A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Army Fires Commander of Walter Reed “The commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center was fired yesterday after the Army said it had lost trust and confidence in his leadership in the wake of a scandal over outpatient treatment of wounded troops at the Northwest Washington hospital complex.” (READ MORE)
Rice Names Critic Of Iraq Policy to Counselor's Post “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has tapped Eliot A. Cohen, a prominent writer on national security strategy and an outspoken critic of the administration's postwar occupation of Iraq, as her counselor, State Department officials said yesterday.” (READ MORE)
Shortages Threaten Guard's Capability “Nearly 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are rated ‘not ready’ -- largely as a result of shortfalls in billions of dollars' worth of equipment -- jeopardizing their capability to respond to crises at home and abroad, according to a congressional commission that released a preliminary report yesterday on the state of U.S. military reserve forces....” (READ MORE)
Australian Detainee Is Charged Under '06 Law “Pentagon officials announced yesterday that David M. Hicks, an Australian detainee in U.S. custody for more than five years, will face two counts of providing material support for terrorism, the first time anyone has been charged under the U.S. law passed last year governing military trials for some...” (READ MORE)
China expands sub fleet “China's military is engaged in a major buildup of submarines that includes five new strategic nuclear-missile boats and several advanced nuclear-powered attack submarines, according to the Office of Naval Intelligence.” (READ MORE)
GOP regroups to foil war plans of Democrats “Republicans in Congress -- including most who have defected from President Bush's plan to send reinforcements to Iraq -- have closed ranks and are prepared to thwart the Democrats' continued efforts to undermine the war strategy.” (READ MORE)
McCain apologizes for gaffe on troops “Sen. John McCain yesterday apologized for saying the lives of the troops killed fighting the war in Iraq were ‘wasted,’ becoming the latest White House hopeful recanting his word choice within hours of announcing 2008 candidacy.” (READ MORE)
N. Korea again pledges to end nuke program “North Korea's No. 2 leader reiterated yesterday his country's pledge to abandon its nuclear weapons, as the impoverished nation sought a resumption of aid at its first high-level talks with South Korea since conducting an atomic test.” (READ MORE)
House backs bill to ease unionizing “Organized labor scored a major victory yesterday as House members voted in favor of a measure to make it easier for workers to join unions.” (READ MORE)
From the Front:
The Online Chaplin: Numbered Days “Let me tell you, the 1/125 knows about numbered days. This is the month we were set to go home. But, we are not. We are continuing our mission for 125 more days. The nation says they need us so we drive on. That is what soldiers do, that is what soldier families do. But, it is not with out cost.” (READ MORE)
Omar: Imposing Law enters week III “Operation ‘Imposing Law’ continues in Baghdad. In contrast with previous operations to secure the city, this one is managing to not only keep the initial momentum, but the operation’s effects seem to be growing as well. A few days ago the government announced a more traffic-related measures to support ‘Imposing Law’ in Baghdad. Under the first order, it will be forbidden to park any private vehicles in the main streets of the city.” (READ MORE)
Acute Politics: War Cocaine “There's a rush that comes on the heels of significant events here. After the IED explodes, or the RPG whistles overhead, or the shot cracks past, there's a moment of panic as you process the fact that you are still alive- that this time, they missed you. After that seconds hesitation, the rush hits.” (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Hugh Hewitt: Giuliani’s Judges: The MSM Gets Out Its Carving Knife “A commitment to victory in the war is by far the most important issue, but seriousness about who goes to the Supreme Court is the second most crucial issue, and all the rest are distant.” (READ MORE)
Mike S. Adams: The Smoking Gun Points to Julio Pino “One could almost understand his initial reluctance to answer questions about his connection to the Jihadist website known as ‘Global War.’ After all, the initial accusations that he gives comfort and aid to our enemies were all made by people who write while wearing their pajamas.” (READ MORE)
Oliver North: Fraudulent News “Thanks to the masters of the media, Americans know more about how Anna Nicole Smith died than they do about terrorists dying to kill the rest of us.” (READ MORE)
Victor Davis Hanson: Iraq war recalls past U.S. conflicts, controversies “Given all of this country's past wars involving intelligence failures, tactical and strategic blunders, congressional fights and popular anger at the president, Iraq and the rising furor over it are hardly unusual.” (READ MORE)
John Hawkins: Liberal Contempt for Christians “Most liberals in this country tend to treat Christians one of two ways: either with open, sniggering contempt or if they think they need their votes, they tend to switch over to hamhanded and grotesque pandering.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: High Court and Low Politics: Part IV “One of the sad aspects of studying history is discovering how often petty considerations influenced the direction of momentous events. That is one of the painful aspects of reading about the Supreme Court in ‘Supreme Conflict’ by Jan Crawford Greenburg.” (READ MORE)
William Perry Pendley: Bureaucrats: "Don't know much about [the Constitution]" “On March 19, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Wilkie v. Robbins, a case from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver, Colorado, regarding whether federal bureaucrats are liable for violating a citizen’sonstitutional rights.” (READ MORE)
Ian: (Video) Dennis Miller talks some patriotism into the View gals “Comedian and soon to be radio talk show host talked some sense and some patriotism into Rosie and the gals. Once again Miller is dead on, especially the part about supporting the Commander in Chief. The money quote has been emphasized:” (READ MORE)
Lorie Byrd: Aqua Net Offsets for All! “There has been a good deal of discussion lately of carbon offsets. They are the Gore defense to the excessive consumption of energy in both his mansions and private jet usage. In my column at Townhall today I explain why I think those using carbon offsets as a defense for their excessive energy consumption could wind up with a big political problem.” (READ MORE)
GayPatriot: What Is At Stake As Frivolity Rules “As Anna Nicole is buried today, and Leno makes jokes about JetBlue or rats at KFC… it is important to remember what is really important in our world today: Our way of life is threatened by a worldwide Islamic extremist movement.” (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: The Gorebot, carbon ‘offsets’ and surplus capital “There is enough in this controversy to fill a dozen blog posts, rich as it is with the hypocrisy, pompousity, and ludicrous insularity of the American celebrity class (of which Al Gore is now a leading light). There are two problems with Gore's ‘offset’ argument that are particularly nettlesome: 1) any given investment in the production of green electricity cannot be said to ‘offset’ any incremental carbon dioxide, and 2) if green investments offset personal carbon output, investments in businesses that spew carbon should then count against one's carbon footprint.” (READ MORE)
Paul Weston: Multiculturalism — Merits and Debits “After the July 2005 bombings of London’s transport system two lone voices miraculously came to the fore to gently propose that multiculturalism as preached in the UK was more divisive than inclusive. Fortunately, these voices belonged to non-white immigrants and were therefore listened to and reported on rather than being shouted down with the inevitable charge of racism.” (READ MORE)
The Anchoress: Gore’s religious hyperbole threatens a free press “Al Gore says governments haven’t done enough about Global warming because the media is too balanced, and that balance brings a bias. Got that? He’s telling the media they have to stop asking questions or reporting dissenting views and simply fall in line. He wants them to ‘report the consensus.’” (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: "Diagnosing" President Bush “Using Psychiatric diagnoses to discredit political opponents has a long pedigree. I can appreciate the tendency of so many non-professionals to use such terminology. Many people imagine Bill Clinton to be quite Narcissistic. While I might agree that Clinton’s behavior appears to fit the colloquial meaning of the word Narcissistic, ie he seems to be quite self-centered, with a volcanic temper when challenged and an overt insensitivity to how his behavior might affect those closest to him, that is a far cry from diagnosing him as exhibiting a Narcissistic Personality Disorder.” (READ MORE)
McQ: Al Qaeda going back on the offensive? “The Asia Times thinks so: Wonderful. The plan? ‘According to the contact, ‘the time has come for a message to be communicated to Europe.’ Asked what kind of message this would be, the contact simply smiled.’ Interesting that the focus of this particular informant is Europe, not the US. As many of us have been trying to say for a few years, this isn't really about "the Great Satan", it's about the West.” (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: The Amiriya Battle “Iraqi police, Army and tribal fighters rout a major al-Qaeda in Iraq attack - Thursday's battle in the village of Amiriya, just south of Fallujah, highlights the ongoing battle between the Sunni tribes and al-Qaeda in Anbar province. At least 50 al-Qaeda were killed and 80 captured in the largest battles between al-Qaeda and Iraqi police, Army and the Anbar Salvation Council in Anbar province this year.” (READ MORE)
Dan Riehl: Al Gore's Inconvenient Loot “Former Vice President Al Gore has built a Green money-making machine capable of eventually generating billions of dollars for investors, including himself, but he set it up so that the average Joe can't afford to play on Gore's terms. And the US portion is headed up by a former Gore staffer and fund raiser who previously ran afoul of both the FEC and the DOJ, before Janet Reno jumped in and shut down an investigation during the Clinton years.” (READ MORE)
Confederate Yankee: Standing on Their Own: The View From Amiriyat al Falluja “While much of the blogosphere today seems focused on John McCain's announcement that he's zzzzz... ah, um, running for President (and being a putz), or which side of the blogosphere is the most profane, and the "professional" media is glued to Anna Nicole Smith's burial plans, Reuters has produced a story about the war in Iraq that seems to be having a very difficult time finding the front page. ‘Iraqi security forces killed dozens of al Qaeda militants who attacked a village in western Anbar province on Wednesday, during fierce clashes that lasted much of the day, police officials said on Thursday.’” (READ MORE)
Captain Ed: Clinton White House Suppressed Hillary's Senior Thesis “The Hillary Clinton campaign will have a few more questions to answer about her husband's tenure in office after MS-NBC reported this morning that his administration demanded the suppression of her senior thesis at Wellesley:” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Good News Bad News “When is bad news good news? When it is your enemy’s. Reuters loads us up on the Good News out of Iraq: too many al-Qaeda dead to count in a village in Anbar, where Iraqi security forces just kept killing them all day.” (READ MORE)
Dadmanly: The Game's Underway “Several responders to my post earlier this week, objecting to Ralph Peters’ gratuitous slams against the military intelligence (MI) community. Several observed that Peters can be mercurial, and one remarked ‘every once in a while he goes nanners and takes a billy club to friend as well as foe…’ I often appreciate Peters and what he has to say, as well, as I do with his call today in the NY Post to keep faith with our military in Iraq.” (READ MORE)
Belmont Club: Background to the Surge “Kimberly Kagan, who taught history at West Point, gathers the disparate ‘open source’ (i.e. news stories) to describe the battle for Baghdad leading up to the Surge and suggesting what lies beyond.” (READ MORE)
Have an interesting post or know of a "must read?" Then send a trackback here and let us all know about it. Or you can send me an email with a link to the post and I'll update the Recon.
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