MichaelW on Jul 31 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters
And Egypt too:
The United States on Monday announced military aid packages worth more than $43 billion for Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in an effort to bolster Mideast allies against Iran and others.
The United States plans to offer a $13 billion package for Egypt over 10 years and a $30 billion package […]
Lance on Jul 31 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Military Matters, Society
I just checked my e-mail after days of ignoring it. I have been moving onto my new house (yes, I am stoked) and I have sworn off doing more than checking in on what my blogging mates have been up to. One e-mail I missed was from Jed Nitzberg who has been helping out with […]
MichaelW on Jul 30 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
“Hmm - if you have been wondering who’s a nerd for twelve years, your research might well be conducted with a bathroom mirror (works for me!).”
Tom Maguire
Sphere: Related Content
MichaelW on Jul 30 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page
Well maybe not as fast as some of us would like. I’ve not been a big fan of Gonzales, but neither have I been a huge detractor. He strikes me as politically tone deaf, which is the primary cause of much of his current troubles in my opinion, and the evidence adduced so […]
MichaelW on Jul 30 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Media, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Scott Thomas Beauchamp (”STB”) may be to the future of the GWOT what Gavrilo Princip was to the future of Europe. By that I mean that a relatively minor opportunist may serve to ignite and focus an underlying battle that has been looking for an excuse to truly rage. Princip broke the camel’s […]
MichaelW on Jul 27 2007 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Society
For those of you who have been following the ‘Scott Thomas’ debacle, there is an interesting discussion going on over at QandO about the actions of Mr. Beauchamp:
The post yesterday about the revelation of “Scott Thomas’” identity (Howard Kurtz comments on the situation here) spurred quite a discussion about the concept honor and it’s place […]
MichaelW on Jul 27 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page
I’ve opined before about how NY Governor Elliot Spitzer is a perfect example of a modern day tyrant, judging solely by the intimidation tactics he used as Attorney General (quoting Prof. Bainbridge):
His [Spitzer’s] attack on the mutual fund industry was “a gross abuse of prosecutorial power.” “Just a quick overview of Spitzer’s tactics over the […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 26 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Notes on the war
(For those who wonder where I find the time for these daily news roundups, it’s usually during slow moments during the day. Because of my job, I have had none of those for a few weeks. And I’m sick of busting my ass to put these up every night and losing out on precious sleep […]
MichaelW on Jul 25 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
The London Times reported Monday that al Qaeda is experiencing some internal discord over the gruesome tactics employed by the group:
Fed up with being part of a group that cuts off a person’s face with piano wire to teach others a lesson, dozens of low-level members of al-Qaeda in Iraq are daring to become informants […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 25 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense
Actually, I think it is perfectly natural, even laudable, for Christians to assist in the defense of soldiers who plead not-guilty to war crimes. That would seem perfectly in line with that whole “innocent until proven guilty” thing the Founding Fathers were so up on, and is a principle I think is […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 24 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense
Ms. Boyd takes a look at President Bush’s self-declared power to confiscate the property of anyone who aids the Iraq insurgency. She asks a very cogent question: what about Afghanistan? In fact, one could be forgiven for thinking we’re ignoring Afghanistan at our own peril… a constant worry I have, one painfully […]
MichaelW on Jul 23 2007 | Filed under: Economics, Media, MichaelW's Page
As I’m sure I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion, my morning and evening commutes are usually accompanied by NPR news programming. The leftist bent is grating at times, but the production values are quite high, and I do enjoy some of the off-beat stories from time to time. However, one thing that […]
MichaelW on Jul 23 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Media, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
You can predict the future. Really, you can. Maybe not next week’s lottery numbers, but some things are as amenable to prognostication “as the flowers is in May.” You just need to read the signs.
Some signs are easily evident, while others take a bit more deciphering. One evident sign occurs when […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 21 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Hugo Chavez, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer
Defense
Doug Bandow has a pair of great pieces up, on how the GWoT and Iraq are actually opposed to a free society, and more precisely just how badly the Iraq War has distorted us as a society—like, perhaps, the newly self-granted power to seize the property of anyone who “interferes” with the […]
MichaelW on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Law, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war, Technology
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
– U.S. Constitution, Art. 3, Sect. 3
The […]
Lance on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Uncategorized
McQ beat me to it on the campaign to discredit General Petraeus as an Bush administration hack. This is doubly ironic considering Petraeus’ long standing and cogent criticism of the way the war was being fought. A man so devoted to changing things he bucked traditional combat doctrine and pushed hard, with career risk involved, […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Religion and theology
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer
Defense
Hans Kristensen, who runs the Strategic Security Blog for FAS, keeps churning out essential reading after essential reading, this time on how Russia is really just playing the same ABM game it played in the Cold War. Because the more things change… SSB, by the way, should be in your RSS reader […]
Lance on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Notes on the war
Thanks to McQ, I find this interview with the generally excellent John Burns of the NYT:
BURNS: “[T]he one thing I think that virtually all of us who work here or have worked here for any length of time agree is that the levels of violence would eclipse by quite a long way the bloodshed we`ve […]
Lance on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page
Senator and former presidential flop John Kerry astounds us with his ability for self deception. From Don Surber I find this:
Breitbart TV has video of Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts telling a whopper on C-Span.
Sen. John Kerry said during a C-Span appearance that fears of a bloodbath after the US […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 19 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Notes on the war
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer
Defense & the War
My respect for Kilcullen continues to rise. I hope he can affect some sort of change in the Army. But, I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t. His thoughts on how our over-focus on states is what is leaving us behind are essential reading (though he is not by […]
Keith_Indy on Jul 18 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Keith's Page, Military Matters
Senator Reid, fresh from staying up all night (or not), in order to debate (or is that close debate) the redeployment/withdrawal/retreat/surrender from Iraq, will not give the enemy tips on his strategy…
Reid declined to say when he might bring up Iraq-related proposals again or what the measures might be.
“I’m not tipping my mitt,” he […]
Lance on Jul 18 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
The Iranian security apparatus is on the job, They have found out our secret. The CIA has called in the squirrels.
Sphere: Related Content
Keith_Indy on Jul 18 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Keith's Page, Media, Military Matters
Well, figuratively, since this al Qaeda in Iraq leader was taken alive and has been providing information to the coalition. So, how many foreign agents do people need to see to be reminded that al Qaeda in Iraq is not some home grown anti-occupation insurgency.
Also note the PR apparatus they’ve set up for themselves.
The […]
MichaelW on Jul 18 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
Sometimes we all just want to make a point so badly that we read self-justifying points into the arguments of those whom we oppose. Case in point, John Cole takes aim at John Hinderaker, but completely confuses the point being made. First, Hinderaker:
Buying Time…
…but not much. Rasmussen’s latest survey […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 18 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Notes on the war
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer
Defense
“I honestly don’t think it will be apocalyptic, but it will be ugly.” So says retired Col. Gary Anderson, after concluding a series of wargames about a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. I wish he weren’t such a defeatist and America-hating and al-Qaeda loving Dumbocrat. Anne Applebaum doesn’t see things as clearly.
I can […]
Lance on Jul 17 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Notes on the war
In the New York Times we hear the rather blunt assessment of the commander of the 3rd ID of why he feels we need to stay. The Iraqi civilians are taking huge risks to work with us, and those civilians will pay the price for doing so should we leave.
[Gen. Lynch] implied that an […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 17 2007 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense
The nasty business of involving yourself with the Sunni militias. And 85 people were killed after a bomb exploded in Kirkuk. But there weren’t Coalition casualties, so clearly THE SURGE is working.
Much like with General Pace, it appears General Petraeus is on track to be Bush’s sacrificial lamb. Of course, he knew […]
Keith_Indy on Jul 16 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Environment, Keith's Page, Technology
The increase in the amount of bio-fuel production, specifically ethanol, is driving up the costs of anything that feeds or is produced with grain. This is leading to higher prices for milk, ice cream, cereal, and a host of other staples. The UN is also having a harder time buying grain to feed […]
Joshua Foust on Jul 14 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Notes on the war
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
The War
Iraq has failed to meet most of its benchmarks for five years (in a very real way, they’re 0-18), yet the pro-war types keep begging the other 70% of the country to give diplomacy and political processes more time. Kind of like the anti-war movement in 2002, only on the other […]
Keith_Indy on Jul 13 2007 | Filed under: Keith's Page
Here I present for the world, my award winning chili. Granted, the award is only for our company’s annual cook-off. But I have won it 4 out of the last 4 cook-offs (the latest being today…)
Keith’s Chunky Chili
Ingredients:
3 lbs of Round Steak
1 lb of Chorizo Sausage (bulk)
2 lb Red Onion
4-6 Hot peppers (various […]
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