John Podhoretz makes the case today in his NY Post column that Jack Murtha's call for withdrawal and the GOP's forced vote on it taught the White House a valuable lesson:

Suddenly, withdrawal was off the table. But Murtha had demonstrated something important: In the absence of a constantly echoed positive line of argument about the U.S. role in Iraq, over time the debate will be framed by the war's opponents in a way injurious to the overall goal of prevailing over the enemy.

Had Bush been talking about victory throughout 2005, had he informed the American people over and over that we are in Iraq to win, he might not have found himself with a distressed and disillusioned American public sorry we had gone in there in the first place.

Evidently, what he and the rest of the GOP needed was for Jack Murtha to go out there and lose one for the Gipper.

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1 YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!

Posted by: Georgia Girl (gfsil) at December 01, 2005 05:08 PM (EHefn)

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So four idealistic idiots get kidnapped while trying to "reason" with terrorists, and it's the American and British governments who are to blame?

Well, apparently that's the story that the Christian Peacemaker Teams organization is pushing.

"We are angry because what has happened to our teammates is the result of the actions of the U.S. and U.K. governments due to the illegal attack on Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people," Christian Peacemaker Teams said in a statement.

It's really a shame that these people have gotten themselves into this mess because of their own stupidity. It's a bigger shame that organization that they represent has no ability to comprehend the fact that kidnapping and killing hostages has less to do with American foreign policy than it has to do with the Islamofascists' desire to wipe out all "infidels". Having the word "Christian" in the name of their organization probably qualifies for an extra dozen virgins in the terrorists' minds.

These were probably the same idiots who volunteered to act as human shields for Saddam before we went in there. What the hell is wrong with these people?

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Islamofascist Bastards Attack U.S. Toy Giveway:

A suicide attacker steered a car packed with explosives toward U.S. soldiers giving away toys to children outside a hospital in central Iraq on Thursday, killing at least 31 people. Almost all of the victims were women and children, police said.

h/t: The Corner

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And Michael Yon posts a whole bunch of 'em in this photo essay from Iraq.

h/t: Vodkapundit

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Mr. Right brought my attention to a situation at a milblog called Grey Eagle, written by a female soldier serving in Iraq. Her site recently underwent an attack of rude and disgusting comments by a bunch of moonbat freaks as well as a malicious hacking that disabled her ability to post any encouraging messages to the troops.

Her retort to these scumbags is an important statement and should be read. Go visit here and show your support.

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The esteemed Dr. Rusty Schackleford has returned to The Jawa Report after being on hiatus for a couple of months. And he's rightly pissed:

"I'm back. Driven to blog by all this defeatest bullshit coming out of the Democrats' mouths. Administrations do not wage wars, nations do. So, yes, not supporting the war is the same as not supporting the nation you treasonous twits. We are at war, and the last time I checked the Democrats were a part of we. Until we win this war I will do my part. In the meantime:

h/t: Robert the Llama Butcher

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A question often asked by folks who want to pitch in with our Global War On Terror. I can understand that there are people who are not in favor of our current mission in Iraq but feel the tug of compassion enough to show their support for the Iraqi people.

Well, here's a perfect opportunity. Camp Katrina refers us to a drive to raise money for a wheelchair for "Kevin", an Iraqi translator who was crippled by a bomb while helping U.S. soldiers.

Instructions on how to make a donation for this cause is here. If you would like to make a real difference in the life of an Iraqi citizen who has made a tremendous sacrifice toward a better life for his people, I urge you to at least consider a fifty, twenty or even a ten dollar act of kindness for "Kevin".

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In a post praising Senator John McCain's opposition to the ridiculous defense bill amendment passed by the Senate the other day, Betsy Newmark makes an excellent observation.

I teach a class on the American Revolution and the Civil War and we were just winding up our study of the Revolution yesterday with a contrafactual discussion of what would have happened if the French had not helped us at Yorktown. The consensus of the class is that Washington and the Americans would have continued their defensive-offensive tactics until British public opinion demanded an end to the war. I suspect that they are right. And remember, that by the second half of 1864 that that was the South's main hope in the Civil War. An exhausted public is one of the main advantages that a weaker power has in fighting a war. Think of Vietnam. The terrorists in Iraq have learned the lesson well that a democracy will only fight as long as the will of the people is behind the fight. So, they must weaken that will. The Senators voting for this amendment have just given them a victory.

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"I am forced to conclude, on all the evidence, that Saddam poses a significant risk.

Some argue it would be totally irrational for Saddam Hussein to initiate an attack against the mainland United States, and they believe he would not do it. But if Saddam thought he could attack America through terrorist proxies and cover the trail back to Baghdad, he might not think it so irrational.

...At the end of the day, we cannot let the security of American citizens rest in the hands of someone whose track record gives us every reason to fear that he is prepared to use the weapons he has against his enemies."

Um, no. Actually Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) back in October 2002.

Tom Maguire at Just One Minute has this and a fine collection of similar quotes from Rockefeller, Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi.

You see Tom, unlike the stooges in the MSM, actually took the time to look it up.

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Yesterday's bombings in Amman, Jordan did not go very far in winning over the hearts and minds of the Arab world:

Thousands of Jordanians rallied in the capital and other cities, shouting "Burn in hell, Abu Musab Zarqawi" a day after three deadly hotel bombings that killed at least 59 persons. Officials suspected Iraqi involvement in the attacks, which were claimed by al Qaeda's Iraq branch.

Protesters in Jordan and elsewhere in the Arab world denounced the Jordanian-born leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Zarqawi.

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They just couldn't wait for this. Now expect the moonbats to come out in full force (despite the current waning status of the moon) to celebrate. As Michelle Malkin points out this "completely bogus milestone" will be used by the Uber-Left freaks, with Cindy Sheehan as their head poster girl, to showcase their anti-American agenda for the media. And the MSM will be only too happy to oblige.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, director of the armed force's combined press center, is requesting that the media show some restraint for the sake of the families of the men and women currently serving in Iraq. He reminds them that "The 2,000 service members killed in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom is not a milestone. It is an artificial mark on the wall set by individuals or groups with specific agendas and ulterior motives."

Malkin weighes in:

Indeed. These are people, remember, who liken Iraqi terrorists to America's Minutemen during the Revolutionary War.

Who oppose not only the war in Iraq, but also the invasion of Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Who believe the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and at Shanksville, Pa., were a Bush conspiracy with Israel and/or Saudi Arabia.

Who applaud when left-wing professor Ward Churchill gloats about "chickens coming home to roost" and suggests that the peace movement should support the fragging of American troops.

Who use the names and images of dead American soldiers against their families' wishes to propagate anti-Bush hatred.

Who believe Saddam Hussein should be freed and Guantanamo Bay emptied.

Who carry around banners that proclaim "WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS WHEN THEY SHOOT THEIR OFFICERS."

There's your "peace" movement.

God bless the troops, fighting for the freedoms of their fellow Americans - even these selfish, ungrateful pricks. "Peace, Love, Dope"...you douchebags.

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One of the most underreported stories of the day: Constitution Adopted By Iraqi Voters.

Capt. Ed:

"And in the end, an armed insurgency ended up watching helplessly as millions of Iraqis repudiated them and marched bravely to the polling stations to take ownership of their own government. That is the largest victory of all, and the kind that will win the war on terror in the long run."

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Ralph Peters in the NY Post today:

The greatest tragedy imaginable for our "mainstream media" would be to have to admit that President Bush was right about Iraq.

A startling number of editors and opinion columnists have been wrong about every development in Iraq (and Afghanistan). First, they predicted a bloody, protracted war against Saddam's military. Then they predicted civil war. They insisted that Iraq's first elections would fail amid a bloodbath. Then they declared that Iraq's elected delegates would not be able to agree on a draft constitution. Next, they thundered that Iraq's Sunni Arabs wouldn't vote.

Most recently, the sages of the opinion pages declared that the proposed constitution would be defeated at the polls by the Sunni Arabs. All along they've displayed a breathtaking empathy with the Islamist terrorists who slaughter the innocent, giving Abu Musab al-Zarqawi a pass while attacking our president and mocking the achievements of our troops.

A herd mentality has taken over the editorial boards. Ignoring all evidence to the contrary, columnists write about our inevitable "retreat" from Iraq, declaring that "everyone knows" our policies have no chance of success.

That isn't journalism. It's wishful thinking on the part of those who need Iraq to fail to preserve their credibility.

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Ever go to the polls here in the States and have the person working your voting booth hand you one of those round stickers that say "I Voted Today"? Do you put it on? Do you leave it on the rest of the day?

Or do you crumple it up and throw it away because you're embarrassed that you took a few minutes out of your day to exercise a right that millions of men and women died for; embarrassed to have people know that you actually care enough to vote for someone, because you think they might snicker or roll their eyes at you because it's not "hip" to vote? Maybe you just don't want people to ask you who you voted for because you don't feel like getting into an argument.

Well, for the second time this year, Iraqi citzens got their unique tell-tale proof that they voted - an ink-stained finger. And they're proud to show you, even at the risk of being killed by those who desperately want to stop it.

It speaks volumes that even those Iraqis who opposed the proposed Constitution did so by voting "no" rather than blowing up a polling place. This, my friends, is democracy. It's not as "democratic" as the kind we enjoy here in America - which itself is far from perfect - but it's light-years ahead of where any of the biggest cynics thought Iraq would be at this point.

In most of Iraq, polling centers hosted a steady stream of voters throughout the day. But the vote appeared split along sectarian lines. In Sunni neighborhoods of Baghdad, Baquba, and the northern city of Mosul, a wide majority of Sunnis said they voted "no." In the Shiite neighborhoods of the same cities, the opposite was true.

"Of course I voted yes,'' says Aisha Mohammed, a Shiite woman emerging from the polling place in Baquba. "This is our future - and I think it will start to bring peace." She contrasted Iraq's last referendum - an Oct. 15, 2001, vote for president in which Hussein received 100 percent of the vote - with this one. "No more fake elections - real elections have to be good for Iraq."

"I came here to challenge the force of evil," says Abu Ali Shawkat Kadhim in Baghdad, a Shiite laborer whose brother, nephew, and cousins were killed under Hussein's regime. "Please do not say Sunni refuse and Shiites agree. Say the forces of evil refuse and the forces of good say yes."

Democracy is hard. Most worthwhile things are. And once freedom is embraced it's pretty hard to let go - as demonstrated here by celebrating Iraqis, brought to you by "Iraq The Model".

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Austin Bay has an excellent round-up of reports from Iraq.

Turnout was 61% with Sunnis voting in surprisingly high numbers. Though this Sunni turnout could make the result close, it's largely expected that Iraq's new Constitution will be ratified. Final vote count should come in a couple of days.

Roger L. Simon provides some important perspective:

Because the mainstream media has done its best to hypnotize the public into believing the "failure" of the American democracy project in Iraq, it is worth comparing some dates:

Operation Iraqi Freedom - began March 19, 2003
Election to ratify constitution for a democratic Iraq - October 14, 2005

That's two years and seven months.

US Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776
Completion of US Constitution - September 17, 1787 (took effect 1789)

That's eleven years and two months. (I could have begun with the Boston Tea Party which would have added another three years.)

Anybody want to take a bet about how history will regard Operation Iraqi Freedom? No wonder the New York Times is singing a (relatively) different tune this morning.

h/t: Michelle Malkin

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Mohammed from Iraq The Model has voted his "yes" for the new Iraqi Constitution. And so are many of his fellow Iraqis. His report is here.

BareKnucklePolitics is live blogging the referendum.

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1 You say: “Mohammed from Iraq The Model has voted his "yes" for the new Iraqi Constitution. And so are many of his fellow Iraqis” Harriet M., is that you?? See I’m just wandering- she also claims to be a “former Democrat” who’s found a midlife purpose in the adoration of King George If so, you forgot to add: “I love you Mr. President Sir, Yes Sir!” like that hapless Iraqi trooper told our video-confcalling El Presidente supremo yesterday!! ;-) ;-) By saying “YES” to the Iranian-made Islamic fundamentalist charter that passes for a “constitution” in collaborationist circles, “Omar” (no doubt an acronym for Operation Massive American Resonance in the Pentagon’s technocratic PR jargon) and his ilk have surely stroke a mighty blow for freedom and thus contributed significantly to the “global war against terror” whatever that means ;-) Now excuse me while I go spank my monkey. Ba-Ba-Booey. Howard Stern Rules!!!! Eternally Yours in Liberty, Dr Victorino de la Vega Chair of the Thomas More Center for Middle East Studies

Posted by: Dr Victorino de la Vega at October 15, 2005 10:01 AM (j8UZq)

2 Hey, Vic. How's it hangin'? Your use of the winking smilies indicates to me that your trying to be amusing or that you find yourself attracted to me. If it's the former, you need to work on that because your comment was about as funny as a ruptured testicle. If it's the later, I have to tell you that I'm completely hetero, sorry. BTW, I'm a Howard Stern fan, too. Ba-Ba-Booey back atcha!

Posted by: Gary at October 15, 2005 12:23 PM (kB4So)

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The editors of OpinionJournal.com take a look at the al-Zawahiri letter and highlight his one reason to be hopeful:

Amid these lamentations, however, one area emerges about which the terror commander exudes great confidence: the media. The lesson he learned from Vietnam is that "more than half of the battle is taking place on the battlefield of the media." He clearly wants to use the media, in the U.S. and in the Arab world, to induce the U.S. to pull out of Iraq and default a position of strength to al Qaeda.
He actually worries about the possibility that Zarqawi will blow victory on the media battlefield: Toward this end, he gently urges Zarqawi to discontinue his habit of beheading hostages, suggesting that perhaps instead he could just shoot them. "We are in a media race for . . . hearts and minds," he writes.

The long Zawahiri letter is a rough roadmap of the strategic vision for al Qaeda's intentions in Iraq and the global jihad. If it has a familiar ring, that's because George Bush has been warning the world about it for several years.

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A letter from Bin Laden's number Two, Aymen al-Zawahiri, to his chief thug in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was intercepted and reveals the state of the enemy and their future plans.

It's a long document, provided in .pdf format by Foxnews here. Once you filter through all the "Allah be praised/the prophet/the Caliphate/blessing on top of blessings" gobbledigook, there are some interesting nuggets of information here.

First, an acknowledgement of failure in Afghanistan:

"The Summer started hot with operations escalating in Afghanistan. The enemy struck a blow against us with the arrest of Abu al-Faraj, may God break his bonds. However, no Arab brother was arrested because of him. The brothers tried-and were successful to a great degree-to contain the fall of Abu al-Faraj as much as they could.

However, the real danger comes from the agent Pakistani army that is carrying out operations in the tribal areas looking for mujahedeen"

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The good professor of Right Wing Nation made a pilgrimage to the sight in Shanksville, PA where Flight 93 was driven into the ground on 9/11. The flight's crew and passengers understood that they were to be used as a weapon against America and they said "No". They fought back.

These men and women deserve to be remembered as heroes. No idiotic crescent of red trees could honor them nearly as appropriately as what already stands on that hallowed ground.

The report is well-documented with photos, accompanied by his narrative.

Due to the number of pictures, it may take some time to fully load. It's worth the wait.

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Al-RIGHT! That stupid-assed, politically-correct, America-bashing BS "freedom museum" earmarked for space in the 9/11 memorial in NY has...been...eliminated!

The memorial has been taken back!

Now, as Llama-Butcher Steve says, let's get rid of that insulting crescent-thingy in PA!

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