We often hear the phrase, “it’s the same but different.” Implying that that which is at issue is basically similar, but has some differences that are, at least by implication, not as important as the similarities.
So it goes with our ill-named “war on terror.” Ill-named since one does not wage [...]
Archive for June, 2006
The same but (not) different
Posted in Idiotarians, Terrorism on June 30, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Lebanese rules of war
Posted in Arabs, Israel, War and Peace on June 29, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
There should be no lack of understanding by now. The Palestinians, having held a democratic election, have chosen war. War, as represented by the forces of hatred known as Hamas.
Eagerly-received reports by the credulous Western press to the contrary, Hamas has not recognized that there should be a Jewish state in [...]
National guilt?
Posted in Racism, Religion on June 26, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Most of us, when looking into the face of evil, tend to avert our gaze, and either pretend that evil is not there, or forget that it was there. A recently published book, "Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland After Auschwitz" reminds us that mankind remains capable of unspeakable evil.
The book deals with virulent anti-Semitism, of the [...]
Aren’t we special
Posted in Islam, War and Peace on June 25, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Al-Jazeera is featured in an apologia today in the WaPo. The writer is a paid employee of the Arab propaganda network, so we should take what is written with a grain of salt.
Make that several pounds of salt. Al-J is the go-to network for showing beheadings and other Islamic atrocities. It is one-stop shopping for [...]
Strike and Destroy
Posted in Politics, War and Peace on June 22, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Ah, those Clintonistas. If sending a nasty note from the Security Council doesn’t work, lob a cruise missile at ‘em. But before we do, warn them, and then apologize, profusely, and tell them that it’s “not an attack.”
This is the substance of what might seem like hawkish advice from a couple of dovish [...]
And so it continues…
Posted in Iraq, War and Peace on June 20, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
The latest deaths of American servicemen makes the front page. At least two who had been kidnapped were likely tortured. Just another day in the life of the cesspool that is Iraq.
So, what shall we do in response to this latest (apparent) atrocity? Probably more of the same: run some patrols, [...]
"Legalize Freedom"
Posted in Idiotarians, Liberty on June 19, 2006 | 11 Comments »
This is the latest bumper sticker I’ve seen that makes little sense. There are, of course, always malcontents who feel their God-given right to do whatever they feel like doing is hamstrung by those pesky laws.
The extreme libertarian may believe that he’s not free, since he can’t make love to his pet goat in [...]
so much for the First Amendment
Posted in Liberty, Political Correctness on June 16, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Political correctness has, in Maryland, trumped the First Amendment to the Constitution. Maryland governor Robert Ehrlich, a Republican no less, has fired a Metro Board member for speaking his mind in an unofficial capacity.
The sad and ugly story of how PC trumps freedom of speech may be found here. The essentials:
Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich [...]
“legitimate acts of resistance”
Posted in War and Peace on June 15, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
The prime minister of Iraq the Puppet, one Nouri al-Maliki, seems to want to cut some strings. Or, perhaps, merely appear to be so doing. The strings? Any attachment to the United States, without which Maliki would be just another citizen under Saddam's heavy yoke.
Maliki, who not too long ago accused our troops of being [...]
Afterbirth
Posted in Politics on June 14, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Nasty word, afterbirth. Connotes all sorts of mess and gore, but includes something precious: new life. Well, Jim Webb, whose slogan is “Born Fighting,” now has an afterbirth situation: he won the primary.
Webb will face George Allen in the general election this November. And this means, now that his political [...]
Torture month
Posted in Idiotarians, War and Peace on June 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
I just found out that June is “International Torture Awareness Month.” This message is being brought to us by something called “National Religious Campaign Against Torture”. Well, I’m pleased that there is a “religious” campaign against torture, but after seeing who is behind this thing, and what they are saying, I’m not at [...]
“misinterpreted remarks”
Posted in Iran on June 12, 2006 | 1 Comment »
Perhaps Iranians are all stupid. More likely, perhaps they think us to be stupid. Most likely, they must believe that what their leaders say is simply ignored, or forgotten within moments.
Case in point, raised by a letter in today's WaPo from someone who claims to be the "Press Officer" of the Iranian Mission to the [...]
Why it will never catch on here
Posted in The good life on June 10, 2006 | 1 Comment »
Every so often, we are told that soccer will be the next big thing in sports here in the United States. I’ve been hearing this for forty years or so. Perhaps my parents and grandparents heard it, as well, but simply ignored it as the ravings of those entranced with the most boring [...]
"Arab public opinion"
Posted in Arabs on June 10, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
There’s an interesting analysis in today’s WaPo about the potential impact of al-Zarqawi’s death on al-Qaeda. About how al-Z just didn’t get along with bin-laden, yadda yadda yadda. All very fascinating.
There is one point raised tangentially about that infamous “Arab street.” Except here it’s called by the more neutral “Arab public opinion.” [...]
Every silver lining has its cloud
Posted in Terrorism, War and Peace on June 9, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Or so it would appear to judge by the gloomy headline in today’s WaPo about the planet Earth’s loss of another scumwad:
After Zarqawi, No Clear Path in Weary IraqDifficult Questions Surround Legacy of Insurgent Leader
To be certain, the pessimistic writer does raise important questions which must be dealt with. But that’s not the point. [...]
Visions of Hell
Posted in Religion, War and Peace on June 8, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Hell may not be the eternal lake of fire as envisioned by John in Revelation, but it will be the total separation of unrepentant sinners from God. For all eternity. Which is a long, long, time to be waiting without any hope. Or so I'm told.
My early conceptions of Hell were formed by the Medieval [...]
“The Elephant in the Room”
Posted in Islam, War and Peace on June 6, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Andrew McCarthy has a necessary piece today at NRO: "The Elephant in the Room". Here's my response to him:
Many on the Left love to throw around the trite phrase, "talking truth to power." You've actually done it in your piece today.
The truth is that Islam is a religion, not of peace, but of conflict. A [...]
"all religions have their extremists"
Posted in Islam, Terrorism on June 5, 2006 | 2 Comments »
The headline on this WaPo article concerning the foiled terror plot in Canada reads:
Arrests Shake Image of HarmonyMuslims in Canada Brace for a Backlash After Foiled Bomb Plot.
The article focuses on how those poor, misunderstood and mistreated muslims are, somehow, being blamed for having jihadis in their midst. The usual apologists for bad behavior [...]
Back in the day…
Posted in War and Peace on June 3, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
…of the bad, unlamented Soviet Union, that is. There is an apocryphal story of how the Soviet speznats used to operate in hostile territory. This particular territory happened to be Lebanon in the 1980s, and, so the story went, some Russians were kidnapped.
Now, kidnapping was the national sport in Lebanon at the time, [...]
Another day, same s**t
Posted in Idiotarians, War and Peace on June 1, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
This time it’s the stupids in Afghanistan. Hey, morons — accidents happen. This time it’s a motor vehicle accident that immediately turned into a mob action, complete with shooting.
The gist of what happened is given in this single paragraph in the WaPo story:
In the fatal accident, the driver of a U.S. military cargo [...]
