COLLATERAL DAMAGES

The press has stepped up coverage of civilian casualties in Afghanistan. Unfortunate as they are, it is the United States that struggles to avoid and is criticized more often for them. There is the usual double standard applied by the libs: the accidental deaths of civilians in air attacks using the most accurate weapons in history are placed on the same moral plane as suicide bombings and cutting off heads on the web. No comparison should be made, however, between the intent and practices of the armed forces involved in this conflict.
While there is a reasonable argument to be made for resuming the WW2 practice of bombing cities, I won't make it here and now. The idea that the civilian population should be brought to feel the full consequences of war, while tempting, is perhaps out of date. Current weapons systems do not require mass delivery to be effective. Considering the nature of our terrorist enemies, bombing on a massive scale is neither militarily nor politically rational. That is not to say there aren't a few cities that should face the same fate as Dresden, just not in this type of conflict or circumstance.
The two sides in Afghanistan clearly operate under different rules of engagement and conduct. While NATO and American forces operate under a strict code of military discipline and order, the Taliban are a rabble of savages locked in the seventh century. Allied forces that indiscriminately kill civilians are prosecuted, while the Taliban uses killing and intimidation of civilians a basic tenet of their twisted philosophy. Yet the media often treat them the same, wagging their fingers at allied forces and minimizing the horrific murders of women and children frequently perpetrated by the Taliban.
My advice to civilians in Afghanistan is this: don't allow terrorists in your communities. Doing so poses the double threat of terrorist violence and the violence that U.S. forces will surely inflict upon them. When NATO forces come hunting Taliban, be somewhere else.

JINGOCON

DEFENDING GITMO

The Supreme Court has decided to review the legal status of enemy combatants held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The court must tread lightly in this area or risk infringement of the wartime authority of the CINC. Defeatist and media criticism of GITMO is not justification for the dangerous moves now being contemplated by the administration or the court.
Libs have a difficult time understanding the simplicities of the issues involved. Those individual engaged in armed combat with and subsequently captured by American forces are not POWs unless they fight with the uniforms and markings of a recognized nation. Captured terrorists do not conduct warfare in a manner that entitles them to POW status, and therefore must be defined in a seperate category, that of enemy combatant. The administration has already foolishly conceded this point and granted de facto POW status, which implies Geneva Convention protections the terrorists have already rejected by fighting without recognized uniform.
Once captured, how long should we keep these murderers in detention? How about, oh, I don't know, UNTIL THE WAR IS OVER? If they are considered POWs, then the confinement lasts until armed hostilities cease. Of course, only the Jihadis can decide when to stop, so the burden of the situation is ironically on the terrorist buddies of those held. It would be extremely unwise to release any of these individuals so they can continue their war against us. There should be no trials or military commisions. We should not set a precedent of trails for captured enemy. Those dumb enough to be captured should be held indefinitely. The Germans and Japanese captured in WW2 simply had to sit out the rest of the war in the penalty box, and that is the only acceptable precedent to deal with suicidal extremists.
Congress is now threatening to cut GITMO funding in a misguided and dangerous publicity stunt. Maybe they would prefer they be held in CONUS, perhaps in THEIR district or state. Some have suggested Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Injecting Muslim fanatics into our federal prisons here at home is not a wise move. The security threat and risk of radicalization is just too great. GITMO gives us an island in the sky to hold these 375 killers safely away from innocents and our armed forces.
Congress and the Supreme Court are very close to violating the Constitution they are sworn to uphold (big surprise). No advise or consent is required for the CINC to protect America. The critics of GITMO are usually the same ones who criticize every move of the President. This is another issue where Bush should stand up and take the actions necessary to defend our nation. If the court grants full access to U.S. courts for captured enemy combatants, the President should the next day issue an edict to the military ordering that no prisoners be taken. Winning a war requires bold and cruel moves, and Bush should act swiftly to any challenge to presidential authority over the military. He owes at least that to future CINCs.

JINGOCON

INTIMIDATING GEORGE VOINOVICH

George Voinovich has become an embarassment. His appearance today on Hannity's radio show was the final straw for me. Senator Voinovich seemed blissfully unaware of the basic facts concerning legislation currently under consideration, pompous, and elitist. To top off the day, he signed a letter with Indiana Senator Dick Lugar calling for surrender to Al Qaeda in Iraq. Once again we see an individual that feigns conservatism to gain the position, and then governs as a liberal. Senator Voinovich has demonstrated once and for all that he is definitely NOT a conservative and thus does not deserve support regardless of partisan consequence.

Yesterday I sent Senator Voinovich an email concerning my strong opposition to the amnesty immigration bill. Oddly enough, several elements of it later appeared in the Hannity radio interview. The senator did not seem pleased by the overwhelming negative reaction among his constituents. The interview began with a question concerning talk of reviving the "fairness doctrine" dinosaur killed by Ronald Reagan. Voinovich had to be informed about the issue by Sean before assembling a coherent answer. After the senator was forced to admit he had not read the immigration bill he had voted to resurrect the day before and that he was unaware the Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson "touchback" ammendment had failed, he became very indignant. He said that some of his emails suggested he should plan for a career after the Senate, and mine was one of them. He then said that he had been "in this BUSINESS for 40 years" and could not be "intimidated" or "threatened". Voinovich ended the interview abruptly by suggesting the next occasion might produce a more "rational" Hannity. Apparently those who oppose amnesty are "irrational". I have news for you, Senator.

Neither I nor your other constituents are "threatening" or "intimidating" you. We are simply informing you that the immigration issue is a crucial element of judging whether or not you deserve another term of office. Your actions recently indicate you are a man of limited knowledge and little conviction. I will not vote for a Democrat, but if I cannot vote for a conservative, I will not vote in that particular race at all. Further, politics is not a "business" of any sort. In its highest form, political representation in a republic is a sacred bond between the voters and the elected. You are falling far short of that ideal.

Then the coup de grace: Senator Voinovich joins the weak-kneed crowd and calls for withdrawal from a battle currently engaged with Al Qaeda. I'll just cut to the chase and call it what it is: sheer, unadulterated cowardice. This was the latest occasion of the senator sticking his finger into the political wind, and it is clear that this time it's his middle one and it's directed to our troops and allies in Iraq.

There is no regaining my vote. The offenses commited are too aggregious. Voinovich has lost my support forever. And no matter how much George cries, he will not receive my vote or my pity. His attitude is that of one who feels they are entitled to hold public office and rule over us poor fools. News flash, Senator.

JINGOCON

THE NOOSE FOR "CHEMICAL ALI"

Ali-Hassan al-Majid, better known as "Chemical Ali", has been sentenced to death. He was tried for his role in the Iraqi genocide of the Kurds in the 1980s.

The Iraqi "Operation Anfal" was directly responsible for the deaths of at least 182,000 Kurds in an unrelenting campaign of gassing and bombardment. Ali is 66 years old, so he's well past the average life expectancy for evil henchmen. Around 4,000 Kurdish villages were destroyed by Saddam and his military.

It's notable that the multitude of "human rights" organizations do not at least give President Bush begrudging credit for ending Saddams reign of terror. They focus instead on the ongoing civilian deaths (largely the work of Al Qaeda) and blame the United States. The rape rooms and torture facilities of Iraq have been closed. No more mass graves are being filled by innocent Iraqis. Yet some place the mass executions and chemical attacks of the past on the exact same moral plane as the use of dogs or sleep deprivation. How easily the crimes against humanity of the recent past are forgotten by those with a political agenda.

We can only hope the Iraqis will choose the village of Halabja as the site of the hanging. Five thousand innocent Iraqi Kurds were gassed to death there in 1988. Old men, women, and children were indiscriminately murdered and left to rot in the street.

See ya', "Chemical Ali". Good riddance to you. Now you can go and do your little dance in Hell with Saddam. If real cosmic justice is imposed, you will feel for infinity the pain and helplessness of the innocents you helped to murder.

JINGOCON

"CODE PINK" DEFINITION OF TERMS

One of the nice ladies from "Code Pink" appeared on Hannity tonight. "Code Pink" is a far-left organization of women opposing all wars and President Bush in general. They have a very naive view of the world, like most libs, and seem to exist in a fantasy world of balloons and flowers. The terms they throw around are amusing, so here's a jingocon translation:

"THE TRUTH IN IRAQ": The ladies use this one a lot. They use it to suggest that the U.S. military is wantonly killing innocent civilians. They don't seem to have a problem with the terrorists using children in suicide bombings.

"OCCUPATION": According to "Code Pink", any use of military force results in an "occupation". The ladies apparently aren't aware that occupiers don't allow elections or encourage self-governance. Referring to the American military as "occupiers" is shameful and a factual error.

"SITTING DUCKS": American troops enganged in combat (presumably on a killing rampage) and suffering casualties are automatically "sitting ducks".

"MILITARISM": To the "Pink" Ladies, this means national self-defense.

"BLAMING IRAQIS": The ladies are accusing Billary of "blaming Iraqis" after she listed the accomplishments of the American forces in Iraq. Sad.

It's hard to believe anyone could be this far out of touch with reality. According to their website, "We reject the Bush administrations fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead call for policies based on compassion, kindness, and a commitment to international law." Well, isn't that nice? I don't even know where to start.
Ladies, fear-based politics aren't necessary to justify violence. The horrific death of nearly three thousand of our citizens on 9/11 justifies all the violence we can muster. Whether or not Al Qaeda was in Iraq before we arrived is irrelevant. They are there now and have declared Iraq the central front. I have no mercy for those who kill innocent American women and children. None. I really do wish we could base our policies on compassion and kindness. History shows that we usually get our behinds kicked for our kindness. Our terrorist enemies do not know kindness or mercy. They chop off heads on the internet instead. The compassion and kindness "Code Pink" shows to Iraqis should be directed toward the families of those killed on 9/11 or in combat. And in case you haven't noticed, the only "international law" on our planet is the law of the jungle. Peace through superior firepower is the rule.
Wake up, ladies. Your dreams of pink lollipops and peace on earth are mere delusions. I would suggest you all slip on your big girl panties and realize our enemies are using you for propaganda purposes. War is not pretty, so maybe you should all just hide under your beds until the shooting stops. That way, you don't get injured and Al Qaeda loses a mouthpiece.

JINGOCON

MILITARY SERVICE & IMMIGRATION

SPC Alex Jiminez, 25, has been MIA in Iraq since his unit was ambushed by terrorists on 12 May. SPC Jiminez was one of three Americans captured as a result of the engagement. One soldier was found KIA, but Alex and his comrade remain missing. Only their military identification cards have been found despite a massive search. Some press attention has been focused on the immigration status of Yaderlin Jiminez, wife of Alex.

Press reports indicate Yaderlin entered the United States illegally in 2001 and was at one time facing deportation procedures. Now it appears those proceedings have stopped. Clearly deporting her now would be wrong, but it points to specific items that should be in a real immigration bill.

Immigrants, legal or otherwise, should have the opportunity to volunteer for military service. Properly screened and accepted volunteers and their immediate families would be granted temporary immunity from deportation for their term of service. Those who honorably complete four years of active duty and four years of reserve or National Guard duty would be immediately granted full citizenship for themselves and their spouses and children.

I have heard similar proposals criticized by suggesting it would result in a "mercenary" army. This is simply ridiculous and possibly racist. What better source of manpower than those striving to become citizens? True, many Mexicans may take advantage of such an offer, and we should let them. Men and women of every race have performed honorably and even heroically in the U.S. military. Those who suggest the quality of our service would be degraded are really making a suggestion that more non-whites is bad. Shame on them.

I pray SPC Jiminez will be found alive, but it does not look good. Missing for six weeks in Iraq can't be a good thing. Congress should immediately take action to implement a reasonable policy for granting immigrants the opportunity to earn citizenship through military service. President Bush should order that ICE not deport the immediate family members of those currently in military service.

Opposing citizenship for honorable military service says more about the critic than the question.

JINGOCON

BILLARY MAKES ME RETCH

The Queen of the Pantsuit almost made me hurl my remote through the television tonight. I was watching her performance with Chris Matthews at the AFSCME meeting and her answers to several questions about Iraq. Her answers were not only completely unacceptable but contradictory as well. How unusual.

First, Chris asked about her plan for retreat from Iraq, and she said she would commence withdrawal immediately. Then she was asked about the possiblity of a "residual" force, and she said it might be a necessity to fight Al Qaeda. Hello! If Billary thinks that there are significant enough numbers of Al Qaeda in Iraq to require forces to fight them, then why would anyone withdraw? Within sixty seconds she expressed two completely opposing ideas on the same subject. Of course, she trotted out that tired old line about our troops caught in a "civil war". Those who use that term fail to mention that the sectarian violence was largely started and continues to be fed by Al Qaeda and their terrorist allies.

Those who are calling for surrender in Iraq also fail to mention any word of what might take place after a precipitous American withdrawal. That may be turn out to be a horrific picture indeed, and those who extol surrender now may come to regret it later in the face of widespread violence, the killing of all those who helped us, and perhaps genocide. They just don't seem to grasp or care about the clear collapse that will happen if we leave too soon. Proposed Dem policies on Iraq certainly don't encourage those helping us there or those who might in the future.

Billary must be defeated. We cannot allow casual clothing to return to the White House or a return to the degredation of the office of President. The junior Senator from New York is proposing policies that are a direct threat to American national security and are illogical. The rest of the Dems are no better and march in philosophical lockstep. None of them would be good for America or our armed forces.

Billary announced today that she has selected a Celine Dion song for her campaign theme. Odd, considering Celine is from CANADA!

DRIVING BIN LADEN

"In war there is no second prize for runner-up."

General Omar Bradley



Our nation is at what is perhaps the most important crossroad in its history. The decisions made could protect or endanger millions of American lives. The fate of even our way of life hangs in the balance, yet we see alleged national leaders advocating retreat and surrender on a daily basis. The time has come to drop the political correctness and deal with the reality of this war. Whether intentional or out of a misguided notion of war itself, those who attack national war policy in an open and vociferous manner are helping fulfill Al Qaeda strategy.



Propaganda distributed through the media is an integral element of Al Qaeda strategy. Speeches given on the House or Senate floor now reach a worldwide audience instantaneously. Public statements reverberate across the internet to that same vast audience. Political leaders of this era must realize that the words they use can cause significant damage to our war effort. The amount and reach of modern communications places a special burden of accountability on those in vital leadership positions. Bin Laden and his terrorist allies relish outrageous criticisms of the CINC and defeatist statements about Iraq and Afghanistan. They can point to them as signs of American weakness.



Another major part of the Bin Laden plan is to divide Americans, and they have largely succeeded. Of course, they had plenty of help from within the U.S. and abroad delivering a daily hammering of the President on any number of issues. Democrats and other liberals have developed a sort of insane rabies when it comes to Bush and the war. As with most of their philosophy, it's more something they feel than a legitimate set of policy ideas. The fact is shows like "Countdown" on MSNBC have become little more than nightly liberal screeds. Unfortunately, Mr. Olberman is not alone in helping to implement Islamofascist strategy. No matter the context or proper explanation of the story, these same "journalists" always come to the same conclusion: Bush is a liar, Bush is evil, blah, blah, blah. These folks constantly make snide little statements of fact that are totally false or misguided or both. Never are alternative solutions offered, just a constant infantile whine. In their fanatical efforts to oppose the President, defeatists are providing fodder for the Al Qaeda propaganda mills, inestimatably damaging the war effort here and especially abroad. They may claim a sort of political immunity, but that does nothing to address the damage already caused.

Democrat Party national leaders are a disgrace. Sen. Harry Reid referring to Gen. Peter Pace (one of the finest Marines of our generation) as "incompetent" is only the latest example of public comments that go beyond proper civility. This sort of statement may indeed make political points with loony liberals, but it also (once again) fulfills Islamofascist designs to divide us. No politician can make that sort of comment in wartime without understanding the consequences abroad, and Senator Reed should know better.

The last bastion of liberal defense against aiding and abetting charges is to claim that their somehow untouchable "patriotism" is being questioned. It's time to bust up that idea for good. Yes, Dems, I am indeed questioning the patriotism of those who would run from a fight with Al Qaeda or unnecessarily slander the CINC in wartime. No true American who loves this nation could possibly counsel retreat or withdrawal from a heated battle with brutal terrorists who think nothing of using children as part of suicide bombings.

What is proper for dissent at this time? National political and media leaders must carefully weigh the effects of their words. Using the CINC as a punching bag is unacceptable. Preaching surrender in Iraq emboldens our terrorist enemy. Perhaps political leaders should consider measured statements in public and the raising of serious objections to war policy to behind closed doors. The media should consider what responsibilities they have to our fighting men and women. Whatever is said, you can be assured Al Qaeda is listening. Signs of our division are signs of success to them.

JINGOCON

ANOTHER SACRIFICIAL LAMB

The CINC has decided not to renominate General Pete Pace for another term as JCS Chairman. A Marine for almost forty years, General Pace is being forced into early retirement. Forced not by scandal or inefficiency, but because President Bush is once again afraid of the Dems in Congress. The administration is once again afraid to press a righteous fight against the pacifists and defeatists because of a continued lack of willingness to face down its political enemies.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he felt the confirmation hearing would be a "backward-looking" event that would not further administration policy. We are witness to a CINC that repeatedly claims to place the advise of our military leaders high in his priorities, yet at least two good men (Rumsfeld & Pace ) have had their good name and careers irrepairably trashed for political gain. The CINC damaged his reputation in this area by offering unlimited support to Rummy before the election of 2006, then unceremoniously dumping him when the election turned into a whoopin'. So in other words, President Bush is unwilling to defend has past actions. Interesting.

The real story is that Democrat Senator Carl Levin of Michigan is now in charge of the committee involved. Senator Levin if another one of the Dems who cater to the leftists and pacifists and have a largely unrealistic view of the war in general. Senator Levin and West Virginia Senator and former Klansman Robert Byrd are two of a kind: I can't understand how either was elected in the first place, or how they continue to be reelected ad infinitum. They are both masters of histrionics and demagoguery. These are not the sort of men who should be allowed to imposes their leftist agenda without challenge or prevent the CINC from choosing the members of his cabinet. Failure to renominate Pete Pace represents a major concession to those who have significantly hampered the prosecution of the war.

It is indeed disappointing to lose a man like General Pace. The loss of good men, however, has become a hallmark of this administration. They have no one to blame but themselves. They repeatedly fail to properly support those who are charged with carrying out policy, allowing them to become political casualties. Perhaps one day soon we will have a President who can challenge and verbally excoriate those who refuse to defend America in time of need.

JINGOCON

MACHINE GUN # 3

FIRST BURST: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has turned into a babbling idiot. It is disturbing to hear a supposedly experienced diplomat advocate the ridiculously irresponsible Iraq policy he is now proposing. Bill seems to have no concern for the consequences of immediate American withdrawal either for us or for our Iraqi allies, who will surely be slaughtered. A man of his length of service should know better than to kowtow to the loony left and in the process put American and Iraqi lives at stake. He says it's a civil war but fails to mention that it is Al Qaeda fomenting that civil war. Governor Richardson is veering left to please Democrat primary voters without regard for the disastrous implications were his policies to be implemented.

SECOND BURST: This weekend once again brings us another report of significant casualties inflicted on the Taliban. The biggest untold story of the war is the beating the Taliban insurgency has taken this year. We can only hope this trend continues and will one day be widely reported. Don't count on it.

THIRD BURST: Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman has called for possible military action against Iran if they don't stop interfering in Iraq. I would also add the taking of American hostages, the continued development of nuclear weaponry, support of Hamas and Hezbollah, and threats made against Israel to that list. The time is rapidly approaching when the CINC will have to make a decision concerning Iran. Will we take action or standby fecklessly as a rogue terrorist nation arms itself with nukes and spreads its tentacles across the globe? Iran has passed the point of diplomatic solution and most probably can only be brought to heel with force of arms. As usual when force is necessary, the weaklings of Old Europe will leave America alone to defend civilization.

FOURTH BURST: So, the State Department had to relax passport rules because of a backlog. Imagine that. Here is the perfect example of why the federal government cannot currently be trusted to properly manage immigration or secure our ports and borders. Our government will need a major overhaul before things get any better. Credit card companies keep track of many more folks than State and don't seem to have a problem doing it. Our federal government, however, is willing to drop security requirements design to protect us against terrorism to hide their inexcusable inefficiency.

JINGOCON

DING-DONG: NOW SECURE THE BORDER

Ding-dong, the witch is dead. The Kennedy-McCain-Bush immigration amnesty bill has apparently died a deserved ignominious death in the Senate. The proponents of this "compromise" should take the measure of the bloody nose inflicted upon them and rethink future measures. The bill was terribly misguided to begin with, and the rush to stampede it through was distasteful. The language used by Bush administration officials against those who opposed the bill was inflammatory and unnecessary. The next step should be to adequately secure our ports and borders before moving forward.

We are nearing the six year anniversary of 9/11, and our national security has come to include immigration and border security. Greater and greater numbers of illegal entrants from countries other than Mexico are entering every year. A porous border only invites those intent on harming Americans to go ahead and take a stab. Al Qaeda and their terrorist allies are continually plotting and cannot help but notice the state of our borders as the strategic weakness it is.

No potential system of immigration management can succeed as long as the borders are as open as they currently are. Major efforts must be made to improve security through physical and electronic means. The administration has drug its feet on building the fencing that has already been authorized, hoping to trade further fencing for a "comprehensive" (meaning amnesty) bill. No one can possibly keep a count of folks in an area if the entrances and exits are open and unmonitored.

The main reason for the current state of the immigration system is lack of border security. No way to count or track those coming or going, no way screen out the bad guys, and no defense against a massive wave of illegal entry. The other problems with the system pale in comparison to securing the borders, and cannot be fixed without that step.

Legislators must enact an enforcement and security law before moving on to other issues. They will have a very small window of opportunity after the current bill is eulogized. I hope they have learned to start with security, not use it as a bargaining chip or accuse opponents of bigotry. Enforce the law, gentlemen. No immigration measure will be possible until the public is satisfied that our ports and borders have been sealed against foreign invaders. The involvement of Ted Kennedy should have been an indication of the quality of the bill.

JINGOCON

PARDON SCOOTER & HANG PARIS

News from the legal world this past week leads me to think the world has turned upside down. Two miscarriages of justice in the same week are more shock than any conservative should have to endure.
Let's start with Scooter. To begin with, jockeying a desk in Langley is not covert. Appearing in a Vanity Fair photo spread is not covert. There was no underlying crime. Ms. Plame and her husband have been thoroughly and repeatedly proven to have been at least contradictory in their assorted statements. Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald couldn't prove any element of the alleged revelation that was the basis for the investigation. "Special" in this case means "rides the short bus". Since the probe revealed nothing, Scooter was selected for prosecution because his memory of conversations differs from that of Tim Russert. And since he was the goat, the punishment exceeded the crime. Thirty months seems a bit excessive to me, especially for a guy with no prior record. President Bush should fully and immediately pardon Mr. Libby. The President has nothing to lose: he certainly can't be concerned about approval ratings or angering the opposition.
Now on to Paris. I normally wouldn't comment on Ms. Hilton, but her release early from jail to home confinement burns by backside. What we have is a spoiled little rich girl who has never known struggle or strife. Everything she has was presented to her at birth on a silver platter with no strings. She has become known originally for appearing in a night vision video that was far from decent. Now, after having been sentenced to 23 days in jail, she has been released after only three. The L.A. Sheriff was fuzzy on the reason, citing a "medical problem". I don't even know where to start here. This is a classic example of the rich getting special treatment from the justice system, another case that points to a dual system of justice: one for the rich, and another for the rest of us. The system is heavily weighted in the direction women to begin with, and adding money gives Paris a double chance of once again escaping responsibility for her actions. The whole situation makes me ill. The voters of L.A. County should take whatever action is necessary to remove the sheriff and anyone else involved in her release. Wouldn't you love to see a mob of regular folks drag her back to jail? I think tarring and feathering might be appropriate in this case. Paris now represents many of the things that are wrong with our nation, and will no doubt spin events to maximize her publicity. She is famous for being famous, but now she's infamous and deplorable. Poor little heiress.

JINGOCON

FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT 2008

The United States of America will continue to face times of great peril for many years to come. An adult hand is needed on the tiller of state to avoid crashing against numerous rocky shores. The presidential campaign of 2008 has begun in earnest and the field of Republican candidates continues to grow. The Jingoconservative endorsement must go to former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson.

Perhaps the most expedient method of explaining this endorsement is to analyze the other candidates. Clearly any of the following gentlemen would be preferrable to any of the defeatist Democrats.

FORMER N.Y. CITY MAYOR RUDI GULIANI: Rudi is a good man and has it exactly right in saying that America needs to stay on the offensive. His social views, however, are far from conservative. He would also face a terrible pounding from the media over his past personal life.

FORMER MASS. GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: Gov. Romney seems like a nice guy, but has had too many campaign conversions to conservative principles. He governed as a moderate in Massachussets, and that's what got us where we are today - electing conservatives that morph into moderates after inauguration.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: His record as a real war hero is unquestioned. The same cannot be said of his record as a conservative. The McCain-Kennedy-Bush immigration bill fails to properly secure our ports and borders and provides amnesty and eventual citizenship to those who have violated our sovereignty.

THE GOOD CONSERVATIVES WHO CAN'T WIN: California Representative Duncan Hunter and former Virgina Governor Jim Gilmore are both Vietnam vets who get it on the war and immigration. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, and former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson are all solid conservatives but relative unknowns. California Representative Tom Tancredo seems to be running on the immigration issue alone. All of these good men would face overwhelming challenges against a potential Democrat candidate. It's just a bridge too far in each case.

Men like Senator Thompson do not come along often. He has enough experience in law and government to perform well in an executive role. He has also had enough experience outside of Washington to know that D.C. is not the be all and end all of the American experience. His record as a solid conservative is another asset in troubling times. What seperates him from the rest of the field is his ability to communicate conservative ideas in a clear and understandable fashion. I look forward to his first debate appearance. It would not be fair to Fred to start throwing around Reagan comparisons. That's just too heavy a mantle for a primary candidate. His lack of military experience, usually a prerequisite, is not a factor because it's clear he can handle critical situations with a firm manner. He's also smart enough to listen to military commanders and has displayed a good grasp of military affairs.

The United States of America and the Republican Party need Fred Thompson. This is not the time to hand over the role of CINC to those who cannot even manage to utter the phrase "Islamic terrorists". The stakes are far too high for that sort of delusion. The Republican Party need a candidate who can clearly articulate fundamnetal conservative ideas in an effective manner. Senator Thompson is correct in asserting that the war is civilization versus evil, and he has the ability to make the Dems look naive in asserting that it's not. And he would be right. Fred Thompson is a unique candidate among a weak field in important times.

Fred Thompson for President in 2008.

JINGOCONSERVATIVE

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

Fellow Republicans should be warned that the Eleventh Commandment is about to be violated. I do so in the hope it can be constructive exercise, although I have my doubts the effort is worth it. My anger has reached the point where it must find clear expression or cause an ulcer, so this is one of the few times I reluctantly criticize the CINC. My fury boiled over when I was told I "don't want what's best for America" because I vehemently oppose the Kennedy-McCain amnesty bill. Alright, Mr. President, you more than asked for this.

1. The capture or killing of Osama Bin Laden has not been accomplished nearly six years after 9/11. He and his buddy Zawahiri continue to mock us from afar. That is not what's best for America.

2. Our ports and borders are still unsecure nearly six years after 9/11, despite your creation of the massive Homeland Security bureaucracy. That leaves us extremely vulnerable to attack, and that is not what's best for America.

3. The Kennedy-McCain amnesty bill is unacceptable. Those who have violated our borders and laws should be prosecuted and deported. I am not anti-Mexican or anti-immigrant and I fully understand and accept the positive and invaluable role immigration has played in our history. Allowing those in the country illegally to ever attain citizenship is a blatant violation of our fundamental belief in the rule of law, and that's not what's best for America.

4. The prosecution of the war in general has been unacceptable. Syria continues to send arms and men into Iraq and meddle in Lebanon by supporting Hamas. No action has been taken. Iran continues its inexorable march toward nuclear weapons while threatening Israel, supporting terrorism around the globe, and taking various foreigners hostage. No action has been taken. North Korea proceeds apace with nuclear weapons development, allowing a mad dictator to threaten the entire region. No action has been taken. Simultaneously, you have allowed the Democrats and the media to seriously hamper our war efforts with inadequate response. That is not what's best for America.

There is time left to fix all of the above. Attacking your core supporters, Mr. President, does not seem to be a good place to start. We have supported you when the rest of the world and half of this country wanted your head on a pole.

Please don't make me go here again.

JINGOCON