Thursday, August 23, 2007

BRAZEN # 2


1. SENATOR WARNER LOSING GRIP ON REALITY: Yesterday Senator John Warner (R-VA) suggested the President should immediately start a planned withdrawal of at least 5,000 troops from Iraq. Where has the Senator been for the past four years? Surely he realizes the absurdity of what he is saying. For the love of Pete, man, have you no idea of the situation politically and militarily? President Bush has resisited this kind of talk from the Dems for years, rightly insisting the Iraq front is central to the entire war. Now measurable success can finally be seen on the ground, and Senator Warner throws out this bit of idiocy.
Warner thinks a small redeployment will make the Iraqis realize we won't be there forever. He actually believes such a plan will "show we mean business". Actually it will show Al Qaeda we, once again, have Americans who don't have the stomach for the fight, one of their central tenets. The leaders of our government on both sides of the aisle have been irresponsible in their public statements, and in fact hurt our effort because of Al Qaeda propaganda. Political leaders in Washington need to publicly shut up and keep their concerns behind closed doors.
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2. CHINA OUTRAGE CONTINUES: Is there no end to the list of contaminated and/or defective products from China? Our federal government is failing in its basic responsibility to protect American consumers. The mountain of evidence accumulating on the failures and negligence of Chinese industry is too big to miss. One has to consider, given the volume and variety of products involved, that not all of this current tidal wave of bad goods is necessarily accidental or negiligent. What evidence do I have of this? Simple: lead paint on childrens toys and other products is completely out of place. The use of lead in paint has been known as potentially toxic for decades. Lead gave the paint the ability to resist color fading from exposure to weather and added durability. Were the Chinese thinking these childrens goods would be exposed to massive amounts of weather? The use of lead in these types of paints has to be intentional. No one with a brain knowingly manafactures childrens articles with toxic ingredients: kids chew on things. It is difficult to imagine that each and every case of contaminated products is completely accidental. The U.S. government should take swift and drastic measures to deal with poison from China. The communist giant is stealing our wallets and poisoning our children as Congress and the President stand idly by. EMBARGO NOW!
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3. PERVERT SET FREE: The weirdo from California whose hobby is taking pictures of underage girls and posting them on the internet along with directions on finding them was twice arrested and then released. Now it looks like the state authorities are going to pursue additional measures to keep this pedophile away from children. Good thing, else the community take the responsibility for dealing with this creep. Any parents who spot him taking photos or lurking about should form a quick posse and confront him ASAP. The law can only protect the people if they are present, and this being America, citizens have a right to defend their children. I make no bones about it, I think pedophiles should be executed for the first offense. As the parent of a young boy, I'll say this to any dirtbag who either attempts to photograph or assault my child: I'm not calling the police. At all. Pray the authorities find you first.
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JINGOCON

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

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

Thursday, August 16, 2007

EXECUTE PADILLA


MIAMI: Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held as an enemy combatant for three and a half years, has been convicted of terrorism charges. Padilla was originally accused of planning a dirty bomb attack, but was actually convicted of two counts of providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim people overseas. The physical evidence leaves little room for doubt. Padilla, a Muslim convert from Chicago, was recruited as a mujahedeen fighter from a south Florida mosque. The CIA recovered his "application" in Afghanistan in 2001. The document contains seven of his ten fingerprints, his birthdate, as well as his foreign language abilities. Sentencing is set for December 5, when Padilla could face a maximum life in prison. In this case the maximum is not enough: Jose Padilla should be executed for his crimes.
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Take a deeper look. This dirtbag attempted to join Al Qaeda, the very same global terrorist network responsible for 9/11. He literally was in the process of committing the dictionary definition of treason in time of war. Were it not for the CIA finding evidence in Afghanistan, there is no estimating how much damage he could have caused or how many thousand or tens of thousand might have been killed and injured. Only legal wrangling and liberal crying kept him out of GITMO where he should have been, facing a military tribunal instead of chatting with his lawyers. The lack of an appropriate sentencing option here is another reason enemy combatants and terrorism suspects should not have access to civilian courts or to legal rights to which they are not entitled.
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The truth is that vehement personal hatred of President Bush drives the thinking of the left. In their zeal to oppose Bush, they often stand against adequate measures desperately needed to fight the war. The Dems have not come to grasp with the broad and unchecked power of the President in time of war. They refuse to accede to that power at every turn because of the current office holder. The resultant political position places them at constant odds with effective war fighting. Their carping and demagogic screed on the issue are nothing less than an attack on the Constitutional authority of the President. Congress has but one power to alter the course of the Iraq front: cut off funding. Short of that, anything less is a propaganda victory for Al Qaeda. The liberal assaults on the authority of the CINC may come to damage the effectiveness of future U.S. Presidents, some of them (unfortunately) Democraps. The end result after all the ridiculous legal maneuvering was a soft civilian trial and now conviction.
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The alternative is sending Padilla to some federal correctional facility to live out his days in relative comfort, communicating with the outside world and serving as a terrorist icon. Better he becomes another martyr for the cause. We're not talking about some wannabe simple mass murder. This involves Al Qaeda, and those convicted of association, coooperation, or actual involvement should be executed ASAP.
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Our enemies are fanatics. There is no reform and no going back. Prison time at an American federal facility is too good for them. American citizens convicted of crimes similar to Padilla are no better than traitorous spys. Killings on the scale imagined be Padilla and his Islamofascist compatriots deserve more punishment than an hour each day in the yard and ice cream on Sundays. He was given his day in civilian courts, and now stands convicted. His punishment should be no less than hanging.
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JINGOCON

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

WAR NEWS 15 AUG 07


IRAQ FRONT: Enemy operations can be expected to increase in scope and ferocity as the defeatist imposed September deadline for surrender approaches. Yesterday's events in Iraq are evidence of terrorist plans to come.

1. A U.S. CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing all five servicemen aboard. The crew was conducting a "routine post-maintenance" flight near Al-Taqaddum Air Base in Anbar province.

2. Coalition forces conducted operations in western Baghdad targeting VBED networks. The raids netted two foreign terrorists. (AFP)

3. Working on a tip from local residents, Iraqi and U.S. forces in Mosul freed six men from an Al Qaeda prison. Soldiers from the Iraqi 2nd Army Division and the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment detained a terrorist guarding the men, who had been held bound and blindfolded for two weeks in an attempt to ransom them for $100,000 each. (AFP)

4. Apache attack helicopter crews from the 227th Aviation Regiment discovered a suspicious collection of drums north of Baghdad August 12. The area had been identified as a VBED assembly area, and the drums were destroyed. A later recon of the area showed terrorists had removed the remnants. (AFP)

5. A coordinated VBED attack in northern Iraq left an estimated 200 civilians dead and 30 homes destroyed. The U.S. military said five VBEDs were used, apparently targeting the Yazidi pre-Islamic religious sect. Terrorists have been kidnapping and killing the Yazidi in increasing numbers. The coordinated and simultaneous nature of the attacks point directly to Al Qaeda. (AFP)

AFGHAN FRONT: Yesterday's events reflect the growing desperation of Al Qaeda and their inability to mount a strategically significant attack.

1. Poland has suffered their first military KIA in Afghanistan. The death was the result of a grenade blast. Polish forces are part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and are heavily involved in providing security in Paktika and Ghazni provinces. (AFP)

2. Three senior German police officers involved in security for the German ambassador were killed when their vehicle was struck by an IED. (AFP)

3. In Logar province, south of Kabul, nine suspected Taliban were killed by Afghan police. (REUTERS)

4. Afghan and coalition forces have launched a major operation against terrorists once again using the Tora Bora mountains as refuge. (AFP)

HUSSEIN OBAMA GOES TOO FAR: The emptiest of suits ever to run for President of the United States cannot help himself. His true feelings and naive views of the world keep leaking out. This time he's gone way too far, and is once again demonstrating his total inexperience and lack of qualifications for office. "We've got to ge the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're just not air raiding villages and killing civilians," Obama said yesterday. Really. Not only is Hussein Obama inexperienced, he's also proving his true feelings about our military. No one with that sort of contempt for our men and women in uniform should be allowed anywhere near the Oval Office. Obama and his defeatist buddies can try to wriggle out of their propaganda support for Al Qaeda, but it won't work.

JINGOCON

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

WAR NEWS 14 AUG 07


IRAQ UPDATE: As predicted right here yesterday, the U.S. has launched a new offensive in Diyala province after the governor and police chief were killed by an IED. Operation Lightning Hammer is targeting insurgents suspected to have fled Baqouba. The operation began late Monday with an air assault and is part of a nationwide offensive against Shiite militias and Iranian agents. MG Benjamin Mixon says the offensive will center on Diyala (no surprise). Late on Monday, 4 U.S. troops were killed by an IED in Ninevah province, while another was killed in Baghdad fighting. Terrorists also brought down a bridge in Taji, killing at least 10 civilians. In Baghdad, 4 terrorists were killed by U.S. forces searching for a rogue Shiite militia leader in Sadr City. U.S. forces also recently captured insurgent video showing some of their evil deeds. See it here.

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AFGHANISTAN: Afghan President Karzai met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the Iranian madman denied arming and supplying Taliban forces. Liar, liar, pants on fire. Meanwhile, two U.S. choppers made hard landings in eastern Afghanistan during bad weather. Enemy fire is not suspected. There was no immediate word on casualties.

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GOOD WORKS IN IRAQ: American forces are performing daily acts of courage that are ignored by the liberal media. Everywhere U.S. forces go, they show the kind and caring nature of the American people by going above and beyond call of duty to help ordinary folks. Here are four recent examples of the thousands from Iraq alone:

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1. Nine month old Fatima Jubouri was found in the garbage in Baghdad and taken by a U.S. patrol to the Green Zone military hospital on June 28. Fatima is recovering well from dehydration and malnutrition. Both her parents have been killed. Unfortunately, current Iraqi law does not allow for adoptions, so Fatima will eventually be placed in an orphanage with her five siblings. Without American assistance, this child surely would have died and been buried with the garbage.
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2. On August 9, a two year old Iraqi boy was rescued from a dry well after U.S. Army Captain David Powell sent a patrol in response to a request from locals. CPT Powell and his 1st Cavalry comrades found the boy at the bottom of a 25' deep dry well. They then used a back hoe to dig a parallel trench. To avoid a collapse, they resorted to entrenching tools, screwdrivers, and even pieces of rebar to complete the dangerous dig. After five hours of continuous effort by American troops, the boy was rescued. "In my 18 years in the Army, this is, by far, the greatest thing I have ever done", CPT Powell said afterward.
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3. American troops from the 97th Civil Affairs Batallion and 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry, traveled to Hollandia, Iraq, to assess the basic needs of the small town. There they discovered an Iraqi boy who had a condition that resulted in his intestines being exposed and on the outside of his body. General Petreaus was informed, and after initially offering his own chopper for the effort, provided two Blackhawk transports, two Apache attack helicopters, and a Blackhawk MEDEVAC to move the child to An Najaf for surgery to correct his condition on June 14. Word is that the boy is expected to fully recover. CPT Jimmy Hathaway of HQ Troop, 3/1 Cav says, "We go into town now, and people come out to see us. They laugh and joke with us. We feel very welcome there."
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4. Army Staff Sergeant Joe Murtaugh, a Special Forces medic, took the role of guardian angel over an eight year old Iraqi girl suffering from a heart defect. Identified by earlier American units, the girl desperately needed surgery to correct her condition. SSG Murtaugh saw to the paperwork and transportation needs for little Dalal and her family to travel to Amman, Jordan for the surgery. Dalal's father said, "I know you are here doing another job, and I am thankful for all you do. This is an unforgettable thing what you are doing for my family, and we cannot thank you enough for your help."
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Good deeds like these are happening every day in Iraq, unreported by the mass media. These deeds have a cumulative effect, and like everywhere American troops have ever gone, the people there will discover what we already know: we're the good guys.
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SPECIAL NOTE: On July 10, a Green Zone mortar attack killed Army Captain Maria Ortiz, making her the first Army nurse to die in combat since Vietnam. Her loss is deeply felt by family, friends, and the entire United States Army.
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JINGOCON

Monday, August 13, 2007

WEEKEND WAR NEWS


STATE TAGS TERRORISTS: Fatah al-Islam, the Al Qaeda inspired Lebanese terrorist group, has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Fatah al-Islam is the group besieged by the Lebanese Army since May 20. The designation freezes assets under U.S. control, bans members from U.S. soil, and prohibits American citizens from providing support. The Lebanese Army has surrounded and repeatedly assaulted the Nahr al-Bared "refugee camp" without good result. An estimated 200 terrorists and 134 Lebanese Army troops have been killed so far. No surprise: Fatah al-Islam is connected to Syria.
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BAGHDAD WEEKEND: American forces suffered 5 KIA and 4 wounded in battles over the weekend. Four troops were killed and four wounded in an explosion in Baghdad, and another was killed by small arms fire southeast of the city. Meanwhile, an IED killed the governor and police chief of Diwaniyah province as well as three members of their security detail. Expect an increased operational tempo in both areas very soon.
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AFGHAN WEEKEND: An American led coalition convoy was targeted by a suicide bomber in Khost, but no U.S. casualties were reported. On Sunday in Kandahar province, an attempted ambush of a district chief's compound was thwarted by Afghan Army and police, resulting in 9 Taliban KIA. Afghan police were later hit by a roadside IED, killing 4 cops. The trend of failed attacks and high numbers of KIA for the Taliban continues.
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DISTURBING: A fake bomb was discovered by folks at the Astoria, Oregon Army and Marines recruting offices. A similar device was found two months ago at the Portland Army recruiting center, and both had anti-war messages on them. Authorities should take this very seriously, and hopefully an arrest will be made soon. Whoever is responsible should be charged with the maximum offense possible. If it happens to be someone who is not a citizen, that person should be designated an enemy combatant and detained accordingly.
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YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST (PART 1): Word is that the Bush administration is worried about a "Tet" style attack by terrorist forces prior to the September report to Congress on the Iraq front. I suggested that Al Qaeda would do just that in "Machine gun #1", posted 26 MAY 07. If such an attack takes place, the fault lies with those who have artificially imposed September as a deadline for surrender.
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YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST (PART 2): A Chinese toy manafacturer committed "suicide" over the weekend after the Chinese government banned exports from his firm. Now, this may not have technically been an execution, as I suggested in "Contamination from China", posted 08 AUG 07, but you can do the math for yourself. Either way, it allows the communist government to point the finger at an individual manafacturer instead of reforming a broken system.
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JINGOCON

Friday, August 10, 2007

WAR NEWS


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U.S. PROVIDES SECURITY FOR SHIITE GATHERING: American forces provided security for a major Shiite religious gathering in Baghdad Wednesday. This is the same gathering that produced large numbers of casualties in previous years. In 2005, first the crowd was hit with mortars and katyushas, killing 7 and wounding 20, then rumors of a suicide bomber created a horrific stampede resulting in an estimated 1,100 deaths. In 2006, snipers killed 12. This year was different. A curfew was put in place for Wednesday to Saturday, and the U.S. Army conducted rooftop searches and added patrols. American snipers turned the tables this time by assuming the rooftops, and even fired on a man lurking near a window. Since there are no spectacular casualty counts, you are unlikely to hear about this stellar effort by U.S. forces. In the northern city of Kirkuk, however, things are not as quiet. A VBED exploded in a Kurdish section vegetable market, killing 4 and wounding 28.
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UNITED NATIONS RETURNING TO IRAQ?: U.S. Ambassador the the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad is coordinating an effort to bring the U.N. back into Iraq. The goal is to let the U.N. help with "political dialogue and national reconciliation." What possible effective role can the U.N. play in Iraq after they reacted like little girls to a single bombing in 2003? They couldn't find the exit fast enough, but now want back into the process. I think not. The CINC should not allow the gasbags at the U.N. to meddle in a process they literally ran away from at maximum speed. This sad little collection of worms has no business fouling up whatever progress we have made so far. The addition of bluehelments to Iraq is a laughable fantasy. Short of that, they need to keep their noses out of American national security, and that means the Iraq front.
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AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN: The United States and Japan have agreed to a GSOMIA (General Security Of Military Information Agreement) that allows them to share classified information. The agreement is seen as necessary for further research and development of a ballistic missile defense system. Japan is understandably concerned about North Korean missile development and testing, and this pact is long overdue.
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SPEAKING OF NORTH KOREA: The NKs are complaining about an upcoming joint U.S.-South Korean military exercise called Ulchi Focus Lens. During a meeting of Colonels from the United States and NK at Panmunjom, the exercises were termed a prelude to war and invasion. Some unidentified South Korean governement types even floated the idea of postponing the maneuvers, scheduled for August 20 -31, after the NK government threatened to cancel talks on their nuclear program. That would be a very bad idea. The opposition to the dictator in NK should remain strong and as unified as possible. Allowing the NKs to alter American defense policy is unacceptable: conduct the exercises, and make sure they get full media coverage.
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AFGHANISTAN UPDATE: Coalition forces fought off an attempted Taliban ambush Thursday. The fighting stretched through the day after an estimated 50 Taliban tried to ambush a joint Aghan and Coalition patrol. The result: 10 Taliban KIA. Meanwhile, tribal villagers in western Afghanistan threw down with the Taliban, killing 5 and taking 2 KIA of their own. Additional word is that the Pakis are using attack helicopters in NW Pakistan operations, and have reportly killed a dozen or so Taliban in the last several days.
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BILLARY: It seems Billary may have spoken too soon in her beratement of Hussein Obama last week. Billary said in April of 2006, in reference to Iran: "I would certainly take nuclear weapons off the table." That contradicts her statements last week on several occasions chastising Obama for making essentially the same declaration about Pakistan / Afghanistan. Obama should hit her hard with this glaring hypocrisy, but if he follows his prior pattern, he won't.
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HOLLYWOOD THANK YOU: Much respect and many thanks to comedian Kathy Griffin. She is participating in the Army's Operation Tribute to Freedom, and recognized Iraq and Afghan front vets during her July 27 performance at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Our military could use more celebrities like Kathy supporting them.
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JINGOCON

Thursday, August 09, 2007

WAR NEWS



CRACKING THE CODE: Army LTC Morschauer of the 2nd Bn., 2nd Bde, 15th Artillery, 10th Mountain Division, says U.S. forces have "cracked the code when it comes to working with the Iraqi Army" in Mahmudiyah. LTC Morschauer's unit is working with the "Baghdad Eagle Division" of the Iraqi Army.

Since September, 847 joint patrols, 29 air assaults, and numerous small unit operations have resulted in the detention of over 3,000 suspected terrorists, as well as the discovery and demolition of 271 IEDs and 72 weapons caches. Joint forces also recently captured Jawad Ubadd Khalif, a local Al Qaeda HVT. Several hundred Iraqi Army soldiers have also completed U.S. or Iraqi run advanced combat training.

HONORING FALLEN BRITS: United States Marines of HSC, 3rd Bn., 6th Marine Regiment, have completed the restoration started by other American units of a British military cemetery. The British Royal Air Force Cemetery at Habbaniyah, established by treaty in 1927, holds the remains of 289 Brits and Poles. The Marines removed weeds and trash, as well as resetting stones where necessary. The cemetery had fallen into a sad state of disrepair, and it is only appropriate to show the respect due to our allies who have fallen.

TOUGH GUYS: Think the Air Force flyboys don't really fight? Think again. Members of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Detachment 6 will back me up on this. The 45 person unit supports Iraqi Police at the provincial and district level around Tikrit. This work obviously involves many convoys, and the unit has seen its share of IEDs, including one airman KIA. These folks even went through two months of Army training before deployment. The USAF security forces involved are doing magnificent work and should be highly commended.

IRANIAN WEAPONS BUST: A suspected Iranian weapons network has been demolished in the Shia district of Sadr City in Baghdad. A combined air and ground operation resulted in 30 enemy KIA. Among the dead was the main target, a dirtbag acting as liason between the militants and the Quds Force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. In a related item, LTG Raymond Odierno told CNN that there were 99 EFP attacks last month, and that Iranian weapons accounted for one-third of the 79 U.S. dead. It is well past time this issues was, shall we say, more directly addressed at the source (see below).

AL-MALIKI WASTES HIS TIME: Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki flew off to chat with the Iranians. He was seeking security assistance, and was told the problem lies with "occupying forces". That is laughable and once again demonstrates the need for Iran to feel a little American steel.

KHARZAI SPEAKS OUT: Afghan President Hamid Kharzai spoke to a meeting of 650 Pakistani and Afghan tribal leaders in Kabul. Pakistani President Musharraf pulled out of the powwow at the last minute to deal with the escalating fight with Al Qaeda. President Kharzai took the terrorists to task for the attacks on and kidnappings of women and children. Finally, we hear a leader in the Muslim world speak out against the mad men who are too cowardly to launch their attacks against legitimate military forces, and instead attack innocents. It's refreshing, and once again points out that Kharzai is a good man and invaluable ally.

JINGOCON

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

AL QAEDA IN IRAQ UPDATE


Three recent Pentagon reports indicate our forces in Iraq are making good progress against Al Qaeda and other terrorist elements. None of these reports will be widely disseminated by the media as they should be. The battle with Al Qaeda in Iraq is fully engaged, the terrorists are being killed or captured in large numbers, and our forces are the giving the enemy a good thumpin'.

BG Kevin Bergner tells us 18 senior Al Qaeda members were killed or captured in July, among them the senior Iraqi Al Qaeda operative, Khaled al Mashhdari, captured (ironically) July 4. Last week, Iraqi Army forces shot and killed three thugs from the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group. On August 2, a coalition air strike killed Haitham Sabal al Badri, the dirtbag responsible for both of the Samarra Golden Mosque bombings and several other attacks on Americans. BG Bergner also pointed out Al Qaeda hasn't gone away, having launched a truck bomb attack in Tal Afar that killed 29 and wounded 50.

U.S. Army Colonel John Charlton says progress in Anbar is nothing short of "remarkable". He has seen attacks in his AO drop from 30 - 35 per day to an average of less than one per day. Following large scale operations to root out the terrorists, American and Iraqi forces working together extablished joint security stations, moved into the neighborhoods, and began conducting joint patrols. Al Qaeda hasn't quit on his turf either. An apparent attempt to infiltrate Ramadi with 60 -70 well-equipped terrorists, some of them complete with suicide belts, was detected and the enemy were eliminated. Good work, men. COL Charlton also says the previously pathetic 200 man Ramadi police force has grown to 7,400 cops deployed in 30 stations.

Finally, Army Colonel Mark S. Martins (SJA/MFI) tells us three Iraqi snipers have been convicted and sentenced to death for the shootings of two coalition soldiers and nine others. The three confessed members of Jaysh al-Islami were captured by the Iraqi Army after a two month shooting spree in Baghdad. These vermin had a van set up for sniping and were taping their attacks. Convictions and sentences like these can only help.

JINGOCON

CONTAMINATION FROM CHINA


A flood of tainted products from China is hitting our shores. In the past several months alone, we've seen contaminated pet food, toys and trinkets containing lead, ginger contaminated with pesticides, laptop batteries that had a tendency to explode, defective tires, eel and other seafood laced with unapproved antibiotics, and formaldehyde toothpaste. Our goverment should take quick and effective action to limit Chinese imports until tougher standards can be maintained.

Chinese imports to the United States have risen to $250B annually, and are up 15.5 percent so far this year. It is clear the communist Chinese government is not enforcing product safety standards, but what can one expect from a regime that has no effective consumer or worker protections at any level? We gobble up cheap Chinese-manafactured goods at an ever increasing rate, decimating our industrial capacity, moving jobs overseas, and now finding that those goods are contaminated or are defective.

We are not the only nation to experience this wave of bad stuff. The Japanese have been particularly effected. Casserole dishes that leached lead when heated, toothpaste contaminated with ethylene glycol, spinach laced with pesticides, contaminated seafood, and nearly a half-million defective DVD players have sparked recalls in the land of the rising sun. Indonesia and the Phillipines have recalled cookies and candies containing formaldehyde. Added to the evidence available here, this paints a disturbing picture of a Chinese export system without safety concerns. It makes one wonder how many contaminated products have slipped through the cracks and into our food system or into the hands of our children.

Congress and the President should immediately remove China's MFN status and impose severe restrictions on both quality and quantity. The Chinese government has launched a "food safety offensive", which means they will execute a dozen or so middle level executives and call it a day. The communists don't even invest in the safety of their own people, so it it unlikely they will do anything significant concerning exports. It's time our government took the action necessary to protect the American people from shoddy goods. I'm all for trade, as long as it's fair and product safety can be assured. Our current trade with China is not fair and product safety is dubious at best. Now is an opportunity to straighten out the whole mess, if only our leaders will act with American interests first in mind. The Chinese are cheating on almost every aspect of trade, and someone should do something about them ripping us off on a massive scale.

Allowing the communist Chinese government to address this issue by itself is not acceptable. They cannot be trusted to keep their word on trade agreements, so it's time to scrap 'em all and start over from a basis of our needs, not theirs. Why are we trading at all with the regime that mowed down student protestors? How quickly Tianamen Square was swept under the rug and forgotten.

JINGOCON

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

CLAYMORE 07 AUG 07

SOUTH CAROLINA ARRESTS: Two Middle Eastern students arrested near the U.S. Navy Consolidated Brig at Goose Creek look extremely fishy, to say the least. These two gentlemen had homemade explosives in their possession, and a laptop they acted squirrelly about that initially inspired further investigation after a traffic stop for speeding. For some reason, the powers that be are allowing this case to proceed through civil courts. That is an outrage of the highest order. These two plotters should immediately be handed over to the military and designated enemy combatants. How much evidence do you need? Let's see, one guy is from Kuwait (studying, guess what, civil engineering) and the other is from Egypt. They were nabbed only a few miles from a military facility potentially holding other terrorists and had bombs assembled. That's enough for me to immediately advise a long stay at GITMO until a further determination can be made. I am completely unwilling to risk innocent American lives on these two. And I don't care about their rights. At all. It's war time and they aren't even citizens. Case closed, fellas. Check into a cage for a while.

DEMOCRAP FORUM: The bulk of the Dem Presidential candidates met in Chicago in a forum organized by the AFL/CIO. I'm not really sure why it wasn't called a debate, but it was essentially a rump kissing rally. Each candidate went to great lengths to smooch butt on union issues, even arguing over the number of picket lines walked. All maintained their uniformly socialist healthcare agenda and "Bush is bad rhetoric". None could explain what they would do if American forces withdraw from Iraq only to see Al Qaeda reign supreme. Kucinich once again provided the humor, while the U.S. Senators in the race spent time complimenting each other. Ho-hum. Billary did manage to utter the phrase "Islamic terrorism", which I guess is significant progess.

HOT IRAQ SUMMER: Expect the pace of combat in Iraq to pick up dramatically in the next several weeks leading up to the self-imposed September judgement time. The terrorists are well aware that any KIAs inflicted on U.S. forces now will be decried and used for political advantage by the Democraps next month. A sudden spike in American deaths or a large scale attack near the end of the month are both possible. The absence of such activities will be a fantastic sign of progress. It will be because they can't, not because they don't want to.

FRANKIE COLEMAN SKATES AGAIN: Frankie Coleman, wife of Columbus, Ohio Mayor Mike Coleman, has used alcohol as a public crutch to escape fair punishment once more. After largely avoiding any real punishment for a previous DUI arrest, Mrs. Coleman pleaded no contest and was sentenced on charges of falsification and attempted theft in office after her state job employment time sheets came into question. Mrs. Coleman submitted hours for which she was completely absent or habitually tardy. She could have faced up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine on each count, but miraculously received five years probation, a $500 fine on each count, and 100 hours community service. Maybe Mrs. Coleman's problem is a lack of accountability because she escapes significant penalties for her problems. This is the sort of sentence that shakes faith in the judiciary and points out the advantages of celebrity, even if it's local. The judge should have maxed her out. I wonder what I would get for equivalent crimes?

JINGOCON

Monday, August 06, 2007

DEFENSE BUDGET?



Our sad little Congress managed to pass a defense budget of a sort before their recess. Maybe after recess we can give them milk and cookies and put them down for a long nap. Suffice to say the nation is a tad more secure, at least until after Labor Day. The defense authorization approved by these merry men and women did not include funds for the Iraq and Afghanistan fronts, setting up another session of political theater in September to coincide with the surge review from General Petraeus.


Highlights and lowlights of the authorization included:

- added funds for National Guard and Reserve equipment (much needed);

- an additional 12,000 soldiers and marines (not enough);

- added funds for military healthcare and housing (not enough);

- funds to continue the F-22 Raptor program (right on);

- an increase of $1B to $8.5B for SDI (commendable, but not enough);

- a military pay increase of 3.5 percent, 0.5 percent more than Bush asked for (?);

- funds for 12 additional naval vessels, 5 more than the Pentagon asked for; and

- a nasty little bitter pill banning permanent bases in Iraq.


I cannot explain the administration asking for anything other than the maximum pay raise they can wring out of Congress. Perhaps other budget priorities forced that move. The ship funding is also classic U.S. Congress, building more ships than the Navy even requested. Situations like that create waste and mismanagement. The bit about permanent bases in Iraq is laughable. I guess it will all swing on who defines "permanent", but it could lead to substandard housing for our forces in Iraq.

The worst part of the budget is what's not there. No funds for the Iraq or Afghanistan were provided, oddly enough. That is no accident and reflects the extreme politicization of the war by the Democrap Congress. September will present an opportunity for the surrender monkeys to hurl feces at the President and our military, and you can bet they'll take every chance they can get. No matter what the surge evaluation says, preliminary as it will be, the Dems will paint the worst possible picture they can. They have invested themselves in defeat and cannot change course . If our commander on the scene reports good news, it will be distorted and twisted by the Dems and the media. Failure to fully fund national defense in order to set up a Congressional drama is despicable.

Congress should be applauded for many elements of the budget, but the rotten parts and the theater set up override the positive notes. We should all try to enjoy the next several weeks without Congress, because their return will not be pleasant. This Congress has a slim record of actual legislation and a thick record of political squawking, most of it aiding and abetting the propaganda arms of Al Qaeda. This new boss is much worse than the old boss, expecially because of their pious attitude toward ethics. Perhaps the Army can provide them with a copy of the Code of Conduct, an item sorely needed on the Hill.

JINGOCON

Friday, August 03, 2007

THE BRIDGE

The collapse of the freeway bridge in Minneapolis is a case study in how the mass media senationalize and distort information. Of course everyone regrets the loss of life, and this criticism is directed specifically at cable news (Fox, CNN, MSNBC) and not intended in any way to disparage victims of this terrible engineering failure. That being said, I've heard enough.

Breaking news of the collapse lit up the cable news tree from top to bottom. It was so big O'Reilly was bumped. Fox stayed with the story literally all night. What really raised questions for me was the almost instantaneous reaction by Homeland Security downplaying the possibility of terrorist involvement. How can they be so sure so fast? That kind of makes one wonder what kind of program they're running over there.

Now the criticism: ENOUGH! I think several days of nonstop coverage is quite sufficient. It is also clear that we need a few ground rules for the use of terms like accident, tragedy, and disaster. An accident is when there's a pileup on the freeway. A bridge collapse is no accident: gravity is a constant, and the rest falls on the heads of the humans building and maintaining. A tragedy is when death befalls a promising individual or small group, or a historical building falls tothe wrecking ball. The collapse of a bridge is horrific, but not a tragedy: it fell all on its own, without a bright future. A disaster is a massive tornado, or a volcano, or a tsunami. Perhaps the rules governing certain terms implies a body count, as primitive as that seems. Every five seconds the cable talking heads grew solemn and you knew "tragedy" or "disaster" were coming. Ridiculous. Now the death toll appears to be much smaller than originally thought, fortunately.

Speculation about every aspect of the collapse, always preceded by a declaration admitting uninformed guessing, began immediately. Anyone who ever drove across a bridge became an instant expert. It should be weeks or perhaps months before anyone knows anything about causation. That is not a conclusion any expert or panel of experts can satisfactorily reach overnight. The wild guessing just made me reach for the remote. Finally I had to flee to the web to get any war news at all.

It took until today for the media to let me know my home state of Ohio has nearly 200 bridges of the type that collapsed, more than any other state. Very timely.

One final item: The fellow on the schoolbus who kicked open the emergency door and helped the kids get out is a good man, but not a hero. He just happened to be there. If he's a hero, then so is the doorman at a hotel.

JINGOCON

Thursday, August 02, 2007

BILLARY NUKES OBAMA


The battle has been fully engaged, such as it is. Hussein Obama is fighting a battle he cannot win, and the vast experience and political savvy of the Billary machine looks to eat him alive. Unaware of the coronation process and basic geopolitical facts on the ground, Obama insists on debating issues that favor her experience advantage. After getting hustled on the issue of tea with tyrants last week, Obama has taken up a fight over the supreme Presidential prerogative: nukes.
Obama stepped into the minefield this time by ruling out the use of nuclear weapons in Afghanistan or Pakistan to go after terrorists. This comes after his declaration of willingness to use U.S. forces in Pakistan whether Musharraf likes it or not. Billary did a flop from the top rope on that one, pointing out no President should ever take nukes (or any military option) off the table. Ladies and gentlemen, this is hilarious on two counts.
First, Billary is technically correct: no President should handcuff themselves by assuring the enemy of immunity from attack. The irony of Billary pointing it out is a classic. Instruction on military matters from the party of retreat and defeat is probably not of the highest quality. Even the presence of debate on this subject amongst Dems is fairly shocking considering their total cowardice the remainder of the time. And Billary, the one who thinks being First Lady is executive experience, standing at the lecturn in the classroom of nuclear education is just too much.
Second, it's clear nuclear weapons are not feasible in the current situation, and would cause more harm politically and in the media than they could produce positive battlefield results. The junior Senator from Illinois may have been attempting to reflect that evaluation, but his attempts are clumsy at best. Obama, who has no military experience of any kind, should have been well aware of the importance of the muclear deterrent element of American defense policy. Like so many other Democraps, Obama speaks about defense issues without a great deal of actual experience in policy or implementation of that policy.
He's making rookie mistakes. Engaging Billary on big and important issues like nukes is not a level playing field for him. He should instead make his campaign about personality and likability and how great it is that he's running for President. It's his only hope. He cannot continue to allow Billary to skate through the primary by not using his best weapon. The punches he's throwing are not making contact, and Billary is performing political judo and flipping him at every turn. He is still The Magic Obama, the press still loves him, and he's allowing Billary to play on her turf and with her rules.
If he doesn't act quickly, he'll be just another roadkill under the Clinton machine.
JINGOCON

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

HUSSEIN OBAMA TALKS TOUGH


Hussein Obama tried to look tough today and instead looked just as naive and inexperienced as he acutally is underneath all the hype. Hussein claims he would send significant U.S. forces into the mountainous regions of northwest Pakistan, but only on "actionable intelligence". Then he expressed the ignorant idea of pressuring Musharraf.


This is just too good to pass up. Obama has the least experience of any of the candidates in both parties, so he feels the need to look wise on foreign policy matters. Unfortunately his declarations have the opposite effect because they're just not clearly thought out or smart for America. He appears unaware of the delicate situation in Pakistan, unaware of Al Qaeda attempts to kill Musharraf, unaware that a government collapse could lead to nuclear arms in terrorist hands, and unaware of the military risks of such a venture. Husseins desperation to look experienced after Billary called him naive last week has led to statements that totally ignore facts on the ground and are dangerous. So the Obama plan is to chat with all the rougues and thugs, and then pressure and threaten to invade our allies.


The race is slipping away from him. He's one of the few who hasn't realized the Democrap primary is a coronation for Billary. He has missed his moment and still won't throw a punch at her. This woman has a million skeletons in the closet, and he would be shrewd to drag a few out for public display. This business of constantly trying to dance around her is pathetic.


Looks like the junior Senator from Illinois has opened his jacket, and the crowd is discovering the suit is empty. Some of us already knew that.


Inexperience and desperation is always a bad mix.


JINGOCON