Triangle of Terror: Iran, Syria, Hezbollah

Speculation is growing that Israel will bomb Iranian nuclear facilities before our presidential elections. I don't really have an opinion on that. Israel is a tiny sanctuary of freedom in an international house of horrors. Whatever they gotta do to protect themselves, well... it's none of my business.

Having said that, I don't support US military action against Iran. I think there's a better way, and so does dreaded neocon Michael Ledeen, who is much smarter than I. He wrote the linked article two years ago, but it still applies: We should be helping opposition parties and liberal student groups in Iran and Syria so they can bring down tyranny themselves. Overt, covert, whatever makes sense, let's do it.

Iran, Syria and Hezbollah form a Triangle of Terror. Remove any one leg of this three-legged stool, and the entire enterprise collapses, or is at least severely weakened. On this, the "Neocons" of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the "Lefties" at the Brookings Institute agree.

Do we have a presidential candidate who can explain this? Do Americans care? Uncle Sam is not the bad guy. There is no moral equivalence between President Bush and President Ahmadinejad. We want the situation calmed down; they benefit by constant turmoil. Every violent act is a blow to the US and our allies, but it is a proud moment of triumph for the Iranian government and their proxies.

We need to help the opposition groups. Give 'em money, give 'em phones and computers and clandestine radio sets. Take out the big snake (Iranian regime) and the little snake (Hezbollah) will whither and die, all without the Bush-Cheney-Halliburton-Neocon-Zionist gang firing a shot or violating some poor terrorist's rights. This is a plan even a Bush-hating progressive can love.

Links of Interest:
Michael Ledeen article
Brookings Institute article
CFR Summary

Cherry Picking the Economy

The worst economy since the great depression…

Remember the constant bleating from the press and the anti-Bush crowd about how the Bush administration “cherry picked” intelligence? They allege that the president chose only those bits of information that fit his plans and ignored everything else.

Well, the press has been cherry picking economic news for years. How many news items have you seen featuring some town, family, or business that’s doing ok, despite everything? How often do you hear or read something that puts the housing “crisis” in perspective (it’s not a crisis). Falling prices mean those who previously could not afford a home now may be able to. How many articles have you seen comparing unemployment, wage growth or gas prices to those of Europe? (Hint: We’re the envy of the rest of the world) Hav

To answer my own question, we don’t hear any positive stories. The press trots out every hard case they can find: Children with rare, expensive diseases, people who lost their house because they couldn’t pay the mortgage that was 80% of their income, old people (who used to be reliable Republicans) who’ve have had some misfortune befall them.

This constant drumbeat affects the national psyche. People are in a sour mood. Gas and grocery prices are up and wages are not keeping pace. And the press throws gasoline on the fire with a constant torrent of negativity. And we eat it up. We have become a nation of whiners.

This despite the fact that, compared to our forbears, we are better educated, drive nicer cars, live in bigger homes, have more money, and generally enjoy more luxuries. The only thing we have less of is sacrifice.

There will always be a hard-luck story somewhere that the press can point to. It still won’t be as bad as the great depression.

BREAKING NEWS - Supremes Actually Find A Right In The Constitution!

"So Wrong, So Often, For So Long..."

I'm slackjawed. The Supremes have actually found a right that exists in the Constitution! For decades they have been adept on finding "rights" where none existed in this document, and denied real rights when they existed in black and white.

As Boston T. Party would say, "Hold off on the party balloons." This decision by the court was not a compete vindication of the 2nd Amendment, but a cleverly crafted piece not in line with the other famous 1939 2nd Amendment case, U.S. vs. Miller. The upshot of that decision was that any weapon that normally would be used by servicemen is protected by the 2nd Amendment. Today, the court backpedaled and reduced that to "hunting and self-defense arms" subject to "reasonable restrictions." This clear Constitutional right was upheld by only five; four agreed with a complete firearms ban.

Speaking of those in black robes, Let's see what Thomas Jefferson said about these judges:

"To consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions [is] a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy. Our judges are as honest as other men and not more so. They have with others the same passions for party, for power, and the privilege of their corps... The constitution has erected no such single tribunal, knowing that to whatever hands confided, with the corruptions of time and party, its members would become despots. It has more wisely made all the departments co-equal and co-sovereign within themselves."

Yes... corruption of time, despots, and privilege of their corps. That pretty much sums up this Oligarchy.

Sadly, basic human rights can never be taken away, but only given up. In other words, I was born with basic rights - and only I can give them up. I exercise all my constitutional rights regardless what some corrupt judge may say against or in favor of them.

A last quote by Jefferson:

"The Constitution is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please."

-- Hugh Farnham

Roadmap for America's Future

Representative Paul Ryan is the kind of politician we need more of. He has a plan that actually addresses a root problem: Our nation's fiscal future. His comprehensive plan has three goals:

1. Ensure universal access to health insurance, fulfill the missions of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and make these programs permanently solvent.

2. Return Federal spending growth to sustainable levels and lift the debt burden looming over future generations.

3. Promote sustained economic and job growth and put the U.S. in a position to lead – not merely survive – in the international marketplace.

The solution he proposes is actually a set of many actions and policies revolving around giving people responsibility for their health care while putting in place a systematic approach to catastrophic care so a medical calamity doesn't bankrupt the family. He also recommends a simplified tax code and reducing our corporate tax rate, which is one of the highest among industrialized countries.

The GOP should be all over this, but I'm afraid they are still the drunk who hasn't hit bottom yet. If the GOP were smart they'd make this the new contract with America. It is a stark contrast to Democrat ideas, which lately seem to involve socialist-looking schemes and handing out money.

Follow the link and check it out. http://www.americanroadmap.org/

Fouad Ajami, American

Fouad Ajami is perhaps the most astute observer of the Middle East we have here in America.

He is a Shiite Muslim who grew up in Lebanon and immigrated to the US. He is now a US citizen, and a quite valuable one at that. He loves his adopted home and strives to educate his fellow Americans about the volatile region he came from.

Mr. Ajami, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, is a highly respected scholar and a gifted observer and writer. He travels often to the Middle East where he has many contacts and enjoys access to the region's political and religions leaders.

If you want to understand the Middle East, its history and the current affairs involving it, read anything by Professor Ajami. Google him and read to your heart's content. I've been reading him for a long time and have never found him to be in error.

He puts the Anti-Americanism "hype" of the latest PEW global survey in proper context. Here's a sample:

"Turkish anti-Americanism is no doubt fueled by the resentment within Turkey of the American war in Iraq that gave protection and liberty to the Kurds. No apology is owed the Turks; indeed, it is they who must reconsider their intolerance of minorities. If the Turks were comfortable with the abnormality of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, it is they who have a problem."

See why I love this man? Please follow the link and read his latest article. You'll feel better about your country when you're done.

Link to Professor Ajami's commentary on the PEW global survey.

Iraq Foils Nefarious Oil Stealing Plot

Hey! Those blasted Iraqis are selling the oil we went to war to steal from them! Breitbart reports that Iraq is making oil contracts with various companies, including state owned companies from six different nations.

This comes on the heels of news that the Iraqi government is playing hardball with us over negotiations on our future military presence in that country. They better watch out. They risk angering Vice President Cheney by foiling his Halliburton oil-stealing plan. Don't the Iraqis know that Dick Cheney shot a man in Reno just to watch him die?

Hear that hissing noise? It's the air slowing leaking out of the left's Anti-Iraq War balloon. The surge has worked. From Basra to Sadr City, the Iraqis are standing up and we are standing down. The government is taking bold action, sometimes in defiance of the US. These are all good signs. Let's pray the progress continues.

Obama the Speechmaker -vs- Obama The Senator

The O-Man hit one out of the park last Sunday. He gave an awesome speech about fathers. I was nodding my head in agreement. You can read the text here.

Too bad his voting record doesn't match the rhetoric. You can read a critique from Focus on the Family here.

They did the critique back in March, so it predates this great speech.
- He's pro-abortion (Love your kids, unless they're not born yet)
- He's pro-gay marriage, supporting teaching about homosexuality in the second grade
- He supported granting citizenship to illegal aliens convicted of crimes against children

Which Obama do you believe? The one who spoke so eloquently from the pulpit on Fathers Day, or the one with the pro-gay, pro-abortion, pro-pedophile voting record?

Bonus YouTube video: Supporter unable to name one Obama accomplishment