A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Many Take Army's 'Quick Ship' Bonus - More than 90 percent of the Army's new recruits since late July have accepted a $20,000 "quick ship" bonus to leave for basic combat training by the end of September, putting thousands of Americans into uniform almost immediately. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Leaders Reach Accord On Prisoners, Ex-Baathists - Iraq's top five political leaders announced an agreement Sunday night to release thousands of prisoners being held without charge and to reform the law that has kept thousands of members of Saddam Hussein's political party out of government jobs. (READ MORE)
Californians May Decide If Winner Still Takes All - California Republicans are floating a ballot initiative that would change how the state awards its 55 electoral votes, a whopping prize that Democrats have come over the past four presidential elections to regard as theirs. (READ MORE)
The Outsider's Insider - It was the fall of 2005, and the celebrated young senator -- still new to Capitol Hill but aware of his prospects for higher office -- was thinking about voting to confirm John G. Roberts Jr. as chief justice. Talking with his aides, the Illinois Democrat expressed admiration for Roberts's intellect. (READ MORE)
The Right to Assembly - "I'm a free thinker," says Freddy Thielemans. Really? Many critics now doubt it after the socialist mayor of Brussels banned a demonstration under the slogan of "Stop the Islamization of Europe" (SIOE). The rally was scheduled for Sept. 11, and the organizers from Germany, Britain and Denmark had planned to bring about 20,000 people from all over Europe to protest not just Islamist terrorism but what they call the "creeping" introduction of Shariah law in their societies. (READ MORE)
If Iraq Falls - In contrast to President Bush's dark comparison between Iraq and the bloody aftermath of the Vietnam War last week, there is another, comforting version of the Vietnam analogy that's gained currency among policy makers and pundits. It goes something like this: (READ MORE)
Adios, Mr. Renzi - Not all political retirements are created equal. The recently announced departure of former House Speaker Denny Hastert, while not unexpected, gives Democrats a chance to take an Illinois seat long held by the GOP. On the other hand, few Republicans were weeping last week when Arizona Representative Rick Renzi announced that he won't seek a fourth House term. (READ MORE)
Attorney General Resigns - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, under fire from congressional Democrats, has resigned, senior Bush administration officials said today. (READ MORE)
Iraq leaders Concur on Key Drafts - Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders announced yesterday they reached consensus on several key measures seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation. (READ MORE)
U.S. Sponsors Islamic Convention - The Justice Department is co-sponsoring a convention held by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) — an unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing federal terrorist funding case — a move that is raising concerns among the Justice's rank and file. (READ MORE)
Bush's Refrain: 'Surge' Working - President Bush has used a monthlong vacation by the Democrat-controlled Congress to mount a frontal assault on why the U.S. must remain in Iraq, declaring the "surge" of troops a success. (READ MORE)
Skilled Migrants Face Visa Hurdles - The legal immigration system is so backed up it is setting up what researchers call a "reverse brain-drain," forcing some of the nation's best inventors and entrepreneurs, who are foreign workers, to leave the country. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Wesley Morgan: Patrolling with the Manchus - After a couple hours of much-needed sleep, I got up at 0530 to link up with the patrol I was accompanying. On Haifa Street with the 1-14, I'd mostly focused on the battalion/squadron and company/troop echelons, so for this embed, which was shorter, I decided it would be better to latch onto a platoon –- after all, if things go as planned, a platoon is what I'll be leading as a lieutenant a bit more than three years from now. So in the early morning darkness, I made my way over to the barracks of 3rd platoon, Alpha Company, 4-9 Infantry (the Manchus) and introduced myself to the platoon leader, 1st Lt. Daniel Lowe. (READ MORE)
IraqPundit: Another Smug Editorialist - What amazes and frustrates Iraqis like me is how many pronouncements about Iraq are based on nothing at all: no insight, no knowledge of Iraq and its people, not even good will. Check out this editorial in Sunday's Los Angeles Times that offers the U.S. this sage advice: “Don’t dump Maliki” from his throne and don't back Ayad Allawi in his stead. (READ MORE)
Outlaw 13: Sometimes You've Just Got To Laugh - Sometimes over here you have to find entertainment where you can. One of those unlikely places, for me at least, has been the Stars and Stripes letter to the editor section. In OIF 2 I was entertained by letters written mostly by people serving in Kuwait, who complained loud and long about how they weren't being appreciated enough. Those letters were in turn answered by people serving in Iraq, who related tales of comrades being blown to bits by IEDs and how the people in Kuwait should shut the "F" up...and be happy with their lot in life. (READ MORE)
Far From Perfect: Restless - I was attempting to get some rest before our patrol tonight, but I guess that isn’t going to happen at this point. I was lying in my bunk staring at the ceiling with a lot of different things going through my mind. Our time here in hell is starting to draw down. We have less than four months left, but that’s still four months of this place. The days seem to be getting longer and time is slowing to a standstill. People are on edge, and everyone is worn down to the point of “I don’t give a crap anymore.” This can be a real dangerous time in a deployment as complacency, routine, and just plain boredom set in. Anyway, that’s not what was running through my mind. (READ MORE)
Eighty Deuce on the Loose in Iraq: The attack of the demon dog... - This is to be a story of a dog. In fact this will turn in to a story of two dogs. One of which almost lost its life by my hands. Now let me make sure and tell you that I am truely an animal lover. The one thing I have missed more than anything being in the military as a single soldier, is the fact that while living in the barracks I was not able to have ANY pet, even something like a fish. Shoot I don't even think I could have a live plant. (READ MORE)
The Calm Before the Sand: Go Back to Sleep - Outside the Wire, factions of every stripe are making the rounds. In the last year, all over Iraq, they've begun to systematically target the very elements of infrastructure my unit was put in place to maintain. This is not the work of some rabble, mind you--these are coordinated attacks, often occurring within minutes or hours of each other, at locations at opposite ends of the country. (READ MORE)
Badger 6: The Cycle of the Seasons - Every year for the last four years violence has spiked towards the end of summer. There are many reasons for this; Ramadan comes in the late summer and early fall, this year starting 13 September; the weather is favorable to insurgent operations, with no large command structure there is institutional discipline to compel the terrorists to go out in the rain and cold of January and do their deadly business. These cycles are regular and predictable (and of course the cycle gives the naysayers the chance to point at January and August and proclaim the mission a failure because of more attacks later in the year without regard to the other aspects of the matter.) (READ MORE)
Michael Yon: The Ghosts of Anbar, Part II of IV - Over the past several years, while working into a strategic fatigue, our military has made an amazing transformation in how it conducts this war. Gone, for instance, are heavy-handed tactics, replaced by multi-dimensional counterinsurgency strategy rolled out simultaneously with targeted kinetic battles, like those recently with the 3/2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Baqubah. (READ MORE)
Those Wacky Iraqis: The Things We Miss - It was my son's first day of Kindergarten today. I have missed birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgivings, Christmases, and many others that I will never get back. My son does not remember ever having his daddy live at home. We have had one Christmas together in 6 years. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Armstrong Williams: Economic Tsunami - At the beginning of the year there were concerns about the fallout from the debacle in the sub prime real estate market. This was first evidenced with the collapse of New Century Financial, which was at that time the nation?s second largest sub prime lender. At first blush, people felt that the sub prime issue was contained to the sub prime arena. How wrong we have been. (READ MORE)
Star Parker: Who is sicker, Vick or PETA? - The Michael Vick dogfighting scandal is morphing into a broader NFL dogfighting scandal, as other NFL players also appear to be involved in this very weird pastime. (READ MORE)
Harry R. Jackson, Jr.: Holy Vote, Blackman! - Eighteen months ago, I went on national television to discuss black America’s biggest problems with ten noted civil rights leaders. Thanks to the diligent coordination of the host, Tavis Smiley, The State of the Black Union 2006 was a stellar success. (READ MORE)
Robert Knight: CNN's God's Christian Warriors Leaves Viewers' Scared - One of these days, CNN will have to dispense with the ominous music it uses for Christian documentaries and go for the full effect, using the Jaws soundtrack. (READ MORE)
Nicole Gelinas: An Inconvenient Solution - In a short time, global warming has graduated from niche cause to accepted fact. Though skeptics may still grumble (or shout) that the science isn’t settled, they’ve lost the battle when President Bush agrees to “seriously consider” an international climate-change treaty... (READ MORE)
Nina Shea: Iraq's Endangered Minorities - Recent bombings in Iraq's Kurdish area nearly annihilated two Yazidi villages, killing hundreds of this ancient angel-revering, Indo-European religious group. The single deadliest atrocity of the Iraq conflict, it was also the latest demonstration that Iraq's non-Muslims are in danger of extinction. (READ MORE)
John Fund: License to Kill Jobs - Americans pride ourselves on being a country that encourages people to work and stand on their own two feet. But over the past few decades there has been a hidden surge in regulations, licensing and monopolies that discourage people from starting the kinds of small businesses that are often the first step toward self-reliance. In the 1950s, only about 4.5% of jobs required a license to work. Today, that proportion is more than 20%. (READ MORE)
WSJ Review & Outlook: The 'Blue Dog' Moment - A high-stakes budget showdown is shaping up this fall between President Bush and Congressional Democrats. The debate will also be a moment of truth for the so-called "blue dog" Democrats: the 48 self-described fiscal conservatives in the House Democratic Caucus. The bone of contention is the $22 billion in domestic spending that Democrats passed in their budget resolution above what Mr. Bush requested in his own budget. (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Page 9 At The WaPo Is As Good As It Gets - Let's say we're at war, and we're waiting for some specific action to take place to show us that our efforts are succeeding. Add in that the war itself would be rather controversial and that our political class is split as to whether we will ever see that specific action take place. Imagine that Congress and the White House have scheduled a showdown in the next couple of weeks to determine how much longer we will wait for that development. Now imagine that the specific action for which we've waited actually occurs. Where would you think that story appear in Washington's biggest newspaper? The front page, one might assume. Would you believe ... page 9? (READ MORE)
Allahpundit: (Video) Olby defends Vick with a symphonie du facial tic - I had to watch this three times before I kind of figured out what he was saying. The first time I was too distracted by his spastic head-shaking and the second time I got caught up in his bizarre “if you hate Vick, let him play” argument. Actually, I’m still not sure what he’s saying. (READ MORE)
Bryan Preston: NY Oil-for-food trial may look into oilman’s alleged aid to Saddam - The WaPost has a sense of humor, entitling its story about Houston oilman Oscar S. Wyatt, Jr “NY Trial to Look at Wyatt’s Patriotism.” Wyatt is accused of conspiring to pay Saddam kickbacks so that his company could get oil contracts through the UN’s mismanaged Oil-For-Food debacle. He’s also accused of tipping Saddam to US troop positions, movements and possible angles of attack prior to the invasion. Because he fought (on the US side, evidently) in WWII, the defense plans to portray him as a patriot who just doesn’t like Bush. (READ MORE)
Don Surber: See ya - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned. This is a golden opportunity for Democrats to divorce themselves from the fringe left. Following the departure of Karl Rove, this clears the deck for the Democratic Congress to drop its incessant investigations of the Bush administration — and legislate instead of investigate. (READ MORE)
Kim Priestap: Breaking: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has Resigned - Fox News Channel says that this information comes to us via a senior administration official. Apparently, he called the president to say that he is done. The New York Times has more: “Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, has resigned. A senior administration official said he would announce the decision later this morning in Washington.” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Stealing Icons - Over the weekend, there was a bit of a foofaraw over the upcoming "GI Joe" movie. Even we at Wizbang got in on the argument. Some see it as an assault on an icon of patriotism and Americana; others saw it as the proverbial "tempest in a teacup" and mocked those who were getting incensed over the whole matter. I can see both sides. It is a reworking of a fairly significant American icon into a mode that many, to be perfectly blunt, find rankly offensive. (READ MORE)
Gateway Pundit: French Ready to Apologize to Iraq - Unlike several US politicians, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, said that he is willing to apologize to Iraq if the leaders there feel he had meddled too much into their affairs. Besides the French, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki lashed out at Senators Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin, both democrats, for interfering with the Iraqi democratic process. (READ MORE)
Baron Bodissey: Cui Bono? - The venerable phrase Homo economicus refers to the theory that all human actions are determined by a rational calculation of personal gain. Drawing on Adam Smith’s famous description of the behavior of the market as an “invisible hand”, Homo economicus moves a step further into an all-encompassing determinism. For post-Christian academics, perhaps it’s compensation for the melancholy, long, withdrawing roar of their ancestors’ Calvinism. (READ MORE)
Big Dog: DNC Disenfranchises Florida? - The DNC has voted to strip Florida of its delegates if the state keeps its current schedule for the primary. Florida has joined many states in trying to have the earliest primary and be the first state to have a say in the matter. Like the Democratic Party, the states don’t care about anything but being first, being the “one that matters.” The DNC has rules and these rules are being flaunted by Florida and other states as well. (READ MORE)
Austin Bay: Iraqi Leaders Identify “Political Metrics” - The US and Washington awaits General Petraeus’ report. A few days ago I sketched out 13 “measures of effectiveness” General Petraeus might consider. Today Iraq’s leaders announced that they had “reached consensus” on key measures (benchmarks) they regard as “vital” to national reconciliation. (READ MORE)
Neptunus Lex: “Swift boating” - An otherwise useless Op-Ed by Thomas Friedman in the NYT ($elect) today brought home one of the ways that partisans of the left and right see the world in such profoundly different ways that tales of blind men and elephants comes to mind: “One thing that has always baffled me about the Bush team’s war effort in Iraq and against Al Qaeda is this: How could an administration that was so good at Swift-boating its political opponents at home be so inept at Swift-boating its geopolitical opponents abroad?” It’s fascinating: (READ MORE)
Cassandra: How A Biased Press Distorts History - Here's an interesting mental exercise. Get out a piece of paper and a pen. Now think of three words: Decorated. War. Hero. Write down - quickly - don't overthink this, the very first three names that come into your mind, regardless of your reaction to them. Whose names appeared on that little slip of paper? John Kerry. -- Jack Murtha. -- Maybe (if you're from a military background) Jason Dunham. Try this the next time you're with a group of people. I'd be willing to bet these names don't come up: (READ MORE)
John Hawkins: Calling For A Coup At The Huffington Post - You know your Bush Dementia Syndrome is getting out of control when you're actually calling for a military coup -- or maybe you're just a closet fascist, who knows? Speaking of which, over at the Huffington Post, Martin Lewis wrote the following this week-end, “General Pace - you have the power to fulfill your responsibility to protect the troops under your command. Indeed you have an obligation to do so. You can relieve the President of his command. Not of his Presidency. But of his military role as Commander-In-Chief.” (READ MORE)
Rhymes with Right: "Listen To The Generals" Becomes "Who Cares About The Generals" - John Edwards has jumped on the defeat-at-any-cost bandwagon. "Congress should continue to push for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq regardless of what top military advisers say in their progress report next month, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Sunday on Face The Nation." (READ MORE)
The Redhunter: Why Wait for Petraeus? - General Petraeus is due to make his report to Congress on September 11. It would appear, however, that many in Congress have already made up their minds. Senator Warner seems to have already made his decision. He's now announced that the President should announce a withdrawal right now. At a press conference in Washington yesterday: “Virginia Senator John Warner said President George W. Bush should begin withdrawing troops from Iraq on Sept. 15 to show the Iraqi government that the U.S. commitment there isn't open-ended.” (READ MORE)
Jon Henke: The Moral Hazard of New Orleans - Douglas Brinkley has a Washington Post column about post-Katrina New Orleans (and particularly, the 9th Ward). “Two full years after the hurricane, the Big Easy is barely limping along ... Why is no Herculean clean-up effort underway?” Yes, why ever aren’t we rebuilding homes whose true cost (including insurance, and defense against flooding) is far, far higher than anybody apparently wants to pay for it? Perhaps for the same reasons we’re not attempting to drain the south Georgian Okefenokee Swamp in order to build low-income housing for rural Georgians. It’s not worth it. (READ MORE)
McQ: Some political progress in Iraq - Maybe the message is getting across in Iraq that patience is wearing thin here and they better begin to take advantage of the improving security situation to make progress politically: "Iraq’s top Shi’ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders announced on Sunday they had reached consensus on some key measures seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation." Obviously, of course, the proof is in the pudding. Announcements are not laws and until the laws are passed, these remain only promises. That understood, the agreement is a very nice step toward national reconciliation. (READ MORE)
Scott Johnson: Reaching out to the unindicted co-conspirators - The Islamic Society of North America is one of the unindicted co-coconspirators of the Holy Land Foundation in the government's prosecution in federal district court in Dallas. The Counterrorism Blog reports via the Investigative Project on Terrorism: Sayyid Syeed, former Secretary General of ISNA, and current National Director of its Office of Interfaith Relations, is also on the list as a “records custodian” to testify about “bank records of the Holy Land Foundation.” Syeed is appearing as a representative of the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), also named by the HLF prosecutors as a Muslim Brotherhood group and an un-indicted co-conspirator in the case. NAIT, a subsidiary of ISNA, holds the deeds to more than 25% of the mosques and Islamic centers around the U.S. (READ MORE)
Lt Col P @ OPFOR: Airborne Heroes, Fort Benning Place-Names - While going through the Airborne Course at Fort Benning, I noticed that several of the training areas were named after Medal of Honor recipients from the Airborne forces. I waited and waited for some period of instruction to begin with a brief lecture on who these men were and what they did. Sadly, I never heard a word. I think this is a major gap in the programme of instruction at Benning. The Airborne forces do not lack for real heroes, and it would be a small but far-reaching step to tie the training of today with the courage and sacrifice of yesterday. So, allow me to introduce to you PFC Elmer Fryar, for whom the drop zone is named, and PFC Joe Mann, for whom the ground branch training area is named. (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Maliki Smacks Down Clinton and Levin - Nouri al-Maliki responded to criticism from Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin who say the Iraqi Prime Minister should be replaced. Maliki suggested they let Iraq be democratic and that Iraq is not their "village". "There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. They should come to their senses." (READ MORE)
Knee Deep in the Hooah!: Life Lessons and Land Navigation - Last week the guys had their land navigation course. I was not jealous in the least. For some odd reason the thought of plowing my way through the overgrown brushes in the middle of Nowhere, Ft. Benning, just does not sound like a very fun time. Add to the fact that we are in the middle of a draught and it has been very hot, to say the least, and it is most definitely not something on my "must do before I die" list. Even with the challenges of extreme heat, wild animals and rough terrain, they seemed to have done very well. Bryan told me yesterday that 4th platoon finished at 100% after a couple of guys went for their second try. (READ MORE)
Chickenhawk Express: They Convicted the Haditha Marines Without a Trial - Part I Newsweek - In May 2006 Americans were stunned to hear a sitting member of Congress proclaim that members of Kilo Company 3/1 Marines were guilty of “cold blooded murder”. Many Americans withheld judgment remembering the so-called slam dunk case against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, who had all charges dropped against him. The media, on the other hand, sensed the proverbial blood in the water. Not content to let the investigations and hearings run their natural course, the media tried and convicted the Marines in the court of public opinion. Even some conservative bloggers tossed the Marines under the bus – only to do an about face when the truth started bubbling to the surface. (READ MORE)
Blonde Sagacity: "Female Circumcision" Now Just A "Cultural Difference"?! - For years I have been asking where the feminists are when it comes to the affront to woman that is Islam. Where are the voices of outrage? Where is academia's voice calling for the human rights of women is Islamic countries? Not only are these formerly shrill voices silent...THIS is were they choose to be "more tolerant" of human rights violations. (READ MORE)
Blue Star Chronicles: When Fake News is Presented as Truth by the Main Stream Media - Its a mystery to me as to why the Old Media insists on reporting the amateurish propaganda that comes out of the middle east while ignoring reporting any news stories that promote the best interest of the United States. Its a very strange phenomena that just defies explanation. Why would they want to undermine their own country and betray their own people? (READ MORE)
A Soldier's Mind: Strength Through Unity - One of the most difficult task the Coalition Forces leaders have encountered, while conducting their missions in Iraq, has been the fact that Iraq is made up of a mixture of various sects and each has been at odds with the other. There has been longstanding distrust and downright hatred between the Sunni’s, Shiite’s and the Kurds. Often that has turned to bloodshed, which only further fueled the hatred and mistrust. Commanders have found long and hard to bring the leaders of the various factions together and help them to understand that by putting aside their differences and uniting together as Iraqi’s, they can help foster an environment of peace and stability to their country. The communities they represent have trust in them and most will follow the example that they, as leaders set. (READ MORE)
Tel-Chai Nation: Leftists who demonize and abandon children - Sometimes, it seems to me as though some leftists are astoundingly incapable of congratulating someone for having the bravery to stand up and do what they feel is the right thing. I'm going to give at least two examples here of some who're like that.First, there's the Detroit News, once a respectable newspaper but now a low-grade propaganda machine, which wrote a sob story for Jay Bennish, yet at the same time turned its back on who should be the real hero, Sean Allen, the dude who taped him doing his no-goodnik classroom activities. (READ MORE)
Pros and Cons: No longer a shame before the goyim. The political affiliation that now dares speak its name - Radical Islamic terror, Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress took the threat seriously. Implementing tough, decisive, and long-overdue security measures at home and abroad, the safety and security of the United States and its citizens became a top priority. America declared war on terror. But we in the Jewish community have long known that Israel has been fighting this same war. (READ MORE)
Fjordman: Could the Ancient Greeks Have Created the Scientific Revolution? - The term “medieval” has, somewhat unfairly, come to carry decisively negative connotations. There was indeed unrest and social upheavals for a prolonged period of time following the collapse of Roman authority, which triggered substantial population movements across the continent. However, even during these turbulent and troubled times there were exceptions. (READ MORE)
DJ Elliott: Projected ISF Five Year Plan (end-2012) - Each month, when the Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle update is published, the same question gets asked in one form or another: What will be the end-state for Iraqi forces? That question is unanswerable with any certitude; only opinions can be asserted. What follows is a rough five-year projection. Five years is about as far out as possible to project and have any chance of being close to right. Readers wanting hard, attributable data should read the Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle. (READ MORE)
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