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)
U.S. Warns Iraq to Halt Rebel Raids On Turkey - The United States has warned Iraqi leaders to take concrete steps to crack down on Kurdish rebels operating against Turkey from northern Iraq, as Turkey yesterday dispatched more troops and heavy weaponry toward the Iraqi border. (READ MORE)
With Trippi's Rise, Some See a New John Edwards - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton may have a widening lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but John Edwards is not about to give her a free ride. (READ MORE)
Bush Asks Congress For $46 Billion More In War Funding - President Bush challenged Congress to another clash over the direction of the Iraq war yesterday as he asked lawmakers for $46 billion more to pay for overseas military operations and insisted that they approve it by the end of the year. (READ MORE)
Mistrial Declared in Islamic Charity Case - MIAMI, Oct. 22 -- The trial against what was once the nation's largest Islamic charity ended in a mistrial Monday as federal prosecutors in Dallas were unable to gain a conviction on charges that the group's leaders had funneled millions of dollars to Mideast terrorists. (READ MORE)
Honor For a Fallen Hero - The nation showed its gratitude to the young officer yesterday. President Bush presented the first Medal of Honor for combat in Afghanistan to the family of Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life trying to save his comrades two years ago. (READ MORE)
Thompson Keeps it Short, Not so Sweet - Former Sen. Fred Thompson was asked yesterday whether he lacks the passion needed to run for president, whether he could keep the Republican nomination battle from becoming a two-man race, and just exactly why he gave only a five-minute speech to hundreds of supporters over the weekend. (READ MORE)
Evans Linked to Firm with D.C. Tax Breaks - D.C. Council member Jack Evans voted to give a tax break to CareFirst in 2004 even after his employer filed papers stating that the longtime councilman lobbied Congress for the health care company, federal and city records show. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Andrew Lubin: Pakistan: The Battlefield Against Islamic Terrorists - There is a war to be fought against Islamic terrorists and fanatics, but it is not in Iraq. The threat to the United States and the West comes from Pakistan, which is rapidly degenerating into a religious and political civil war that may put a nuclear bomb in jihadi hands. Islamic militants have spread beyond their tribal bases in Waziristan and the North-West Frontier, and are moving east into Pakistani cities and villages. Destabilizing the country as the Army cowers in their barracks, these militant Islamic groups are increasing their influence in this poor, but nuclear-armed central Asian state. Last week, in the middle of Mrs. Benazir Bhutto’s triumphal return to Pakistan from exile, her motorcade procession through Karachi was bombed; 140+ people were killed, 450 were wounded. (READ MORE)
Those Wacky Iraqis: Sounds - No movie can make incoming fire sound right. It does not matter if it is artillery, mortars, rockets, or small arms, it just never sounds right. It may be because the film crews who conduct the Foley effects have never been under fire, then again live music always sounds different from recorded so maybe you just can't get it right, you get it close. There is a marked "Crump" sound when a mortar lands. Sometimes you hear the tubes when they launch. That is a far away "POP" and you know it's coming. (READ MORE)
Northern Disclosure: I Do it so can you! - For those of you that didn't know, I was invited to speak at Brown University for a Watson Institute forum involving frontline media, writers and filmakers. I was honored by the invitation but it was hard to attend since I am over here. I did participate via webcast and found that in itself very entertaining. I was able to watch the panel before the one I spoke on which had Colby Buzzell, a kid that was a specialist in the same unit I was in the first time over, and also Matt from "Blackfive". They spoke of military blogs and how they have changed. (READ MORE)
Greyhawk: News Flash - Want more evidence of victory in Iraq? Look no further than Newsweek's amazing attempt at spin: “The Bush administration is starving for good news out of Iraq, and it may finally have some: new U.S. government statistics showing that violent attacks of all kinds are down to levels not seen since 2005. But until recently, the administration appears to have resisted acknowledging a key element of the new data, because it flies in the face of President George W. Bush's ongoing rhetorical confrontation with Iran's clerical regime.” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Bush administration has now been accused of trying to cover up good news from Iraq. The second paragraph just piles on the ignorance - with a shocking secret revealed: (READ MORE)
Matt Sanchez: Hunting al-Qaida in Iraq - Terror and anonymity go hand in hand. It's hard to be a terrorist when everyone knows who you are. An attack takes a certain detachment, stealth and a craven willingness to kill people you've probably never met. Ramadi, Fallujah, Baghdad – one by one, as neighbors learn who lives next to them and repel those who mean harm, terrorists have moved out of the cities and into the outskirts, the areas that have had little or no authority. (READ MORE)
Jason's Iraq Vacation: Not another post about frustration! - The stark contrast was almost a thing of beauty: the long, desolate stretch of desert slamming into a rushing, winding river; on the other side, green everywhere. It was my first trip outside of the Baghdad area and the change of scenery was nice. The goal of my trip was to tour the marine logistics operation out in TQ and fine tune some ideas to implement in the Iraqi logistic system. (READ MORE)
Iraqpundit: Unfit to Print - Peter Galbraith cheers a Senate vote in a piece in the NYT today. He writes that the measure, co-sponsored by presidential wannabe Joe Biden, "acknowledge[s] that Iraq has broken up and cannot be put back together." Galbraith would be the first to admit that nothing would make him happier than to see a fragmented Iraq, which he argues is a failure because there is no shared identity. Never mind what the Iraqi people think. Never mind that the Asia Cup win that had all Iraqis celebrating the country's football victory. Galbraith is certain that he and Biden know what's best for us. Forget the lives of ordinary Iraqis. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Gary L. McDowell: The War for the Constitution - Twenty years ago today the United States Senate voted to reject President Reagan's nomination of Judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. The senators may have had every reason to believe that was the end of the story. However ugly it had been, however much time it had taken, Mr. Bork's defeat was only one more routine sacrifice to partisan politics. But time would prove wrong anyone who actually thought that. The battle over Mr. Bork was politically transformative, its constitutional lessons enduring. (READ MORE)
Bret Stephens: A Kurdish Lesson - A debate among U.S. military brass over whether to declare victory over al Qaeda in Iraq coincides with threats by Turkey to strike terrorist camps in northern Iraq belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Note the irony: The PKK, which in recent days has killed scores of Turkish soldiers, was itself declared dead as a terrorist group in 1999. There are excellent reasons to avoid pronouncements concerning AQI's defeat. (READ MORE)
Chuck Colson: How America Treats Its Military - One of the really formative experiences in my life was serving as an officer in the Marine Corps. I thought military service was an honorable profession, so much so that I urged my sons to consider military service—even though that was during the Vietnam War. But after what I have been watching the past few months, I wonder if I would urge my grandsons to serve today. (READ MORE)
Mike S. Adams: Get Up! - This summer, I met a fellow named Darrin by a poolside in Wilmington, North Carolina. Darrin had long hair and lots of tattoos so, before I introduced myself, I already knew he’d be a good conversationalist. I wanted to ask him whether it was possible to get sunburned through his tattoos or whether he needed to put suntan lotion on top of them. But it was getting late so we decided to talk about God, Satan, and salvation. (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: "No News" Is Bad News? - Last week, ABC’s Charles Gibson introduced a segment about Iraq on “World News Tonight” with this curious remark: “The news is (pause for effect) that there is no news. The police told us today that, to their knowledge, there were no major acts of violence. Attacks are down in Baghdad and today no bombings or roadside explosions were reported.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: Prestige Versus Education - High school seniors who want to go to a selective college in the fall of 2008 should already be making arrangements to take the tests they will need before they apply ahead of the deadlines for such schools, which are usually in January or February. One of the consequences of taking these tests is that, if you do well, you may be deluged with literature from colleges and universities all across the country. (READ MORE)
Diana Ernst: Reforming Health Care: Choice versus Coercion on the Campaign Trail - Senator Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani lead the polls in their respective parties, but they are starkly divided on health care, a thorny issue in the 2008 presidential race. Their dispute centers on whether to expand or reduce government control of health care. It is an issue with long-term implications for America's health and prosperity. Liberty-loving Americans have always feared the threats of government medicine to individual choice and health-care quality. (READ MORE)
Burt Prelutsky: 180 Degrees of Separation - One of the silliest complaints that liberals never tire of leveling against conservatives is that we’re divisive. I should hope so. God forbid that those of us on the right should ever roll over for the knuckleheads on the left. But this is a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle divisive. The truth of the matter is that it’s nearly always the folks on the left who go out of their way to promote the issues that separate Americans. (READ MORE)
ROFASix: The Pakistan Dilemma - One question I wanted to hear asked of the Republican Presidential hopefuls during last nights debate was, “What, if anything, should we do about Pakistan?” I suspect Ron Paul would have said lets leave em’ alone and not embark on another interventionist sojourn in Pakistan. That would be a Pollyannaish answer and might have been right once, but given the reality of America’s war on terrorists, an answer like that would be naïve at best. Pakistan offers a host of problems for the US that sooner or later will surface. So far, with our focus on Iraq and Afghanistan, they have been ignored or deferred. A day is coming when we will no longer be able to do that. (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Those Honest Democrats - There's an old definition of an "honest politician" -- once they're bought, they stay bought. And by that standard, the Democrats in Congress are remarkably honest. The ties between the Democrats and unions go way back. Nearly every penny the unions spend on political campaigns goes to Democrats (regardless of the wishes of their members), and they expect a certain return on their investment. And with the Democrats renewed majority in Congress, they're getting it. (READ MORE)
Right Truth: Be Afraid! - Barack Obama stands without hand on heart during the National Anthem. “This picture is the exclamation point on the Democrat party. Barack Obama doesn’t even have enough common sense to fake it during the National Anthem. This country needs less Democrats with this kind of sentiment, not more, and certainly not a leader. Picture - Time Magazine. H/T Newsbusters. The Time Magazine caption under the picture is one word, Respect. (Thanks to Webloggin)” If Obama doesn't want to wear an American flag pin on his lapel, that's his business. But not honoring the Pledge by raising his hand is an insult. If he doesn't honor the symbol of the United States of America, ... WHAT DOES HE HONOR??? I'm just asking the question. (READ MORE)
Scott Johnson: Mistrial in Dallas - Shuttered by the government in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the Dallas-based Holy Land Foundation was the key fundraising arm for Hamas in the United States. Yesterday the subsequent criminal case brought by the government against the Holy Land Foundation defendants ended in a weird mistrial. As I understand the outcome, one defendant was acquitted on all charges but one, while that one charge and the other charges against the remaining defendants ended in a mistrial. Prosecutors announced that they intend to retry the case. The Dallas Morning News provides a good recap of yesterday's events (with some background here, with an interesting appearance by Nihad Awad, executive director of unindicted co-conspirator CAIR: (READ MORE)
John Hawkins: The Daily Kos Post Of The Day: George Bush Is Responsible For The California Wildfires - If you regularly read liberal blogs, one thing you will quickly learn is that all roads inevitably lead to George W. Bush. If Bush supports a policy, it's bad, merely by virtue of the fact that Bush supports it. If Bush says something, it's a lie, merely by virtue of the fact that Bush said it. If something bad happens, Bush must be responsible somehow, because he is the root of all evil in the world. The latest tragedy that Chimpy McBushHitler is apparently the cause of is the California wildfires. (READ MORE)
Rhymes With Right: Osama Thinks US Is Winning - Hence his call for the disparate factions in Iraq to unite. “Osama bin Laden called for Iraqi insurgents to unite and avoid divisive ‘extremism,’ speaking in an audiotape aired Monday and apparently intended to win over Sunnis opposed to al-Qaida's branch in Iraq. In the audiotape broadcast on Al-Jazeera television, bin Laden said insurgents should admit ‘mistakes’ and that he even advises himself not to be extreme in his leadership.” So, will the cut-and-run-and-surrender crowd that has been crowing that the war is lost finally admit that it is not? (READ MORE)
William Teach: TLF: Philly Adds More Surveillence Cameras - Ever notice how liberals pitch a fit over the Bush administration putting measures in place to surveil terrorists, but not when a good NE liberal city does it to surveil crime? “Philadelphia will be getting 250 additional surveillance cameras in various locations throughout the city, Mayor Street announced Monday, The announcement was made during a morning news conference at City Hall. Street said it is a major expansion of the high-tech crime-fighting program which has already placed 18 cameras at 7th Street and Girard Avenue and other locations.” (READ MORE)
McQ: How you know its getting better in Iraq - Billy points out the disconnect between what is going on in Iraq and what some people want to believe is going on in Iraq. And obviously, never the twain shall meet.Here's another example of something those clinging to the belief that Iraq is an unrecoverable disaster are not going to want to hear: “Osama bin Laden urged insurgent groups in Iraq to unite, saying divisions only helped the enemy, in an audio recording aired by Al Jazeera television on Monday.” (READ MORE)
The Oxford Medievalist: Bin Laden: Mistakes Have Been Made - The fact that Osama bin Laden has released yet another audio tape urging the various insurgents in Iraq to unite (really, in effect, to stop killing his Al Qaeda terrorists) is further evidence that his and Zawahiri's plan to turn Iraq in an Islamofascist state has been a complete failure. The terrorists are feeling the pressure from the surge, which has sought to splinter insurgent groups away from Al Qaeda, but also Al Qaeda strategies of brutality in Iraq have ultimately had the opposite effect of their intention and have driven former terrorist supporters and sympathizers to the U.S. side. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Osama bin Laden on the state of Iraq - After almost a year of silence, Osama bin Laden has issued his third tape in less than two months. Based on excerpts from bin Laden's latest audiotape, titled "Message to the people of Iraq," he views the situation in Iraq as dire. Bin Laden is clearly concerned with the defection of Sunni insurgents to the Awakening movements and local security forces, the possibility of the Sunnis reconciling with the government, and the failure of al Qaeda leaders to unite the Sunni fighters under al Qaeda's banner. Bin Laden takes on the failure of al Qaeda leaders to recruit Sunni insurgent groups into the fold of the Islamic State of Iraq, and the defection of previous allies to the Iraqi government and Coalition forces. "Some of you have been lax in one duty, which is to unite your ranks," bin Laden said. "Beware of division ... (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Valerie Plame Believed Saddam Had WMD - In a 60 Minutes interview with Katie Couric last night, outed CIA agent Valerie Plame admitted she, as Chief of Operations for Joint Task Force-Iraq, believed Saddam had WMD. After all, he did use them on his own people. Damn that Bush! (READ MORE)
Jihad Watch: Spencer at DePaul University last night for Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week - Last night I had the great honor of speaking on a panel with Iranian freedom fighter Amir Abbas Fakhrivar. We were at DePaul University, where the crowd was hostile but only made a few attempts actually to shout us down. They restricted their chanting about racism -- an absurd charge to hurl in any discussion of Islam and jihad, but particularly inappropriate to shout at a former inmate of the mullah' prison cells -- to before and after the event. It was hard to be heard at less than a shout level during the book signing after the event, when the peaceful, tolerant folks' moronic chanting made it almost impossible to carry on a conversation. (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: NWoeT - First Osama. Now the NYT ed board: “The news out of Iraq just keeps getting worse.” You’d think, like Osama, whose views NYT ed board generally shares on Iraq, they’re talking about their dismay over the fact that the Americans, the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people are finally prevailing over terrorism, mass murder, chaos. Not at all. NYT ed board is talking about business as usual in northern Iraq/southeastern Turkey. (READ MORE)
Knee Deep in the Hooah!: Actually, I do take it very personally! - I have been battling an inner feeling lately. It has been a struggle within my own heart and I have finally decided to air my inner grievances. This is not going to a long and nasty note where I drop names (like I even know any!), and expose scandals. No, this is just a mother who is feeling a little battered and bruised these days, and I need to find a way to collect these thoughts, air them out, and put them away. (READ MORE)
Ian Schwartz: (Video) ABC Reports ‘Remarkable Turnaround’ in Fallujah - “We have an extraordinary comeback story tonight from the place where the Marines suffered their worst losses of the war. Fallujah is undergoing a remarkable turnaround. Tribal leaders, local officials and the U.S. Marines have united behind a common cause. Bringing security to a place that had been one of Iraq’s most insecure.” — Charles Gibson, ABC World News anchor Yes, you read right. On Monday evening ABC’s “World News” did a positive story highlighting the improvement in Fallujah, a city once home to insurgents: (READ MORE)
Yankee Mom: Already Home - The first time I heard this song on the radio I had to stop what I was doing and sit down as the sobs shook me. It’s interesting ~ I feel my Mom and Dad around me more and more as the days of war go by. They’ve passed on now but I know they are watching over us, especially my Baby Girl. You see, I grew up with WWII being very present in our lives. As I’ve mentioned before, my Mom ran away from college and joined the Navy in 1942. My Dad was drafted and both my uncles served. My Mom was stationed at the Brooklyn Shipyard and was in charge of the new boots. (You bet I can make a bed that would pass inspection!) (READ MORE)
Bryan Preston: Violence in Iraq down 70% - But, I’m confused. I coulda swore I heard someone say “The war is lost.” Maybe that prognostication was a bit premature. “Violence in Iraq has dropped by 70 percent since the end of June, when U.S. forces completed their build-up of 30,000 extra troops to stabilize the war-torn country, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.” This is the lead of a Reuters story. Watch how they use the next sentence to make sure that no one jumps for joy. (READ MORE)
Allahpundit: Gitmo jihadi not sure why he was released — but promises to pick up where he left off - Meet Sadeq Mohammed Saeed. He spent six years in the pen after he was caught recovering at an Afghan hospital following a battle during the U.S. invasion in 2001 — at the tender age of 17. His brother, a former jihadist himself and currently an “Islamic activist” and “mosque speaker,” talks openly of his support for Bin Laden and the Taliban (”But I’m also calling for dialogue and respect of rights and freedoms for all, and I’m against violence and coercion”). He was extradited to Yemen in June for reasons unknown even to him but which I suspect have much to do with, ahem, improving America’s image in the world, and then released by Yemeni authorities two weeks ago. (READ MORE)
JASmius: Rudy’s “Calm Before The Storm”? - I have made no secret of two things regarding the former Mayor of New York City: (1) his continued support and defense of Roe v. Wade undermines his claim that if elected president he’ll appoint constitutionalist judges and SCOTUS justices ”in the mold of Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas”; and (2) because of this fundamental contradiction, he is, well, “fundamentally” unnominatable. Recently Douglas Sylva augmented that conundrum in NRO by pointing out that POTUSes do, indeed, have more sway over social policy-making than just their judicial selections: (READ MORE)
Hooah Wife and Friends: The Torture Debate - A retired Army colonel with 30 years experience as an intelligence officer has this to say about torture: “Coming from this background, it has been disappointing to observe the ongoing debate about torture in interrogation, usually carried out by people who have never interrogated a soul. Nor is it easy to accept that the current debate is framed pragmatically by the question, ‘Does torture work or not?’” His answer is unequivocally NO. But here’s the best part: (READ MORE)
The Gunslinger: Does Government Do ANYTHING Right? - I just had a conversation with my sister about Jury Duty. I told her that the way citizens are treated by the officials is a disgrace. Our time is not valued, our persons are not respected. We are expected to be at the beck & call, and convenience of the Judge....no matter how long it takes, no matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable for us. As a result, pretty much everyone hates to be called for jury duty. It's an unpleasant experience from beginning to end. Searched like criminals, herded like sheep into underground bunkers for indeterminate periods, paraded into courtrooms, questioned like first-graders by condescending judges and annoying lawyers, to determine our 'fitness'. The FIX? Make it a pleasant experience. (READ MORE)
Flopping Aces: Destroying Society From Within - Mark Steyn wrote an excellent editorial over the weekend about the Democrats latest attempt to bolster the nanny state that I just had to blog on, even while on vacation" Last Thursday, Nancy Pelosi, as is the fashion, used the phrase "the children" like some twitchy verbal tic, a kind of Democrat Tourette's syndrome: "This is a discussion about America's children … We could establish ourselves as the children's Congress … Come forward on behalf of the children … I tried to do that when I was sworn in as speaker surrounded by children. It was a spontaneous moment, but it was one that was clear in its message: we are gaveling this House to order on behalf of the children." (READ MORE)
Dr. Sanity: Dummycrats, Dhimmicrats, Democrats - One of the definitions of the word dummy is "a large puppet usually having movable features (as mouth and arms) manipulated by a ventriloquist". Of course, it also is a word that means "a stupid person". Per Robert Spencer, Dhimmitude is the status that Islamic law (i.e., Sharia) mandates for non-Muslims, primarily Jews and Christians. Dhimmis, “protected” or “guilty” people, are free to practice their religion in a Sharia regime, but are made subject to a number of humiliating regulations designed to enforce the Qur'an's command that they "feel themselves subdued" (Sura 9:29). This denial of equality of rights and dignity remains part of the Sharia, and, as such, are part of the legal superstructure that global jihadists are laboring through violence to restore everywhere in the Islamic world, and wish ultimately to impose on the entire human race. (READ MORE)
Walid Phares: A Caliph's frustration with his emirs - Yes, Bin Laden’s latest audiotape aired on al Jazeera is somewhat unique. Not in its ideological party line or in the Salafi doctrinal roots. That hasn’t changed nor is it expected to. Surely, in a previous speech he inserted some neo Marxist and Trotskyite stuff; but that was part of his “American” rhetoric, and possibly at the request of his Gringo advisers. Today’s audio wasn’t concerned about Berkeley’s approval but was dedicated to whip the chaotic commanders of Jihad in Iraq. Usama’s message was more so the expression of a frustrated (self appointed) “Caliph” trying to reign in on his emirs gone wild in the deserts of Middle Earth. (READ MORE)
Chickenhawk Express: In Honor of LCpl Miguel Terrazas - In all the coverage of the Haditha incident, the name of one Marine is mentioned briefly but consistently. This Marine, LCpl Miguel Terrazas, was killed by the IED blast early that November day in Haditha in 2005. While his death is frequently recounted in the media, very little has been written about his life. As part of my salute to the Haditha Marines, the obvious place to start was with LCpl Terrazas. Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas graduated from Mountain View High School in 2003. He played left guard for the varsity football team. He also worked at the family business, an El Paso taco shop. Terrazas followed the family tradition and joined the Marines after graduation. (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: What If Violence Fell And No One Reported It? - Yesterday, the Iraqi Interior Ministry reported on a dramatic decline in violence throughout the nation since the full complement of surge troops reached Iraq. Even in Baghdad, where the conflict has raged even with a heavier US presence, bombings have dropped by half and murders by 28%. In Anbar, violence fell by 82% since the end of June. Reuters reported this yesterday afternoon: (READ MORE)
Dafydd: Why Do So Many People Hate Intellectuals? Let Me Count the Ways... - The major reason people tend to hate self-styled intellectuals is that so often, their thinking is divorced from ordinary human thought. They say or write things so truculent, while simultaneously so risible, that you wonder whether they need a sedative -- or a keeper. Take this year's Nobel winner in literature, Doris Lessing: “Nobel laureate Doris Lessing said the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States were "not that terrible" when compared to attacks by the IRA in Britain. ‘September 11 was terrible, but if one goes back over the history of the IRA, what happened to the Americans wasn't that terrible,’ the Nobel Literature Prize winner told the leading Spanish daily El Pais.” (READ MORE)
Deebow @ Blackfive: Extreme Smackdown, Afghanistan Style.... - Perhaps my praise for Al-Reuters was a bit hasty.... I had a feeling that I might be a bit premature on that. First, some background. This is the village of Orgun (pronounced or GOON Mr. Sparkle). It really is a pretty nice place that is only about 12 miles (as the crow flies) from the Afghanistan/Pakistan border and for it is the center of a great many operations to destroy/capture/kill bad guys who are bent on doing bad things to good people. In this photo, our Afghan Army counter-parts and their soldiers were playing soccer in tournament at the local school against a local team. We were there helping to provide security for the game, along with others from the Battalion, so that the half-time show would not include such entertainment as a car bomb or a ritual beheading. Please take note of the brand new District center in the background. It was finished while I was there and was a really well done project. (READ MORE)
Lawhawk: NATO Members Considering Withdrawals From Afghanistan - Why are members of NATO considering withdrawals from Afghanistan? That's the war that everyone supposedly backs and understands that al Qaeda and Taliban elements used Afghanistan to plot and plan terrorist attacks against the West and used that territory as a safe haven. Are NATO's European countries so strapped for troops that they cannot sustain a lengthy commitment abroad? Are they stretched so thin that they cannot hold to their word? (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: Fair and balanced book reviews at the New York Times - Regular readers know that I love bashing on the New York Times as much as any conservative. Its editorial page editors in particular skulk in the borderlands of intellectual dishonesty (see, e.g., the first sentence in this morning's first unsigned editorial: "The news out of Iraq just keeps getting worse."). However, fairness -- which flows through my veins right along with the milk of human kindness -- compels me to admit that the editor who assigns book reviews does a reasonably creditable job of locating reviewers who hammer on lefties, often in very uncharitable language. On Sunday, for example, David Kennedy carpet-bombed the new book of uber-lefty Times columnist Paul Krugman. Kennedy describes Krugman's view of the economic and social implications of purported income inequality in the United States, which Krugman blames not on exogenous factors but the Republican party. Kennedy's reply is almost painful to read: (READ MORE)
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