Progress in Iraq? Yes According to Newsweek!

Gathering the Tribes
U.S. field commanders are finally beginning to tap the traditional networks that helped Saddam to stay in power.
By Melinda Liu, Newsweek

June 4, 2007 issue - Pungent smoke floats through the chandeliers of the tribal chief's reception room. At his home in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province and a onetime Iraqi insurgent stronghold, Sheik Shakir Saoud Aasi is enjoying after-dinner cigars with his guest of honor, battalion commander Lt. Col. Craig Kozeniesky of the 2/5 Marines. Around the room, Marines and Iraqi tribesmen and police are sitting together, swapping jokes and stories. Some of these Iraqis were probably shooting at Americans less than a year ago. Now they and the Marines are fighting side by side against Al Qaeda. "We are not just friends but also brothers," the sheik tells Kozeniesky. "This is a new beginning for both of us." Kozeniesky can only agree: "Things have changed dramatically." A 5-year-old Iraqi boy in traditional robes and headdress is racing around the room and vaulting into U.S. troops' laps. What does he want to be when he grows up? He proudly announces: "American general named Steve!"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881803/site/newsweek/

William Kristol on Reality Check ...

Congress Gives In
On War Funding
Now can we fight the enemy?
by William Kristol & Frederick W. Kagan
06/04/2007

The war over the war in Washington is quiet for the moment. Congress has finally appropriated funds for America's warriors without setting a deadline for their defeat. Now the president can turn his undivided attention to fighting the enemies who are attacking our soldiers.

Op-ed writers (and presidential candidates) will of course continue in the coming months to deny the obvious: That we are fighting (pace John Edwards) a real war on terror; that Iraq is, as al Qaeda says it is, the war's central front; and that the Iranians and Syrians are actively supporting our enemies. But the Bush administration, with congressional obstruction on hold, can move ahead with policies that deal with reality.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/687aqclu.asp

A Tom Friedman Fluff Job ... Highly Flawed

In today's New York Times Tom Friedman posts an article praising today's youth for their stoic optimism in spite of the dangerous world in which we all live. I find this article highly flawed and here's why.

Most American youth are absolutely ignorant to the threats we face as a country. Most have spent the past four years hearing that the "War on Terror" is a fabrication of an agenda driven Bush Administration. (See ambulance chaser John Edwards most recent speech). Most view 9-11 as a one off if they think of it at all.

They are afforded this mindset not because there aren't those who would massacre American civilians by the millions if given the chance. They are afforded this mindset because of those in our government and armed services who are aware of what is at stake and while far from perfect in execution, never waiver in the face of the terrible threat. It is ironic that so often in Democrat societies those who do the most to protect the general population are the ones that suffer greatest from their biting, fickle criticism.

This was summarized in a beautiful article written by Victor Davis Hanson a few years back featuring Ariel Sharon. Read Thomas Friedman's piece from today and then Hanson's and tell me what you think.

The Quiet Americans
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: May 27, 2007

Since my daughter is graduating from college today, I am thinking a lot about the class of 2007 and the world they are about to enter. I’m not sure what they call this generation. Is it generation “X” or “Y” or “Zero” or “Me”? Having taken part in two other commencements this season, though, and knowing enough about what my own daughter’s friends are doing, I can say there is something quietly impressive about this cohort. In fact, if I were giving them a label I’d call them the “Quiet Americans” — not in the cynical way Graham Greene meant it, but in a very positive sense.

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/opinion/27friedman.html

April 23, 2002 8:45 a.m.
Israel’s Ajax
The Tragedy of Mr. Sharon.
By Victor Davis Hanson

Sophocles once wrote a magnificent play about the Greeks' greatest fighter at Troy after Achilles — Ajax, as irreplaceable in war as he proved expendable in peace. During the struggle for Troy, the Greeks were often saved by the towering, clumsy "donkey." Without the dash of a youthful, handsome Achilles or the divine dispensation of a crafty Odysseus, Ajax battered down the Trojans — fighting out of a sense of duty, personal honor, and perhaps a sheer love of combat.

http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson042302.asp

NY Times : Spinning the Cowardly Way ...

Below is the New York Times Editorial covering the recent vote over funding Iraq.

Rather than slam the democrats for the spineless cowards and strategic whores they have proven to be, the Times instead refocuses their hatred of President Bush on President Bush. They are more upset that he won than why he was able to do so. IT is pathetic and embarrassing that this is what The Grey Lady has become.

Editorial
War Without End

Published: May 27, 2007
Never mind how badly the war is going in Iraq. President Bush has been swaggering around like a victorious general because he cowed a wobbly coalition of Democrats into dropping their attempt to impose a time limit on his disastrous misadventure.

By week’s end, Mr. Bush was acting as though that bit of parliamentary strong-arming had left him free to ignore not just the Democrats, but also the vast majority of Americans, who want him to stop chasing illusions of victory and concentrate on how to stop the sacrifice of young Americans’ lives.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/opinion/27sun1.html

Democrats Impose Ulgy Strategy that will Backfire

The behavior and the agenda driving Democratic presidential candidates to avoid any debates on the Fox Network reveals the far left media's agenda and it's backers influence on Democratic candidates. The George Soros/Move.org crowd and many of their website hit men are having a much larger influence on the candidates they sponsor than ever before. In an age where network news is becoming insignificant as most of the country gets it's news from cable networks, the leading democratic candidates Clinton, Obama and Edwards have twice refuse to appear on Fox Network, the only cable network that is not openly left leaning.

I personally find this development disturbing. It reeks of censorship. The left is trying to destroy any non-left network by not allowing their candidates to appear despite the fact that they cannot point to one instance where any of them have suffered personal attacks or been treaded unfairly n any debate forum. This comes after all the Republican candidates were willing to appear on far left MSNBC in a debate led by openly far left leaning Chris Mathews.

By coddling their candidates the left is doing a disservice to the country. It is obvious they are after power at any cost. This is why they did not stand on their principals by caving on the vote to continue to finance the Iraq War. They would rather be sluts and later be able to point fingers at the president if it fails. Of course they will at the same time do everything possible to make sure all public media spins remain highly negative. Now they choose to hide candidates from having possible flaws exposed, only allowing them to appear at friendly forums. After the transparent covers on Time (twice), Newsweek and New York Magazine over the past few months it is getting frightening. We are living in a scripted age of censorship.

However, like most far left driven strategies, it is highly flawed. The American people will not be so easily fooled and the left always eats their own. Somewhere along the way some attention greedy reporter will break ranks and expose the game. The result will be a cowardly denial and a continued breaking of the ranks exposing the futile originally intended agenda.

For Democrats, Debate on Fox Reveals Divide
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ and JACQUES STEINBERG
Published: May 27, 2007

WASHINGTON, May 26 — Four years ago, the leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus began looking for a television outlet to co-sponsor and broadcast a presidential debate to address the concerns of minority voters

Only one news channel made an acceptable proposal, and an unlikely channel at that: Fox News, in what some Democrats viewed as an effort to associate itself with a group that could help it make good on its claim of presenting “fair and balanced” news coverage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/washington/27fox.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin