraced by an American public which genuinely wishes the Iraqi people well.

‘Going Roman’ is no longer sowing a city with salt. It is obliterating a language, a belief structure, a culture, and killing tens of millions or hundreds of millions.

It may come to pass, but I want history to write

‘It was necessary, and it was just'

on both the first and final lines of any discussion regarding our era.

This is not something to be taken lightly.

It is now discussed openly...

The Long March of the Shitte Islamic Blitzkrieg!!!

Re(1): "The Spirit of '79", The Belmont Club, Wretchard T.C.
Re(2): "Declare War on Iran's Economy", Back Talk, Engram
Re(3): "Saddam Will Rise Again", The Belmont Club, Wretchard T.C.

The Long March of the Shitte Islamic Blitzkrieg, aka "The Spirit of '79"

To All (including Wretchard – how presumptuous):

We are witnessing events in a vacuum.

1. We blame only our leadership. However, Chamberlain did not act alone. He acted on the will of his people – and that will had Churchill ranting and raving in some oak paneled government mental health facility. We Americans and the West were told this would be a long hard slog. We were told that we would not even know when the conflict was won – or conversely, lost. That implies that we do not currently know were we stand. We should, however, admit that as a civilization we are quite at fault for making a bit of a mess of the current situation. Most of us at this site know that the mess in the kitchen will get a bit worse if we let the cat crap on the dinner plates – but America has 40 – 50 million folks thinking the cat lady’s house is just fine!!! A bit of botulism will take care of that, eh!!!
   
2. We are viewing the ‘onrush’ of Shiite Aggression as a momentous and monstrous ‘Force of Nature’ that can no longer be pushed against, can no longer be fought. There will be no adjustments as the Shiite Islamic Blitzkrieg marches through the capitals of the middle east and right into your living room. And, there are no problems on the other side of that wall of green and red that hamper their push to doom us. Iran, with its oil wealth and population, will squash us like a bug! We somehow forget that supporting client states and organizations is somewhat expensive in terms of resources, time, and energy.

What we are forgetting is that it is hard to compete against a crappy team. They cannot even get behind their coach – but, apparently we can’t either. They haven’t made a shot for ten minutes – but some of our players are hoopin’ it up for them because they don’t think there is a chance of the game getting even kinda close. Over there Murtha lobs a shot from half court into our defensive bucket while ranting ‘I want off this court, this game is boring’, over here Buchanan chucks a layup into our defensive hoop while demurring about the fallacies of using our military outside America’s borders, and finally some nutjob on the Islamic bench trips his teammate and rants that the ‘Old Coach is Back!!!’.

Yuk, this game is boring, it is long, and we don’t just lose and come back to play again in a month or so. Can I turn it off? Can I turn off a game my team is playing? Can I bitch about the players and coach? What about that game last month? Pre-Season sucked. I think we should restructure our game plan right now for a half-court possession offense and switch to a pressing defense!!! But, my friend wants us to play Laker-Ball!!!

Oh, well… Maybe the other team will lob some three’s and get that magical 5x10^6 and the 'Game will be on!' - again!!!'

Hope Not.

The Race is On!!!

Re(1): "Declare War on Iran's Economy", BackTalk, Engram

Autocracies fail catastrophically when they fail.

This one is failing. I guess there were smarter people than I reviewing the situation if these reports are to be trusted – and they do match the reports from early spring regarding the reduction in fuel import by the Iranian government. That is another reason our form of economy and government will win out in the long haul – can you imagine if our government was the direct purchaser and owner of our fuel needs?

Now Iran must answer basic questions.

It must answer the question of whether it can support Hezbollah after Hezbollah destroyed southern Lebanon. Can Iran rebuild Lebanon after their very own self-induced Katrina? Can they do so as oil prices fall and oil production plummets? Can they induce Halliburton to rebuild their oil infrastructure under the threat of air strikes that they cannot defend and under the cloud of nationalizing the assets once they are profitable?

Can Iran continue on their Manhattan Project when America doesn’t really seem strategically concerned with the Ill One in North Korea? When we still attacked Iraq even though we ‘knew’ there were WMD capabilities – one of the reasons we did not mass troops and attack WWII style?

And, can Iran continue to hold client states? Unlike North Korea, which is a client state of China, Iran is the 'owner' of many regional states and groups. They are the 'power' that drives the regions terror. Without assets and influence they will lose their clients - and in this part of the world clients that lose their papa are in a very precarious position.

My personal question remains: Will Iran fail before we quit? I think so. Rope-A-Dope will take two years and I don’t think Iran with its meager economy will survive that long (just a guess). If Iran collapses as a revolutionary force than Iraq will be a very interesting place.

Hard Numbers on Military Recruitment/Retention

Howdy Folks,

You want hard numbers to battle the Liberal Intelligencia regarding ground force recruitment/retention/capability...

A CBOStudy: Recruiting, Retention, and Future Levels of Military Personnel

Not all rosey - but initiated to resolve issues during the worst of months (June, July, August 2005).

It proves:

1. The Army is having recruiting problems to a minor extent
2. The Marine Corps is not having recruiting problems to any extent
3. Retention in both the Army and Marine Corps is exceeding any goals
4. There is no degredation in the quality of recruits entering military service

And, these numbers dramatically improved in FY2006.

A 'Favorite Posts' Blogroll - without den Beste

Uuuuggggghhhhhhh, how can any serious blogger not link permanently to at least one of many seminal den Beste articles...

My first link shall be: Total War

How embarassing :-&

UPDATE:
I guess I'm not quite the idiot I have convinced myself I am. How could I have forgotten about: 'Strategic Overview'. That is another exceptional article by den Beste that is permanently collated in the 'My Favorites' blogroll.

Hard Ball???

President Bush is going to make 'an 'significant statement' 20 minutes from now...

If it is to dump Rumsfeld than we are in for a lame duck Presidency and a weak stature in the GWOT...

If it is to dump Rumsfeld (or hopefully some other cabinet member) and replace him/her with Senator Joeseph Lieberman than we are playing to win...

If Lieberman accepts a cabinet position Republican Governor Jodi Rell will select the replacement Senator. A Republican will rebalance the Senate to 50(R) / 49(D) + 1(I). And Vice President Cheney will break ties - much like the first two years. Regardless, the media is placing Lieberman squarely in the Democratic Caucus - a change there may be a 'significant statement'.

If we play strong will the Democrats remember Jumpin' Jim?

Time shall tell...

I Would Rather Be 'Stuck in Iraq' Than

Re(1): John Kerry's 'Education' Speach - uncut, from his site...

... be forced to listen to this kind of unprofessional and uniformed and unprepared presentation by war hero Senator John Forbes Kerry.

But for the switch of 70,000 votes in Ohio (imagine if the vote were held this year, eh) or a mere 4,000,000 votes nation wide we would have two more years of a President John Forbes Kerry.

Wow, could there have been any more miserable political rally than one featuring Senator John Forbes Kerry and Phil Angelides.

Can there...

I would rather spend the hour answering automated phone calls from political action groups.

Yup, that would be more entertaining.

Much more inspirational.

And more educational.

I Would Rather Be 'Stuck in Iraq' Than

Stuck on Stupid...

Democratic Leader John F. Kerry Trashes the Military (Again)









Nahanni said...

“You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do
your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If
you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.

"There are "worse" things to be stuck doing, John.

One could always be a vapid, venal old gigolo like you.

I honestly don't know if anything else can be said about Senator John Forbes Kerry.

Be proud Massachusetts, very proud...

From the Northeast???

Re(1): 'War, Punditry, and Farming', Works and Days, VDH

Salvation from the bastion of common sense - the Northeast???

Presidential hopefuls

The Hoover Institution has been hosting Presidential hopefuls. The latest visitor was Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney who spoke to, and received questions from, the Senior Fellows yesterday. For about one hour, he heard some tough inquiries, answered without notes, kept his cool, and talked analytically rather than in platitudes. I was impressed, and came away thinking that being a conservative governor in Massachusetts must have sharpened his debating skills and given him insights about dealing with the therapeutic mindset. I don’t know what he thought of us, but most of us thought him quite impressive.

When VDH speaks, I listen...

A recommendation: When VDH speaks, people should listen...

Bored by Lefty Brain Surgeons...

Re(1): 'CNN Poll Says Bush Failed: America Not Completely Fascist Yet', Confederate Yankee

So Americans (other than the Moonbats and Idiotarians) feel that we aren't quite fascist yet...

That was a suprise to CNN and their Idiotarian viewership...

So much so that one of theirs (TD Larkin) commented as follows:

... what am I supposed to 'die' from? Al Qaeda?

Please, they are essentially a video production company these days. I don't lie awake at night worrying about those clowns

Well, yeah. Like President Clinton you should have been concerned for your safety when they demonstrate the capability to murder civilians on your streets. Are you more worried about Hezbollah? How about Hmmas? Islamic Jihad? Muslim Brotherhood? The Iranian Revolutionary Guards or whatever?

By the way September 2006 was a milestone of sorts. It was the month that military fatalities in the GWOT (from October 2001 onward - almost 5 years) exceeded the civilian fatalities of 9/11 (almost two hours). It is a nice way of remembering that our adversaries do not seek military targets - they seek you, TD.

Two thousand, zero, zero party over oops out of time...
So tonight let's party like its 9/10...
Can I vote for you...

From Barbary Coast to Barbary Coast…

Re(1): 'Barbary Wars', Time Magazine, Christopher Hitchens

We have been fighting ‘Moslem’ Barbarians for 250 years.

When will we tire of it?

Answer: First Conjecture

What will happen when we do?

Answer: Second Conjecture, then Third Conjecture

These are not good times. These are interesting times. These are times that will change our culture - to our acclaim or to our contempt.

Peace In Our Time!!!

Re(1): 'Peace at Last! *clink*', BlameBush!, Liberal Larry

In 1938 an honorable peace was signed in Munich...
In 1994 we celebrated peace with champagne!!!

Award winning photos of each:

A 'Valued' Link...

Yuk, yuk...

Got a blogroll link at 'The Iraq War Was Wrong Blog'. My intrepid site warrants a blogroll entry in the 'Bad People Wrong About Iraq War Being Right' group. I guess I made the cut in July 2004. Something to be proud of, eh...

But come on folks - am I really a bad guy???

Brad and Other Libs Miss Deficit by just 39%!!!

Re(1): 'Edmund Andrews on the Bush Budget Submission', Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal
Re(2): 'And, now banned :-{', Me
Re(3): 'Budget Deficit Estimation', Me
Re(4): 'Federal Budget Deficit - MoveOn Libs, nothing to see here', Me

Still not permitted to post on Brave Brad DeLong’s (the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton) Lefty web site, but I can post here regarding his FY2006 budget premonitions:

------------------------------------------------

Well Brad,

You have your answer regarding the truly brilliant FY2006 deficit estimate of $423 Billion.

Missed it by that ($163 Billion) much...

Get Smart...

But that wasn't your real question was it...

Here is a question (given that this post isn't dead and that I am permitted to post again): What will the higher income middle class going to do with a clearer tax burden. That is, they can compute their taxes without the AMT surprise...

Brad, are you going to keep on trusting Krugman et. al.?

-------------------------------------------------

Let's see...

In February I estimated a deficit of $287 Billion.

Missed it by that ($27 Billion) much...

I guess presenting and missing an economic target by a mere 39% is good enough for government work - Brad DeLong, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton. Vote these guys back in!!!

Oil Prices - NYT Suprised at Oil Price Decline

Well, maybe not. At least not yet. At least not in public - yet...

A Question: Has the US Government completed its replenishment of the Strategic Reserve?

This factor has many implications:

• A full reserve can be used to stabilize prices.
• A full reserve is one preparation for war in the Middle East.
• A full reserve means that the US Government is not competing in the market.

Economic factors:

• What is India’s current economic status?
• What is China’s current economic status?
• What is the economic matrix of a barrel of oil costing $70 and a gallon of gasoline costing $2.50 (refined cost estimate). We know a barrel (55 gallons) cannot all be refined to gasoline so I am guessing the math sucks for Iran. They sell 55 gallons of oil at $70, Exxon or Shell or TotalFinaElf refines the oil to gasoline and other fuels, and sells it back to Iran at let’s say $2/gal. That is, export at $70, repurchase at $110. Very unsustainable. And, very difficult to remedy without internal refining capability.

Political factors:

• Is Iran being slowly subsumed by another great power – thus following a pattern of weak ME pashas becoming clients of major powers? Is this a bad thing? Can we deal with China on a civilized basis, Iran? In my very humble and unlearned opinion I would greatly prefer Libysque ‘Frank Diplomatic Discussions’ with China to similar talks with Iran.

And, one market factor:

• How many times can Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cry wolf before the markets ‘discount’ him? This may not be the smart thing to do, but it is the natural thing to do. Very coy regarding the August 22 thang – but also dumb long term. When he is discounted he will cease to affect the market price.
  

The Western Way...

Re(1): ‘Not a sparrow falls to earth’, The Belmont Club, Wretchard TC
Re(2): 'Planet X in Washington', The Belmont Club, Wretchard TC
Re(3): 'Storm Warning...', My Sandmen, Mr. Atos

Wretchard asks the question:

Our human problem is more prosaic: who actually killed Mohammed Al-Dura? But for those looking for a larger answer, try this: the camera killed the little boy. A man and a boy cringing in a crossfire at no great distance from two groups of armed men was the obvious target of neither: no side's marksmanship could be that bad. But they became the center of a second drama within the first. Anyone present would sense the obvious question and the camera kept on Al-Dura -- hoping? Is that too much of a word to use? -- for the "shot". It was a sentence waiting for the punctuation. And it came when eventually someone, or some ricochet, or some unaimed shot provided the clinching scene. I have often wondered whether 60 men would take the trouble to kill an unknown election worker on Haifa street without the assurance of front page coverage. If looks could kill? Oh, but they can.

Another question must be asked - in the light of the Plame-Neptune planetary wobble.

Is this a form of Western Terror?

A terror that subsumes terror. A guiding light.

Would Islamic Terror be as malevolent and as prevalent and as encompassing without the unseen hand? A hand holding to dreams that can’t be attained through democratic process. A hand with a voice.

Believing An Unaccepted ideal?
Accepting An Underappreciated social structure?

A Western Terror need not be directly violent to force change on the great unwashed. When Islamic or Irish or Bolivian terrorists require the camera, and the camera comes, who is the terrorist?

Are there not other theaters in the Global War on Terror?

Hooverville...

Re(1): 'August Monthly Treasury Statement', Federal Government

ALERT: THIS IS SMACK.

WARNING: Do not click on these links till tomorrow. These links will point to the August 2006 Monthly Treasury Statement if they follow their consistent naming conventions. Right now, they point to nothing. The report is published on the eighth working day of the month. Smack has no value when the game is over, eh...

Obviously, America is a giant Hooverville...

Prediction: Tomorrow's August Federal Deficit will come in at around 10 Billion dollars - potentially less...

Meaning: We will be looking at an annual Federal Budget Deficit of less than 200 Billion dollars.

This means that this years annual deficit will be 118 Billion less than last year.

This includes all DOD spending - to include the 2006 suplimental.

This includes all expected Katrina spending.

This is < 1.5% of our growing GDP.

This is < 7.5% of our shrinking spending growth.

Next year the DOD suplimental will be significantly reduced and there will be no new Katrina spending. Libs, the economy is expanding in a sustainable fashion. The tax base is growing in a rapid fashion. And, there is pressure on the Republican Congress to reign in spending.

DO NOT PLACE YOUR BETS AGAINST A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS BALANCING THE BUDGET BY NEXT YEAR.

Hitchens Redux!!!

Re(1): 'How not to hunt a tiger', The Belmont Club, Wretchard T.C.
Re(2): 'Tony Jones speaks with author and commentator Christopher Hitchens', LateLine, Terry Jones
Re(3): 'From the Archives: The Public Destruction of Moonbats...', Me

A warning from Wretchard of The Belmont Club regarding debates against folks who know the topic at hand:

... no one who doesn't command the topic or the language should try such a
high wire interviewing style.

Hear and see the bones crunch!!!

And, for your further entertainment please review my archives!!!

From the Archives: The Public Destruction of Moonbats...

For those reluctant to click here are some debates that absolutely must be seen and heard:

The Dean/Pearle drubbing...
Or the VDH/Huffington destruction...
Or, oh my God, the Great Hitchens/Galloway mauling...

Thats right, Hitchens has taken down two (minimum) 9/10ers.

Watch and enjoy - the Libs even think they win these things.

Bring it On

The Silky Path to 9/11

Re(): "This is it: crunch time for getting the slanderous ABC television docudrama 'The Path to 9/11' yanked off the air.", www.Althouse.blogspot.com, Ann Althouse
Re(): 'The Kerry Cabinet', National Journal, Carl M. Cannon

When one gets right down to it the controversy over ‘The Path to 9/11’ comes down to who is/was more serious with regards to defending the country. To that end, let us review the 2000 election:

Emphasis on National Defense:

Part of the 'W' election discussion centered on the military was becoming a 'hollow force' under the Clinton Administration - and that hollowing out would continue under Gore. A vote for 'W' in 2000 was a vote for increased emphasis on defense. A vote for Gore in 2000 was a vote for status quo regarding defense of our nation. Both potential Presidents could only affect the budget with their first Fiscal Year in office - ie. 2001/10/01 onward.

Which of these policies – ‘W’ or Gore – were more prescient to our times?

Vice President:

‘W’ chose a former Secretary of Defense for his Vice President. Al Gore selected
a Senator.

Which of these selections was more clearheaded given the issues of our times?

Secretary of Defense:

‘W’ chose a former Secretary of Defense as his Secretary of Defense. Al Gore kept is choices close to the vest, but was apparently thinking of keeping Cohen on the job or maybe selecting another Senator for the position.

Which of these choices has more gravitas?

Secretary of State:

‘W’ selected the former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff as his Secretary of State. Al Gore was apparently looking at Senator Sam Nunn or Ambassador Holbrooke.

In a war on terror, your selection can be a Senator or a General.

Who was more serious and farsighted in the run-up to his election? Why did Al Gore ‘keep his selections close to the vest’, while ‘W’ presented his choices to the voting public prior to the November 2000 election?

Now, let us get more current - that is, after 9/11:

Does anyone want a rundown of the potential cabinet positions of Senator John Kerry to determine the focus of a Kerry Presidency during a time of war. Apparently, here were his choices from the National Journal:

"Earlier this year, Kerry himself mentioned four names. Two of them, John Warner of Virginia and John McCain of Arizona, are Republican senators. The other two are Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and former Clinton administration Pentagon chief William Perry."

Kerry wanted two Republican Senators, a Democratic Senator, or the wizard of Somolia William Perry.

The article also places the ever so serious Congressman John Murtha on a very long list...

The list is so long it is obvious that the position is a political one - not based on ability.

Who is still more serious about the 'Great War for Democracy’?

2006/09/07 - An Unrecorded Milestone

Re(1): 'Better Late Than Never', RealVerse, Bethany
Re(2): 'The 2,996 Project', D.Challener Roe

HT: 'Bethanymania: RealVerse returns', www.HotAir.com, AllahPundit

IMPORTANT ADDENDUM 2006/09/07 1855

Bethany reminded me of of the 2,996 Project - a project to memorialize each and every one of the murder victims of the 9/11 terror attacks...

She reminded me of something I felt must be posted...

American (and Coallition) Fatalities in OIF: http://icasualties.org/oif
American (and Coallition) Fatalities in OEF: http://www.icasualties.org/oef

On 2006/09/07 Military Fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan equaled the murder count of 9/11.

Within one week of the five year anniversary of the attack...

Question Libs: Do you want to fight them over there, or over here?

ADDENDUM 2006/09/07 1855

Good God, Bethany is stunning!

As a comparison, here is a 'stunning' Lefty:

Pax Americana Into its Second Century...

Re(1): 'The Nation That Fell To Earth', Time Magazine, Niall Ferguson
Re(2): 'NYT Surprised by 2nd Annual Jump In Revenues since Tax Cuts...', Me
Re(3): 'The Aftermath: Hezbollah's Looming Loss', StrategyPage, Austin Bay
Re(4): 'Is Britain tired of its multiculturalist mantra?', The Daily Star, Muhammad Zamir
Re(5): 'New violence erupts near Chechnya', al-Reuters

As my post title illustrates I don't see things exactly as Ferguson sees them, but his long view is intriguing - and correct.

At the edge, how do we know when we win 'The Great War for Democracy'?
And, will the West accept losing this 'The Great War for Democracy'?

We know we are winning the 'Great War for Democracy' when we can use that term unabashedly. When will that occur?

When we no longer run deficits – even though we are still actively dealing with global terrorism. When the proxies of global terrorism are unmasked for what they are – weak pawns of weak horses. When global terrorism involves all major civilizations in the conflict.

All these markers are coming to bare.

• Our (United States) annual deficit is receding rapidly. It will zero out within two years – my guess is next year. That is not a positive datapoint for Islamic Terror. bin Laden attempted to destroy our economy. He failed miserably.
  
• Hezbollah and Hamas are facing their Katrina test this year - and for years to come. Are the sponsors of terror going to be able to martial the men and material and knowledge and organizational skill to rebuild their proxy polities after wars they started and lost? Do they have the resources to fight democracy at home, deal with massive military might on their borders, steam along on complex and expensive Manhattan Projects, and rebuild regions decimated by wars they initiated? I think not. It shall be demonstrated that they can fight and lose, but not that they can govern and prosper.
  
• While China and Russia are playing great power games, they are playing them at the edge. Another Beslan changes things for Russia. In fact, in 2006 just how are the Chechen Islamic terrorist doing in their struggle against Russia. A major Islamic terrorist attack in China opens another front. It will happen. Sooner rather than later. Then Militant Islam will have enemies on all sides.
  
  Soon, within President Bush’s tenure, we will be able to call this conflict ‘The Great War for Democracy’. Maybe this year.

We will know we have won when we can repeatedly elect representatives on an 'It's the economy stupid' platform. Not yet, not for quite a while. Good people like Mark Warner cannot run on this platform, and they will face an uphill battle in dealing with the still undefeated extremes in their Party.

On accepting a loss in the ‘Great War for Democracy’ I can say without reservation that the long range answer will be a resounding NO.

• There may be blips in the short term – but the enemy will reinforce our will to fight. Take for example a takeover of Congress by silly isolationists and conversationalist. It may be peaches and cream for a short time, but what happens when it is viciously demonstrated that there is nobody to talk to. Our civilization, our culture, our nation can deal with millions of casualties – but we will be enraged by the murder of thousands. Can militant Islam fight us toe to toe, can they control their decentralized goon squad organizations enough to hold a winning strategy against the West? Again, I think not.
  
• I would not want to be on the side of deep discussion with Iran, Syria, North Korea, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or Osama bin Laden. When those turds strike Paris or attempt to launch a missile at, or over, Japan or detonate some huge bomb in Toronto or machine gun a gay parade in San Francisco it will show the voters just how ineffective group therapy sessions are when dealing with ideological murderers. In fact, my biggest concern revolves around the destruction of the Democratic Party as an entity worth listening to – and voting for. A One-Party republic is not a stable democracy.
  
• On Niall's belief that we will win this conflict outside military means I accept and deny his conjecture. How absolutely presumptuous of me. I accept that victory will be measured by non-military datapoints. However, the application of military might enhances and illustrates and aggravates those datapoints. Without active military capability on the borders of Iran and Syria and Saudi Arabia (and Pakistan) we would have to wait much longer for natural degradation to occur. Our military forces these sponsors of terror to expend resources they could have used elsewhere. Fighting this conflict without the use of military force is like playing a basketball game on your defensive court. You could (and in this case would) with, but the game will be close and consume many extra overtime periods to break the tie – do we have the time against a suicidal, aggressive, ideological foe?

The Left on Iraq or Iran or Whatever :-&

The Left on Iraq:

Caesar Clinton’s targeted bombing of Iraq’s WMD facilities – along with the intrepid actions of the expelled UN inspectors - destroyed Iraq’s capability to ever develop, produce, and use those weapons!

The Left On Iran:

BusHitler’s incompetent regime can’t seem to figure out that bombing Iran’s WMD facilities will do nothing - it is guaranteed to fail. We must win a 'war of words' with Iran!

Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Small Minds...

The World at War…

The French are in the fight!

However, on which side do they find themselves?

What I mean is, um, oh, uuuggghhh, I can’t really put this diplomatically. I have to ask the question. I have to get the truth out. Is America at war against France? Are we involved in another illegal and immoral war of conquest and enslavement?

This should shut Victor Davis Hanson up!
This proves democracies do fight each other!

Working to Put More Teeth in that Marine Corps Mouth...

Yup, spending my time building software systems for the Corps.
Always with the goal to put more POGs to the front.

In actuality, the optimization in rear guard support staff was the only positive from the Clinton Legacy Era. The Marine Corps did get leaner - and thanks to General Krulak meaner and better. The Corps is more in-sync with the military and political and social realities of the world than it was in 1992. This occurred because of strong Marine Corps leadership.

I offer no props to the Clinton Legacy Minders. I lived that dream and I aint talkin' it up as some Diamond Dude in front of some ignorant throng of Libs (Thong, or whatever they wear under their burlap sacks). The props go to the Corps and their ability to survive the Clinton Legacy. Imagine a Corps of the mid-90's with a Shenseki as Commandant.

As proof, note the Army of 2001.
They were not ready to fight.
45% Reservist, 55% Acitve
Sorry, but true.

Now, however, the Army is ready and does fight!!!

Go Rumsfeld.
Go Shoomaker

As an aside to the depressed out there. Remember one thing. While you might dwell on the problems you know - or think you know - the other side of the battlefield has problems of their own. And, personally, I would not want to be in their shoes. While I am not overly positive on Israel's Clintonesque action in Lebanon remember that for Iran and Syria and Hezbollah to succeed they will have to be viewed as the benefactors of the rebuilding process. This will draw increasing resources from each point in this terror triangle. It will not be good enough for Hezbollah (and, thus, Iran and Syria) to wander around the neighborhood spreading petrol dollars. They are going to have to provide labor, organization, and competence toward a rapid rebuild of damage incurred during fighting for their cause. Every misstep will aggravate the populace.

Hezbollah, enjoy your very own Katrina affect!!!

How much heavy machinery does Hezbollah have on site???

American Political Trends - Where are we going...

Re(1): 'National Journal's 2005 Congressional Vote Ratings', National Journal
Re(2): 'American Conservative Union Ratings of Congress', American Conservative Union

Howling from the left, howling from the right. The Republicans are going to lose seats. They will lose control of the House and Senate. There will be investigations of a President during wartime. The end is near.

The Eye of Sauron gazes upon us!!!

Get that damn ring off and have a beer or two. Mellow out dude. Its August...

Think of it this way:

When you are on the basketball court and the other team has to change its lineup and game plan who do you think is winning. The radio announcers may claim to respect the coaches ability to change up and adjust, but who is winning the game

In the context of this report, what are the long term political trends, and what does it mean to us?

I reviewed Senatorial voting patterns using two fact sets. First, the lifetime voting rating provided by the American Conservative Union. Then the 2005 voting rating provided by the National Journal. The obvious weakness in this review is the fact that I am using National Journal numbers for one year - not a lifetime rating. That said, the numbers from National Journal gel with those of the ACU. Additionally, I don't even play a statistician on the radio - so any advice is well appreciated.

Republican Senators by Initial Election Year:

Election Year	ACU	NJ Economics	NJ Social	NJ Foreign	NJ Conservative%
1968-76	69.00	65.50	57.50	74.00	70.60
1976-80	82.75	69.50	62.00	65.50	70.15
1980-92	81.78	74.89	66.11	62.67	72.27
1992-00	83.73	72.50	63.45	61.77	70.16
2000-06	90.83	69.06	70.33	68.61	75.53
Average	84.77	71.49	65.47	64.64	72.03

Democrat Senators by Initial Election Year:

Election Year	ACU	NJ Economics	NJ Social	NJ Foreign	NJ Conservative%
1968-76	5.00	17.50	13.50	14.00	16.90
1976-80	7.00	21.33	22.67	15.00	25.33
1980-92	12.17	19.00	19.83	23.35	22.43
1992-00	12.43	21.14	19.57	17.00	21.09
2000-06	19.73	25.91	20.45	29.36	27.12
Average	11.26	20.98	19.20	19.74	22.57

The simple implication is that the newest Democratic Senators are - in a significant way - transitioning conservative from their long term mean. New Democratic Senators are:

• 8.5 points higher on the American Conservative Unions lifetime voting record
• And, a whopping 14.26 points higher than the Liberal Ancient Regime!

And, in 2005 Democratic Senators elected from 2000 onward were:

• 4.93% more conservative on Economic votes than previous classes
• 1.25% more liberal on Social votes
• 9.62% more conservative on Foreign Affairs votes
• 4.53% more conservative overall.
• and, a whopping 15% more conservative on Foreign Affairs votes than the Ancients

In the meantime, the Republicans seem more at ease with their deals. Republican Senators elected for the first time in 2000 or later are:

• 6 points higher on the American Conservative Unions lifetime voting record

And, in 2005 Republican Senators elected from 2000 onward were:

• 2.43% less conservative on Economic votes than previous classes
• 4.86% more conservative on Social votes
• 3.97% more conservative on Foreign Affairs votes
• and, 3.50% more conservative overall.

Folks, for all the hue and cry, it is not the growing Republican majority that is changing its principles and game plan - it is the Democrats. We are about to see that Party fragment. The younger, more conservative studs will want - ney, need - to take control of that Party. Listen to the screaming about voting Pelosi out if she doesn't gain a majority. Reid will be gone. The American public - taken as a whole - does not respond well electorally to someone that has a single digit ACU rating. They are unelectable - and getting more so. These bubbas can be elected locally, but who wants them running a national effort. By their very nature they are out of the mainstream.

This recent conservative shift started in 2000 and will continue through at least 2012. It will take years for the Democrats to sort themselves out - and the little Lamont temper tantrum ain't helping things. Right now, the only folks who could save the Democratic Party (Bill Nelson, Ben Nelson, Mark Pryor, and Ken Salazar) will not clear the Idiotarian Party primaries. There is nobody in the wings palatable to the general public.

Finally, I think this explains the consternation regarding President Bush. If I were to put him on the ACU scale (by twitching my nose somewhat scientifically) he would be right around Senator Norm Coleman of Minisota. The American public is now demanding someone in the Frist to Allen range. It is not President Bush that is changing, it is us...

That is a very good thing...

Democrats Voting Power over Principle!

Re(1): ‘Connecticut Feels Strain of a Rematch at the Polls’, NYT, Nicholas Confessore
Re(2): www.ElectionProjection.com

Can anything express the values difference between Conservative thought and Liberal thought than this graph from the NYT:

Peter Gray wrestled long and hard over how to vote in Tuesday’s Democratic
primary in Connecticut before deciding to go with Senator Joseph I. Lieberman over his challenger, Ned Lamont. And he is not exactly looking forward to doing it all over again.

“I’m very conflicted,” said Mr. Gray, 32, of Stamford. “I feel like he turned his back on the party, but I don’t like a brand-new senator who doesn’t have power.”

But like most of the Lieberman supporters interviewed during the past two days, Mr. Gray said he would probably stick with Mr. Lieberman in the general election on Nov. 7, when the senator will be on his own ballot line as he tries to keep his seat.
“Joe’s still the man for the job,” Mr. Gray said. “He’s used his power to do a lot of positive things.”

A thought: Where does that desire for naked political power find itself within the conservative election time thought process?

It is there – but is it job 1 for Conservatives.

It appears so for Liberals.


Some Stats on the US Senate:

Both Parties now are actually about as radical:

• The average rating for a Democratic Senator is 14.
• The average rating for a Republican Senator 85
  
  That is, both Parties average scores are centered 15 points off their extremes

There is very little difference in average age of Senators by Party.

• The average date of birth for a Democratic Senator is 9/16/1943.
• The average date of birth for a Republican Senator 10/20/1944

Here is a more substantial difference:

• The average election year for a Democratic Senator is 1989.
• The average election year for a Republican Senator 1994

In contrast, here are juicy tidbits:

• Newer Senators in the Democratic Party are more conservative
• 58% of the Democratic Party is of the pre-Baby Boom generation
• There is a growing divide between the aging bulls and the new Senators
  
• Newer Senators in the Republican Party are a bit more conservative
• 51% of the Republican Party is of the pre-Baby Boom generation
• There is minimal cultural divide between the aging bulls and the new Senators
  
• Out of the septuagenarians in the Senate, two of the Democrats are leaving public service while a third wanted to. None of the Republicans of that age group elected to leave public service.
  
• Another interesting tidbit, Joseph Lieberman falls dead center with liberal rating of 17. The fact that he was deposed means that the Party activists are shifting hard to the left. With the above trends, this does not bode well in general elections – how could Lamont possibly move to the center of an ever more conservative Democratic Party. His survival requires Connecticut to be an island in a sea of change – and it might be, see the ElectionProjection web site.

So, where is the country headed?

Do you want to hitch your wagon to Lamont’s star?

What are the odds that we will have a more cohesive Senate soon?

The Sound and Fury of Idiots :-&

Re(1): ‘What Is Being Left - The Ugly Ass With Attitude...’, MySandmen, Mr. Atos

Mr. Atos, in the comments to his post ‘What Is Being Left - The Ugly Ass With Attitude...’, added within the comments section:

The Democrats have ensured themselves irrelevence. They are the Macbeth party.....

"that struts and frets [its] hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: [Theirs] is a tale [now] told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

He links to the front page of the DailyKOS – confident in their continuing idiocy.

Get this, he links to the starting page of a daily blog.

So confident is he!!!

Little did Mr. Atos know, but the ‘idiots’ in question posted the following the very next day. On a day when the civilized world beat back terrorism. On a day when the very tools these idiots rail against on a daily basis played the major factor in denying Osama his joy.

Playing politics with terror
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 05:23:16 PM PDT
This brilliant post culls unnamed anonymous sources from the world over to denigrate the President and to slight the take down of terror. Intercepting a terror plot is all about calling Democrats Ninnies or something. Well, that shoe looks like it might just fit - give it another try!

CT-Sen: Lieberman election-day traffic spike
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 05:18:58 PM PDT
Wow, the DailyKOS had a traffic spike. Is it a slow news day?

First post-Tuesday congressional poll
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 04:35:29 PM PDT
Wow, some poll in early August is showing gains for Libs. Is it a slow news day?

Terror Plot Thwarted By British
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 02:18:40 PM PDT
We caught the Terror Turds before they crapped on the civilized world again, but Hunter has this to say:

At the same time, our human intelligence efforts are nearly nil, port security continues to be ignored, our military services are tossing out fluent Arabic translators for the transgression of being gay, and the funding of meaningful "homeland security" efforts is being treated like it was a carnival game by the Republican congress, which cannot fundamentally distinguish between security efforts and required "pork" patronage.

I don't feel safer, today. And I didn't need the color-coded Rainbow of Terror, which has been even further debased by being hauled out like the world's most transparent political fear-o-meter during every election season, to tell me that.

I think Hunter would be more comfortable with the 'Rainbow Coalition' fighting the good fight, eh...

Run from Bush, run far, far away!
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 12:32:31 PM PDT
Obviously, a slow news day!

2006: Sabato's latest predictions
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 12:32:31 PM PDT
So what, obviously, a slow news day!

That old GOP playbook ain't working no more
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 11:47:40 AM PDT
Yup thats right, a culture of fear and corruption or something...

Republican Party puts Hitler mustache on Dean
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 10:58:41 AM PDT
So subtle, I can’t even see the supposed mustache.

MO-Sen: Why is Talent (R) afraid to say he's a Republican?
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 10:10:35 AM PDT
Yup, most certainly. Is there anything else to talk about.

CT-Sen: Joe's hometown paper wants him out
Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 10:06:41 AM PDT
Oooo, weee, the Tuckwilla Times want Lieberman to acquiesce to the NedRoots.

Mr. Atos, The Prognosticator

Such Talent

Then, again, maybe he could count on the DailyKOS. They are idiots after all...

Are there any 9/11 Republicans out there...

Re(1): 'Time for a Divorce', The Irish Trojan Blog, Brandon Loy
Re(2): 'My Mom is Quitting the Democratic Party Too', The Irish Trojan Blog, Brandon Loy
Re(3): 'Let's See if I got this Right', InstaLawyer, Douglas C. Weinstein

HT: InstaPundit, Glenn Reynolds

UPDATED 2006/08/1921

Pink Floyd:

Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there? Anybody at all…

For the six folks who read my blog, I want to admit something...

I voted for Jesse Jackson in 1992. I don't even want to tell you who I voted for in 1988. That tells you something, eh… Hint, I voted for the person in the last political ad I watched – and he was in the slam. It wasn’t till 1996 that I voted for a Republican as President. Reading this site – who would have known. But, that should tell the Democratic Party something. Folks like me have only switched over the last ten years – and millions more switched on a certain Tuesday on a certain September day on a certain day this millennium.

However, I am asking the question: Are there any 9/11 Republicans out there…

I just found a couple more 9/11 Democrats:

1. Brandon Loy – All excited about getting InstaLaunched…
2. Brandon Loy's Mom - She is liberal, but not a nut single issue nut...
3. Douglas Weinstein – the InstaLawyer… He just got Instalaunched – and his server is still up…

I can’t say it isn’t a bit exciting getting launched. Michelle Malkin found a post on my site and launched hundreds of readers to view my pap. Louri Byrd (then of PoliPundit) launched hundreds more on two different entries.

It is a bit exciting.

Personally, it is the Belmont Club, MySandmen, SecurityWatchTower, CouterTerrorismBlog, and LGF readers that seem to motor over after I comment that excite me. It is neat to have a few readers here and there to get a bit disappointed when I don’t create daily entries.

Kinda ramblin’… But, what can you expect when I am partaking in Adult Libations (very sorry, note the plural) – in this case Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout. A very invigorating libation for we NeoCons, eh…

Oh, well… Does this count as a post… I know it isn’t one of my best… I also know it will probably go into as special link list of its own. Is it really a flameout? Nope. But, it is a drunken sot of a post.

So, to my friends out there…

Sod Off Swampy

UPDATE (2006/08/1921):
I think Jeff Goldstein has been imbibing on a few himself, eh:

“TOCK, baby! The new word is TOCK! ‘Tic’ is through. ‘Tic’ represents capitulation to the Man’s predominant narrative. Whereas TOCK is the advent, brothers and sisters —the dawning of a new age of progressive political and social awakening that begins and ends with the power of the people powered people’s peopling and as such cannot be contained, constrained, or compartmentalized. It just is. Yes, TOCK is here to stay! And those who refuse to heed TOCK will soon be relegated to the ash heap of --”

I think I understand this passage!!!

Questions to the Media...

Re(1): 'Know Thy Enemy', Me
Re(2): 'A still small voice', Belmont Club, Wretchard T.C.

Why should we trust you?

What have you done that warrants such trust?

Here is an earlier compilation against trusting you and/or your editorial judgment.

Now,

Listen...

Listen...

Listen...

After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after
the fire a still small voice. It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave.
Behold, a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

That still small voice is asking an important question:

Untrusted, who will act as the distributors of information - the fundamental of truth?

Untrusted, are we a step closer to accepting despotism?

If you are not able to hear the still small voice through the Sturm und Drang of conflict and war and dissention, than hear this clear and loud voice carrying through fire and earthquakes:

Earn your damn trust back!

Score Another Run for Charles Johnson...

Re(1): 'Reutergate: "Picture kill", MichellMalkin.com, Michelle Malkin
Re(2): 'Corrupting our sight 2', Belmont Club, Wretchard T.C.
Re(3): 'Know Thy Enemy', Me

HT: The Drudge Report

While BDS inflicted investor Warren Buffet watches billions flow out the door - kinda like the vaunted government watchdogs we call the President, the Senate, and the House - the Anti-Idiotarian Charles Johnson is fitting his cap for another feather...

Here is the unadorned image from the camera REUTERS/Adnan Hajj:















And now, to symbolize the mass murdering, carpet bombing, war crimes committing, gas chamber lighting, Gestapo marching Jooos, we doctor the photo for distribution as such:


The black jackbooted plumes of Halliburton oil fires stream into the air from a mass area bombing.

Carpet Bombing.

Indiscriminate.

Devastation.




So, the sod REUTERS/Adnan Hajj gets 'suspended' from al-Reuters.

But...

He posts another photo with his last gasp of his judgement.

A photo of Halliburton oil fires streaming from an apartment building.

A photo the fine editors of al-Reuters decide to publish. The artistic balance. The news balance. The memories of Haifa Street in Baghdad!


Soon, we shall certainly be able to answer the following:

Where is the Green Helmet Man???

Where is White T-Shirt Man???

Who voted for Hezbollah???

This photo may or may not have been doctored.
However, even an undoctored and an unstaged photo can lie.

Score Another ‘Wolf’ for Warren Buffet!!!

Re(1): ‘Why I'm not buying the U.S. dollar’, Fortune, Warren Buffet, 2003/10/26
Re(2): ‘Giving more than Buffett and Gates combined’, MarketWatch, 2006/07/25
Re(3): ‘Berkshire Profit Rises 62%; Buffett Cuts Currency Bet’, Bloomberg, 2006/08/05

Oh, woest me…

The epitome of value investing loses a cool billion speculating in the currency markets!!!

I was waiting for this. I was flabbergasted in 2003 when I read Warren Buffet was going to short the dollar inside his Berkshire Hathaway investment fund. He was the stable voice in a market of bombastic Dot.Com morons throughout the late 90’s. But, his BDS got the best of him and the drool on his balance sheets smudged the vitality of the American economy. His smoke tarnished glasses glistened at the vigor of the French and German economies…

Let us look at his reasoning and prognostication - oh my, we have had quite a few brilliant psychic seers recently, haven’t we!.

Obviously, one has to simplify a vast, dynamic, and growing economy to really study it – so let us use the Communist zero sum macro-economics model:

A perpetuation of this transfer will lead to major trouble. To understand why, take a wildly fanciful trip with me to two isolated, side-by-side islands of equal size, Squanderville and Thriftville. Land is the only capital asset on these islands, and their communities are primitive, needing only food and producing only food. Working eight hours a day, in fact, each inhabitant can produce enough food to sustain himself or herself. And for a long time that's how things go along. On each island everybody works the prescribed eight hours a day, which means that each society is self-sufficient.

Ah, that simplifies the equation. There are no goods other than land and food. There are no requirements for services such as blacksmithing or oil exploration or software development. We can narrow a 13.5 Trillion dollar economy to land and food!

And, after Thriftville starts selling surplus food to the LOPs (Low Output People) in Squanderville an imbalance occurs – resulting in Thriftville citizens actually owning hard assets in Squanderville! And, now:

At that point, the Squanders are forced to deal with an ugly equation: They must now not only return to working eight hours a day in order to eat -- they have nothing left to trade -- but must also work additional hours to service their debt and pay Thriftville rent on the land so imprudently sold. In effect, Squanderville has been colonized by purchase rather than conquest.

In effect, Mr. Buffet invested in the Euro. He invested in the dynamic French and German economies. He invested billions and billions against America and against the Dollar just when his Value Investment strategy would have netted him billions. Just when the Evil BusHitler’s tax policies revitalized the concept of value investing (see tax treatment of dividends) the key proponent of value investing started dabbling in futures and options. Missed it by t-h-a-t much…

He was right about one thing though:

I will close by reminding you again that I cried wolf once before. In general, the batting average of doomsayers in the U.S. is terrible. Our country has consistently made fools of those who were skeptical about either our economic potential or our resiliency. Many pessimistic seers simply underestimated the dynamism that has allowed us to overcome problems that once seemed ominous. We still have a truly remarkable country and economy.

It was probably wise for him to donate much of his life savings to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donor-advised charity fund. His remaining assets can thus be invested conservatively using value funds and bonds – and, thus, be saved from the grasping claws of a BDS infected currency speculator!!!

But, BDS strikes when he invests other people’s money… He is one citizen of Squanderville who is wisely purchasing assets in Thriftville:

Buffett, the company's 75-year-old chairman and the world's second-richest man after Microsoft Corp.'s Bill Gates, acquired his first company outside the U.S. in July with the $4 billion purchase of an 80 percent stake in Israel-based toolmaker Iscar Metalworking Cos. As Hezbollah fighters launch rockets within range of Iscar's plant in Tefen, Berkshire faces new risks.

"Berkshire is subject to increased risks from unstable political conditions and civil unrest in international markets,'' the company said in the filing. With the Middle East
in new turmoil, "business operations could be adversely affected directly through the loss of human resources and destruction of production facilities.''

At least he knows when to cut his losses:

Berkshire cut its currency contracts by $4.2 billion during the quarter to $1.2
billion even as the U.S. Dollar Index, used to measure its value against six
major currencies, fell the most in 18 months. Buffett, who had as much as $21.8
billion in contracts in 2005, told investors in March he would acquire interests
in companies outside the U.S. instead.

Mr. Buffet, if I may be of some assistance… I am not a doctor of finance but I play one at the workplace! Invest conservatively in value and safety. Stop seeking speculative returns. End your search for greener and safer pastures – cast your eyes instead upon the ground on which you stand. Take off those smokey glasses and mop the sweat off your brow. BusHitler will be gone in less than three years!!! Take the long view.

There is hope.
In the end, it was tidy of Mr. Buffet to cut his losses just before the Billion mark.
We will call that a moral victory of the sort being won by al-Qaeda and Hezbollah!!!

Yuk, yuk…

Schadenfreude…

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

Now, can we have a peek inside George Sorros’ balance sheets?

Democrat Leadership in Kuwait

Re(1): 'Govt slammed for postponing acceptance of job applications; ‘Write off all consumer loans’ ', Arab Times, 2006/08/05
Re(2): 'Hezb caught in 'quagmire'', Arab Times, 2006/07/27

Yup, the Democratic Party is giving up on America and focusing like a laser beam on the bluest of the blues - Kuwait. Separate the 3rd World pap of MP Ali Al-Deqbasi from the 1st World pap of Senator Ted Kennedy if you can:

KUWAIT CITY (Agencies): “If the government cannot solve the unemployment crisis at a time when there is a huge budgetary surplus and extraordinary revenues, we don’t know when it can find job opportunities for citizens,” says MP Ali Al-Deqbasi. He criticized the government for postponing acceptance of employment applications from August to October 2006, saying: “we were optimistic when the government recently pledged to create new opportunities to lessen the unemployment problem. But after this decision we are very disappointed and wondering when the government can find jobs for citizens.”

Guess what Sherlock al-Deqbasi and Sherlock Kennedy, a real and vibrant economy is not saddled by expansive government jobs programs. Such programs may be necessary to get things done or to spark an economy in the short run - but they are drags on the economy in the long haul. How many government oil tick clerks does Kuwait really need. Open up the economy, free your citizens to think, dream, and confront you and your economy will roar. I know your advisors from the US Democratic Party are telling you otherwise - but please open your eyes (and don't read any more Paul Krugman articles).

By the way, I think many elements of the 'Right Wing Conspiracy' would be willing to hold a fundraiser to permanently station members of the Democratic Party as advisors to Kuwait - kinda like the start of the Vietnam War, eh...

What a quagmire!!!

Seeking the Weave...

I am compiling a long entry on the 'Unimpeachable Sources' used by the media.

Here is a list of my favorites:

• Larry C. Johnson
• Paul Pillar
• Ray McGovern
• Joseph Wilson
• Richard Clark
• Russell D. Tice
• Sibel Edmonds
• Mary O’McCarthy
• Rand Beers
• Sandy Berger
• Madeleine Albright
• John D. Rockerfeller

They seem to spin and weave on one another. Very complicated. Very odd.

Some seem to have once been reasonable, but are having a hard time of it when the accusing finger of history points in their direction. Some seem to think the intelligence and security and policy organizations they worked for are conspiring to murder Americans. Most seem to want to recast history in a new, more palatable, light. Some are protecting an earlier Administration and a legacy and a belief structure - that is, a religion under siege.

All seem to accuse President Bush of not detecting and destroying al-Qaeda in the 8 months he had as President before 9/11. Most point to assessments from the mid-90's demonstrating the importance of fighting terror - without defending the five years of inaction that ensued under their watch. Most want a kinder, gentler response and interaction with organized terror.

Of all Mrs. Sibel Edmonds is the oddest case in the group. Where does she stand? She is very angry that the FBI dragged its feet before 9/11 regarding Islamic terror activity within the U.S.. In this, she seems to have many facts on her side but she quickly twisted inaction, incompetence, and stupidity into a great and grand conspiracy theory. She is suing everyone. She is a 'whistleblower' extraordinaire.

Odd, very odd…

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills...

The March of the NeoCons...

Kinda dumb, but kinda fun!!!

Here is a very odd thought.

The rocket scientists we call Hezbollah are also part of the Iranian/Syrian deterrence force. And, they are blowing their military assets in a kabuki dance while yelling Allah Akhbar at the top of their lungs. And, these rocketeers aren’t even tipping their missiles with WMD.

Time to recall the theater ‘general’ and remind him that there is a real war on. His theater of action was supposed to fix the enemy in place – not bring the enemy closer to the heart of a major combatant. Do you think Syria wants Israel roiling about on its borders until its ready? Do you think Syria wants these violent and useless turds floating around in their cities and population centers – getting bored, getting fanatical, getting frustrated, getting pissed at Assad? And, the battlefield will not be ready till Iran has multiple nuclear weapons – including some that demonstrate their capability with above ground tests…

This is odd, very odd.

I have more confidence in Bush/Blair than Olmert. If the strategy is to force or coerce Hezbollah to blow their assets and capability before they could actually cause damage than we have a very deep strategy – and one that points to a regional escalation of the conflict on our terms sooner rather than later. Don’t forget that mighty Iran will soon be on half rations for their refined fuel requirements. The beauty of subsidies and socialism. They seem to have forgotten that gasoline is far more expensive than oil. Yuk, yuk…

Oooo, aaaaaahhhh that PNAC thang!!!
The Great Right Wing Conspiracy!!!
The shadow government!!!
Skull and Crossbones!!!

Prescient Moonbat - NYT OpEd shows his credentials

Re(1): 'The Declining Terrorist Threat', NYT OpEd, 2001/07/10, Larry C. Johnson
Re(2): 'The Declining Terrorist Threat', OpEd reprinted in full
Re(3): 'Stay on Guard Against Terrorism', NYT Reader Response, Joseph Muckerman
Re(4): 'Mr. Counterterrorism Guru', National Review, Byron York

HT: 'Your a Dead Man', Confederate Yankee

UPDATED: Oh, dear god!!!

Larry Johnson proved Moonbat Prescient when he put his heart, soul, and reputation on the line writing a NYT OpEd titled ‘The Declining Terrorist Threat’ on July 10, 2001.

If you are silly enough to pay for pap and drivel in the NYT Select read his OpEd here.

Otherwise, here is this fine example of his prescient prognostication

An excerpt:

The greatest risk is clear: if you are drilling for oil in Colombia — or in nations like Ecuador, Nigeria or Indonesia — you should take appropriate precautions; otherwise Americans have little to fear.

Although high-profile incidents have fostered the perception that terrorism is becoming more lethal, the numbers say otherwise, and early signs suggest that the decade beginning in 2000 will continue the downward trend. A major reason for the decline is the current reluctance of countries like Iraq, Syria and Libya, which once eagerly backed terrorist groups, to provide safe havens, funding and training.

...

Larry C. Johnson is a former State Department counterterrorism specialist

In contrast, the famous Mr. Muckerman replied to Mr. Johnson's expert analysis on July 14, 2001 in 'Stay on Guard Against Terrorism'.

To the Editor:

Re ''The Declining Terrorist Threat'' (Op-Ed, July 10):

Larry C. Johnson contends that it is time ''to take a deep breath and reflect on why we are so fearful'' of the terrorist threat. He states that of the 423 terrorist incidents reported last year, only 153 were judged to be ''significant'' and only 17 involved American citizens or businesses.

What he does not say is that weapons of mass destruction and disruption continue to proliferate and continue to be acquired by so-called rogue states and organizations, many of whom have declared war on our nation. They can target our cities and infrastructure with missiles or hand-delivered terror weapons.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was successful because we, as a nation, had not crossed a mental threshold that admitted that our territory could be attacked. Let us not make that mistake again.

JOSEPH E. MUCKERMAN Alexandria, Va., July 10, 2001 The writer was director of emergency planning for the Pentagon from 1986 to 1992.

Can the MSM please offer a talking head position to Mr. Muckerman. This may surprise the editors of the NYT, but Mr. Muckerman was right. He also wrote an article I bet is rather intriguing: “Rethink the Nuclear Threat.” Orbis, Winter 1994, v. 38, no. 1, p. 99-

Personally, I have heard enough from Mr. Johnson.

More from Mr. Muckerman:

‘An Army at the Ready’ – NYT, September 6, 2000
‘Lesson of Pearl Harbor’ – NYT, December 16, 1999
‘Add Civil Defense’ – NYT, January 30, 1997

The fool Larry C. Johnson grabbed a pen and wrote himself into history...

But, at least when not being pumped up by the media as the expert of all terrorism experts he has a streak of honesty:

Of course, he didn’t give an inch, either. “I stand by everything I said in that piece,” Johnson says. “Go through it in detail. Put it into the right context. . . . Nowhere in that article did I say we needed to ignore Islamic terrorism.” Mark that up as another bold statement.

On the issue of his credentials, Johnson says he received commendations for his work at the CIA, but he takes a more modest tone than one might expect. “I don’t represent myself to be Mr. Counterterrorism Guru,” he says. “I get introduced as the deputy director of counterterrorism at the State Department. But my full title was deputy director for transportation security, antiterrorism assistance training, and special operations. In Washington, the longer your title, the less important you are, and I had a really long title.”

As for his connections — how he knows enough to speak about the CIA after 17
years away — well, that’s where the openness ends. “I’m not going to get into
the specifics of how I know what I know,” Johnson says. And that’s that.

Update (2006/07/26 2013 PST)

Dear god, there is a Guckert/Gannon angle to this...

If we get Johnson, Wilson, Plame, Momma Moonbat, Heltzik, Leopold, Greenwald, Frisch and all their assorted sock puppets together we can mix them all up for another 15 minutes of fame.

See You on the Other Side of Hell!!!

And, perhaps, the isolationist Left shall give us Total War...

We will know in a few weeks…

Gee, thanks...

The Left’s love and concern and correctness and decency in this lawless land leave them - and us - one solution since they cannot stomach the other. Their lack of willpower in standing against the Reich at the Rhineland may lead all of us to stand on the beaches of Normandy. Waiting. Killing. Mechanized. It may yet come to that.

But, we still have a few weeks.

The 2nd Conjecture may yet have some life.

Total War will be fought symmetrically by us and asymmetrically by the other side.

We will lose thousands to millions in shopping malls and sporting events and indefensible gathering places. The main target will be the glorious - and apostate - underbelly of Western Europe. The only thing that will save them is the ruthlessness they still have within them - special note: their police are not like our police. But, so soft, so near, so apostate. Even more so than the Great Satan. To reach out and touch them. A dream. A dream of others before.

They will lose millions to hundreds of millions when the next Bomber Harris takes command. Their infrastructure, their cities, and their military are unprotected. Our culture will forever change. We are still challenged with Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Dresden, and Monte Carlo. Those necessities will be a very distant memory. The only targets they have worth hitting are population centers.

At least we are talking about a 3rd Conjecture solution without 3rd Conjecture weapons.

There were options, there were ifs...

Sturm und Drang..

Time, Still...

After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

The Deterrent Never Discussed…

There has been much bloviation regarding WMD and how Valerie Plame single-handedly destroyed the Iraqi WMD capability during Clinton’s era of ‘Peace and Prosperity’.

However, one lesson that was loud and clear to terrorist regimes has been lost in the shuffle. Namely, that American and coalition forces did invade a state that was known to have indigenously built and used WMD of various and lethal forms.

One result of that salient fact occurred when the valiant Moammar Khadafi, the el Presidente of Libya, unilaterally declared his WMD program following said invasion. A program as of yet unknown to the UN WMD sleuths – a couple of years before another unknown unknowable became known with regards to Iran.

Now, with the Libs railing that BusHitler knew there was no WMD prior to invasion; but instead instigated a very complex ruse based on Jewish CIA suicide operatives crashing planes (or shooting missiles if you are really serious about this) into really big and important buildings in an effort to make a grab for Middle-East oil.

Get it…

Libs, you may have blown the only deterrent available…

You see, America didn’t really invade a nation in the teeth of WMD…

They must still be the weak horse. They value life more than we value death.

Will the next WMD armed thug be deterred by our actions…

These folks (Ahmadinejad, Jong-Il, and Assad) are rather stupid, rather barbaric, and rather brazen.

So, the answer is – as I think is being made clearer by the day – Nope…

Bush and Rumsfeld let Osama Go!!!

How many times must one hear this ignorant rant:

Bush should have sent 50,000 paratroops into Afghanistan to deal with al-Qaeda and the Taliban and not count on indigenous support.

Constantly ranting ‘Bush letting Osama go’ in Tora Bora.
Wailing about this, crying about that.
It never ends.

So, let us start with a map:

Q1: Are you going to parachute your 50,000 airborne infantry into one area or spread them around. If you are going to spread them around how was that going to help in the capture and trial of bin Laden? If brilliantly dropping in on one spot, which spot? Why? If Tora Bora is your landing zone why wouldn’t al-Qaeda just traipse west into Iran or north into Turkmenistan or east into Pakistan? When al-Qaeda defines their movements are you simply going to airdrop more thousands to attack them in transition – into other countries.

Q2: Do you actually think we had 50,000 paratroops immediately available with the capability to airlift them promptly into Afghanistan? What kind of weapons do you think paratroops carry? Remember, we had President Clinton’s ‘Peace Dividend’ to spend! Are you really talking about changing the American military force structure before we were to strike al-Qaeda and the Taliban (like Shinkeki's 400,000 comment implied)? How many years did you want to expend in the effort to build that capability – and therefore, how long were you going to permit al-Qaeda to run free?

Q3: Assuming we have those 50,000 paratroops to spare (and I don’t think we had 50,000 jump qualified personnel in 2001 – period), can generate the necessary airlift capability, and figure out exactly where to drop them – how do you supply these guys?

The answers to the first two questions by these Armchair Generals imply that, at best, they can assume the nickname “General Maintenance”. The type of leaders and military strategists that ensure the base is clean and painted and the grass is cut – but can’t lead or implement change worth a damn. However, these bloviations are only hints of foolishness.

The proof is in the answer to Question 3. Supply and support of large military expeditions separate General Maintenance from General Patton. How do you supply a land locked nation like Afghanistan through the air? Whose airspace do you use? Do you have any idea of the material requirements for a force that large? How permanent were those ‘good will’ agreements you site so often (ah, the old ‘we blew all that post 9/11 goodwill’ argument) with nations such as Iran, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan?

If you contend we could have airdropped tens of thousands of paratroopers onto the precise spot to fix and destroy al-Qaeda and the Taliban without a buy-in from the indigenous peoples then you are a fool…

And, a fool is forever…

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize…

Re(1): ‘F-16 Fighting Falcon’, FAS Military Analysis Network
Re(2): ‘Extending the F-16 range’, Defense Update
Re(3): ‘Iran Special Weapons Facilities’, GlobalSecurity.org
Re(4): 'CIA Factbook - The Middle East Map', CIA Factbook

Israel may strike Syria with ground forces - and hold ground.

Why?

The Osirak reactor was about 1,200 km from Israel..

That, in 1981, was the absolute outer limit of the bombing range of an F-16. There have been numerous improvements to the range and lethality of the F-16. This includes an extension to the combat range of the current variant – as described by ‘Extending the F-16 range’ in Defense Update. Per this article, Israel purchased these enhancements on or before 2004.

Now let us fast forward to Summer 2006…

Iran is sponsoring terror at Israel’s southern border

Syria is sponsoring terror at Israel’s northern border

Iran is ranting about obliterating Israel from the face of the earth.

But, Iraq – and thus American airspace – lies between Israel and Iran. It is very problematic to expect American armed forces to permit an Israeli air strike through their airspace – such permission would more than imply a coordinated effort. Would America accede to that? Personally, I think not.

Thus, the Iranian WMD sites are most likely beyond Israeli F-16 range as currently deployed. Even with American cooperation - which is problematic.

Let us assume that Israel has a few options to deal with Hezbollah and Hamas. Why chose an option that includes a significant ground campaign and an attack on an ‘innocent’ nation – ie. Syria.

Why…

One reason becomes clear when you look at a map.



Because the eastern portion of Syria is within F-16 combat range of the vast majority of Iranian WMD facilities and missile launch sites.

Thus, feint to Lebanon, strike Damascus, set up a combat airfield on that eastern appendage, and fly through an unpopulated portion of Turkish airspace to hit Iran's WMD development and deployment sites.

A New Favorite - Goldstein Fried Frisch

Re(1): 'Protein Wisdom', Jeff Goldstein
Re(2): 'Althouse.... The Stupidity Rays... Are Overwhelming...', Brad DeLong
Re(3): 'Excremental Sighting at University of Arizona', Me

Got a bit caught up in a dust up or two this week.

1. I have a new Frisch Face on my BlogRoll... Yuk, yuk... I have spent more time on Jeff Goldstein's Protein Wisdom since the Learned Professor jumped his child and wife. Tell me you don't smile when reading:

Watership Up?

From the August/September Reason (print edition):

Doctors at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University report success in regrowing healthy cells for diseased rabbit penises.

Researchers say the process could pave the way for treating impotence in human beings.—Which, while swell news for impotent males, is nevertheless a bummer for the French, who have long considered diseased rabbit penises something of a delicacy.

Or am I’m thinking of snails? Or the Koreans?

update: IS THERE A MULTICULTURALIST IN THE HOUSE?

I'm telling you, that is a funny post...

And, this is almost as telling as Dan Rather waiving the magic National Guard Papers:

Uh, wow.

And people wonder why some of us mistrust the traditional media.

I left my response in the comments at the TC site.

It’s my own fault, really. In fact, my grandmother always used to say, “never trust a female Tuscon Citizen reporter with a hyphenated last name; she’ll screw you like she was putting together shelving”—but did I listen?

No. No I did not.

Apologies, Grams. Your wisdom knows no bounds.

So, to Frischen things up a bit, I hereby and there-to-fore add Goldstein's Protein Wisdom to my blog roll.


2. Regretfully, I can't take Bradly DeLong's semi-coherent lefty rant site - did you know he was President Clinton's Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury - off my blog roll because he never was on it. I enjoyed schooling his little ones in the comments section of 'Althouse.... The Stupidity Rays... Are Overwhelming...'. It was sad when he excommunicated me and deleted all my posts. If Brad actually reads this I would like to challenge him to post those comments and have others determine whether or not I am a troll. Hey, Brad, keep it in context though...


3. I called Deborah Frisch a turd on her site. I think I'll stick with that... Concise... Clear... To the point... Clarity over Agreement!