Fox's War on Christmas

Fox is selling these "Holiday Ornaments", including one for the O'Reilly Factor.

The problem? Bill O'Reilly's latest pet peeve is what he calls the "War on Christmas", a major part of which is the substitution of the word "holiday" for "Christmas", as in Walmart greeters being instructed to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", and Boston renaming their Christmas tree a "Holiday tree".

So why is Fox selling Christmas ornaments labeled "holiday" ornaments? Either somebody at Fox is asleep at the switch, or somebody in the advertising department had a brainstorm for getting their products extra attention.

Update: Victory is Swift. Fox has already changed their catalogue. The "Holiday Ornaments" are now "Christmas Ornaments".

Via The Jawa Report.

Think of the Children

Recently, HarperCollins, publisher of the popular children's book, "Goodnight Moon", altered the photo of illustrator Clement Hurd to remove a cigarette from his right hand.

In these troubled times, I know HarperCollins' action has helped set my mind at ease. They have protected our children from this ghastly image of a man shortening his life (Hurd died before reaching his 81st birthday).

That's why, in order to protect the children, and as a public service, I'm offering these similarly altered photos to the public domain.

Here we see FDR's evil cigarette, with its enabling and jaunty holder, transformed into the benign image of a candy cane - much more suitable for impressionable young folk.

And this image of J.R.R. Tolkien represents the Lord of the Rings author's wonderful whimsical spirit as he puffs on his bubble pipe.

There's no reason that we can't send positive messages whilst erasing the negative, either.

Here, Winston Churchill's trademark cigar is replaced with a carrot, signifying that the British prime minister would have taken steps to curb his obesity, had the backward folk of the time only known how dangerous it was.

Iraq Updates From CENTCOM

With vital stories like NBC's marathon three-month Katrina coverage and Paris Hilton's antics crowding busy network newscast schedules, The Dread Pundit Bluto is picking up the slack by bringing you some of the Iraq War stories that the mainstream media just don't have time to cover, i.e., everything other than terrorist attacks and US casualties.

From a CENTCOM press release:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Task Force Baghdad Soldiers teamed up with Iraqi security forces to conduct Operation Thunder Blitz in southern Baghdad Nov. 29, resulting in the capture of 33 terror suspects.

Moving rapidly into the area, hundreds of U.S. Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and Iraqi forces from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Commando Brigade (Wolf Battalion) took the enemy by surprise by securing seven different objective areas along the Tigris River.

Operation Thunder Blitz focused on removing weapons and terrorists from the streets prior to the Dec. 15 elections.

Also:

CAMP ECHO, Iraq – Multinational Division Central South Soldiers completed three civil-military cooperation projects this week in the Diwaniyah province.

In al Shamiyah, 30 kilometers south of ad Diwaniyah, MNDCS soldiers provided a new sewage system for 60 houses. The new system will improve the problem of flooding during the rainy season.

Another project involved upgrading the central fuel station with a 500 kilowatt generator to improve the efficiency of the station.

The third project completed this week was a new 3.5 kilometer road built in the northern part of al Diwaniya city.

All three projects were prepared by Polish Soldiers.

Also:

TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi and U.S. forces have removed more than 4,200 mortar rounds from a major weapons cache found outside of an abandoned military base near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk Sunday.

The buried rounds were discovered by Iraqi Soldiers Sunday morning. The Soldiers removed about 800 mortar rounds before realizing that the cache was much larger than they originally thought. U.S. Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team were called in to help excavate the munitions and secure the area.

The ammunition was buried under concrete blocks with dirt mounded on top. All of the ammunition removed so far has come from one mound located in a field full of similar mounds. The explosives ordnance disposal team at the site expects to find more rounds as the search expands throughout the field.

Also:

AL HILLAH, Iraq -- On Nov. 29 the 2nd Iraqi Army Brigade from al Hillah successfully accomplished its certification process. From Nov. 24 – 27, military instructors from Multi-National Division Central-South tested the combat readiness of 2nd Brigade Headquarters and subunits.

The exam confirmed that the 2nd Brigade is ready to plan and conduct military activities independently. It opens the way to hand over the responsibility for a safe and secure environment in Babil Province from Coalition Forces to Iraqi Army units.

From now on 2nd Brigade will plan and conduct independent operations within its area of responsibility. MNDCS support will be given only in emergency situations by providing a quick reaction force, MEDEVAC or air support. However, MNDCS military advisors and trainers will still monitor 2nd Brigade activities.

The 2nd Brigade certification is a two stage process of IA training within MNDCS AOR. After battalion level certification had been achieved in mid-July, the higher brigade level has now also been accomplished.

The 2nd Brigade consists of two battalions located in different places within Babil province. It numbers about 1,800 Soldiers equipped in light armored vehicles with a variety of weapons.

The brigade has taken part in five combat operations so far.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them due to the crush of celebrity events and holiday shopping news.

What Does Google Call "News" in the Kember Abduction?

Here's an interesting story about hostage Norman Kember, courtesy of a search of what Google considers "news" websites, from uruknet, which starts out reasonably enough:

It is possible Norman Kember is a spy, as charged by the Swords of Righteousness brigade in Iraq. However, considering the work of the Christian Peacemaker organization and the fact Kember is 74 years old, it is unlikely he is a spy.

Of course a truly reasonable person would be too busy laughing to bother refuting such a specious charge. But give writer Kurt Nimmo credit for trying to think logically. Unfortunately, Nimmo seems to have blown all his logic circuits with that thought. Nimmo takes a plunge into tinfoil hat territory in his next paragraph:

It has been reported that they were talking to Muslim clerics about the abuse of Sunni detainees," more than enough reason for Kember to be abducted by black op "insurgents" who " just grabbed" the name Swords of Righteousness "out of the air, a tactic which goes back to Beirut," according to the Guardian. It should be remembered that the Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was also kidnapped as she prepared to interview survivors of Fallujah, now admitted to have been attacked with chemical weapons and a napalm derivative.

Here's where we thank the imbecile Markos of Dailykos for confusing white phosphorus with chemical weapons. Nimmo brings up Markos' embarrassing faux pas even though Markos, who claims to have served in the artillery, was debunked in humiliating fashion.

But back to our tale. Who, pray tell, will the intrepid Nimmo finger as the author of the dastardly "black op" that resulted in the abduction of Norman Kember, et. al.?

CPT has worked as "an alternative voice to the reporters 'embedded’ with Coalition forces," have used "their bodies to protect critical civilian infra-structure such as water treatment facilities, electrical plants, and hospitals," have documented "abuse of detainees by Coalition forces," and "have ventured forth in response to urging from Iraqi human rights workers in Karbala." No doubt all of this Christian activity sincerely upsets the Pentagon and the Bushcons.

Bushitlerburton!! Of course! It all makes sense now. Kurt Nimmo is insane. But that still doesn't explain why Google considers his particular insanity to be "news".

Bluto's "Adopt-a-Hostage" Program

Christian Peacemakers Teams, the organization that sponsored the ill-fated Iraq trip of Norman Kember and his fellow hostages, recently ended their "Adopt-a-Detainee" Program.

From the CPT website:

The Adopt-a-Detainee Letter-Writing Campaign, beginning in March 2004, matched individual detainees with congregations, mosques, synagogues, and peace groups in North America and around the world. These groups wrote letters to U.S., Iraqi and other relevant officials on the detainees' behalf. The campaign grew out of CPT's investigation of and reporting on abuses within the U.S.-run detention system in Iraq during the fall of 2003.

I am hereby announcing The Dread Pundit Bluto Adopt-a-Hostage Program. While the The Dread Pundit Bluto Adopt-a-Hostage Program will not obstruct the fight against terrorism by providing propaganda as the CPT "Adopt-a-Detainee" Program did, it will accomplish just as much good as my friends at CPT did.

To participate, select one of the four hostages: Norman Kember, Great Britain; Thomas Fox, USA; Harmeet Singh Sooden, a Canadian living in New Zealand; or James Loni of Canada; or another hostage of your choice. Once you've picked your favorite hostage, sit down and compose a long heart-felt letter explaining why you think he should be released, and send it to this address:

Santa Claus
The North Pole

Thanks to The Spanktuary for news of the "Adopt-a-Detainee" program.

Four Hostages Named

From a Jawa Report Exclusive:

***The Jawa Report releases name of four Western hostages.***

A hostage video has been released of the four Western peace activists taken hostage in Iraq. The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video. Images from the video posted below. The video shows American Thomas Fox of Clear Brook Virginia, Canadian Harmeet Singh Sooden, who resides in Auckland, New Zealand, British citizen Norman Kember, and some one who appears to identify himself as James Loni (last name unclear) of Canada.

Via The Jawa Report.

Al-Jazeera Airs Videotape of Christian Peacemaker Team Hostages

Popular terrorist propaganda outlet al-Jazeera has received and aired a videotape and message from the abductors of four men affiliated with a radical peace activist group:

Aljazeera has aired a videotape showing four peace activists who were captured in Iraq by a previously unknown group.

The group, calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. said the four were spies working undercover as Christian peace activists.

Via Clarity & Resolve.

Abductions May Indicate Change in Tactics By Terrorists

It seems likely that al Qaeda in Iraq and/or Iraqi terrorist insurgents are carrying out a new strategy in Iraq. Twelve people have been abducted since Friday in three separate incidents: Susanne Osthoff, a German archaeologist and her driver were taken, apparently at a dig near the 3,000 year old ruins of Isin; Norman Kember and three unidentified members of Christian Peacemaker Teams, a radical pacifist organization; and four Iranian pilgrims (six were abducted, but the two women were later released) while on a trip to the Shia Muslim shrine in Samarra.

So many abductees in such a short period of time seem to indicate that jihadi terrorists realize the suicide bombings targeting civilians in Iraq and Jordan have been a public relations disaster for them, and a change in tactics is in order. In fact, the attacks on fellow Muslims seem to have stiffened the resolve of many Iraqis to participate in the political process.

Hostages can be kept alive and dangled in front of the Press any time al-Zarqawi feels that he isn't getting enough attention. Their home countries and organizations can be extorted of funds to further the jihad, and of course many of them, like Giuliana Sgrena, will gladly participate actively in outlandish propaganda claims to benefit their captors.

All of the abductees were traveling with minimal security. Now, their arrogance and lack of common sense will endanger Coalition troops and provide funds and propaganda for Iraq's terrorist insurgency.

German Woman Also Kidnapped in Iraq

An unidentified German woman and her driver, missing since Friday have reportedly been taken hostage according to German ARD television.

From the Khaleej Times:

Germany’s ARD television reported the woman had been kidnapped and posted pictures allegedly showing the blindfolded woman with her captors, one armed with a rocket propelled grenade, that it said were taken from a video demanding Germany stop any dealings with Iraq’s government. Germany has ruled out sending troops to Iraq and opposed the US-led war.

It was not immediately clear what the woman was doing in Iraq. Her name was not released. Jaeger would only say that the woman was missing.

Update:


ARD has identified the woman as Susanne Osthoff, an archaeologist.

An "Expensive" Peacemaker

Now personally it has always worried me that I am a ‘cheap’ peacemaker (by analogy with Bonhoeffer’s concept of ‘cheap’ grace). Being a CO in Britain, talking, writing, demonstrating about peace is in no way taking risks like young service men in Iraq. I look for excuses why I should not become involved with CPT [Christian Peacemaker Teams] or EAPPI [Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel]. Perhaps the readers will supply me with some? - Norman Kember

From Peacelinks (April/May 2005), the newsletter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

Norman Kember wrote these words earlier this year. Evidently his readers failed to supply the 74-year-old Briton with good excuses, because he was abducted yesterday in Iraq, along with two Canadians and an American, who have not yet been identified.

Kember's words show that he was aware, at least intellectually, of the risks to himself. Unfortunately, Kember had no thought about increasing the risks to the "young service men in Iraq". They are the ones who will be affected directly in the case of a hostage rescue mission, and indirectly, as organizations like the one Kember represents prolong the war by tying up military resources that could be used to put the terrorist insurgency out of action that much sooner. There's also the possibility of a ransom resulting in a large infusion of cash to the terrorists. It's doubtful they'll spend the money on peaceful acquisitions.

But the real asset that people like Kember provide to the terrorists is propaganda. Christian Peacemaker Teams and other "peace" organizations have made it their business to draw dishonest comparisons between Coalition military operations and the atrocities of the Saddam Hussein regime, and are affiliated with Quaker groups that held death parties to propagandize the 2,000th American soldier death in Iraq.

These so-called "peace" groups have had the effect of prolonging and increasing the violence they claim to detest.

The Jawa Report has much more on the Kember abduction.

Coalition Forces Have Been Busy

The American Forces Press Service reports that twenty terrorist suspects were detained today and that a massive cache of weapons has been discovered.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2005 - Soldiers from Multinational Division Central South captured 20 men suspected of terrorism in northern Iraq's Babil province today, military officials reported.

Soldiers also seized machine guns, ammunition and other equipment.

Elsewhere, U.S. soldiers discovered more than 2,700 mortar rounds near an abandoned Iraqi army base south of Kirkuk Nov. 27.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and explosive ordnance disposal experts began the task of unearthing the weapons from a mound in a field. Iraqi and U.S. forces are securing the site and preparing to excavate the rest of the field in search of more weapons.

This cache alone has yielded as much explosive material as the brigade had gathered in its area over the past two months, according to the on-site EOD team.

I'm reporting these stories on the off-chance that our loyal, patriotic, unbiased mainstream media completely ignore them.

CNN Operator Fired Over Cheney "X"

A switchboard operator for CNN was fired after he "lost his temper" and told a caller that the "X", explained by CNN as a "computer glitch" was intentional and an example of "free speech".

More at The Drudge Report.

The Third Option

Iraq War Resister Among Those Abducted
Among the four Westerners kidnapped yesterday in Iraq (the BBC describes them as "aid workers") is Briton Norman Kember:

Professor Kember, who is believed to be in his 70s, was said to be representing a number of humanitarian aid groups.

Professor Kember is of the "violence never settled anything" school of thought. Immediately after the al Qaeda terrorist attacks of September 11. 2001, War Resisters International began gathering signatures on this statement. Excerpts:

We are deeply shocked and outraged by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th. Equally, we condemn the so-called war on terrorism.

And they named their, hmm, enemy? Do radical pacifists consider people "enemies"? Probably not. They likely have some bland euphemism to indicate conflict. In any case, their bone to pick is with Dubya, who else? [emphasis added]

Confronted by President George W. Bush with the choice: "If you are not with us, you are with the terrorists", we choose a third option: nonviolence.

Kember is a signatory to this denial of reality, number 21.

Can you say irony? These folks don't believe in violence, but it appears violence believes in them. The way I see it, that leaves three options to win Kember's freedom.

First, a ransom can be paid to the kidnappers. The money paid will then be used to purchase the tools of terrorism, ensuring that more people die violently in Iraq. Perhaps the terrorists will buy some toys to booby-trap.

The second option is for Coalition and Iraqi soldiers to rescue them. The soldiers will have to put their own lives on the line to accomplish this, of course, and some terrorists are likely to die in the process. I shed no tears for dead terrorists, but Professor Kember and his mates might.

Norman Kember's third option is to lie down and die.

Nine Smithereen Commandos Suffer Premature Evisceration

It's always good news to hear that terrorist insurgents have managed to blow themselves to smithereens by mishandling explosives. These events cause the collective IQ of the world's gene pool to rise a few points.

From a CENTCOM press release:

Police in Samarra investigated an explosion that occurred at a gas station southeast of the city Nov. 26 at about 11:30 a.m. Four 155mm artillery shells, converted into IEDs, detonated before they could be moved out of the station, killing nine suspected terrorist and injuring four others. The four injured suspects were detained by the Samarra Police.

I'm reprinting this story on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignores it.

Should Bush Give "Fireside Chats"?

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sunday suggested that President Bush use an FDR-style presentation to update people on progress in the war in Iraq.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., recalled that during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt often went on the radio in "fireside chats" to explain to the nation in detail the conduct of the war in Europe and Asia.

The President should do this. Bush and the Republicans are ignoring the Homefront in the GWOT, and leaving the field to their enemies in the Press, who have steadfastly refused to report anything from Iraq that they don't perceive to serve their spiritual leaders in the Democratic party.

NBC is going on their third month of nightly Katrina coverage, and their updates on Iraq are virtually all about casualties. Mark Halperin is still carrying Dem water at ABC, and of course, who can forget the pack of weasels led by Dan Rather at CBS. Even though Dan is gone, revisionism is creeping in.

Even if, as seems likely, the MSM embargo Presidential progress reports, it will make the shameless media bias that much more obvious to the average viewer.

Sunday Funny

From The Dry Bones Blog.

Iran Offers to Trade N. Korea Oil For Nuclear Missiles

Some news for those who mocked the President when he spoke of the "Axis of Evil". Iran's insane hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is seeking a trade deal with fellow lunatic North Korean president Kim Jong-il. Oil and natural gas for nuclear missiles.

From Haaretz:

BERLIN - Iran has offered North Korea oil and natural gas as payment for help in developing nuclear missiles, German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reported on Saturday, citing unidentified Western intelligence sources.

A senior Iranian official traveled to the North Korean capital Pyongyang during the second week of October to make the offer, the magazine quoted the sources as saying. It was unclear what North Korea's response was, it added.

It's doubtful that the United States will be able to mount an effective conventional response, now that liberals and other conspirators within the mainstream media have managed to weaken national resolve by misreporting Iraq War news in hopes of influencing next year's mid-term elections.

Zarqawi Aide Confirmed Dead

A family member has confirmed the death of Bilal Mahmud Awad Shebah, alias Abu Ubaydah, an important aide to al Qaeda in Iraq head terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. US intelligence analysts had believed that Ubaydah had been killed in an October 14 raid, but had not been able to obtain corroboration.

From a CENTCOM press release:

In late November, Coalition Forces received information from knowledgeable sources and a close family member of Abu Ubaydah claiming independently that Zarqawi’s confidant and gatekeeper was killed as a result of the Oct. 14 raids.

Detained members of al-Qaeda claim Abu Ubaydah served as an “executive secretary” for Zarqawi; met with Zarqawi frequently; served as a messenger and gatekeeper for Zarqawi; screened all messages and requests for meetings with Zarqawi; was one of Zarqawi’s most trusted associates; provided Zarqawi with safe house locations; and used intimidation and death threats to gain the cooperation of the Iraqi people to support al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist activity.

During the course of the raids, several weapons caches, containing mortar rounds, small arms and ammunition, were found and destroyed. Mortar rounds were also emplaced along the road leading to the safe houses, serving as improvised explosive devices against incoming vehicle or foot traffic. The forces were engaged by small-arms fire upon their arrival to the suspected terrorist location and immediately returned fire. Combining the ground attack with the use of close-air support, the terrorists’ hideout locations were destroyed.

No Coalition forces were injured or killed during the raids.

Because Abu Ubaydi was such a big fish, network news programs, even NBC, were obliged to report the confirmation of his death, despite their embargo on news of Coalition successes in Iraq.

Elsewhere in the War on Terror, US soldiers were cleared of any violation of the "Law of War" concerning the reported hygienic burning of Taliban bodies and subsequent broadcast of the event by a Psyops Unit trying to get surviving Taliban to come out and fight. The Brass did cover their own asses, however, by issuing several Soldiers administrative punishments for "displaying poor judgement". Soldiers who find themselves in possession of rotting Taliban terrorist carcasses should probably have them shipped to the Pentagon in the future, just to be safe.

A summary of the investigations is located here.

Another Clever Ploy by Michael Moore's "Freedom Fighters"

Just so everyone knows the sort of creatures we're fighting, there's this from News24.com:

Baghdad - The Iraqi army said on Thursday it had seized a number of booby-trapped children's dolls, accusing insurgents of using the explosive-filled toys to target children.

The dolls were found in a car, each one containing a grenade or other explosive, said an army statement.

The government said that two men driving the car had been arrested in the western Baghdad district of Abu Ghraib.

"This is the same type of doll as that handed out on several occasions by US soldiers to children," said government spokesperson Leith Kubba.

Thanks to Clarity & Resolve via The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.

Vermont Teacher Under Fire For Gross Liberal Bias

From the Boston Globe:

BENNINGTON, Vt. --The school superintendent whose district includes Mount Anthony Union High School has labeled "inappropriate" and "irresponsible" an English teacher's use of liberal statements in a vocabulary quiz.

"I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring him Republican votes," said one question on a quiz written by English and social studies teacher Bret Chenkin.

Here's a question for Chenkin:

"A teacher would be of (below-average, unsound) mind to endanger his job over his own (radical, infantile) political views."

It certainly takes a well-below-average mind to think that teenagers are going to keep quiet about it. The school superintendent is not amused:

Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Superintendent Wesley Knapp said he would not want his children subjected to such teaching.

"It's absolutely unacceptable," he said. "They (teachers) don't have a license to hold forth on a particular standpoint."

Knapp said he was recently informed of the situation and that it was a personnel issue that he took seriously.

Prepare yourselves for shrieks and lamentations from liberals everywhere.

CENTCOM Roundup

Here are some stories from Central Command featuring news from the warzone. Of course, the mainstream media have access to these same press releases, but choose to use only the ones that detail casualties.

Operation Lions nets twenty terrorist suspects:

AR RAMADI, Iraq — Approximately 200 Iraqi Army Soldiers and 250 Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2-BCT) concluded Operation Asad (Lions) in the Tammim area of ar Ramadi today.

As a result of Lions, 20 suspected terrorists were detained by Iraqi Army Soldiers and 2-BCT Soldiers.

Lions is the third in a series of disruption operations that aimed to capture or kill al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists in the Ramadi area and deny them the ability to influence the Iraqi people there. Operations Panthers and Bruins denied AQI terrorists the ability to operate in northern ar Ramadi.

These operations, paired with operations west of ar Ramadi, are effectively disrupting AQI terrorists across al Anbar and are creating an environment conducive to free and fair elections Dec. 15.

Weapons Cache turned in by Iraqi citizen:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A tip from a local citizen on the location of a weapons cache in the Tissa Nissan district of east Baghdad resulted in the destruction of the weapons Nov 23.

Around 4 p.m., elements of 1st Battalion, 64th Armor responded to the site and discovered 31 60 millimeter mortar rounds and 19 120-millimeter mortar rounds.

An explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the scene and conducted a controlled detonation of the munitions.

New Water Plant constructed for village by Multinational Forces:

CAMP ECHO, Iraq – Multinational Division Central-South Soldiers and local authorities opened a new water plant for al Husain village near Afak (30 km east of Ad Diwaniyah) Nov. 23.

The new facility provides potable water to about 3,000 local citizens.

Prepared by Bulgarian soldiers from MNDCS 1 Brigade Combat Team, the project began two months ago and included the building of a new water plant with the pumps, filters, chlorinate system, generator and 3-km long pipeline system connecting the water plant with the village.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

NBC's Jim Maceda: Troops Blame Reporters for Negative Iraq News

I caught Maceda's report on the local noon news. After explaining that the troops he's been embedded with (who are on their second tour in Iraq) DO NOT support Democratic calls for a pullout from Iraq, Maceda reported that the troops blame the mainstream media for painting an inaccurate, pessimistic picture. Talk about man bites dog, honesty from an NBC reporter? We'll have to see if Maceda gets fired. And, if his story makes the Nightly News, instead of just the Black Friday noon report.

Mark Finkelstein at Newsbusters has more on what may be a small trend, including instances of Matt Lauer faulting Dem politicos for political antics:

On successive days, Matt Lauer criticized the Democrats for trying to make political hay out of Iraq without offering any alternatives of their own.

Strangely, sanity has seemingly struck again. And this in the most unlikely person of NBC reporter Jim Maceda, who only last week, as I reported here was carping that the French were not appeasing their Muslim rioters assiduously enough.

This morning, Maceda was in Iraq interviewing US troops. He summarized their message in this blunt and refreshing way: "these soldiers think the politicians who want to pull out quickly are dead wrong."

Maybe NBC's market research has convinced them that their campaign against the Bush administration (nightly Katrina updates and anything bad from Iraq) isn't helping to build market share.

Update: NBC back to normal
Maceda's story of troops who are positive about their mission and negative about biased mainstream media coverage was spiked in favor of a video from al Qaeda. Typical MSM, pass on al Qaeda's messages while gagging American troops.

But How Many Does It Take For a Turkey Sandwich?

From CBS2Chicago:

(CBS) HUNTLEY The good eatin' is already underway in the suburbs. Hundreds of people are already munching on turkey, but we're not quite sure if it's white meat or dark meat.

CBS 2's Mike Parker brought his strong stomach to a tradition in Huntley: the Turkey Testicle Festival!

In the little McHenry County town of Huntley, there's cause for celebrating this Thanksgiving eve.

Now the kids can fight over something else besides drumsticks. Yum.

Putting the Cart Before the Horse

I hadn't planned any serious posts for Thanksgiving. However, opening the local newsrag this morning to a snotty little piece of disinformation from New York Times political hack Paul Krugman (and no, I won't provide the link) changed my mind. Since the enemies within won't take a break today, neither will I.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration and military leaders are sounding optimistic notes about scaling back U.S. troops in Iraq next year, as public opposition to the war and congressional demands for withdrawal get louder.

While military leaders would not confirm the size of possible withdrawals, conversations with defense officials and analysts suggest troop levels could drop below 100,000 next year, contingent on the progress of the Iraqi government and its security forces. There are currently about 155,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Contingency plans of this complexity don't happen over the course of a few days, or even a few weeks. These plans have obviously been in the works for some time. Just as obviously, it isn't in the country's best interests for Islamist terrorists to know details about such plans, or even that they exist.

Now we know the reason for increasingly loud Democrat attacks on the Administration and the troops. Democrat leaders got wind of (were most likely consulted on) contingency plans to lower the number of troops, and made a cynical decision to create the illusion that any planned cutbacks were the result of their "protests", knowing of course, that they could depend on their water-carriers in the mainstream media to help them make the case.

I am continually amazed at the willingness of Democrat party leaders to put US troops at risk to further their own political schemes. Of course, as someone educated in the purported principles of journalism I'm continually amazed at the overwhelming number of "journalists" who are willing to aid and abet such schemes.

Happy Thanksgiving

If God didn't intend for us to eat turkeys, He would not have made them so succulent. Q.E.D.

A happy Thanksgiving to all, and especially to those now defending us, who can't be with their families.

CNN Says X Over Cheney's Face Was a Computer Glitch

From the Associated Press

CNN has apologized for a "technical malfunction" that briefly flashed a black "X" mark over the face of Vice President Dick Cheney during the network's coverage of a speech on Monday.

The "X" is something used by a computer to mark a space where one visual element is to segue into another, and is normally not seen by a viewer. The network likened its appearance to a computer that inexplicably freezes.

"We obviously regret that it happened and are working on the equipment to ensure it is not repeated," the network said in a statement.

The explanation sounds logical, so I suppose we have to take them at their word. It's just an odd coincidence that the X appeared over the Vice President's face, and one has to wonder what graphic was going to be placed in the middle of the screen. It still might be a good idea for the FCC to investigate the incident. Surely CNN is anxious to ferret out anyone who might be deliberately sabotaging their broadcasts.

PETA's Message to Your Kids: "Mommy and Daddy Are Murderers"

Here's the latest campaign from the whackjobs at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: comic books to pass out to your kids telling them that their parents are killers if they fish or eat meat. The comic book covers are below.

My message to the children of PETA members: "Your parents are lunatics."

DailyKos: A Jihadist Blog?

Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, the "kos" behind the ultra-leftist blog Dailykos, would have readers believe that his true allegiance lies with the United States of America. But, as Dr. Rusty Shackleford of The Jawa Report aptly analogizes, if Markos loves his country, it's the same sort of "love" that an abusive husband feels for the wife he keeps in line with beatings.

Markos' latest propaganda piece is what evidently tipped the balance for The Jawa Report :

Saddam tortured, we torture. Saddam used WP chemical weapons against insurgents and civilians, we use WP chemical weapons against insurgents and civilians.

Somehow Markos conflates alleged use of white phosporous against terrorist insurgents as proving its use against "the populace" of Iraq, which is what Hussein was accused of doing. Markos loves to hate his country, and the best that can be said of posts like this, which are cited at jihadi websites, is that they are reckless.

Keep in mind that this is the same person who said of the civilian contractors who were murdered in Fallujah, burned, and hung from a bridge abutment "screw them". Markos lost some advertisers over that one, and deservedly so.

Today, Shackleford calls Markos out in an open letter blatantly questioning Markos' allegiance. This is overdue. People like Markos, who profit by providing propaganda to our Islamist enemies, should have their noses rubbed in their behavior.

"Dubious Ideologies" Charge Gets Saudi Teacher Flogged, Jailed

Whether you think it's because he said "the Jews were right", as Arutz Sheva contends, or because he criticized Islamic militants, as reported by the BBC, the punishment handed down by a Saudi court against teacher Mohammed al-Harbi is barbaric - 750 lashes and 40 months in prison. Oh yeah, besides promoting these "dubious ideologies" al-Harbi also supposedly prevented students from going to wash for prayer. The monster.

Mr Harbi discussed Christianity, Judaism and the dangers of terrorism with students, and posted signs against terrorism around his school, Human Rights Watch says.

He also reportedly encouraged his students to analyse differences between the Koran and the Sunna, a body of traditional sayings and customs attributed to the prophet Muhammad.

Sentencing Mr Harbi to 750 lashes and 40 months in prison on Saturday, Judge Abdullah Dakhil accused him of "trying to sow doubt in a student's creed".

It seems doubtful that al-Harbi will actually serve jail time as 750 lashes will probably prove fatal.

Via The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.

Weapons Caches Found By Iraqi, US Troops

CENTCOM reports large numbers of weapons discovered by patrols in and around Baghdad.

From a CENTCOM press release:

Baghdad, Iraq – Acting on tips from local residents, Iraqi Army Soldiers confiscated a large number of terrorist weapons and bomb-making materials Nov. 20 in west Baghdad.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division discovered the weapons cache during a follow-up search of an area where an improvised explosive device was discovered and destroyed last week. A small contingent of U.S. Soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry assisted during the search.

The weapons were hidden in three vehicles in a parking lot. One vehicle appeared to be wired to be used as a vehicle-borne IED.

The Soldiers found nine rocket-propelled grenades, 10 AK-47 assault rifles with 23 magazines, 11 hand grenades, three RPK machine guns, three PKC machine guns, one homemade RPG, a sniper scope, one land mine, assorted small-arms ammunition, 400 PKC rounds, and two ski masks.

Also:

BAGHDAD, Iraq — More large weapons caches were discovered by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division in south Baghdad.

Within 24 hours, the Soldiers of A Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment unearthed three weapons caches, the third of which was discovered Nov. 19.

Each cache was located in fields adjacent to roads that allow easy vehicle access for anti-Iraqi Forces to get the weapons and ammunition.

The third cache consisted of 7,000 RPK machine-gun rounds, 20 81-millimeter mortar rounds, seven aviation bomb shells, four rocket-propelled grenade rounds, three 155-millimeter artillery rounds and one 500-pound bomb.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Zarqawi Believed to Have Escaped

Government sources are telling reporters that al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi evidently escaped death or capture in an attack on a safehouse in Mosul yesterday.

From the Washington Post:

BAGHDAD, Nov. 21 -- U.S. officials said Monday that they do not believe Abu Musab Zarqawi, the Jordanian insurgent leader, was among those killed in a gunfight in northern Iraq Sunday.

"I do not believe that we got him," said Zelmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. "But his days are numbered. We're closer to that goal but unfortunately we didn't get him in Mosul."

White House Downplaying Possibility of Zarqawi Death

A White House spokesman characterized unconfirmed reports that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a raid on a terrorist safehouse in Mosul as, "highly unlikely and not credible". It still seems to be a safe bet that the people in the safehouse were high-value targets. Based on past experience, I'd expect it to take at least two weeks for CENTCOM to release the names, once they are identified.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces sealed off a house in the northern city of Mosul where eight suspected al-Qaida members died in a gunfight — some by their own hand to avoid capture. The White House said Sunday that it was "highly unlikely" that the terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was among the dead.

On Saturday, police Brig. Gen. Said Ahmed al-Jubouri said the raid was launched after a tip that top al-Qaida operatives, possibly including al-Zarqawi, were in the house in the northeastern part of the city.

During the intense gunbattle that followed, three insurgents detonated explosives and killed themselves to avoid capture, Iraqi officials said. Eleven Americans were wounded, the U.S. military said. Such intense resistance often suggests an attempt to defend a high-value target

In the event that Zarqawi has gone to Allah to answer for his crimes, it would be unrealistic to assume that an organization as loosely coordinated as the Iraqi terrorist insurgency would suddenly collapse with the death of one man.

Unconfirmed Reports: Zarqawi May be Dead

From the Jerusalem Post:

The Elaph Arab media website reported on Sunday that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of the al-Qaida in Iraq terror group, may have been killed in Iraq on Sunday afternoon when eight terrorists blew themselves up in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

The unconfirmed report claimed that the explosions occurred while coalition forces surrounded the house in which al-Zarqawi was hiding. American and Iraqi forces are looking into the report.

Excellent news, if true. So far, nothing from CENTCOM even confirming the explosion story.

Via The Jawa Report, which has more.

Hysterical Left Begins Building New Lie: "She Called Murtha a Coward"

"He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message that, 'Cowards cut and run, Marines never do'." - Congresswoman Jean Schmidt (R) Ohio

The latest burning question: Who called Democratic congressman Jack Murtha a "coward"? Was it Jean Schmidt, or a Marine Reserve colonel?

Reality and common sense have been lost in the hysteria. Read the quote. Neither called Murtha a "coward". Certainly not Schmidt, who was relaying a quote from a constituent, a colonel in the Marine Reserve. And the Marine didn't call Murtha a coward, either, if one takes the time to read the quote for comprehension, which few seem willing to do.

The Marine, quite clearly, is reminding Murtha that the accepted Marine tradition is "Reteat? Hell!" not the immediate and ignominious withdrawal that Murtha had publicly advocated. The Marine is admonishing Murtha that ignominious withdrawal is not a part of the Marine tradition. The Marine is trying to prod Murtha into doing the right thing, i.e., withdraw the call for surrender. The Marine is correct.

When Schmidt relayed her constituent's message on the floor of the House Friday, she touched off such a firestorm of hysterical weeping and gnashing of teeth that she was forced to withdraw her comments from the Congressional Record. Now, leftist bloggers and mainstream media propagandists are trying to twist the public perception of Schmidt's remarks into a meme that will serve their purpose, Democratic victory at any cost.

Not surprisingly (to anyone who reads the Gray Lady regularly) Jason DeParle, writing in the New York Times gets the story wrong, even while quoting Schmidt directly:

So when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican, created a furor on her 75th day in Congress by lobbing the word "coward" toward a Democratic war hero, those who know her best were anything but surprised.

The only mystery about DeParle's piece is whether the mistake is accidental or deliberate. It's possible, but not likely, that DeParle didn't understand exactly what Schmidt said. More likely, the NYT, as is their wont, made the mischaracterization on purpose. The Left lobe of the blogosphere is gleefully following the mainstream lead.

From leftie blog Bazzfazz

"A fellow congressperson (Rep. Jean Schmitt from Ohio) called Murtha a coward..."

Shakespeare's Sister offers us way too much information:

"I was watching it live, and almost shit my breeks when she called Murtha a coward."

Even gay alleged conservative Andrew Sullivan, who should know better, joined the Leftist meme creation frenzy, while quoting Schmidt's remarks in full:

SHE CALLED MURTHA A COWARD: Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt called Jack Murtha a coward this afternoon, unworthy of the Marines, on the House floor.

I always suspected that Sully was a mole. His dishonesty in spreading this distortion strengthens that suspicion.

There are only two possibilities here. Anyone who says that Jean Schmidt called Murtha a "coward" is either incapable of comprehending spoken English, or deliberately lying for political gain.

Sunday Funny

From the Dry Bones blog.

Surviving Jordan Suicide Bomber Evidence of Growing AQ Desperation

Terrorist's Withering Family Tree

Interrogation of Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, the al Qaeda in Iraq would-be suicide bomber whose explosives failed to detonate, reveals that western news agencies have been systematically concealing and minimizing Coalition successes in the War on Terror. Al-Rishawi's attempt to commit suicide in the act of murdering innocent Jordanians celebrating a wedding (her husband succeeded) stemmed from desperation. Most of her family has been killed during anti-terrorist operations in Iraq.

From Human Events Online:

Mrs. al-Rishawi’s family history reveals just how effective the U.S. military has proven to be in eliminating insurgents. Jordanian intelligence has learned that three of her brothers were killed by coalition forces in Iraq. Her brother, Thamir al-Rashawi, a member al-Zarqawi’s inner circle, was killed in April 2004 in Fallujah, when a missile fired from a U.S. aircraft struck his pick-up truck. Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Marwan al-Mu’ashir described her brother, Thamir, as “the emir [commander] of the Al-Anbar region [of the Iraqi insurgency] in the Al-Qa’idah of Jihad Organization in the Land of Two Rivers. He was the right hand of Abu-Mus’ab al-Zarqawi.”

Mrs. Al-Rishawi’s sister had been married to a Jordanian explosives expert, Nidal Mohammed Arabiyat, also killed by U.S. forces in Iraq, according to Agence France Presse.

Though the American media is slow to report it, U.S. forces are relentlessly destroying Zarqawi’s senior leadership. A November 2 air strike killed two senior al Qaeda operatives in Iraq: Abu Zahra, the so-called Emir of Husaybah, ran all insurgent operations in that Iraqi city, and Asadallah, Zarqawi’s key recruiter. U.S. forces have now confirmed the identities of both dead terrorists.

On October 23, U.S. forces captured Abu Hassan, the head of al-Zarqawi’s media cell. Hassan was responsible for producing video tapes of insurgent attacks to give to al-Jazeera and other television networks. Hassan even produced forged police and press passes to allow insurgents to case targets and film the devastation following insurgent attacks.

Following these air strikes and captures, Zarqawi ordered the Amman attacks. Was it a sign of desperation? Was he trying to regain the initiative from weeks of reverses?

Another sign of desperation: Consider who Zarqawi sent to run the Amman operation, Mrs. Al-Rishawi’s husband. He also a member of Zarqawi’s inner circle. He is now dead. Why did Zarqawi send a top officer to die? He has already lost so many. It suggests that either he’s running short of suicide bombers (typically Saudi recruits) or he’s running short of people he trusts. Either way, it’s a sign of desperation.

Meanwhile, Mrs. al-Rishawi is alive and apparently talking. She can certainly tell her interrogators the location of the other insurgents and perhaps Zarqawi’s hiding place.

Fair questions. Unfortunately, with Western mainstream media locked into their relationship with Democratic politicos, they won't be asked on your nightly news.

Those Who Voted to Surrender Tonight

Three Representatives voted to cut and run tonight; to leave the field to the terrorist insurgency and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's maniacs. The Representatives who voted in favor of the resolution for immediate withdrawal are:

Cynthia McKinney (D) Stone Mountain, Georgia
José Serrano (D) Bronx, New York
Robert Wexler (D) Boca Raton, Florida

Withdrawal Resolution Overwhelmingly Defeated

House Votes 403-3 Against Resolution for Immediate Withdrawal

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a maneuver designed to discredit Iraq war critics, the Republican-led House of Representatives overwhelmingly defeated a resolution on Friday to pull U.S. troops immediately from Iraq.

Republicans, who introduced the surprise resolution hours before lawmakers were to start a Thanksgiving holiday recess, said the vote was intended to show backing for U.S. forces.

Democrats denounced it as a political stunt and an attack on Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a leading Democratic military hawk who stunned his colleagues on Thursday by calling for troops to be withdrawn as quickly as possible.

In some ways it was a stunt, one designed to convince Democrats that Republicans are serious about supporting the troops fighting in Iraq, and serious about prosecuting the War on Terror.

In order to get the attention of a jackass sometimes it's necessary to hit him in the head with a two by four.

Hoist on Their Own Petard

Dems' Bluff Called in House Vote

From MSNBC [emphasis added]:

WASHINGTON - House Republicans maneuvered for swift rejection Friday of any notion of immediately pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, sparking a nasty, sometimes personal debate over the war and a Democratic lawmaker’s own call for withdrawal.

Furious Democrats accused the GOP of orchestrating a political stunt, leaving little time for debate and changing the meaning of a withdrawal resolution offered by Democratic Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

Forcing Congress into secret session to bloviate for political gain isn't a political stunt, Mr. Harry Reid? Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The Democrats have been pandering shamelessly of late to their own leftwing lunatic fringe by flirting with the idea of surrender to Islamic terrorists. Last night they let faux hawk John Murtha go a little bit too far. Now the Republicans have called them on it. Time to put up or shut up, Donkeys.

If the vote is taken tonight, I'll post the results.

Timing of Terrorist Attacks Suggests Coordination With Murtha's Defeatism

The day following John Murtha's cut-and-run speech calling for immediate US withdrawal from Iraq, terrorists launched soft target attacks against mosques and Western journalists. The timing is just too perfect to be coincidental. Anyone who's been paying attention knows that Al Qaeda terrorists follow Western mainstream media and time attacks for maximum propaganda effect. Murtha's defeatist speech seems to have been the signal for this attack.

From the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Suicide bombers killed 74 worshippers at two Shiite mosques near the Iranian border Friday, while a pair of car bombs targeting a Baghdad hotel housing Western journalists killed eight Iraqis.

Furthermore, media characterizations of Murtha as "one of Congress' most hawkish" Democrats are disingenuous at best, and probably deliberately intended to be misleading. As this May 10, 2004 story from CNN shows (thanks to TDPB reader Rod Stanton for the link) Murtha has been predicting defeat for the US for over a year.

All this is not to say that Rep. Murtha bears any responsibility for the 82 reported deaths. But Murtha has provided our enemies with aid and comfort in the form of propaganda, while pursuing his own personal political advantage. He and other Democrats need to be aware when making wild, politically motivated claims that their audience is not limited to the United States.

Iraqi Bases For Permanent Garrison Being Built Near Syrian Border

In an Operation Steel Curtain news release CENTCOM reports that new bases are being constructed for permanent forces in al Anbar province to prevent the return of terrorist insurgents routed during the campaign.

From the CENTCOM press release:

Construction of bases for the Iraqi Army and U.S. military’s long-term security presence is steadily progressing in Husaybah, Karabilah and Ubaydi. Simultaneously, Iraqi Army Soldiers and Marines continue patrolling to ensure terrorists do not return.

Three aspects of the operation which makes Steel Curtain different from previous operations in the western Euphrates River Valley are increased Iraqi Army participation, immediate establishment of long term security presence, and Iraqi Army Soldiers taking the lead in security and care of the citizens temporarily displaced by the operation.

Today, more than 15,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers are stationed in al Anbar province and recently locally recruited Soldiers are joining and operating with Iraqi Army units and U.S. forces. The Desert Protectors, recruited from the al Qaim region, fought alongside Iraqi Army Soldiers and Coalition forces in Operation Steel Curtain.

I'm reprinting this story on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignores it.

Murtha and Dems Call for Surrender

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - One of Congress' most hawkish and influential Democrats called Thursday for an immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, sparking bitter and personal salvos from both sides in a growing Capitol Hill uproar over President Bush's war policies.

"It's time to bring them home," said Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, choking back tears during remarks to reporters. "Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty."

It's grotesquely ironic that Murtha, a Vietnam veteran, is espousing the same sort of cowardly political expedience that Congress used to lose the victory achieved by US troops in Vietnam. Few people realize that South Vietnam fell because US politicians chose to withdraw aid from its government. The military victory had been achieved. Nixon, Kissinger, and Congress consigned the Vietnamese to the tender mercies of the Communists. Murtha would now repeat that tragic mistake in Iraq.

While this may be a winning strategy for Democrats politically, it's a disastrous one for our country. After defeating Saddam Hussein decisively (and without the "tens of thousands of bodybags" predicted by the Left) Murtha would have us pull out immediately. Excellent. Tell every terrorist in the world that they were correct, that Americans don't have the guts to finish the job. Invite them to visit Manhattan again.

As for Murtha's attempted argument from authority, essentially trying to say that anyone who isn't a combat veteran isn't entitled to an opinion - with respect sir, blow me. I've heard that specious, insulting false argument before. Murtha's veteran status doesn't confer any special understanding of global politics on his part. Nor any special relationship with death, nor even with risking all for another person, and using that argument is a form of intellectual cowardice that is simply shameful, ex-Marine or no.

Update: Others not yet ready to surrender: Rusty Shackelford at The Jawa Report, Ed Morrissey at Captain's Quarters, James Joyner at Outside the Beltway, and protein wisdom.

The Descent of Mainstream Media

Captured al Qaeda Video Threatens Australia

A video captured last week by Indonesian police threatens the US, Great Britain, and Italy, but seems primarily to target Australia.

The video was found during the raids that resulted in the death of top Jemaah Islamiyah leader Azahari bin Husin who blew himself up when cornered by Indonesian police. He later was identified by his severed head.

From NEWS.com.au:

"We repeat that America, Australia, England and Italy are all our enemies."

"We especially remind Australia that you, Downer and Howard, are killing Australia, leading it into darkness and misfortune and mujahedeen terror," he said, referring to Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

"Know that as long as you (all) continue to colonise the land of Iraq and Afghanistan and intimidate Muslims then you too will feel our intimidation and terror."

"We remind that those who support Bush and Blair are also our enemies. The infidel rulers, the apostate rulers, those who oppress Muslims and victimise ulamas, the mujahedeen, they are our enemies too. The ones we target in our attacks."

The speaker in the video is believed to be Noordin Mohammed Top, a Malaysian member of Jemaah Islamiyah, a southeast Asian affiliate of al Qaeda.

Veep Hits Dems With Right Cross to Hypocrisy Bone

Newswires are already beginning to buzz with reports of Vice President Dick Cheney's remarks at the Frontiers of Freedom Institute 2005 Ronald Reagan Gala - before they've been made, based on advance transcripts of his prepared speech.

The speech includes pointed remarks concerning the conduct of certain Congressional Democrats; specifically, those who have been claiming that the intelligence data leading up to the Iraq War was somehow cooked by the Bush administration.

Since much of the intelligence goes back to the Clinton administration and the RNC has helpfully provided video evidence of choice Dem politico remarks, it's hard to see how the Bushies managed to accomplish this without developing a time machine (and if they had actually developed a method of temporal perambulation, why not travel back even further and slap a condom on Saddam's old man? - but I digress).

Since you'll be shown only snippets of Cheney's remarks and those likely will be chosen with an eye toward discrediting the Vice President, I'm reprinting the entire text of the two paragraphs of the speech (out of fifteen) that deal with Democratic perfidy.

From the White House Press Office:

As most of you know, I have spent a lot of years in public service, and first came to work in Washington, D.C. back in the late 1960s. I know what it's like to operate in a highly charged political environment, in which the players on all sides of an issue feel passionately and speak forcefully. In such an environment people sometimes lose their cool, and yet in Washington you can ordinarily rely on some basic measure of truthfulness and good faith in the conduct of political debate. But in the last several weeks we have seen a wild departure from that tradition. And the suggestion that's been made by some U. S. senators that the President of the United States or any member of this Administration purposely misled the American people on pre-war intelligence is one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city.

Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing force against Saddam Hussein. These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence, and were free to draw their own conclusions. They arrived at the same judgment about Iraq's capabilities and intentions that was made by this Administration and by the previous Administration. There was broad-based, bipartisan agreement that Saddam Hussein was a threat ... that he had violated U.N. Security Council Resolutions ... and that, in a post-9/11 world, we couldn't afford to take the word of a dictator who had a history of WMD programs, who had excluded weapons inspectors, who had defied the demands of the international community, who had been designated an official state sponsor of terror, and who had committed mass murder. Those are facts. What we're hearing now is some politicians contradicting their own statements and making a play for political advantage in the middle of a war. The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures -- conducting raids, training Iraqi forces, countering attacks, seizing weapons, and capturing killers -- and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie. The President and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone -- but we're not going to sit by and let them rewrite history. We're going to continue throwing their own words back at them. And far more important, we're going to continue sending a consistent message to the men and women who are fighting the war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other fronts. We can never say enough how much we appreciate them, and how proud they make us. They and their families can be certain: That this cause is right ... and the performance of our military has been brave and honorable ... and this nation will stand behind our fighting forces with pride and without wavering until the day of victory.

Al Qaeda in Iraq "Emir" Captured

Exploiting multiple intelligence sources, including tips from Iraqi citizens, Multi-National Forces were able to raid a terrorist safehouse on November 7 and capture Sadiq Ayadah Husayn Matar (aka Abu Ahmed), who confessed to being the al Qaeda in Iraq "emir" for Sadah, in the al Qaim area.

From an MNF-I press release:

Abu Ahmed, as one of the five senior al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leaders in the al Qaim region, which includes Husaybah, Karabilah, Sadah, Ubaydi, and al Qaim, was connected to numerous al Qaeda in Iraq senior terrorist leaders. He admitted associations, as well as conducting coordinated terrorist operations, with other senior terrorists and foreign fighters in the region. These senior terrorists were responsible for all terrorist and foreign fighter activities in the region to include the smuggling of foreign fighters into the al Qaim region from Syria.

Media Blackouts and Who's Actually Rioting in France, Anyway?

While French politicians (and apparently journalists all over the world) think that a blackout of coverage of the French riots is a good idea so as not to encourage further "social unrest", Winds of Change and The Blue State Conservatives helpfully point out the hypocrisy in this stance. Seeing as how French and other Leftist media delight in showing terrorist attacks by Islamists and Palestinians. Won't that just encourage further anti-social behavior from these folks, too? It's a fair question.

Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to see what reactions Arab media are having to the French riots, and came across this editorial from the Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) that places the blame for the violence on illegal immigrants:

Doubtless, the French authorities have allowed this problem to get out of hand. The authorities have seriously and criminally neglected the issue of illegals in the country. It's absurd to blame the ongoing violence and demonstrations on the immigrants from North and West Africa and French speaking world. These criminal acts are not perpetrated by the second-third generation immigrants who are really responsible and legal citizens of France. These are the desperate acts of illegals, who may share the background of the long settled immigrants from North and West Africa, but have nothing to do with the original immigrant community.

This seems like a valid point that should have been raised somewhere else in the voluminous coverage of the troubles in France. Why wasn't it?

A dispatch from UPI provides an answer; mentioning illegal immigrants helps rightwing French politicos. Helping the rightwing is a no-no among journalists who view themselves as citizens of the world (unless, of course, helping out certain savagely violent rightwing fundamentalists can serve to undermine the Presidency of a certain despised rightwinger from Texas).

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

RNC Posts Video Montage of Democrat Prewar Iraq Positions
Here are some excerpts, which Democrats would prefer that Americans forget:

Madeleine Albright:

"...for the risk 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."

Bill Clinton:

"...or we take some ambiguous third route, which gives him [Saddam Hussein] more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction..."

Howard Dean:

"There are such things as international outlaws. I'm not sure China is one but I'm quite sure Iran and Iraq are..."

Sandy Berger:

"He will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction."

Nancy Pelosi:

"Saddam Hussein certainly has chemical and biological weapons; there's no question about that."

Jay Rockefeller:

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons."

Joe Biden:

"We know he [Saddam Hussein] continues to attempt to gain access to additional capability, including nuclear capability..."

Harry Reid:

"Saddam Hussein, in effect has thumbed his nose at the world community, and I think that the President is approaching this in the right fashion..."

Hillary Clinton:

"I can support the President, I can support an action against Saddam Hussein, because I think it's in the longterm interests of our national security..."

John Edwards:

"Serving on the intelligence committee and seeing day after day, week after week, briefings on Saddam's weapons of mass destruction and his plans on using those weapons...he cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons - it's just that simple."

Evan Bayh:

'...one of the lessons we learned after September 11 were that we can't wait to be attacked again, particularly when it involves weapons of mass destruction..."

The fact that the Democrats know that these videotapes exist is an indication of the contempt with which they hold the American electorate. Watch the video here.

Operation Steel Curtain Updates

CENTCOM reports that at least 150 terrorist insurgents have been captured since the beginning of Operation Steel Curtain, and news releases seem to indicate that over 200 have been killed (CENTCOM doesn't routinely release terrorist body counts). 30 have been killed since last night in Ubaydi, bringing to 80 the number sent to Allah from this Iraqi border town alone.

Terrorist Insurgents Trapped:

It is suspected that many of the terrorists who are now fighting in Ubaydi fled from Husaybah and Karabilah, the first two cities that were secured by Iraqi and Coalition Forces at the beginning of the operation. While the fighting has been sporadic, it has been characterized by commanders on the ground as some of the heaviest since Operation Steel Curtain began Nov. 5. Intelligence reports indicate that the strong resistance to the Iraqi and Coalition push into the city is due in large part to the fact that terrorists believe they are trapped and have nowhere else to go.

Baath Leader Captured:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured Hamid Sharki Shadid, the leader of the New Ba’ath Party in Diyala Province, during a patrol November 9th.

Shadid’s capture is a major achievement for Coalition Forces as they believe he can provide crucial information on the whereabouts of former Staff General Jamal Karki, a suspected Ba’athist insurgent, and Abd-al-Baqi al-Sa’adun, who has been a fugitive since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2003.

CENTCOM also reports that several brave jihadi babyhunters tried to sneak away from Ubaydi by hiding in a flock of sheep.

I'm reprinting these stories on the off chance that our loyal, unbiased, non-partisan mainstream media completely ignore them.

Chirac Announces Terms of French Surrender

Once again, after a valiant struggle, the French bow to the inevitable. It is said that Chirac bravely turned down an offer from President Bush to send five Marines to help put down the rioting [thanks to Sandy Shanks for forwarding that hilarious email].

Allons enfants de la Patrie...

From Agence France Presse:

Chirac described the unrest as "a crisis of meaning, a crisis of identity," saying it was the sign of a "deep malaise" in French society.

"I wish to tell the children from these difficult neighbourhoods, whatever their origins, that they are all sons and daughters of the republic," he said in a televised address.

The president announced the creation of a paid training and employment scheme for 50,000 youths from such areas and a series of measures to improve access to the workplace and to combat discrimination.

Yes, yes, we have all had our cheap fun mocking the French for their little foibles; their arrogance, hypocrisy, incompetence, greed, treachery, military pinheadedness, political stupidity, ingratitude, spreading stinky cheese on everything, illegal profiteering, collaboration, encouragement of Jerry Lewis, etc., but...what shall we do when there are no more French? The foot will be in the other shoe then, mes amis, and the most endearing aspect of our surly little quiche-eating surrender monkeys may be simply the fact that they were...French.

Oh well, we still have Québec...and, of course, in a pinch, Cajuns.

Bush Finally Calls a Spade a Spade, Sort of

President Bush is at long last replying to Iraq war critics on the Left, primarily in the Democratic party.

From Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President Bush, heading to Asia with hopes of improving his image on the world stage, hurled a parting shot at Iraq war critics on Monday, accusing some Democrats of "sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy."

Bush is not entirely correct. The signals are not really mixed, though it's polite of the President to use that euphemism.

Many Democratic strategists would be delighted to see an increase in troop casualties to help them regain power in congress next year, and maybe retake the White House in 2008. Sending "mixed" messages to the troops in an effort to lower morale could also pay off in fewer military absentee ballots being filled out. It's so much less messy to suppress the military vote that way, than trying to disqualify the ballots after they're cast, as the Democrats did in Florida in 2000.

AP Writer: Wild Infants Roam Paris Streets

Mainstream journalists are busy now that the riots in France are showing signs of petering out. Well, they're petering out if you accept the premise that the most accurate measure of the level of violence is the number of cars being burned. Of course that might simply indicate that the French are learning not to leave their cars where crowds of "youths" shouting "Allahu Akbar" can find them and burn them. And, of course, the supply of cars might be petering out.

Be that as it may, reporters are now turning their analytic skills toward explaining why the rioting has been happening. For instance, Scheherezade Faramarzi, an "Associated Press Writer" raises the question:

CLICHY-SOUS-BOIS, Paris Nov 11, 2005 — Night after night of rioting across France in which children as young as 10 have hurled firebombs and torched cars has prompted many people to ask: Where were the parents?

Certainly a fair, even burning question that has occurred to many Americans. And Scheherezade has an answer [emphasis added]:

Many parents are struggling to make ends meet, leaving them little time for their children. They often can hardly communicate with their sons and daughters: Many parents are not French citizens and never learn to speak French, while their children don't learn the language of their ancestors.

Let us ponder this statement in a way that Scheherezade and her editors evidently failed to do. It's really two theses, each of which seems reasonable taken alone.

First, immigrants fail to assimilate into the society of their new home, because they either cannot, or will not, learn the language. Okay, that happens here in America. Nothing startling there, and it would almost certainly guarantee that family income will be low, thus relegating these unfortunates to banlieu residence.

Second, the children of these immigrants do not learn their parents' native tongue. Okay, fine; lack of communication within the household leads to loss of parental control, the youths turn to violence, yada-yada...Presto! Paris riots.

So, if we accept Scheherezade's chain of logic we have a convenient explanation for rioting by youth alienated through no fault of their own. There's just one problem. If the parents speak no French, and the children don't speak Arabic or Farsi or whatever...this means that we have wild babies with no language skills whatsoever running rampant in France!

According to Scheherezade's reasoning they can't be learning French until they enter school. And since their parents have been unsuccessful at teaching them any language at all, we can only imagine the grunts, hoots, whistles, and shrieks that must punctuate those first few months of kindergarten.

Sunday Funny

From The Dry Bones Blog.

Veterans Arrested For Protecting Their Fallen Brothers

Yesterday, Veteran's Day, The Jawa Report posted a story
that made my blood boil. Filthy, ignorant, treasonous hippie trash peace activists in Waterville, Maine were granted a permit to desecrate a veteran's cemetery by planting 2,000 surrender flags in it. When men from the local VFW (for the benefit of any filthy, ignorant, treasonous hippie trash who might be reading, that stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars, i.e., the people who have defended with their lives your right to make asses of yourselves) showed up to remove the flags, they were arrested, as they knew they would be.

Go to the link above and read the whole story. Then go out and find a hippie to kick in the nuts on general principals.

Veteran's Day

Tommy
Rudyard Kipling, 1892

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins," when the trooper's on the tide-
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins," when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll-
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's " Thin red line of 'eroes," when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind-
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck 'im out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

We Are All French Today

And so it begins. What many of us thought of as a purely American media tendency to portray police or soldiers as villains while exalting criminals and terrorists is a French sport, as well.

From NEWS.com.au:

TF1, the television channel, showed a young Arab on the outskirts of Lyons objecting politely about the insulting manner of an officer who had demanded his identity papers.
"You want me to take you to a transformer?" the officer sneers back, referring to the electricity station where two teenagers were electrocuted while fleeing an identity check.

The incident sparked the riots.[merde de boeuf - Bluto]

"We don't give a shit if your estate calms down," said the officer, using the disrespectful "tu" rather than "vous".

"In fact, the more it gets f...ed up the happier we are."

Just when the French thought the Intifada was quieting down, a French Kevin Sites has decided to heat things up again. So a cop, who has probably been on duty for days, got fed up with a smartass remark from some arrogant pimple farmer. This minor incident needs to be reported all over the world (NEWS.com.au is an Australian outlet) and used as justification for the Muslim insurrection in Europe? No wonder the US has to step in and save these effeminate jackasses time after time.

A little further on we get some insight into why a cop in France might be a wee bit on edge:

"Casser les keufs" - beating up cops - is what they like doing best, say the young wreckers.

"We torch a car and when the keufs turn up, the fun starts," a teenager said with typical bravado at a northeast Paris estate.

When no cops are available perhaps these little chameaux sales might get into a little "casser les journalistes". Then you can bet you'll see editorials demanding a more aggressive police presence.

Happy Birthday, Devil Dogs!

Today is the 230th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, America's elite sea-soldiers. Congratulations, Jarheads! Here's to 230 more!

The iconic Mt. Suribachi flag-raising on Iwo Jima

Reporters Worried About Politics, Not War on Terror

Dabbling in politics is expressly forbidden to the Central Intelligence Agency. We surely don't need an American KGB operating as a clandestine arm of government. But there appears to be a faction at the CIA that is determined to stage a political coup d'état and unseat the Bush administration.

From CBS News:

(AP) Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says he is more concerned about the leak of information regarding secret CIA detention centers than activity in the prisons themselves.

Frist was asked if that meant he was not concerned about investigating what goes on in detention centers.

"I am not concerned about what goes on and I'm not going to comment about the nature of that," Frist replied.

That's the type of stupid question that is all too common among what passes for journalists today. The idea that it's more important to make sure captured terrorists are comfortable than to find out who at the CIA is putting us all in danger through politically motivated leaking is typical of today's journalism. It's akin to someone with aggessive skin cancer worrying about pimples.

Those who can, do. Those who can do better, teach. Those who can't do anything, become journalists.

It is essential that the anti-administration cabal within the CIA be identified, removed from power, and imprisoned. The investigation should start with anyone who joined the Agency during the Clinton years, as the CIA leaks are obviously attempts to influence Us politics.

As Ed Morrissey at Captain's Quarters points out:

Blowing sensitive missions during wartime like the detention facilities and the airline cover can easily cost lives of valuable agents, not to mention the loss of critical information regarding enemy capability and movements. Overt acts that release such information are felonies and require vigorous prosecution, once the perpetrators are identified.

The Captain is too kind. Such acts are treason.

"Operation Steel Curtain" to Establish Permanent Bases

Operation Steel Curtain, the latest Coalition-Iraqi joint military campaign along the Syrian border, is intended to set up a permanent security presence in the area. Past operations have succeeded in killing and capturing hundreds of terrorist insurgents and foreign terrorists, but no garrison was left to prevent re-infiltration of terrorist forces once the operations were over.

From a CENTCOM press release:

The operation is the second in Karabilah. Operation Rohme (Spear) took place in the city last June. The operation was notable for the torture chamber that was found in an abandoned house that contained two Iraqi men who were found chained to the floor. The men had been tortured for refusing to cooperate with al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists who operated throughout the city. They were treated by medical personnel and released after recovering from their wounds. Unlike Operation Spear, Operation Steel Curtain will create a permanent presence in the city comprised of Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

Operation Steel Curtain’s goal is to restore Iraqi sovereign control along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating throughout the al Qaim region. The offensive is part of Operation Sayaid (Hunter), designed to deny terrorists the ability to operate in the Euphrates River Valley and to establish a permanent security presence along the Syrian border.

Bali Bombing Leader Reportedly Blown Up

Azahari bin Husin of Jemaah Islamiyah, an Indonesian group affiliated with al Qaeda, evidently decided to meet Allah as a cloud of smithereens.

From United Press International:

Indonesian police are reporting the death of top Jemaah Islamiyah leader Azahari bin Husin, who blew himself up after being cornered by security forces in Batu in Malang, East Java.

Police said that Husin was responsible for the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings. Police have also charged that Husin was behind the Sept. 9, 2004 attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

Update: 30 Other Bombs Found; Terrorist's Severed Head Allows Tentative ID

More details from NEWS.com.au:

THIRTY bombs, primed and ready to explode, have been found in the house where terror suspect Azahari Husin blew himself up, Indonesian police said today.

Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said Azahari's head remained intact after he blew himself up when cornered by troops inside a house in Indonesia yesterday.
Local police are satisfied the remains are those of the Malaysian bomb expert.

Azahiri Husin

Zarqawi Suspected in Jordan Bombings

Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose real name is Ahmed Fadhil al-Khalayleh, for years has sought the overthrow of Jordan's ruling Hashemite monarchy, which he wants replaced with an Islamic state. The terrorist has twice been sentenced to death in absentia by Jordanian courts, and was indicted last year for complicity in a plot to use chemical weapons against targets in Amman, including the U.S. embassy.

Centcom Zarqawi Wanted Poster

Reuters AlertNet reports that Zarqawi had served three years of a fifteen year sentence when King Abdullah granted an (evidently unappreciated) amnesty upon his assumption of the throne in 1999.

Update:Haaretz reports that Israeli nationals were evacuated from the Radisson Hotel by Jordanian security forces shortly before the attacks due to a security alert.

Al Qaeda Suicide Bombers Attack Jordan

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

AMMAN, Jordan - Suicide bombers attacked three hotels frequented by Westerners in the Jordanian capital Wednesday night, and at least 18 people were killed and 120 wounded, police said.

Maj. Bashir al-Da'aja said officials believe all three blasts were carried out by suicide bombers. The explosions indicated the involvement of al-Qaida, which has launched coordinated attacks on high-profile, Western targets in the past, a police official said.

Meanwhile, our alleged representatives in Congress bicker over partisan differences while the mainstream media struggle to find new euphemisms and synonymns to conceal the fact that the French riots are an Islamic terrorist insurrection - and make sure that no words are written or spoken in English about the Islamic riots in Denmark.