Beef always wins.

Traditional dress?

2006-11-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

I just read in Mark Steyn's book that the Jilbab dates only to the 1970s, and was instituted by the Muslim Brotherhood...who knew? It took 30 years to go global mainstream ...that doesn't portend good things for 2036.

Damn Right

2006-09-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Having just started a new job, I haven't taken time for a 9/11 post, so I'll quickly point out a bit from Dean Barnett's:

To fully understand the threat that groups like Al Qaeda represents, you have to toss a couple of complexities into the mix. The first regards the abilities of Al Qaeda’s members. Al Qaeda’s troops, including their leaders like Zawahiri and bin Laden, almost uniformly lack military training. The best Al Qaeda “soldier” would last about three seconds with the typical American Army Ranger.

Rogers

2006-08-26T00:42:00.000-07:00

I'm having trouble motivating myself to write about Ranger School...maybe it's like the critics of United 93 and World Trade Center say... "it's too soon!"
btw, I saw WTC a couple nights ago and it's an excellent film...pretty intense and not exactly what I was expecting (not really a big picture film - it focused on the personal side of 9/11) but I'd definitely recommend it.
Anyway, maybe I'll just give an overview of some of my thoughts on each phase and see where that takes me...
Camp Rogers (at Ft Benning, GA) is where the whole thing starts...at 0300 on a Monday morning. An army PT test is first, and the cadre do everything they can to make it the most intimidating PT test possible. They grade very strictly, and we lost probably 30-40 out of our 350-man class. I ran into an old friend just after I passed the push-up event, which made the experience much more enjoyable for me...when the Ranger Instructor counted push-up number 49 and told me to move out the relief was immense - I felt like the next 2 months would be a breeze after those dreaded push-ups (I was wrong, but I wouldn't know that for sure for another few hours).
I don't recall the rest of that day being too bad (I remind you that bad is a relative term) until one RI decided to give our platoon a class on squad ambush...starting at about 0130. I was falling asleep standing up, and I believe that I would have actually fallen over had I not taken drastic action. I had illegally saved a bit of pound cake from my MRE in my pocket, and those few carefully concealed bites woke me up sufficiently to make it through that class. I don't remember what time we were released that night, but I think we got an hour of sleep or so.
I was doing pretty well - mainly due to the 2-week "pre-ranger" course I had just finished, which gave me a good idea of what to expect during the first week. Like everyone else I was exhausted, but at least I wasn't surprised by it...being mentally prepared made a huge difference.
All this about Ranger school is making me hungry, so I think I'll take a break...in the meantime I'd recommend VDH's latest as some good reading.

Home from charm school

2006-08-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate the capabilities of the human body.

Given the proper motivation, I know for certain that an individual can operate continuously for at least 91 hours without sleep, move through waist-deep swamp with full combat load for at least 7.5 hours without a break, and consume 6 hotdogs (with buns), four bags of chips, three candy bars, and two sodas in less than 20 minutes (and be ready to do it again an hour later!).

These experiences and many more can be yours if you choose to spend 61 days of your summer at the U.S. Army's Ranger School. For those of you unfamiliar with the course, here's a fairly good summary, and here's the official site and brief.

I can't say that I recommend the course for everyone, nor can I say that I really enjoyed very much of it, however, it certainly gave me a real appreciation and respect for the guys who do this stuff everyday.

The course was certainly one of the most difficult things I have ever done, which is precisely what makes it worthwhile. Just about everyone I speak with about Ranger School asks me what I was thinking when I volunteered to go, and the answer I normally give is that I wanted to do something hard.

Most young children don't hesitate before attempting tasks that would be impossible for them to complete. However, most adults I have observed are very wary of trying anything they aren't certain they can handle, and some simply refuse to do anything they haven't actually successfully completed before. While those folks may be comfortable in their timidity, I find it far more interesting and rewarding to attempt tasks where the outcome is uncertain and success is far from guaranteed.

For me, the Ranger course certainly fell into the category of uncertain outcome and a rather small chance of success. I claim no expertise in infantry tactics or small unit leadership skills, and as an Army Aviator I have led a life of luxury relative to the rest of the force. When I found out about the opportunity of attending Ranger School I realized that I had not attempted something so difficult in several years, and I wanted to ward off the creeping complacency that a life of comfort invites.

One of the first truths you learn at Ranger School is that you do not earn your Ranger tab; your buddies earn it for you. In my case the foremost among my many buddies was my beautiful wife who first encouraged me to apply for the course, knowing that it would entail over 3 months of separation and that she would have to move to Korea (with our 2 dogs) by herself. Her prayers, letters, and constant support made it possible for me to keep going.

My mother and grandmother made significant additions to the thousands of hours they have spent in prayer for me since 1977, and without my dad's example I would have never thought to try something that others warned me against so earnestly.

The motivation to keep going came from home, but the buddies I met at the course are the ones who pulled me out of that waist-deep swamp, took a few hundred rounds of ammunition from my rucksack when I just couldn't carry anymore, kicked me in the ribs when I couldn't stay awake, and slipped me a couple of precious M&Ms when they knew I was hurting for calories.

Ranger School is an exercise in teamwork, so you should look with suspicion upon anyone who brags too much about his exploits there, unless of course he is recalling the stories over adult beverages with the guys who were there with him - in that case every syllable he speaks is truth, and it was probably even worse than he remembers!

I hope to write a bit more about the specifics of the course over the coming weeks and hopefully get back into some semi-regular posting as well. Thanks to any of you who are still checking in here - I appreciate your perseverance!

Spotty at best

2006-04-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

I'm making my attempt to get back into blogging at a rather inconvenient time, since over the next five months I am taking three weeks of leave, helping Jenny move to Korea, going to Ranger School, and finally moving myself to Korea. These activities (and the lack of internet access that accompanies them) will cause my already-sporadic blogging to get much more infrequent before I get any better.

Excuses aside, let me address a couple points in the comments below...jg holds that "Disinformation is the main focus of the MSM, certainly on Iraq, but chiefly on America in general."

While I agree that disinformation is quite prevalent, I'm not sure that I think it's the MSM's "main focus." I don't doubt that some of the most influential MSMers have an agenda, but I think that mostly the writers and talking heads are swept away in a rip tide of group-think.

In any environment where personal advancement is an individual's goal, the tendency to follow the path of least intellectual resistance is great. Most people in America are far more dedicated to personal advancement than to any ideology, and two arenas where this trend is especially pronounced are academia and the media, both of which lean decidedly to the left.

As far as anti-Americanism goes, I believe that, at least on the individual level, it stems from a lack of real, first hand knowledge of things American. Like other forms of racism, individual interaction and experience will dilute or completely erase it for anyone who cares enough to seek out the truth.

I do agree with Bookworm that constant hammering of a negative message (as with the war in Iraq) does have an effect, but I believe that Americans are far more resistant to that message than they were before we were attacked on our own soil.

Misunderestimated

2006-03-29T05:11:00.000-08:00

Again, in response to comments below I point out the conclusion to an excellent piece by Amir Taheri in the WSJ:

Those who have based their strategy on waiting Mr. Bush out may find to their cost that they have, once again, misread not only American politics but the realities of a world far more complex than it was even a decade ago. Mr. Bush may be a uniquely decisive, some might say reckless, leader. But a visitor to the U.S. soon finds out that he represents the American mood much more than the polls suggest.

The MSM has also misread the current situation here in the US - the momentum has shifted against them, and though they still hold enormous sway, their tide is ebbing. They are losing credibility by the day, and Americans have no reason to trust them again since we have so many more trustworthy, accurate, and intellectually honest sources to rely upon.

I make a point to withhold my support from all MSM outlets by refusing to watch or read them when at all possible, and I share my position with anyone with whom the topic comes up. Among my peers I have been very surprised by the number of people who share my views, which gives me much hope that the cause is anything but lost.

A few quick points

2006-03-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

An interesting comment on my last post makes me feel the need to clarify a couple things:

1) I'm pretty sure that the MSM is going to attack and misrepresent President Bush for the foreseeable future. However, when he speaks directly to the public either in speeches or in Q&A or interviews with the media he stands a better chance of getting his message across untainted than if he communicates only through press releases and spokesmen. I think he would do well to grant some interviews to bloggers and radio hosts (Hugh Hewitt maybe?) - they are some of his most intelligent supporters, and an exclusive with the president would go a long way toward legitimizing the medium.

2) The media cannot tear the country apart. People can tear the country apart, but the people of our country are far too lazy to do any such thing. The people of our country do not realize that we are a Nation at war. If they come to realize that we are at war they won't tear the country apart, they'll just tear their newspapers and TV sets apart and seek real news (and truth) elsewhere. We may not be far from such a day, but I fear that Americans would like nothing more than to be lulled back into daydreams of a 9/10 world and ignore the reality of Islamofacism.

3) I do not think the President should attack his opponents, but he certainly should hold them to the standard of truth. He should not accept false premises - he should set the record straight just as he did with Helen Thomas last week. Of course, as Commander in Chief, he must represent his political friends and foes alike, just as those of us in the military protect the rights of the protesters who abhor us. This doesn't mean that he has to let them get away with constant rejection of reality - our country is based upon objective truth and the rule of law, and he should be unapologetic about reminding his opponents of that fact.

Keep it coming

2006-03-21T18:58:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to some clips from the President's press conference - I was definitely encouraged. He needs to go VFR direct (to use a little pilot lingo) to the American people as often as he can. Here's the transcript, but listen to or watch it if you can.

Needed: term limits

2006-03-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

The San Diego Union Tribune points to the real spending problem - not pork, but entitlements.

But for at least 25 years, our leaders – Republican and Democrat alike – have seen the baby boomer entitlement crush coming and done nothing about it.

No real change will occur to fix Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid without term limits for members of Congress.

A mystery

2006-03-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

An AP article strikes me as odd:

Amazon.com Inc. said Monday it had modified the way its search engine handles queries for the term ''abortion'' after receiving an e-mail complaint that the results appeared biased.

Until the recent change, a user who visited the Seattle Internet retailer and typed in the word ''abortion'' received a prompt asking, ''Did you mean adoption?'' followed by search results for ''abortion.''

First, why would someone be upset if, after searching for the latest hardback bestsellers on abortion, an automatic question popped up asking if he had accidentally meant to search for adoption?

Also, do most multi-million dollar companies make such a change based upon "an email complaint"? (I can only assume "an" means one email)

Finally, why exactly would the AP find this story important enough to warrant an article?

Iraqi / Coalition Air Assault

2006-03-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

This story is huge:

U.S. forces and Iraqi troops launched what the military described as the largest air assault since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion Thursday, targeting insurgent strongholds north of the capital.

"More than 1,500 Iraqi and coalition troops [650 U.S. troops and more than 800 Iraqi soldiers], over 200 tactical vehicles, and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation," the military statement said.

Near the end of the first day of the operation, the military said a number of weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, bomb-making materials and military uniforms.

An air assault operation like this requires an immense amount of coordination and training, and the fact that Iraqi troops constitute the majority of the assault force is very impressive considering their limited training time. The Iraqi army is quickly becoming a seasoned fighting force.

More of the same

2006-03-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

The endless frustration of honest and well-meaning members of Congress (assuming, of course, that such a species exists) must be the overwhelming public ignorance of what actually happens or fails to happen in our Nation's capitol.
Political stunts seem to now be the norm, and the combination of a biased (and often blatantly dishonest) media and a largely intellectually lazy population ensures that Congressmen of a certain political stripe have no reason to fear exposure.
Senator Feingold's resolution for censure (CBS paints him as a hero) is today's example, as Feingold refuses to even debate the issue and the Democrats refuse a vote.

Means to an end

2006-03-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

David Warren draws a relevant comparison:
Mr Bush's commitment to spreading democracy was like Lincoln's commitment to extinguishing slavery -- not the key point, but necessary to the key point of recovering order. If Lincoln could have preserved the union, and it meant keeping slavery, he would have done that.
Ditto, if Mr Bush thought he could restore the status quo ante of a Middle East that was no threat to the West, without pushing democracy down anyone's throat, he would do that.

My time in Iraq proved to me the validity of Mark Steyn's words:
When history comes a-calling, you never have a choice between good or bad options. They're only between bad and much, much worse options.

Democracy and Islam my not be compatible, but until someone shows me a better, more realistic option I'll cast my lot with the Bush Doctrine.

Explaining what should be obvious

2006-03-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

Victor Davis Hanson:

For all the tragedy of our fallen in Iraq, if a constitutional government stabilizes in Baghdad, and liberalization follows in the surrounding region, then our losses will not be measured against the far lighter casualties suffered in Panama, Gulf War I, or Grenada, but against the far worse losses of Korea and World War II.

VDH brings an historian's perspective to our short-attention-span media cycle, and I try not to miss any of his columns.

Get serious.

2006-03-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

Investors' Business Daily calls the line item veto "Budget Tweezers"

According to an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, spending on the Big Three entitlements (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid) will go from 41% of the federal budget in 2000 to 65% in 2040, with overall federal spending rising from 18.4% to 23.8% of GDP.

President Bush and the GOP congress certainly cannot be labeled conservative if judged by their ridiculous spending record. With few exceptions, our representatives are career politicians, and that mindset almost eliminates any chances of cutting spending. Term limits is the only serious, long term spending solution.

Swift Justice

2006-03-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

Looks like our justice system could use a lesson from Iraq's not-yet-two-year-old government:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Iraqi government said 13 insurgents were hanged Thursday in the first executions of militants since capital punishment was reinstated in Iraq after the end of the U.S. occupation.
“The 13 terrorists were tried in different courts and their trials began in 2005 and ended earlier this year,” an official of the Supreme Judiciary Council said

Don't blame the media (but don't believe them either)

2006-03-08T05:38:00.000-08:00

Tony Blankley:
A nation cannot design (and maintain public support for) a rational response to the danger if the nature and extent of the danger is not identified, widely reported and comprehended.

The identification and comprehension of the danger is a personal responsibility for Americans, not the job of the media. To continue as a great nation, the people of our country must demonstrate commitment to truth that outweighs desire for comfort.

New comments

2005-04-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

After several requests I've finally installed Haloscan comments. I haven't taken the old ones off yet, mainly because I don't like messing with my template and I don't feel like trying to figure out how to get rid of them right now!

Anyway, I hope these will be easier to use and faster...

Please do something...

2005-04-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

I'm growing concerned that the Republicans in congress haven't learned anything from George Bush's political success. He's a leader, and he isn't afraid to take unpopular positions to get things done.

Glenn Renyolds posted this quotation: "I grow more and more convinced the Republican majority will end itself by 2006 if the Left will just shut up for five minutes."

I must say that I agree, and the guys at Powerline are on the case today:

The next election is a year and a half away. If the Republicans in the Senate aren't willing to buck the polls now, when will they be? And how can anyone think that a delay in pursuing the Constitutional option will cause the poll numbers to turn around? It won't. It will merely be perceived as blood in the water that causes the Democratic/media attacks to intensify.

Success breeds success, and weakness breeds more weakness. The Republicans have been voted into the majority. The greatest danger to them is not doing something that is temporarily unpopular; the greatest danger is being perceived as too weak to enact their agenda. That danger, I am afraid, is upon us.

I won't get into it right now, but I have a feeling that term limits would do lots of good in getting the republicans out of their scared, carreer politician mindsets.

A lost cause

2005-04-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

Worldmagblog points out William Raspberry's piece in yesterday's San Diego Union Tribune, Is Fox News promoting media bias?

I don't watch Fox News (or any TV news at all) so I'm anything but authoritative on this matter, but Raspberry is partially correct.

Raspberry claims that Fox's biased programming has two dangerous effects:

The first is that the popularity of the approach – Fox is clobbering its direct competition (CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, etc.) – leads other cable broadcasters to mimic it, which in turn debases the quality of the news available to that segment of the TV audience.

The second, far more dangerous, effect is that it threatens to destroy public confidence in all news.

That last, I admit, is more fear than prediction, but let me tell you what produces that fear. Fox News Channel – though the people who run the operation are at great pains to insist otherwise – is deliberately partisan. It is as though right-wing talk radio has metastasized into cable and assumed a new virulence.

As for his first point, he may be right that the opposing views will drive each other toward the right and left fringes, but Fox certainly has legitimate claim to the grade school argument "he started it!" There would have been no market for Fox had the other networks not already disenfranchised so many viewers.

I think his second point is further along than he believes. I have had no confidence in TV news for years. It's just entertainment, as the ridiculous coverage of election day 2004 goes to show (remember how none of the networks would call the election for Bush, and each picked their states carefully to keep us all hanging on through the next commercial break?)

People who are seeking the truth and not just clever soundbites will choose their sources carefully, and will also become adept at separating fact from bias.

Raspberry's idea that bias and the loss of credibility of TV news is FNC's fault is ludicrous - Fox isn't helping the situation, but the other networks lost credibility long before Fox came along.

If you're serious about finding truth and aren't interested in sorting through the BS to get to it, I must recommend that you turn off the TV.

Learning something new

2005-04-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Being a protestant, I have never learned much about, nor paid special attention to the pope. However, I have tried to read up on the subject in the past couple of weeks.

According to Captain Ed, Benedict XVI seems to be a good choice, and from reading only some of his first remarks I am impressed with his humility:

"Dear brothers and sisters, after our great pope, John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in God's vineyard," according to a translation of remarks he made in Italian. "I am consoled by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and how to act, even with insufficient tools, and I especially trust in your prayers.

"In the joy of the resurrected Lord, trustful of his permanent help, we go ahead, sure that God will help. And Mary, his most beloved mother, stands on our side."

I'll continue my research, and if anyone has any applicable links I'd appreciate the help.

Update: Hugh Hewitt has some excellent links.

Learning to blog again

2005-04-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Blogging definitely isn't like riding a bike.

I've been out of the news cycle for awhile now, and it's tough to jump back in...especially since I don't have as much time as I did in Iraq. It sounds strange, but back here at home I have so much other stuff going on that I don't have nearly the time I did in Baghdad; I just need to learn how to fit blogging back into my schedule.

Anyway, I have put up a couple of posts at Cord of Three, and I'm reading other blogs to get back into the swing of things. If you didn't catch this post over at Powerline, it's quick and worth your time - some encouraging stats on the real situation on the ground in Iraq.

Policies to watch

2005-04-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Drudge links to an AP story on a South Korean crackdown on online pornography.

Since January, the main prosecutor's office in Seoul has issued arrest warrants for about 100 people charged with spreading obscene material under South Korea's telecommunications law, a crime carrying penalties of up to a year in jail or a nearly $10,000 fine.

Later in the article, an interesting statistic and a disturbing trend:

In a country where more than 70 percent of homes have high-speed Internet connections, access to cyberporn is easy.

That means traditional taboos in Korea's conservative, Confucian-based society have quickly shattered, said Lee Mee-sook, a sociology professor at Paichai University in the central city of Daejeon.

"The code of ethics became weak, and people started satisfying their sexual desires through the Internet - anonymously," she said.

Also, South Korea already has a national ID card, and they’re not just using it to control immigration:

Many Korean Web sites require users to enter their national identification card numbers to confirm their age to access adult content. But tech-savvy children can use programs to create false numbers or simply use their parents' IDs instead.

And lastly, the interesting concept of limited free speech:

South Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but contains the caveat that such expression should neither "violate the honor or rights of other persons nor undermine public morals or social ethics."

I’ll pay a little more attention to articles from South Korea from now on - the results of their efforts will be fascinating I’m sure.

False Alarm

2005-04-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

At first I thought this story might be a harbinger of some semblance of personal responsibility returning to our lawsuit crazed society, but I was mistaken. It appears that the woman was probably just lying.

She originally claimed to have found a human finger in her Wendy’s chili. She hasn’t backed away from her claim, but she has now decided not to sue the restaurant.

These paragraphs are telling:

Court records show Ayala has a history of making claims against corporations, including a former employer, General Motors and a fast-food restaurant. She acknowledged getting a settlement several years ago after her daughter was sickened at a Las Vegas restaurant.

''Lies, lies, lies, that's all I am hearing,'' she said last week after her home was searched last week by police. ''They should look at Wendy's. What are they hiding? Why are we being victimized again and again?''

I don’t know all the facts on this case, and perhaps I’m jumping to conclusions, but had this woman actually found a finger in her chili, it wouldn’t take an all-star lawyer to get her a hefty settlement with Wendy’s. Instead, she’s backing down because the process thus far has ''been very difficult for her emotionally.''

Give me a break.

Had she actually found a finger in her meal, gotten deathly sick and spent a week in the hospital I’d say go ahead and sue Wendy’s. However, what basis has she to sue just for finding a finger and suffering nothing but some sort of vague emotional harm?

Dogface please

2005-04-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

I’ve never liked the labels ‘dog person’ or ‘cat person.’

I like both cats and dogs, and they both serve perfectly legitimate purposes, but if I have to choose a label I’m definitely a dog guy.

Callimachus points out a funny (if slightly profane) post on cats and dogs of which I’ll excerpt just a bit:

Dogface can not only warn you of intruders in an unmistakable aural way, but he can also scare them away, and if that fails, he can actually wound them. Good boy, Dogface. Dogface can live outside comfortably - and that's where all his dander and fur and dirt will blow away, rather than on your furniture. Added bonus: that's also where he will defecate. Instead of, you know, in a box inside your house. Because that would be gross.

Dogface can be trained to help blind people, handicapped people, epileptics, firemen, policemen, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the border patrol, military troops, and terminally ill hospice residents. To mention a few. Dogface can be trained to call medics on a freaking telephone. Which he can be trained to do in response to realizing his owner is getting ready to have a seizure. Which he can detect in some way that humans can't even determine.

Catface, on the other hand, can detect his fellow cats' fresh vomit, which he'll have as a snack. And that's about it. Cats have the personality of toenail clippings. I've had about 10 cats in my lifetime, and I dearly loved each one of them. I was a full-fledged "cat person", and I spent many hours talking to and about my cats. But now that I've spent a few years with dogs, good grief. It's like comparing dolphins to jellyfish.

Too funny.

A few quick links

2005-04-12T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hugh Hewitt points out This one will run, a good read for any other runners out there.

Glenn Reynolds is onto an interesting topic - IM in class.

Bookworm has some good observations on one of her favorite topics - one that is very prevalent in the Army - obsessive swearing. She’s right on in calling it mental laziness.

GotDesign has a sweet new look.

And I have no idea if this is true, but Bunnie Deihl says that Idaho is considering a bill "commending Jared and Jerusha Hess and the City of Preston for the production of the movie Napoleon Dynamite."

For anyone who hasn’t seen it, you need to order the DVD today...it’s that funny.

Playin' catch up

2005-04-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, I guess it really has been awhile since I posted anything...

Anyway, Jennyjo arrived safely on March 15th, and the days since then have been much more enjoyable than the previous 400 or so!

I haven't done very well keeping up with the news (no TV or internet at home will do that to you...) but I know that I've missed out on some great discussion, especially on the Terri Schiavo case.

My free time has been mainly consumed with yard work (a neglected quarter acre is no cake walk), repairing long-sitting automobiles (my newest model is an '88 Volvo wagon...gotta love it!), catching up with friends, and finally spending some time with my beautiful wife.

I've certainly missed the dialogue here at beef, and I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone...it'll probably take me some time to really get back in the swing of things, so please bear with me.

btw, wireless internet is pretty much the coolest thing ever. I'm not sure how much my roadrunner bill will be, but whatever it is, it's worth it!

Back in the saddle

2005-04-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

ok, I think I'm actually back now.

The new laptop arrived (Dell Inspiron 2200), the cable guy showed up to hook up the internet, and the wireless router is actually working...I have no excuse for not blogging!

It's late and tomorrow is an early day, but I have a lot to catch up on...starting tomorrow...if anyone is still bothering to check this neglected blog...

seeya soon!

Long time, no blog

2005-03-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

My apologies for the lack of posts lately. I don’t have internet at my house yet, and have not been able to keep up with the news lately due busy days at work and lots of unfinished (and many unstarted) projects at home.

Hopefully I’ll be able to remedy the situation soon, as the news from the Middle East is coming fast and furious.

Powerline has a great post with a photo of Iraqis demonstrating against terrorism in Hillah, and Mark Steyn is very optimistic in his piece “The Arabs’ Berlin Wall has crumbled.”

In more personal news, I just heard from my beautiful wife, and she made it to Kuwait safely. We’re not sure when she’ll be headed home, but for now I’m just happy to have her out of Baghdad!

Stand and Fight

2005-02-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

David Ignatius writes an excellent piece in today’s Washington Post, “Our guys stayed and fought.”

He looks at the relationship between Iraqi General Adnan Thabit, the leader of the Special Police Commandos, and Colonel James Coffman, a US Army Special Forces officer.

The quality of personal relationships at the lowest levels determines the lasting success of almost any undertaking, and Ignatius’ article illustrates specifically how these relationships will make the crucial difference in Iraq.

Leaders are vitally important there, and they must succeed in two main areas in order to be successful. Their plans and orders must be sound, and their relationships with subordinates must set the example for how their subordinates treat those under their charge.

These two leadership characteristics are applicable throughout the entire chain of command, from private to general, and significant lack in either area at any level will doom the operation to failure.

In this light, the importance of the American Soldier becomes obvious. Perfect plans and an ideal chain of command will fail if individual Soldiers do not treat Iraqis with respect. This situation is highly unlikely, because Soldiers tend to follow the example of those appointed over them, but it shows the importance of cultivating a society where individuals have an innate respect for life.

Over an extended period of time, Colonel Coffman convinced General Adnan of his respect and good intentions. He did not try to convince Adnan to change his mind about the American occupation, just about himself:

Despite the initial rebuff, Coffman kept returning each afternoon to pay his respects to Gen. Adnan. The two soldiers gradually became friendly, and Coffman began providing supplies and some training help.

The ensuing relationship is extraordinary, and its results have bolstered our efforts substantially.

Ignatius also provides a quote from Adnan that illustrates what I have long felt and recently experienced: Iraqis are ordinary people. Their culture is different from ours, and like any foreign culture, it is impossible for an outsider to truly understand it. However, the sectarian divides, which seem so impassable from our side of the globe, are not universally accepted, and citizens who desire personal freedom and a quiet life will overcome them.

"I don't care who's Shia, who's Sunni. I want only a good soldier who will fight for his country. I don't want anyone to ask that question, Sunni or Shia. We are all officers."

Ignatius’ closing paragraphs again point to how a personal relationship enabled success on the battlefield:

The Iraqi general looks over at his American adviser and says he's a brave soldier. "In the Mosul battle, he stood shoulder to shoulder with my men." It's obvious he could not pay a higher compliment.

Relationships like this one take time to cultivate, but they are the only way to achieve lasting change.

Tough Questions

2005-02-24T21:34:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of The American Conservative includes Pat Buchanan’s piece, “The Anti-Conservatives.”

He lays into President Bush for what Buchanan calls his “worldwide crusade,” and rides him especially hard for his most recent State of the Union address.

Here’s Buchanan’s first point:

A conservative knows not whether to laugh or weep, for Mr. Bush has just asserted a right to interfere in the internal affairs of every nation on earth. Why? Because the “survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands.” But this is utterly ahistorical. The world has always been afflicted with despots. Yet America has always been free. And we have remained free by following the counsel of Washington, Jefferson, and Adams and staying out of foreign quarrels and foreign wars.

What Buchanan fails to recognize is that our enemies are different, and their tactics have changed. In the time of Washington, Jefferson, and Adams, global travel was not easily accessible to the masses, and no known weapons gave a tiny group of individuals the power to murder millions.

The President is absolutely correct to assert that the “survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands.” He does not claim that we cannot be free unless all other nations are free – such a claim would fit Buchanan’s description: nonsense. President Bush is simply pointing out a fact that seems self-evident to me (especially in light of 9-11): expanding globalization means that a few America-haters can wreak havoc on our country, even with limited technology and resources.

Buchanan calls the President’s current plan a “prescription for endless war.” He then quotes Madison, “No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”

Though I doubt it, he may be correct. However, the alternative is worse: a prescription for endless fear.

(on a side note, as long as the factories are turning out H2s with leather seats and Bose stereos instead of HMMWVs with armor plated doors and .50 caliber machine guns you’ll have a hard time convincing me that America is truly at war, but that’s a different conversation)

As I see it, our options are either restricting our freedom to passively protect Americans from those who would do us harm, or conducting operations to destroy said enemies. Currently we are operating on the spectrum between all-out war and complete passivity and isolationism, and I think we’re in an acceptable position.

<>When faced with the choice between fear and prolonged war for the cause of freedom, I’ll quote another famous American, Patrick Henry: “Give me liberty, or give me death.”

I have much more beef with Buchanan’s argument, but it’ll have to wait, as my time is short, and I have miles to go before I sleep.

Watch the money trail

2005-02-23T22:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Toni for linking to an in-depth article on the connection between Race for the Cure and Planned Parenthood.

My beautiful wife first informed me of the link between abortion and breast cancer when I suggested that we run in a local Race for the Cure, and since then I’ve been much more careful in investigating the charities we support.

Most people involved in such a large organization are doubtlessly true supporters of the cause and not motivated by a political agenda, but a few bad apples will certainly spoil the whole bunch.

Counting my blessings

2005-02-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

Roger Simon points out a BBC article of particular interest: “Iran jails blogger for 14 years.”

Iranian authorities have recently clamped down on the growing popularity of weblogs, restricting access to major blogging sites from within Iran.

The First Amendment is such an ingrained part of my life that I have trouble imagining a place where it does not exist. However, a large percentage of the world’s population has no such protection.

The article concludes with this:

"The eyes of 8 million bloggers are going to be more focused on Iran since Sigarchi's sentence, not less.

"The mullahs won't be able to make a move without it be spread across the blogosphere."

Americans are a blessed people, and our prayers should be with those to whom blogging isn’t just a pastime, but their only venue for self-expression - one which their government is attempting to destroy.

“Water will win this war.”

2005-02-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

RealClearPolitics points out a feature in yesterday’s NYTimes on MG Chiarelli, Commanding General of the First Cavalry Division: “Tears of Pride, and Loss, as General Leaves Iraq.”

I’ve met General Chiarelli on several occasions, and my beautiful wife received a commander’s coin from him in recognition of her work with the Commander’s Emergency Relief Program during the last year in Baghdad. He strikes me a good leader and a caring man, and I think the article portrays him in that light as well.

Chiarelli makes an excellent point about how we will achieve peace in Iraq:

For the general, building infrastructure plays as big a role in the battle for Iraq as any operation. He cites the example of Sadr City, the seething Shiite district of Baghdad where violence boiled last year. The area, where the First Cavalry Division has put enormous efforts into bringing water into homes, is now calm.

To what degree this quiet is due to the arrival of water – “Did I ever think I would be excited to see a woman turn on a tap?” General Chiarelli asks – and to what degree it reflects the political containment of Moktada al-Sadr, the radical cleric influential in the area, is unclear. But the general says he believes water will win this war.

“Take Haifa Street,” he says referring to a main Baghdad thoroughfare. “We are turning people to our side there. We are moving southeast to northwest and we are improving electricity, sewerage and water. And as we go, the bad guys move back, and we find more and more people denouncing them.”

He’s absolutely right that improving the everyday lives of the Iraqi people is what will make the difference for us. If people’s lives are improving, they have no reason to side with the insurgents. The elections were a major factor in improving their lives, but water, electricity, and employment are what will make the turning tide irreversible.

A step in the right direction

2005-02-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being a poor blogger lately. My blogging has suffered due to many other duties that arise upon returning to a house and cars after 13 months absence.

I’ve got the cars running again (no small feat when the youngest in the fleet is a 1988 Volvo with 154,000 miles) and the mess in the house is almost under control, so I’m rewarding myself with a post or two tonight.

I haven’t been able to access my gmail in several days either, so I’m sorry if any of you have had messages go unanswered. I’ll get up to speed again a soon as I can.

Anyway, Jeff Jacoby’s “Terminate the gerrymander” is worth a read. He touches on Arnold’s attempt to end gerrymandering in California in time for the next election, which is a noble goal indeed.

A quick teaser:

The deepest and unhealthiest divide in American politics is not the one that separates Republicans from Democrats or conservatives from liberals. It is the gulf between Insiders and Outsiders -- between the incumbents who treat public office as private property and the increasingly neutered electorate in whose name they claim to act.
- - -
The incumbent-protection racket takes many forms, from high ballot-access hurdles to onerous campaign-finance rules. But nothing does more to turn elections into shams than gerrymandering -- mapping congressional and legislative districts so that they become wholly-owned subsidiaries of one political party.

I’m all for making government as transparent as possible, and an end to gerrymandering sounds like it would certainly advance that end.

Like term limits, such a measure is sure to be difficult to get past the politicians, as it would redistribute power, giving more to those who should have it in the first place.

Ownership Society

2005-02-17T19:58:00.000-08:00

I think the idea of pushing for an “ownership society” is one of Bush’s best, so I was glad to see this from Reuters: 'Ownership' Key Soc. Sec. Goal – Greenspan

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan embraced President Bush's vision of an ``ownership society'' on Thursday, saying private Social Security accounts could foster feelings of wealth among poor Americans.

A bit more of what he said:

``It's crucial to our stability that people all have a stake in this system,'' he said. ``I don't perceive that Social Security is conceived that way and I think it is very important to people to have a sense of ownership.''

The last word in the article went to a detractor:

``I do have to express skepticism that telling workers losing their jobs ... 'Do not despair. Private accounts are coming' will be less a morale booster than I think you implied,'' said Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat.

Frank’s condescension disgusts me.

I don’t need help from any Massachusetts politicians (or any other for that matter) in getting or keeping a job or saving for retirement, and I certainly am not relying on them for a “morale boost.”

Endless possibilities

2005-02-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Instapundit points this one out: Exclusive: NASA Researchers Claim Evidence of Present Life on Mars

A pair of NASA scientists told a group of space officials at a private meeting here Sunday that they have found strong evidence that life may exist today on Mars, hidden away in caves and sustained by pockets of water.

More details:

What Stoker and Lemke have found, according to several attendees of the private meeting, is not direct proof of life on Mars, but methane signatures and other signs of possible biological activity remarkably similar to those recently discovered in caves here on Earth.

The topic of life on places other than Earth blows me away. I never really thought much about it until reading C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, and since then I’ve been fascinated.

The universe in which we live is unsearchably expansive, and that fact alone is enough to lead me to believe that life elsewhere is very possible, if not probable.

Still not appeased?

2005-02-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

Maybe the French are learning how not to defeat terrorists. The AP reports: “Officials: Militants Targeted Eiffel Tower.”

According to judicial officials, the three men said among the targets was the veritable symbol of France, the Eiffel Tower. Also targeted were a clothing store in the central Paris district of Les Halles, which is a commuter link packed with people, Israeli interests and police stations, officials said.

I doubt that France will be deploying any divisions to Iraq any time soon (nor am I sure that we would welcome their help), but maybe they’ll be a little more cooperative as it becomes apparent that showing weakness will only encourage the terrorists and that appeasement isn’t a real option.

The right reasons

2005-02-16T19:31:00.000-08:00

Instapundit points out some interesting news on a topic we’ve discussed before:

Red light camera programs in at least 19 cities across the country are likely to be shut down this year following actions taken by courts and legislatures in the past two weeks.

The main reason for shutting the program down isn’t the fear of big brother though:

Following a state Dept. of Transportation study showing red light cameras increased overall injury accidents, a Virginia House of Delegates committee killed legislation required to continue camera usage in the state by a 15-6 vote.

The purpose of traffic laws is to make the streets safer, so if the cameras are having the opposite effect they should go.

The low down

2005-02-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

For anyone interested, I put up a lengthy post (including photos) covering the last few eventful days of travel at Cord of Three.

I have quite a bit to take care of here at home, and I have a lot of news to catch up on, but I expect to get back to blogging shortly...many thanks to all of you for sticking around and checking in here. I'll do my best to get a couple posts up later today!

Back in the USA...

2005-02-15T19:56:00.000-08:00

...and it sure feels good.

It's hard to believe I'm back, but as I write I'm sitting in my home in beautiful Harker Heights, Texas instead of Saddam's Al-Faw palace...I'll take my 2,000 sqft over his 200,000 sqft anyday!

Thanks to all of you who have sent prayers and encouraging comments. I really appreciate your support, and please keep it up...we've still got lots of Soldiers who need it.

I have some photos to post, along with details of the trip, and hopefully it'll be back to the regularly scheduled programming here shortly.

Greetings from Camp Doha

2005-02-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well, we've made it to Kuwait with no incidents and no major delays...internet time is at a premium here though, so I'll have to keep it short!

Manifest for our flight home begins late tonite, and we should be home about 24 hours later...the process is always painful (with customs inspections, long waits in uncomfortable bleachers, long waits in uncomfortable buses, long trips once those uncomfortable buses actually start moving, long waits once the buses stop but before you can get out, layovers in strange airports with Soldiers 10 deep behind every phone and toilet, etc...), but the result is very nice!

As is usually the case here in Kuwait, I've run into several friends either headed in or racing me home - the Army is small like that.

I'll post again when I can, and it'll most likely be from beautiful Fort Hood, TX (I never thought I'd use that phrase!)

Warning signs

2005-02-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here's another AP headline that caught my eye: "Seattle Mandates Recycling."

So the City Council passed a mandatory recycling law that took effect Jan. 1, but penalties won't be enforced until next year.

Starting in 2006, people in single-family homes won't get their trash picked up if they dump ``significant amounts'' of recyclables in their trash, defined by the city as more than 10 percent by volume. Owners of apartments, condominiums and businesses will face $50 fines.

I'm immediately skeptical, because this just seems like another government intrusion. However, I believe that "reduce, reuse, recycle" is part of good stewardship of the environment.

I don't know if there are any private garbage collection companies in Seattle, or whether they will be subject to inspections. If so, the new law is quite likely to increase their operating costs significantly, which could certainly end up giving the government owned collectors a near monopoly -- certainly speculation, but something worth considering.

I'd also be interested in who owns the recycling plants, and, if they're government owned, how efficient they are. The tax-payer burden may well outweigh the environmental benefit.

Recycling is a worthy cause, but from what I've see it's rarely economically beneficial (thus it must be government sponsored.) Any government enterprise that can't pay for itself is destined to be a money pit and should be subject to much scrutiny before approval.

I could be way off on this one, because I haven't researched any recycling statistics, so if someone is a recycling guru, please let me know!

As long as initiatives like this stay at the city level, I'm really not too worried about them. When they get past the local level, we'll definitely have cause for concern.

And they call Americans brutish?

2005-02-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

The AP reports, "Stampede at Opening of London IKEA Store."

A man was stabbed and five other people were taken to hospital after thousands of customers caused a stampede at the midnight opening of a new IKEA furniture store in north London, British authorities said Thursday. The Swedish retailer expressed regret at the incident.

Some 6,000 people flocked to the Swedish furniture store, which had been offering special bargains including leather sofas for $84.

``It was extraordinary and to a certain extent unexpected,'' Bird told British Broadcasting Corp. radio. ``There were crush injuries and people suffering from shock from the pushing and shoving.''

Those Europeans are so debonair.

Allowance? Maybe not.

2005-02-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

With "Take care of yourself," Cal Thomas address what is probably the root cause of the most serious ailment affecting our country - the entitlement mentality.

Most children expect to leave home and lead independent lives. Most parents expect them to do so. But government is the omniscient (not to mention omnipotent and omnipresent) parent that never kicks out the "children" no matter how old they get. Too many of the "kids" think it perfectly normal to have a permanent "allowance" and take no responsibility for their own lives or retirement.

Like many of society's problems, this one is caused in great part by poor parenting. I won't suggest that a nation of Ward and June Cleavers would be free of all governmental woes, but a strong nation cannot be built without strong families as its foundation.

The whole article is worth your time, but in case you don't get to it, at least check out these numbers:

A $5,000 one-time tax-deferred investment at birth, with an average interest rate of 10 percent compounded, means that a child would have $2.4 million when he or she is 65 years old.

Makes me wish I had gotten my Roth IRA started a little earlier.

Eye on Iraq

2005-02-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

I just got another Eye on Iraq special edition with some great voter photos. This will be the last Eye on Iraq I'll send from Baghdad (unless the Army flips the script on me in the next 48 hours!) If you're not yet on the distro and want to get in on the action, shoot me an email at beefalwayswins-at-gmail.com.

Blogging will be light over the next week or two, as I'll be redeploying. I'll try to get some photos up from the trip home, but I'm not sure when I'll have full internet access again.

I should be able to post tomorrow, but after that it'll be touch and go.

I sure appreciate all of your prayers and support during my time here, and please remember all the Soldiers still here (including my beautiful wife).

On their 404th day in country - 2 days before we're scheduled to leave - some of the guys I work with got shot up this afternoon. Thankfully, no one was injured, but their humvees aren't too pretty anymore. (not that they ever were!)

Despite all our progress, Iraq is still a pretty dangerous place to be, and as some of us rotate out, we remember what it felt like to rotate in.

Please do remember all the incoming troops and their families in your prayers, as well as the families of the Soldiers who came here with us, but aren't headed home. Their sacrifice is almost too much to comprehend, but were it not for their continuation of the American heritage of selfless service, the rest of us would not be free to enjoy the liberty that makes ours the greatest Nation in the world.

Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

The American and Coalition service members who have died here are patriots, as are the members of the Iraqi Security Forces who have been killed in their country's first days of freedom.

As a result of their efforts, the determination and perseverance of a great president, and the unrelenting support of the American people, the tree of liberty has taken root in a place many believed to be hopelessly barren - the heart of the Middle East.

Update: Thanks to Wes Roth for a top-of-the-stack link...if Wes isn't one of your first stops, you're missing out.

A little progress

2005-02-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

The AP reports, "Mosque Founder Ordered Deported From U.S."

A leading fund-raiser for an Islamic charity with alleged links to the Palestinian militant group Hamas was ordered deported Tuesday.

An immigration judge ruled that Abdel-Jabbar Hamdan, 44, should have known that his work for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development provided support for the group.

``Our laws prohibit aliens who are living here as our guests to use this country as a base to advocate terrorism or raise money for terrorist causes,'' said John Salter, Los Angeles chief counsel for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Hopefully we'll see more cases like this one. These terror-charities have got to go.

Longtail Chatter

2005-02-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

Anne points new rules for military families - they can now escort their Soldiers to the gate at the airport, and wait at the gate when their flights arrive. Just in time!

Bookworm comments on Dennis Prager's latest.

Toni posts some interesting federal budget numbers.

Captain Ed (ok, so he's not really considered longtail) has some more thoughts on Sistani and Islamic law in Iraq.

Don't believe the hype

2005-02-08T15:36:00.000-08:00

A headline in yesterday's Arab News worried me a bit: "Sistani Wants Islam to Be Sole Source of Legislation "

The article didn't allay my fears:

Iraq’s Shiite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani and another top cleric yesterday demanded that Islam be the sole source of legislation in the country’s new constitution.

A source close to Sistani announced soon after the release of the statement that the leader backed the demand. “We warn officials against a separation of the state and religion, because this is completely rejected by the ulema and Marja and we will accept no compromise on this question,” said Ibrahimi.

Something about this one just didn't seem right. I know a (very) little bit about Sistani, and didn't expect to see him leading the charge to turn Iraq into another Iran.

I emailed an Iraqi-born friend of mine about the article, and in speaking with him later in the day I remembered that the Arab press is much like the American press - you can't trust them.

Here's the gist of his reply to my email:

Well, Iraq is a Muslim nation but not an Islamic nation; this does not mean that Iraq will be have an Iranian style government, Sistani believes in secular democratic Iraq, the foundations of most constitutions

In the free world came from the holly book of (Christians) because of the majority of the populations in the free world are Christians, in Iraq which is the first free nation in Islamic world, the law and constitution will be writing according to the Muslim Holy book and that because of the majority in Iraq are Muslims, but that does not mean that other religions has follow Islamic law in everything especially the legal issues with marriage, death, and religious practices,

I think the media added some flavor on it.

I guess all this is just to say that most Iraqi Muslims don't want Sharia rule any more than most American Christians would want Jerry Falwell writing our constitution.

If the media (both Arab and American) can't keep the people from voting, they'll try the next best thing - trying to scare us with the results.

Not a zero-sum equation

2005-02-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

Dennis Prager's "The case for Judeo-Christian values: Part IV" is based on this premise:

Only if there is a God who created man is man worth anything beyond the chemicals of which he is composed.

And his piece begins with this question:

Would you first save the dog you love or a stranger if both were drowning?

He points out that an increasingly substantial number of Americans would choose their dog, and he gives two main reasons why he believes this to be the case:

-with the denial of the authority of higher values such as biblical teachings, people increasingly make moral decisions on the basis of how they feel.

-secular values provide no basis for elevating human worth over that of an animal.

His article is excellent, because it carries modern thought through to its logical conclusion - an exercise which should be undertaken more often.

He brings up another interesting topic in his conclusion:

[I]f man was not created by God, the human being is mere stellar dust -- and will come to be regarded as such. Moreover, people are merely the products of random chance, no more designed than a sand grain formed by water erosion. That is what the creationism-evolution battle is ultimately about -- human worth. One does not have to agree with creationists or deny all evolutionary evidence to understand that the way evolution is taught, man is rendered a pointless product of random forces -- unworthy of being saved before one's hamster.

Such devaluation of humans must be overcome for ours to become a culture of life. To place great value on human life (of all ages) does not decrease the value of other life such as animals and plants. Instead, I would argue that one who places inestimable value on human life would also highly value other life because of its evident and inherent similarity.

Update: Due to some sloppy blogging, I didn't post the link to the article...I just fixed it. Sorry about that.

Taking nothing for granted

2005-02-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

At Done with Mirrors, Callimachus has a very interesting (and somewhat disturbing) post, "The Google Game."

In it, he outlines the reasons he has for suspecting that Google's programmers may not be completely fair in their listings, nor completely honest.

His experiences are eye opening to say the least. The lesson for me is to never assume that a seemingly neutral source, such as Google, actually operates on fair and reasonable grounds and produces reliable and consistent results.

Words matter

2005-02-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

In his column, "The impotent insurgents," Jack Kelly writes on the growing desperation of the terrorists in Iraq, showcased by the GI Joe incident and how the MSM has been a reliable ally to the terrorists by spouting their party line and staying mum on issues like Eason's Fables.

He includes some stats that beg for attention, and makes an excellent point on one of the media's favorite terms - "insurgents."

Eight suicide bombers killed 36 Iraqis besides themselves. Of these, seven were foreigners (six Saudis and a Sudanese). The only Iraqi suicide bomber was a child suffering from Down syndrome. That is, as the Iraqi writer Nibras Kazimi put it, "eight against 8 million." And on what basis, one might ask, do the media call seven foreign terrorists "insurgents"?

The child he mentions was actually detonated by remote control, which hardly makes him a suicide bomber - more like a hostage used as a tool by sadistic thugs.

The day after the election, Roger Simon pointed out that the term "insurgent" was no longer applicable. I would question whether it was ever applicable to foreign fighters in Iraq; they are better described as Islamofascist mercenaries or crusaders.

Lest we forget

2005-02-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, it's been awhile since we've seen a beheading video or any similar reminder of the brutality of our Islamofascist enemies, but that doesn’t mean they've changed their tune.

The AP reports, "Islamic Radicals Hunt Barbers in Baghdad."

Umm Ali says militants killed her son last month for the most unlikely of reasons: He trims men's beards.

In Baghdad's Dora neighborhood, residents say Sunni Muslim extremists have made barbers the new hunted, accusing them of violating a strict reading of Islamic teachings that say men should keep their beards long.

Some extremists also consider Western-style haircuts an offensive symbol of the hated, secularized culture of Europe and the United States.

To them, sporting a clipped beard or a modern haircut is an infraction worthy of death.

These radicals cannot be reasoned with, nor dealt with by a peacekeeping force in baby-blue helmets. They must be rooted out and killed - a task which will engage our Soldiers, Marines, and the Iraqi Security Forces for a long time to come.

Eye on Iraq

2005-02-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

I just got 2 special Eye on Iraq newsletters with lots of election photos. Here are a couple of them:

These photos are good antidote for the "it wasn't worth it" crowd.

Send me an email with "Eye on Iraq" in the subject line if you'd like to be added to the distro list. beefalwayswins-at-gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!

2005-02-05T20:01:00.000-08:00

Wow. I just checked my TTLB stats, and you guys have pushed me into the top 500 in the traffic rankings....number 461.

I suspect it has something to do with a couple links from Captain Ed last week. In any event, I appreciate you all taking time to stop by, read, and comment.

Removing a speck

2005-02-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer draws my attention with this headline: "You got WHAT pierced?! Washington could rein in freedom to pierce."

Senator Pam Roach is sponsoring the bill:

Almost a decade ago, she helped pass a law that makes it a misdemeanor to tattoo minors under the age of 18. Under the proposed piercing bill, it would also be a misdemeanor to pierce people younger than 18 unless their parents give permission and are present when the piercing occurs. The latter, the senator said, almost guarantees that teens won't be getting pierced in, well, inappropriate places.

Currently, the state of Washington does not require parental consent or even parental notification for teenaged girls to get an abortion.

Sure, you may regret a piercing or a tattoo a few years down the road, but is either likely to cause serious emotional damage? Does a tattoo or a piercing inevitably result in the death of another human being?

I might support Senator Roach's bill, but the lack of prioritization here is illogical.

It's like making parents accompany their kids to purchase a pocket knife, while the local gun shop will sell a teen an uzi, no questions asked.

Slow and steady? (ok, maybe just slow)

2005-02-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

Ha! The Arab News posts this cartoon, which aptly characterizes the UN in most everything:

Dutch flag prohibited in schools

2005-02-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Wes Roth points out a commenter at LGF, who posts a summary of a Dutch article with some disturbing news: the Dutch have banned their own flag in schools for fear of offending immigrants.

My Dutch is pretty rusty, so I ran the article through an online translator, and the LGF commenter seems to be accurate. I'm sure some details were lost in translation, but the gist of the article appears to be true.

Here's the summary from LGF (as posted):

In the Netherlands the national flag is now banned on most schools. If a student wears the national flag of his own country he will be suspended or expelled from school. The reason for this is that this provokes the immigrants (the muslims) and therefore it is considered discrimination if you wear your country's flag in your own country. Even people who have an bumpersticker whit the flag on their car are harassed and called a facist by the Muslims. Most schools also ban certain clothing like the Lonsdale brand and combat boots with white or red laces. This is also concidered a sign of racism. There are of course no restrictions for the immigrants on clothing.

When politicians are so intimidated by a minority of their citizens (or illegal immigrants) that they ban the symbol of their own country, that country has reason to be very afraid.

Update: The link on the Roth Report is actually to Hyscience, which links to Dhimmi Watch, which links to LGF. My bad.

Sunny day and a fine aircraft

2005-02-04T16:59:00.000-08:00

Rain in the morning has given way to a beautiful afternoon, and I couldn't resist snapping this photo of a UH-60 flying past a mosque here in Baghdad:

I think I'm enjoying the weather even more now that I'm under a week to go here!

Ownership Society

2005-02-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

The biggest single factor, which will make or break our efforts here in Iraq, is whether or not Iraqis will step up and take personal responsibility for their country and their future.

The election turnout leads me to believe that I am not naïve in clinging to my optimism that they will do so, and a story posted on Free Iraqi makes me even more confident in the people of Iraq:

Citizens of Al Mudhiryiah (a small town in the "death triangle") were subjected to an attack by several militants today who were trying to punish the residents of this small town for voting in the election last Sunday.

The citizens responded and managed to stop the attack, kill 5 of the attackers, wounded 8 and burned their cars.

3 citizens were injured during the fire exchange.

I'm not always an advocate of vigilante justice, but I'd sure rather see reactions like this one than scared citizens huddled in their homes, hoping that the terrorists won't pick their house.

The successful election has made the people of Iraq more willing to get off the fence and openly oppose the terrorists.

This story is huge. I'm glad to see it's getting some exposure, and I won't be at all surprised to see more and more like it.

(ht Powerline)

Update: I read about this horrible incident a couple days ago, but haven't yet pointed it out - this is no "popular" insurgency. Thanks to Roger Simon for pointing it out again.

UpdateII: Rummy is optimistic too:

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told reporters at a Pentagon news conference he believes the elections may stiffen the resolve of ordinary Iraqis to fight in cooperation with American forces.

Don't believe the hype

2005-02-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Chronicle's Open Forum has an excellent article defending Alberto Gonzales: "Geneva Convention isn't the last word."

I've discussed this topic before, but it's worth spending some more time on, and I think this analogy is especially appropriate:

To believe that the Geneva Convention should apply jot-and-tittle to such enemies reminds us of the first generals of the Civil War, who thought that the niceties that were ideals of Napoleonic warfare could be applied to battles fought by massive armies, armed with ever more advanced weapons and aided by civilian-run mass-production factories and industry. War changes, and the laws of war must change with them.

Studying the Civil War is painful, as I read about the mass casualties inflicted as row upon row of Soldiers advanced into cannon fire shoulder to shoulder. Such tactics we appropriate for armies armed with swords and spears, but failure to adapt to a changing battlefield yielded thousands of needless casualties, and we should take care not to make a similar mistake today.

The Geneva Convention was conceived in a different era of warfare:

Unfortunately, multinational terrorist groups have joined nations on the stage of war. They operate without regard to borders and observe no distinction between combatants and civilians. Our weapons for controlling hostile states don't work well against decentralized networks of suicidal operatives, with no citizens or borders to defend.

From everything I've read, I believe Gonzales is an intelligent and reasonable man, and an excellent nomination for attorney general. He is right on in advocating a critical look at what rights we afford prisoners.

(ht RealClearPolitics)

Rock and roll all night (and party every day)

2005-02-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

As an avid concert-goer and live music fan, I was glad to see this headline: "Group to Distribute Earplugs at Concerts."

The motto of the Norwegian Rock 'n' roll Federation could well be ``Turn it up!'' but the group fears increasing numbers of members might respond to that request with an uncomprehending ``What?''

The group plans to distribute 100,000 earplugs at rock concerts, so fans can enjoy the loud music and still hear what's said after the show.

The campaign, called ``Rock against Ringing,'' is being organized by the rock federation in cooperation with the national association of the hearing impaired, HLF, and has sought government support.

First of all, the HLF sounds like either a terrorist group or a late-80's one-hit-wonder band, but anyway . . .

I always carry earplugs to clubs and concerts (you already knew I was a dork) and have gotten in the habit of taking several pair because no one else seems to remember, and everyone seems to want some.

There's nothing quite like a great concert, but I'd prefer not to need Miracle Ear by the time I'm 30!

An excellent speech

2005-02-03T17:25:00.000-08:00

The blogosphere is packed with excellent SOTU analysis, so I won't spend too much time on it. I started watching it at about 0530 local time, just in time for the foreign policy portion.

The first memorable moment for me (other than watching it in Saddam's palace) was seeing Congressman Bobby Jindal holding up an ink-stained finger in support of the Iraqi people. I've read a little bit on Jindal, and I think he is one to watch in the GOP - I hope he goes far.

The other moment (of course) was the hug between Mrs. al-Souhail and Mrs. Norwood. What an overwhelming moment for both of those women, and what a powerful image of the solidarity freedom and selflessness can bring.

I thought the President's delivery was very good; he's beating the bad rap he's always had for public speaking.

Last full measure

2005-02-03T17:01:00.000-08:00

SFC Paul Smith will become the first Medal of Honor recipient since 1993, and President Bush will present the Medal to his widow.

Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith and his combat engineers set about their mission that day, putting up a roadblock on the divided highway that connects the airport and Baghdad. Then, just before 10 a.m., a sentry spotted Iraqi troops nearby. Maybe 15 or 20. By the time Smith had a chance to look for himself, the number was closer to 100.

Smith could oppose them with just 16 men.

It's very humbling to realize that SFC Smith fought and died only a couple of miles from where I sit right now. I'm proud of the opportunity to serve with selfless Soldiers like him.

Happy Groundhog Day!

2005-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

A popular joke over the past year in Iraq has been how closely our lives resemble the Bill Murray flick "Groundhog Day." When the year consists of 366 workdays (it was a leap year--lucky us!) and you wear the same clothes, eat the same food, and see the same people day in and day out, that's pretty close to the truth.

Anyway, I just realized that today actually is Groundhog Day, so I hope you all have a good one!

Better nate than lever

2005-02-02T16:00:00.000-08:00

Anne pointed out this slideshow out a couple days ago, but I just checked it out today. The photos from the election are inspiring, plus it loads nice and quick!

No critical thinking, please.

2005-02-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

Walter Williams has an excellent piece sparked by the reaction to Dr. Lawrence Summers' remarks concerning the inherent differences between men and women: "Anti-intellectualism among the academic elite."

He questions Professor Nancy Hopkins' remark that, had she not left Summers' lecture, "I would've either blacked out or thrown up."

I find it unbelievable that people can take someone seriously who claims to be a professional and an intellectual but cannot control her physical actions when presented with views different from her own.

I wonder if Professor Hopkins was able to sit through the beheading of Nick Berg without having to rush to the nearest restroom.

Williams proposes:

In today's campus anti-intellectualism, it's acceptable to suggest that genetics explains some outcomes, but it's unacceptable to use it as an explanation for other outcomes.

Specifically:

The only behavioral genetic explanation that campus anti-intellectuals unquestioningly accept is that homosexuality has genetic origins.

He presents an interesting example contrasting the domination of sports such as basketball, track, and football by people of African descent with their decided lack of success in other sports, like swimming and diving, and wonders whether such analysis is now considered to be racist.

He concludes:

It's not that important whether Dr. Summers is right or wrong. What's important is the attempt by some of the academic elite to stifle inquiry.

He is all over this topic, and I think Sean got it right in yesterday's comments when he said, "I think too many people confuse people with their opinions. People must be respected, their right to their opinions must also be respected. Neither of these requires you to respect the actual opinion." "People have lost the ability to disagree and still be agreeable."

Update: In an interesting caveat, the AP reports: "UC Faculty Backs Professor on Free Speech."

As pressure mounts on a University of Colorado professor who ignited a furor by comparing the World Trade Center victims to Nazis, colleagues have come to his defense -- on free speech grounds.

University of Colorado spokesman Peter Caughey said, ``The lifeblood of any strong university is its diversity of ideas which allows for the environment necessary to educate and train young learners and advance the boundaries of knowledge,'' ``Debate is a fundamental characteristic of a university.''

Interesting how these intellectuals choose their battles.

Surprising?

2005-02-01T20:07:00.000-08:00

The Knight Foundation recently released the results of a study on high school students' knowledge of the first amendment. Here are some of the results:

Seventy-five percent think flag burning is illegal.

Half believe the government can censor the Internet.

More than a third think the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees.

I'm pretty surprised at these results, but I probably shouldn't be.

No wonder kids are confused, after being exposed to our school system's version of "tolerance" for most of their years.

They need to be taught the importance of the first amendment along with our civic duty of using our free speech rights responsibly.

I would never burn an American flag, but I am thankful for the freedom to do so.

Kids need to learn that true tolerance is not the silencing of differing and offensive opinions, but respect of others' rights to those opinions, which ultimately springs from a simple respect for the other people themselves.

A costly sacrifice

2005-02-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

The AP reports on a heart-wrenching story, "Woman Loses Dad and Husband in Iraq War."

Less than a year ago, Tabitha Bonilla's father gave his life for his country in Iraq. Last week, her husband gave his, too.

Army Capt. Orlando A. Bonilla, 27, of Killeen, Texas, was killed Friday in a helicopter accident in Baghdad. Her father, Army Sgt. 1st Class Henry A. Bacon, 45, died last February in a vehicle accident.

This one hits close to home, as CPT Bonilla was also an Army Aviator stationed at Fort Hood, and his young widow needs our prayers.

Also, perhaps President Lincoln's words, penned in 1862, could bring her some comfort:

It is with deep grief that I learn of the death of your kind and brave Father; and, especially, that it is affecting your young heart beyond what is common in such cases. In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares. The older have learned to ever expect it. I am anxious to afford some alleviation of your present distress. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You can not now realize that you will ever feel better. Is not this so? And yet it is a mistake. You are sure to be happy again. To know this, which is certainly true, will make you some less miserable now. I have had experience enough to know what I say; and you need only to believe it, to feel better at once. The memory of your dear Father, instead of an agony, will yet be a sad sweet feeling in your heart, of a purer and holier sort than you have known before.

Here in Iraq, our progress is encouraging and our cause is just, yet still, war is hell.

Smarter than you think

2005-02-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

Elections and election-blogging has been pretty tiring, so here's a little change of pace. The NYTimes caught my attention with this one: "Minds of Their Own: Birds Gain Respect."

Birds fascinate me, and I was glad to hear that they are smarter than most people give them credit for. Here are some choice bits from the article that I found interesting:

In a laboratory, when a crow named Betty was given metal wires of various lengths and a four-inch vertical pipe with food at the bottom, she chose a four-inch wire, made a hook and retrieved the food.

Clark nutcrackers can hide up to 30,000 seeds and recover them up to six months later.

Nutcrackers also hide and steal. If they see another bird watching them as they cache food, they return later, alone, to hide the food again.

Magpies, at an earlier age than any other creature tested, develop an understanding of the fact that when an object disappears behind a curtain, it has not vanished.

At a university campus in Japan, carrion crows line up patiently at the curb waiting for a traffic light to turn red. When cars stop, they hop into the crosswalk, place walnuts from nearby trees onto the road and hop back to the curb. After the light changes and cars run over the nuts, the crows wait until it is safe and hop back out for the food.

Pigeons can memorize up to 725 different visual patterns, and are capable of what looks like deception. Pigeons will pretend to have found a food source, lead other birds to it and then sneak back to the true source.

Maybe I'm just a dork, but that's pretty cool.

One more thing on this topic; if you haven't seen the film Winged Migration, I highly recommend it. The narrator is French, so mute it if you have to, but the photography and the birds are amazing.

Got ink?

2005-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

GOP Bloggers points out a campaign started by Shelby Dangerfield. She decided to ink her finger, just like the Iraqi voters, to show her support.

Oh yeah, she's just 10 years old. Funny how she's got more class and better ideas than quite a few of our Congressmen.

Here's my contribution:

An historic day

2005-01-31T16:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was happy to be in Baghdad.

Most days I can think of many places I would rather be, but on January 30, 2005 I was in the right place at the right time.

By Sunday morning we had all been wearing full protective gear for a couple days and I was eating stashed beef jerky and granola bars (instead of the issued Meals Ready to Eat) since the mess halls were closed for force protection reasons.

The chapel service I attended was standing room only, and the power went out after the first song, so we did the rest of the service by flashlight and candlelight. Prayers were offered for our Soldiers, the Iraqi Security Forces, and for the safety of the voters, and by the end of the service we hadn't heard any explosions, which was encouraging.

While taking care of normal business at work, I followed the election news on the internet and checked the official reports on the secure network used for internal reporting here. Two mortars came in a little after noon, but otherwise everything was still quiet, and the reports looked promising.

In the late afternoon I was able to hitch a ride on an overflight of Baghdad (photos posted below) and as well as I could tell from overhead, the mood on the street seemed almost festive.

Kids were out everywhere, using the streets as soccer fields since vehicle traffic was very restricted. I saw only one sign of violence - a burning hole in the road where an IED had apparently exploded.

I saw a few polling places with small crowds of people milling around them. I was flying over around 5:00 pm - the time they were scheduled to close.

In the evening, the good news was pouring in. Attacks, while fairly numerous, were mostly ineffective. As expected, suicide bombers were the most deadly, since they are very difficult to detect and deter.

After each attack, the citizens of Iraq got back in line - still determined to vote.

I wasn't completely convinced of the day's success until about 11:00 pm, when I listened to the top of the hour news on the BBC World Service. The BBC report was almost unbelievably positive. I'm accustomed to their normal pessimism and spin, so I was almost laughing out loud to hear them report on the huge turnout - even in the least secure areas.

With my deployment drawing to a close, yesterday was very satisfying. Despite the demoralizing efforts of the media and some American politicians (specifically Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Coble), we have made a real difference here in Iraq.

No matter what Mr. Kerry says, the world is a better place without Saddam in power, and the United States is safer with Iraq on the growing list of democratic nations.

Today, there are lots of smiles here on Camp Victory. Granted, most of them have something to do with the fact that a lot of us are headed home in less than two weeks, but they are also a result of being part of something really big.

This morning, Geraldo Rivera happened to be in my office area, and he couldn't stop smiling. When I mentioned that he had a pretty exciting day yesterday, all he said was "incredible."

I think that about sums it up. History happened in Iraq yesterday, and it was incredible.

Eye on Iraq

2005-01-31T09:11:00.000-08:00

The latest Eye on Iraq newsletter just came out. I'll send it out later this afternoon, so if you want to be added to the list send me an email with "Eye in Iraq" in the subject line at beefalwayswins@gmail.com.

Also, you can check it out here.

Election day photos

2005-01-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

I normally don't post on Sundays, but I think I'll make an exception today.

I had a chance to go on an overflight of Baghdad just before the polls closed, and I got a few photos. Before you critique me too badly, let me remind you of the difficulty of photography through the window of a UH-60 traveling fast and low!

My first thought as we flew over was that a lot of people were out on the streets. It wasn't completely packed everywhere, but there were plenty of markets and soccer games going on.

OK, I warned you about the tricky photography...flying over the crowded streets makes you feel like a celebrity or something...little kids jump up and down and wave, and even many of the adults will wave and cheer.

It's hard to tell, but I believe the building in the center of the photo with the light was a polling site. You could sometimes tell because of the posters and banners around the sites - this was the only photo I managed to get, and I'm not 100% sure that was one.

This was one of many soccer games going on around town...kids were out everywhere!

I thought this sunset shot was pretty nice.

These were the guys who flew us around right before they dusted me out!

Update: Great election coverage is all over the blogosphere, but I like the first hand account at Iraq the Model best. They have some photos too, and theirs are from ground level!

Keep this in mind

2005-01-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

Instapundit links to these photos and accompanying analysis, which I will remember each time I read an AP or Reuters article.

A long journey ahead

2005-01-29T16:45:00.000-08:00

Amir Taheri didn't wait until after the Iraqi election to begin looking ahead to the problems Iraqis will have to solve as they experience self-government first hand.

In "Issues that concern Iraqis," he begins with a theory that the insurgents and terrorists have actually done Iraq a favor:

The violence unleashed by the insurgency has concentrated most minds on a single issue: Security. It has brought together communities and political parties that would otherwise be fighting one another over faith, ideology, and economic interest.

He goes on:

[T]he new Parliament is likely to have heated debates about how to quell the insurgents and their terrorist allies. For the time being, however, the terrorist campaign has united Iraqis in a quest for democracy as the only means of keeping the nation together while preventing the return of despotism in any form.

He then points to the myriad of issues with which the transitional government will have to deal, including: separation of mosque and state, federalism, market economy v. welfare state, forgiveness of former Baathists or revenge against them, dividing up oil revenue, the presence of foreign forces, the role of women, and foreign policy.

He concludes:

With tomorrow’s election Iraq’s real political problems, pushed by onto the backburner by the insurgency, will begin to move center-stage. Building a new pluralist Iraq remains a difficult task, but one that is certainly worth working and fighting for.

Though the security of Iraq is certainly far from certain right now, Teheri is right to look to the future. As for the difficulty of resolving issues in a non-violent manner, it will definitely take time, but Iraqis have experienced much violence, and I doubt that they'll be interested in a return to the good 'ole days.

Freedom on the march

2005-01-29T15:13:00.000-08:00

Radioblogger has a great post with several photos from the polling place in El Toro, California where Iraqis began voting yesterday. Here's a bit of what he has to say:

The Iraqi polls opened for the first time ever in a meaningful way. No one's hands were chopped off if they voted the wrong way. No one voted at gunpoint. Thanks to a determined foreign policy by a determined president, and carried out by a determined military of the finest men and women this country has to offer, Iraqis voted. There was a large rush at the beginning of the day, the first of three days of voting. Iraqi nationals from all over the West Coast came. Even through a driving rainstorm, making for a very atypical raw Southern California day, they came, they voted, and they smiled.

The photos are the best part - the enthusiasm on the faces of the voters is encouraging. If expatriates are that eager to vote, my money is on a huge turnout tomorrow.

Also, check out Friends of Democracy for election news.

Update: More on the election from Arab News. The best quotation from the article:

“Yes, we did it!” shouted Ali Al-Kabeer, clapping his hands after casting his ballot, breaking into tears as he hugged his wife. Kabeer said he had “been waiting for this moment for 54 years.”

“I’m doing this for my children ... it’s the first step in a thousand-mile journey.”

Iran's terminal disease

2005-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bookworm for pointing out "Tehran's Killing Fields," which features this photo of a woman about to be stoned (polite language for being bludgeoned to death with heavy rocks):

My first thought upon reading the article was how blessed I am to be a citizen of the United States, and how most Americans (and Westerners in general) have no idea how the other half lives.

My second thought was that the Mullahs' days may be growing short. They will not be able to stifle the news coming from their neighbor to the west, and the growing discontent inside their country bodes well for the spread of freedom.

The coming years will be interesting indeed.

Institutionalized

2005-01-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

It's probably because I've been in the army for too long (where I can't even eat a meal or get into my office without my ID card), but I wasn't too frightened by this headline: "U.S. edges closer to national ID card."

I haven't thought too much about this issue until now, and the more I think about it, the scarier it gets. I can deal with the traffic cameras without getting too paranoid about Big Brother, but I think a national ID card may be a bit much.

In the article, Mary Sanchez makes some good points:

The initial problem is that driver's licenses have already gone far beyond their intended use in society. Driving is a privilege. Not a right. That's why people who screw up by driving while drunk, or getting too many speeding tickets, have their license revoked.

And yet, Americans use their licenses to board planes, to open bank accounts, rent cars, to prove who they are in a variety of places and situations. Tinkering too much with driver's licenses, therefore, is the fastest route toward establishing a national identification card.

Life as I know it would not be possible without my driver's license. I've only had to show it a handful of times to prove that I am licensed to drive, but I show it multiple times a day for other purposes (making credit purchases, buying beer, etc.)

We need to solve our country's security and immigration problems, but I'm pretty sure a national ID card is not the way to do it. Having to produce an ID card to prove that you're not a terrorist, criminal, or illegal alien sure seems like an assumption of guilt instead of a presumption of innocence to me.

Time flies when you're having fun

2005-01-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

Today marks day 366 here in Baghdad for me. Many of the folks I work with have recently hit the one-year mark as well, and it's almost time to head home.

Us Army types like to complain that we're now seeing our 3rd rotation of Marines and British troops (normally on 6-7 month rotations), and 5th rotation of Airmen (3-4 month rotations). However I don't hear any complaints from the Iraqis who are volunteering for the Iraqi National Guard and Iraqi Police Service, running for elected office, and administrating the elections.

They are here for the long haul, come what may. They have made a stand against tyranny and Islamic extremism and have bet their lives on the success of this experiment in democracy.

These brave Iraqis are seeing the third rotation of US Army Soldiers, and I think they're pretty happy with that. I'm sure they, like us, look forward to the day when American troops don't plan to spend every other year in Iraq, but they are working to improve their country, and right now their lives depend on our rejection of Congressman Coble's advice to cut and run.

I'm glad I'll see the elections before I leave; I have a feeling that Iraqi kids will be reading about January 30, 2005 in their history books for years to come.

My blogging may get a little light over the next couple of weeks as I redeploy, but I'll do my best to get some posts up. Also, I posted a few photos from the past year here.

Indulge me

2005-01-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

As usual, the NYTimes is a bit behind the times, but today's article on the booming internet junkyard business is interesting nonetheless.

As the proud owner of a '76 International Scout II, an '82 Land Cruiser FJ60, an '88 Volvo 760 wagon, and a '91 Honda Nighthawk CB750, I am familiar with hunting for car parts.

Much to my beautiful wife's chagrin, I've spent more than my share of Saturday mornings trekking through acres of rusting vehicles looking for some part that NAPA stopped carrying a decade ago.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting back to my cars, even though I'm pretty sure that none of them will be running after a year in the garage. Oh well, I wouldn't have them if I didn't like working on them!

A convenient rule for tyrants

2005-01-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

For anyone (like me) who wants (and needs) to learn more about Islam, the Arab News is a good place to start. Here's an interesting bit from the Q&A column in the religion section:

Q. I have always felt that the use of credit cards is permissible if one makes sure not to pay interest on one’s transactions. However, I saw a published ruling forbidding the very use of credit cards because it involves agreement to pay interest in certain cases. Please explain.

A. Some scholars find it easy to pronounce rulings of prohibition on questions put to them, when they may not be able to produce sufficient evidence to support such a ruling. In this case the ruling is based on the conditions imposed by the company or the bank issuing the credit card, rather than on the person’s own intentions and actions. The company requires that interest be paid when payment of transactions recorded within a month is delayed beyond the specified date of payment, or when one withdraws money in cash, rather than pay bills. But when the client takes out a credit card, Islam holds him accountable for what he does with it, not what the issuing company requires.

Interesting start, though I don't quite follow some of it. The answer goes into more detail, referencing the policies common to credit card companies, then concludes with this:

Besides, my reader says that he has arranged to pay his credit card bills through direct debit, which means that the card company sends the bill to his bank for payment, and the bank pays it on the due date, ensuring that there is never any delay. This covers all eventualities and ensures that interest is never charged on his credit card transactions. In other words, it shows that the man has taken sufficient precautions and has no intention whatsoever to put himself in a situation when interest may be charged from him. How can this be forbidden? If we were to forbid it on the basis of a situation that may never arise, we may as well say that having a bank account is forbidden because of the possibility that one may at one time or another be in debit and the bank would then charge interest. This will place people in great difficulty, when Islam is a religion built on the basis of making things easy. God says in the Qur’an: “God desires that you have ease. He does not desire that you be afflicted with hardship.” (2: 185)

I already knew about Islam's prohibition on paying interest, which comes in mighty handy for keeping your subjects poor, with little chance of improving their lives. What strikes me about this column is the lengths to which ordinary citizens appear to go in order to obey Islam's laws.

Slices of culture like this give some insight into the lives of normal Muslims - those not interested in waging jihad, but just trying to live their lives and provide for their families.

Hopefully our efforts here in Iraq will result in the freedom and security these people so desperately need - many will doubtlessly continue to live by rules such as these, but at least they will be able to make that choice themselves.

Update: Maybe President Bush didn't have his head too far into the clouds on Inauguration Day. The AP reports: Jordan to Introduce Democratic Reform. At least it's a start.

UpdateII: Chrenkoff posts "Good news from the Muslim world, part 4"

Big Brother II

2005-01-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Instapundit posts on a topic that we have discussed before - traffic cameras. Glenn links to Classical Values, where Eric argues against them and proposes (but of course does not advocate) a couple of ways to beat them.

He calls them "destestable, unconstitutional devices," but I'm not so sure about either of those charges.

He refers to the Confrontation Clause of the Constitution, which states:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

The only phrase I see that could be used to frame a case against the cameras is the right " to be confronted with the witnesses against him." However, the camera surely is a witness, and if properly used is more reliable than a human witness.

I don't think he has much of a case - it mainly consists of accusing the government of "computerized Big Brotherism."

The cameras are a law enforcement tool, like radar guns and fingerprint kits. They must be used properly and not abused, but they are surely not unconstitutional.

I've heard some decent arguments against the cameras (such as discretion), but I don’t think this is one of them.

Update: While I'm linking to Instapundit, check out these articles he points out. Well armed citizens seem like quite a deterrent to me.

A Dangerous Profession

2005-01-27T13:05:00.000-08:00

Helicopter crashes always hit close to home for me. Many of my best friends are pilots, and as a Blackhawk driver myself, I know how quickly a seemingly routine mission can turn disastrous.

The recent CH-53 crash took the lives of many young Marines, who had already survived much combat. My thoughts and prayers are with their families, one of whom Anne knows personally.

Also, Bookworm has an excellent post on keeping perspective after such tragic events.

Sheer Determination

2005-01-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Arab News reports on some Iraqi pilgrims who are eager to return to Iraq in order to vote:

Over 60 Iraqi pilgrims took to the streets in Shisha district here just before Maghreb prayers yesterday, demanding to be returned home to Iraq in time for the elections set for Feb. 2.

“We represent 13,000 Sunni and Shiite Iraqi men and women here for Haj from every part of Iraq. We were scheduled to leave this week, but now we’re told that our return flights will be delayed until as late as Feb. 6,” one man told Arab News.

As they walked, more than a dozen men and women carried signs stating, “If we are not counted now, when will we ever be heard?” Others carried signs that said: “In order to be freed from occupation and to secure the future of our children, we all must vote.”

“We are maybe 70 people here, but behind us are thousands of other Iraqis who are stuck here and want to go home and take part in the elections. We are all being deprived of taking part in what is now our right. We ask the Saudi authorities to help us in getting back in time for elections.”

The Iraqi people are serious about this election, and they are determined not to let their future be determined by thugs and criminals who claim to speak for all Muslims. I certainly hope that these Haj pilgrims will make it back, and I think this story is another harbinger of a huge turnout on Sunday.

France and Germany cracking down?

2005-01-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

These two AP headlines caught my eye:

"France Detains Suspects in Iraq Network" and "Federal Judge Undercuts Terror Case"

The first was a bit surprising, the second not at all.

From the first:

PARIS (AP) -- Security agents have detained seven people suspected of being part of a network funneling French Islamic militants to Iraq, police said Tuesday.

Later:

In neighboring Germany, numerous arrests linked to Iraq have been made recently. On Sunday, German security forces arrested two alleged al-Qaida members, an Iraqi and a Palestinian, accused of plotting an attack in Iraq. Earlier this month, German police arrested 22 people to break up an alleged network of Muslim extremists suspected of falsifying passports and spreading militant Islamic propaganda.

Maybe Europe is starting to wake up a bit, but the second article shows that we have a long way to go here at home:

The government had hoped to prove al-Moayad's ties to Osama bin Laden with address books containing al-Moayad's name and phone number, which were confiscated from suspected al-Qaida fighters being expelled from the former Yugoslavia. The government also planned to introduce an admission form for an al-Qaida Afghan training camp that used al-Moayad as a reference.

The judge called the Croatian evidence ``so remote, I am going to preclude the government from using it.''

He went on to exclude the Afghan evidence, apparently agreeing with a defense argument that the presence of al-Moayad's name on the form was not sufficient proof of wrongdoing. ``We don't know who put this name in,'' the judge said.

He also ruled a videotape showing al-Moayad with a high-ranking Hamas official on the day of an Israeli suicide bombing could not be introduced without the testimony of Mohamed Alanssi, an FBI informant who recorded it.

I'm no lawyer, and I don't know anymore than the AP tells me about this case, but I do know that our government needs to find an effective way to deal with terrorists and those who harbor them. Our judiciary, if left unchecked, will cripple the best efforts of our military and intelligence community.

Don't call me chaste

2005-01-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

The AP and the Progressive Newswire point out the latest effort by NARAL.

This from the Newswire:

According to Carrie Rae, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Pennsylvania, “We are launching this campaign to tap a new generation of activists tired of seeing their tax dollars spent on discredited “abstinence-only-until-marriage” programming. Pennsylvanians want real choices and real solutions to today’s reproductive health problems, not the modern equivalent of a chastity belt.”

Embracing abstinence-only-until-marriage programming, the Pennsylvania State Legislature has passed resolutions recognizing Chastity Awareness Week since 1999 and has channeled almost $6 million in federal funds to schools, health facilities, and anti-choice organizations across the state despite reports showing that these programs result in higher teen pregnancy rates and higher transmission rates of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

Though Newswire links to http://www.giveusrealchoices.org/, they offer no links to show how the abstinence programs were "discredited," to the "anti-choice" organizations of which they speak, or to the reports purportedly showing higher rates of pregnancy and STDs.

One "anti-choice" organization, the Urban Family Council, makes it into the last sentence of the AP piece:

``I think it's quite sad that this organization is speaking negatively about young people being made aware of the healthiest choice they can make,'' said Jill Page, an abstinence and youth development director for the group.

I think it's sad too, especially when groups like NARAL make it so evident that they certainly don't have young women's best interests at heart.

BTW, NARAL stands for National Abortion Rights Action League, but that name doesn't even appear on their website. Also, a search of "chastity belt" on their site didn't turn up any results.

More deafening silence

2005-01-25T19:10:00.001-08:00

I pay pretty close attention to news of all sorts, but I didn't even realize that the March for Life was Sunday. Either I've been slacking, or the media didn't give it much attention (probably a bit of both...)

Bunnie Diehl photoblogged it, and has some great photos - my favorite is "Punks for Life."

If anyone knows any other bloggers covering it, I'd be interested to check them out.

Update: The San Diego News Notes has an interview with a girl employed by an abortion clinic that should be should be required reading for every public official before any votes on abortion-related issues. Warning: graphic language.

Update: Bunnie points out Premature Terminal Delivery.

Encouraging signs at the UN?

2005-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Strange as it may seem, a special session of the UN commemorating the liberation of Nazi death camps featured some fairly direct words:

In comments to the body, Secretary-General Kofi Annan directly recognized Jews as the chief victims of the Holocaust, not just one group among many that suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

``An entire civilization, which had contributed far beyond its numbers to the cultural and intellectual riches of Europe and the world, was uprooted, destroyed, laid waste,'' Annan said.

The United Nations was created in part because of world leaders' hope that it could help make sure the Holocaust was never repeated. That fact had largely been ignored for years, until Annan stated the fact starkly.

``The United Nations must never forget that it was created as a response to the evil of Nazism, or that the horror of the Holocaust helped to shape its mission,'' he said.

Even more interesting:

Later Monday, a photography exhibit opened at U.N. headquarters featuring images from the death camps, the first time an exhibit about the Holocaust is being shown at the United Nations.

U.N. officials defied longtime protocol against allowing prayers at the United Nations. The ceremony began with the El Maleh Rachamim, the traditional memorial prayer, and ended with the Israeli national anthem.

The words and symbolism are encouraging signs, but without decisive actions, they are worthless.

The UN barely gives lip service to supporting the Iraqi elections, providing just a handful of workers (who most likely just complicate the process anyway) and another toothless resolution.

These signs may be nothing more than the death rattle of an organization that has outlived its usefulness, but since I don't see the UN going away anytime soon, they're certainly better than nothing.

I look forward to Bookworm's take on this one.

Update: Bookworm responds.

UpdateII: Above link is now fixed.

A thousand years are like a day.

2005-01-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

The creation v. evolution debate has drawn more comments than just about any other topic on this blog, so this AP headline caught my eye: "Scientists Create Petrified Wood in Days."

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- Researchers at a national science laboratory in south-central Washington have found a way to achieve in days what takes Mother Nature millions of years -- converting wood to mineral.

Natural petrified wood occurs when trees are buried without oxygen, then leach their wood components and soak up the soil's minerals. For instance, at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest, a state park on the west shore of the Columbia River in central Washington, trees were believed to have been buried without oxygen beneath molten lava millions of years ago.

To create petrified wood, the researchers bought pine and poplar boards at a lumber yard. They gave a half-inch cube of wood an acid bath, then soaked it in a silica solution for days. The wood was air-dried, cooked in an argon-filled furnace at temperatures as high as 1,400 degrees and cooled in argon to room temperature.

I have not yet tackled the young earth v. old earth debate (mainly because I am not yet sufficiently educated on the subject), but I think this article may be a point for the young earth advocates.

If researchers could replicate specimens that were supposedly millions of years old in a matter of days, is it not at least possible that immense natural forces (i.e. volcanic eruptions, massive floods, etc) could do the same?

An admission to the affirmative could open up holes in the arguments (specifically, the reliability of dating systems) of those who insist that the earth must be millions of years old.

BTW, I think the AP reporter deserves some credit for including the qualifier "were believed" in the sentence referencing the Ginkgo Petrified Forest - maybe it's a hint of open-mindedness on the subject.

Update: Today's Seattle Times runs a column by Froma Harrop, "Finding common ground between God and evolution":

Clearly, many religious people regard evolution theory with sincere and heartfelt concern. But theirs is not a mainstream view — even among practicing Christians. Most theologians these days will argue that the biology book and the Good Book are reading from the same page.

Her condescending piece basically discounts creation scientists as fanatical evangelicals. For some perspective, I'd refer her (and those who agree with her) to the site of the Institute for Creation Research, where those open-minded enough to do some research will find biographies of biological scientists and physical scientists who have done extensive research into the subject and each state their cases for creation.

Another step in the right direction

2005-01-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

We're now less than one week from the Iraqi election. As is the case with many events with such a lengthy and tumultuous build-up, much attention is directed toward the event, with little foresight given the following days and months.

We are right to build the election up as an event of great significance for Iraq, the Middle East, and the rest of the world, but we must take care not to lose grasp of the larger picture.

Also, even if the election is an unparalleled success, the MSM will first refuse to admit it by focusing on the inevitable election-day violence, then tout stories of voter intimidation, trumpet any fatwahs of anti-democracy clerics, highlight the shortcomings of the fledgling Iraq government, and seek out any and all other angles to continue their legacy of negative, anti-US coverage of the situation here in Iraq.

For those of us who spent the last year preparing for January 30 (and are headed home shortly thereafter), the tendency to focus exclusively on the election is great.

However, we must temper our enthusiasm and realize that though the election is of inestimable importance, it is not an end in itself. Instead, it is a vital step in Iraq's journey toward representative and responsible government, with many miles to go.

Americans are used to huge elections with climactic finishes (usually followed by "meet the new boss. . .") In Iraq the situation is different; simply holding an election is a grand feat, and every vote is essentially for the same cause - victory of democracy over tyranny.

Soldiers here know that our jobs will not be significantly different on January 31, and we do not expect them to be - we know exactly how difficult change can be. It is important for the American people to realize that this election, however it turns out, is just the beginning of the long journey that our country began over two centuries ago.

I am optimistic that the Iraqi people will confound the pundits by turning out to vote despite the mortars, car bombs, and suicide attacks, but we must be ready to hold the course in the following days and months, since the media will certainly never concede the victory, no matter the reality on the ground.

Freedom of speech indeed.

2005-01-24T14:37:00.000-08:00

For a little insight into the protest and counter-protest scene, check out Indepundit. He describes the Inaugural protests in Washington and San Diego.

The protest warriors, holding signs such as "Free Cuba" and "Real liberals fight tyranny," encountered much resistance, from the verbal:

"Hey," one man shouted, "Why don't any of you young guys go over and fight in Iraq?"

I hear this one at almost every one of these events. "I've already been."

This stopped him in his tracks, momentarily. "Well, why don't you go back?" Also predictable.

"If they send me, I'll go again."

He walked away, cursing at us under his breath.

To the physical:

You can go a [expletive] half-mile away and stand on the first street corner you see!" shouted a self-described anarchist, dressed all in black with a bandana covering his face. As they taunted and threatened and liberally profaned Kobrin and the rest of the group, a member of the D.C. Anti-War Network (DAWN) -- the official organizers of the rally -- tried to break it up.

"Your purpose is to instigate people. You're going to have to leave!" shouted the "marshal," DAWN's term for their ad hoc security force.

"We're staying here," Kobrin replied.

Then he went down under a hail of black boots. Once the marshals pulled the anarchists away, ProtestWarrior sued for peace and made for the exit. Their chant of "Four more years!" was answered by the anarchists' reply: "Wah wah wah!"

For more stories of this ilk, check out Protest Warrior.

Disgusted by the BBC

2005-01-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

The BBC is one of the few English-language radio stations I pick up here in Baghdad, so I tune in fairly regularly for a quick listen. Last night I caught about five minutes of "The Interview," which featured Carrie Gracie questioning the Iraqi author Kanan Makiya, founder of the Iraq Memory Foundation.

The bit I heard was very interesting, with Makiya discussing the revival of Iraqi intellectual life after the 2003 invasion. However, right as Makiya was getting to the good stuff - his take on the actions of the Coalition and the terrorist attacks - the editors faded him out and Gracie in with "More on that later" followed by a different question obviously trying to elicit a condemnation of the invasion, which Makiya seemed very unwilling to give, despite much prodding by Gracie.

I hope I'm wrong, and that the rest of the interview gave Makiya a chance to speak his mind without the gist of his responses being edited away, but I can't find a transcript or an audio clip to download (I can't get the one on the website to work). If any of you heard the interview or can find a transcript, I'd love to get your take.

I was able to find a bio and links to other articles from Makiya, though none of the articles are very recent. One press conference transcript contains much of the same discussion I heard last night, minus the interruptions by Gracie. Here's some of what Makiya said on October 16, 2003:

"The fact is I can't recognize the Iraq that I've just come from, from the one that is being portrayed in the media and being discussed in the press and talked about so -- so much these days. I simply don't connect as I used to do when I lived here continuously with the discourse that is going on here about Iraq.

"Not that I'm about to paint a very rosy picture of how wonderful things are compared to how badly they're being portrayed by the media; no, I'm not trying to deny that there are very serious problems in Iraq, there are problems. But the problem is that they're not the problems that people are talking about here. There are all kinds of very, very important issues and grave questions that we need to deal with, but I don't see them being discussed in the press here, and that is really troubling, especially as we are in a very important discussion over a very large sum of money that Congress and the Senate are discussing for the reconstruction of Iraq."

He goes on to describe what he refers to as a Saddam's criminal state. Reading this interview, I believe you'll quickly realize why the BBC cut him off.

I regret not being able to listen to the whole interview last night, but I opted out of it (wisely I believe) in favor of a conversation with my gorgeous wife, who had just returned from an afternoon spent driving the streets of Baghdad (btw, I haven't figured out why she's so eager to drive around here - when we drive anywhere in the States, she's out like a light in the passenger seat!)

I was in disbelief as I heard the BBC broadcast last night. What I heard was a shameless cut and paste job designed to paint the Coalition in a bad light despite whatever Makiya actually said. He was very articulate, and from the small bit I heard, I think his opinion on the current situation in Iraq would have been telling.

I'm disappointed and utterly disgusted.

Bad idea jeans

2005-01-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

From the AP, "Nevada Democrats Are Betting on Lottery":

Nevada Democrats are betting the time is right for the nation's No. 1 gambling state to create a lottery, despite a prohibition in the state constitution dating back to 1864.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins said Friday that the money is needed to fund education.

The article mentions dissent from the Nevada Resort Association on grounds that it would hurt casino business, but never mentions any other reasons to oppose a state lottery.

Maybe it's a lost cause since 39 states already have lotteries, but I don't see any redeeming qualities in state-sponsored gambling. Of course the lotteries make money like nobody's business, and maybe I shouldn't complain since it's that much more money the governments don't have to raise through taxes (which is a boon to me, since I don't play, but do pay taxes).

Still, I find it odd that the democrats (supposedly the party of the poor and downtrodden) are pushing the Nevada lottery, which will doubtlessly prey on those who cannot afford to play.

Of course, I am an advocate of personal responsibility, and it would seem to follow that I would place all the blame for gambling addiction and the resultant poverty and broken homes on the gamblers. However, I have no patience for government programs designed only to increase revenue, with no redeeming social value, especially programs that will disproportionately take advantage of the poor and uneducated.

Maybe the silver lining in this story is that the lottery is supposedly intended to raise money for education - if any of that cash goes toward high school statistics classes, maybe Nevadans will get wise and invest that $2 a day instead of wasting it on a long-shot jackpot.

Consequential Times

2005-01-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

In the Arab News, Amir Taheri writes "Iraq Election: Wider Significance":

Never have so many people pinned so much hope on a single day of voting, Jan. 30, 2005, that is to give Iraq its first freely elected Parliament plus provincial and regional councils.

The election will not only set the course for the 25 million Iraqis but could also determine a new balance of power in the Middle East. Beyond Iraq, the election will confirm or challenge the United States’ status as a “superpower” capable of reshaping the regional status quo. President George W. Bush has vowed to bring the Middle East into “the global democratic mainstream”, with Iraq as the starting point. Success could boost his prestige and encourage local democratic forces. Failure would mark the beginning of a decline in American influence, and revitalize forces determined to keep Muslim nations out of the modern world.

As the President intoned two days ago, these are "consequential times" indeed.

Here's an interesting statistic . . . I wonder why it's not more widely known?

Despite almost daily terrorist attacks most Iraqis appear determined that the election should take place. Almost 75 percent of those eligible to vote under a UN-established list have registered.

Just as Washington, Jefferson, and many others were willing to take great risks to establish our country, men and women in Iraq are prepared for (and are already making) great personal sacrifice:

“We know that there are criminals determined to blow us up,” says Abdul-Hussein Hindawi, head of the independent Electoral Commission. “But we cannot allow fear to shape our future. Iraqis know that they must take risks to build a free society.”

Here's another little-known fact:

Grand Ayatollah Ali-Muhammad Sistani, the primus inter pares of the Shiite clergy, has issued a fatwa (edict), urging everyone to vote. “Taking part in the elections and building a democratic system are religious duties,” he asserts.

Interestingly, a Google News search of "vote iraq Sistani fatwa" turned up 60 articles, while "vote iraq car bomb" finds 9,930.

What about the man-on-the-street?

“I am hungry to vote,” says Ghazban Fayyad, owner of a bookstall in downtown Baghdad. “All I hope is that I am not blown up before I cast my ballot.”

And Syria and Iran?

Iran and Syria fear that, were the US to succeed in Iraq, they could be the next targets for regime change. They are, therefore, doing all they can to make sure that the Iraqi election does not produce a pro-American majority.

On to the conclusion:

The best-case scenario for Iraq in 2005 will run along these lines:

The election is held producing a Parliament that, in turn, will choose a new government of national unity. Enjoying people-based legitimacy such a government would deprive the insurgency of its claim of fighting against foreign occupation. The US and coalition allies would be able to scale down their military presence while accelerating the recruitment, training and deployment of the new Iraqi armed forces and police. That would make it possible for the US-led coalition forces to be withdrawn by 2007, the most realistic date for such a move.

Also in the best case scenario Iraq could mobilize its immense manpower and natural resources, to rebuild its economy. A little noticed report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued last November, [I think he's referring to this] shows that even now the Iraqi economy is, relatively speaking, performing better than anyone else’s in the Arab Middle East. The report makes a predication that some might find audacious: In the next decade, Iraq could become the engine of growth for the region.

The IMF experts are not being frivolous.

Iraq sits on top of the world’s second largest oil deposits. It is the only Middle Eastern nation with substantial water resources and arable land. At the same time Iraq has the highest rates of literacy in the Arab world plus a vast pool of skilled workers at most levels. With a minimum of security, Iraq could also attract up to 10 million Shiite pilgrims a year from all over the world. (Between June 2003 and June 2004 some seven million foreign pilgrims visited Iraq.)

The worst-case scenario is equally stark:

Widespread violence could disrupt the election while mass Sunni boycott casts doubt on the results. The insurgents could extend their attacks to Shiite areas, provoking Shiite counterattacks. This could lead to a de facto partition of the country or intermittent ethnic war of the kind Lebanon experienced in the 1970s and 1980s. President George W. Bush may try to stick it out until the end of his term. But his successor, lacking the stomach or the desire to stay the course, may galumph out of the quagmire. Then the Kurds may decide to set up a break away state, provoking clashes with Turkey and Iran. Iraq could become a black hole sucking the Middle East into the unknown.

Which of the two scenarios is more likely? I think the best-case scenario is more likely.

After reading his bio, I'm pretty sure that Amir Taheri is: 1) a pretty smart guy, 2) not just blowing smoke.

I don't expect the next 8 days to be pretty (or the many days following that), but the 8 years beginning in 1776 weren't pretty either, and we've turned out alright.

The majority of Iraqis are determined not to let fear shape their future, and despite the scare tactics of the MSM, I believe the majority of Americans agree with them. An incessant torrent of bad news stories didn't dissuade the American electorate from reelecting the man with the grit and determination to prevail in Iraq, and a successful election next week will be a major victory in the war between reality and spin.

Longtail Chatter

2005-01-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

My muse is quiet today, so here's what I've read from fellow longtailers:

Bookworm had the same thought I did at the sight of three former presidents at the inauguration - what a great country, and what visionary founding fathers:

[Adam's inauguration was] the first time in Western history that a living ruler ever voluntarily stepped aside and ceded power to another.

Callimachus knows I'm a sucker for belly dancers.

Sean has a good question for a Muslim school.

GotDesign takes issue with Peggy Noonan's piece on the President's speech. I agree with him - I have been underwhelmed by the little Noonan I've read.

Patrick points out some phunny photos.

Initial take

2005-01-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

After reading through the President's Inaugural Address, here are the bits that stand out to me:

"[I am] mindful of the consequential times in which we live"

"Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave."

"America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way."

"The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it."

"To serve your people you must learn to trust them."

"You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs."

"From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?"

These words, coupled with his consistent actions give me good cause to trust the highest man in my chain of command, and knowing that he understands these "consequential times" is great reassurance that our efforts in Iraq and elsewhere are not in vain.

Glimmer of hope

2005-01-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

As a former (and future) reader of the Greensboro News and Record, I was interested to see "Hunting where the ducks are flying" in the Poynter.

GN&R's Editor, John Robinson is leading an effort to make the paper more blogger friendly. The paper's homepage links to at least 5 internal blogs, along with the standard fare of news stories.

This is an encouraging sign - at least some in the MSM are taking steps to prevent their own extinction.

A real cause for anxiety

2005-01-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

Kind of a light blogging day today, so I'll leave the heavy lifting to Callimachus. Here's a teaser from "Mullah-palooza," his post on Iranian nukes:

[W]e're talking about Iran. We're talking about a nations whose leadership class considers suicide attacks not just an acceptable tactic but a religious duty. A county whose quasi-independent military openly recruits its citizens to be car-bombers to kill foreign construction workers building sewage plants in Iraq, or blow up Israeli buses full of school children.

Who is America to decide who can have nukes and who can't? Nobody -- and everybody. I have no problem living in a world where the grown-ups decide who gets to have nuclear weapons and who doesn't.

And if much of Old Europe chooses a slow suicide by uberfremdung, by indifference to its children, by blind trusting pacifism in a jungle-world, then I am not interested in having that part of the world make the safety choices for the rest of us.

We do not accept an Iran armed with nuclear weapons. We prefer to resolve that situation by diplomacy. But we're not limited to that approach. Keeping the most harsh military options on the table, as the U.S. administration has done, gives us the maximum possible degree of flexibility.

Employment opportunity

2005-01-20T14:38:00.000-08:00

Gay Patriot points out Lance's idea: now-unemployed human shields should volunteer to work the Iraqi election on January 30.

All those great humanitarians, who so sacrificially self-deployed to protect the Iraqi people from the evil Americans invading to steal their oil, must have been pretty bored over the last year or two, and they should jump at the chance.

As Lance points out, after facing off against the world's most powerful military, a one-day standoff against a few thugs armed only with AK-47s and bootleg explosives should be a walk in the park.

In 2003, the Iraqi people needed human shields to protect their schools and hospitals from the imperialist and reckless US Air Force, and now in 2005 another opportunity arises - protecting polling places.

Let's see how many show up.

(ht Instapundit)