Final Protective Fire

Saturday, August 31, 2002

 

Charles at Little Green Footballs points us to this excellant essay by Ralph Peters entitled "Rolling Back Radical Islam". By the way, if you enjoy military fiction, Ralph Peters' novels are excellant.

Robin 6:42 PM

Thursday, August 29, 2002

 

Bill Quick points to a Deb Orin piece about the vulnerability of the Democrats to a vote on whether to proceed with an attack on Iraq. Given that a majority of Americans polled support such an attack, the best entertainment of the year may come in the end of October when Democrats start trying to come up with excuses for not voting on the issue. So many Democrats are trying to make us forget that they voted against Gulf War I that I wonder if they've forgotten themselves that they were on the wrong side of that issue once already.

Robin 9:47 PM

Sunday, August 25, 2002

 

Someone asked me in an email if I would put up a picture of myself, ( hmmm, I hope it wasn't Paul ... ). This woman is why I don't do that. My photo would obviously be more than she could handle.

Robin 8:37 PM

 

I'll be out of town for much of the next week - so there will probably be little posting. Follow Charles Johnson at Little Green Footballs if your blood pressure needs increasing.

Robin 5:51 PM

 

Charles Johnson has been running a series of posts on a recent outrage by Palestinians. Arafat's gang of thugs have tortured a man and his mother on accusations of collaborating with Israel - culminating with the gangland-style slaying of the woman in a public square. Johnson has a series of postings - you should read them all. Keep them firmly in mind the next time you see Ashwari or Rahman peddle their lies on CNN or the Phil Donahue propaganda festival.

Keep this in mind too the next time Al Arian pretends to be a harmless little professor on Donahue's show too.

Robin 5:46 PM

Friday, August 23, 2002

 

I've seen many Democrats celebrate the defeat of Rep. Bob Barr by incumbant Republican representative John Linder. Here, Jacob Sullum illustrates why with Barr's defeat the House loses a strong proponent of individual liberty. Another illustration of the fact that the Left in this country is more interested in namecalling than in understanding and arguing real issues.

Robin 10:45 AM

 

It has become the practice of the Left to regularly denounce Attorney General John Ashcroft with repeated smears and namecalling. Likewise, President Bush and other Republicans. I have an email from someone who claims that Republican pundits are not intellectuals, but his repeated argument is merely to use the term "Republican Reich". So I found it interesting that the NYT and WaPo are reporting in an opinion by the Federal Court that reviews FISA wiretap and search warrant applications, that the Federal Court is spanking the executive branch for being lied to in those wiretap and warrant applications. What is being glossed over is that the misconduct occurred largely under Attorney General Reno of the Clinton administration. The opinions cites 75 instances of misstatements and omissions of fact admitted by the Clinton administration in September of 2000. You will find reference to these incidents here, pages 16 through 17.

What was at issue in this opinion was a submission by the Bush Administration's Justice Dept of a new amended set of rules on how to handle cases where there was a foreign intelligence case and a criminal investigation of the same subjects and how to handle the rules over what material collected under a FISA warrant could be shared with the criminal investigation. In part because the court didn't agree with the administration's interpretation of the law and in part because of abuses during the Clinton administration, the court didn't accept all of the administration's proposed amendments.

Robin 10:35 AM

Thursday, August 22, 2002

 

Donald Sensing of One Hand Clapping has the perfect story epitomizing the complete and utter ineptness of TSA. I'm left speechless.

Robin 3:23 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds has also been running with stories on the ineptitude of TSA. Here he has some emails he's gotten in response. I love the line "Give it up, Norm. I know it is you." Keep up the good work, Glenn.

Robin 10:54 AM

Tuesday, August 20, 2002

 

Rodger Schulz has this tale whose veracity we can debate about coyotes and sheep. I love it.

Robin 9:37 PM

 

Pejman pointed us to this good piece from Reason on the decline of Doonesbury.

Robin 8:40 PM

 

Consider the various contradictory stories being planted about Abu Nidal, some by his own people, some by the Palestinian Authority and some from Iraq itself and what might one conclude? My speculation is that Arafat and Saddam Hussein were clearing the decks of old business. I don't credit the story that Arafat had secretly conspired with Abu Nidal ( with respect to Michael Ledeen) to fake a split from the PLO. Rather, I think that Abu Nidal was in Baghdad because Saddam Hussein wanted a hole card to pressure Arafat - its the way Saddam thinks. Now as the Iraq war approaches, Saddam discarded that card in exchange for something from Arafat. Now the real speculation, I admit, I believe that when the Iraq war commences that the Palestinian Authority will use that timing to put out an all-out offensive against Israel. Their goal will be to use the timing to force Israel into an unconditional pullout from all West Bank and Gaza. I've long thought that Arafat's present goal is to create a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza that was free of treaty restrictions on military forces, arms and free of security obligations to Israel. Such would be the base for the next war against Israel.

Robin 3:36 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds links to a comment about Charlton Heston by Richard Dreyfus. I hadn't really been a Richard Dreyfus fan but this gives Dreyfus large marks in my opinion. Especially in comparison to many others of his profession. Thanks Richard and thanks Glenn for pointing it out.

Robin 1:24 PM

Monday, August 19, 2002

 

I've linked to Paul Simmons to the left, but here are some comments of his that I'd like to highlight. Bravo, Paul, that's applying common sense where it hurts.

Robin 10:00 PM

 

Here at the bottom of the column, is a despicable letter to the editor of the Rocky Mountain News. Better termed a "Slander to the Editor", Michael Smith of Thornton writes:

"President Bush is using Sept. 11 in exactly the same manner Adolf Hitler used the Reichstag fire in 1933. We all know what happened a few years later."

This despicable slander implies two things. The first, that President Bush is a genocidal dictator, ought to be offensive enough to prevent the Rocky from printing this bile. The second, that President Bush killed 3,000 people to frame the crime on Osama Bin Laden and/or Al Queda, should have topped the charts. This offensive lying slander is what passes for "argument" among liberals and the Left. Obviously tarring and feathering went out of fashion far too quickly.

Robin 7:55 PM

 

David Horowitz takes on the reparations' crowd ... err, company.
UPDATE: repaired link.

Robin 1:34 PM

Sunday, August 18, 2002

 

Robert Musil points us to Time magazine's reporting that the Clinton administration was in bed with Enron. No real surprise as Robert points out. The only thing surprising is that once again the Democrats are caught out on their vapid attacks on President Bush by the fact that they get caught doing worse. Once again, Hesiod is blown out of the water by the facts.

Robin 10:07 PM

 

Oliver Willis is not normally among my preferred bloggers, but he nails the reparations crowd very effectively. I am starting to believe that the reparations movement is not just an attempt to extort more money into the hands of race pimps like Jesse Jackson and Sharpton, but a deliberate attempt on the part of racist black ideologues to increase the gulf between black and white in this country.

It will have exactly that result.

Robin 9:23 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds points us to this "Open Letter to America from a Canadian" evidently printed in some moronic leftist weekly which no doubt sucks its revenue from classified advertising from prostitutes, strip clubs and gay bathhouses like every other Leftist rag. This "Open Letter" is so full of lies that I literally can't list them all. This is just more confirmation that the Left has nothing left to say but lies.

Robin 9:17 PM

Friday, August 16, 2002

 

Glenn Reynolds has been keeping us up to date with the controversy over the fraudulent book Arming America by Bellesiles. Today, he provides us a link to a proof copy of James Lindgren's Yale Law Journal discussion of the errors, misrepresentations and obvious fraud of the book. Lindgren's review is important in several ways, first it is a good summation of the controversy and second Lindgren has been a pro-gun control commentator in the past. Reynolds tells us that Emory's review has ended and they should announce what they are going to do with the obvious academic fraud on their faculty.

Robin 11:20 AM

Thursday, August 15, 2002

 

Robert Musil discusses the problem with corporations becoming "zombies" that have an unfair advantage in competing with other companies. He follows up with a similar discussion of how Worldcom's fraudulent financial statements allowed it to operate as a "zombie" too, undercutting competitors.

Robin 11:12 AM

 

A lot of bloggers are linking to this incisive article which synthesizes the common elements of anti-globalization, left-wing academia and the hypocrisy of human rights organizations into a common movement opposing liberal democracy. As others have said, this is a must-read.

Robin 9:59 AM

 

Brendan Nyhan has a great piece deflating Media Whores Online. A good read that lucidly illustrates how this kind of partisan virulence poisons public discourse. Unfortunately, its far too late as the discourse has been well poisoned long ago.

Robin 9:04 AM

Wednesday, August 14, 2002

 

Eugene Volokh fact-checks the usual gun control extremists misrepresentations and outright lies. This is a handy little piece as it refers to some key studies that refute the usual HCI/VPC/Brady Campaign positions.

Robin 1:49 PM

Tuesday, August 13, 2002

 

Robert Musil once again shreds Paul Krugman. Ah, Robert, fishing in a barrel again? But a fine cause, I do admire the work.

Robin 2:49 PM

 

Mark Steyn gives us a hilarious parody of the ineptitude of Norm Mineta's airport security. Like all good parody, there is a kernel of truth in it.

Robin 11:19 AM

Monday, August 12, 2002

 

This poll suggests to me that the Palestinian areas are beyond redemption and on the verge of falling into a radical Islamist death cult theocracy.

Robin 4:13 PM

Friday, August 09, 2002

 

Orson Scott Card on Phil Donahue and his warped political spectrum.

Robin 11:28 AM

Thursday, August 08, 2002

 

Eugene Volokh responds to a Detroit Free Press opinion piece by two gun control advocates calling for "common sense" gun control measures like requiring psychological examinations for firearms purchasers and banning "pump-action" guns. Prof. Volokh very cogently shreds the silly piece but - because he is a polite man - doesn't really point out that these people are overt liars. Besides the fact that nothing about their proposals is "common sense", they make several factual claims that are outright lies.

Their attempt to link their gun control insanity to the war on terrorism is especially offensive. Yes, you stupid gits, we'd be safe from terrorists if no one could buy a Remington .30-06 pump action deer rifle? Hey, clueless, terrorists last year killed 3,000 people armed with nothing more than razor blades. Take your lies elsewhere.

The reality is that this piece is just an amazingly crude and hapless attempt by two Democrat operatives to revive the gun control issue for Democrats in an election year. Go for it, nothing I'd like more than to see the Democrats try to make gun control an election issue.

Robin 10:50 PM

 

One of the favorite misrepresentations of people like Hesiod is that President Bush sabotaged some sort of wonderful Clinton economy. Not only does that demonstrate the extraordinary ignorance of Democrats like Hesiod ( a perennial problem ) and not only does that misrepresent when the economic downturn began, but now we know that in fact the Clinton administration - intentionally or unintentionally - misled us in its economic reports.

Novak seems to accept the idea that the economic reports were not intentionally manipuated; however, the Democrats have often cast improper motivations upon far more innocent acts ( my favorite still being attacking Dick Cheney for selling Halliburton stock in advance of a price drop when in fact the Democrats had been demanding that Cheney sell it at the time ). So the question becomes just why were these economic reports wrong so much and in the opposite trend during Al Gore's campaign?

Perhaps after the Democratic Senate finishes with its showboating on Enron and other corporate accounting scandals ( but protecting Clinton administration officials like Robert Rubin from scrutiny ), the Senate can investigate whether or not the Clinton administration improperly manipulated those statistics. Don't hold your breath. And don't hold your breath for any kind of end to the dishonesty of Democrats in discussing the economy.

Robin 1:43 PM

 

If you have been having trouble understanding just how evil the Communist Chinese government is, and after Tianamen Square, Falon Gong and the many other atrocities how could you? Then try reading Eugene Volokh's posting on the Chinese organ harvesting program.

Robin 9:26 AM

Wednesday, August 07, 2002

 

Afraid of Ashcroft's TIPS program? I've been a skeptic of its efficacy but I've been arguing against those who have been exaggerating its intent, scope and threat. I've especially gone against those who use analogies to East German Stasi or other totalitarian examples that I think at best exaggerations and at worst slanders. Well, who would be afraid of John Walsh's "America's Most Wanted" ? Eric Olsen points us to a Salon story that claims that "Most Wanted" is taking the phone calls for the FBI. Now I'm leaning even more toward the opinion that TIPS will be another big government joke.

By the way, many people have been pointing to Eric's excellant discussion about the blog threads on whether or not an all-out, defeat "Islam" itself, type conflict is the best idea.

Robin 4:39 PM

 

Given the poor service the Baby Bells are giving people, especially in the area of broadband - an area that each was trumpeting as their future only a few years ago, this story about a small group of homeowners in rural Colorado banding together and improvising a relatively low cost solution was an eye-opener. Kind of a reminder of the improvisational spirit that I'd missed seeing recently.

Robin 4:34 PM

Tuesday, August 06, 2002

 

Robert Musil is having more fun deflating Paul Krugman's ludicrous columns. Go Robert!

Speaking of incoherent and senile, Robert also points us to an old but still classic, Yale Pundits deflation of the embarrassment that is Helen Thomas.

Robin 5:17 PM

 

Someone found the transcript of the conversation between Bill Clinton and an IDF recruiting sergeant.

Robin 3:06 PM

 

This is a good blog on legal issues.

Robin 10:56 AM

 

Yet another outrage of airport security. Its time we considered beginning more active protests of the fact that our airport "security" is being run by blithering idiots unfit to guard a 7-11.

Robin 9:41 AM

Monday, August 05, 2002

 

Some blogs and Michael Ledeen on NRO are reporting large scale anti-government demonstrations in Iran today. Here is one blog reporting on it.

UPDATE 8/7: Ledeen asks why no network or wire service reported on the massive demonstrations in Iran. The answer is a mystery to me.

Robin 9:55 PM

 

Protein Wisdom points us to this excellant blog titled "CantWatch" with a detailed and hyperlinked discussion of the harm of Leftism and PC in Academia. Definitely a must-read.

Robin 9:22 PM

 

Robert Musil slaughters the Time propaganda about a nonexistant "plan" to attack Al Queda from the Clinton administration. As I've said before, Begala's crayon covered sheets must not fax too well.

Robin 8:47 PM

 

Again, we see that airport security is in the hands of the stupidest people available from among our population, as they harass and arrest the hapless victims of their incompetence.

Robin 8:36 PM

 

Here's a new addition to the blogosphere, a pro-gun gay blogger from Texas. Sounds good to me.

Robin 7:39 PM

 

Another article, courtesy of Pejman, that illustrates that Rep. McKinney should be an embarrassment to the Black community ... those that aren't anti-semitic of course. McKinney may not be actively supported by terrorist organizations, but this is as close as you can come if not.

Robin 4:41 PM

 

More confirmation that Transportation Security Agency should be renamed the Village Idiot Corps. The stupidity continues.

Robin 1:47 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds links to an interesting story about one of the engineers of the thermo-baric bombs used to destroy cave complexes in Afghanistan - a Vietnamese immigrant.

This story reminded me of a gentlemen I met a few years ago who was also an immigrant from Vietnam. He had told me his story about escaping from Vietnam, being fired on by Vietnamese border guards, enduring weeks of thirst and hunger in an open boat until being picked up by a U.S. Navy destroyer.

The first time he told me of his struggle to get to the U.S., I was speechless. Everytime I think of his story to this day, and I was reminded again by running into the gentlemen today at lunch hour on the street downtown, I am struck by two emotions/reactions: the first is anger that the U.S. did not do a better job of protecting the Vietnamese people from the genocidal North Vietnamese communists and the second is the awe that I live in a country so special that this man would risk death to get here.

Robin 1:44 PM

Sunday, August 04, 2002

 

Little Green Footballs and others have been having a good time exposing the British editor or whatever of Arab News for the lying sack of camel dung that he is. Interestingly, the author of this pack of outright lies ( note that the UN report on Jenin concluded that Israel's total of 52 deaths, half combatants, was correct - not the lies told herein ), is evidently an American who contributes to this pack of Anti-American and anti-semitic Palestinian propaganda with filth like this. The website contains anti-american stories by the usual Leftists like Cockburn and Chomsky. Its the American traitors who disgust me the most.

Robin 10:36 PM

 

Steve does a great takedown on more of Krugman's dishonesty. Hey, Paul, still no bids on your integrity at eBay ...

Robin 9:51 PM

 

A hilarious defense of the fourwheel drive vehicle by an Australian.

Robin 9:45 PM

 

Given this news, more evidence that Saudi Arabia is not merely failing to cooperate with the U.S. but is in fact still actively supporting terrorism and Al Queda, I think we should drop the idea of invading Iraq until after we've disposed of the far more dangerous regime - the House of Saud.

Robin 9:08 PM

 

Good piece on changing attitudes toward firearms, and its good to see Sasha Volokh get coverage.

Robin 9:05 PM

 

Robert Musil does the ultimate shredding of Time magazine's fantasy about a Clinton "plan" to attack Al Queda. Most enjoyable is where Musil points out the myriad of internal contradictions in the story. Evidently, Time didn't edit whatever crayon covered sheets Begala faxed them.

UPDATE: I love Bill Quick's take on this.

Robin 7:07 PM

 

This is an interesting discussion of the economics of the Kyoto Protocol.

Robin 5:34 PM

Friday, August 02, 2002

 

There is some great material on The Safety Valve, including this reminder of how the New York Times distorts and misrepresents the "news" to fit its pro-Palestinian and leftist agendas.

Robin 3:53 PM

 

Andrew Sullivan's interview of Camille Paglia is refreshing. I especially applaud her slam of the major media's habit of hiring partisan mercenaries as talk show hosts:

"I loathe this trend of anointing partisan campaign consultants to host news shows. Hence two programs I used to watch - ABC's This Week and CNN's Crossfire - have dropped off the map for me. I wouldn't waste two seconds listening to that unctuous socialite, George Stephanopolous, or Paul Begala, a yapping mongoose with the ethical sense of a stone."

Bravo, Camille.

Robin 3:39 PM

 

The question in the blogsphere is, just who owns Rep. McKinney?

Robin 3:29 PM

 

Further examples of the fact that our education system is being run by blithering idiots and unrepetent Leftists can be found in this Top 10 list of Politically Correct actions in Academia. This is an unrecognized crisis. Someday soon, we will need to conduct a War On Academia to recover control of our colleges and universities.

Robin 3:19 PM

 

Regulation 119(1) reads:

"A Military Commander may by order direct the forfeiture to the Government of Palestine of any house, structure or land from which he has reason to suspect that any firearm has been illegally discharged, or any bomb, grenade or explosive or incendiary article illegally thrown, detonated, exploded or otherwise discharged or of any house, structure or land situated in any area, town village, quarter or street the inhabitants or some of the inhabitants of which he is satisfied have committed or attempted to commit, or abetted the commission of, or been accessories after the fact to the commission of an offence against these Regulations involving violence or intimidation or any Military Court offence; and when any house, structure or land is forfeited as aforesaid, the Military Commander may destroy the house or structure or anything in or on the house, the structure or the land."

Are you horrified by the human rights violation by Israel represented above? Well, you shouldn't be. That regulation is from the British Occupation of Mandatory Palestine - not Israeli.

Robin 3:13 PM

 

Gov. Mike Foster of Louisiana has advice for women in light of a serial killer, get a permit and pack a gun. Bravo Governor!

Robin 2:54 PM

 

Rumors of George Tenet's pending departure from the CIA remind to shout "Long Past Time, Tenet!"

Robin 2:38 PM

 

Evidently, its starting to dawn on the British that their gun control laws are making them less safe. Its long about time, unfortunately much of Britain's restrictive laws were adopted by or with the consent of their conservative party as well as the to-be-expected leftwingers. Reversing this is probably now impossible unfortunately so they will continue to serve as a bad example.

Robin 2:34 PM

 

Meanwhile, we see that Hamas only wants the plebian masses to be used for suicide bombers, can't have the upper level mafioso dirty their hands.

Robin 2:23 PM

 

Little Green Footballs blog supplies us with another Hamas outrage. It seems that no only does Hamas hide among civilians like despicable little pigs that they are, but they would sacrifice infants as camoflage for suicide bombers. There is no way to sufficiently express the disgust and contempt I feel for Palestinian terrorists.

Robin 2:15 PM

Thursday, August 01, 2002

 

Also from Overlawyered.com is this piece about a New York judge questioning the legal fees sought in tobacco litigation. The behavior of the attorneys at the hearing in question appears to be deplorable.

The tobacco litigation has been a festering sore of an embarrassment to the legal profession in my opinion. An interesting piece from the Cato Institute suggests that the settlement is in fact unconstitutional. The legal fees are beyond exhorbitant and appear in many cases to be politically corrupt.

Robin 10:46 AM

 

Overlawyered.com has a piece about drug lawsuits that I think illustrates the greed mentality of plaintiffs rather well. Its main point is of course that such lawsuits are doing great unheralded harm to the practice of medicine.

Robin 10:37 AM