Quote from the "Chaim Witz" article:

That is why I say, be nice to rich people. I don't remember the last time a poor person gave you a job.

But rich people are eeeeevil! Didn't he get the memo? That is, they're evil unless they made their money entertaining others, or unless they Really Care.

On a more serious note, your first story is reminding me of the bumper stickers that I saw pop up all over NYC right after 9/11: "Proud to be an American, and a Sikh."

>> I don't think he'd be voting for Obama.

That's a ridiculous quote. Please elaborate.

I meant statement, not quote...

What evidence is there that Obama doesn't see a threat of terrorism coming from the middle East? I've listened to his speeches and he doesn't sound like an appeaser to me. He sounds very concerned about terrorist threats and how we must remain vigilant and strong to deal with them.

All you need to know to understand Obama's position on terrorism is to look at his most vocal supporters.

They don't believe that there's a real threat from middle-eastern terrorism. Neither does he. That's why he wants to pull out of Iraq ASAFP and "talk" to Iran.

Because he has bought into the reasonable actor fallacy.

Obama's position is clearly stated, and his position is that Iraq has been a distraction from the war on terorism. As even GWB admitted, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. But Iraq has clearly been the focus on the war on terror. Obama has made it clear that he believes we should focus on Afghanistan and work with Pakistan to eliminate the Taliban/Al Queada threat.

Bush / Rice has really fumbled in regards to Pakistan, and the growing resentment in Afghanistan to missile strikes and growing civillian casualties is going to make the hunt for the people who actually did attack us more difficult. I doubt it will be long before Putin decides to return a taste of own medicine to us via the Afghani insurgents.

Obama's position is clearly stated, and his position is that Iraq has been a distraction from the war on terorism.

And Obama is wrong. Taking down AQ in Afghanistan and invading Pakistan would not have completed the task. Someone needed to pull the drain plug in the festering sewer in the middle east that feeds expansionist political Islamism. That's what the war in Iraq is about. Sending a message to Saudi and Iran that we're not oging to put up with this shit any more. You get further with a kind word and a 2x4 than you do with just a kind word.

I doubt it will be long before Putin decides to return a taste of own medicine to us via the Afghani insurgents.

Putin doesn't have the balls to face us, even in a proxy fight. Which is why he invaded Georgia and claimed that it was provoked by us. So he could earn some cred for "attacking" the US without doing anything of the sort.

> Someone needed to pull the drain plug in the festering sewer in the middle east that feeds expansionist political Islamism. That's what the war in Iraq is about

Ah. So we attack a wholly secular government which was completely contained, and turn it into what? The phrase "festering sewer that feeds expansionist political Islamism" comes to mind. That's good strategerizing there, Sparky.

>You get further with a kind word and a 2x4 than you do with just a kind word.

What's that from, Corinthians 9:11?

Franko - that you think Iraq was "contained" tells me all I need to know.

Go back to sleep. We'll wake you when the war's won.

In case you decide to go read the news instead, you'll note that we're killing terrorists faster than they're making them.

>>In case you decide to go read the news instead, you'll note that we're killing terrorists faster than they're making them.

Cites please, brian?

This time I'm not teasing you! I'm curious.

Michael Yon is probably a good place to start (his name dot com with no spaces)

Michael Totten is good if you want a view from someone who is actually fond of that part of the world. (same as above. Clever way to get around the spam filter!)

LGF (littlegreenfootballs.com) is a decent aggregator of news without the left-wing spin.

Pretty much anything outside the "mainstream" media sources are reporting that Al Qaeda's back is broken in Iraq, and any resurgence - such as it is - in Afghanistan is more from Taliban doing cross-border raids from Pakistan. Which, it appears, we've just gotten permission to kill at our pleasure.

Avoid Reuters at all costs. You'll get better coverage from Al-Jazeera, believe it or not. Although A-J should be taken with a mine of salt, given that they are essentially the state-run media of the middle east.

I suspect that the number of actual terrorists was probably over-estimated, and the speed with which recruitment can take place has been substantially reduced.

Also note that Al-Qaeda is bemoaning the fact that they can't recruit suicide bombers any more.

Which I believe was one of the points that I made about how to end terrorism - make it perfectly clear that God is NOT on their side by beating the living snot out of them. After all, if God was with them, they couldn't possibly lose, right?

Do not argue with Brian. He is smarter than 95% of the people on the planet.

To add to what Brian has already said.

How many people here remember the Marsh Arabs?

Well, back in 2002 the UN called for "urgent action" to save them. Just a few weeks ago, the UN noted the amazing restoration of the southern Iraqi marshes, following "the fall of the Saddam regime." The un-caused fall, that is. Here is the link:

(http://dailyduck.blogspot.com/2008/09/sine-qua-non.html#comments)

And for those who think the US is in a quagmire in Iraq, the most veteran AP reporters in Iraq wrote a story that the US is on the verge of winning.

(http://dailyduck.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-nyt-headline.html#comments).

A story that didn't get any column inches in the NYT.

If the left had its way, Saddam would still be in power ...

Just holding out LGF as a paragon of objectivity tells a lot about you brian. That's a creepy place, with so much hatred displayed there as to make it a bastion of ultraconservative bluster. There's absolutely no room there for any viewpoint except extreme right wing nuttery. Maybe you had tongue firmly planted in cheek, but I doubt it.

Franko - I'm with brian on this one too.

Anyone remember Kuwait in 1990? The Kurds and Shia Muslims he massacred? And after that, how many years did Saddam continue to ignore UN sanctions(like the UN is going to stand tough on those)? How many of his own people did he murder? More that we will likely ever know.

And the gentleman in the story, is from that part of the world. He's going to have a lot better perspective on it than those in the western world fed their information by the leftist MSM.

Theyyyyrrreeee HHHHEEEERRRRRREEEE!!!!!

Brian, I was born and raised in that area. The west coast is where are the hippy dippies from the 60's went to spawn.

Honestly, when the main newspaper is name the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Post - After
Intelligencer - I assume they are referring to intelligence as it isn't really a word.

Soooooooo..... after intelligence....they left it behind when they headed to the Pacific Northwest. Or they went there seeking it, and didn't find it. Take your pick.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please remember that terror is only one weapon being used by the jihadists. We are not in a war against terror, which is a tactic. By that same insipid logic we would have declared war against sneak attacks in WW II, instead of war against the Japanese.

There is a global jihad being waged against the infidels (non-muslims), and the jihadists have made very serious incursions. We are at war against the jihadists.

Here is what is going on in Great Britain:

http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=ZWUzMzZiMzdhYWNlMGNlNjhlNzRlYjg3YmU2YTMwYzc=

Here is what is going on in the United States and globally:

http://townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2008/09/11/a_day_that_will_live_in_accomodating_islam

We are under assault on many levels from a miserable worldwide cancer known as Islam, which has spawned the global jihad. Here is hoping that western civilization will wake up in time from the suicidal stupor, and properly identify the enemy.

Those of us in Los Angeles or Tehrangeles who work with with ex-Iranians have heard nothing positive from them about Obama. These are people who lived through the Iranian Revolution and got out by the skin of their teeth. They also still have family in Iran. They have no delusions about the situation in Iran...and Iraq...and are voting McCain.

Before WWII, the leaders of Europe thought that appeasing Hitler was a good idea as well and look what happened to six million Jews. This attitude of we must appease everyone and make everyone happy is ludicrous. If your religion urges you to kill the non-believer, then as non-believers, we should be worried. I am a devout atheist, but respect the beliefs of others, as long as it doesn’t threaten my right to believe or not believe in what is right for me. The core belief of Islam is to kill non-believers. There a great many Muslims who are not extremists and that are good people and have a live and let live policy, but the extremists are dangerous and if we give them an inch they will want more and more and still not stop their terrorist tactics. I am originally from the Soviet Union; my parents brought me and my sister here when I was six years old. Every day I am thankful to my parents for bringing us to America and giving us the chance for a better life, which we all have because of hard work. What baffles me is that when the cold war was still going on, there was no talk of we need to make the communists happy and start taking our freedoms away to appease their needs, of course no communist ever flew an airplane into a building full of people trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. I cannot understand how any western country can even think about not hurting the poor extremist’s feelings. I’ll never forget the screams I heard from the World Trade Center and watching the people jump out of the building. That is what Islam extremists are about and any western civilization that loses sight or forgets about 9/11 is in danger of the same tragedy happening to them.

On a side note, Amy I was curious what your thoughts were about this 22 year old virgin selling her virginity, I've been hoping to see you blog about that.

I don't mean at all to lessen the significance of an immigrant's love and appreciation for this country. We have a lot to be grateful for and I am, every day, that I was born in this country and never had to bribe a government official, never was required to hide under a chador, that I look to the police with trust and not fear (although I was not a protester at the RNC...). Among many other blessings I inherited just by being born in the right place, at the right time. I'm sure I'd have a greater appreciation if I had fled a totalitarian state.

But this man left Iran 30 years ago, when it was in the middle of a revolution. How much of an authority is he on Iran now? I don't think we should have foreign policy dictated to us only by defectors, whether it be from Iran, Iraq (helped get us where we are now), or Cuba.

All this talk of terrorists but Amy's newest post reminds me... oh yeah... who was on the planes that took down the WTC and hit the Pentagon? No Iranians. Just SAUDIS. That's Saudi Arabian Wahabiists! Pearl Harbor happened again and we invaded Thailand and are eyeballing Laos! Not that I'm suggesting we invade Saudi Arabia, but let's not lose sight of the real perps.

>>Before WWII, the leaders of Europe thought that appeasing Hitler was a good idea as well and look what happened to six million Jews..

Nina,
The tragedy of European appeasement was not diplomatic discussions with Hitler.

"Appeasement" is not a hysterical synonym for "talking to the enemy" - which is how it seems to be used to demonize Obama.

The failure of appeasing Hitler was handing him Sudetenland as a sop to his plans, the area on the Czechoslovakian border with Germany - which lead to the invasion.

No Iranians. Just SAUDIS. That's Saudi Arabian Wahabiists! Pearl Harbor happened again and we invaded Thailand and are eyeballing Laos! Not that I'm suggesting we invade Saudi Arabia, but let's not lose sight of the real perps.

Posted by: Katie Bennett

So, Katie, you are suggesting we should not have gone after the Taliban? ... and Iran, ... building a nuclear weapon and threatening to annihilate Israel and the US ... we should not take their nuclear facilities out if all else fails?

As I stated in my prior post, we are at war with the jihadists. There are a lot of jihadists, and they are not all Saudis. Most people don't realize all the levels upon which we are being assaulted, terrorism being only one of many levels. We are actually stupid enough to allow imams into our prisons so they can develop home grown jihadists from the prison population.

The Saudi elites, who are funding wahhabi mosques all over the world, may actually end up wreaking more havoc than their 911 perpetrator counterparts. They are a real perp.

But check out all the attacks worldwide for the past two months; the Saudis are not the only problem:

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks

If you focus only on the Saudis, you are missing the bigger picture.

Thanks Jody, it's been a while since I've taken a history class, sorry. I was actually thinking more about Winston Churchill saying that Hitler was a man that could be reasoned with, but again been a long time since I've learned about WWII and I've been painting all day, so I'm beat and not thinking clearly.