One question?

Image from the collection of Lileks.

Memorial Day Weekend

Will be away for the weekend, so few, if any updates.

For the latest on the Russian hostages read Blogs of War. There is an interesting update that states:

"- Fox News broadcast reports that Russian forces did not storm the school. Hostages are reporting that the terrorists changed into civilian clothing, set off explosives, and tried to escape in the chaos."

This weekend, many of us will be on the road, at football games and having a last summer blast (or in Denver the "Taste of Colorado" festival).
Please take a minute to remember that this is "Memorial Day" weekend. Many gave their lives so that we may live in a land of Liberty.
Semper Fi

Thursday Night Review

A night to remember. Maybe not forever, but through the election.

Some quick thoughts and highlights ---

George Pataki:

“We did not choose this war, but we have a President who chooses to win it.”

YES.

President Bush:

“Two trillion dollars in spending, and that’s a lot even for a politician from Massachusetts.”

INDEED.

“If you gave a speech, as my opponent did, calling the Reagan presidency eight years of “moral darkness,” then you may be a lot of things, but the candidate of conservative values is not one of them.”

AND HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED.

“I believe in the transformational power of liberty”

LIBERTY - NEED I SAY MORE

It wasn't the best performance/speech of President Bush's life. It didn't have to be. He simply had to remind the American voter that he is in command, that virtue has returned to the White House, and that he has not forgotten that Liberty, yes Liberty, sets us apart.

Senator Kerry:

“all hat, no cattle”

Although it was intended for the President, it clearly was self-descriptive. Kerry was outperformed by his VP Candidate in his remarks tonight, not that they were more factual, as we know, Edwards is a trial lawyer, but rather in his delivery and persona (not much of an accomplishment). I'd bet there are more than a few Dems sitting around the bar, wishing Dean hadn't made them panic and jump to Kerry. It's okay boys, there is always 2008. Unless, of course, Hilary wants it.

All in all, WE WIN!!!

"...an eel in a vat of olive oil."

Ralph Peters, God Bless Him, had this to say:

" The guy is an eel in a vat of olive oil.

Yesterday, John Kerry tried to pander to America's heroes, conveniently forgetting that he'd trashed them for political gain, then shortchanged them throughout his Senate career. Suddenly, Kerry was the man who had fought for benefits for his fellow Vietnam vets, the man who felt their pain (Kerry makes Bill Clinton look like a paragon of integrity).

The only veterans' benefit young John Kerry fought for was the right of vets to be spit upon in public."

Tonight I'll watch the President, and for 60 days (at least) I'll have to wait to know that he will serve for 4 MORE YEARS!

Via Lord Reynolds...

More Negative and Balanced

The last time we checked in on the Slant-o-Meter, it showed that FoxNews was the only network providing "fair and balanced" coverage of any candidate. The latest report shows that all 4 covered networks were negative all the time. As to balance, ABC and NBC continued to be more negative towards President Bush while CBS bounced back to a mutually negative spot. FoxNews (based on Special Report with Brit Hume) offered mmore negative coverage of Senator Kerry. Given the news of the week, it is hard to explain the broadcast networks not being more negative towards Kerry, assuming you deny their bias.

I for one can't wait till the post convention Slant comes out.

Frances could be weakening.

While there are reports that Hurricane Frances could be weakening, Florida continues to brace for the worst.

Our hopes and prayers are with you Florida.

Release of French hostages at hand?

The French continue to negotiate for the release of hostages held in Iraq, as the AP reports that:

"Kidnappers handed over two French journalists in Iraq to an Iraqi Sunni Muslim opposition group, the managing editor of a French newspaper said Thursday."

First off, if the group of Iraqi Sunni Muslims have taken them from the kidnappers, do they know who or where the kidnappers are? French capitulation is at certianly at hand. What are those who are working for the release of the prisoners offering?

There will come a point when men such as Muqtada al-Sadr, who walks free after men following his orders fought and killed Iraqi and U.S. forces, will strike again. The question here is whether those who've taken, and apparently released the French will go find an American or Iraqi target. If so, I will hold the French just as responsible.

For Maury

Click here for the picture.

Edwards proves why he was successful trial lawyer

In an effort to clarify his qualifications as a trial attorney, Senator John Edwards offered this:

"The GOP spent "all of their time and all of their energy trying to tear down a patriot," Edwards told a town hall audience Thursday"

as reported by the AP.

Clearly the Senator failed to let the text of Senator Miller's speech impact his determination to avoid the truth. Senator Miller's speech included this statement:

"It is not their patriotism - it is their judgment that has been so sorely lacking."

None of the speakers at the convention have portrayed the junior Senator from Massachusetts out to be anything less than patriotic, instead sticking to the simple truths, that while his intentions may be good, his actions, his votes and the judgment behind them are sorely lacking.

And apparently Senator Edwards has been sipping the cool-aid.

This in stark contrast to Al Gore's screaming that President Bush:

"... betrayed this country! He played on our fears. He took America on an ill-conceived foreign adventure dangerous to our troops, an adventure preordained and planned before 9/11 ever took place."

Which party questions the patriotism of its opponent?

Will Europe confront reality?

The IAEA says:

"Iran plans to process tons of raw uranium and restart its centrifuges - two activities that could be used to make nuclear warheads"

Europe may again be unwilling to confront reality.

While al-Jazeera reports that the IAEA said:

"its inspectors have not found any evidence to support US accusations that Iran has a secret nuclear weapons programme."

Is there any wonder the Islamic world is in the state it disarray that allows UbL to be a hero.

Iran has made their intentions clear, and have gone so far as to state that they would act preemptively. It's time for the U.S. to make our intentions clear, as Colin Powell states we may do, by asking the IAEA to take the matter to the U.N. Security Council.

Knocking on the door to our soul.

Liberty, one of the three central thoughts behind the founding of our nation, is not a gift from our government, nor is it a guarantee. As a response to Senator Zell Miller's speech at the RNC, there are many Democratic Party apologists who continue to attempt to paint Senator Miller as an icon of hatred and evil. The primary point of his speech being completely missed, or worse yet, ignored.

"I have knocked on the door of this man's soul and found someone home, a God-fearing man with a good heart and a spine of tempered steel."

There is no argument, similar in content, or authority for Senator Kerry.

‘E Pluribus Unum’, ‘In God We Trust’, and ‘Liberty’ describe the soul of our nation. The Democratic Party has moved away from these values. Senator Miller’s speech, or his book, reflects that move and calls to the Democrats to look into their soul at the very real hatred expressed in their opposition to all things supported by President Bush.

We are at war not only with an enemy who seeks our destruction, but also with an enemy who quietly attacks not only our nation, but also each of us individually. We apply great force in our War against Islamo Fascism. Yet individually, do we apply an equal force to the battle within? Have Michael Moore or John Kerry looked to find the values that define their soul, and sought to live their lives accordingly?

The incredible shift to the left that the Democratic Party has made answers that question for me. As do the growing number of people who are disenfranchised by their growing push for multiculturalism, secularism and government intrusion in our lives.

Tactics in war, represent the character of the Warrior

There are many who are willing to describe those we are at war with as insurgents, militants, and even freedom fighters. As I’ve stated before, I am not willing to do so. Those who fight against our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as those who are attacking innocent Russians, or Israeli’s have earned through their tactics one title and one title alone. They are TERRORIST.

These terrorist, whether they are ideologically Islamo Fascist, Iraqi Nationalist, Palestinian Liberation or Chechen Separatist, are clearly aligned in their means and tactics. The strategy that each employs in their war against the Free World is unmistakably terror based.

So in Iraq, hostages have become a far too common occurrence. The AP still reports on the taking of hostages as if it is an acceptable political purpose.

"Insurgents in Iraq have kidnapped more than 100 people of people in their campaign to drive out coalition forces and hamper reconstruction"

And despite the fact, that terror has become the primary weapon of choice for those who call themselves Muslim, we continue to attempt to relate to the Muslim community, offering our tradition of inclusiveness and seeking their approval here in the United States.

When will we ask, no, demand the Muslim world to stand up and join the war, or truly be deemed "against us."

Just so I'm clear, I applaud the efforts of General Parvez Musharraf in Pakistan, and Iyed Allawi in Iraq, but I am not convinced that the religious leaders of the Shi'a or Sunni communities are making any effort to end the behavior in question, and I for one, am fed up with our dancing around the issue.

Yet the American Armed Forces restrain their might in order to refrain from the killing of those who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our strategy is correct, as defined by the Bush Doctrine, and our tactics are honorable. Yet we continue to see our innocents attacked, and the war spreads to other nations who do not possess the political forthrightness to defend themselves or to stomach the losses. Capitulation will cost the world, not just France, and I am not willing to pay that price without one hell of a fight.

Venting over...

Kerry on War

Speaking before the American Legion National Convention, Senator Kerry explained how many opinions he has on the War in Iraq.


"10, yes 10, and I'm proud of each of them."

Naïve no more, RNC Wednesday.

The speeches delivered tonight by Zell Miller and Vice President Cheney lived up to their billing. In fact, if you toss out Kerry Healey, the last two hours were very powerful and ultimately, the most direct of the convention, thus far.

I’ll offer more in the morning, but my first thoughts are that the Reagan tribute, and speech by Michael Reagan, provided an emotional reminder of where the party comes from, the kind of character we strive for, and the values that make a President worthwhile.

Lt. Gov. Healey dropped the ball. Thankfully, she was early enough to miss the mass market. Gov. Mitt Romney was better than I’d expected from him, and I still believe he’ll be a secretary in a future cabinet, or a senator, rather than an occupant of the oval office, should he aspire to such.

Who didn’t enjoy seeing a very pregnant Sara Evans sing?

Simply put, the highlight of the convention thus far, was Zell Miller’s speech. I know Arnold was great at appealing to a broad base, as are McCain and Giuliani, but Zell Miller not only appeals to a broad base, he appeals to the character of us all. His virtue was in his simple words and enormous ideals, and he called the Democratic Party out as no Republican can. No Republican could say these words with the same impact as Zell Miller did tonight:

"Motivated more by partisan politics than by national security, today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator.

And nothing makes this Marine madder than someone calling American troops occupiers rather than liberators.

Tell that to the one-half of Europe that was freed because Franklin Roosevelt led an army of liberators, not occupiers.

Tell that to the lower half of the Korean Peninsula that is free because Dwight Eisenhower commanded an army of liberators, not occupiers.

Tell that to the half a billion men, women and children who are free today from the Baltics to the Crimea, from Poland to Siberia, because Ronald Reagan rebuilt a military of liberators, not occupiers.

Never in the history of the world has any soldier sacrificed more for the freedom and liberty of total strangers than the American soldier. And, our soldiers don't just give freedom abroad, they preserve it for us here at home.

For it has been said so truthfully that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest.

It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag.

No one should dare to even think about being the Commander in Chief of this country if he doesn't believe with all his heart that our soldiers are liberators abroad and defenders of freedom at home."

Lynne Cheney was excellent. Although I’m sure she could have had more impact, she delivered the kind of introduction that only the finest of men will ever hear of themselves.

Vice President Cheney did a superb job. He has never sought elected office on a national scale, aside from the office he holds, and his greatest skill, like the President, is not speech or particular eloquence, yet he always delivers the most concise and powerful arguments for his thoughts. I enjoyed his speech and applauded the facts and the direct statements of what he and the President stand for, and laughed aloud when the crowd chanted “flip-flop” while he described the Kerry voting record. This I was particularly fond of:

"The fanatics who killed some 3,000 of our fellow Americans may have thought they could attack us with impunity because terrorists had done so previously. But if the killers of September 11th thought we had lost the will to defend our freedom, they did not know America and they did not know George W. Bush."

The party stepped back from some of the naïve descriptions of the opposition tonight, and replaced them with a strong helping of the truth --- the Democratic Party is no longer a party that represents the best interest of the United States. Or at least that’s my opinion.

What's happened to the Democratic Party?

Listening to Terry McAuliffe yesterday on Hugh Hewitt's radio show, I was, well, speechless. He didn't attempt to answer the questions, and made light of the implications.

"HEWITT: Do you believe that John Kerry took a CIA man into Cambodia and kept his hat?

MCAULIFFE: Uh, I have no idea.

HEWITT: You have no idea that he made that story to the Washington Post and that he made it again in 2004 to the LA Times?

MCAULIFFE: If John Kerry said he did something, I’ll take John Kerry at his word.

HEWITT: Do you think that he ran guns to anti-communists in Cambodia which he told the U.S. News & World Report on May of 2000?

MCAULIFFE: I don’t know. You’d have to ask John Kerry about that. I don’t know what he did in Cambodia or didn’t. That was a war 35 years ago. I want to talk about this year.

HEWITT: Did he go to Cambodia on Christmas Eve --your understanding-- in 1968?

MCAULIFFE: I think he probably did and probably George Bush when he was in the Alabama National Guard was driving the boat."

Then today at the RNC, in the Blogger's Corner, he had this to say to John H. Hinderaker, of the Powerline Blog:

"Q: Does it bother you that the Democrats have nominated a candidate that told a fable about spending Christmas in Cambodia on the floor of the United States Senate?

A: John Kerry went to Cambodia twice. He was over in Viet Nam and at one point, as you know, he took some CIA operatives into Cambodia, and he did a lot more than George Bush ever did for his country. George Bush never got to Viet Nam."

How can any man call himself a Democrat proudly when the party has fallen into the hands of men like McAuliffe, Kerry, Gore and Moore?

It is honorable and noteworthy for men like Senator McCain to speak fondly of the Democratic Party, but the interest in truth is long gone, since 1972 it has been a constant, if not steady decline. The values the party once held, are no more, and the sooner the Dems see it, and take back their party, the better for the nation and our system of government.

Thanks to Hugh and Captain Ed for the transcripts.

Moore Not Bothered by GOP Jeers...Yeah Right.

This from the same mouth that claims to be for the little guy, who doesn't value wealth, or the creation of it.

"Thank you, John McCain," Moore told The Daily News in New York. "The film's doing $120 million right now. When McCain mentions it, I have a chance to do $150 million."

What he says should not get a rise from us, we know that he is filth and that his values are not our values. His products have polluted the minds of our youths, have weakened our self-reliance and character, and have re-invigorated our enemies.

The AP story is here. The photo is from the Washington Post.

Kerry Supporters in Al-Jazeera

See a sample of the photos of Kerry supporters from al-Jazeera here!

These photos, just a sampling of what can be found at Al-Jazeera show some of Kerry's supporters in the streets of New York City.

Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.
Kerry supporters.

Wasn't that, no, it couldn't be Michael Moore on the al-Jazeera website.

Terror in Russia

The streets of Russia are becoming less safe, as the terror attacks have been ramped up in the last couple of days.

The war isn't over, and by letting the war in Chechnya go on, Putin has allowed those who oppose him to regain footing, and potential to have increased their connections with the Islamo Fascist groups such as al-Qaeda.

The most recent attack:

"More than a dozen militants wearing suicide-bomb belts seized a southern Russian school in a region bordering Chechnya on Wednesday, taking hostage about 400 people - half of them children - and threatening to blow up the building if police storm it. At least eight people have been killed, one of them a school parent."

Read the full story here. This photo from the scene, well, what could I say.



Add to this horrific story these other recent attacks:

"- August 31: Car blows up outside a Moscow subway stop, killing at least 10 people. Federal Security Services blame a female suicide bomber, according to news reports.

- August 24: Two airliners crash within minutes of each other after taking off from the same airport, killing a total of 90 people. Officials say explosive traces were found in the wreckage and President Vladimir Putin calls the crashes terrorist acts."

Here is a list of the attacks on Russia since December 2002.

The Russian's could learn from President Bush and take the war to the enemy, although their borders, like our borders, will be a significant challenge, not just politically, but fiscally and physically.

Some have seen the truth, as evidenced in this comment by Sergei Ivanov.

"In essence, war has been declared on us, where the enemy is unseen and there is no front," said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, according to the Interfax-Military News Agency.

Updated at 12:46.
Read Blogs of War and Command Post for more information and updates.

Review of a night of compassion

The theme was "People of Compassion." And thusly the speeches, with the exception of the Bush twins, focused on matters that are commonly seen as compassionate. The general review seems to be that Arnold hit a home run. I would have to agree, he speaks with an energy and optimism that challenges us to free the best of ourselves. And of course the chants for a 28th Amendment at the Corner, are probably going to be heard, if even in jest, for a while.

Laura Bush was excellent. She is true to her convictions, and it shows. There was no pretense of seeking to be the co-President, like her predecessor as First Lady. In fact, she seems to have an awe, or a sense of wonder, when looking at her husband. Very refreshing and appreciated.

Elizabeth Dole did well, although none of the speakers with the early time slots, are able to command the audience like the main hour does.

Maryland's Lt. Gov. Michael Steele also did well with his time, although he ran a little long for me. His opening, seemed to fall flat.

"I had planned to give a moving defense of the conservative principles of the Republican Party tonight.

But there was only one problem; Barak Obama gave it last month at the Democratic Convention."

I'm definitely looking forward to Senator Zell Miller and Vice President Cheney tonight. The two of them should be more substantive than last night, more like Giuliani, without the humor, although the VP can be quite funny. If the tribute to President Reagan wasn't following him, perhaps Michael Reagan would be the source of humor for the night.

The transcripts and video are available at the GOP convention website.

Attack on Supporters of President Bush

Drudge offers this:

Attack Attempt On MSNBC Chris Matthews... Live On Air... Street Set Outside Convention... Hooded protester jumps security line ... Police move in immediatly... Guard Tackled... Bush/Cheney supporters gathered near show set at Herald Square were pushed and spat on by protesters, fake blood thrown while Matthews remained on air...

Of course I wasn't watching MSNBC.

Is it worth asking?

So the Chinese are hoarding oil, potential playing a significant part in recent high oil prices, but has anyone asked why?

Via Considerettes, this piece in the TimesOnline. The Times put it this way:

"EVIDENCE is mounting that China is buying more oil than it consumes, raising fears that oil hoarding may be supporting the current high price of crude.

The signs of aggressive Chinese stockpiling emerge from research by Merrill Lynch, the investment bank, which suggests that China is importing crude and refined products at twice the rate of growth in actual demand."

And while the story shares the optimistic view:

"“It appears to be a hoarding phenomenon and we think it has to run its course, and when it does pass, prices should gravitate much lower, somewhere down towards $30 per barrel.”"

No where in it does the reporter ask the question why?

While I'm not saying it is so, I certainly hope the CIA, and Defense establishment are paying attention, as a stockpile of this size, could easily be seen as a precursor to future military activities. It would take a great deal of fuel to support North Korea, or an invasion of Taiwan, should the Chinese be so foolish. Of course, that would be in a non-nuclear confrontation.

Just wondering?

Or perhaps, it could be that the Chinese would prefer high oil prices, seeing that as a means to slow the U.S. economy, and by extension weaken the President's chances of re-relection. But I'm not into conspiracies so I'll wait on a better reason.