2Slick's Forum

Mr. Morality

2008-08-08T17:49:00.002-04:00

Lead the way, oh great Master of Morality. What better time to cheat on your wife than when her cancer starts spreading! What a fantastic example of morality, this Edwards guy...

Jennifer Loven Watch- Take 4

2007-07-12T21:43:00.000-04:00

Damian wrote:

This has got to be the most irresponsible “news” reporting I’ve EVER seen. I usually criticize both liberals and conservatives on their bias (mostly liberals though), but this beats it all:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

I saw you made a post about Jennifer Loven once before, so I thought you might be interested in this. Read the first couple paragraphs – it’s obvious bias front and center with very little effort to hide it.

Thanks, Damian- it's nice to know that people are out there paying attention to what Jennifer Loven and her AP conspirators are trying to do.

For the benefit of anyone who might be new to this little conspiracy, here's how it works- they want you to believe that you are about to read a "legitimate" news article, but as soon as you breeze through the first few paragraphs there will be no doubt- it's nothing but tired old editorialized liberal ranting. Don't believe us? Read it:

President Bush always said he would wait to talk about the CIA leak case until after the investigation into his administration's role. On Thursday, he skipped over that step and pronounced the matter old news hardly worth discussing.

"It's run its course," he said. "Now we're going to move on."

Despite a long history of denouncing leaks, Bush declined to express any disappointment in the people who worked for him and who were involved in disclosing the name of a CIA operative. Asked about that during a wide-ranging news conference, the president gave a dodgy answer.

"It's been a tough issue for a lot of people in the White House," he said.

He didn't even acknowledge the undisputed fact that someone working for him was the source, saying only that "perhaps somebody in the administration did disclose the name of that person."

And this is my favorite part:

But the president appeared eager Thursday to put the entire case in the past. It was costly for his presidency, denting his image as someone who had pledged to restore integrity to the White House.

Yep- just the facts. No opinions there at all.

It's seriously hard to believe. Seriously. And there's so much more. Call me crazy, but I have a sneaky gut feeling that she doesn't like the President! It's almost as if she's married to a former Clinton staffer or something...

Bush Got It Right... Unlike Mr. Clinton

2007-07-06T21:29:00.000-04:00

The silly Plame Game looks like it finally flamed out last week. A little more drama than I expected, given the lameness of it all. What an unbelievable waste of time and money. I read quite a few articles about this farcical chapter of what is now US History, and I have to believe that none got it better than did Jack Kelly of RealClearPolitics:

"Scooter" Libby will serve as much time in prison for lying under oath to a federal grand jury as Bill Clinton served for lying under oath to a federal grand jury.

Mr. Libby, who was chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted in March of lying about from whom he learned that Valerie Plame Wilson worked at the CIA. Last month Judge Reggie Walton sentenced him to 30 months in prison and a $250,000 fine.

On Monday, President Bush commuted the prison sentence. His conviction still stands, and Mr. Libby still must pay the fine.
Democrats were outraged. "As Independence Day nears, we are reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under law," said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. "This commutation completely tramples on that principle."

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said President Bush should be impeached for "crimes against the Constitution of the United States."

So were liberal newspapers. "President Bush's commutation of a pal's prison sentence counts as a most shocking act of disrespect for the U.S. justice system," said the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in an editorial.

"In this case, Mr. Bush didn't sound like a leader making tough decisions about justice," said the New York Times. "He sounded like a man worried about what a former loyalist might say when actually staring into a prison cell."

These worthies were outraged in the fall of 1998, too. But then they were outraged because President Clinton had been impeached for committing perjury.

With so many others piling on, Hillary Clinton should have had the good sense to hold her tongue. But she said "this commutation sends the clear signal that in this administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."

That's rich, as in Marc Rich, the financier who fled the country to avoid prosecution for tax evasion, fraud and "trading with the enemy." On his last day in office, President Clinton pardoned Mr. Rich after his ex-wife, Denise (with whom Mr. Clinton reportedly had been sleeping) donated $1 million to the Democratic party and $10,000 to the Clintons' legal defense fund.

That day Mr. Clinton also pardoned four Orthodox Jews who had bilked the government out of some $40 million. They were leaders of the Skver sect in New Square, N.Y. Members of the sect usually vote Republican, but broke heavily for Hillary in her senate campaign after she invited the group's spiritual leader to the White House.

Others among the 140 Mr. Clinton pardoned on his last day in office were Henry Cisneros, his former Housing secretary who was convicted of lying to federal officials; Susan McDougal, his former partner in the Whitewater land deal, and his former CIA Director, John Deutch, convicted of mishandling national secrets.

Few Democrats or journalists said those pardons sent "the clear signal" that in the Clinton administration "cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice." Few Democrats or journalists said anything about them at all. Hillary Clinton could get away with her blatant hypocrisy because she knew her fellow hypocrites wouldn't call her on it.

And no complaints were heard from these worthies when Sandy Berger, who had been President Clinton's national security adviser, received no jail time -- and only a $50,000 fine -- for stealing classified documents from the National Archives.

We still don't know why Sandy stole those documents, or why he destroyed some. The news media aren't pursuing the story. For most journalists, a scandal isn't a scandal unless a Republican is involved.

Mr. Bush also took flak from the right for commuting Mr. Libby's prison sentence. The editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post blasted him for not pardoning Mr. Libby outright.

It wasn't a crime to disclose Ms. Plame's identity (she hadn't been covert for more than five years), and it was Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage who outed her, not Mr. Libby. But Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald demanded he be sentenced as if he had violated the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.

I'm suspicious of verdicts handed down by DC juries, and I think Mr. Fitzgerald is the federal equivalent of disgraced Duke rape prosecutor Michael Nifong.

But I think the president got it right. There was no underlying crime, but Mr. Libby might have lied to the grand jury. If so, he should pay. But the loss of his job, his reputation and the $250,000 fine are greater punishment than similarly situated Democratic offenders ever receive.

Yep- that about says it all. I like the Nifong analogy...

My Dinner with Lee I-a-Coca-Cola

2007-05-01T22:00:00.000-04:00

People keep sending me this little clip from Lee Iacocca's new book, asking me what I think about it. To be honest, it's hard for me to read it without laughing. It's one of those things where it's funny, but it seems like it might be wrong to laugh- like if you were to go into an asylum and start making fun of people. You can find his ridiculous little rant here if you're so inclined. He may be qualified in some things, but last I checked, he hasn’t spent much time in Iraq. My favorite part is where he says "I've never been a Commander-in-Chief, but I HAVE been a CEO." Don't believe me? I'm serious, he actually wrote that- or at least dictated to some co-author. As someone who has been on both sides of the green machine, I can't even begin to describe how laughable that statement really is. But there's so much more. Here’s how his rant would play out if he had the guts to spew his cowardly diatribe in a two-way discussion over dinner-

Had Enough?

Enough of What?

Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

I’m sorry, Lee- I can’t get mad about our inability to build a hybrid car. I’m sure I should be furious, but I just can’t seem to get myself there. I’m not sure what “stay the course” has to do with Hurricane Katrina, corrupt tycoons, or even car-making. You’ve thrown a lot of different things into one bag here. Is that why you’re so angry? Because you can’t sort out all of the things that piss you off? Well, let me tell you- my outrage is right where it should be, Lee. I’m outraged about the myriad of beheadings that keep popping up on the internet. I’m pissed off at the islamofascists who keep blowing up our soldiers while they bring education and freedom to places that have needed it for centuries. I’m pissed off at the way women and children are TARGETED and systematically slaughtered by an uncivilized culture of hatred that promises good sex in return for their horrific misdeeds.

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

I guess I would have to ask you what “stay the course” means to you, Lee. I think it means we have to keep fighting these maniacs while we do everything we can to change the obvious defects in their culture (promote education while curbing religious extremism, treatment of women, etc). If you have a better way, then I would love to hear it. Pretending that the problem doesn’t exist is a cop-out. Don’t try to convince me that if we just leave the terrorists alone, then they’ll stop killing people. That’s a very weak argument. What’s the right answer, Lee? How did your buddy Bill Clinton deal with terrorists? Get “serviced” by interns while jihadis enrolled in flight school? Wow- that’s a pretty effective method. Maybe we should have stayed THAT course! As far as your “sound bite” goes- you’re right on! Throw the bums out! We took care of Saddam, Uday, Qusay, Zarqawi, and many others- now let’s continue to go after bums like bin-Laden and Zawhiri!!

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have.

Yes- you have.

But someone has to speak up.

Okay, but maybe it shouldn’t be you. But it’s a free country so screech on, brave warrior…

I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies.

Well, I guess it’s all in the words, Lee. You see, I would argue that the President has finally been given the power to protect us against terrorists- something the prior administration deemed a bit low on the priority stack. I’d prove that if I could, but Sandy Berger accidentally stuffed a bunch of documents in his underwear during a recent visit to Archives- no biggie, though. He apologized. I think he had to pay a fine or something. But, yes- Bush now has broad sweeping powers that give our intel folks the means to go after the real baddies- if this means that some criminals might have a tougher time getting away with certain things, then I’ll accept that. My conscience is clear- they can look at my phone records all day long. Tap my phones. Come search my house. I don’t care. Do you have something to hide, Lee? Do we have some tax shelters out there that might come up a little bit soft under scrutiny? A pack of lies, huh? How about these direct quotes from some of your favorite people:

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."

-President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."

-Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."

-Sandy "Pants" Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."

-Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998.

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

-Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998.

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."

-Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999.

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."

-Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is using and developing weapons of mass destruction."

-Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002.

"[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he has continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ..."

-Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.

Wow, Lee- that’s a lot of lies!!! If you want Bush to stop making decisions that are based on packs of lies, then tell your crazy Democrat friends to stop lying to him!!!!

Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don't need it).

Of course you don’t need it, Lee- but are you really saying that our hard-earned money should be spent by financial wizards like Marion Barry and Duke Cunningham? I thought you just said you didn’t like politicians! You’ve been bashing them like piñatas up to this point, and now you’re saying that we should trust them with our money? Sure, it’s easy to just hand your cash to the government and trust them to do good with it- but I think that’s crazy!!! I’d rather do my research, and give my money to worthy causes that I deem worthy- to people and organizations that I trust. Yes, it’s extra work, but I think my money is worth it. Apparently you don’t?

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs.

Okay, whose fault is that? The media outlets who publicize them or the people who watch it and drive up their ratings? Either way, I think we have bigger things to worry about...

While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do.

Whoa, big man!!!! First of all, what’s this WE stuff?? I didn’t see you over there in Iraq! And if you HAD been there, maybe you’d know that we’re not over there “fiddling.” I’m sorry, but that’s just so damn demeaning- not just for those of us who were over there risking our lives in order to help people who couldn’t help themselves, but especially to those who were killed or wounded. Now I’m really pissed off. We took down a terrorist regime, installed an elected government, rebuilt an infrastructure that was so badly neglected you wouldn’t have believed it if you’d seen it with your own eyes- and you call that “fiddling”??? Asshole! Go to Walter Reed, look a wounded soldier in the eye- and tell him/her that they were merely “fiddling” in Iraq. I’d love to be there watching.

As far as not knowing what to do- I disagree. We fight the bad people and help the good people. Why is that so hard to comprehend? Are you rattled because the enemy is fighting back? Yeah, that never happened in any other war, right? During WWII the Germans and the Japanese just took their beatings like men, and it was over quickly, right? How on this green earth is it surprising that the enemy is fighting back??? Were you expecting a much easier fight? The fact that casualties in this war are unbelievably low when viewed through a historical context shouldn’t count for anything, huh? What do YOU think we should do, Lee? It’s easy to shrug your shoulders and say “everybody is stupid!” How does that help? I’ve told you my answer to this problem- I’m waiting to hear yours…

And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions.

I haven’t seen the pom-poms. Are we talking about two different conflicts? Because the press that I’ve seen publicizes each and every tactical “success” that the enemy achieves- which is exactly what the enemy wants. I’m still waiting to see the press report about the University that my unit renovated in Mosul. I saw a whole bunch of stuff about some sick teenagers from Maryland who played naked twister with some terrorists. No pom-poms, though.

That's not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I don’t know, I think most of them would be proud that we still think it’s worthwhile to fight against the forces of evil, no matter where they strike from or where they choose to hide…

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

True- if you’re not outraged by the horrific actions of terrorists, both in our own country and abroad, then yes- you are not a patriot. So pick up a rifle and head to Baghdad brave guy! However, if you think it’s best to direct your anger, passion, and energy against a patriotic man from Texas instead of a mass-murdering psycho like bin-Laden, then I promise you- you are not a patriot- you’re just another asshole who gives inspiration and hope to those who wish to exterminate us.

The rest of his ridiculous screed just goes on to explain why he is so much smarter than Republicans, Democrats, and anyone else who chooses to read his soggy load of crap.

And for those of you who have been asking what I think about Tenet's new book, I don't really know enough to comment on it. But Christopher Hitchens does. I don't like Mr. Tenet. While serving under the Clinton regime, Mr. Tenet came to Korea and flew around in my Black Hawks. He didn't like one of my Hawks, because he thought it was "dirty." We caught a lot of heat for that. That kind of prima-donna BS was so typical of the Clintonians. SECDEF Cohen wouldn't even get out of the aircraft until the rotors came to a complete stop, lest it blow away his hairpiece. But I digress...

He Made This Way Too Easy

2006-11-01T22:31:00.000-05:00

Wow, John. I didn't think even you could be that stupid. Sure, you've been an opportunistic elitist all your life- but usually you're a little more controlled than this. Was it really necessary to publicly dump all over the "little people" that you so poorly pretend to represent?

Let me ask you, John- Did I not study hard enough at West Point? Is that how I wound up being stuck in Iraq?

How about those people that you send to the Service Academies every year? What do you tell them when you call them with the good news? "Congratulations, Mike- I've decided to make you my primary nominee for the Air Force Academy this year! Now make sure you study hard, because I'd hate to see you end up in Iraq..."

You say that you're sorry, but be honest- what are you sorry for?

Are you sorry that you accidentally exposed your elitist, holier-than-thou persona to the entire world with one unfortunate moment of honesty?

Are you sorry that your pathetic attempt at a cover story ("I meant to say that George Bush is a jerk, but I just screwed up the punch-line") has solidified your status as a world class liar?

Are you sorry that your political career is over? Are you going to miss it? How about the Swiftees? Will you miss them? Yeah- I thought you would.

Well, it's time to go, Johnny. It's time to abandon that dream of becoming JFK the 2nd. Your "war-hero" status that you tried so hard to cultivate- gone. Too many people know about your fake write-ups that led to your unearned medals.

Your dreams of being a "man of the people" who will lead our great nation to peace and prosperity- not going to happen. It was never going to happen. You're spineless. You command zero respect. Nobody likes you. Just walk away, man. Just walk away.

Suicide Killers

2006-09-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent interview that I found on Pedestrian Infidel. A French guy, even! His ideas and theories go hand-in-hand with Haim Harari's teachings, but I like the way this guy takes everything a bit further beyond the PC barrier. Very gutsy and very insightful. I'd like to see his film...

The Psychology Behind Islamic Suicide Bombings

On July 15, 2005, MSNBC's "Connected" program discussed the July 7th London attacks. One of the guests was Pierre Rehov, a French documentary filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas. Pierre's upcoming film, "Suicide Killers," is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. Pierre agreed to a request for a Q&A interview here about his work on the new film.

Q - What inspired you to produce "Suicide Killers," your seventh film?

A - I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one second before they blow themselves up.

Q - Why is this film especially important?

A - People don't understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem, showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has become their only certitude.

Q - What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?

A - I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute. So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil. Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on Earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.

Q - What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?

A - It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying "Thank God, my son is dead." Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize. This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement goal is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a Shaheed or the family of a shaheed. They (Muslims) don't see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.

Q - You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?

A - Not death as an end, but death as a door opener to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God's sword.

Q - Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.

A - Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don't see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the afterlife in Paradise.

Q - Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?

A - Yes, it is their only conviction. They don't act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.

Q - Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?

A - All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and there is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their lifetime, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.

Q - Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.

A - Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women's behavior.

Q - What socio-economic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?

A - Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).

Q - Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?

A - There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein ($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.

Q - Why are so many suicide bombers young men?

A - As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheeds are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?

Q - What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?

A - The U.N. is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communist countries. Their hands are tied. The U.N. has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the U.N. leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the U.N. is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the U.N. has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to "return" into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which still live in deplorable conditions. Four hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film "Hostages of Hatred").

Q - You say that a suicide bomber is a 'stupid bomb and a smart bomb' simultaneously. Explain what you mean.

A - Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn't know it.

Q - How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?

A - Stop being politically correct and stop believing that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Naziism. Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.

Q - Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers? Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East?

A - Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam expands there is regional conflict. Right now, there are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S. Sadly, this is only the beginning.

Five Wars in Iraq

2006-09-28T17:41:00.000-04:00

This is a great piece- packed with common sense information, and perfectly concise. I always tell people that there were two wars in Iraq- the first was to oust Saddam (we won it in three weeks) and the second (and much more difficult) was to prevent the terrorists from coming in and filling the power vacuum. This guy argues that there are in, in fact, FIVE wars in Iraq, and after further review- I agree with him.

America's five Iraq wars
September 21, 2006

America has fought five wars in Iraq -- not merely one. And we’ve won or are winning four of them. Winning the last war, however, is all that counts. To cut and run now would leave America less safe than when we started.

War One: Battling Saddam. The United States waged war in Iraq for one reason -- to remove Saddam from power. This was really a continuation of Desert Storm. After all, we halted the first Gulf War based on a host of promises that Saddam made but never kept. Few doubt that the United States, the peoples of the Middle East, and especially the Iraqis are better off with the Butcher of Baghdad swept from power.

War Two: Combating chaos. Despite the scenes of rioting that arose when the regime collapsed, America and its coalition partners managed to quickly avert a wide-scale humanitarian crisis. Although Iraq was (and is) hardly a danger-free zone, there was no mass starvation, floods of refuges, or disease outbreaks that usually accompany the aftermath of conflict.

War Three: Confronting al Qaeda. In the wake of the war, lacking any real success elsewhere in the world, transnational terrorists leapt into the vacuum in Iraq. In the first years following the collapse of the regime, they accounted for the lion’s share of murdering -- killing primarily innocent Iraqis. Even insurgent groups within Iraq that initially cooperated with al Qaeda in Iraq soured on the indiscriminant slaughter. Indeed, al Zawahiri (bin Laden’s deputy) warned that the terrorism in Iraq was alienating Muslims both inside and outside the country from the cause of al Qaeda. Arguably, al Qaeda has lost in Iraq. Its most senior leadership has been killed or captured. Its popularity is low. And it no longer commands a significant following among the Iraqi insurgents.

War Four: Handling the Sunni insurgency. The Sunni minority in Iraq largely abstained from the political process established to form a legitimate government. Democracy went on without them. Led by the other major groups, the Shia and the Kurds, the Iraqis wrote a constitution, held a series of successful elections, and seated an interim government. A Sunni insurgency first rose up to forestall the march of democracy. That failed. The insurgents then tried to force more compromises on the government. Over the last year, it appeared that key Sunni leaders were giving up on the insurgency and were increasingly interested in negotiating a more equitable seat at the table and resolving key power-sharing issues.

War Five: Fighting the proxy war. Unfortunately for the United States, the wavering of the Sunni insurgency coincided with a decided increase in attacks by Shia militias. These provocations have resulted in an increasing cycle of retaliatory sectarian strikes between Sunnis and Shias, as well as concerted efforts to kill more American soldiers using more deadly and accurate improvised explosive devices. This latest war may be the toughest to win because its principal authors are probably not inside Iraq. They are in Iran.The most recent uptick in violence in Iraq parallels closely U.N. efforts to pressure Iran to give up its nuclear programs. Instability serves Iran’s purposes well. It diverts attention from the issue and undermines U.S. interests in the region.

There is a good deal of evidence to make this case. Weapons and funds to fuel the Shia insurgency are coming across the border from Iran. In addition, Hezbollah, Iran’s stooge in Lebanon, initiated a violent confrontation with Israel which also has shifted the focus away from what Iran’s mullahs are up to.

Cutting and running in the face of this latest threat would yield only one result: It would empower Iran and make its radical government more aggressive, more reckless and more dangerous. That’s obviously not in America’s interest.

What the United States needs to do is finish the job in Iraq -- and that means strengthening Iraq’s security forces so they can handle the insurgency. At the same time, it needs to focus on the other threats to regional stability -- helping empower the Lebanese government to disarm and defang Hezbollah and marshalling the international community to isolate and punish Iran for its adventurism.

That way, we can ensure that War Five ends the same way the first four did.

James Carafano is Senior Research Fellow for National Security and Homeland Security at The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org), and author of the new book “G.I. Ingenuity.”

Distributed nationally on the McClathy Tribune wire

Jennifer Loven Brings Out the Claws!

2006-09-26T17:50:00.000-04:00

Since I started posting again, I've been checking the Statcounter every few days just to see if anyone actually still comes around here. I've been tracking about 80 hits per day- a far cry from the several hundred (several thousand?) per day back in 2004, but still way more activity than I would have expected given the lengthy hiatus. Well, today I checked and I was shocked to see that more than 200 people hit the site today. Of course, I wondered what was causing such a stir- and then I saw the trackbacks. Damn near every hit was coming from a Google search for none other than JENNIFER LOVEN- the most shamefully biased joke of a newsperson this country has ever seen.

After a quick investigation of today's news, I found the culprit- it seems young Jennifer was selected to be one of the two reporters to ask Presidents Bush and Karzai a question today! How that happened I'll never know. One thing I will say- at least this time she had the courage to stand up there and flaunt her stupidity right in front of his face- way to be, Jen!

Here's how it went down:

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. We'll have two questions a side. We'll start with Jennifer Loven.

JENNIFER LOVEN: Thank you, sir. Even after hearing that one of the major conclusions of the National Intelligence Estimate in April was that the Iraq war has fueled terror growth around the world, why have you continued to say that the Iraq war has made this country safer?

I'll translate, as I have become fluent in Lovenese:

JENNIFER LOVEN: Thanks, a$$hole. The recent National Intelligence Estimate clearly states that you suck. I happen to also believe that you suck. Since everyone now knows for a fact that you suck, why have you continued to say that you don't suck? By the way- you really suck.

Same ol' Jennifer- she's always entertaining. Hardly a news reporter, but she'd be great at stand-up!

I do think that President Bush's response was excellent- make sure to read the whole transcript if you haven't already- the best part (my emphasis added):

PRESIDENT BUSH: ...Because I want you to read the documents so you don't speculate about what it says. You asked me a question based upon what you thought was in the document, or at least somebody told you was in the document. And so I think, Jennifer, you'll be able to ask a more profound question when you get to look at it yourself -- (laughter) -- as opposed to relying upon gossip and somebody who may or may not have seen the document trying to classify the war in Iraq one way or the other.

I guess it's just Washington, isn't it, where, you know, we kind of -- there's no such thing as classification anymore, hardly. But, anyway, you ought to take a look at it and then you'll get to see.

Nice work, Mr. President. Very well stated. In case you don't speak Bush yet, here's what he really said:

PRESIDENT BUSH: Jennifer- you really suck. Your pathetic attempt at interjecting your lame-ass opinion into that stupid, stupid question did not go unnoticed. You are perhaps the worst excuse for a journalist I have ever seen- you keep asking bogus questions, and I'll continue to call you out for your complete disregard for truth and substance- sound good? How did that make you feel- getting laughed at on a world stage? I wish more left-wing journos were as stupid as you! Man alive, you really suck.

Stay tooned for more fun with Jennifer- we certainly haven't seen the last of her....

UPDATE:

Looks like she followed up her performance with a standard hit piece. He must have really rattled her cage today? This one is especially ridiculous. Some highlights from Iraq is 'cause celebre' for extremists (my emphasis added):

The war in Iraq has become a "cause celebre" for Islamic extremists, breeding deep resentment of the U.S. that probably will get worse before it gets better, federal intelligence analysts conclude in a report at odds with President Bush's portrayal of a world growing safer.

In the bleak report, declassified and released Tuesday on Bush's orders, the nation's most veteran analysts conclude that despite serious damage to the leadership of al-Qaida, the threat from Islamic extremists has spread both in numbers and in geographic reach.

Bush and his top advisers have said the formerly classified assessment of global terrorism supported their arguments that the world is safer because of the war. But more than three pages of stark judgments warning about the spread of terrorism contrasted with the administration's glass-half-full declarations.

Wow. I mean, this is truly unbelievable. In three short paragraphs, Jennifer and her friend have made it clear to us that we are losing the War on Terror. Seriously. They are saying quite clearly that no matter what Bush and his liar friends try to tell you- we are getting are butts kicked, and it's only getting worse- just look at this report. It's all there, people. We are losing, and it's your fault for putting this glass-half-full-pedaling liar into the White House!

Talk about fear-mongering for political gain...

Actors Think They're Smart

2006-09-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

This is an old classic that made it's way around the internet a few years ago. Not sure who wrote it, but it's right on...

The Hollywood group is at it again. Holding anti-war rallies, screaming about the Bush Administration, running ads in major newspapers, defaming the President and his Cabinet every chance they get, to anyone and everyone who will listen. They publicly defile them and call them names like "stupid," "morons," and "idiots." Jessica Lange went so far as to tell a crowd in Spain that she hates President Bush and is embarrassed to be an American. So, just how ignorant are these people who are running the country? Let's look at the biographies of these "stupid," "ignorant," "moronic" leaders, and then at the celebrities who are castigating them:

President George W. Bush: Received a Bachelors Degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. He was elected Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. In a historic reelection victory, he became the first Texas Governor to be elected to consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998, winning 68.6 percent of the vote. In 1998 Governor Bush won 49 percent of the Hispanic vote, 27 percent of the African-American vote, 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of women. He won more Texas counties, 240 of 254, than any modern Republican other that Richard Nixon in 1972 and is the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border counties of El Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo.

Vice President Dick Cheney earned a B.A. in 1965 and a M.A. in 1966, both in political science. Two years later, he won an American Political Science Association congressional fellowship. One of Vice President Cheney's primary duties is to share with individuals, members of Congress and foreign leaders, President Bush's vision to strengthen our economy, secure our homeland and win the War on Terrorism. In his official role as President of the Senate, Vice President Cheney regularly goes to Capitol Hill to meet with Senators and members of the House of Representatives to work on the Administration's legislative goals. In his travels as Vice President, he has seen first hand the great demands the war on terrorism is placing on the men and women of our military, and he is proud of the tremendous job they are doing for the United States of America.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration Degree from George Washington University. Secretary Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations. Secretary Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: attended Princeton University on Scholarship (AB, 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as a Naval aviator; Congressional Assistant to Rep. Robert Griffin (R-MI), 1957-59; U.S. Representative, Illinois, 1962-69; Assistant to the President, Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Director of the Cost of Living Council, 1969-74; U.S. Ambassador to NATO, 1973-74; head of Presidential Transition Team, 1974; Assistant to the President, Director of White House Office of Operations, White House Chief of Staff, 1974-77; Secretary of Defense, 1975-77.

Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was raised in a working class family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his Law Degree and was in private practice before becoming Assistant District Attorney in Erie County. He was elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly reelected six times.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice earned her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. (Note: Rice enrolled at the University of Denver at the age of 15, graduating at 19 with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science (Cum Laude). She earned a Master's Degree at the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from the University of Denver's Graduate School of International Studies. Both of her advanced degrees are also in Political Science.) She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995. At Stanford, she has been a member of the Center for International Security and Arms Control, a Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. Her books include Germany Unified and Europe Transformed (1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era (1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army (1984). She also has written numerous articles on Soviet and East European foreign and defense policy, and has addressed audiences in settings ranging from the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Moscow to the Commonwealth Club to the 1992 and 2000 Republican National Conventions. From 1989 through March 1991, the period of German reunification and the final days of the Soviet Union, she served in the Bush Administration as Director, and then Senior Director, of Soviet and East European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. In 1986, while an international affairs fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, she served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1997, she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender — Integrated Training in the Military. She was a member of the boards of directors for the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the University of Notre Dame, the International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan and the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors. She was a Founding Board member of the Center for a New Generation, an educational support fund for schools in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, California and was Vice President of the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula. In addition, her past board service has encompassed such organizations as Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand Corporation, the National Council for Soviet and East European Studies, the Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition and KQED, public broadcasting for San Francisco. Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her bachelor's degree in political science, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995. She resides in Washington, D.C.

So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend to the death their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also have all the facts on their educations and background:

Barbra Streisand: Completed high school
Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade.
Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton.
Career: Acting

Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year.
Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal
Career: Acting

Julia Roberts: Completed high school
Career: Acting

Sean Penn: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Career: Acting

Ed Asner: Completed High school
Career: Acting

George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky
Career: Acting

Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan.
Career: Movie Director

Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School
Career: Acting

Mike Farrell: Completed High school
Career: Acting

Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College.
Career: Stand up comedienne

Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year.
Career: Acting

Mel Gibson: Quit college because one of his professors was Jewish
Career: Jew hater (OK, I just slipped this one in there. I made it up. Sort of- 2Slick)

While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and terrorist-supporting governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies around the world.

We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of the threats because we watch CNN!!

We cannot believe that we are in any way as informed as our leaders. These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country. They only have a deep seated hatred for all things Republican. By nature, and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America. The silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia itself to get Slobodan Milosevic out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost, not a peep was heard from Hollywood.

The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond memories of an old television sitcom!

It is time for us, as citizens of the United States, to educate ourselves about the world around us. If future generations are going to enjoy the freedoms that our forefathers bequeathed us, if they are ever to know peace in their own country and their world, to live without fear of terrorism striking in their own cities, we must assure that this nation remains strong. We must make certain that those who would destroy us are made aware of the severe consequences that will befall them. Yes, it is a wonderful dream to sit down with dictators and terrorists and join hands, singing Cumbaya and talking of world peace. But it is not real.

We did not stop Adolf Hitler from taking over the entire continent of Europe by simply talking to him. We sent our best and brightest, with the strength and determination that this Country is known for, and defeated the Nazi regime.

President John F. Kennedy did not stop the Soviet ships from unloading their nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 with mere words. He stopped them with action, and threat of immediate war if the ships did not turn around.

We did not end the Cold War with conferences. It ended with the strong belief of President Ronald Reagan... PEACE through STRENGTH.

Critics will say "How dare you suggest that someone is stupid just because they didn't go to college!!!" And that's crap. That's not what this essay suggests. At all. Yes, there are very brilliant people who never went to college. Harry S Truman is one example. On the flip side, Jimmy Carter went to the Naval Academy (not a bad school, but not as great as West Point), and he's dumber than a box of hammers. There will always be exceptions and stand-outs- ronald Reagan was an actor, and he became one of the greatest Presidents ever. Of course, he started out as a Democrat, but grew wiser as he got older. But seriously- this essay does a great job of pinning credentials to the loudest (and least informed)voices in Hollywood. Nice job, whoever wrote it.

Is the Pope Really to Blame?

2006-09-19T21:27:00.000-04:00

I know- stupid question, right? But here's the reason I ask- I was watching Fox News this past Sunday morning when all that stuff with the Pope and angry Muslims was going on, and one of the Fox newsies (didn't catch her name) began the broadcast with:

"A nun shot dead in Somalia, and the Pope's words might be to blame. Hello everyone, I'm so and so and this is Fox News...."

I'm not kidding- she really said that. I'm not trying to single out Fox News here- it happens all the time with every major news outlet. If the person (I use the word loosely) who shot that nun were to have written the intro to that newscast, I ask you- how different would it have been from what she actually read? Not much different, I would guess. The killer probably would have dropped the words "might be," but it would have otherwise sounded exactly the same. I don't think I've seen such a clear cut example of our own media being used by terrorists as a propagnada weapon. It really is amazing. What she said is absolutely no different that starting off a newscast with:

"A suicide car bomb killed fourteen people in Baghdad this morning, and the U.S. humanitarian efforts in Iraq might be to blame."

or:

"Radical Islamic extremists beheaded an American civilian and posted it on the internet, and our own President Bush might be to blame."

Am I the only one who sees the danger in this?

Believe me, Fox News is NOT trying to push a terrorist agenda. I don't even believe that the other network and cable news outlets are trying to push a Democratic Party agenda (okay, maybe CBS a little bit). I think every media outlet in America is merely doing what every red-blooded American company is trying to do- make a buck!!! It's capitalism, stupid!

It sounds better when they blame the Pope for murdering a nun, doesn't it? Isn't that a tantalizing way to start a broadcast?

Isn't it hard to flip the channel when they suggest that maybe- just maybe- our own President is ordering U.S. troops to play "Walk the Dog" with a bunch of terrorists in Abu Ghraib?

How about the hot air-filled talking head who says stuff like "we've been creating more terrorists ever since we started fighting them. Before we decided to fight back, everything was just peachy keen. You know, and embassy here, a USS Cole there, a few buildings in some major U.S. cities- no big deal. But now we've made them angry! And French people hate us! Bad Mr. Bush!"

Or what about the time when our President and his band of thugs endangered the life of a CIA agent in order to get back at her and her husband for being so mean to Republicans!?!? Holy Moly! Ben Affleck informed me that they shoot people on the battlefield for that sort of thing! Wow, man- Ben must have all kinds of war experience and he must know a whole heck of a lot about spy stuff, what with all his play-acting and stuff. But I digress...

So, yes, it all may be a total crock of BS, but it sure gets our attention, doesn't it?!?!? And it stirs the pot, and gets people fired up and angry, and it generates all kinds of debate, and it gets ratings and sells newspapers, and the money just keeps flowing in...

The obvious problem with all this- the terrorists know exactly how capitalism works. And they know how our media works. And we are absolutely powerless to stop them. Our only hope is to somehow be smart enough to see through our own BS.

Ever since I returned from Iraq, I've been asked the age old question, "Why don't we ever hear about the progress being made over there? How come we never get the good news?" The sad (but true) answer to this question- you don't really want to hear it. You think you do, but you don't. Everybody's always screaming about the "biased" media, and everyone's always lamenting about sensationalism trumping the facts, and blah blah blah- but the numbers don't lie, people.

How many of you would watch the Fox News special about power grid reconstruction efforts in Mosul? Yeah. Well. Not too exciting, huh?

Okay, now which of you would watch the special report about the suicide bomber who killed 4 American soldiers and 20 children who were giving them candy? Yep, that'll get your attention.

Are you going to watch the 2-hour special that takes you through the entire start-to-finish construction of the newly-formed Iraqi government? No. You're not going to watch that. And you're not going to read about it in tomorrow's Washington Post. Stop arguing with me- you have no interest in that stuff. But I promise you, it's the most important thing that's happening over there...

The terrorists know what you're going to watch. So do the suits at the news bureaus. The media isn't all that biased, ladies and gentlemen- they just want your money.

Even if it means in-your-face reporting on every single terrorist act that takes place in any part of the world at any given time.

Even if it means regurgitating a nun-killer's talking points. Verbatim.

Mail Call

2006-09-16T02:02:00.000-04:00

I've been working my way through a list of emails that I had left unattended for well over a year- and I found some pretty fun ones. Before I get to the featured item, I'd just like to say thanks for all the nice well-wishes and kind words- it's much appreciated, and I apologize for taking so long to write back. Most of the emails I get are really nice and thoughtful. And then I get some like this:

----- Original Message ----
From: kaofpm@jcn.net
To: cpt2slick@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 9:42:34 PM
Subject: Discovery!

Heard about mil blogs. your name came up. just what i expected. im not a lefty. im a veteran of our last big war on the dark skinned poor - in central america. you seem to be a part of the machine. a muscle fiber in the corporate bicep that is "redifining" american power in central asia. you are rewarded by your "fortune 500" job. horde those green backs captain before that corporate bicep outsources your ass and you find yourself teaching government classes at a community college.

xo our knight in shining gunship
or does 2slick refer to medivac?

Don't bother trying to send this person an email- the address is no longer valid. I tried to send him a response that went like this:

Cool. Thanks for checking out my site.

I think I'll start by telling you something that your parents probably told you a long time ago, but you just never liked to hear- people who are "anti-establishment" tend to be people who were soundly rejected by said "establishment." They're the ones who got beat up in school because they were always trying to be the center of attention- but never had any good reason to command said attention. Not typically the sharpest bulbs in the drawer- but really convinced that they were so much smarter than everyone else. Simply put- "anti-establishment" people (like you) are the ones that most "normal" people try so very hard to avoid.

Seriously, man- I'm sorry that nobody likes you or wants to hire you. Keep blaming "the man" for all your problems, and maybe your pain and suffering will begin to subside. Maybe- just maybe- the good people of the world will see how you've been wronged, and maybe everyone will line up to apologize to you. I know that would be really AWESOME for you!

Me? I'm just going to keep "redefining" American power with my corporate biceps while I step all over the poor dark-skinned people. You just sit there and think about what an awful and terrible person I am- I'm certain that will make you happy. See how thoughtful I am?

Seriously, though- you're right. You're not a lefty. You're just a run-of-the-mill fraud. A sad and pathetic loser who never got enough hugs.

Just what I expected....
P.S.: What's wrong with teaching government classes at a community college? Is teaching not an honorable profession? I happen to have a great deal of respect for teachers, and I certainly appreciate all the ones who taught me...

I love getting emails from these clowns!

I Miss the Swifties

2006-09-14T22:48:00.000-04:00

I guess I have to admit that a small part of me hopes that John Kerry does run again in '08. It's a little twisted, but it really was fun to see a glory-chasing self-serving traitor get what was coming to him right there on the world stage. And now I read this hilarious interview where he says that he's now "prepared to kick their ass from one end of America to the other." Oh, man I can't wait to see that!!!! Yeah, this time he'll really nail 'em! Go get 'em, Johnny!!!!

John O'Neill's response was priceless:

It is a little difficult to imagine Kerry (“I voted for it before I voted against it”) kicking the most decorated living serviceman, Bud Day, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, or our salty commander, Adm. Roy Hoffman, anywhere. Perhaps Kerry had in mind using a “Rice Fanny Grenade” as he did by mistake on himself shortly before leaving Vietnam. If so, based on the record, he is in far more danger than anyone else.

Kerry and his friends certainly seem to show much greater anger and hatred toward us than toward the murderous al Qaeda terrorists.

Reminds me- my wife is always asking me to post my thoughts on the left's current obsession with blaming all the world's problems on Republicans instead of terrorists. I had always planned to write something about it, but then I read Pam Foster's now-famous letter and I knew that I would never be able to say it better- so here goes:

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?

Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots, who blow themselves up in search of nirvana, care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and ---- you guessed it - - - I don't care ! ! ! ! !

Then it goes on to say "please forward to all your friends" and yadda yadda. I didn't even bother to snopes it, but it was supposedly written by "Pam Foster of Pamela Foster and Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing interior design and home planning." Maybe she wrote it, maybe she didn't. Either way, you can bet your holy head scarves that I simply do not care who wrote it. It's awesome no matter what.

I have not, do not, and damn most certainly will not ever support the idea that terrorists should be protected by the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention needs to be "reconvened" and the international community needs to accept and deal with the fact that Islamic Militants are out there chopping off heads and blowing up school busses. The Geneva Convention means absolutely nothing to them- so come up with a plan for dealing with these animals and fix the problem.

When I hear people like Colin Powell say that we need to be nice to them in order to protect our own soldiers from harm, I feel like smacking him in the head with a rockfish. General Powell, with all due respect- are out of your freaking mind???? Do you honestly believe that these disgusting viruses will respond to our kind treatment with kindness? Trust me on this one, my 4-star friend- any soldiers captured by these sick thugs are damn near certain to suffer a fate worse than you or I could ever imagine- the terrorists have proven this time and time again. Stop kidding yourself. Your foolish banter is only serving to embolden them. You should seriously know better...

Letter to Senator Reid

2006-09-06T09:31:00.000-04:00

I guess it's been a long while since I've put anything on this site- I'm still trying to shake off some of the cobwebs around here...

I read a recent interview with Cindy Sheehan- she says that she wants to build a "Center for Peace" or something in Crawford, Texas. It's her attempt at making sure that war never happens again. The interviewer asked her why she would build it in Crawford, and Cindy said that it wouldn't be in a big city because blah blah words whatever blah blah. Not sure what she was talking about and I REALLY don't care.

If I were interviewing her, I would have asked why she wasn't building a "Center for Peace" in Iran or maybe adjacent to one of Saudi Arabia's many madrasses. The answer, of course, is that if she tried to do that she would quickly find that it's hard to get any work done when your head is no longer attached to your body.

So please, Cindy, build your "Center for Peace" in Crawford, Texas. I'm sure that would have prevented 9/11 had you thought to do that 6 years ago. Oh, the missed opportunities! Tell you what, Cindy- while you build your "Center for Peace" in Texas, I'm going to start construction on "2Slick's Obesity Prevention and Weight Control Clinic" in the middle of Ethiopia.

So I was perusing Drudge this morning, and I found an excellent letter that was written by Josh Bolten, and I think it deserves mass dissemination:

Dear Senator Reid:

Thank you for your September 4 letter to the President. I am responding on his behalf.

A useful discussion of what we need to do in Iraq requires an accurate and fair-minded description of our current policy: As the President has explained, our goal is an Iraq that can govern itself, defend itself, and sustain itself. In order to achieve this goal, we are pursuing a strategy along three main tracks -- political, economic, and security. Along each of these tracks, we are constantly adjusting our tactics to meet conditions on the ground. We have witnessed both successes and setbacks along the way, which is the story of every war that has been waged and won.

Your letter recites four elements of a proposed “new direction” in Iraq. Three of those elements reflect well-established Administration policy; the fourth is dangerously misguided.

First, you propose "transitioning the U.S. mission in Iraq to counter-terrorism, training, logistics and force protection." That is what we are now doing, and have been doing for several years. Our efforts to train the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have evolved and accelerated over the past three years. Our military has had substantial success in building the Iraqi Army -- and increasingly we have seen the Iraqi Army take the lead in fighting the enemies of a free Iraq. The Iraqi Security Forces still must rely on U.S. support, both in direct combat and especially in key combat support functions. But any fair-minded reading of the current situation must recognize that the ISF are unquestionably more capable and shouldering a greater portion of the burden than a year ago -- and because of the extraordinary efforts of the United States military, we expect they will become increasingly capable with each passing month. Your recommendation that we focus on counter-terrorism training and operations -- which is the most demanding task facing our troops -- tracks not only with our policy but also our understanding, as well as the understanding of al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, that Iraq is a central front in the war against terror.

Second, your letter proposes "working with Iraqi leaders to disarm the militias and to develop a broad-based and sustainable political settlement, including amending the Constitution to achieve a fair sharing of power and resources." You are once again urging that the Bush Administration adopt an approach that has not only been embraced, but is now being executed. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pursuing a national reconciliation project. It is an undertaking that (a) was devised by the Iraqis; (b) has the support of the United States, our coalition partners and the United Nations; and (c) is now being implemented. Further, in Iraq's political evolution, the Sunnis, who boycotted the first Iraq election, are now much more involved in the political process. Prime Minister Maliki is head of a free government that represents all communities in Iraq for the first time in that nation's history. It is in the context of this broad-based, unity government, and the lasting national compact that government is pursuing, that the Iraqis will consider what amendments might be required to the constitution that the Iraqi people adopted last year. On the matter of disarming militias: that is precisely what Prime Minister al-Maliki is working to do. Indeed, Coalition leaders are working with him and his ministers to devise and implement a program to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate members of militias and other illegal armed groups.

Third, your letter calls for "convening an international conference and contact group to support a political settlement in Iraq, to preserve Iraq's sovereignty, and to revitalize the stalled economic reconstruction and rebuilding effort." The International Compact for Iraq, launched recently by the sovereign Iraqi government and the United Nations, is the best way to work with regional and international partners to make substantial economic progress in Iraq, help revitalize the economic reconstruction and rebuilding of that nation, and support a fair and just political settlement in Iraq -- all while preserving Iraqi sovereignty. This effort is well under way, it has momentum, and I urge you to support it. Three of the key proposals found in your letter, then, are already reflected in current U.S. and Iraqi policy in the region.

On the fourth element of your proposed “new direction,” however, we do disagree strongly. Our strategy calls for redeploying troops from Iraq as conditions on the ground allow, when the Iraqi Security Forces are capable of defending their nation, and when our military commanders believe the time is right. Your proposal is driven by none of these factors; instead, it would have U.S. forces begin withdrawing from Iraq by the end of the year, without regard to the conditions on the ground. Because your letter lacks specifics, it is difficult to determine exactly what is contemplated by the “phased redeployment” you propose. (One such proposal, advanced by Representative Murtha, a signatory to your letter, suggested that U.S. forces should be redeployed as a “quick reaction force” to Okinawa, which is nearly 5,000 miles from Baghdad). Regardless of the specifics you envision by “phased redeployment,” any premature withdrawal of U.S forces would have disastrous consequences for America’s security. Such a policy would embolden our terrorist enemies; betray the hopes of the Iraqi people; lead to a terrorist state in control of huge oil reserves; shatter the confidence our regional allies have in America; undermine the spread of democracy in the Middle East; and mean the sacrifices of American troops would have been in vain. This “new direction” would lead to a crippling defeat for America and a staggering victory for Islamic extremists. That is not a direction this President will follow. The President is being guided by a commitment to victory -- and that plan, in turn, is being driven by the counsel and recommendations of our military commanders in the region.

Finally, your letter calls for replacing Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. We strongly disagree.

Secretary Rumsfeld is an honorable and able public servant. Under his leadership, the United States Armed Forces and our allies have overthrown two brutal tyrannies and liberated more than 50 million people. Al Qaeda has suffered tremendous blows. Secretary Rumsfeld has pursued vigorously the President’s vision for a transformed U.S. military. And he has played a lead role in forging and implementing many of the policies you now recommend in Iraq. Secretary Rumsfeld retains the full confidence of the President.

We appreciate your stated interest in working with the Administration on policies that honor the sacrifice of our troops and promote our national security, which we believe can be accomplished only through victory in this central front in the War on Terror.

Sincerely,

Joshua B. Bolten
Chief of Staff

Now that's a great letter...

Why We're Going to Succeed in Iraq

2006-04-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

Wow, you people really are coming by here to see what 's going on. I'm amazed and flattered and humbled and everything in between. Thanks, I hope you'll continue to drop by...

I heard there was some big uproar about illegal immigration last week? I missed it all- you see, I was vacationing in Mexico. And guess what (I'm not joking)- President Bush was there, too. It was in all the Mexican newspapers, and I know because I can read espanol. For the record- Mexico is really amazing. Wow.

But I digress...

Sometimes I think I'm the only person in America who thought the War on Terror was going to be tough one.

I never thought that we shouldn't fight it.

I never thought that we couldn't win it.

I just thought that it was going to be a tough struggle.

Why? I don't know- maybe because there are so many people out there who are more than willing to blow themselves up in order to enjoy a night out with some virgins that they'll never meet, or even worse- recruit others to blow themselves up for some "cause" that seems to involve enslaving women and chopping people's heads off for the simple act of intellectual noncompliance.

Yes, there will always be a pool of poor young teens looking for glory; mentally retarded "outcasts"; "disgraced" women seeking redemption after having the audacity to entice someone to rape them; even "normal" people who are just too plain stupid to figure out that if "martyrdom" was really such a cool thing, people like bin Laden and Zarqawi would be doing it too!

Lots of them out there- lots and lots.

And how prepared were we for this war before 9/11? Here's a hint. Almost 5 years later, we're STILL postured for that big showdown with the Soviets. If those commies ever decided to cross that line in Germany, we'll have more than enough troops to fight 'em off, dammit!

So yes, I was pretty sure this would be a tough one.

People are surprised by a lot of things, but I think the thing that surprises me most is that here we are going on 5 years since 9/11, and number of American troops lost in combat has yet to surpass the number of innocent lives that were taken from us on that one day that we all remember so clearly. We do remember what happened, right? Just checking.

I always thought that the one of the most important keys to winning this thing was to understand what we're up against- sooner than later. We still don't fully comprehend what this enemy is and how we're supposed to fight it, but I think our old friend and my former Commanding General, LTG David Petreaus, is leading the way to understanding. Check this out:

Observations from Soldiering in Iraq

1."Do not try to do too much with your own hands."

2. Act quickly, because every Army of liberation has a half-life.

3. Money is ammunition. (This is so true- capitalism can really put a dagger through the terrorist's hearts -2Slick)

4. Increasing the number of stakeholders is critical to success.

5. Analyze "costs and benefits" before each operation.

6. Intelligence is the key to success.

7. Everyone must do nation-building.

8. Help build institutions, not just units.

9. Cultural awareness is a force multiplier.

10. Success in a counterinsurgency requires more than just military 0perations.

11. Ultimate success depends on local leaders.

12. Remember the strategic corporals and strategic lieutenants.

13. There is no substitute for flexible, adaptable leaders.

14. A leader's most important task is to set the right tone.

Read the whole thing, because this guy knows what the hell he's talking about...

Jennifer Loven Gets Famous

2006-03-23T07:47:00.000-05:00

Since it's been such a long time since I've even visited my own site, I decided to check the stat tracker to see if anyone was even poking round here anymore. I was astonished to find that this site still draws about 100 visitors a day- mostly people following links to archived posts from yesteryear. I noticed a huge spike a few days ago, so I decided to check into it. Seems that my old friend Jennifer Loven caused another commotion- this one her biggest yet. I saw the article on Yahoo! News last weekend while I was browsing through my handy dandy handheld. The headline left me no doubt that I was about to read a Jennifer Loven article- it said something like "Bush Using Straw Man Arguments in Speeches." Sounded very much like the unforgettable "Bush Twists Kerry's Words on Iraq."

My favorite part of her latest hit piece:

"There are some really decent people," the president said earlier this year, "who believe that the federal government ought to be the decider of health care ... for all people."

Of course, hardly anyone in mainstream political debate has made such assertions.

"Of course," she says. Because we all know that Bush is such a conniving and deceitful liar and anything he tries to push on us is total crap.

And this:

He typically then says he "strongly disagrees" conveniently knocking down a straw man of his own making.

"Conveniently." Jennifer, you absolutely must be kidding here, right? Are you seriously trying to play this off as news? This is a sarcastic and vindictive opinion piece and nothing more. The AP is now officially the media's worst joke.

And when she writes, "Bush routinely is criticized for dressing up events with a too-rosy glow," she must be referring to another one of her own legendary hit pieces- Bush Paints Rosy Picture of Iraq Situation. She's literally using her prior opinions in place of facts for her new opinion piece! And the AP lets her get away with it.

Well, kids- it looks like the cat's really out of the bag this time. I just found a story about her latest work of art through Drudge- AP Article on Bush Called Out as Hit Piece...

It mentions her marriage to a former Clinton aide and all that good stuff. Not a bad article really. For me, it was nice to see Jennifer Loven being scrutinized on a bigger stage than Powerline. She finally made it big.

It'll be interesting to see if the AP attempts to garner some sort of credibility by firing her or apologizing in some way. Don't hold your breath.

Here I Come

2006-03-22T20:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's been a few months- I had to rest up and tend to my new civilian family life. Now I'm dusting off my keyboard and preparing for the next phase. To quote the immortal GEN Douglas MacArthur- "I shall return!"

King of Iraq

2005-12-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

From Seconds Out:

King's morale boost for troops in Iraq

Legendary promoter Don King said he would like to host a morale-boosting boxing exhibition in Iraq featuring world champion boxers he represents. King made his comments to CNN's Wolf Blitzer while appearing on The Situation Room last week.

Major General Thomas R. Turner II of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division told King earlier this year he would welcome such an event.

"There are many things that make a unit successful in combat," Turner said. "They need good equipment, the right number of people and good training. The army does that very well but the solider also needs to know that the American people support them and Don King has done that."

King never forgot the major general's comments and later presented a check for over $200,000 he raised to help create a 101st Airborne Memorial in Ft. Campbell, Ky.

He also visited troops fresh from the front lines in Iraq at Germany's Landstuhl Hospital near Ramstein Air Base in September, and he now wants to bring a boxing exhibition to Iraq to give soldiers a taste of home.

"Major General Turner and President George W. Bush are absolutely right about helping the troops," King said. "I intend to answer the President's call and do all I can to support our troops. Our men and women in uniform around the world are defending our freedom and liberties. They need to know that we appreciate their service and sacrifices to honor their bravery and dedication.

"I intend to stage exhibition matches in Iraq displaying the skills of many great champions from the boxing world. I want to entertain the troops, raise their morale and let our soldiers know that the American people are 100% behind them. It will be an unforgettable, historic event. I'll even stage a true championship match if I am allowed."

King added: "While politicians in Washington debate the issues, we must show through action and deed that we support our troops fighting for our liberties and way of life. I honor them. I want to be the black Bob Hope of boxing," King said with reverence to the comedian's achievements.

King is now discussing the formal arrangements with the White House, USO and the Department of Defense.

"I am proud to be an American, I love my country and I love my troops," King said. "I want to do everything I can to lift them up in their hour of need but I cannot do it without the blessing of our commander in chief."

King has quietly provided all telecasts of boxing matches he promotes free of charge to Armed Forces Network for over 20 years, so troops stationed abroad can view his telecasts.

Yeah, I remember watching a bunch of great title bouts on AFKN when I was in Korea. It was great because we wouldn't have to stay up until 2 am to watch them- they'd come on at around 3 pm Korea time. Now that I think of AFKN, I remember they had a PSA spot (AFKN ran PSA's instead of commercials) featuring an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant preaching to us soldiers about "doing the right thing." Wow, that was some great stuff. -2Slick

Voting

2005-12-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

My Godmother's son-in-law sent this dispatch a few days ago- sorry it took so long to get it posted. Cool stuff...

Today the Iraqi soldiers got their turn to vote so they are able to secure the polling sites on election day. It was amazing to see how happy these soldiers were to vote in a free election. Soldiers were dancing around and singing. It was the happiest I have ever seen these soldiers.

Enjoy,

Jeff

Bruce Willis is Cool

2005-12-01T17:46:00.000-05:00

"Hollywood" people don't typically impress me much, but I think Bruce Willis is pretty cool. He came out to visit the 101st in 2003. My buddy Mark took some pics during his concert in Tall 'Afar:

Just recently I read that he showed up to be the guest speaker at the Deuce Four's Punisher's Ball. Looks like he's going to play LTC Erik Kurilla in a movie based on Michael Yon's writings. That's excellent. It's nice to see something positive come out of Hollywood for a change.

Another Great Letter from Iraq

2005-11-18T14:43:00.000-05:00

SGT Rausch and his buddies in 1st Platoon just crafted a masterpiece that needs to be seen by everyone you know. I've been trying to say this stuff for years now, but I couldn't quite figure out how to put it all into words. Well, these guys just cracked the code. Thanks to Becky C for bringing this to my attention:

Cpt2slick,

I am passing this on from a dear friend of mine. Her son wrote her this email and asked her to get it out to everyone. So she told me to send it to you too. Here is his email he wrote to her today. God bless those 101st soldiers. We love em all. Hope you will share his email with your readers.

Becky C

I will gladly pass this on, Becky. Thanks for doing your part in helping to spread the good word...

2Slick

SGT Rausch's email follows:

Mom

Be my voice. I want this message heard. It is mine and my platoon's to the country. A man I know lost his legs the other night. He is in another company in our batallion. I can no longer be silent after watching the sacrifices made by Iraqis and Americans everyday. Send it to a congressman if you have to. Send it to FOX news if you have to. Let this message be heard please.

My fellow Americans,

I have a task for those with the courage and fortitude to take it. I have a message that needs not fall on deaf ears. A vision the blind need to see. I am not a political man nor one with great wisdom. I am just a soldier who finds himself helping rebuild a country that he helped liberate a couple years ago.

I have watched on television how the American public questions why their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters are fighting and dying in a country 9000 miles away from their own soil. Take the word of a soldier, for that is all I am, that our cause is a noble one. The reason we are here is one worth fighting for. A cause that has been the most costly and sought after cause in our small span of existence on our little planet. Bought in blood and paid for by those brave enough to give the ultimate sacrifice to obtain it. A right that is given to every man, woman, and child I believe by God. I am talking of freedom.

Freedom. One word but yet countless words could never capture it's true meaning or power. "For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know." I read that once and it couldn't be more true. It's not the average American's fault that he or she is "blind and deaf" to the taste of freedom. Most American's are born into their God given right so it is all they ever know. I was once one of them. I would even dare to say that it isn't surprising that they take for granted what they have had all their life. My experiences in the military however opened my eyes to the truth.

Ironically you will find the biggest outcries of opposition to our cause from those who have had no military experience and haven't had to fight for freedom. I challenge all of those who are daring enough to question such a noble cause to come here for just a month and see it first hand. I have a feeling that many voices would be silenced.

I watched Cindy Sheehan sit on the President's lawn and say that America isn't worth dying for. Later she corrected herself and said Iraq isn't worth dying for. She badmouthed all that her son had fought and died for. I bet he is rolling over in his grave.

Ladies and gentleman I ask you this. What if you lived in a country that wasn't free? What if someone told you when you could have heat, electricity, and water? What if you had no sewage systems so human waste flowed into the streets? What if someone would kill you for bad-mouthing your government? What if you weren't allowed to watch TV, connect to the internet, or have cell phones unless under extreme censorship? What if you couldn't put shoes on your child's feet? You need not to have a great understanding of the world but rather common sense to realize that it is our duty as HUMAN BEINGS to free the oppressed. If you lived that way would you not want someone to help you????

The Iraqi's pour into the streets to wave at us and when we liberated the cities during the war they gathered in the thousands to cheer, hug and kiss us. It was what the soldier's in WW2 experienced, yet no one questioned their cause!! Saddam was no better than Hitler! He tortured and killed thousands of innocent people. We are heroes over here, yet American's badmouth our President for having us here.

Every police station here has a dozen or more memorials for officers that were murdered trying to ensure that their people live free. These are husbands, fathers, and sons killed every day. What if it were your country? What would your choice be? Everything we fight for is worth the blood that may be shed. The media never reports the true HEROISM I witness everyday in the Iraqi's. Yes there are bad one's here, but I assure you they are a minuscule percent. Yet they are a number big enough to cause worry in this country's future.

I have watched brave souls give their all and lose thier lives and limbs for this cause. I will no longer stand silent and let the "deaf and blind" be the only voice shouting. Stonewall Jackson once said, "All that I have, all that I am is at the service of the country." For these brave souls who gave the ultimate sacrifice, including your son Cindy Sheehan, I will shout till I can no longer. These men and women are heroes. Their spirit lives on in their military and they will never be forgotten. They did not die in vain but rather for a cause that is larger than all of us.

My fellow countrymen and women, we are not overseas for our country alone but also another. We are here to spread democracy and freedom to those who KNOW the true taste of it because they fight for it everyday. You can see the desire in their eyes and I am honored to fight alongside them as an Infantryman in the 101st Airborne.

Freedom is not free, but yet it is everyone's right to have. Ironic isn't it? That is why we are here. Though you will always have the skeptics, I know that most of our military will agree with this message. PLease, at the request of this soldier spread this message to all you know. We are in Operation Iraqi Freedom and that is our goal. It is a cause that I and thousands of others stand ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice for because, Cindy Sheehan, freedom is worth dying for, no matter what country it is! And after the world is free only then can we hope to have peace.

SGT Walter J. Rausch and 1st Platoon
Charlie Co. 2/327 Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

101st Airborne Back in Action

2005-11-14T18:21:00.000-05:00

The Screaming Eagles are back in the Land of the Awful Sand. I'll be posting periodic updates in an effort to document their progress. The following update comes from SFC David Abrams...

U.S. combat ops continue to defeat terrorists on street

Blackanthem.com, BAGHDAD, Iraq, November 13, 2005 6:54

Operation National Unity, an on-going operation by Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces to root out terrorists in the Baghdad area, continues to meet with great success, said Task Force Baghdad officials.

"Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers are bravely carrying out their mission to provide a safe and secure environment for the democratic process to grow in Iraq," said Lt. Col. Robert Whetstone, Task Force Baghdad spokesperson. "Terrorist activities continue to attempt to derail that process, while Iraqi Security Force and Coalition Force successes occur daily."

In one 96-hour period alone in November, Task Force Baghdad conducted more than 1,030 patrols, carried out 100 cordon-and-searches and raids, and set up more than 400 tactical checkpoints during aggressive combat operations throughout the capitol city.

While the threat of improvised explosive devices still lingers for Soldiers on patrol, Task Force Baghdad officials report the number of successes far outweigh the number of IEDs struck by humvees and other military vehicles.

During combat operations Nov. 6-11, Coalition Forces detained more than 250 terror suspects, found seven weapons caches, and discovered 37 IEDs before they could be detonated.

This is typical of the missions U.S. Soldiers in Baghdad engage in every week as they work to create an environment where a strong Iraqi Security Force can contain and eventually defeat the insurgency, Whetstone noted.

Task Force Baghdad officials cite operations on Nov. 11 as examples of how U.S. and Iraqi forces are "taking the fight to the terrorists."

For instance, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment interrupted a suspected assassination attempt in progress in the Ghazaliyah district. Around 6:30 p.m., the U.S. patrol reported taking small-arms fire from three individuals running from a store where they were believed to be intimidating or attempting to assassinate civilians inside. The Soldiers returned fire on the fleeing terrorists, killing two of them. No civilians were harmed in the incident.

Earlier in the day, an Iraqi-U.S. patrol northwest of Baghdad turned an IED strike into an opportunity to nab a terror suspect. The patrol from 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, and 2nd Mechanized Battalion, 1st Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division hit the roadside bomb around noon and immediately took small-arms fire from two nearby cars. U.S. Soldiers returned fire and chased the vehicles from the area. The Soldiers returned to the IED site and found a secondary device. An explosives ordnance disposal team was called in to destroy the 155-millimeter round. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Soldiers noticed an individual throw a possible trigger device into a nearby canal. The suspect was detained and processed into the Iraqi judicial system. There were no injuries to Iraqi or U.S. forces during the incident.

In another example of Coalition troops responding with a show of force to a terrorist attack, a patrol from 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry killed a terrorist who fired on them with an AK-47 assault rifle around 7 a.m. south of the Abu Ghraib Prison Facility.Iraqi forces with 1st Battalion, 4th Public Order Brigade operating in Doura reported a success of their own around 5:30 p.m. when they caught a terrorist emplacing an IED along a major highway. A U.S. EOD team recovered the 107-millimeter rocket and the Iraqi Army unit detained the terrorist for questioning.

Other potential IEDs were discovered by U.S. Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team working the streets of east Baghdad.

Around noon, Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment reported finding a 130-millimeter round in the median of a major road. They secured the area and called for an EOD team. The Soldiers also found a secondary device consisting of 120-millimeter and 100-millimeter rounds encased in concrete. EOD recovered both devices.

In another location, Iraqi civilians waved down a patrol from the 26th Forward Support Battalion and told them of a suspicious device at the intersection of two main roads in the area shortly after 3 p.m. The U.S. Soldiers cordoned off the site and called in an EOD team to recover what turned out to be a potentially deadly IED.

"We (U.S. Forces) are not the determining factor with respect to the ultimate defeat of the terrorists—the Iraqi people are," said Col. Joseph DiSalvo, 2nd BCT commander. "The terrorists have no chance as long as the Iraqi people stand up against them." Task Force Baghdad Soldiers also seized weapons and munitions during combat operations Nov. 11.While searching a house, Soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division found three cases of 20-millimeter anti-aircraft ammunition, about 7 million in dinar (equivalent to nearly $5,000), and two loaded AK-47 assault rifles. Two terror suspects were detained at the house and held for further questioning.

Another 2nd Bde., 101st Airborne Div. unit found a cache consisting of four 3-foot rockets at a site southwest of Baghdad.Task Force Baghdad officials said Nov. 11 is just one example of how Operation National Unity is succeeding on all levels to keep the city’s terrorists on the defensive.

By Sgt. 1st Class David Abrams
Task Force Baghdad PAO

House becomes a home for (Iraq war) hero

2005-10-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

By VICKI BERRY, C-T Lifestyle Editor

He received a hero’s welcome when he returned to his newly renovated home Wednesday, however, Bobby Isaacs does not refer to himself in that manner at all.

"I was just doing what I was told," he said, matter-of-factly.

Retired Cpl. Bobby Isaacs, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. was initially given an imminent death retirement because he wasn’t expected to recover from injuries he received while serving in Iraq.

And just as understatedly, the Roxboro resident was prompted to join the armed forces following the 9/11 tragedy.

Isaacs said he had tossed around the idea of joining the Army prior to the 9/11 attacks. "That gave me the push," he said.

In March of 2003 Isaacs was deployed to Iraq. After serving in several Iraqi cities, events led to an occurrence that would change the young man’s life forever.

Isaacs recently recalled the events of that day near Mosul. Isaacs and others in his division were part of a convoy. He explained that he was standing behind his staff sergeant who was sitting in the passenger’s seat. The convoy was ambushed with small arms fire and a roadside bomb that shattered the bones in both of Isaacs’ legs and severed the femoral artery.

"My staff sergeant was killed," he said.

Isaacs too, came very close to losing his life. "I was resuscitated three times," he said.

Following a few days in a field hospital, Isaacs was taken to Germany before being sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the U.S. There, he spent the next year, lost both legs and underwent 39 operations. While it doesn’t sound like fun, Isaacs said he was happy to be there.

"I was just glad I was in a hospital and not in a body bag," he said.

During his stint in the hospital and through a fellow patient, Isaacs fatefully met John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. Although Isaacs was not aware of it at the time, that meeting was the first of several to follow that would have a positive impact and outcome.

Isaacs left Walter Reed Hospital and moved back to Roxboro to live with his mother, Pat Isaacs, and although he was out of the hospital, he was not finished with the medical visits. It was necessary for Isaacs to go to Veterans Hospital in Durham for his prosthesis and follow-up care. And that is when Isaacs had another fateful encounter.

He met Charlotte Riggle, who works as a technician with the Center for Orthotic and Prosthetics at Duke University.

"She makes the legs," he said.

That was then. Now, together, plans are being laid for a wedding ceremony for the two on July 1.

Future plans for Isaacs include returning to school in the spring, probably at a local community college, he said. From there, he is considering a career as a physician’s assistant.

However, his plans do not involve moving.

When Isaacs left Walter Reed Medical Center to come back to Person County, he was told by Gonsalves to begin looking for a house and, if possible, Homes for Our Troops would buy and adapt the house to meet his special needs.

This past June, he found the house and Homes for Our Troops made the purchase along with plans to renovate the structure so that Isaacs could move in by December.

That move-in date was stepped-up a notch when Homes for Our Troops combined forces with the ABC network television show Extreme Makeover Home Edition and, in a blitz-like fashion, the house was adapted, renovated, furnished and ready for its new occupant in 48 hours.

On Wednesday, amidst television fanfare, Gonsalves handed Isaacs the key and the deed to his new home – a charitable act from Homes for Our Troops to help the veteran achieve his future dreams.

Business as Usual

2005-10-21T22:10:00.000-04:00

Just a quick passage from a recent Time Magazine article:

It was then that Lt. Nelson took the decision that could jeopardize his service career. "We decided to burn the bodies," one soldier recounts, "because they were bloated and they stank." News of this cremation may have remained on these scorching hills of southern Afghanistan, had the gruesome act not been recorded on film by an Australian photojournalist, Stephen Dupont. Instead, when the footage aired on Australian TV on Wednesday, it unleashed world outrage. A Pentagon spokesman described the incident as "repugnant" and said that the army was launching a criminal investigation into the alleged desecration of the corpses, which is in violation of the Geneva Convention on human rights.

I'll say this once- if the American media machine continues to drag our military through the mud with all of our "violations of the Geneva Convention," we will lose this war. That's not a guess on my part- it is a fact.

Nice job, Newsweek. Let's not talk about cutting the heads off of living human beings. Forget about blowing up dozens of young children as they attempt to collect candy from U.S. soldiers- that stuff just happens and so who cares, right?

Literally hundreds of U.S. soldiers have risked their own lives in order to save the lives of fellow soldiers, innocent civilians, and even enemy terrorists who were only minutes earlier trying to kill them- and you see fit to report...none of it. Nada. Zip. It's boooor-ing. So last century. But when U.S. troops decide to burn a couple of already-dead terrorists- stop the presses! It's almost as big a deal as when they put underwear on someone's head!

Muslims traditionally bury their dead, and as one Kabul cleric Mohammed Omar told newsmen, "The burning of these bodies is an offense against Muslims every where. Bodies are burned only in Hell."

That's a great point you make there, cleric guy- but where do people typically get their heads cut off? Is there a place in Hell for that? Did the Newsweek reporter ask you that question? When an American gets his/her head sawed off by one of your fellow faithful, is that an offense against Americans everywhere?

Al Jazeera does a swell job of making Americans out to be the "real" terrorists- but Newsweek and the rest of America's MSM are really giving them a run for their money. I have a challenge for somebody out there. I'd do it myself, but I'm just way too busy these days. Find out how many "Abu Ghraib-type" stories graced the front page of the New York Times, and then chalk up the number of times they fronted stories about American heroism and valor. I think the results will be stunning. Or not.

I'm not asking for flag-waving and apple pie.

I'm not seeking fame and glory for myself or anyone else.

I just think we'd better stop treating our own people worse than we treat head-chopping, baby-bombing terrorists. That's not so much to ask...

If you haven't read LTC Tim Ryan's assessment yet- read it.

Holy Bush-Bashing, Batman!

2005-10-14T23:33:00.000-04:00

The AP really went all out with their latest assault on the current administration and anyone even remotely associated with it. Deb Reichmann's latest masterpiece managed to slime the President, the Pentagon, and of course- the soldiers! I'm not quite sure what soldiers ever did to the AP (unless you believe Eason Jordan's assertion that American troops systematically slaughter journalists), but Deb really seems to go out of her way to make these troops look stupid:

A brief rehearsal ensued.

"OK, so let's just walk through this," Barber said. "Captain Kennedy, you answer the first question and you hand the mike to whom?"

"Captain Smith," Kennedy said.

"Captain. Smith? You take the mike and you hand it to whom?" she asked.

"Captain Kennedy," the soldier replied.

And so it went.

Duhhhh...and my name is Bob and I'm really stoopid! I can't think for myself and I need Allison Barber to tell me what to think and what to say and who to hand the microphone to and- uh oh! I went poopie in my poopiepants!

Nice work, Deb- I'm sure the soldiers appreciate all the blood sweat and tears you poured into making them look like a bunch of diaper-clad thumb-sucking idiots.

And what about the Iraqi soldier? Let's pass him off as a lovestruck groopie!

The president also got praise from the Iraqi soldier who was part of the chat.

"Thank you very much for everything," he gushed. "I like you."

Are you kidding me??? He gushed????? Who in the wide world of sports wrote this garbage? A valley girl?

And here's my favorite insult- some yahoo named Paul Rieckhoff fancies himself as a "support the troops" kinda guy:

Paul Rieckhoff, director of the New York-based Operation Truth, an advocacy group for U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, denounced the event as a "carefully scripted publicity stunt." Five of the 10 U.S. troops involved were officers, he said.

"If he wants the real opinions of the troops, he can't do it in a nationally televised teleconference," Rieckhoff said. "He needs to be talking to the boots on the ground and that's not a bunch of captains."

Well said, Paul. Tell you what- send me an email and let's arrange a meeting. I'd like to give you the opportunity to tell me to my face that I haven't earned the right to give a legitimate opinion about what I saw and what I experienced over there.

I want you to tell me to my face that my opinion isn't "real" because of the rank I held while I was over there.

I want you to tell me that my "Captain" friends who died while fighting for something they believed in are somehow less important than soldiers who carry a different rank.

I want to see just how much courage you really have, Paul.

Go ahead- send me an email. Let's set up the meeting, and let's find out how completely and pathetically gutless you really are.

Thanks for bringing this joke of a man to my attention, Deb. Now go back to doing what the AP pays you for- but please stop insulting our intelligence by trying to pass off your poorly written slop as "news."

For all you folks out there who would like to read an honest account of what happened at that "staged" teleconference, I give you Sergeant Ron Long :

Yesterday, I was chosen to be among a small group of soldiers assigned to the 42ID’s Task Force Liberty that would speak to President Bush, our Commander-in-Chief. The interview went well, but I would like to respond to what most of the mass-media has dubbed as, “A Staged Event.”

First of all, we were told that we would be speaking with the President of the United States, our Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, so I believe that it would have been totally irresponsible for us NOT to prepare some ideas, facts or comments that we wanted to share with the President.

We were given an idea as to what topics he may discuss with us, but it’s the President of the United States; He will choose which way his conversation with us may go.

We practiced passing the microphone around to one another, so we wouldn’t choke someone on live TV. We had an idea as to who we thought should answer what types of questions, unless President Bush called on one of us specifically.

President Bush told us, during his closing, that the American people were behind us. I know that we are fighting here, not only to preserve our own freedoms, but to establish those same freedoms for the people of Iraq. It makes my stomach ache to think that we are helping to preserve free speech in the US, while the media uses that freedom to try to RIP DOWN the President and our morale, as US Soldiers. They seem to be enjoying the fact that they are tearing the country apart. Worthless!

The question I was most asked while I was home on leave in June was, “So...What’s REALLY going on over there?” Does that not tell you something?! Who has confidence in the media to tell the WHOLE STORY? It’s like they WANT this to turn into another Vietnam. I hate to break it to them, but it’s not.

Tomorrow morning, the Iraqi people will vote on their constitution. The success of our mission or the mission of the Iraqi security forces is not defined by the outcome of that vote. If the people of Iraq vote this constitution down, that only means that the FREE, DEMOCRATIC PROCESS is at work in Iraq. They are learning to voice their opinions in the polling stations, not through violence. If it is voted down, they will have the chance to draft an even better version; One that may better serve the people of Iraq. This is up to them. It is history in the making and I will not let the media or anyone else (who has not spent more than two weeks here) tell me otherwise. I have been here for almost a year. I have seen the progress made in so many ways from January’s elections to this referendum. Don’t tell me what the Iraqi people can or can’t do. They will tell you with their VOTES!

If you would like to see our interview with President Bush, you may get it HERE.

Nice try, AP...

101st Airborne Getting Ready to Return to Iraq

2005-10-12T22:33:00.000-04:00

By Ryan Lenz

The Associated Press

FORT CAMPBELL - Combat soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division will begin deploying to Iraq in the next week, two years after the division helped topple Saddam Hussein, Army officials said Thursday.

The Army is processing nearly 1,000 soldiers a day at Fort Campbell. The 3rd Brigade is preparing to be among the division's first combat units to replace the Army's 42nd Infantry Division. It operates out of Tikrit, in north central Iraq.

For many, it's a moment filled with nervous excitement despite having been to the battlefield before. For others, it is a sobering dose of reality to wait in long lines to check everything from vaccinations to mental health.

About 3,600 troops from Fort Campbell are already in Iraq, including hospital and artillery forces. The departure of units from the 3rd Brigade, known as the Rakkasans, marks the beginning of a deployment many had expected.

"It's easy going over there," said Sgt. Jeff Desrosier, 34, of Grand Forks, N.D., as he laughed and told jokes with fellow soldiers. "But what's hard is when I'm in the kitchen and my son comes up crying and hugging me."

On Thursday, soldiers filed into an old gym at Fort Campbell to update personal records including contact information for next of kin, personal information to help officials identify them if captured, even details for the type of funeral they'd like to have.

"I'm just ready to go to Iraq and get it over with," said Sgt. Sheroda McLendon, 27, of Macon, Ga., after receiving one of several shots that the Army requires of soldiers going to Iraq.

About 19,000 soldiers from the division deployed to Iraq in 2003. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the division was assigned to the Mosul area of northern Iraq.

The nature of the conflict has changed since then, said Maj. John Calahan, the brigade's executive officer. He was waiting in line with enlisted soldiers to receive one of the many medical checks. But the Rakkasans are ready, he said.
"The entire time we were there last year, the enemy was constantly evolving. And they've continued to evolve," he said. "But on the same token, we have also evolved."

For those soldiers deploying for the first time, finalizing their affairs all at once drove home the coming deployment.

"It really made me step back and ask what is it that's worth leaving my family for," said Staff Sgt. Jesse Riggin, 24, of Middletown, Del. "It basically comes down to waking up every morning and having a purpose."

The movement of the 101st and 159th Aviation Brigades and the division's four combat brigades - more than 20,000 troops - will be carried out in stages, possibly through November, Army officials said.