A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Democrats Alter Plan To Restrict Iraq War “Senior House Democrats, seeking to placate members of their party from Republican-leaning districts, are pushing a plan that would place restrictions on President Bush's ability to wage the war in Iraq but would allow him to waive them if he publicly justifies his position.” (READ MORE)
Second Lawmaker Contacted Prosecutor “Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.) acknowledged yesterday that she contacted a federal prosecutor to complain about the pace of his public corruption investigations, as the Senate ethics committee signaled that it had opened a preliminary inquiry into a similar communication by her state's senior senator, Pete V. Domenici (R).” (READ MORE)
Bomb Shatters Baghdad's Storied Literary Street “Two firemen emerged from the thick curtain of black smoke that covered the pavement on Monday, carrying a soft, shapeless corpse wrapped in a green tarpaulin.” (READ MORE)
Webb bill limits Iran fight “Freshman Sen. James H. Webb Jr. yesterday introduced legislation to force President Bush to seek congressional authorization before using force against Iran.” (READ MORE)
Russia, U.S. to discuss START “The Bush administration has rebuffed Russian overtures to negotiate a legally binding replacement of the 1991 START I treaty that reduced the two countries' strategic nuclear forces but is set to expire in 2009, U.S. and Russian officials said yesterday.” (READ MORE)
Spy chief sees Hamas driven to Tehran “The international community's decision to cut off financial aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government has helped drive Hamas into the embrace of Iran, the chief of Israel's domestic spy agency said yesterday.” (READ MORE)
Global warming labeled a 'scam' “With a packet of claims that are almost certain to defy conventional wisdom, a television documentary to be aired in Britain this week condemns man-made global warming as a myth that has become ‘the biggest scam of modern times.’” (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Michael Yon: Meanwhile “I am back in Baghdad, having driven with Command Sergeant Major Jeffrey Mellinger more than 1,200 miles up and down Iraqi roads over a ten-day period. CSM Mellinger’s direct boss is now General David Petraeus, and although the general has only been commanding the war in Iraq for three weeks, changes he’s made are already apparent. More on that during subsequent dispatches.” (READ MORE)
Outside the Wire: Ring and A Date “No, I'm not engaged, but I've learned in the past that no embed in Iraq is a done deal until all the papers are signed and you have a date confirmed. I now have both. In two weeks I'll head back to where Outside The Wire ended.” (READ MORE)
Jack Army: It's Not Just Walter Reed “Remember my talk about poor quarters and work spaces? The point I didn't make so well is that this is the way it is with government facilities, evidenced by the testimonials in the article referenced above. Hearing about wounded and traumatized veterans trying to get the basic care they... we, were promised and being put in conditions that it's illegal to put dogs into... it's heartbreaking.” (READ MORE)
On the Web:
W. Thomas Smith, Jr: Disgruntled soldiers were ‘cherry picked’ “For perspective, Hannity then provided clips of interviews with U.S. troops he and his reporters interviewed after the airing of 60 Minutes episode, all of whom expressed a pride in service and a resolute desire to complete the mission.” (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: Fixing our broken politics “Is it possible to have cleaner and more engaging politics that challenge the mind and offer real solutions to our problems, instead of crass appeals to our lower nature, the flip-flopping in order to garner favor with a particular interest group and the insincerity that seems to be behind it all?” (READ MORE)
Bruce Bartlett: Political reform “A few months ago, I caused a bit of a stir by suggesting that the best way for libertarian ideas to advance is by destroying the Libertarian Party. Since it cannot win, due to the nature of our political system, it is impotent and only ends up crushing the spirits of libertarian-minded political activists.” (READ MORE)
Janice Shaw Crouse: The U.N.: Is It Worth Fixing? “I spent last week - and will spend this week - at the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters in New York City, so the question about whether or not the U.N. is worth fixing is pretty timely for me.” (READ MORE)
Patrick J. Buchanan: Dumbing-Down of America “Taxpayers are being lied to and swindled by the education industry, which has failed them, failed America and flunked its assignment -- and should be expelled for cheating.” (READ MORE)
Paul Greenberg: The great apostrophe war “The Honorable from Texarkana found he'd wandered smack dab into the middle of the Great Apostrophe War, which has been going on since there was an apostrophe to war over.” (READ MORE)
Allahpundit: (Video) Officers tell NBC Iraqis don’t want U.S. to leave “Good viewing here, thanks to a tip from NewsBusters. The Nightly News is in Iraq all week; Brian Williams spent yesterday on a flyover of the Sunni hotspots of Hit and Ramadi while Richard Engel was with the 82nd Airborne as they rolled into Sadr City.” (READ MORE)
Dean Barnett: CPAC - Then and Now “You know me. When it comes to a subject that gets my dander up, I beat it into the ground, take a break, and then beat it deeper into the ground. Call it my Achilles Heal as a blogger. Well, that and homonyms. I’m Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. I’m Joe Pesci in Casino. I’m Joe Pesci in Raging Bull until Deniro one-upped him.” (READ MORE)
The Blotter: CIA Rushing Resources to Bin Laden Hunt “Armed with fresh intelligence, the CIA is moving additional man power and equipment into Pakistan in the effort to find Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al Zawahri, U.S. officials tell ABC News.” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: So what's the problem? Weren't they elected? “Over in the Palestinian territories, a bunch of people are upset over Hamas. More specifically, they're upset over Hamas' latest action. It seems that someone published a book of Palestinian folk tales and the like, and one story was just a little on the risque side -- and Hamas, who holds the majority of the Palestinian government, banned it from school libraries.” (READ MORE)
AirCongress: A Vote Against Clinton’s ‘Conversations’ “Remember that “conversation” Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton started when she officially began considering a 2008 White House run? Or the series of online conversations the New York Democrat has been holding periodically since then? They haven’t seemed much like conversations to her critics.” (READ MORE)
The Sundries Shack: The Separation Hypocrisy “There’s a lot to be said John Edward’s invocation of religion today: First, it’s truly galling, in an Al Gore sort of way, for Edwards to be lecturing us on ignoring the “plight of the suffering” while building a palatial estate for himself. It is another example of dazzling elitism from a Democratic leader and for that alone it deserves attention.” (READ MORE)
Robert Mayer: Iran Cracks Down Hard on Women Protestors “For at least two years in a row now, women have gathered by the hundreds, if not thousands, on June 12 to demand equal rights from the tyrannical Islamic government. They’re sick of being treated as second class citizens — no, animals — in their own society.” (READ MORE)
Right Wing Nut House: A Small, Disheartening Tragedy in Iraq “Amidst the larger political and and military moves in Iraq where grand plans are carried out and important men argue and cajole each other, there is a singular truth that has underwritten this entire effort at bringing peace: No matter what happens with the surge or the militias or Prime Minister Maliki’s government, what will really decide the fate of that blood soaked nation will occur in the quiet neighborhoods where Sunni and Shia formerly lived together in peace and friendship but where now only fear and violence reign.” (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: Hooking-Up “At one time, college was thought of as a refuge, a place where our young people could learn the basic knowledge that supported the great edifice of Western Civilization, and begin the arduous process of learning how to learn. In the increasingly complex work place environment our children are heir to, graduating college with a fund of knowledge and the mental flexibility to adapt to constant change, could well be considered the raison d'etre of our elite universities.” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Power of Wishful Thinking “JFK School deep think by Samantha Power on how to stop genocide in Iraq. Quick take: Genocide is a Bushy myth spun by people who have bounced from one myth to another to justify war in Iraq, because that just what kind of people they are. But genocide is also a legitimate fear of well-meaning concerned non-Bushy people, who legitimately fear genocide in a well-meaning kind of way.” (READ MORE)
Scott Johnson: Was Kissinger right? “Over the past weekend in "Killing fields then and now" I noted Saturday's Times (London) column by William Shawcross and quoted from Gabrield Schoenfeld's brilliant May 1999 Commentary review/essay "Was Kissinger Right?" I did not link to the essay because it was inaccessible to nonsusbcribers, but at Mr. Schoenfeld's request Commentary has kindly afforded unrestricted access. Unfortunately, the essay could not be more timely.” (READ MORE)
Texas Rainmaker: Take Two Aspirin and Call Me Next Campaign Cycle… “It appears Veterans’ hospitals have become the new frontline in the war against the war. I agree that our military veterans ought to have the best medical treatment available, and I believe those who fight for our way of life are entitled to enjoy the best it has to offer. But it’s becoming evident that the Left is using this story to attack President Bush, by tying the problems at the VA hospitals to the Iraq war.” (READ MORE)
McQ: Global Warming? What about China? “Let's accept, arguendo (and for the purposes of this post), that the "Global Warming"TM crowd is right and it is all man's fault for the amount of CO2 going into the atmosphere and warming us up. And lets propose that we, the US and Europe decide we must "do our duty" and drastically cut back on CO2 emissions. What good would it do in reality?” (READ MORE)
Dr. Rusty Shackleford: Finally Taking the Online Jihad Seriously? “Thanks to everyone who sent me a link to this CBS 60 Minutes post on the online jihad. It would be nice if I really believed that the online jihad was being taken seriously. It's good to see that several of my fellow online crusaders are getting some attention. Among those featured in the 60 Minutes segment are Rita Katz of the SITE Institute and Aaron Weisburd of Internet Haganah.” (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: The Baghdad Order of Battle: March 5, 2007 “The Baghdad Security Plan is now well into its third week of operation since the official announcement on February 14. Over the course of the last week, Baghdad has seen a significant reduction in violence. Deaths from sectarian related attacks have dropped dramatically since December.” (READ MORE)
Chickenhawk Express: Why Haditha? “I have followed the case of the Marines accused of murder in Haditha from the first day the story hit the media. I sat in open mouthed disbelief when John Murtha accused the Marines of cold blooded murder. I still shake my head at the unconditional acceptance of the words of Haditha residents over the Marines. Even when the “witnesses” have proven ties to less than upstanding organizations in Iraq, their word is taken as the truth while the Marines are being portrayed as criminals.” (READ MORE)
Dan Riehl: A Tree Falls In Hollywood And Lands On Gore's Head “According to a serious Liberal Global Warming group, indicative of Al Gore's Carbon Offset scheme, along with the Rolling Stones, in 2004 Brad Pitt paid $10,000 to maintain a forest in Bhutan to offset his large Hollywood-based carbon footprint, while actor Jake Gyllenhaal did the same for carbon rights to a tree plantation in Mozambique. Now it seems such efforts are often a scam perpetrated by one of the largest new carbon offset companies, founded by some aging rock stars and a music promoter around a campfire at a concert in Scotland.” (READ MORE)
Kat in MO: Walter Reed: The Road To Hell, Paved With Good Intentions - Part I “No one that reads history or follows veterans affairs should imagine that anything that is occuring at Walter Reed (and any number of places) is a product of the last seven years under the current administration. It is, and always has been, an ongoing struggle between the need to provide care for soldiers and veterans, the capabilities of Department of Defense and other government agencies, the conglomeration of add ons either developed by DoD or written into law by a well meaning (or not) congress and, the always present, fiscal balancing act where Peter beats Paul to a bloody pulp and then Paul hijacks Peter at gunpoint.” (READ MORE)
Michael Fumento: Why am I here when I should be embedded in Iraq? “Military public affairs keeps thinking that if they just keep licking the boots of the mainstream media, that media will finally give our troops an even break and accurately report the war. That or it's absolutely clueless that in a guerrilla war, as the Tet Offensive so well demonstrated, perception as relayed by the media is far more important than reality.” (READ MORE)
Andi: Live From the American Legion Legislative Rally “I'm here at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington for The American Legion's Legislative Rally where the President will soon be speaking to the American Legion. The President is expected to address the Walter Reed mess during his remarks. So far, the technology Gods are smiling on me so I should be able to live-blog with no trouble. And, I have an awesome seat... I'll update this post throughout the morning. Photos soon.” (READ MORE)
Cassandra: What's In A Word? “How much significance should we give a word? After all, one of the first things we learn as children (or should) is this playground rhyme: Sticks and stones may break our bones / But names will never hurt us… That old maxim was meant to teach us a sense of priorities, to help us shrug off the thousand prickly darts people toss at each other all the time.” (READ MORE)
Tanker Brothers: Women and War.... “I've been giving some thought lately to the role of women in war. While researching other posts I have come across and bookmarked several pages on this subject with the intent of getting to it when I had a chance to really have a good look. Now, unfortunately, I have to try to condense all this amazing history and information into a readable post (as opposed to a novel). What I will do is leave you plenty of links so you can follow up on anything that might catch your eye.” (READ MORE)
Confederate Yankee: No Room for Success “At least that is what we find via memeorandum.com, as a poster using the pseudonym "Chris in Paris writes on liberal Americablog: ‘Nine US troops killed in explosions during combat, just on the heels of 28 Iraqis killed Monday in yet another round of bombings. Yesterday I heard plenty of chatter from the pro-war crowd who talked about the great successes of the latest campaign but I've been unable to see a change and hear of the same old bloody mess day after day. How much blood is enough for the pro-war crowd?’” (READ MORE)
Captain Ed: NATO Beats The Taliban To The Punch “The much-anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban just found itself eclipsed by the late-winter offensive of NATO. The West launched a large operation that aims to push the Taliban out of Helmand province, where the Taliban have scored their only success at regaining territory:” (READ MORE)
Blackfive: The Last Flight of Lieutenant Landaker “Jared Landaker was born in Madeira, California, in 1981. Jared's birth was something of a miracle and he developed into a strong and smart young man. Jared was studying physics as a college student on September 11, 2001. The events that day caused Jared to finish his Physics degree and head to Quantico, Virginia, to become a Marine Officer. He received orders for flight school, went to P-cola and graduated in the top of his class. Jared wanted to be a CH-46 pilot.” (READ MORE)
Dafydd: How to Smear the U.S. Marines Without Visibly Moving Your Lips “The fight in Afghanistan has picked up lately; you all know that (if you've been reading here as assiduously as you should). Last year, we killed 3,000 Taliban, while the latter managed to kill 850 civilians and 150 American or NATO soldiers. In several recent incidents, American troops have come under attack; they have responded... and because the enemy loves to use innocent people as ‘human shields,’ some presumptively innocent people were killed in the crossfire.” (READ MORE)
Cool, Calm & Collected: Current Worries... “As I write this blog, I wonder if anyone will even read it... I am no one important by any means! But, I will write as if someone is reading very intently. Well, My fiancee was just killed in Iraq on 08 Feb 07... My life has been a blur since. I am not blaming anyone (except the flipping Muslims...) But I just have so many questions that cannot have an answer to them.” (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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