Military

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

The AP Maligns Our Soldiers On Memorial Day Weekend

May 26, 2008 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

It’s a happy Memorial Day from the Associated Press as they inform that nation that a few Marines involved themselves in a “shooting spree” in Afghanistan. Yes, the AP makes it seem as if our Marines began “firing indiscriminately at vehicles and civilians” during a March 4th altercation near Nangarhar province. But, a closer read finds a far murkier story and one that seems to say that our Marines didn’t go wild but that they thought they were under attack. Whether the Marines were right or wrong about being attacked is the real question at the end of the day. But whatever the case, right at the outset the AP presented the incident as if the Marines were in the wrong.

Even the headline casts the Marines actions in the negative: “Afghans appalled Marines not charged in killings.” No benefit of the doubt there. In fact, the whole first half of the story explores the charges against the Marines before a single word in their defense appears.

Afghan officials expressed outrage Saturday at the decision by the U.S. military not to charge U.S. Marines involved in a shooting spree that left 19 Afghan civilians dead in 2007.

…Afghan witnesses and a report by Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission concluded that a unit of Marine special operations troops opened fire along a 10-mile (16 kilometer) stretch of road, killing up to 19 civilians and wounding 50 other people.

However, we come to discover that the Marines determined that the soldiers “acted appropriately and in accordance with the rules of engagement and tactics, techniques and procedures in place at the time in response to a complex attack.” And that the incident occurred after their convoy was hit by a suicide bomber. And we also find out that this ruling came after a three-week tribunal investigating the charges was held.

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00Publius Contributor - History - Military - News - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

The Last American WWI Soldier at 107 Years Old

May 25, 2008 by

This is a great article as seen at knoxnews.com. It’s a great little read for Memorial Day.
++++++

THE GREAT WARRIOR: Last U.S. WWI veteran has seen, survived much

-By Fred Brown

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va.- Frank Woodruff Buckles is stooped and bent from his 107 years, but he is not bowed. His spirit glows with the life he has lived.

First and foremost, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Buckles is America’s last doughboy.

Of the more than 4 million who served in World War I, called the Great War, he has outlived everyone. His elder, veteran Harry R. Landis, died at 108 in February in Florida.

Buckles is from an era that has almost disappeared into the dust motes of American history.

Woodrow Wilson was president when a teenage Buckles volunteered almost 91 years ago to serve his nation. He has since seen 16 more men enter the White House.

He began making a living long before Social Security. He learned to drive when driver’s licenses were not required.

Buckles is a walking historical encyclopedia, with experiences and memories spanning more than a century.

He lives today with his daughter, Susannah Flanagan, on a 330-acre West Virginia cattle farm that’s been his home since 1954.

He was honored to serve his country, he says. As for living so long, he says his only thoughts are that it’s been nice to see all the changes.

“Longevity has never bothered me at all,” he says. “I have studied longevity for years.”
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Budget - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Energy - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

So You Thought It Was Just At The Gas Pump?

May 25, 2008 by

-By Rick Norris

During a May 7th interview on the CNN Glen Beck program, oil industry analyst Byron King suggested the possibility of $200 per barrel of oil by October of this year. Be prepared for shocks in places other than at the gas station.

As the cost of oil increases daily, our national security is affected significantly. For instance, Clayton B. Reid writes in the March 2008 issue of NewsMax that, “…for every $10.00 per barrel increase, US Air Force fuel costs rise $610 million per year.”

At three gallons per mile for an Abrams tank one can only guess at the increased costs for our armored forces. Operational costs for all the services just for getting from point “A” to point “B” are set to increase at an alarming rate solely due to fuel expenditures. Costs for heating or cooling living quarters on military posts and stations in the U.S. and around the world will also rise accordingly.
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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Democrat Admits Democrats Lied About Stopping War

May 24, 2008 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill is reporting that Rep. Paul Kanjorski (Dem., PA) told an audience at a town meeting that the Democrat Party was basically lying when they said they’d stop the war if they were elected as the majority during the 2006 midterms. One would think that such an explosive admission would be all over the news? Amazingly, this news is rather hushed.

In an August, 2007 video posted on You-Tube on May 22nd, Kanjorski is seen saying that Democrats “stretched the facts” when they said they would stop the war after winning the majority.

Transcript:

Now, I’ll tell you my impression. We really in this last election — when I say “we,” the Democrats — I think pushed it as far as we can to the envelope. We didn’t say it, but we implied it, that if we won the congressional elections, we could stop the war.

Now, anybody who’s a good student of government would know it wasn’t true. But you know, the temptation to want to win back the Congress, we sort of stretched the facts.

The GOP responded with a perfectly formulated reply for a change.

“For Paul Kanjorski to admit that Democrats campaigned in ’06 on a fraudulent agenda to end the war not only exposes his own calculated efforts to fool the voters of his district, but it also raises the question of whether this was a coordinated effort by the Democratic Party as a whole,” said a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Ken Spain. “Paul Kanjorski should be ashamed of himself for using our troops in harm’s way as political pawns for his own partisan agenda.”

For his part, Kanjorski tried to weasel his way out of having admitted that his party lied about their ability and desire to end the war by trying to make it seem like he was talking “in frustration” that the Dems had not ended the war instead of admitting they were lying about doing so.

“In an August 2007 town meeting, I shared the frustration of my constituents that the war in Iraq continued,” he said. “I expressed my belief that some Democrats in 2006 overestimated the ability of a single house of Congress to end the war, particularly in the face of an intransigent President and Senate Republicans who are committed to continuing the war.”

No, Rep. Kanjorski. You were not saying the Democrats “overestimated” their “ability” to end the war you were saying they were LYING about stopping the war. Nice try at spinning, but no cigar, Monica.

This goes to show that the first casualty of Democrat Party politics is the truth. And where is the rest of the media on this story? Unsurprisingly, nowhere to be seen.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

SacBee: Anti-War Bias Hidden in Tale of Iraqi Girl Getting New Legs from US Army

May 15, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is a sad example of the subtle anti-war bias that the MSM constantly hides in stories even when they are heartwarming tales of the great things our soldiers do for the people of Iraq. In this case, it is the Sacramento Bee putting in some almost subliminal anti-war sentiments in the mouth of Staff Sgt. Luis Falcon who worked his heart out to get some prosthetic legs for an 11-year-old Iraqi girl who lost her legs to a road side bomb. This is a wonderful story that is marred by the SacBee’s attempt to interject into the story doubt about the war effort in Iraq.

As it happened, Staff Sgt. Falcon made friends with little Shahad Abbas who had been the victim of a road side bomb that was detonated as she was walking to school. Her little brother was killed in the blast. Falcon had been visiting the girl and was bringing her gifts of toys and medical supplies when at last she asked him for new legs so that she might again walk to school.

To his credit, Sgt. Falcon worked his heart out to get the poor girl those prosthetic legs and he succeeded in his goals. It is a heartwarming tale and highlights just one of the thousands and thousands of similar stories being lived out by our soldiers on a daily basis throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.

But, even with all this tear provoking details, the SacBee couldn’t resist some subtle jabs at the war by characterizing Sgt. Falcon as being confused about the war and seeming to doubt why we are there. In two short declarations the Bee made of Sgt. Falcon a doubter.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

AP: Military Hits Recruiting Goals Despite ‘Slow Economy,’ and ‘Unpopular War’

May 13, 2008 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Don’t you just love the MSM? They can’t even report good news without interjecting their doom and gloom, agenda driven verbiage into any report. This time it is the Associated Press with the good news that the Marines and the rest of America’s armed forces have reached their recruiting goals. In fact, many branches of the service exceeded them. All good news, right? Well, naturally the AP had to throw some cold water on the good tidings. You see, according to the AP the Marines fulfilled their recruiting goals because of a “slow economy” and despite Iraq being an “unpopular war.” They just can’t let it go, can they?

After giving us the details that the Marines surpassed their recruiting goals the AP had to remind us that U.S. forces were “stretched thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan” and that those joining the service are doing so because — and here is that old canard again — “other job possibilities” are limited for them.

Recruiting is easier in a slow economy, which limits other job possibilities that are available. But officials also noted that the Army and Marines have added recruiters as well as bonuses and other special benefits to attract more recruits in the midst of the unpopular war in Iraq.

How “unpopular” can it be if the services are finding it so easy to fulfill their recruiting goals, anyway? And how many times do we have to prove the they-can’t-get-a-job claim made against our recruits is not true?

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Frank Salvato - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

Ceasefires in Islam: Not Always What They Seem to Be

May 8, 2008 by

-By Frank Salvato

It seems as though every other day we hear there is another “ceasefire” in the Middle East. This is chiefly because there is so much violent Islamofascist aggression throughout the Middle East but it is also because of something more. Just as there is no exact translation between the Arabic and English languages, we in the West would be wise to realize that this “inexactness” exists as a constant in the relationship between the cultures of Islam and Western Civilization. This convolution of conceptual understanding is aptly illustrated where the subject of military ceasefires is concerned.

In the West, a < href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceasefire">ceasefire is commonly understood to mean a temporary cessation of violence or hostilities for an agreed time period or within a defined geographical area. In many cases, ceasefires have been instituted to facilitate negotiations that produced an armistice, peace treaty or unconditional surrender. Regardless of the goal – achieved or sought – in most every ceasefire agreement the terms and conditions are clearly defined so that each side has a clear understanding of what is required and what is to be considered a breach of contract, as it were.

To say that we in the West are engaged in a clash of civilizations with the fundamentalist Islamic culture would be a fair statement. Hundreds if not thousands of radical jihadist groups are mounting a violent global offensive against Western Civilization in a third attempt at establishing a global Caliphate. This contention is validated by history and we need only be good students of events passed to understand it.
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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Two Recent Success in WOT You Didn’t Hear About in the Media

April 30, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Taliban suffered a big loss in Pakistan/Afghanistan this month and so did al Qaeda in Iraq, but the MSM has been practically silent on these great successes. It only goes to show that the media is so completely sold on the claim that the war is lost that they aren’t interested in doing any real reporting on the war.

Not only has Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki headed up a brilliantly successful attack on rebel leader and Iranian backed Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi army in Basra, but it seems that Maliki’s hard-line against Sadr has convinced Iraq’s main Sunni block to return to their places in the Iraqi government. Sadr has called for a ceasefire between forces loyal to him and the Iraqi government. At this point, al-Maliki seems poised on a breakthrough in Iraqi affairs that could lead to more involvement and less bloodshed. This is all something that few expect possible only a few months ago.

The western press has reported the information above widely, if not enthusiastically, but that isn’t the only good news in Iraq. What seems to have been given short shrift is the fact that al Qaeda has been severely hurt in Iraq, even “decapitated.”

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Democrats/Leftists - Flight 93 - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

Flight 93 Memorial Update…

April 17, 2008 by

40 infidels, strung like fish beneath symbolic Islamic heavens

Just for this post, a new blogburst logo:

Blogburst logo, Tower top

Tom Burnett’s letter to the American people is bringing lots of signatures for our online petition. People can also join our blogbursts here

Damned to Hell

Time to emphasize the ugliest aspect of the terrorist memorial mosque that is now being built in Shanksville Pennsylvania. It does not just INCLUDE the terrorists in some kind of reductio ad absurdum of multiculturalist moral relativism. Actually, there is not a single speck of moral relativism in the entire design. Rather, the terrorists are explicitly championed, while the 40 infidels are again and again depicted as symbolically damned to Islamic Hell.

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Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

The Long War

April 12, 2008 by

-By Russ Gottwald for Right Side News

The War on Terror, or the Long War as President Bush has re-styled it, shares many features of the Cold War. Both of them are, at root, ideological conflicts perceived very differently by the respective adversaries. Both sets of ideologies contain internal fissures and (to a certain degree) state sponsors of their dominant strains of thought. Both feature proxy and paramilitary campaigns, but (at least as of yet) no direct conflicts between the primary state sponsors. Finally, neither offers the possibility of a purely military victory in the vein of the triumph over Fascism; indeed, a hallmark of victory in the Long War will be that the losing ideology, rather than being truly defeated, will be marginalized the way that Marxism has been.

The first step in grasping the true nature of the Long War is to define exactly what it is, and who the opposing sides are. It is not purely a battle against terrorists or terrorist organizations. It cannot be, for to make it so would all but guarantee defeat. Terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, or Hamas are merely the militant branches of a larger movement. In a Cold War context, they tend to be compared to more dangerous, capable, and global versions of the Baader-Mainhof Gang, the Red Brigades, or FARC. This characterization is inaccurate, as is the assertion that such groups as al-Qaeda are “not ideological in a political sense.” Rather, these organizations and others like them, such as the Taliban, perceive themselves more similarly to the Bolsheviks in revolutionary Russia (although they would likely not make that parallel directly). As General Howard states earlier in his overview, their goal is to topple Western and “apostate” or secular regimes in predominantly Muslim states and replace them with Islamist rule. This is an explicitly political aim.
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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Christiane Amanpour: Post Nam Cambodian Genocide Just Like U.S. ‘Waterboarding’ Today?

April 8, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

So, do you want to see a most egregious example of equating apples to oranges? Well, even that old saw is too mild a metaphor to describe the disgusting example of Christiane Amanpour’s latest foray into moral relativism. In her CNN piece titled, “Survivor recalls horrors of Cambodia genocide,” Amanpour assumes that American “waterboarding” today is exactly the same thing as the genocide of millions as perpetrated by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Amanpour seems to think that waterboarding is the same thing as what Pol Pot did with prisoners that were “whipped raw, their fingernails were yanked out, they were hogtied to wooden bars. Prison guards mutilated women’s genitals, ripped off their nipples with pliers. And worst of all, babies were ripped from their mothers’ arms and slaughtered.”

Amanpour’s latest project is being touted as a “major CNN documentary” that focusses on “those who stood up and said, ‘Listen! We must stop the killing. Stop the genocide,'” during a turbulent 1970’s Cambodia. The genocide in question describes the murderous reign of Pol Pot who slaughtered over two million Cambodians and imprisoned and tortured millions more after the end of the Vietnam war.

But what is Amanpour’s focus with her report? Is it how the Khmer Rouge communists tortured women, children and men to elicit faux “confessions” of capitalist crimes? Is it the many families that were torn apart? Is it that these murders continued with impunity because the Democrat Party convinced the U.S. to lose the war in Vietnam? No, none of that. Amanpour doesn’t seem to care much about what happened back between the years 1975 to 1979. No, it’s today that she is more interested in. Yes, Amanpour is far more interested that she get her Cambodian survivor to say that what Pol Pot did to millions of Cambodians was just as bad as what George Bush is rumored to have done to a few terror suspects today.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Society/Culture

No uniform answer for the Democrats

April 8, 2008 by

-By Michael M. Bates

Unless you’re more fortunate than I, you remember erstwhile Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Monsieur Kerry was famous for bringing up he’d been in the military. Indeed, his service became a constant refrain of the campaign.

Beginning his acceptance speech at the 2004 convention with a salute, he announced “I’m John Kerry, and I’m reporting for duty.” A few weeks later, he snapped that if George Bush “wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: Bring it on.” Obviously, the fact George Bush never questioned Kerry’s service couldn’t get in the way of a good applause line.

The Democrat’s surrogates and supporters quickly got with the program. With Kerry at his side at an August Tacoma gathering, retired Army General Wesley Clark bellowed, “Where was George Bush when young men from Arkansas and Texas and Massachusetts were called to serve their country and went to Vietnam?”

The following month in Nevada a couple of retired generals lent their support to Kerry. One spoke of how members of the Bush administration were AWOL during Vietnam: “They all ducked the opportunity to participate.”
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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Frank Salvato - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Religion - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

Women in Islam: Suffering the Barbary of an Ideology

April 7, 2008 by

-By Frank Salvato

News spread quickly that anti-Islamofascism activist Dr. Wafa Sultan has gone into hiding, along with her family. They are in hiding because of her participation in a recent debate on Al-Jazeera in which she challenged Egyptian Islamist Talat Rheim over Dutch cartoons of Mohammed and the ideology of Islam in general. For her truthful criticisms of Islam Dr. Sultan earned a fatwa, a “religiously” decried death sentence, from an Islamic scholar. That she criticizes Islam is enough justification in the eyes of the radical Islamist to kill her. That she is a woman infuses into the fatwa an unbridled viciousness and a need for expediency.

In the al-Jazeera interview, Dr. Sultan proclaimed:

“…any belief that chops off the heads of its critics is doomed to turn into terrorism and tyranny. This has been the condition of Islam, from its inception to this day. Islam has sentenced [its critics] to prison, and whoever crosses the threshold of that prison meets his death… If you want to change the course of events, you must re-examine your terrorist teachings, you must recognize and respect the right of the other to live, you must teach your children love, peace, coexistence and productive work. When you do that, the world will respect you…”

Not long after Dr. Sultan’s remarks, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of Islam’s most respected scholars, presented his religious edict and denounced Dr. Sultan, calling for her death. Qaradawi, it should be noted, has also declared the killing of American soldiers in Iraq and suicide bombings against Israel as a religious obligation for all Muslims. Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, describes Qaradawi as, “one of the world’s pre-eminent Islamofascists.”

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Arizona Monument That Blames America for 9/11 Gets Facelift

April 6, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back in September of 2006 it was reported that an Arizona monument built to memorialize the horrific events of 9/11 featured many phrases that blamed America for the attacks, yet not a one that blamed the terrorists.

The so-called memorial featured metal rings with phrases etched into them. Phrases like “Must bomb back,” “Foreign-born Americans afraid.” and “Erroneous U.S. air strike kills 46 Uruzgan civilians,” appear on the memorial. There are other phrases that seem to place the onus for the attacks on the US and these phrases have angered Arizonans since the day this abomination was unveiled.

Well it has taken two years, but the state legislature in Arizona has finally gotten around to begin to rectify the outrage. The Arizona Republic reports that the Arizona House voted to alter the 9/11 memorial this month.

Unfortunately, we ended up with another example of why Democrats cannot be trusted with our security as well as why it is a good assumption that most Democrats hate their own country. The Republic reports that the vote was practically a party line vote at 32 in favor to 26.

But, the fight isn’t over. Many who favor the anti-military and anti-American aspects of the “memorial” are vowing to fight to preserve their vision.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Did French Soldiers Torture Congolese Citizens?

March 30, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Swedish military officials are accusing the French army of torturing civilians in Congo during their participation in the EU-led Artemis mission to stop marauding bandit bands plaguing the north-eastern part of the country.

Operation Artemus, the first major EU-led military effort, was supposed to mark a new era in joint European military operations. The short lived mission was active only a few months ending on Sept. 1 of 2003.

Now the Swedish military is accusing the French of torturing those whom they were supposed to be protecting.

According to the Swedish television news magazine Uppdrag Granskning, Swedish soldiers observed their French compatriots as they tortured a Congolese man in civilian clothes for hours, allegedly beating and strangling him. According to the report, the episode didn’t end until the Swedish soldiers went to the French commander.

Now, we can certainly look to France to investigate this incident and, if found to be true, we should expect them to prosecute these soldiers. But, I want to caution Americans from pointing to this with triumphalism.

We have to wonder why it has taken from 2003 to 2007 to report this torture claim? Second and most importantly, we cannot point at the “French” and say that “they” torture. This sort of behavior is not a French military policy and was likely just the actions of single soldiers. Even if a local French commander either encouraged or simply looked the other way while these things were occurring (if they really did) we cannot claim that it was any sort of official policy to the point where we can say “the French torture.” Any more than we can say with factual confidence that the U.S. military had any sort of policies that would have sanctioned the foolishness in Abu Ghraib.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Entertainment - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Media Doesn’t Get Why Hollywood’s Dismal Iraq War Pics Are Flopping

March 27, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On the 25th, the Washington Post served up a lament for Hollywood’s dismal box office returns for the many Iraq war pictures it has churned out over the last several years, wondering why they have all failed so spectacularly? The whole article amounts to the Post just not understanding why moviegoers have stayed away in droves from these dark and dismal movies. But with the anti-Military, anti-American point of view depicted in every single one of these movies, it is no surprise that Americans have ignored these self-denigrating flicks. After all, with soldiers really taking casualties on the battlefield, who wants to see a film that tells us all it’s OUR fault?

Still, the Washington Post is mystified.

After five years of conflict in Iraq, Hollywood seems to have learned a sobering lesson: The only things less popular than the war itself are dramatic films and television shows about the conflict… A spate of Iraq-themed movies and TV shows haven’t just failed at the box office. They’ve usually failed spectacularly, despite big stars, big budgets and serious intentions.

The Post then goes on to wonder if audiences are “turned off by the war, or are they simply voting against the way filmmakers have depicted it?” As the post asks that question, you’d think they are on the verge of understanding. But, this question is dropped right away as the story details one flop after another. Ridiculously, the Post seems puzzled by the fact that audiences have not just mindlessly followed into the theater the “big stars, big budgets and serious intentions” of these failed flicks and no further attempt is made in this story to explore the public’s disinterest.

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Overstepping Union Attacks US Foreign Policy

March 12, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In the military there is phrase for something that gets larger than it started; mission creep. This phrase is a really good one to describe how things often get out of hand. It also describes why unions always go awry. In this case, mission creep describes what happens when a union goes from being concerned with the interests of employees and union members to imagining it has the power or even the place to try to guide American foreign policy.

The Atlantic Free Press brings us the ridiculous tale of the arrogance of the ILWU that has decided it has the right to shut down all west cost ports of entry so that the union can announce its disagreement with the war in Iraq — a war that we are winning at last, by the way.

In a major step for the U.S. labor movement, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has announced that it will shut down West Coast ports on May 1, to demand an immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East. In a February 22 letter to AFL-CIO president John Sweeney, ILWU International president Robert McEllrath reported that at a recent coast-wide union meeting, “One of the resolutions adopted by caucus delegates called on longshore workers to stop work during the day shift on May 1, 2008 to express their opposition to the war in Iraq.”

If anyone can show me where a union has the place to take such an action… well, I’m all ears.

But here they are with the arrogance of those who imagine that they smarter and better equipped than those whom we actually ELECT to lead this country!

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00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Judges - Military - News - Patriotism - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Anti-War Judge Won’t Allow Foster Child to Join Marines

March 8, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Children’s Court Commissioner Marilyn Mackel of Simi Valley, California is against our actions in Iraq. With that said, this activist judge felt she had the right to prevent a foster child under her jurisdiction from joining the Marines. This refusal is an obscene abuse of power based solely on her hatred for the U.S. military. And she’s done this before.

The L.A. Daily News gives us the outrageous story of young Shawn Sage, a foster child, who appeared before judge Mackel to ask for permission to sign with the Marines for an early enlistment. Sage is 17 and would have been eligible for a $10,000 signing bonus upon signing. The young man has long dreamed of joining the Marines and is shocked that this judge denied him permission to join.

“The judge said she didn’t support the Iraq war for any reason why we’re over there,” said Marine recruiter Sgt. Guillermo Medrano of the Simi Valley USMC recruiting office.

“She just said all recruiters were the same – that they `all tap dance and tell me what I want to hear.’ She said she didn’t want him to fight in it.”

According to the L.A. Daily News, Makel also denied another young foster child who wanted to join the Navy because she feels that all military recruiters are liars and just want “another warm body.”

As Mr. Sage stood before the judge he had the backing of several members of the military as well as his brother and his foster parents behind him. Yet regardless of all the adult support this young man had for his quest, this out of control judge ruled against his right to join our nation’s military.

But something good may be coming from this episode despite of all this military-hating judge’s actions. The legislature is stepping in and doing their job deflating some of this un-American judge’s power. As a result of this judge’s untoward acts, Shawn Sage submitted a proposal to a local California lawmaker’s write a bill challenge and Mr. Sage’s proposal has since become Bill AB2238.
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00Publius Contributor - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - Nancy Morgan - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

Warning: Democrats At Work

March 7, 2008 by

-By Nancy Morgan

Liberal Democrats were very busy last week conducting the people’s business. In the Senate, our dedicated public servants spent the week debating a plan by Sen. Russ Feingold to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq by July. Alas, the plan was a few votes short. After failing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat) passionately vowed “The antiwar fight will continue.”

Meanwhile, in Iraq, several positive indicators show the tide may have turned. Due to the success of the surge, violence is down a whopping 80%. The Iraqi government is finally stepping up, having passed several key pieces of legislation recently. I believe this is called ‘political progress’. Maliki stated that Iraq has achieved stability and overcome sectarian strife. Good news, indeed.

‘The people’ the Democrats claim to represent were briefly in the news, as Gunnery Sgt. William Gibson, a dedicated Marine, returned to Iraq for a second tour. This, after having his leg amputated above the knee. Sgt. Gibson is but one of thousands of patriotic American heroes who have voluntarily decided to sign up for multiple tours in Iraq. Even a 26 year-old member of the Washington National Guard said he will be signing up for his third tour, this, right after he won a million dollar jackpot. True Americans.
Continue reading “Warning: Democrats At Work”

00Publius Contributor - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Warner Todd Huston

Angelina Jolie’s Call for US to ‘Stay in Iraq’?

February 29, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In a recent editorial published in the Washington Post, an unusual call for the USA to stay in Iraq rang out with pleas for the US to commit even more money and resources to help rebuild that war torn nation. Published under the byline of Angelina Jolie, the piece said that, “we have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact.” This editorial is unusual because the Washington Post is usually filled with tales of how we have failed in Iraq and how we should just get out, but here is this one saying we are now at a place where leaving would be the worst thing we could do. One wonders if this article will find the name of Angelina Jolie used as an epithet by the get-out-now, anti-war set from among the netrooters and the MSM? Or will her celebrity and long standing interest in humanitarian efforts give her cover with the same sort of people?

What ever treatment we’ll see meted out by the far left to the Hollywood star who’s name graces this interesting piece, the fact that a call has been made to stay in Iraq by someone other than the conservative movement here is interesting if not amazing. It strikes a little heard note of optimism in news coverage that usually focuses only on the so-called failures of US forces in Iraq.

It should first be noted that this piece assumes the surge has worked. A few lines are also devoted to the feelings our troops have that the efforts in Iraq are neither fruitless or finished.

As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.

While it is certainly gratifying that this piece seriously calls for renewed commitment in Iraq, some of the assumptions made in the piece with Jolie’s byline are a bit overheated. In one part, the article claims that the “humanitarian crisis has not improved” in Iraq, but this is clearly not completely true.

Continue reading “Angelina Jolie’s Call for US to ‘Stay in Iraq’?”

00Publius Contributor - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

Don’t Blame Us For Berkeley/Toledo Attacks Against Marines Say Businesses

February 25, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

You’re all aware, I’m sure, of the several attacks against our fighting men and women perpetrated by city governments of late. The Berkeley City Council, who intended to try and kick Marine recruiting offices out of the city, and Toledo, where Mayor Finkbeiner refused to allow the Marines to exit a bus in his city when they arrived to start planned upon exercises, are all over the news. It is also well known that in Toledo, Ohio and Berkeley, California protesters for and against the Marines have been deployed to face each other and the news media have been there to chronicle it all. But, one paper has taken it upon itself to try and excuse the very people who put these ignorant politicians into office who caused these rows in the first place.

The Toledo Free Press published a recent article titled “Controversy over Marines rejection impacts city’s development efforts”, the main thrust of which is that people shouldn’t blame the businesses of either Toledo or Berkeley for the actions of their politicians. But, after seeing all the whining about lost revenue by the business community in both cities and after seeing them plead with people not to blame them for what their politicians do, it left me wondering why shouldn’t we hold voters accountable for what their politicians do?

The TFP detailed the fact that several projects from corporations and businesses outside the city that were considering investing in Toledo have begun to report that they are reconsidering their investments there because of the actions of Mayor Finkbeiner. For instance, Ward Brewer, CEO of a Florida based corporation that had intended to bring a multi-million dollar project to Toledo, is putting a hold on plans until the situation is resolved in the Marines’ favor.

Brewer, during a phone conversation from his Florida office, said Finkbeiner’s handling of the Feb. 8 incident was “inexcusable.” He said he would be speaking with “Marines,” which he declined to name, before issuing a final decision.

And Brewer isn’t the only one.

Continue reading “Don’t Blame Us For Berkeley/Toledo Attacks Against Marines Say Businesses”

00Publius Contributor - 2nd Amendment - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

How the MSM Twists Language to Blame the Innocent, Mislead Readers

February 21, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

NBC Channel 10 News of Philadelphia, PA has given us a perfect example of how the media misuses words in order to illegitimately blame things and people who are otherwise blameless. This particular story really shows how the media manipulates… or is, perhaps, just plain illiterate at the very least.

The headline begins us on our journey of media manipulation and nonsense. With the proclamation that “French Fries To Blame For SEPTA Station Gang Beating”, we are supposed to be informed that “French fries” are at fault for a beating. I guess it wasn’t the gang-banger punks that were responsible, huh? It was the “French fries”? Already the news piece shies blame away from the humans responsible to an inanimate object; the French fries (a favorite poly in the “gun violence” meme, by the way).

Oh, but it doesn’t stop with just an illogical, misleading headline. The very first few paragraphs caries us further on our journey into absurdity.

PHILADELPHIA — A teenager riding SEPTA home from school said Wednesday she was attacked by a group of teenage girls over French fries, and wanted to thank the good Samaritan she said stopped the beating.

The 16-year-old girl, who was not identified, told NBC 10 News she knew others had been attacked on SEPTA, but said she had no idea she would be the next victim.

So within the first two sentences we see that this sort of violence has been happening more and more on the mass transit in the “City of Brotherly Love,” and that makes the lie to the “French fry” claim… unless people wander around Philly carrying French fries (an obvious item of burning desire, jealousy and passion, of course) at all times?

Continue reading “How the MSM Twists Language to Blame the Innocent, Mislead Readers”

00Publius Contributor - Elections - GOP - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Warner Todd Huston

Newsweek of McCain’s Implosion: America ‘Won’t Listen to a Military Man’ Anymore

February 15, 2008 by

**Note: It’s been requested that I republish one from July 31 of 2007. So, here it is…

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the chief reasons that Republicans in general and Conservatives in particular were always wary of John “the maverick” McCain is the slobbering love that the MSM so constantly lavished upon him. The MSM is so distrusted that their love for McCain relayed to the country that there must be something wrong with him. As his campaign descends into ever lower depths of disarray, we may begin to see the MSM fall to the floor in abject lamentations over his demise. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth now that their favorite Republican looks to be a goner, at least if Michael Hirsh of Newsweek is any indication. In “Why McCain’s Collapse Matters”, Hirsh not only laments McCain’s diminishment of influence, but blames the American people for not listening to military “heroes” on how evil this war is. Hirsh also uses his piece as an excuse to repeatedly bash Fred Thompson using the media’s “He’s just an actor” mantra. Naturally, Hirsh learns all the wrong lessons from his review of history and displays it in this little tsk tsking tirade aimed at the American people for their gall in not fawning over McCain like the MSM does.

Hirsh starts out bashing Fred Thompson by reminding us that Thompson was still playing his “tough D.A.” role on TV as McCain was supposedly living that role in real life while he was giving Donald Rumsfeld a piece of his mind during an appearance on the Hill by Rummy early in the Iraq war. Hirsh rightfully bemoans the fact that Donald Rumsfeld was not listening to McCain’s correct advice at that time. McCain was calling for more troops at that early stage but Rummy thought the Administration’s own strategy of fewer troops and quicker “Iraqification” was better. Hirsh is mistaken to imagine that Bush was led by the nose by Rummy, however. It was Bush’s strategy, not just Rumsfeld’s. Hish is correct that McCain’s ideas of a “surge” before there was one was dead on. But, from this point Hirsh flies off track and runs wildly into the tall grass.

Hirsh claims that “McCain’s fellow Republicans … are insisting on success in an impossible nine months (by September, that is). That’s a benchmark Gen. David Petraeus and others in the Iraq command realize is simply untenable.” But, this is simply not true. A few Republicans may be hoping that it happens, but most are calling for, at the very least, time enough to give the surge a chance and wait for General Petraeus’ report before making any further decisions. Few are claiming it will all be fixed and over in a mere matter of months.

After this bit of nonsense, Hirsh attacks Thompson yet again.
Continue reading “Newsweek of McCain’s Implosion: America ‘Won’t Listen to a Military Man’ Anymore”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - President - Security/Safety - Warner Todd Huston

LATimes Says Cheney ‘Glad’ We ‘Tortured People’… Except VP Never Said It

February 14, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In one of the most egregious examples of MSM bias I’ve seen lately, Tim Rutten of the L.A.Times has blatantly lied about remarks that Vice President Cheney made at CPAC in a February 8th piece headlined “Bush’s message for McCain.” Rutten makes the outrageous claim that Cheney said he was “glad the administration had tortured people” during the Conservative Political Action Conference, but a review of the transcript of Cheney’s remarks easily shows that this is not what he said at all. Rutten simply reorders the VP’s words to get his desired meaning quite despite what was really said.

Here is what Rutten wrote on the 8th:

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Vice President Dick Cheney was addressing the meat-eaters at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He told them that he was glad the administration had tortured people and that he’d do it again: “Would I support those same decisions again today? You’re damn right I would.”

Over at Patterico’s Pontifications, however, we get the real words Cheney spoke at CPAC.

The United States is a country that takes human rights seriously. We do not torture — it’s against our laws and against our values. We’re proud of our country and what it stands for. We expect all of those who serve America to conduct themselves with honor. And we enforce those rules. Some years ago, when abuses were committed at Abu Ghraib prison, a facility that had nothing to do with the CIA program, the abuses that came to light were, in fact, investigated, and those responsible were prosecuted.

Mr. Cheney is obviously proud of the country, but he stressed that we do not torture. There is no passage where he said that we “torture people” and that he is “glad” that we do it. Not one such passage occurred in the Vice President’s remarks.

Continue reading “LATimes Says Cheney ‘Glad’ We ‘Tortured People’… Except VP Never Said It”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

US Has Killed 655,000 Iraqis? Soros Funded Lancet Study Debunked

February 14, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The newest update to a study published in the British medical journal, the Lancet, claims that 655,000 Iraqis have been killed since the U.S. invaded Iraq. This absurd claim has been hailed around the world as evidence of the evil American empire’s murderous reign in the Mid East. But it turns out that the entire study is not only filled with lies, the creators of the study even tried to hide the fact that George Soros funded the thing.

MSM sources like the AP and the Washington Post, among many others, highlighted the report lending it credence when it came out last month but few of those news outlets revealed the source of the study’s funding. While most did reveal that the study was “controversial,” few went into just how far off from the truth the details of this study are.

The real facts, however, are beginning to come out.

Continue reading “US Has Killed 655,000 Iraqis? Soros Funded Lancet Study Debunked”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

LATimes Says Cheney ‘Glad’ We ‘Tortured People’… Except VP Never Said It

February 10, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In one of the most egregious examples of MSM bias I’ve seen lately, Tim Rutten of the L.A.Times has blatantly lied about remarks that Vice President Cheney made at CPAC in a February 8th piece headlined “Bush’s message for McCain.” Rutten makes the outrageous claim that Cheney said he was “glad the administration had tortured people” during the Conservative Political Action Conference, but a review of the transcript of Cheney’s remarks easily shows that this is not what he said at all. Rutten simply reorders the VP’s words to get his desired meaning quite despite what was really said.

Here is what Rutten wrote on the 8th:

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Vice President Dick Cheney was addressing the meat-eaters at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He told them that he was glad the administration had tortured people and that he’d do it again: “Would I support those same decisions again today? You’re damn right I would.”

Over at Patterico’s Pontifications, however, we get the real words Cheney spoke at CPAC.

The United States is a country that takes human rights seriously. We do not torture — it’s against our laws and against our values. We’re proud of our country and what it stands for. We expect all of those who serve America to conduct themselves with honor. And we enforce those rules. Some years ago, when abuses were committed at Abu Ghraib prison, a facility that had nothing to do with the CIA program, the abuses that came to light were, in fact, investigated, and those responsible were prosecuted.

Mr. Cheney is obviously proud of the country, but he stressed that we do not torture. There is no passage where he said that we “torture people” and that he is “glad” that we do it. Not one such passage occurred in the Vice President’s remarks.

So, where is it that Cheney said he was glad we tortured and he’d do it again, Mr. Rutten? How the heck did you misconstrue that claim?

The only way that Rutten could have gotten a support of torture out of what Cheney said is to splice another section of Cheney’s speech to Rutten’s own interpretation that this country does torture people. Here is that section (my emphasis):

Continue reading “LATimes Says Cheney ‘Glad’ We ‘Tortured People’… Except VP Never Said It”

00Publius Contributor - Elections - GOP - History - Lee Culpepper - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

What is a Hero?

February 9, 2008 by

-By Lee Culpepper

There are many heroes in this world, but the word “hero” itself has become a hackneyed label. Time and again it is circumstance that brings out an individual’s heroic qualities. Our military members who are serving our country and fighting for the freedom of people in a foreign land are undeniably heroes.

Frequently, many heroes pay the ultimate price while serving others, such as the brave firemen, policemen, and civilians who sacrificed their lives trying to save the victims of 9/11. For the heroes who survive their crucibles, they tend to continue serving with a degree of humility and meekness. How many heroes do we know that flaunt themselves as such? Heroes are modest, truthful, loyal, and selfless.

My previous article about John McCain mocked him for several reasons, including his constant reminder that he suffered as POW in Vietnam. I respect that John McCain served and sacrificed for our country. But I do not admire anything that is known about him before his time as a POW or after his release. It is impossible for us who have never endured such an experience to understand what McCain must have gone through. Having survived it, however, why does he so bitterly oppose the POW/MIA families (From Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain)? His actions and behavior are nothing short of disturbing. Why wouldn’t everyone question McCain’s motives concerning this subject?
Continue reading “What is a Hero?”

00Publius Contributor - 2nd Amendment - Abortion - Constitution - Education - Elections - Founders - GOP - Immigration/Immigrants - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - President - Society/Culture - Warner Todd Huston

…I Am A RINO

February 4, 2008 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

That’s right, you read the title to this piece correctly. I am admitting that I am a RINO. I admit it openly, freely, with relish even.

For those unfamiliar, RINO is not only shorthand for rhinoceros, that great beast of the African plains, but it is also an acronym. It stands for, “Republican In Name Only” — RINO.

Now, I am not going to pull a fast one here and spell RINO out with other words. No, I’m happily sticking right with the words “Republican In Name Only.” So, there it is. I am a RINO.

Some of you reading this may already be feeling your stomach curdle at the very mention of the word RINO. After all, it’s really gotten some bad press. Rush Limbaugh and his brethren have really done a disservice to this fine descriptive word. Heck, even I have hurled it as an epithet when confronted with a politician who hasn’t lived up to my standards.

But, after reflecting on recent events, I realized that I myself am a RINO. At first I bristled at my own thoughts. But, after a time it appeared obvious that I am, indeed, a RINO.

I’m just going to have to accept it. Own it, as our pop psychology spewing friends on the left so earnestly say.

I am a RINO and here’s why…

  • I will vote Republican only when the situation is favorable to me.
  • I will not go with my party when I don’t like what is going on.
  • I will sometimes refuse to agree with my party on certain issues and will do so vocally.
  • If I find someone of another party that suits me, I will vote for them even if it is in lieu of voting for my party representative.

So, there you have it. The perfect definition of a RINO. That’s me. But, I am not going to lower my head in shame, no sirree. I am proud of this and am glad that I have finally come to terms with it. A little introspection never hurt anyone, ya know?

Let me explain further why I now feel ready to accept my RINOness. (Or is that RINOcity?)
Continue reading “…I Am A RINO”

00Publius Contributor - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Military - News - Patriotism - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Taxes - The Law - Warner Todd Huston

Berkley, California Throws Out Marines, DeMint to Revoke City’s Fed. Funding

February 1, 2008 by 4 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Fox News gives us some details of Senator Jim DeMint’s (R, S.C.) efforts to revoke Federal funding that flows into the town of Berkley, California over their recent decision to throw out military recruiters from within the confines of the city.

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., says the City of Berkeley, Calif., no longer deserves federal money.

DeMint was angered after learning that the Berkeley City Council voted this week to tell the U.S. Marine Corps to remove its recruiting station from the city’s downtown.

“This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families,” DeMint said in a prepared statement. “The First Amendment gives the City of Berkeley the right to be idiotic, but from now on they should do it with their own money.”

“If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer-funded handouts,” he added.

I say that every patriotic American should support DeMint’s efforts here. On of America’s most unAmerican cities stands to lose some tall Federal cash if DeMint’s plans come to fruition.

DeMint said he will draft legislation to rescind any earmarks dedicated for the City of Berkeley in the recently passed appropriations bill — which his office tallied to value about $2.1 million. He said that any money taken back would be transferred to the Marines.

DeMint’s office provided a preliminary list of items that would be subject to his proposal:

  • $975,000 for the University of California at Berkeley, for the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, which may include establishing an endowment, and for cataloguing the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui.
  • $750,000 for the Berkeley/Albana ferry service.
  • $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation, for a school lunch initiative to integrate lessons about wellness, sustainability and nutrition into the academic curriculum.
  • $94,000 for a Berkeley public safety interoperability program.
  • $87,000 for the Berkeley Unified School District, nutrition education program.

Excellent. If they hate the U.S.A. so much, why should they benefit from our tax dollars?

So, call your Senator and tell them to support Senator Jim DeMint’s efforts and let them know that most Americans are patriotic and love their men and women in uniform.