Gen. Petraeus and Amb.Crocker

Grilled on the Hill

Join me and the Staff of the RepublicanForum to discuss the presentation made by Petraeus and Crocker. Will the Dems get their way and we leave as losers? OR did these two men make the case that the Surge is working and the US should not abandon the people of Iraq now, not when the Sunnis are fighting with us and against Al Qaeda? They showed us the proverbial light at the end of the long, long tunnel.

Jasimus at Hard Starboard covers the Petraeus' Hearings in his unique style...loaded with content and seasoned with spicy humor. Take a look.

Six Years Ago Tomorrow

Mark Steyn writes:

Six years on, most Americans are now pretty certain what they’ll wake up to in the morning: There’ll be a thwarted terrorist plot somewhere or other — last week, it was Germany. Occasionally, one will succeed somewhere or other, on the far horizon — in Bali, Istanbul, Madrid, London. But not many folks expect to switch on the TV this Tuesday morning, as they did that Tuesday morning, and see smoke billowing from Atlanta or Phoenix or Seattle.

During the IRA’s 30-year campaign, the British grew accustomed (perhaps too easily accustomed) to waking up to the news either of some prominent person’s assassination or that a couple of gran’mas and some schoolkids had been blown apart in a shopping centre. It was a terrorist war in which terrorism was almost routine. But, in the six years since President Bush declared that America was in a "war on terror," there has been in America no terrorism.

In theory, the administration ought to derive a political benefit from this: The president has "kept America safe." But, in practice, the placidity of the domestic front diminishes the chosen rationale of the conflict: If a "war on terror" has no terror, who says there’s a war at all? That’s the argument of the Left — that it’s all a racket cooked up by the Bushitlerburton fascists to impose on America a permanent national-security state in which, for dark sinister reasons of his own, Dick Cheney is free to monitor your out-of-state phone calls all day long.

Judging from the blithe expressions of commuters doing the shoeless shuffle through the security line at LAX and O’Hare, most Americans seem relatively content with a permanent national-security state. It’s a curious paradox: airports on permanent Orange Alert, and a citizenry on permanent ...well, I’m not sure there’s a homeland-security color code for "Gaily Insouciant," but, if there is, it’s probably a bland limpid pastel of some kind.

Of course, if tomorrow there’s a big smoking hole where the Empire State Building used to be, we’ll be back to: "The president should have known! This proves the failure of his policies over the last six years! We need another all-star Commission filled with retired grandees!"



Osama bin Metrosexual

Check out a humorous fashion critique ("the look isn't working") by Manolo of the Osama tape here; and, a more serious look at the video message to the Democrats and the American people; in short, "Join Islam or Dye"...ooops, that's "Die" Osama actually made a "no new taxes pledge" ...which ofcourse is unlikely if the tax and spend Dems get more influence than they have now re: quitting the War in Iraq; OR, win enough seats in the '08 Congress to steam roll Republicans.

Gosh, the Democrats have picked-up strange political advisors: Castro is for Hillary and Obama(Sure Winners?). Chavez does a stand-up comedy act at the UN lounge against GW Bush; and now this? Osama writing the Democrat talking points. Boy he's really scared the Bush brigades will drive his minions out of Iraq, chase them down and exterminate them where ever they pop up.
Boooo Yaaaaa!! Vote Republican!!


Petraeus and Crocker Talk Iraq *

If you care to comment on the testy hearings about the progress of the Iraq Surge etc.,...go here today for a real time blogging of the event.

*My friends at Hard Starboard have complete coverage of Petraeus' Testimony...video and pictures of the Code Pink wackos. It's all you need.

New Hampshire GOP Debate

If you want to talk about the GOP Debate last night...the one that Fred Thompson played a no-show and declared on Jay Leno, I posted a few thoughts in forum format here. Let's talk.

Labor Day BUZZzzzzzz

(Good Morning Iraq!!)
President Bush, Secy of State Condi Rice and Secy of Defense Robert Gates surprised every one of us by dropping in on the troops in Iraq today. His visit is part of a full offensive to pave the way for Gen.Patraeus' testimony to Congress. Patraeus will note the military success in Anbar and Baghdad, ask for more time and get it, and tell the Congressmen that political progress is up to them.

Most significant quote from Bush's visit: "When we begin to draw down it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure or a nervous reaction by DC politicians to poll results in the Media."


(Shame on them)
The D-featocrats have been twisting the reports from Iraq for weeks now...they ignore the signs of progress and concentrate on the political difficulties that the Maliki government seems unable to improve. It's note worthy that Maliki scolds the Democrats by referencing Hillary's "it takes a village" metaphor.

Iraqis clearly feel that the Democrats will abandon them if left unchecked by President Bush and the Republicans. Not a favorable bumpersticker in an election year?

[Democrats Always Quit!!] Count on it.


(Flushed!!)
Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) resigned effective as of Sept. 30th...let's hope it's the last we hear of tap dancing in men's bathrooms. No surprise? All Republicans wanted him to go..rumors of his potty exploits were circulating for some time.

After threatening to stick around because of a few encouraging words from legal supporters and Dems sensing a bloody feeding frenzy in an election year, Craig has changed his stance again and decided wisely to resign at the end of this month. Probably, the refusal of the Senate Ethics Committee to drop the investigation forced Craig to come to his senses and fade into the Idaho sunset.


(Underwhelmed?)
Fred Thompson said he'll declare officially on Sept. 6th and begin his non-campaign in earnest. Sheeesh..another disappointment. His few appearances over the summer have been painfully UNremarkable...the "wishful thinking" comparisons to Reagan have belittled him. Reagan had a clear and consistent message; so far Thompson has none except that he's a Conservative.


Thompson's formal declaration happened on the Jay Leno Show. He skipped the GOP Debate in NH and went for the ratings and viewership on Late Night TV. New Hampshire voters are not amused; either is Iowa. Let's see what his poll ratings are at the end of next week?

(Finally!)
WMDs found at UN...Officials located vials of hazardous chemicals that were sent to NY in 1996 from a bombed out research and development building at Iraq's main chemical weapons facility at Muthana, near Samarra. A second package was found containing "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance reference standards in sealed glass tubes." (Notify the Wilsons?)


(Tastes like chicken?)
North Korea has promised to dismantle their Nuclear Program. Most likely China's applied pressure in order to ensure visitors to their Olympic Sites that there's no danger of nuclear fallout from a lunatic neighbor like Kim Jong IL.

Of late, China has been losing face because of it's lead based and poison exports to the USA and world markets...In efficient Communist style, the government took care of the problem by quickly executing those deemed responsible. Still, the scandal reminds me of days of old when cats disappeared in neighborhoods around Chinese restaurants. Yuk.

Sen.Larry Craig's Bathroom Bust

If you want to talk about this scandal in a forum format, I've posted an article in the RepublicanForum.com. Hope to see you there.

Dem Primary Heats Up

Viet Nam Lessons

President Bush treated the Democrats to taste of their own bitter medicine when speaking to the Vets of Foreign Wars. He brilliantly compared the aftermath of our withdrawal from Viet Nam to what might happen if the Dems have their way in Iraq. He shamed the Dems in Congress for voting over and over again to repeat that horrific genocide by abandoning Iraq. Dems were aghast...how dare he use our quagmire to describe HIS stupid war?

"One unmistakable legacy of Viet Nam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like boat people, re-education camps and killing fields." If we lose, we not only embolden al Qaeda and Iran but will consign hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to their graves.

What outrages the quitters is the suggestion that Viet Nam might've ended better had we persevered...quitting Iraq could have worse consequences for our Iraqi allies, stability in the Middle East and ultimately, the security of the people of the United States and the World.


Cat fight!!

The spouses have taken on the "heavy weight" Senator. It's difficult with a female contender in the Presidential race for the men to take a swipe at Hillary without immediately being called abusive and heavy handed...so it seems that the wives of the serious candidates have taken off the white gloves and slapped Mrs.Clinton silly.

Elizabeth Edwards started it off by saying her husband John does more for women than Hillary. Michelle Obama poked at Mrs.Clinton's marriage when she said: If you can't manage your own house, you can't run the WH.

However, remember when Jimmy Cagney squashed a grapefruit in a nagging woman's face? How about when Carey Grant pushed Kate Hepburn in the face and knocked her down in the Philadelphia story? The point is that men CAN and MUST handle Hillary the same way they'd treat a male opponent...afterall, Hillary is no shrinking violet..she's not even nice or lady-like...she deserves to be treated as an equal...Big But..wear your cup..she hits below the belt.


Dems get Gonzo

Alberto Gonzales resigned today after Dems relentlessly whacked him like a piniata. Even some Republicans joined the party after Gonzales performed less than satisfactorily when he testified before the Judiciary Committee regarding the dismissal of US Attorneys.

The AG did nothing criminal but that didn't stop the mob from calling for his dismissal or Impeachment. It was a major distraction for Justice. Gonzales broke no laws; he wasn't driven out, he left at a time of his own choosing. The end of August is the best time to get out...most citizens are too busy weathering their own storms to notice or care about the details surrounding the departure of any DC resident. He's gone, who's next?

Will Bush yield to the wishes of the Democrats and nominate a neutral, wishy-washy nominee or god forbid, a Democrat who'll be confirmed without much ado? Hell no, I hope not..stick it to the Democrats whose approval ratings are as lower than his and choose someone like Ted Olson that'll drive them crazy...He's the lawyer extrodinaire who won Bush v. Gore in 2000. (His wife Barbara was killed in the plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/ll.)

Ted Olson will not shrink under questioning from the Judiciary Committee; his confirmation battle will be a cake walk compared to the Supreme Court argument that made Bush President and Gore just one more Democrat loser.


Republican malaise

Republicans voters are lethargic...none of the top tier candidates seem able to fire us up. My man McCain has yet to make a comeback. The Media, although not attacking him are ignoring him (that's worse). The Rinos in the race, Mitt and Rudy are trying to out do the other's Conservative credentials...what an exercise in futility, a joke. Fred Thompson still hasn't declared...if it ever was his time, it's come and gone. Miles to go before we wake, if ever.

Lazy Hazy Primary Race

Rudy's Alien Sanctuary

Nothing exposes Rudy Giuliani to attack from Republicans more than his history on Illegal Immigration. During his reign as mayor New York City was a "sanctuary" for illegals (says Mitt Romney). Ofcourse Rudy's changed his tune to appeal to the hard core Republican Primary voters but this flip flop seems undeniable since his words and deeds are part & parcel of Hizzoner's 8 year record.

You tell me if Rudy is tough enough on non-citizens to satisfy the Tancredo mob? He guaranteed undocumented immigrants access to schools, health care and the police were ordered to disregard their status, a policy adopted from Democrats Koch and Dinkens.

"Some of the hardest working and most productive people in this city are undocumented aliens," said Rudy in 1994. "If you come here and you work hard and you happen to have undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city."

Is that the policy we want applied throughout the Country if Rudy Giuliani becomes President?


Karl Rove....At Large

To the regret of his Democrat harassers, Karl Rove will leave the WH on his own terms (not handcuffed) at the end of August.

The Democrat obsession "to get Rove" came to naught; however, they'll persist in the hunt for the "white whale"..try to drag him before Congress to testify in the Gonzo scandal and attempt to probe the "secrets" of the Bush Administration regardless of the Executive Privilege extended to Rove by President Bush. The Wilsons (Valerie and Joe) will miss him also...Tsk, tsk..sore losers.

Those Democrats who detest him should take seriously Rove's final advice in the Wall Street Journal: "Do not imagine that Democrats have the 2008 election in the bag." Hmmm...wonder if Rove will work behind the scenes to promote a Republican candidate for '08?


Iowa Straw Poll

As expected Mitt Romney "bought" the top spot in the Iowa Straw Poll. His organizational skills are impressive, but more importantly...very expensive. One wonders if he'd be as willing to spend taxpayer money on government programs and entitlements as he is to promote himself?

Mike Huckabee came in second on a shoe string budget---Huckabee served watermelon from Arkansas while Romney fed top notch barbeque to Iowans out for free food & a bus ride for their votes...can't beat that? Huckabee's a nice guy but most likely no one will remember who came in second in a Republican fundraiser this time next year.

Notably, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani did not participate in the Straw Poll but will be competitive in the Iowa Caucus for votes that count in the race to win the Republican Primary.