Replacing Cindy Sheehan

Krauthammer has a suggestion or two.

"The secret is out," says Fouad Ajami. "There is something decent unfolding in Iraq. It's unfolding in the shadow of a terrible insurgency, but a society is finding its way to constitutional politics."

Alito

A little about Alito from Captain Ed.

Interview with Colonel Davis

by Bill Roggio in regards to the fighting in the west. (Anbar Province) ht Instapundit

Steyn

One of his bests. Laugh out loud funny on the doing in of this administration.

US and Japan

The rest of the story.

Iraq

Al qaeda is claiming 20,000 coalition members killed. via Tim Blair.

In the meantime, we have election news. Iraq the Model gives us a front page seat as the election season kicks off.

"As a matter of fact, it has to be acknowledged that the political experiment in Iraq has matured by far during these two and a half years and the political language slowly began to take more realistic dimensions and we can sense a growing faith in the ways of democracy giving some sort of special divinity to the ballot box which shall remain the only base for building a new Iraq.
The more Iraqis believe in elections and in voting as a way to express themselves, the weaker violence becomes and the more isolated the terrorists will be.
Iraqis will prove that they do believe in democracy and they do want liberty and justice and the will show the region an example of how partners can work out their differences in spite of all the hardships."

Prince Charles

Coming to America.
I'd like an example of the US being intolerant of Islam. In the meantime, for fun, I'll pass along The Religious Policeman's thoughts.

Noonan

Responses to the Noonan piece: From the Speculist. and Anchorrising.

or course, surprisingly, not everyone agrees with me.

Good idea

Hero of the week. Pass it on.

Hell Froze over?

Not yet. Just the UN condemning the Iranian President's remarks on Israel.

Speaking of Military Blogs

Milblogging.com is looking to spread the word of their existence. Exactly the reason I got into reading blogs. To get the word from the horse's mouth(s).

Corporal Starr

The NYTimes skews yet another story. This one was more than people could take and is making it's rounds. Corporal Starr deserves better than to be misconstrued by the times after he's died.

Dinocrat has a word or two to say on this too.

Note the links: The Environmental republican to Tim Blair to Michelle Malkin. Blogs are on the ball out there.

Libby

Powerline and Instapundit have the quick roundups. Just keep clicking if you want more.

Noonan

It sounds to me like the baby boomers (and I'm one) are getting old. This Noonan piece about the lack of a future for the world is one sad tale. Read it twice and tell me that it doesn't sound like an elitist, self involved, we are the world, baby boomer piece.
These complaints that she has, have rung true for ages. And yes, the end may be nigh, but it's always been nigh. I was certain it was going to end in the 80s, others were certain in the 50s and frankly, try to imagine going through Bubonic plague 2 centuries ago. Wouldn't you have thought the end was nigh then?
Things change. ie No one reads the Bible anymore, so classic stories have to have footnotes on your basic biblical references. (sorry - Just re-read Wuthering Heights only now it has footnotes to explain references to Job) And that's not the end of the world. I've never lived during a time when we trusted the government.

Doesn't this, sound a bit elitest?

" Our elites, our educated and successful professionals, are the ones who are supposed to dig us out and lead us."

See Katrina, that kid bus driver, who stole the bus and drove a load of people to the Astrodome. He's the people who will dig us out. Not the Ted Kennedy's who've clearly given up on youth! (I can't believe she even has a thought about what he has to say!)

Frankly, I think we'll be alright. I think Peggy is upset because our generation is getting old and when that happens we get sad and overwhelmed with what hasn't yet been accomplished. Our youth was better - our youth had hope - our youth was drenched in safety and a future. Well today's youth has a much smaller world. Give them some credit. They are the ones overseas and they will be having children who will be communicating with people around the globe. Are there tsunamis and flus and earthquakes? yes. Does that mean the endtimes are here? Maybe. But there are a ton of good kids. Are ours overindulged? probably. Who knows what that means in the long run but I'm certain that we baby boomers put way too much importance on our generation and don't give the next ones nearly enough credit.

War for Oil

I'm still looking for all the free oil we were going to get for attacking Iraq. Apparently it was the Iraqi's that got the cheap fuel. Iraq the Model tells us that subsidization may be going away soon so they'll have more money for infrastructure. They sound like grown ups over there.

Suicide Bomber

In Israel and the accompanying photo of the grieving sister of the bomber!

Just for Fun

I was reading this article in Forbes this morning, where it has this sentance:

"Take a look around the blogosphere for yourself and you will find real humans - good, bad and ugly. What do you know? It's just like in the meatspace."

Which reminded me of The Angel of Meat which was a painting by a guy I went to high school with who has a whole series on meat within his other great, great paintings. Go check them out!

(in the meantime, meatspace, apparently means in the physical world vs cyberspace.)

Al qaeda

Losing the hearts and Minds. by Austin Bay

Women, the Law, their Rights

and the ridiculousness of some multiculturalism. This drives me wacko. If you move your family into our culture, your family members should have every right that the rest of us get. Or rather they SHOULD have those rights. I'm not Australian, maybe things are different down under, but I didn't think they were that different.

The "Peace Process"

This piece is worth bookmarking. Listing the years of peace in the middle east before Bushhitler has his way.

Politics

vs violence. This is a cool story about a Sunni insurgent canvassing a neighborhood to get out the vote against the constitution.

Now that's progress!

Iranian President

Now here's a president who actually says what he's thinking vs being all "political" and "diplomatic". On Israel, "a disgraceful blog" that should be "wiped off the map".

Iraq the Model notes the speech too.
"Anyway, this could be good news too because the more enemies the mullahs create for themselves, the closer their end is."

Iraq

On the constitution.

On the news other than "the grim number".

Speech

I disagree with Powerline about the potential indictments (if they come) being trivial, but I will hand it to them for printing out huge parts of the President's speech. It was a goodun.

Iraqi Constitution

Passed. With less than 100% votes for it. What a concept!

Steyn

On the Avian flu and other imports in this small world.

Al-qaeda

They are concerned about their image if they don't buck up and start getting Moslems to help Moslems in the earthquake zone of Pakistan.

"October 24, 2005: Al Qaeda released a video tape that urged all Moslems, especially those who supported al Qaeda, to rush aid to Pakistani earthquake victims. Otherwise, the rescue effort will be seen as dominated by infidels (non-Moslems), and al Qaeda will lose influence in the area. This same pattern was noted, with much embarrassment and bad publicity, during relief efforts in Indonesia, after the earthquakes and tidal waves in Indonesia. "

Too bad for them.

Bombing in Baghdad

Perspective from Major E. on that bombing of the journalist's hotel. Essentially a major failure for "insurgents" and a major success for the IP.

Bono and Bush

from Tim Blair.

Brazilian Gun Rights

A local shares his opinion via Instapundit.

"Hi Glenn, I live in Brazil and believe me, you don't know the half of it. The level of propaganda from the pro-ban side, which included the current government, the Church, the Globo television network (think CBS, ABC and NBC combined) and the arts/intelligentsia crowd was beyond the pale and clearly directed at the less fortunate. In other words, it was presented as a class vote. The margin of victory indicates that Brazilians of all classes voted against this ridiculous referendum. It is a sure sign of the steady but certain maturing of democracy in this country."

Harriet Miers

via Powerline is a post by Dafydd going over the George Will column. Even if you don't give a rip, the guy can write. He used to post on Captain Ed's blog, but now has his own to bookmark.

Harriet Miers

via Powerline is a post by Dafydd going over the George Will column. Even if you don't give a rip, the guy can write. He used to post on Captain Ed's blog, but now has his own to bookmark.

Michael Yon

Has a column up in The Weekly Standard in regards to the election in Iraq. It's well worth the read.

highlights:
(after the electricity went out in Baghdad)
"I walked through the morning darkness to meet the soldiers, who were laughing at the terrorists: Don't those dumbasses know that the voting will happen during the daytime? When it comes to winning hearts and minds, cutting off the electricity didn't win any support. I have been saying it for many months: The terrorists are losing. But today was litmus-day."

(a quote that helps to remind us how things used to be there)
"I then spoke with Major Yayha Rasuruh from the Iraqi army, who is charged with securing the 46th Sector of Sadr City. He said he took all 50 of his soldiers to vote, and he showed his purple finger proudly. "I think this is great time Iraq passes through. Thirty-five years we suffer. There is freedom now." We talked for about ten minutes, and I asked what it was like to vote. Major Yayha said that the voting worker made him fold his ballet before sticking it in the box. I laughed and said, "The worker was brave. He told an army major to fold his paper!""

(self-explanatory)
"The whole country looked quiet. "The media is going to be very disappointed," chuckled one soldier, and I laughed along with him."

Simple Terrorism

Varifrank is quite a history buff. And this book he's writing about, on the Mount Blanc Explosion in Halifax Harbour sounds interesting. I know I never knew about it, that I remember.

Instapundit

When Glenn writes, it's good. Here he is responding to an anonymous email about the "quagmire" in Iraq.

Hariri Assasination

Varifrank has it figured that Rice has known for a bit. Makes sense to me.

In the meantime, the Jerusalem Post reports that it appears Kofi had the report watered down so things wouldn't destabilize in Syria. You have to laugh.
(via Environmental Republican who has other links.)

President Bush

Some advice for getting back his "mojo" from Danniel Heninger.

1. Withdraw Harriet Miers (not going to happen)
2. Go to Baghdad (!)
3. Pick the right guy after Greenspan
4. Embrace the sequester (?)

Hariri Assasination

Syrian AND Lebanese officials knew. This from the UN. Standby for strongly worded statement.

The influence of blogs

Not so much- in the govt. Pork will live on and the Coburn Plan to remove funding for the Alaskan bridge has died.

Iraq

Following the money and capturing him. With help from Syria.

Coburn Ammendment

Is it really going to happen? Porkbusters unite.

see Instapundit too.

Remember the Koran Desecration?

Where's the Outrage over this? via Power Line

Able Danger

Rep Weldon goes ballistic on the CYA going on. via Michelle Malkin.

Captain Ed gets confirmation on it.

Darfur

Michelle Malkin has a spotlight on Darfur.

Smurficide

Steyn's take on the UN blockbuster movie.

Iraq

Loved this from the NY Post.

If the day comes when the last U.S. troops leave a peaceful, democratic, prosperous Iraq, the headlines will read: "FAILURE IN IRAQ: THREE SUNNIS STILL UNHAPPY. "

Firefly v Serenity

I'm with Glenn on this. The movie was great and worth seeing. The show is better.

Rep. Corruption

I haven't really been following this, but this may be of interest to those who want a quick recap and check in.

Steyn

How did I miss this one? (I was going to add a money quote that had me snorting coffee, but just read it. On the Russian "insurgents".)

ps as an addendum, this column on the populations of Russia vs China and the changes that may be coming was worth a read too.

Iraqi Constitution

Remember the 100% elections?

This may be getting ahead of ourselves, but so what...you have to love the title.

OU bomber

One - it's curious how the MSM has no interest.
Two - a story comes out in the WSJ about the wackos in the blogosphere having an interest. Michelle Malkin lets them have it. She's absolutely right.

Serenity

Searched for the DVD set this weekend to no avail. Don't worry, it will be in my hands one day soon. In the meantime, Instapundit links to this review of the movie. I have to second Mr. Coleman....see it now!

Weekend computer fiesta

Was successful! Thanks for the input. The user is VERY happy with her new Powerbook G4 and is looking forward to the purchase of her Ipod soon.
Perhaps we can get her to start her own blog instead of telling me what I should write about now. hmmm? User? What do you say? Embrace your technoself!

Reality Check

From Victor Davis Hanson. On the state of the war and the future. I know I don't say it enough, but I am very thankful that due to those hard working military folks, policing folks and government types, I get to continue to live a peaceful existence.
Thanks

Iraqi Constitution Roundup

Here we have a nice rant by Varifrank. I've always like him.

Here is a version from Reuters of voting day along with a short fisking.

Lileks gives it a go after driving by some peace protesters on Saturday.

Roger Simon finds quotes surmising that there were few attacks on Saturday as Zarqawi tries to see who's with him.

Russian Terror

I have only barely been paying attention to the news this past weekend, so I don't know if
this is true about the lack of coverage or not. But Captain Ed is usually spot on, so if he says that the news is acting like these Al-qaeda thugs are getting "separatist" headlines if any at all, I'll believe it.

This Weekend

I will be setting up a computer this weekend, help me out.
The user
1) wants to surf the net
2) get email
3) maybe get onto the computer at work
4) get an ipod
5) I suspect she'll eventually want a digital camera

The user
1) will not maintain a computer regularly with virus protections etc
2) has never used Windows Explorer and does not personally use the Microsoft suite for much at work.
3) will probably give up, call me and cuss if the computer crashes
4) is not saving money up for anything

I am proposing a mac. Comments? Strangers that she meets are proposing a pc and she's waffling and, can you imagine, not accepting my word as gospel.

May I also suggest, she click here on the tab labeled Switch.

UPDATE: The computer WILL be used for work. To download documents and print them out and read them. (which a mac can do) She's clearly leaning toward a pc. Frankly as Imy pc I am using right this second has once again slowed down to a crawl and I'm having to check every little thing on it again to see what the problem is....I STILL vote mac.

Zawahiri's letter

Varifrank fisks it. I printed it out but haven't read it yet. Maybe on the airplane. In the meantime....read this.

Missing Aircraft Mystery

is solved. It was taken for a joyride.

Iraqi Constitution

They made yesterday The Day of National Accord. Good for them.

Howard Deanisms

Republicans are damned if they don't talk to black people and then damned if they do!

Oil for Food

First the Russians and now a French diplomat getting kickbacks.

Do you suppose they were against the war because they knew there were no WMD? Or maybe because they were going to miss their cash cow?

Tim Blair

Continues his deep research into finding why.

Iraqi Constitution

They've come to some agreement.

Zawahiri's letter

More is published in the NYT's. It's good we have Powerline and the letter itself for a more accurate view.

72 Virgins

The fantasy, vs the reality.

Smurft

We hate them. Or I do, and am in complete agreement with Varifrank.

Paying for Katrina

by cutting other spending, because of the Republican rift. hmmmm.

Steyn

On Canada and the UN.

And on George Bush and his being a Christian.

News from Baghdad

From Major E, via Powerline.

Oklahoma bomber and a missing plane

No new news has shown up in my paper, but Powerline keeps the interest going in the Oklahoma bomber.

In the meantime, an airplane shows up that was missing and no one knows what's going on. (ht Michelle Malkin) Hopefully nothing.

Hugo Chavez

has insight into all the troubles of the world. (via Tim Blair) But then again so does Pat Robertson. (via Tim Blair)

Pakistani Earthquake

via the BBC.

Time for another effort to help with relief. Tim Blair has update sites and a link for donations.

Amen

To both of these posts in regards to us cutting and running.

From Powerline a link to William Shawcross's op-ed about the peace activists and what would really happen if we bring the troops home "now".

From The Mesopotamian with an open letter to people who think the Sunni Triangle is capable of winning.

People

The mudslide in Guatemala is a terrible tragedy. Those things come quick. What gets me, and tell me if you agree - in an article about it, (see here) you come across this sentance. "Behind a makeshift rope barrier, dozens of women dressed in the village's traditional purple blouses embroidered with birds and animals awaited news of missing kin." Those kinds of sentances bug me because they make these women sound like interesting zoo creatures vs women who have lost their families and are wearing clothes. When writing about people in NYC do they talk about women in the tradition "black and white" attire? Yes, sure, in a fashion or entertainment piece, but not about say, 911. "With smoke billowing around them, women in the traditional NYC dress that includes blacks slacks and a white blouse with button down collar, searched the bulletin boards for names of their loved ones."

Ocean glow

Very cool! (ht, Deanna and Greg)

The Plan

That doesn't exist, seems to be working. Al-qaeda needs cash and there is dissension among members and Zarqawi is trying a 2-step.

Iraq

Sounds like their oil fund is becoming a reality. Cool.

Bush's Speech

I heard this on the radio later in the afternoon. He really had it going on yesterday. The words, the tone of voice everything. Great speech!

I looked for an audio file this morning but can't find it.

Al-qaeda's strategy

A planning document was found by the coalition and low and behold, it's plans show exactly what they've been saying all along.

"AQ and its associates don't fight to push the Americans from Southwest Asia. They terrorize people in the hope of re-establishing a dictatorial and absolute Caliph that will run all of the former Arabic lands, including Israel. " - Captn Ed

Though of course it also shows that Al-qaeda is having a few money problems. bwahahaha

"It also asks for money for other AQ operations. Given the stretched nature of the Zarqawi network in Iraq and the difficulties they have in fighting the Americans and growing Iraqi forces, that request appears rather extraordinary."-Captn Ed

Harriet Miers

Steyn's take.

And I'm with Captain Ed concerning dissing Hugh Hewitt in regards to his opinions.

Here is Jim Geraghty changing his mind.

More why's

Christopher Hitchins writing in Slate.

Money quote - stuck on stupid:
"So, what did Indonesia do to deserve this, or bring it on itself? How will the slaughter in Bali improve the lot of the Palestinians? Those who look for the connection will be doomed to ask increasingly stupid questions and to be content with increasingly wicked answers."

Katrina

A Canadian's perspective. via the Spectator, (ht Sanjai)

Congress

Earning their wages. I'm with Glenn Reynolds on this one in regards to treatment of detainees.

Kelos

I hope that people (in the form of government) are not so evil as let something like this actually happen. via Michelle Malkin

Harriet Miers

Peggy Noonan is unhappy but gives me a nod.... "Maybe he isn't all that conservative a fellow, or at least all that conservative in the old, usual ways, and has been waiting for someone to notice."

UPDATE: with all the gnashing of teeth on this from the base, I think it's good to remember that Bush was nominated by the base to appeal to the middle. There are a lot of us in the middle that have supported him too. A lot of pro-war Democrats who may not admit it in public but who won the election for him. There isn't a 51% majority of "base conservatives" in this country. Apparently, Roger Simon agrees with me a bit.

Osama

and why. Generally he tells us, but sometimes he lies. LOL (see the last line)

Saudi Allies

does this sound like an ally???

documents
"bearing the seal of the government of Saudi Arabia, that incite Muslims to acts of violence and promote hatred of Jews and Christians." here in the US. Read the whole thing. Sheesh.

Orwell

and women. Did some version of the Taliban end up in Indiana??


Via Vodkapundit:
Republican lawmakers are drafting new legislation that will make marriage a requirement for motherhood in the state of Indiana, including specific criminal penalties for unmarried women who do become pregnant "by means other than sexual intercourse."

Miers

She's accepted by Varifrank for regular Joe reasons. As a regular Joe myself.......his arguments make great sense.

ie. (in referring to actual Harvard grads)
"Justice Breyers’ ideas of “flexible truths” are what some people would say are a fine idea from a fine legal mind, but I think its dangerous, and hey, some people who oppose Mrs. Miers also think he is much more qualified than she is but for goodness sake, this pack of qualified super smart overqualified Harvard grads that makes up the current Supreme Court just passed “Kelo”! "

Suicide Bomber

In Oklahoma. Sounds like he had bigger plans. via Wizbang

Steyn

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Iraq

Iraq the Model has a local's perspective about what's going on there now.
While things are edgy now, I love his last paragraph:

The feeling that the road is going to be rough and costly is growing but hope isn’t lost though and I have seen this clear in the eyes of an Iraqi who talked on TV, this man lost two brothers in the Balad massacre a few days ago yet he said “freedom isn’t for free”.

Delay's 2nd Indictment

This sounds fishy, doesn't it? I certainly hope it is.

Bali

and more "why"s via Tim Blair. deja vu

UPDATE: I missed this Steyn piece in The Australian.

Harriet Miers

Tons of links via Uncorrelated. Cronyism? Maybe a bit.

Personally, I never thought Bush was as conservative as his base likes to think he is. Also - Bush wanted to be a uniter. Remember that? If Miers was on the list from Reid and he approves, why not pick her? I have to admit though, if I were on that other list floating around, ie Brown, I would be ticked off. In the end, Bush has just 3 years. His biggest agenda item is already dead. (Social Security) That leaves the war. He should stay focused on that.

Ragged Thots has his worries posted and they do make sense. Just like the lack of vision from Kerry, you want people on the court who are not wafflers. What did make her change? I'm sure it will come out.

This could be a secret plot. Jeff Goldstein finds her potentially supporting and International Criminal Court. So this information comes out and Bush nominates again, but by then the fight is out of everyone and we all live in peace and harmony.......

Bali

Captain Ed on why. And Tim Blair on some of the who.

Frankly, I think (and I don't know one single Jihadist) that it's a lot simpler. They do this, not because they actually believe they are going to win anytime soon, but they do this where they can in order to terrorize "westerners" or anyone intermingling with your trademark "immoral or amoral, money grubbing, powerhungry evil westerner" type. Hence Bali and not Cancun. It's a lot simpler to do this where you live rather than to travel across the world. And making us types shiver in our boots, or quit traveling to tourist destinations in the line of fire is satisfying.

Iraq

their troops and the good news. Be sure to read that link from the NY Times.

Karen Hughes

and how we're perceived in the Arab world. Or rather, Powerline links to a Kirk Sowell post regarding Karen Hughes' trip.

Sunday

I'll be here tomorrow, so enjoy you're day off from me!

Iraqi Constitution

Publius Pundit has a great re-cap.

"Since it will be likely approved, the shaping up of the December elections is even more interesting now than the October referendum. "

Judith Miller

Weird, weird, weird. Here is a new possible reason for her weirdness. (not the "who is she protecting" part, but the Muslim charity matter)

Dan Rather Documents

And the new and improved response from Marvin Kalb. lol
via Powerline.