Sunday, February 17, 2008

NANCY REAGAN HOSPITALIZED

OUR THOUGHTS THIS EVENING ARE WITH FORMER FIRST LADY NANCY REAGAN, HOSPITALIZED AFTER A FALL AT HOME. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OFFERED THESE DETAILS:




Nancy Reagan Hospitalized After Falling

9 minutes ago @ 2217 EST

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Former first lady Nancy Reagan was hospitalized Sunday after falling in her home in Bel-Air but is doing well, her spokeswoman said.

Reagan, 86, was taken to St. John's Health Center, where doctors determined she did not break a hip as feared, spokeswoman Joanne Drake said.

Drake said Reagan was doing well and would stay the night in the same room where former President Ronald Reagan stayed after he broke his hip at home in 2001. He died June 5, 2004.

The former first lady is "joking and visiting in her room," Drake said.

Reagan's family physician recommended the overnight stay "as a precaution," Drake said.

Nancy Reagan's last major public appearance was at the Jan. 30 Republican presidential debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., where she sat with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.


GET WELL SOON!

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

JINGOREPORT 07 FEB 08


PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS FINAL WORD: Yesterday's Super Tuesday primary results make it increasingly clear Arizona Senator John McCain will be the Republican nominee for President. That does not bode well for the conservative agenda, as previously detailed. While I state once again that I have great respect for his military service, I cannot endorse or support Senator McCain. Future postings will instead focus on foreign affairs and the war.
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TOP MILITARY MAN ABETS SURRENDER MONKEYS: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen has described American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as being tired and in need of a rest. Mullen also told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Army deployments should be reduced to twelve months. Regardless of whether or not these statements accurately depict the situation, Admiral Mullen should know better than to throw that sort of red meat to defeatists on the Hill who will use any rationale to justify surrender to Al Qaeda in Iraq. Does the admiral not have a legislative liason? Can we get him one? These are the sort of statements that should be made only in closed session to keep our enemies from picking up on them for their own use. The Pentagon's proposed budget for next year includes $20.5B to increase the Army by 7,000 and the Marines by 5,000. As always, the amount of money and troop increases are too small and very late, but none of that gives the admiral a pass on this one. And shouldn't our JCS Chairman be a Army or Marine general, since Iraq and Afghanistan are largely ground operations? Former Chairman Pete Pace, we miss you already.
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GEE, THANKS, GERMANY: Germany continues to be a reluctant ally in Afghanistan. The Germans have announced the deployment of 250 additional troops to replace a Norwegian unit. The catch is that they will be stationed in the northern area of the country, where the Taliban are relatively inactive. The Germans and other allies in Afghanistan have repeatedly refused U.S. and Canadian requests to send troops south, much to the dismay of SECDEF. Other members of the administration have been beating that drum also. SECSTATE Condi Rice, in London for meetings with PM Gordon Brown, reinforced that message and said only a few nations have troops in the south. It's not surprising, especially for Germany. This especially dismays me, having served two years in Nurnberg during the Cold War. I expect more from a nation of an estimated 87 million people. 250, that's the best you can do? Never mind, fellas, as usual American will have to do the heavy lifting alone while alleged allies stand by fecklessly. Old Europe only helps when it benefits them, and apparently fighting terrorists isn't high on their list. What a bunch of turds.
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IRANIAN MISSILE TEST: Iran tested a rocket on Monday it said would eventually allow it to deploy satellites. Yeah, right, and there are no homosexuals in Iran, either. The Pentagon responded by emphasizing the urgency of ongoing negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic for deployment of a missile defense system. The Polish FM said last week in Washington that agreement in principle had been reached on initial deployment. Europe might want to step up the pace a little. Iranian nuclear and missile technology is proceeding full speed ahead, and since no one in Europe will try to stop them now, they might want to take adequate defensive measures. If their not going to take a stronger stand against the Iranian nuclear program, they better start building an effective missile interceptor system and fallout shelters.
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ANOTHER SECRET REVEALED: The existance of a secret facility at GITMO for high value detainees has been confirmed by the AP. Lawyers for Majid Kahn, a Baltimore man who allegedly plotted to blow up gas stations, originally revealed the secret facility to the media in December. They should be hung. Now those same lawyers are claiming they can't discuss the matter further because of a gag order. It seems a bit late for that. When are we going to start protecting our national secrets again? One problem is the complete lack of criminal prosecutions for this sort of damaging leak. No one is ever held accountable, so there is no fear of punishment. Those who reveal vital defense information are aiding and abetting the enemy, whether it's an attorney or a liberal, defeatist newspaper. Shame on them.
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PAKI CEASE FIRE: Word of another cease fire is coming out of Pakistan, and that is not good news. Musharraf may be looking for a little help with the upcoming February 18 parliamentary elections. His past political deals with pro-Taliban militants have allowed them to regroup and grow stronger to launch more attacks in Afghanistan against American troops. When you're enemy asks for a cease fire, press them all the harder. It means their weak, and that means the time to eliminate them is now, not after they rest and recuperate. Musharraf better get his act together before America is forced to do the killing he seems so unwilling to undertake.