The World Around You

From a pure politics/cynical point of view, McCain has to be jumping for joy at this news…and it may even bury the Rev. Wright story for Obama. From a concern for our country point of view…I’m not looking forward to another message from Osama.

Hotline On Call: A New Bin Laden Message

Yasmin Elhady of Huntsville found out that being a rational human being is sometimes not valued by a segment of the American population. The people who have made threats against Ms. Elhady because of her question about the need to repair America’s image in the Muslim world are terrorists of a different sort.

America is great because we can have dialogue, not because we all believe whatever policy has been implemented by our government is correct. When anyone attempts to squelch that dialogue, they are squelching what made this country the envy of the world for many decades.

“The beautiful thing about America is that you and I disagree but we respect each other. You and I can share our thoughts with each other and not have to be hateful toward one another. That’s why we’re the greatest nation on Earth,” she said.

But some of that respect was missing from the online conversation Wednesday night and Thursday morning. She was personally threatened, insulted and maligned and her entire religion was blamed for the violence of a few.

“I know that’s not the America I love and defend all the time and speak about when I’m in the Middle East,” she said.

Huntsville woman’s YouTube debate question spurs threats, insults- al.com

…our leader is not very bright.

“I fully understand those who say you can’t win this thing militarily. That’s exactly what the United States military says, that you can’t win this military.”—on the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007

Of course, this can be understood in light of the obvious need for political progress, but the President continues to explain how he can fully understand those of us who disagree and would advocate a different path (including many former generals who had to implement his way), yet he continues to go down the same one.

Bushism of the Day - By Jacob Weisberg - Slate Magazine

I agree with Dr. Taylor…it is going to be interesting to watch how the war supporters respond to Gen. Sanchez’s indictment of their strategy. Weren’t these same folks saying they were listening to “top military leaders”…does anyone really believe that bunk anymore?

PoliBlog ™: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » General Sanchez, Former Commander in Iraq, Harshly Criticizes the Administration in Speech

Our fair Sen. Sessions finally got off the fence on Iraq…we’re so proud. He’s also now concerned about “rubber stamps”, when he’s given this President a rubber stamp for 7 years!

Left In Alabama:: Jeff Sessions is finally off the fence on Iraq

I’ve avoided commenting on the MoveOn.org ad, much like my friend Dr. Taylor, but I also agree strongly with the echoing of Michael Kinsley’s column.

I will repeat: all of the outrage over the ad has made the ad more well known and has radically amplified the impact of the ad buy itself.

Beyond that, it just seems we have a lot more rather important issues to be dealing with than whether an interest group said something mean about David Petraeus.

PoliBlog ™: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » Kinsely on “Betray Us” (or More Evidence of my Outrage Deficiency)

I know I’m shocked there was abuse at Guantanamo…anyone else?

Newly obtained reports of hostility and friction at Guantanamo Bay have been released today by the AP. These transcripts of hearings, held last year, tell of interrogators denying detainees medicine and angry inmates tossing feces at guards. One Yemeni prisoner warned that more captives would commit suicide if guards didn’t stop interrupting their prayers. • Military claims that Guantanamo is calmer this year are contradicted by recent reports of disturbances at the prison.

Abuse Exposed at Guantanamo - Newser

Shelby and Sessions bought the dog and pony show hook, line and sinker. (It appears Sessions may not be on board just yet.)

Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions both said a quick withdrawal from Iraq would be ill-advised, based on Petraeus’ testimony.

Shelby, who visited Iraq last month, said President Bush’s troop “surge” in Iraq appears to be working and soldiers’ morale remains high.

“In the near term, while I remain open to supporting a reduction of forces, I continue to believe it should be the military commanders and not 535 members of Congress that should make that recommendation,” the Tuscaloosa Republican said.

Sessions, R-Mobile, said U.S. troops have made progress reducing sectarian violence in Baghdad and Anbar province.

Democrats in Congress are mulling legislation that could require mandatory troop withdrawals.

Many Democrats, including Rep. Artur Davis of Birmingham, acknowledge the surge may have reduced some sectarian violence in Iraq. But Davis said Iraq’s leaders have not made the tough decisions that would allow the nation to govern itself.

Exactly right Mr. Davis. So the surge has been a “success”. To what end? The whole point of the success of the surge was supposed to be to achieve political progress and there has been none. We have met our military objectives, but the political objectives are far from being achieved. Forget the fact that the targets for what this war was supposed to accomplished have been moved so many times the administration can’t even keep it straight anymore. Our brave men and women in uniform are doing a tremendous job, but no one can tell us or them what they will have to do to “win”, because winning isn’t in their control.

Mr. Bush has given us no easy solutions, and Gen. Petraeus is an honorable and decent man, but he came to his post too late. We can no longer achieve any worthwhile aim militarily and should begin the process of bringing the majority of the troops home, not irresponsibly, but as quickly as possible. We will have a presence in Iraq for a long time to come, but our footprint needs to get much smaller, much quicker than is being proposed.

montgomeryadvertiser.com:: Ala. senators back troop surge in light of Petraeus’ testimony

UPDATE: And if it isn’t making America safer, what are we doing?

UPDATE: Okay, this article in the Advertiser may have misstated Sessions position. An AP piece this morning gives us this:

Sessions did not reject the proposal, outlined in Senate testimony this week, from Gen. David Petraeus. In a written statement, he praised Petraeus for improving conditions in Iraq and called it “critically important” that lawmakers respect the opinions of military commanders.

But he said there are no guarantees for future gains in Iraq and that “the progress that has been achieved has come at a high price.”

I listened to the testimony of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker yesterday and I understand that people are going to hear what they want to hear in the testimony. That was certainly true of the Alabama congressional delegation.

This gem made me smile.

Rep. Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, supported Petraeus’ recommendation and said he would call for withdrawal “when our generals tell us it’s time to do it.”

“We have to defeat terrorism, and it’s not going to be an easy job,” he said.

As one representative pointed out during the hearing, not once was the war on terrorism mentioned in the prepared testimony of the two witnesses. That should tell us everything we need to know about how much Iraq has to do with the so-called “War on Terror”. And Rep. Everett, how exactly do you defeat a tactic anyway?

Ala. lawmakers encouraged by Iraq report - NewsFlash - al.com

During an appearance by the Comptroller General David Walker yesterday, Rep. Terry Everett offered the following insight.

“You’ve got a good record, but you are not always right,” Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala.) told Walker.

Even if the military’s methodology had been acceptable to the GAO, it would not have changed the agency’s overall assessment in Iraq, Walker added.

Yes Terry, unlike you, the GAO isn’t always right. However, they actually do bother to pay attention to facts, unlike you and many other Republican congressmen.

Walker Forced to Defend Report Card - The Hill

Alabama Senator Richard Shelby gave tacit support to Sen. Warner’s proposal to remove 5,000 troops by Christmas yesterday.

On CNN’s “Late Edition,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), came close to endorsing Sen. Warner’s call for a very modest withdrawal of 5,000 troops by Christmas.

“Sen. Warner is on the right track,” Shelby said, adding later: “We will be withdrawing some troops.”

But he added that Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, will be the driving force behind troop levels.

Will Craig’s intent to resign change? - Martin Kady II - Politico.com