T oday, I will not be posting pictures of the attack on the Twin Towers. The images are still fresh in MY mind.

The war against jihad continues. Men and women are dying everyday in this war. Muslims, Christians, Pagans, Hindus, Jews are all dying in this war. Jihadists do not care whom they kill to advance their cause.

Nine years ago, the war that Islamists had been fighting was brought to our shores. Our first taste of it was in ‘79, when the Ayatollah’s fanatics took our Embassy and spread his evil doctrines afar. We still did not understand the nature of our enemy even when the USS Cole was attacked. We refused to believe that the war being fought across the globe against Israel, non-radical Muslims, Christians, and Hindus could come here. To this day we STILL refuse to name the enemy officially. Today, Saudi Arabia finances mosques and madrassas across the world, including in the USA, to spread its poisonous Wahabbi doctrine.

Controversies such as the 9/11 Victory mosque, the shape of the Pennsylvania 9/11 memorial, the failure to rebuild at Ground Zero, the dismissal of experts that do not white wash Islam, the refusal to name Nidal Hissan a traitor or mention his motivation, and the continuing attempt to rename the war as something else and conduct it as a criminal investigation are all symptoms of unwillingness to acknowledge that this is a war. Congress, the administrations, and many of the people of America are scared to acknowledge that, while the majority of Muslims do not wish to commit terrorism, a great portion of them do support the actions of the jihadists, in spirit. It is only when Al Qaeda and its adherents abuse THEM that they begin to see the light.

Islam is not civilized. It has the trappings of civilization. Whole nations operate in a civilized manner. But, when its basic tenets are exposed, the basic philosophies are shown, the truth is illuminated. The 19 terrorists were not that different from the rest of Islam other than the fact that they were willing to take action. Are they that different from the suicide bombers seen throughout the Muslim world that are feted in Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia? They were only different on a matter of scale. The very fact that such acts are supported at all demonstrates that something is wrong with the philosophy of Islam and its world view.

The West is also to blame. Our refusal to understand that philosophy, our need to self-denigrate, our refusal to accept statements at face value and to follow up, all show weakness to an enemy that uses symbols to influence the audience of their cause. Our refusal to acknowledge a double standard within this country and the press endangers us.

Do you truly think that a tiny, unknown church’s desire to burn Korans would have made any impact without the need for the press to trumpet the evil of the act? Where is this press when anti-Semitic acts occur? Where is the press when churches do good? Where is the condemnation of Muslims when the advocate killing people in response to any offense? The West just shrugs and states, "Well, they’re Muslim. That’s how they are. Can’t change it. Its cultural." And so, violence and terrorism continues to succeed. Why SHOULD Islam change when violence has worked for 1400 years.

Remember, Christians may burn Korans, and be perceived as committing a wrong, even by fellow Christians.

Muslims will burn Christians and be applauded.

May God bless those that died by the actions of the terrorists.
May God grant that more heroes like those that ran into burning, collapsing buildings and those that run to the sounds of the gun, continue to be born to defend us.

God Bless America.

Congress Rangel (D-ishonest) has again submitted the bill to re-instate the draft.  You know, the one he always votes "NO" on……

His premise is that if you support the war, you should support the draft.  He doesn’t support the war, but supports a draft, except that he doesn’t………..what  an idiot.  Just vote to defund the war and be honest about it.

Press Release

WASHINGTON - Congressman Charles Rangel on Thursday introduced H.R. 5741, a bill that would reinstate a compulsory military draft, or alternative national service, during times of war, for men and women, aged 18 to 42, who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

"What troubles me most about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is the total indifference to the suffering and loss of life among our brave young soldiers on the battlefield," Congressman Rangel said. "The reason is that so few families have a stake in the war which is being fought by other people’s children. (Rangel is lying.  Total Indifference?  This man is delusional and is using this perception as a way to justify his moral cowardice.  He doesn’t want to be seen de-funding the war, so he uses this premise.)

"The test for Congress, particularly for those members who support the war, is to require all who enjoy the benefits of our democracy to contribute to the defense of the country. All of America’s children should share the risk of being placed in harm’s way. (No CHILD shares the risk. If fact, there is NO risk of being placed in harm’s way.  Every ADULT CHOSE to enter the military. If no one chooses, then no one is at risk.)

"In other words, if you support the war, you should support a compulsory military draft," Congressman Rangel said.

The bill, which the Congressman first introduced in 2003 as the nation prepared for the invasion of Iraq, and offered again in 2004, 2006, and 2007, provides for:

• A national service obligation–either military or civilian–for every citizen and permanent resident, male and female, of the U.S., aged 18 to 42.

• Persons may inducted to perform military service only if a declaration of war is in effect, or if the President declares a national emergency necessitating the induction of persons to perform military service and immediately informs Congress of the reasons for the declaration. (Does Congress have to APPROVE or just be notified?  No responsibility here…)

• Defines "national service" as either military or civilian service as defined by the President that promotes national or homeland security. (Defined by whom?  Not a written criteria?  The President gets to decide?)

• Give the President the authority to establish the numbers of persons to be selected for military service and the means of selection. (Currently, the quotas for enlistment are approved by Congress.  If the President dictates manning levels, Congress would have no input on funding to meet that level. More abrogation of responsibility.)

• Requires those not selected for military service to perform their national service obligation in a civilian capacity for a period of two years. (Since it may take two years just to train a military member, this seems a little low.)

• Directs the President to prescribe the regulations necessary to carry out the act. (Congress abrogating responsibility again. Where does it say in the Constitution that the Executive prescribes regulations.)

• Deferments for education are only permitted through completion of high school, to a maximum age of 20. (Apparently he doesn’t want to draft officers.)

• Deferments may be made for physical or mental disability, or under claims of conscientious objector. (Or, now, they can just NOT ENLIST.  No need to be an objector.)

BRINGING THE TROOPS HOME

Rangel said that he was not challenging President Obama’s handling of the war in Iraq or Afghanistan, conflicts with few options that the President had inherited from the previous Administration. (Unlike what he did to Bush under the SAME conflict.)

"I support the President’s intentions to withdraw our troops, but I’d like to see it happen sooner. In my view, no additional tax dollars should be appropriated for any reason except to bring home our brave and exhausted young men and women. The loss of 5,500 lives and 38,000 wounded is enough." (Hey Rangel! That’s YOUR job.  DO IT! IF YOU OBJECT, PUT YOUR DEFUNDING WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.)

A combined total of 160,000 Americans are currently deployed. More than 2 million men and women have served in the two conflicts, nearly half of them for more than one tour of duty. And because of a shortage of manpower, some of them have been deployed as many as six times.  (Of course, manning levels are the responsibility of Congress…….)

"The 3.3 million military households, representing only one percent of American families, have become a virtual military class who are unfairly carrying the burden of war," Congressman Rangel said. "If there were a draft, there would be no shortage of troops to fill the ranks without repeatedly deploying the same exhausted troops over and over."  (Of course there would be shortages.  Does he think that this would magically create millions of soldiers overnight?  Apparently he has no clue about the training of modern military members. An then we would have demoralized cannon fodder.)

So far, the numbers of casualties may not be as high, or as shocking, as those suffered in previous wars. But the physical and mental damage to individual soldiers is not only heartbreaking but is taking place at rates never before seen in modern warfare.

The reason is that advances in medical technology have allowed more wounded soldiers to survive the loss of limbs, and serious head and brain injuries. "The result is a practical epidemic of cases of post traumatic stress disorder, suicides, and family disruptions," Congressman Rangel said. (So what are you saying?  Better to be dead on the battlefield? And in MANY earlier wars, military members were deployed FOR THE DURATION.)

Again in this war, troops recruited from large urban centers (HIS CODE WORDs FOR BLACKS) with high unemployment and from economically depressed small towns (Southerners? How about economically depressed large cities like Pittsburgh?) , are carrying the heaviest burden of service. Enlistment bonuses are as high as $40,000. Incentives for reenlistment range from $1,000 for the lowest-skilled privates to $27,000 for staff sergeants with special skills. Combined with the economic recession these incentives have produced record-breaking recruiting results this year. (These bonuses seem low.  Spec warfare bonuses and Navy Nuke bonuses are higher than that.  Of course, these recruits also enlisted, knowing full well, that we are at war.  And they did the same thing during the good economic years.  This year may be record-breaking, but quotas were filled then, also. Record breaking? With a war on?  Amazing what happens when the press stop badmouthing the war every day)

"The question of whether we need a universal compulsory military draft will be important as long as this country is placing thousands of its young men and women in harm’s way," Congressman Rangel said. (There’s no question. The military has stated repeatedly and loudly that a draft would HARM military readiness.)

"We make decisions about war without worry over who fights them. Those who do the fighting have no choice; when the flag goes up, they salute and follow orders," Congressman Rangel said. (Of course they have a choice. EVERY SINGLE MILITARY MEMBER SERVING TODAY CHOSE TO BE THERE DURING A COMBAT TOUR.  EVERY SINGLE ENLISTEE JOINED DURING WARTIME.)

Wellll………he’s lying again.  He’s using that same canard about poor people and urban (read: black) people being disproportionately represented in the military and at the front.

From the Heritage Foundation from 2007 : (I wish I had more recent info.  I don’t think its changed much.)

Household Income. Enlisted recruits in 2006 and 2007 came primarily from middle-class and upper-middle-class backgrounds. Low-income neighborhoods were underrepresented among enlisted troops, while middle-class and high-income neighborhoods were overrepresented.

http://www.heritage.org/static/reportimages/045130A94EE437E6D7284160BBAA2862.gif

His canard about poorly educated troops can also be seen to be false:

Education. Contrary to popular perceptions, America’s enlisted troops are not poorly educated. Previous Heritage Foundation studies found that enlisted troops were significantly more likely to have a high school education than their peers. This is still the case. Only 1.4 percent of enlisted recruits in 2007 had not graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency degree, compared to 20.8 percent of men ages 18 to 24. America’s soldiers are less likely than civilians to be high school dropouts.

The military requires at least 90 percent of enlisted recruits to have high school diplomas.[6] Most enlisted recruits do not have a college degree because they enlist before they would attend college. However, many recruits use the educational benefits offered by the military to attend college after they leave the armed forces.

More evidence of the quality of America’s enlisted forces comes from the standardized Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) that the military administers to all recruits. Over two-thirds of enlisted recruits scored above the 50th percentile on the AFQT. The military tightly restricts how many recruits it accepts with scores below the 30th percentile, and only 2.3 percent of recruits in 2007 scored between the 21st and 30th percentiles (Category IVA; see Chart 3). The military does not accept any recruits in the bottom 20 percent. (My edit: Dumb soldiers DIE.)

As to his concern for all those enlistees from small towns, it seems that the military tradition is alive and well in the South, especially Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Its also strong in the Mountain West.  The MidWest makes a respectable showing, while the Pacific Coast is somewhat underrepresented.  But even the Left Coast beats out the North East, Rangel’s people, for representation.  Maybe we only need a draft in the North East.

For all of his alleged concern about the troops, its THOSE TROOPS that keep stating that they don’t want draftees as reinforcements.  Draftees would harm military readiness, and dull that sharp edge that we have now.

Even data from the 1990’s disproves Rangel.

Two leading military sociologists, Charles Moskos of Northwestern and John Sibley Butler of the University of Texas, researched this carefully for their 1996 book "All We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way."

In recent decades, blacks have tended to gravitate away from combat jobs. In arguing against Rangel’s bill, the Department of Defense noted, "Blacks today account for 21 percent of the enlisted force, but make up only 15 percent of combat arms (e.g., infantry, armor, artillery).

"In contrast, blacks account for 36 percent of Functional Support and Administration and 27 percent of Medical and Dental career fields. "

Interestingly, the military today seems to attract pugnacious whites and pragmatic blacks. Analysts have suggested that more young white men see the infantry as a way, in the words of one, to "play Rambo" from age 18 to 22, then go to college using military tuition benefits. In contrast, blacks often view the military as either a long-term career in itself, or as a way to get practical training for a civilian white-collar career.

Are soldiers the products of particularly poor families? In general, the enlisted ranks come from neither the top nor the bottom of society, but from working and middle class backgrounds. Very few enlistees appear to be the scions of the wealthy. (Some officers are from rich families, however; but a larger proportion of officers are the sons and daughters of officers.)

White enlistees tend to come from households somewhat lower in income than the general white population: $33,500 per year versus $44,400 for the average white, according to 1999 Defense Department statistics. Strikingly, black enlistees come from households above the black national average: $32,000 vs. $27,900

In fact, on a number of measures, African-American enlistees tend to stand well above the black average and very close to, or above, the mean for white enlistees.

s

Good evening. (LIE! Obama is on the air.)

As we speak, our nation faces a multitude of challenges. At home, our top priority is to recover and rebuild from take advantage of? a recession that has touched the lives of nearly every American to advance my agenda. Abroad, our brave men and women in uniform are taking the fight to al Qaeda wherever it exists with very restrictive ROE to prevent bad press. And tonight, I’ve returned from a trip to the Gulf Coast, where I walked aimlessly about and drank alcoholic girly drinks, to speak with you about the battle we’re waging against an oil spill that is assaulting our shores and our citizens. But enough about our war on oil….
On April 20th, an explosion ripped through BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, about forty miles off the coast of Louisiana. Eleven workers lost their lives. Seventeen others were injured. And soon, nearly a mile beneath the surface of the ocean, oil began spewing into the water. Of course, fixing something like this on land, like at ANWR, would be child’s play.

Because there has never been a leak of this size at this depth, stopping it has tested the limits of human technology. That is why just after the rig sank, I assembled a team of our nation’s best scientists and engineers to tackle this challenge – a team led by Dr. Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning an ass kicking physicist and our nation’s Secretary of Energy. Scientists at our national labs and experts from academia and other oil companies have also provided ideas and advice. Of course, I haven’t yet talked to the CEO OF THE OIL COMPANY INVOLVED, THAT’S JUST CRAZY TALK.
As a result of these efforts, we have directed Barack Petroleum to mobilize additional equipment and technology. In the coming days and weeks, these efforts should capture up to 90% of the oil leaking out of the well. This is until the company finishes drilling a relief well later in the summer that is expected to stop the leak completely.

Already, this oil spill is the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced. And unlike an earthquake or a hurricane, it is not a single event that does its damage in a matter of minutes or days. The millions of gallons of oil that have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico are more like an epidemic, one that we will be fighting for months and even years. I can use this crisis FOREVER! Bush had it easy. New Orleans is all fixed, uh, better now.

But make no mistake: we will fight this spill with everything we’ve got for as long it takes, to pass Cap and Trade. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy. Except keep their most important and vital industry alive. That..we’re going to shut down.

Tonight I’d like to lay out for you what our battle plan is going forward: what we’re doing to clean up the oil, what we’re doing to help our neighbors in the Gulf, and what we’re doing to make sure that a catastrophe like this never happens again. (Pssst, Rahm, what was the plan again?)

First, the cleanup. From the very beginning of this crisis, the federal government has been voting present in charge of the largest environmental cleanup effort in our nation’s history – an effort led by Admiral Thad Allen, who has almost forty years of experience responding to disasters. We now have nearly 30,000 ass-kicking personnel who are working across four states to contain and cleanup the oil. Thousands of ass-kicking ships and other vessels are responding in the Gulf. And I have authorized the deployment of over 17,000 ass-kicking National Guard members along the coast. These servicemen and women are ready to help stop the oil from coming ashore, clean beaches, train response workers, or even help with processing claims – and I urge the governors in the affected states to activate these troops as soon as possible. However, if it fails, its all BP’s fault.

Because of our lack of leadership efforts, millions of gallons of oil have already been needlessly spilled removed from the water through burning, skimming, and other collection methods. Millions more would have been removed if I had not blocked other countries from assisting the US. Over five and a half million feet of boom has been laid across the water to block and absorb the approaching oil. Miles more of boom sit in a warehouse, ignored by the federal gov’t, even though it was requested by Gov. Jindal back in May. But he’s a Republican…. you know how that goes. We have approved the construction of new barrier islands in Louisiana to try and stop the oil before it reaches the shore, and we are working with Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida to implement creative approaches to their unique coastlines. I had to approve the construction of the barrier islands, Gov. Jindal went ahead without me.

As the clean up continues, we will offer whatever additional resources and assistance our coastal states may need, as long as it doesn’t impact the unions, cost George Soros money, or prevents my agenda from advancing. Now, a mobilization of this speed(speed? Day 57!) and magnitude will never be perfect, and new challenges will always arise. I saw and heard evidence of that during this trip. So if something isn’t working, we want to hear about it. If there are problems in the operation, we will fix them. (Um…..dude, suspend the Jones Act and get more damn booms, and remove the moratorium, and uh….cut the paper work…….OH. you meant about advancing Cap and Trade. Never mind.)

But we have to recognize that despite our best efforts (That’s his BEST effort? We’re doomed.), oil has already caused damage to our coastline and its wildlife. And sadly, no matter how effective our response becomes, there will be more oil and more damage before this siege is done. That’s why the second thing we’re focused on is the recovery and restoration of the Gulf Coast. Except for the, you know, oil industry……

You know, for generations, men and women who call this region home have made their living from the water. That living is now in jeopardy. That’s right! I’ve completely gutted the oil drilling industry in Louisiana for years to come. Georgie Soros has to make money with Petrobras Oil. I’ve talked to shrimpers and fishermen who don’t know how they’re going to support their families this year. I’ve seen empty docks and restaurants with fewer customers – even in areas where the beaches are not yet affected. I’ve talked to owners of shops and hotels who wonder when the tourists will start to come back. The sadness and anger they feel is not just about the money they’ve lost. It’s about a wrenching anxiety that their way of life may be lost, but the oil industry workers will just have to get new jobs……

I refuse to let that happen. Tomorrow, I will meet with the chairman of BP and kick his ass on pay per view, that should pay for the spill inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company’s recklessness. And the US will pay the oil workers that I have ruined..what? And this fund will not be controlled by BP. In order to ensure that all legitimate claims are paid out in a fair and timely manner, the account must and will be administered by an independent, third party. I’m sure the SEIU can do it.

Beyond compensating the people of the Gulf in the short-term, it’s also clear we need a long-term plan to restore the unique beauty and bounty of this region. The oil spill represents just the latest blow to a place that has already suffered multiple (uh…one) economic disasters and decades of environmental degradation caused by the Federal Government’s Army Corps of Engineers that has led to disappearing wetlands and habitats and some of the best hunting and fishing in America. And the region still hasn’t recovered from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That’s why we must make a commitment to the Gulf Coast that goes beyond responding to the crisis of the moment. So, here I go. I’m the man!

I make that commitment tonight. Earlier, I asked Ray Mabus, the Secretary of the Navy, a former governor of Mississippi, and a son of the Gulf, to develop a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan as soon as possible. The plan will be designed by states, local communities, tribes, fishermen, businesses, conservationists, and other Gulf residents. And BP will pay for the impact this spill has had on the region. Anybody but the oil industry. Or me. I don’t want any responsibility, just credit. And Barack Petroleum will foot the bill for the whole thing. Or go broke. I don’t care.

The third part of our response plan is the steps we’re taking to ensure that a disaster like this does not happen again. A few months ago, I approved a proposal to consider new, limited offshore drilling under the assurance that it would be absolutely safe – that the proper technology would be in place and the necessary precautions would be taken. Absolutely, positively, guaranteed safe. This plan comes from the same place that the green jobs and free energy comes from. Someone said that if this had happened in ANWR, that it would have been fixed within days. And if we had kept drilling close inshore, it would have been fixed within a couple of weeks. I’m sure they’re wrong. They’re not me.

That was obviously not the case on the Deepwater Horizon rig, and I want to know why.( Because you and yours took money from BP and gave them safety awards LAST YEAR!) The American people deserve to know why. The families I met with last week who lost their loved ones in the explosion – these families deserve to know why. And so I have established a National Commission to understand the causes of this disaster and offer recommendations on what additional safety and environmental standards we need to put in place so that no fault is placed on me. Already, I have issued a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling. I know this creates difficulty for the people who work on these rigs, but for the sake of their safety, and for the sake of the entire region, we need to know the facts before we allow deepwater drilling to continue. (Except we haven’t bothered to ask THEM and the industry experts stated that the moratorium is unnecessary and will set back the industry for YEARS.) And while I urge the Commission to complete its work as quickly as possible, I expect them to do that work thoroughly and impartially, and keep the blame off of me.

One place we have already begun to take action is at the agency in charge of regulating drilling and issuing permits, known as the Minerals Management Service. Over the last decade, this agency has become emblematic of a failed philosophy that views all regulation with hostility – a philosophy that says corporations should be allowed to play by their own rules and police themselves. At this agency, industry insiders were put in charge of industry oversight. Oil companies showered regulators with gifts and favors, and were essentially allowed to conduct their own safety inspections and write their own regulations. And then my administration continued where they left off, taking bribe, uh, campaign donations for as long as BP supported Cap and Trade.

When Ken Salazar became my Secretary of the Interior, one of his very first acts was to clean up the worst of the corruption at this agency and he failed miserably. But he kept the money flowing. But it’s now clear that the problems there ran much deeper, and the pace of reform was just too slow. Cap and Trade still isn’t passed. And so Secretary Salazar and I are bringing in new leadership at the agency – Michael Bromwich, who was a tough federal prosecutor and Inspector General. This IG will be as independent as those I fired in the financial world. His charge over the next few months is to build an organization that acts as the oil industry’s watchdog – not its partner.

One of the lessons we’ve learned from this spill is that we need better regulations, better safety standards, and better enforcement when it comes to offshore drilling. But a larger lesson is that no matter how much we improve our regulation of the industry, drilling for oil these days entails greater risk. After all, oil is a finite resource. We consume more than 20% of the world’s oil, but have less than 2% of the world’s oil reserves. And that’s part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean – because we’re running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water. (Because the environmentalists prevent us from drilling on land and in shallow water. ANWR anybody?)

For decades, we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered. For decades, we have talked and talked about the need to end America’s century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires. Time and again, the path forward has been blocked – not only by oil industry lobbyists, but also by a lack of political courage and candor. And that’s why I’m authorizing the building of 200 nuclear power pla…..wait. What? No way.

The consequences of our inaction are now in plain sight. Countries like China are drilling off our Florida coast in deep water because we won’t do it investing in clean energy jobs OH BS and industries that should be here in America. Each day, we send nearly $1 billion of our wealth to foreign countries for their oil. And today, as we look to the Gulf, we see an entire way of life being threatened by a menacing cloud of black crude.

We cannot consign our children to this future. Therefore, I’m destroying the American Oil industry and putting them on welfare. Coal is next. The tragedy unfolding on our coast is the most painful and powerful reminder yet that environmentalist wackos cause unintended consequences when they prevent shallow drilling that the time to embrace a clean energy future is now. Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash American innovation and seize control of our own destiny. Therefore, I’m authorizing the formation of the Agency for Federal Unicorn-Based Alimentary Resources.

This is not some distant vision for America. The transition away from fossil fuels will take some time, but over the last year and a half, we have already taken unprecedented action to jumpstart the clean energy industry. As we speak, old factories are reopening to produce wind turbines, people are going back to work installing energy-efficient windows, and small businesses are making solar panels. Consumers are buying more efficient cars and trucks, and families are making their homes more energy-efficient. Scientists and researchers are discovering clean energy technologies that will someday lead to entire new industries. So those dozens of people can look to a happy future. In China.

Each of us has a part to play in a new future that will benefit all of us. Welcome your new position in the proletariat As we recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create millions of good, middle-class jobs – but only if we accelerate that transition. Only if we seize the moment. And only if we rally together and act as one nation – workers and entrepreneurs; scientists and citizens; the public and private sectors. We have to hurry! Novemeber is coming and the GOP is going to Kick MY Ass.

When I was a candidate for this office, I laid out a set of principles that would move our country towards energy independence. And no one listened! BWAHAHAHA! Last year, the House of Representatives acted on these principles by passing a strong and comprehensive energy and climate bill – a bill that finally makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy for America’s businesses, just like the Health Care bill makes health care cheaper and better, too.

Now, there are costs associated with this transition. And some believe we can’t afford those costs right now. I say we can’t afford not to change how we produce and use energy – because the long-term costs to our economy, our national security, and our environment are far greater.

So I am happy to look at other ideas and approaches from either party – as long they seriously tackle our addiction to fossil fuels. Some have suggested raising efficiency standards in our buildings like we did in our cars and trucks. Some believe we should set standards to ensure that more of our electricity comes from wind and solar power. Others wonder why the energy industry only spends a fraction of what the high-tech industry does on research and development – and want to rapidly boost our investments in such research and development. I’m happy to look at all other ideas as long as they follow my restricted outlook. NO nukes!

All of these approaches have merit, and deserve a fair hearing in the months ahead. But the one approach I will not accept is inaction, unless its me. Then its called………something….oh yes, pondering the complex problems of the day. The one answer I will not settle for  is that any of this is my fault. is the idea that this challenge is too big and too difficult to meet. You see, the same thing was said about our ability to produce enough planes and tanks in World War II. The same thing was said about our ability to harness the science and technology to land a man safely on the surface of the moon. The same thing was said about victory in Iraq, wait,…that was me….And yet, time and again, we have refused to settle for the paltry limits of conventional wisdom. And that’s why I cut the Space Program and I’m killing industries. Instead, what has defined us as a nation since our founding is our capacity to shape our destiny – our determination to fight for the America we want for our children, unless it disagrees with MY vision for America. Even if we’re unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don’t yet know precisely how to get there. We know we’ll get there. Even if I have to gut America like a trout.

It is a faith in the future that sustains us as a people. It is that same faith that sustains our neighbors in the Gulf right now. That faith that clings bitterly to guns and the bible, that faith that knows that Presidential terms are only 4 years long….if we can only hang on….

Each year, at the beginning of shrimping season, the region’s fishermen take part in a tradition that was brought to America long ago by fishing immigrants from Europe. It’s called “The Blessing of the Fleet,” and today it’s a celebration where clergy from different religions gather to say a prayer for the safety and success of the men and women who will soon head out to sea – some for weeks at a time.

The ceremony goes on in good times and in bad. It took place after Katrina, and it took place a few weeks ago – at the beginning of the most difficult season these fishermen have ever faced.

And still, they came and they prayed. For as a priest and former fisherman once said of the tradition, “The blessing is not that God has promised to remove all obstacles and dangers. The blessing is that He is with us always,” a blessing that’s granted “…even in the midst of the storm.” Isn’t it nice that they’re thinking of me even in the worst of times?   What?

The oil spill is not the last crisis America will face. This nation has known hard times before and we will surely know them again. I will make sure of that. What sees us through – what has always seen us through – is our strength, our resilience, and our unyielding faith that something better awaits us if we summon the courage to reach for it. Tonight, we pray for that courage. We pray for the people of the Gulf. And we pray that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.

President Obama is going to kick his own ass. That should be on pay per view.

Even Rolling Stone knows whose ass needs to be kicked.

First, the President votes “present”, stating that he doesn’t have the authority to control the cleanup. Then,

“The buck,” he reiterated the next day on the sullied Louisiana coastline, “stops with me.”

By this, I’m sure, he meant that BP had paid him a lot of money.

Wait,……what? That’s not what he meant? So, even though he took responsibility for everything, he still has to find out whose ass has to be kicked? Um, dude…….if you don’t know by now, perhaps we need someone that has a clue. Even though, he says that his administration was in control of everything, HE STILL DOESN’T DO ANYTHING. He’s still trying to blame OTHERS.

Red tape keeps miles of booms in a warehouse in Maine.
Assistance from the Netherlands has been delayed.
State governments have been tied up by red tape for weeks.
Possible private solutions ignored.
The Government is making things worse.

Obama is failing to lead.

Heck, he hasn’t even been good at “organizing” the response.

I don’t think he WANTS to actually be in charge, he just wants the credit for fixing it.

Brothers in Arms…..Even Against Each Other

Americans have always fought for freedom. Even against each other.
We were a family divided. And family fights are always bitter.
But, if the battle does not destroy the family,
It becomes stronger.

Even then, we knew that though we were Union and Confederate…..
We were still…….Americans.

Over There

Americans have fought for the freedom of others.
Americans have fought against tyranny and invaders.
Americans do not lay in Flanders Fields.
Americans rest elsewhere.
But, those that lay in Flanders Fields, recognize their own.

The Greatest Generation

War was forced on Americans not long ago.
Similarly to the way it was in ‘41.
Then, Americans stepped forward to do a job.
A job as important as the world.
And they did such a fine job,
that they were dubbed, ‘The Greatest.’
They were the ones chosen to save the world.
Some victories are bittersweet,
Many did not make it home.

Thank you.

The Forgotten War

The 25th of June saw a new war
Not a world war, but, one involving the world
An international war
The Forgotten War

Korean war vets sometimes considered themselves brothers apart
forgotten
Remembered only by those that fought there
and the families that lost there

Vietnam

The Long Black Wall
Three Soldiers Stand Watch
The List of the Loved
Never Forget

God’s Music for the Unknown

Not All are Known
Not All are Returned
But All are Honored
Always

The War on Terror

Not All that Fight are Soldiers,
Sailors, Airmen, Marines
The Men and Women Above Run towards the Fire Fight
These Men and Women
Ran INTO Fire

The First to Fight the War on Terror
Let’s Roll

The Sandbox and the ‘Stan

The Call had Gone Out
And Was Answered, Again
By the Young Men and Women of America
The Latest Greatest Generation

Thank God for Men and Women like These

To: The Fallen

To the Warriors That Gave All
And Fell
To the Brave Men and Women
That now watch over us
From the Golden Halls,
Forever Full of Grace

May we be worthy of your sacrifice

Thank you.

May God Have Mercy On Us All.

Day is Done

Not all wars or theaters have been mentioned
in my attempt to honor the fallen.

But all the Fallen are honored.

Remember

Why do we need enemies when we have friends like these?

Speaking to 200 DePaul University students on Tuesday, Steele basically stated that there is no reason for blacks to vote for the Republican party.  "You really don’t have a reason to, to be honest — we haven’t done a very good job of really giving you one. True? True."

For this, he was chosen as the Chairman of the RNC?  Isn’t he the man that’s supposed to articulate why people should be voting for Republicans or if they are not, why those people are missing out?

Blaming the "Southern Strategy" that has made the GOP competitive in the political battles, Steele said,  "We have lost sight of the historic, integral link between the party and African-Americans," Steele said. "This party was co-founded by blacks, among them Frederick Douglass. The Republican Party had a hand in forming the NAACP, and yet we have mistreated that relationship. People don’t walk away from parties, Their parties walk away from them."  Implying that the current attraction of the GOP to Southerners is based on race is sure to motivate the African American members of our great country to vote GOP.  I truly hope that he decided to keep his message simple, and does not believe this.  The south votes for the GOP because it claims to be the party of principle, honor, pro-life, small government, and pro-defense.  Our stated color-blindness matches the words of Dr. MLK.

"For the last 40-plus years we had a ‘Southern Strategy’ that alienated many minority voters by focusing on the white male vote in the South. Well, guess what happened in 1992, folks, ‘Bubba’ went back home to the Democratic Party and voted for Bill Clinton."

Hmmmm,   I seem to remember that we "lost" the "black vote" somewhere around the mid 60’s  prior to the "southern strategy."  And Bill Clinton would have won even if he hadn’t gotten one single electoral vote from the South.  However, all that is history and irrelevant.

"Bubba."  So that’s what he thinks of the southern vote, the southern white male…..really.  Great.  "Bubba didn’t vote for Clinton.  Clinton got 4 southern states.  And 43% of the votes, about 28% of the voting population. Perhaps if the GOP hadn’t picked "Read My Lips" Bush as a candidate, we might have gotten a better turnout.  I will admit that our choices in the primaries were terrible and Bush was the best of a bad deal.  As it is, Steele conveniently forgets Perot.  A huge part of that 18.9% of the vote was conservatives turned off by the big government (precursor of "compassionate conservatism?) GOP.

Steele’s job is to make TODAY’S GOP attractive to voters, not to declare that we haven’t pandered enough to any group.  It is his job to present the message of the GOP, saying, "Here is our message and our principles.  If you like what you hear and see, join us.  If you don’t, why not?"

If a pro-life, color blind, equal opportunity, pro-liberty, pro-business, low tax, pro-defense message doesn’t attract you, then, why would we want you?  If he can’t articulate it then he needs to copy it:

As the great Ronald Reagan said,

Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness.

I don ‘t know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, "We must broaden the base of our party" — when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls. When have we ever advocated a closed-door policy? Who has ever been barred from participating?

Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?

Let us show that we stand for fiscal integrity and sound money and above all for an end to deficit spending, with ultimate retirement of the national debt.

Let us also include a permanent limit on the percentage of the people’s earnings government can take without their consent.

Let our banner proclaim a genuine tax reform that will begin by simplifying the income tax so that workers can compute their obligation without having to employ legal help.

And let it provide indexing — adjusting the brackets to the cost of living — so that an increase in salary merely to keep pace with inflation does not move the taxpayer into a surtax bracket. Failure to provide this means an increase in government’s share and would make the worker worse off than he was before he got the raise.

Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people. Let us also call for an end to the nit-picking, the harassment and over-regulation of business and industry which restricts expansion and our ability to compete in world markets.

Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing government’s coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in the ownership of our industrial machine.

Our banner must recognize the responsibility of government to protect the law-abiding, holding those who commit misdeeds personally accountable.

And we must make it plain to international adventurers that our love of peace stops short of "peace at any price."

We will maintain whatever level of strength is necessary to preserve our free way of life.

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

I do not believe I have proposed anything that is contrary to what has been considered Republican principle. It is at the same time the very basis of conservatism. It is time to reassert that principle and raise it to full view. And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.

This message was true then and its true today.  If this message is unattractive, then let them go their way.

Patriot’s Day. The anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. An anniversary forgotten, though without this day, the Fourth of July would be just another summer’s day.

I had forgotten this anniversary. No media celebrated it outside of Massachusetts. No school trumpets it. The country has forgotten about it.

But the 2nd Amendment supporters remembered. And they reminded me.

And so I went to the DC 2nd Amendment Rally to celebrate the “shot heard round the world.” I went to celebrate the right to keep and bear arms; the right of a free man to defend his liberty.

And what did I find? About 2000 supporters, out of the MILLIONS in America. 2000 supporters, out of the thousands in DC that are finally allowed to keep arms, if not bear them. That fight is not over.

About 2000 from across the nation. Out of an estimated 80 million gun owners.

I don’t know whether to celebrate this fact or to be ashamed. Either Americans are apathetic about the fight to retain the right to keep and bear arms or Americans are complacent because those that support the 2nd have been winning.

Since I am already familiar with the arguments and the culture of the 2nd Amendment, I decided that I would attend the rally as a “tourist” and attempt to look at the rally as a uninformed DC tourist. I traveled by bus along with the Richmond, Va. VCDL chapter. I was reunited with a long lost member of the UCV, Jesse. Go see his site at Insane Hippie.

First impressions are key. And my first impression was that the rally was small for such an important ideal. But, perhaps the rally would grow as the day went on……and it did. It was still smaller than I expected. But it was Monday and it was DC. I wouldn’t want to fight that traffic….

My other initial impression was that the rally goers were cheerful and inviting. Good music, friendly smiles, and laughter abounded. The yellow Gadsen flag and the Navy Jack flew proudly in the air. An enterprising fellow sold other smaller versions and a variation of the Texan Gonzales flag utilizing an image of the AR-15. Two small boys wandered the crowd, selling buttons, their pockets filled with cash. Think about that…….where else would you let your child wander, with or without cash, knowing that your child was safe and protected. Orange “Guns Saves Lives” stickers proliferated like dandelions. Passing tourists started to sprout them.

I met people from Michigan, Ohio, California, Georgia, and Virginia. Their reasons for attending can encapsulated in one statement. Love of country. They all were there, not because of imminent threat to the 2nd Amendment, but to support it, to spread the message that the Constitution matters and if you restrict one right, all rights are vulnerable. They even offered language lessons …….

So, as a tourist, I took pictures. Hope you like them.

Re-enactors provided needed instruction to the park police about their new-fangled firearms.

Actually, the Park Police were extremely professional and seemed to enjoy themselves.
For a crowd of such dangerous individuals, the presence was slight. Except for the two on the roof of the building across the street….


Smile and wave boys… smile and wave…. Remember, cute and cuddly……

Great personages graced the rally: Davy Crocket and his brother in arms, Button Gwinnett.
Great feats of arms resulted of from the meeting….

General Washington (Kevin Grantz) and Mr. Patrick Henry reminded us of the true nature of our Republic. It is our responsibility to ensure its survival.

Michael Bane spoke of the American gun culture and the wonderment of actually succeeding on TV with no previous experience.

Philip Van Cleve spoke as well, but, I can’t split his video to upload it. Sorry.

The rally went well. There will be more videos uploaded, including one by Lisa Mei who sang “Our Guns” and one from the end by Lucas Hogue. I was able to get part of the Patrick Henry speech.

Good rally.

crossposted at United Conservatives of Virginia

Today is BAG day.

Yep. Buy A Gun Day. Go out an buy a gun to celebrate the taking of your money. Or ammo, if you can’t afford a gun. Bear it proudly. Join with your fellow Virginians and exercise your rights.

It is also Tea BAG Day. I’m a proud TEABAGGER. Join with your fellow Americans. Embrace the word and make it your own. The liberals can only insult you if you let them. Go to a meeting or Rally near you. I’ll be in downtown Richmond today.

And since this is a family blog, I won’t go into all the jokes about what the Tea Party can do to the Progressives to make them shut up……..

Oh, yeah…..don’t forget to send in your taxes…..

President Obama has revealed himself to be a true centrist after all. His decision to go against the green movement and open Virginian offshore areas to oil and gas exploration has clinched the deal. His departure from his former emphasis on alternative energy and his new embrace of traditional energy supplies shows that he is willing to stand up to special interests that do not have our best interests in mind. He has moved away from his previous plans and accepted reality . His goa l of energy independence for America is a laudable one. Claims that President Obama may be trying to buy votes for Cap and Trade are ridiculous. President Obama is famed for his honesty.

President Obama’s mastery of diplomacy has opened doors for Americans throughout the world. His nuanced approaches have brought us new friends and allies while further evolving our relationship with traditional allies . Our influence is spreading across the globe. Americans can now hold their head up proudly and show the flag.

With the signing into law, the recent historic health care reform act, Americans have come full circle, able to pass on to our children the same comfort many of our ancestors had in the arms of of their homelands. No more will our children and our children’s children have to worry; they will be taken care of as if in a nanny’s arms.

His leadership has led us into new and exciting territory! His leadership has inspired millions and brought new life to the political landscape. For THIS REASON , I throw my support to our fearless leader.

(Note, I had thought to put this as a comment there, but thought it better to publish this here where any comments won’t disrupt comments on Erick’s diary.)

I find it very interesting that most commenters at Erick’s post, If King George Will Not Listen are decrying the INAPPROPRIATE use of violence, but, not the idea of violence itself.

Defense may be violent.  That is not an inappropriate type of violence.

Violence is only a tool.

Not all of the violence has been committed by leftists.  Google “Window War” and you will come to the 3 Percenters. Some of them have, allegedly, broken windows of Democratic offices.  However, they do not support the GOP either, seeing them as just as bad, but in a different way.  This is an example of inappropriate violence, as are threats and any types of physical assault.  Violence or advocating violence to overthrow our lawful government is also inappropriate.  Nor is any of this, speaking strategically or tactically, useful.  At all.

The big question is “when is violence appropriate or useful?”. THAT is the dangerous elephant in the room.  I do not know the answer except that those conditions have not  been met.

The Left knows how to set up false crises.  The Left knows EXACTLY what is going through the minds of those that are thinking about force.  THEY have been there.  They know what the Tea Parties are thinking. THEY have been there.  The Left is going to use any crisis, real or false, to discredit the Tea Parties and like minded.  They even have a play book in Saul Alinsky.  They have the lemming like press.  They are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to falsely accuse.  Ends justify the means.

If the Tea Party protests must escalate, we must be NON-Violent.  It is not a good idea to only WOUND a tiger.  And the progressive movement is a tiger, but one still constrained by the chains of public opinion, law, and yes, the threat of pushing certain elements so far that the left would regret it.  We must use their weapons against them.  Ghandi and MLK did it the right way.  We must turn public opinion against them. This is still a nation of decent people.  The anger needs to be banked, not stoked.  Stoked fires burn brilliantly and hotly, but are quick and are a threat.  Banked fires last a long time.  Anger should be used as a tool, not a weapon.  Use it to motivate, not harm. Every fighter knows that the first fighter to get angry tends to lose.

We must not allow the Left and their useful idiots to use our anger as a weapon against us.

cross posted at United Conservatives of Virginia

With this denunciation of Pelosi and her minions, the Deemocrats, I hereby take back all my criticisms of Mr Cantor.

Of all the things to do, I never thought that he would actually send a resolution of malfeasance to the floor of the House.  Amazing!

Text of the Resolution in pdf format

You Tube video

Blog entry

Of course, we won’t see this on CNN……

Many are decrying the lack of transparency in the current negotions over the "health care reform" bills. Why?

We know that BOTH the House and the Senate are engaged in criminal shenanigans. We know that both Pelosi and Reid are idiotic, corrupt boobs that care nothing for their constituents or their oaths of office. We know that, whatever bill released, none of the Representatives or Senators that vote for it will care what’s in it or read it.

In answer to a question about said lack of transparency, she included in her reply, "we will do what is necessary to pass this bill."

I think that’s just transparent as air…….

Legal Dictionary

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Senator Mary Landrieu BRIBED with $300,000,000 in taxpayer money

Senator Ben Nelson BRIBED by a an amendment forcing 49 OTHER states to pay increased Medicaid costs to cover HIS state.
(If bills singling out one citizen for a law, how is this legal? In addition to the bribery?)

Senator Harry Reid BRIBES fellow Senators to the tune of $1.2 BILLION OF YOUR MONEY!

I am willing to bring charges and/or a lawsuit against Reid and the Democrats for corruption. Unfortunately, I have no idea on how to do so properly.

AG Cuccinelli’s first act should be to bring suit to prove that this bill is unconstitutional.

Update: Michelle Malkin has the list of those being bribed

DemCare Bribe List #1

DemCare Bribe List #2

Rope. Tree. Democratic Senators. Assembly required.

Blackfive Blackout: MilBloggers Supporting CJ Grisham
Posted: 15 Dec 2009 10:59 PM PST
FOR TODAY, Wednesday 16 December 2009, many if not most, fellow milblogs — including This Ain’t Hell, From My Position, Miss Ladybug, Boston Maggie, Grim’s Hall, and those participating in the Wednesday Hero program — are going silent for the day. Some are choosing to go silent for a longer period of time.
The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hostility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.

Read the rest at Blackfive.

Update by Cargosquid: Aaaand we’re done for the day. Good luck CJ.

The total incompetence is heart breaking. The lies and misrepresentations to the American people are outrageous. The press should be hounded for its failure to cover the dishonesty inherent in this administration. I can no longer recommend to young men and women that they join the military under this President. He will send them into harm’s way while lying about their mission and using them for short term political gain. Obama wants to quit without giving that appearance.

Secretary Gates told the public as of December 9th, "We are in it to win!"

Except, we’re not.

President Obama declared that Health Care and Global Warming are crises demanding IMMEDIATE passage of bills that could destroy our economy without discussion. Meanwhile he dithered for months on his strategy in Afghanistan, his "necessary" war, stating that the situation demanded a thorough review. His general in charge of the theater was unable to fully brief the so-called Commander-in-Chief UNTIL OCTOBER. According to the Washington Post , upon review by the administration, they were amazed to learn that General McChrystal intended to defeat the Taliban, with this response from our leaders:

In June, McChrystal noted, he had arrived in Afghanistan and set about fulfilling his assignment. His lean face, hovering on the screen at the end of the table, was replaced by a mission statement on a slide: "Defeat the Taliban. Secure the Population."

"Is that really what you think your mission is?" one of those in the Situation Room asked.

Apparently, defeating the enemy is not worth our efforts. President Obama revealed his new strategy of sending in the "surge" demanded by patriotic Americans and also declaring that we were leaving without finishing the job……Cut and Run, I think that’s called….

This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan.

Of course, this has NO affect on our allies….Pakistan has just refused to go after a major Taliban Commander and ally of Al Queda because they say that this man can help THEM influence the Taliban once WE LEAVE…..depending upon the "conditions on the ground," of course…..

…..and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground.

And now, along comes Vice President Biden , he of the Golden Tongue.

Vice President Biden said that U.S. troops would rapidly withdraw from Afghanistan. "You’re going to see that [troop numbers] chart coming down as rapidly over the next two years," Biden said after looking at a chart showing troop numbers surging from 33,000 at the beginning of 2009 to 98,000 in the summer of 2010. "This is not a Coin [counterinsurgency] strategy," Biden said. "We just want to make sure that the Taliban is diminished enough so that the Afghan government can contain it."

Perhaps most troubling, Biden said: "the president has made something exquisitely clear to each of the generals: He said do not occupy any portion of that country that you are not confident within 18 months you’re going to be able to turn over to the Afghans. Do not occupy what you cannot turn over."

So…….if our troops are victorious in a province, we must just turn it back over to the Taliban. For the above strategy to work, we cannot go on the offensive. So much for that "surge"……..

And no, the Afghans WILL NOT be ready in 18 months. The Iraqi Army took years to re-train and they had a somewhat modern army. The Afghans barely have a central government, much less a modern military.

Bring the troops home. If you are not going to fight to win, no further action is justifiable or moral. Obama will not be able to paper over this surrender by declaring "victory."

h/t Ace of Spades

Good evening. To the United States Corps of Cadets, to the men and women of our armed services, and to my fellow Americans: I want to speak to you tonight about our effort in Afghanistan – the nature of our commitment there, the scope of our interests, and the strategy that my Administration will pursue to bring this war to a successful conclusion. It is an honor for me to do so here – at West Point – where so many men and women have prepared to stand up for our security, and to represent what is finest about our country. (Chris Matthews refers to West Point as an “enemy camp.”)

To address these issues, it is important to recall why America and our allies were compelled to fight a war in Afghanistan in the first place. We did not ask for this fight. On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people.

They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women, and children without regard to their faith or race or station. Were it not for the heroic actions of the passengers on board one of those flights, they could have also struck at one of the great symbols of our democracy in Washington, and killed many more.

As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda – a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam (Really? According to whom? I’ve seen proof that they are following core tenets), one of the world’s great religions, to justify the slaughter of innocents. Al Qaeda’s base of operations was in Afghanistan, where they were harbored by the Taliban – a ruthless, repressive and radical movement that seized control of that country after it was ravaged by years of Soviet occupation and civil war, and after the attention of America and our friends had turned elsewhere. (And the Taliban were initially applauded by the Democrats for rooting out corruption.)

Just days after 9/11, Congress authorized the use of force against al Qaeda and those who harbored them – an authorization that continues to this day. The vote in the Senate was 98 to 0. The vote in the House was 420 to 1. For the first time in its history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invoked Article 5 – the commitment that says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. And the United Nations Security Council endorsed the use of all necessary steps to respond to the 9/11 attacks. America, our allies and the world were acting as one to destroy al Qaeda’s terrorist network, and to protect our common security. (Too bad so many refuse to actually, you know….fight.)

Under the banner of this domestic unity and international legitimacy – and only after the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden – we sent our troops into Afghanistan. Within a matter of months, al Qaeda was scattered and many of its operatives were killed. The Taliban was driven from power and pushed back on its heels. A place that had known decades of fear now had reason to hope. At a conference convened by the UN, a provisional government was established under President Hamid Karzai. And an International Security Assistance Force was established to help bring a lasting peace to a war-torn country.

Then, in early 2003, the decision was made to wage a second war in Iraq. The wrenching debate over the Iraq War is well-known and need not be repeated here (It might remind people how wrong Obama was and make him look bad.). It is enough to say that for the next six years, the Iraq War drew the dominant share of our troops, our resources, our diplomacy, and our national attention – and that the decision to go into Iraq caused substantial rifts between America and much of the world. (So, extensive history lesson in detail for Afghanistan, but, no lesson for Iraq? What’s the matter? If you go into detail, your arguments founder? Doesn’t fit your script?)

Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011. That we are doing so is a testament to the character of our men and women in uniform. Thanks to their courage, grit and perseverance , we have given Iraqis a chance to shape their future, and we are successfully leaving Iraq to its people. (NO thanks to you, Mr. Cut and Run. And you’re still quitting before we are finished.)

But while we have achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated (Of course it has. When the terrorists can’t win in Iraq, they go to the ’stan. DUH.). After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda’s leadership established a safe-haven there. Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it has been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient Security Forces.

Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al Qaeda, as they both seek an overthrow of the Afghan government. Gradually, the Taliban has begun to take control over swaths of Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating acts of terrorism against the Pakistani people.

Throughout this period, our troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq (um,….. because THAT was where the battle was.). When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 (a peak that you voted against and wanted to stop.) in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive.(NOR HAVE THEY YET……we’re waiting…..)

That’s why, shortly after taking office, I approved a long-standing request for more troops. After consultations with our allies, I then announced a strategy recognizing the fundamental connection between our war effort in Afghanistan, and the extremist safe-havens in Pakistan. I set a goal that was narrowly defined as disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and its extremist allies, and pledged to better coordinate our military and civilian effort. (Soooooo, you followed GWB’s plan…….)

Since then, we have made progress on some important objectives. High-ranking al Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed, and we have stepped up the pressure on al Qaeda world-wide. In Pakistan, that nation’s Army has gone on its largest offensive in years. In Afghanistan, we and our allies prevented the Taliban from stopping a presidential election, and – although it was marred by fraud – that election produced a government that is consistent with Afghanistan’s laws and Constitution.

Yet huge challenges remain. Afghanistan is not lost, but for several years it has moved backwards. There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum. Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe-havens along the border.

And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan Security Forces and better secure the population (That would be YOU.). Our new Commander in Afghanistan – General McChrystal – has reported that the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. In short: the status quo is not sustainable. As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you have fought in Afghanistan. Many will deploy there. (And yet……you continue to dither!)

As your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service. That is why, after the Afghan voting was completed, I insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. Let me be clear (DRINK!): there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war.(Now…why don’t I believe him? Hmmmmmm……)

Instead, the review has allowed me ask the hard questions, and to explore all of the different options along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and with our key partners. Given the stakes involved, I owed the American people – and our troops – no less. (So, in other words, its taken you a year to actually use that intellect you touted and still go with GWB’s plan, except now, its too little, too late, and a dollar short.)

This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan. (I bolded this because it is UNFREAKING BELIEVABLE THAT HE JUST TOLD OUR ENEMY OUR TIMETABLE FOR SURRENDER! IT TOOK YEARS TO TRAIN IRAQIS. HE WANTS TO START LEAVING IN 18 MONTHS AFTER A SURGE, ONE THAT WE DON’T EVEN KNOW WILL WORK. HE IS CRIMINALLY STUPID.)

I do not make this decision lightly. I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions. We have been at war for eight years, at enormous cost in lives and resources. (Let me fix that: “I think the US is bad and shouldn’t use its military. The GWOT is a fake.)

Years of debate over Iraq and terrorism have left our unity on national security issues in tatters (YOUR FAULT, ALONG WITH PELOSI AND REID), and created a highly polarized and partisan backdrop for this effort (SEE ABOVE). And having just experienced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression (SEE ABOVE), the American people are understandably focused(ON VICTORY AGAINST THE ENEMY) on rebuilding our economy and putting people to work here at home (WHICH YOU AREN’T).

Most of all, I know that this decision asks even more of you – a military that, along with your families, has already borne the heaviest of all burdens. As President, I have signed a letter of condolence to the family of each American who gives their life in these wars. I have read the letters from the parents and spouses of those who deployed. I have visited our courageous wounded warriors at Walter Reed.

I have traveled to Dover to meet the flag-draped caskets of 18 Americans returning home to their final resting place (Photo ops all). I see firsthand the terrible wages of war(translation: IT DISTRACTS FROM MY TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICA). If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow. (TRANSLATION: IF I DID NOT THINK THAT PATRIOTIC AMERICANS WOULD GET RID OF ME…..)

So no – I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan(BULLSH#T). This is the epicenter of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat. In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. (SO, OF COURSE, YOU APPROVE OF A SHOW TRIAL FOR THE WORST ONE AND DEGRADE THE CIA.)

This danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity. We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region. (YET WE START LEAVING IN 2011…….WTF?)

Of course, this burden is not ours alone to bear. This is not just America’s war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda’s safe-havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali. The people and governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are endangered. And the stakes are even higher within a nuclear-armed Pakistan, because we know that al Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them. (Ummm, what about Iran? If we’re willing to blow up Al-Queada to stop them from getting nukes, why not the Iranian gov’t?)

These facts compel us to act along with our friends and allies. Our overarching goal remains the same: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future. (And yet you surrender.)

To meet that goal, we will pursue the following objectives within Afghanistan. We must deny al Qaeda a safe-haven (BS, Surrendering……). We must reverse the Taliban’s momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow the government (Surrendering…….). And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s Security Forces and government, so that they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan’s future. (What part of Surrendering, did you miss?)

We will meet these objectives in three ways. First, we will pursue a military strategy that will break the Taliban’s momentum and increase Afghanistan’s capacity over the next 18 months. (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA………yeah, I know, I have to laugh to keep from crying.)

The 30,000 additional troops that I am announcing tonight will deploy in the first part of 2010 – the fastest pace possible (especially since you waited for MONTHS SINCE THE REQUEST) – so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers. They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces (OXYMORON), and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight. And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans. (WHETHER THEY ARE READY OR NOT)

Because this is an international effort, I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what’s at stake is not simply a test of NATO’s credibility (what credibility? Thank God the Russians can barely invade Georgia) – what’s at stake is the security of our Allies, and the common security of the world. (The usual suspects have done wonderfully while the others have ROE that would embarrass a Girl Scout.)

Taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces (Surrender), and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. (If we are “taking into account conditions on the ground”, how can you provide ANY date? Why should ANY Afghani put themselves in danger for us. The Taliban will NEVER go away until Afghanistan is transformed.)

We will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan’s Security Forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government – and, more importantly, to the Afghan people – that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country. (Yep. We’ll do that until we can leave July 2011……just in time for the US elections…..)
Second, we will work with our partners, the UN (who? Oh, them. Yeah, they can be depended upon. They left.), and the Afghan people to pursue a more effective civilian strategy, so that the government can take advantage of improved security.

This effort must be based on performance (Whose performance?). The days of providing a blank check are over. (Repeat of his lame Iraqi statements. He’s planning to cut an run.) President Karzai’s inauguration speech sent the right message about moving in a new direction. And going forward, we will be clear about what we expect from those who receive our assistance. We will support Afghan Ministries, Governors, and local leaders that combat corruption and deliver for the people. We expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable. And we will also focus our assistance in areas – such as agriculture – that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people. (Agriculture? Oh, poppies…….)

The people of Afghanistan have endured violence for decades. They have been confronted with occupation – by the Soviet Union, and then by foreign Al Qaeda fighters who used Afghan land for their own purposes (Not to mention shooting at each other in tribal warfare for 1000 years). So tonight, I want the Afghan people to understand(Yep. I just bet that the Afghanis were just glued to their TVs.) – America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. We have no interest in occupying your country (And that’s just how he sees our actions.).

We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens (WTF? They’re TALIBAN! And the Afghanis are fundamental muslims. Respect human rights according to whom?). And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect – to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron. (In other words, “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…..)

Third, we will act with the full recognition that our success in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan.

We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border.

In the past, there have been those in Pakistan who have argued that the struggle against extremism is not their fight, and that Pakistan is better off doing little or seeking accommodation with those who use violence. But in recent years, as innocents have been killed from Karachi to Islamabad, it has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are the most endangered by extremism. Public opinion has turned. The Pakistani Army has waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy. (And yet, Obama wants to cut and run, and treat enemy combatants as ‘criminals’.)

In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect, and mutual trust. We will strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe-haven for terrorists whose location is known, and whose intentions are clear (And yet, God forbid, the CIA use harsh language in finding out that information.).

America is also providing substantial resources to support Pakistan’s democracy and development. We are the largest international supporter for those Pakistanis displaced by the fighting. And going forward, the Pakistani people must know: America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan’s security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed. (Translation: Here’s your money. We’ll print more.)

These are the three core elements of our strategy: a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan. (No mention of victory. Cut and run…..)

I recognize that there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of the prominent arguments that I have heard, and which I take very seriously.

First, there are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another Vietnam. They argue that it cannot be stabilized, and we are better off cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing. Yet this argument depends upon a false reading of history. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. (Unlike Vietnam, we have alternative media sources that won’t demonize our efforts. We all know that you are ” cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing” for the domestic reasons and because you don’t know how to lead.)

Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency(Really? The Taliban appear to have support ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE’RE LEAVING.). And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan, and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border. To abandon this area now – and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance – would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies. (And yet that was your very plan. How will we keep pressure on them after we leave?)

Second, there are those who acknowledge that we cannot leave Afghanistan in its current state, but suggest that we go forward with the troops that we have. But this would simply maintain a status quo in which we muddle through, and permit a slow deterioration of conditions there. It would ultimately prove more costly and prolong our stay in Afghanistan, because we would never be able to generate the conditions needed to train Afghan Security Forces and give them the space to take over. (Key words: Go forward. That would translate into “win” for most……apparently you don’t understand that concept.)

Finally, there are those who oppose identifying a time frame for our transition to Afghan responsibility. Indeed, some call for a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort – one that would commit us to a nation building project of up to a decade.

I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests. Furthermore, the absence of a time frame for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government. It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan. (THIS IS SUCH UNMITIGATED BS! REASONABLE COSTS? SINCE WHEN IS THAT A REASON TO END A WAR? OH. MY. GOD. Reasonable compared to what? Is VICTORY beyond what we can achieve? Was transforming Japan and Germany into civilized countries beyond reasonable costs? What price Victory?)

As President, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means, our or interests (ie, victory?). And I must weigh all of the challenges that our nation faces. I do not have the luxury of committing to just one. Indeed, I am mindful of the words of President Eisenhower, who – in discussing our national security – said, “Each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs.” (Translation: I need the money for the slush fund and have to keep my left wing base happy with handouts.)

Over the past several years, we have lost that balance, and failed to appreciate the connection between our national security and our economy (Um, no WE didn’t. YOU did. You have killed the economy.). In the wake of an economic crisis, too many of our friends and neighbors are out of work and struggle to pay the bills, and too many Americans are worried about the future facing our children. Meanwhile, competition within the global economy has grown more fierce (because YOU keep screwing with the economy). So we simply cannot afford to ignore the price of these wars. (Nope, so GM is to big to fail, but, national security can go begging.)

All told, by the time I took office the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan approached a trillion dollars.(Which he beat in just ONE YEAR! ONE FRIGGIN’ YEAR!) Going forward, I am committed to addressing these costs openly and honestly (HAHAHAHAHAHA!). Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly 30 billion dollars for the military this year, and I will work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit. (YOU LIE! I cannot believe that he said that! He is spending more money than ever and he said this?)

But as we end the war in Iraq and transition to Afghan responsibility (ie, surrender), we must rebuild our strength here at home. Our prosperity provides a foundation for our power. It pays for our military. It underwrites our diplomacy. It taps the potential of our people, and allows investment in new industry. And it will allow us to compete in this century as successfully as we did in the last. That is why our troop commitment in Afghanistan cannot be open-ended – because the nation that I am most interested in building is our own. (And so I am going to kill our medical industry, destroy small business, and bankrupt our energy industry. And I will provide free money, food, housing, and TV from unicorn farts.)

Let me be clear(DRINK!): none of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly (according to you: July 2011), and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan (according to DHS, its every conservative). It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership (whose leadership? Where?) in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions and diffuse enemies.

So as a result, America will have to show our strength in the way that we end wars and prevent conflict. (And there you have the Obama Doctrine. We Surrender) We will have to be nimble and precise in our use of military power. Where al Qaeda and its allies attempt to establish a foothold – whether in Somalia or Yemen or elsewhere – they must be confronted by growing pressure and strong partnerships. (But never military might. How the hell do you “pressure” a dispersed fanatical enemy that wants you dead?)

And we cannot count on military might alone. We have to invest in our homeland security (And so you cripple the CIA), because we cannot capture or kill every violent extremist abroad. We have to improve and better coordinate our intelligence, so that we stay one step ahead of shadowy networks. (And yet, we couldn’t stop Ft Hood because of Political correctness.)

We will have to take away the tools of mass destruction (Except by, you know, actually TAKING them away). That is why I have made it a central pillar of my foreign policy to secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists; to stop the spread of nuclear weapons; and to pursue the goal of a world without them. Because every nation must understand that true security will never come from an endless race for ever-more destructive weapons – true security will come for those who reject them. (Hey Iran! STOP! Or I’ll say “STOP” again!)

We will have to use diplomacy, because no one nation can meet the challenges of an interconnected world acting alone. I have spent this year renewing our alliances and forging new partnerships. (And we’re STILL HATED. And YOU are laughed at. ANGERING LONG TERM ALLIES AND SUCKING UP TO SOCIALISTS. Great job, Barry!) And we have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim World – one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict, and that promises a future in which those who kill innocents are isolated by those who stand up for peace and prosperity and human dignity. (Ok, where are those Muslims, exactly? Show me ONE muslim country that does that? Turkey comes closest and that’s because their military seize control if the “fundamentalists” get too crazy.)

Finally, we must draw on the strength of our values – for the challenges that we face may have changed, but the things that we believe in must not (Except you don’t believe in the same things that most Americans appear to.). That is why we must promote our values by living them at home – which is why I have prohibited torture and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay (Btw, where are you planning to put any FUTURE captured terrorists? Or are you planning to just stop that altogether?) . And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights (Unless you’re Honduras. And we will DO exactly ZIP, ZILCH,NIL, NADA, NOTHING), and tend to the light of freedom, and justice, and opportunity, and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the moral source of America’s authority.

Since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, and the service and sacrifice of our grandparents, our country has borne a special burden in global affairs. We have spilled American blood in many countries on multiple continents. We have spent our revenue to help others rebuild from rubble and develop their own economies. We have joined with others to develop an architecture of institutions – from the United Nations to NATO to the World Bank – that provide for the common security and prosperity of human beings. (And today it ends.)

We have not always been thanked for these efforts, and we have at times made mistakes. But more than any other nation, the United States of America has underwritten global security for over six decades – a time that, for all its problems, has seen walls come down, markets open, billions lifted from poverty, unparalleled scientific progress, and advancing frontiers of human liberty. (No thanks to Obama’s kind. His ilk were usually on the OTHER side.)

For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target other peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for – and what we continue to fight for – is a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and access opportunity.

As a country, we are not as young – and perhaps not as innocent – as we were when Roosevelt was President(Innocent? Apparently you haven’t read any history of the Progressive movement). Yet we are still heirs to a noble struggle for freedom. Now we must summon all of our might and moral suasion to meet the challenges of a new age.

In the end, our security and leadership does not come solely from the strength of our arms. It derives from our people – from the workers and businesses who will rebuild our economy; from the entrepreneurs and researchers who will pioneer new industries; from the teachers that will educate our children, and the service of those who work in our communities at home; from the diplomats and Peace Corps volunteers who spread hope abroad; and from the men and women in uniform who are part of an unbroken line of sacrifice that has made government of the people, by the people, and for the people a reality on this Earth.

This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue – nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times poisoned our national discourse. (So, why do you keep DOING IT?)

It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united – bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear. I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we – as Americans – can still come together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply words written into parchment – they are a creed that calls us together, and that has carried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, one people.

America – we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God Bless you, God Bless our troops, and may God Bless the United States of America.

(God I miss Ronald Reagan. Heck, even Bill Clinton.)

Remember, everything is about Obama’s legacy. Nothing else.

After all the legal wrangling, Obama may very well be out of office by the time any civilian trial is concluded. Holder did not tell Sen. Graham that KSM would be re-imprisoned. He said that Congress would not allow KSM to "be released in THIS country."

Obama could be accused of biasing any jury pool with his statements. If KSM is found "not guilty", Obama can point to that as an example of how fair HIS administration is and that HE has restored America to the fair and wonderful place it was before…..fill in the blank.

All of the ramifications on KSM and other terrorists custody status has been done. No one wants a clear definition. One that we could use is the old term OUTLAW. They are outside the law, and therefore free game for anyone. Just as we will never see a return to the standards of piracy prosecution from the past (can you see any modern skipper of a warship hanging pirates caught in the act?), our society will not allow itself to treat these mad dogs appropriately.

Also this trial will set precedent. This is the first step in turning the War on Terror into a criminal investigation. Obama and his far left allies want the war to end. They have never believed in it.

This "trial" could be held anywhere. NY will be picked for the theater. Why not Pennsylvania? Or Virginia? Holder refused to answer any questions about conflict of interest because of past associations with firms that DEFENDED the terrorists. This is about Obama’s legacy. Holder is his pet.

President Obama is clueless.

"Too much debt could fuel double-dip recession"

Ya think? Of course, remember his audience….his bankers in China.

BEIJING, Nov 18 (Reuters)

President Barack Obama gave his sternest warning yet about the need to contain rising U.S. deficits, saying on Wednesday that if government debt were to pile up too much, it could lead to a double-dip recession.

With the U.S. unemployment rate at 10.2 percent, Obama told Fox News his administration faces a delicate balance of trying to boost the economy and spur job creation while putting the economy on a path toward long-term deficit reduction.

His administration was considering ways to accelerate economic growth, with tax measures among the options to give companies incentives to hire, Obama said in the interview with Fox conducted in Beijing during his nine-day trip to Asia.

“It is important though to recognize if we keep on adding to the debt, even in the midst of this recovery, that at some point, people could lose confidence in the U.S. economy in a way that could actually lead to a double-dip recession,” he said.

Long term deficit reduction? Recovery? People COULD lose confidence? Is he smoking crack?

He has trillions in debt coming on line and has spent more in the last two months than Bush did in a year. Recovery? Hello, McFly! Double digit unemployment, bank bail outs, and businesses closing. People DON’T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU OR THE ECONOMY!

This is just more smoke to hide what is really going on. He thinks that the American public is either stupid (some evidence there-look who they voted for) or blind (What? Don’t bother me! Dancing with the Stars is on!). Apparently, he thinks that China is going to believe his lies too.

Obama lied. Jobs died.

Apparently they all look alike to the “Smartest President Evah”.

I mean, if our President is going to break 200 years of tradition and bow to a foreign leader…..

if our President is going to embarrass our country…..

if our President is going to show slavish subservience…..

Then, at least get it right.

This is the man that deserve Obama’s, if not America’s bow…..

I mean, he is lending us all of that money that Obama is trying to bribe Congress with spend……