BRAZEN # 1

1. BILLARY PARROTS LEVIN: Billary's latest call is for the Iraqi Parliament (yes, Iraqi) to depose Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki through a no confidence measure. The same ridiculous proposition was put forth earlier by Sen Carl Levin. That takes gall on both counts. What they are suggesting is that we can decide who runs the Iraqi government. PM Al-Maliki is the legitimately elected leader, so the call is completely absurd. He may not be as effective as we would like, but it is not for American politicians here at home to pick the leader of Iraq. That's already been turned over to the Iraqis themselves, making both Senators several years late. The reality is that the surge strategy is showing remarkable progress, so defeatists have nowhere to turn and have decided to target the Iraqi civilian government. Harsh critics are forgetting our own history: democracy, like war, is a slow process. Do we need to start comparing the work of the Iraqi Parliament to that of the U.S. Senate? Doubtless neither Senator wants to go there.

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2. SLOW MRAP DELIVERY: Disappointing figures on delivery of the new MRAP vehicles to Iraq are coming out of the Pentagon. The most recent estimates conclude only 1,500 of the previously forecasted 3,500 will be delivered this calendar year. The MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Proof) vehicle is desperately needed by our forces on the ground in Iraq. It is the most recent technology to protect troops available, and the President should order it's production a national defense priority. No expense or effort should be spared, including the use of troops and government civilians in manafacturing if necessary.

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3. PAKIS JOIN IN EXERCISES: Word is the Pakis will join CENTCOM/Egypt military exercises in the Mediterranean Sea this November. This sign of increased military cooperation is undeniable, but don't tell Hussein Obama: he has expressed his desire to bomb the Pakis if Musharraf can't or won't get the job done.

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4. CHINESE JUNK: More and more reports of contaminated Chinese goods are rolling in everyday, and our government seems unwilling to do anything to protect American consumers. The continued unabated importation of Chinese manafactured goods endangers our national security and threatens to poison our people (and pets). And what has our great federal bureaucracy done about this pressing and expanding problem?: absolutely nothing. China has been cheating on trade for a long time in many areas, and on top of everything else, reports of deadly environmental contamination by industry are also emerging. What we have is a communist nation that cannot or will not regulate the basic quality of the goods it produces and especially exports. For the safety of American consumers and the security of our nation, it is clear an embargo must be placed on China, at least until they stop shipping toxic baby bibs and poison candy. That embargo should only be loosened to the extent that it benefits America and doesn't endanger citizens.

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5. Fred Thompson spoke yesterday to the VFW convention, and his thoughts on the war were right on. President Bush offered a vigorous defense of his Iraq policy to the same gathering today. The President Bush we saw today needs to appear way more often. The fact that he doesn't has allowed the Dems to dominate the stage for way too long.

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JINGOCON