Tag Archives: Iraq

McCain as Sarkozy?

Grover Norquist suggests that public disatisfaction with the Republican party is driven solely by hostility to President Bush. McCain’s differences with the Bush administration and its supporters thus strengthen his appeal with the county. As Grover puts it: “This is … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Inside Al Qaeda’s Crisis in Iraq

A Concerned Local Citizens (CLC) member in Arab Jabour, Iraq (photo: DoD) In extraordinary documents confiscated in November by the United States, we get an enemy’s eye view of the Awakening in Iraq, and further confirmation about how debilitating the … Continue reading

Posted in Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Best Result Possible

Do you want the best possible result? Sure; don’t we all? When I play bridge, we frequently say: “I didn’t get the best possible result. But – I got the best result possible.” Sometimes, the best possible result is impossible … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Peg's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Bombshell in Baghdad

Video (transcript) of Angelina Jolie’s CNN interview from Baghdad on the Iraqi refugee crisis. In the UN’s often ridiculous efforts to hire Hollywood nonentities to promote various causes, Angelina was probably their wisest. Men generally rule the troublespots of the … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

M16s for Iraqis

Photo: Atlantic Firearms Upgrades for Iraq’s Presidential Brigade. They’ve purchased M16 rifles to replace their AKs: The Iraqi Army’s Presidential Brigade turned over their older AK-47 model rifles for newer and more accurate M-16s at Besmaya Range Complex in Iraq … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, Lee's Page, Military Matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Candidate Without A War

Is the Iraq War hurting John McCain’s candidacy? By “hurting” I’m referring to his struggle to be the true conservative candidate who unites the party. Despite his clear lead in the primary race, McCain has not been able to capture … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I think I need to say this again

If you haven’t had a chance to read Yon’s latest report from Iraq, I will reiterate that you need to do so. Fred Kagan and Anthony Cordesmann make an appearance, but the real interest is the dynamics in the population … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Air Surge

Bob Owens tackles the lazy reductionist thinking behind claims that the recent use of air strikes in Iraq shows a worsening situation, or is at odds with the counterinsurgency strategy we should be pursuing. I especially like this quote from … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Possibly the Two Dumbest Political Moves in the Last 6 Years

I would have to think Saddams bluff against the world would be up there at #1. A possible number 2 would be Rumsfeld, in 2004, siding with decision not to publicaly release information that supported going to war. http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12652 One … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Saddam “wanted to pursue all of WMD … to reconstitute his entire WMD program”

I’m not sure that’s “news” to those who have been paying attention the last few years, but now we have another source reported by CNN on Sunday. What makes this source newsworthy and interesting is that it’s FBI agent George … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Decisive Battle?

I think that may be overstating it, but the Iraqi army is planning a major offensive against the last area where al Qaeda has a significant presence, Mosul and its environs.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Maybe he wasn’t guilty?

Mick Stockinger: “In the side bar of the story is a link to an interactive site with the following caption: Saddam’s Judgment Background on the former Iraqi leader’s alleged crimes, his life and capture, plus video and photos. Tried, convicted … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Love in a Foreign War

(photo: trish brunner | blog) This morning I stumbled into the story from last year of James and Lena Ahearn. James, the American officer, Lena the Iraqi woman who was apparently the first war bride in Iraq in 2003. They’d … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Culture, Lee's Page, Military Matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beachamp revealed

By all accounts Scott Beauchamp has tried to redeem himself in the eyes of his unit. However, when this story came to a head and the military investigated him, he seems to have been held in rather low regard. Bob … Continue reading

Posted in Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Al Qaeda Casualties

Here’s an interesting figure from 2007 operations in Iraq: “Military operations against al Qaeda in Iraq resulted in the capture of 8,800 militants, while 2,400 were killed.”

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Price Controls in Iraq

Remember the snow in Baghdad? It’s an unusually cold winter there this year. Yet kerosene is hard to come by. Gee, I wonder why: “Little kerosene is available on the state-run market at the subsidized price of $0.52 a gallon. … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The NYT on Michael Yon

The New York Times lengthy and favorable look at Michael Yon‘s extraordinary efforts in Iraq is well worth reading today.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Beating the Tide

The military is praising Syria and Saudi Arabia for their efforts to restrict the flow of insurgent reinforcements into Iraq: “In early 2007, 110 foreigners were coming into Iraq from Syria every month. That is now reduced to 40 to … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

18 in 08

The United States believes Iraqis will be able to take over security control in all 18 provinces before the end of 2008. HT: GatewayPundit

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Surrender Movement Surrenders

Antiwar groups are dropping their effort to cut off funding for the Iraq war. They’ve decided to concentrate instead on preventing the president from negotiating a long term defense treaty with the Iraqi government. I suppose the thinking is that … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Good News About Iraq

Well, maybe not good news, but the forecasts portend good news. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7193174.stm Iraq faces a period of economic growth and political progress, according to assessments by the International Monetary Fund and the UN. The IMF sees 7% growth in 2008 … Continue reading

Posted in Keith's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Please Come Out and Fight

A bored Marine asks an Iraqi cab driver to tell the insurgents to come out and fight. You could say things have quieted down a bit in Iraq. Video clip.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Baghdad Hams

Under Saddam’s rule, ham radio operator Abdul Karim Hadi would have been executed if he’d kept radio equipment at home. Back then hams had to transmit from exclusive clubs, with the Mukhabarat listening in to every conversation. When liberation came … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Waziristan Awakening?

Sunni tribal leaders in Pakistan are organizing militias and some are ready to revolt against Al Qaeda. David Montero at the CSM takes a look at the risks and rewards of applying our successful counterterrorism strategy from Anbar, in Pakistan’s … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Perfunction Awakens the Mighty King of Trolls

The other day Perfunction posted David Duke’s political advice for the Ron Paul campaign. The noxious white nationalist’s recommendations being essentially that while Paul was great, he needs to be just a wee bit more, you know, anti-Semitic. Anyway, it … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Humor, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A “Conservative” Case for Barack Obama

It seems Daniel Hannan has been getting some email of the “what the heck is wrong with you?” variety over his support for Barack Obama. Today he argues that he’s thrown his support behind the rather vague candidate because of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Say It Aint So

Via hotair President Bush on Friday used a “pocket veto” to reject a sweeping defense bill because he dislikes a provision that would expose the Iraqi government to expensive lawsuits seeking damages from the Saddam Hussein era… The sponsor of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Keith's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Moment of Truth in Iraq

Another excellent post by Michael Yon giving a recap of his years in Iraq, and especially this last year of the “Surge.” Some very important news, Michael is publishing a book this spring. You can pre-order it here which has … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Keith's Page, Military Matters | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Things Are Not Rosy In Iraq

But, I’ve never claimed that, and AFAIK, nobody I’ve read is claiming that. The argument that we are claiming things are rosy is a strawman, pure and simple. What is being claimed is that security is improving. There are other … Continue reading

Posted in Keith's Page, Notes on the war | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Top Al Qaeda Operative Nabbed In Iraq, and Other Good News

Bill Roggio has the scoop at Long War Journal: The Iraqi Army claimed to have captured the minister of defense of the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda’s political front organization. Ahmed Turki Abbas was captured after being wounded in … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Small-Government Libertarian”

I seem to have caused some confusion with my previous post, “Putting the Question to the Bishop,” by an inartful use of the term “small-government libertarian.” The more I think about, the clearer it becomes to me that this term … Continue reading

Posted in Author Pages, Domestic Politics, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Me, Greg, Andrew and the two Glenn’s

(Listening notes: Magnetic Fields, Husker Du, Queen, Soft Cell, Indigo Girls, The Smith’s, REM, Pet Shop Boys, B-52’s, Scissor Sisters. A homage to Andrew Sullivan of sorts.)

I am here to step into the breach and defend Glenn Reynolds from two people I admire a lot. Continue reading

Posted in Lance's Page, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments