THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER

It wasn't as good as Palin's, alas. Thank goodness she's on the same ticket, which is more than enough for some previous Mac doubters. Because, after all, she wouldn't be there without Mac's vision and wisdom.

But I enjoyed watching and hearing him. The establishment media covers him so rarely--and never his wealthy wife, a genuinely interesting and admirable person. The POW stuff, which the big-whoop media meisters are bound to complain about, as they always do (it must make them nervous since few of them have served) was powerful and he has the right to use it. It was a good exemplar of the fundamental difference between him and his opponent, and of his brand of patriotism. It also demonstrates, as he suggested, why he is not at all the war-monger the Dems like to paint him. At the same time it shows why our enemies will have to be wary of his resolve, making him much less likely to have to widen the war we're already in.

UPDATE:  It seems that Mac's speech outdrew Baby Barry's on teevee viewers. Good for him. And reading the speech, at the link above, I've changed my mind. It was better than Palin's. He knows more. How could it not have been? A young independent more or less agrees.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chet Richards, one of the guardians of the theories and memory of the late, great Air Force fighter-pilot and military strategist John Boyd questions this contention of Charlie Martin's in American Thinker re Mac's choice of Sarah Palin for veep. Martin uses the term too loosely, suggests CR who says it's too early to tell. CR's claim that the pick was predictable, however, is probably unique. No one else I know of expected Mac to pick a woman. I think the old Navy fighter pilot, indeed, has generally been inside Baby Barry's OODA Loop for some time now with his sharp, quickly-produced teevee ads. Whether he can stay there remains to be seen.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Newt Gingrich on Sarah: "Palin will make mistakes. The news media and the Obama researchers will find things to attack. But if she stays relaxed and continues to be authentically who she has been for 44 years, the country is going to love her..." Except, maybe, the Left, which is terrified of her. And now, in her own words.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The incomparable Mark Steyn weighs in on the relative "experience" of Baby Barry vs Gov. Palin:

"Sarah Palin and Barack Obama are more or less the same age, but Governor Palin has run a state and a town and a commercial fishing operation, whereas (to reprise a famous line on the Rev Jackson) Senator Obama ain't run nothin' but his mouth. She's done the stuff he's merely a poseur about."

Read it and weep, Dems. Your historic moment done come and gone. Just like in '04. Heh. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 01:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One job she'll have to give up when she's vice president: commander of the Alaska National Guard. Which, with the permanently-active, round-the-clock 49th Missile Defense Battalion, is a heckuva lot more important than you might imagine--especially since Russian has resumed bomber patrols.

UPDATE:  Good background here on pdf, on missile defense operations, thanks to BlackFive.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Hilarity Clintonistas are gobsmacked. They should be. So is Reagan's old political director, Ed Rollins. He should be, too. Forget the nattering MSM. They get no votes and, increasingly, influence none.

Via Fresh Bilge.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Some old school conservatives worry she will take Mac down in flames like Ferraro was blamed for doing to Mondale years ago. But Mondale was running against the Reagan juggernaut, not the lightweight B. Hussein Obama. They also fear the MSM will ridicule her. But, hey, the MSM--whose poll results are lower than Congress and lawyers--has proved it's already in the tank for Barry.

Sarah's light years ahead of Dan Quayle, who didn't stop Daddy Bush. Sarah will do us all proud, and not tell lies about being under sniper fire like Hilarity did. At the end of the day, however, Quayle proves that the veep pick is a concern for only about forty-eight to seventy-two hours. After that it's back to comparing the nominees, not their veep choices.

MORE: In the meantime, however, ten good reasons why Sarah is a great choice.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My OCS class email group is largely silent this morning, despite an exhortatory email about the still altogether-mysterious B. Hussein Obama from our one participating African-American. Most of the class are Republicans, and would not be moved by such rhetoric in any case, but no doubt wish to be polite and not rain on our old friend's understandably-enthusiastic parade. In the privacy of the voting booth, however, I have little doubt that most of us will, like the majority of the American voting population, vote against BHO. I only wonder how hard he will be crushed. Significantly, I think, which might be why Mac put out a one-time congratulatory tee-vee ad last night. Pretty classy of McCain, considering BHO has almost no class at all.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's not what you think, what you've read or heard thus far from the MSM. Independent journalist ace Michael Totten calls it the truth. As with most truths, it's long and complicated, but it's worth the read and consideration. Truth or not, the Russians don't seem to like it one bit, because Michael's site seems to be under cyber-attack. I'm categorizing this under The War, as I have all my posts about the Russian invasion of Georgia, because Russia supports the Syrians and Iranians, two countries who support the terrorists we are fighting.

MORE:  One Georgian woman's tale, from BlackFive, which will update Michael's link if it changes.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Debka says so, but, well, that's Debka, only marginally reliable. But the AP also is saying the U.S. Navy will take its next part of the humanitarian sealift into P'oti, where the Russians are entrenched and insisting they will search any arriving ship. Civil Georgia, however, says the Navy hasn't decided whether to go there rather than to Batumi, where the USS McFaul delivered its aid. And Georgian Daily says the American embassy in Tbilisi, at any rate, is demurring. U.S. European Command has nothing on the subject.

UPDATE:  Confrontation averted: The USCG cutter Dallas went to Batumi, instead, and the Mount Whitney will go there next. But that doesn't stop The Guardian from phonying up a dispute.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

U.S. Navy destroyer McFaul has arrived at the Georgian port of Batumi, well south of the port at Poti where Russian troops remain, eliminating any possible confrontation. The AP, which has a reporter on board, says the McFaul unloaded fifty-five tons of humanitarian aid such as blankets and food, which were ferried ashore for the Georgian refugees the Russian invasion created. The Georgian news media confirms the arrival, but says seventy tons went ashore. AP says the McFaul is the first of five ships to come.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I spent much of the beach trip this week using a laptop to keep up with the Georgian situation, via the few new media reporters and many bloggers on or near the scene (most of their links available here at Black Five, scroll down), and came to a few unhappy conclusions. It seems obvious the Russians are there to stay. At the very least they will keep on burning, raping, killing and looting as it suits them and their mercenary pals. At the worst they may decide to used massed artillery/rockets to reduce Tbilisi to rubble.

Militarily, there is next to nothing we can do, unless we want to risk nuclear war. Bush's and McCain's continued demands for withdrawal only serve to make us look impotent. We really aren't, not totally. But anything we do will be risky--including the dispatch of three U.S. Navy vessels with humanitarian aid, due to arrive next week. Signing up Poland for anti-missile interceptors (thankfully not to be installed for two more years, providing a breather there) seems to have gotten the Russians to consider arming Syria with more potent missiles against Israel, and may yet provoke them to openly aid Iran in its pursuit of nukes.

One good thing is that Russians really aren't as powerful as they seem. Their arsenal is old, and poorly maintained, although they seem to have many more tactical nukes than we do, making conventional warfare with them even more risky. But theirs is no longer a command economy. It is a market one. If customers for the oil and gas on which their economy almost entirely depends, find new suppliers, they will be very weak, indeed. Yet, still, they will have those nukes.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apparently, this is intended as a monument to enlightened health care, something, for that matter, that any small Texas chamber of commerce might like as a tourist draw. Well, maybe. But it might actually be a message Czar Pooti Poot is trying to send to the world--after his rape of Georgia--about what he and his sock-puppet president have in mind for the rest of us.

Via Simply Jews.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's good to see this report that at least some Georgian soldiers, including a few in desert camo who apparently are from the brigade we returned from Iraq, are still defending their country. They seem to be doing this in the defense of the capital city, according to Georgian Ambassador to the U.S. Vasil Sikharulidze.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This is an idea advocated by John Nagl at Small Wars Journal which makes a lot of sense to this old Army advisor in Vietnam. The role has never been more important, as American counterinsurgency advisors have helped turn around the Iraq campaign and could do the same in Afghanistan. In any case, they will be the last Americans assigned, assisting and training the indigenous armies we leave behind to defend their own countries.

But, as in Vietnam, where the effort was later termed "the other war," as if it wasn't very important, it seems today's Army is being even more ad hoc about it. I got pulled out of a cav regiment for a job advising a couple of companies of Regional Forces and Popular Forces militia known as the Rough-Puffs. We did some training for them, but, with little experience and limited language skills, we hardly ever actually advised the SVN lieutenants and sergeants who ran the patrols and night ambushes. They were usually older and had more combat experience than we did.

I was one of the lucky ones who attended the Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg where many of our instructors were Special Forces though we were not. The current advisory crop apparently has less training and one of the same disadvantages, i.e. being outside normal channels, making the assignment no plum for careerists. Advisory work in Vietnam was not even considered command time for line promotion. An Advisory Corps, with permanent units with esprit, etc., could change that.

It also might improve on what me and my five-man team of two officers and three NCOs primarily did. We mainly called in artillery, airstrikes and medevac as needed. Artillery was useful, if the regular unit guns we called were good. Air strikes were, then, usually flown by F4 Phantoms and were often inaccurate. American medevacs, however, were prized, as the SVN troops were afraid of their own medical corps. Our dustoffs would land in the midst of a fight at night. The SVNs would come, if at all, only in the day. Their soldiers also knew their doctors would quickly amputate a wounded limb, which American docs would try to save.

The Internet, of course, is a superlative resource for all deployed soldiers which we would have loved to have had forty years ago, so the current crop of advisors is luckier, in that way, for things such as this nice collection of advisor advice available with one click. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Russian Bear, ever diligent in its campaign to destroy little Georgia despite various ceasefire agreements, prefers to start forest fires, with incendiaries dropped from helicopters, in the southern part of the country. Smokey would be appalled, as we all are. In Afghanistan they left brightly colored mines behind to attract and punish children. Brave Russians. So manly. At least they haven't been reported to be doing that again. Yet.

UPDATE:  Bad enough that they set the fires. Now they're refusing to allow putting them out. The Soviet Union Russians, of course, claim innocence, all around. But don't they always?

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Somewhat, anyhow. We couldn't go to the nuclear mattresses with Russia over its rape of Georgia, so we did the next best things.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Independent journalism ace Michael Totten is "in Baku, Azerbaijan, and heading to Georgia in two days." These are shameful times to be an American, having to sit by and watch the rape of Georgia. Totten's work won't change that, but at least it will give focus to it. I contribute to his work, and enjoy his eye for detail. You should consider contributing, as well, at the link above.

Via Instapundit.

UPDATE:  Totten's first report from Tbilisi is a good 'un. And he's promised another one.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Are the Russians still in Gori, or have they left Gori? Have they agreed to leave Gori, or have they refused to leave Gori? The MSM is all over the place on those questions, trying to be authoritative when they obviously have no idea what is going on. Probably because the Pentagon, despite repositioning spy satellites to see what's going on, doesn't know, either.

Via Small Wars Journal.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

They're billed as the "world's greatest dancers," and they sure come close. Great stuff.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Russian army is robbing travelers on Georgian highways, extracting bribes for "unhindered" passage--until they encounter the next roadblock, of course.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Still pretty expensive, but less than the $113 it's at now, and much less than its peak of $147. Yesss. Now, how can Pooti make it go up again? You can bet that he wants to do it, via Russia's continued rape of Georgia. Fire on our humanitarian air- and sealift, maybe?

He isn't called Vlad the Invader for nothing.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not marching in front of the Russian embassy, that's for sure. Where's International ANSWER? Not holding street-corner pressers. Whatever happened to "No Blood for Oil" and "Putin lied, Georgians died?" Anti-war.com, deep into its summer fundraising, is even questioning the reality of Georgian democracy. Oh, excuse me, I forgot. All these folks are not opposed to war. They're just on the other side. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"...we’re a modern country, but we weren’t prepared for a long war. That’s a key – a lifeline – something comparable to the Berlin airlift. We also need secure communications, a monitored ceasefire that can be monitored by international monitors..." --Georgian president Saakashvili.

We have plenty of troops, and aircraft, pretty close by (i.e., in Iraq) but, alas, a good reason not to act. Then, again, as in 1948, our credibility is on the line. Do we have the luxury of not acting?

UPDATE:  Bush, apparently, decides to help. Sends first cargo plane with relief supplies, and ships are next. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Military historian Victor Davis Hanson succinctly wraps up the Russian bear's aims and abilities, and why, under the present circumstances, we really can't do anything very impressive to stop it. Grrrr.

MORE:  The bear, indeed, is on the march, and we will pay for our inattention, and Bush's amazing naivete about the mass-murderer he likes to call Pooti. If nothing else, the Georgian invasion and rape should be another nail in the coffin of Baby Barry's soft-power ambitions.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tank rounds, fighter-bomber ordnance and artillery shells are supposed to be used on concentrations of enemy soldiers, but the Russians have long preferred to loose them on civilians, as well. This slide show from RFE/RL Georgian News Service shows a burning apartment building in Gori from several angles, and also an interview with one of the tenants who says many were killed. It's Chechnya all over again. The purpose seems to be to terrify the population and, possibly, demoralize the Georgian troops who must fear for their families as they fight the bear. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 01:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One more very good reason not to vote for Baby Barry. He'd just throw it all away:

"The Iraqis aren't yet confident enough to stand entirely on their own; al Qaeda's savagery still imposes too much fear, while Iran is training terrorists next door. In counterinsurgency, the people must know they are protected. Gen. Petraeus has proven that intimidation can be defeated by placing American soldiers among the population."

Worth the read, from fav author Bing West. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"But we will defend the freedom of our country, the independence of our country – with our teeth, to the last drop of blood. God bless each of us. God bless the freedom of Georgia. God bless our soldiers, our heroes. Long live Georgia." --Georgian president Saakashvili.

The first of many brave words we can expect to hear as the Russians, emboldened by oil and gas profits, reclaim their empire.

UPDATE:  Russia will "stop" with conditions, including Saakashvili's resignation. AP says Bush demanded withdrawal and, "hours later" Russian President Dmitri Medvedev ordered a halt. But that's too simple, not to mention unbelievable. How long will it take for the truth to come out? Not to mention for gluing the Smiley Face back on the bear?

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The best joke I've seen is that the Russians won't make it past Macon, let alone enter Atlanta. But the Russian invasion of the other Georgia, our ally on the other side of the world which sent two thousand troops to Iraq, really isn't funny. It's quite a bit of food for thought. It seems obvious to me that we will do nothing, other than prattle about condemnation and seek meaningless resolutions from the Dictator's Club.

Not because our military is weak, despite its being well committed already, but because our society is weak, and has no stomach for war with Russia, whatever they do with Georgia, Ukraine or any of their other former "colonies." As to all that, Richard Fernandez, author of the Belmont Club blog, and his stalwart commenters are among the best sources available on what's happening and what it is all likely to mean in the future. See also this column by military writer Ralph Peters.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It still comes in 5.56 mm, (but there's also a 7.62 mm version) but the new combat assault rifle is gas-operated, has a softer kick and other features that seem to make it superior to the old M4. The SFs like it, anyhow.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Now that all the other services are using the oft-maligned MV-22 Osprey, including the Marines as part of 2007's surge in Iraq, the Army is taking it up with the aim of using it for special operations.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 07:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This one has the common touch, alright. The "finger-licking good" touch, in fact. Thanks, W.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There seemed to be surprise mixed in with the anger that Baby Barry ignored the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan--other than the ones specifically vetted for him, black ones for the most part--and skipped the wounded in Germany altogether, during his world tour to create ad spots for his fall campaign. But there shouldn't be any surprise. His own party is doing the best it can to hold down the voting of soldiers overseas. They apparently understand that not many of them would vote Democrat.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Now that's very good news. Gas prices are sure to follow. Mac's surely right. We have GWB to thank.

UPDATE: The next day the price climbed to $125.49 a barrel. Not bad at all. Then it closed out the week at $123.89. We'll take it.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

There's a lot of teeth gnashing in the conservative blogosphere over BB's tap dancing around the question of whether he should have backed the surge, given its success in Iraq. I watched the cBS video here and, though I don't care much for his politics, I have to say his answer is no more than what any politician, who didn't wish to step down from his earlier judgement, would do. He didn't put down the troops, as some are suggesting. He acknowleged their success, he just questioned the surge strategy itself.

On the contrary, the shift in military strategy, from large unit fighting to establishing lasting community security was almost more important than the additional manpower. As Mac says it's definitely the way to win in Afghanistan, as well. It's just harder there because the people have fewer resources to fall back on, and the terrain is more difficult, with communities more isolated. And with advisers like Gen. McPeak, Barry might just go back to trying to win cheaply, with bombing.

UPDATE:  This, however (scroll to the bottom of the post) is a lie, plain and simple. Why it's called a gaffe is beyond me. Politicians tell gaffes. Ordinary people tell lies. But to me, Baby Barry told a lie, to make himself look good. Instead, he looks very, very bad. See if you don't agree.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The MSM, falling all over itself, as usual, to play pattycake with Baby Barry, is quoting one version of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki's alleged translation of his alleged praise for BB's withdraw-from-Iraq-in-sixteen-months pitch.

But, wouldn't you know it, there are at least two other alleged translated versions, each with a different emphasis and different caveats. The original one has no caveats. I thought the CIA was the gang that couldn't shoot straight? I know it's heresy to say so (possibly even, gasp, racist) but I still don't believe BB is going to win the presidency. So save your breath Maliki, assuming you, uh, actually said anything at all.

But I got to admit I like it that the Europeans and other foreigners are falling all over themselves to swoon at BB's feet--and I'll bet that, secretly, Mac does, too. Because if there's one thing that will absolutely undercut an American politician who wants to be president, man, that is it.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 07:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While America and the Old Media slept. Not that Baby Barry is likely to agree. But why should that matter?

Via Instapundit

UPDATE:  Now Mac is saying it, too. 

Posted by Dick Stanley at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While New Yorkers and the feds still argue about what to do with the hole in the ground in lower Manhattan, a memorial has finally been raised in Texas to the flight crews who were among the first to die on that terrible morning that still resonates in the mind's eye of most Americans. It's complicated, and a bit strange, the statue at Grapevine, just outside Dallas-Fort Worth International, but it holds your attention.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Their readership/viewership declines every year, in part because they're widely and quite correctly perceived as politically skewed Democrat. But, as usual, the Old Media is deaf to the criticism, so they're suffering no shame at their announced plans to staff BB's upcoming "world tour" big time, while continuing to shoo Mac away as, uh, too old, too boring, too Republican.

Afterall, now that the Iraq campaign is essentially over (no thanks to them or the Dems), they can safely leave the Green Zone hotel to have a look around as BB sings his get-out-now tune. The Old Media poobahs also gave preferential treatment to John Kerry, their ersatz war hero, in 2004, and we all saw how well that worked out--for him and for them--but my guess is they really didn't catch on. They're insulated by their exorbitant pay and the adulation of their peers, which makes them pretty slow when it comes to reality.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's the way to win the Afghanistan campaign, McCain says, logically enough...

"...if I’m elected President, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory."

...versus Baby Barry's unserious preference to abandon Iraq in favor of hunting down (the quite probably already dead) Osama bin Forgotten.

Via Belmont Club.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Better not to dwell on the terrorist scum the Israeli government released to get back what they hoped--until they saw their coffins--might be two living soldiers. But the child (and father) victims of the terrorist creature known as the baby killer are worth remembering. Lone Star Times has a moving memorial.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What, before Baby Barry could make his first trip there in more than two years? Before the Dems could cut and run? Independent correspondent Michael Yon says so. His colleague Michael Totten says it is all but over, and that we won. But this is the Middle East, not middle Europe. So minor violence could still occur, maybe even something spectacular. But basically, they insist, it's all over, and we and the Iraqi people won it. Yay!

Via Instapundit.

UPDATE:  Even StrategyPage agrees the campaign is basically over. Now, they say, let the corruption begin. But I agree with Instapundit, I can live with that.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A real baby killer goes free, while two soldiers of the right come home dead, two years after they were captured patrolling the Israel-Lebanon border. But revenge will come, too, and it will be sweet.

Via Simply Jews.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't watch television much. Television, as someone said the other day, is for losers. So I didn't watch the president's news conference. So I didn't get the sound of all the word fumbling that he normally commits--although he's nowhere near as vacuous as Baby Barry. But in the transcript, which the White House makes available in these glorious Internet days when one is no longer hostage to whatever the newspapers are willing to print of it, or whatever the teevee and radio folks are willing to air of it, Bush reads pretty good--inspiring, even, unless you hate him as some do.

For one thing, he delivers the most succinct summary of the how of the war on terrorism that I've read in a long time, and there's another good one on just how the oil companies are trying to take advantage of $140 a barrel oil by seeking more supply. Then there's his take, repeated several times to similar questions, about how the American people are smart enough to adjust their own driving and thermostats without the nanny state's help. Lord, yes. How could they not be? All in all, he sounds pretty confident to me, not at all the shell-shocked lightweight the Seablogger encountered on the tube. Maybe there's a lesson here. Read the transcript, people. You've finally got it available whenever you want it. So read it.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The daily's print edition has a compelling story (which, disgustingly, you have to dig for on their Web site!) about Iraq campaign widow Taryn Davis, who lives down the road in Buda. Her Web site for her American Widows Project is a poignant look at what these women (and a few men) are going through. What, for instance, do you do now with the Silver Star? This form of grief, it appears to me, is similar to growing old. Forgetting to bathe more than once a week, for instance.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nice to see that the cops are taking this seriously, even if the pols often act as if there's nothing to worry about. Maybe not, but, then again, maybe so. Helps to know what's going on down at the local mosque, just in case.

Via The Fat Guy.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My list, mainly compiled from the choices at the post here and also the ones from the commenters there (they didn't mention Twelve O'Clock High or Ran, but they're my favorites):

10. The Lighthorsemen

9. Glory

8. Twelve O'Clock High

7. The Great Escape

6. Run Silent, Run Deep

5. Fort Apache

4. Bridge Over The River Kwai

3. Zulu

2. Ran

1. Das Boot

Posted by Dick Stanley at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

According to war correspondent Michael Yon, it's to grow up to be an American soldier. Photo of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Fred Hampton, of Lexington, Ky., kneeling to talk with an Iraqi boy in Sadr City, June 20. Credit: U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Cohen Young, Joint Combat Camera Center Iraq.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cool new advertising campaign from group of Afghanistan and Iraq campaign veterans to counter the anti-war bilge of MoveOn.org. But something tells me there'll be a vets for peace campaign to counter this one before long. May the best ad campaigns win! Though I'd prefer this one.

Via Instapundit

Posted by Dick Stanley at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

North Korea's masters just can't contain themselves--like Hamas previously came unglued--over the thrilling thought of Baby Barry as president of the USA. Like Osama's 2004 quasi-endorsement of John Kerry, the Nork move should be a consideration for all but the terminally Obama-indoctrinated.

Via Soobdujour

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Ever wonder where the Palestinians, Lebanese, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc., and the other rage boys get the flags they burn in their so-called spontaneous demos? Well, look no further than right here for the explanation. Just another of terrorism's commercial opportunities.

Via Treppenwitz

Posted by Dick Stanley at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Walter Reed scandal of early 2007 is a case study in the failure of information warfare thus far.

UPDATE:  But when Dhimmicrat Mad Jack Murtha and the MSM are out to get 'em, even the Marines falter. Until the prosecutions collapse.

Posted by Dick Stanley at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Of course the Dems are going to run ads attacking Mac. The Repubs sure are going to run them attacking Baby Barry. But do the Dems have to lie so blatantly? They're still retailing that distortion of Mac's hundred years comment regarding Iraq. Beyond that, however, this anti-military ad--courtesy of TFG--with the Uma Thurmann look-alike saying McCain can't have her precious baby boy, is quite a hoot. J