So this morning on my way in to work, Air America made a big deal out of Bush's two-facedness, or split-tonguedness, or asshattery, or whatever. No, I don't remember which of their radio personalities it was. All I know is that it wasn't Al Franken, because Al Franken always sounds like he's drunk. Have you ever noticed that? Seriously. Unlike the rest of this post, I'm not going for a cheap liberal-bashing shot here. He really does enunciate like a drunk man, all the frickin' time. ...

It seems to me that a lot of people blame all the tension in the Middle East on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The spin on that particular ball seems to be, if only the U.S. would throw Israel to the wolves already, tempers in the region would cool, neighboring states would graciously agree to sit down at the negotiating table and sincerely discuss real reform, and--most importantly--the "Arab Street" would no longer be driven to terror attacks out of frustration with the Imperial injustice...

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has finally spoken out about the "Downing Street Memo". http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050629/ap_on_re_eu/blair_interview Bottom line: “What people forget about that memo is that that (it) occurred nine months before the conflict. ... So whatever issues there were, we resolved them ultimately by saying we have got to give it one last chance to work peacefully.” Yes, that's right, sports fans: Even if the Bush Adminstration had already decided to ...

Everybody is talking about this like it's a case of criminal justice. It's not a case of criminal justice. It's a case of prisoners of war. These people were captured during combat operations or their aftermath, on or near a battlefield (allegedly--I'll come back to this in a moment). Since the dawn of history, Armies have recognized the value of detaining POWs for the duration of the conflict. Otherwise, they just return to the battlefield and continue making your life harder. ...

American foreign policy is like the Mystery Machine. Conservatives get to drive, because like Fred, Daphne, and Wilma, they're the ones who have it together enough to operate a motor vehicle. Liberals, like Shaggy and the Scoob, tag along, dreaming their sweet dreams of a better world they will never attain, and meanwhile constantly complaining about not enough food, too much scary, etc. Also like Shaggy and Scoob, the liberals run and hide, clinging to each other in fear, every time...

By all means, let us remember the Crusades. Where shall we begin our rememberance? How about with the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem, a city holy to the Christian and Jewish faiths? And now let us pause for a minute to contemplate the outcry that would rise up, if Christians or Jews were to conquer Mecca, a Muslim holy city. The world would never hear the end of it. Violent asshats and useful idiots everywhere would perpetrate and justify all kinds of atrocities because of it. But...

Let's agree to disagree about the strategic value of the Iraq war, shall we? Suffice to say that I believe the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term drawbacks, and that while I admit that it is a huge gamble, it is a risk worth taking, for the long-term benefits it will bring if successful (and also because I'm convinced that the consequences of not taking this risk would be worse than the consequences of taking this risk and failing). I know you disagree with me on these points...

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "who is Peter Pace?" Peter Pace is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I'll let the man speak for himself.

Okay, so get this: George W. Bush, with the help of his brother Jeb and Big Oil, stole the 2000 Presidential Election. This was the Democrat's big chance to build on the success of the Clinton Administration, save the country from the horrible effects of the Dot-Com Crash, roll out free healthcare for everybody, and put the finishing touches on a new era of international cooperation and tolerance. But stupid old "Dubya" had to go and mess all that up. At first, the liberals (and th...

I am an able-bodied member of the American work force. I come to work every day. I create wealth. I pay taxes. Our army needs these things, just as much as it needs soldiers. I don't buy that only soldiers can discuss military matters. There's a damn good reason why we put civilians in charge of the military. I don't buy that only soldiers know the horrors of the battlefield well enough to know when it's time to fight, and when it's time to surrender. I say that it takes a certain a...

For those of you wondering if there's anything more to the story than Phoenixboi's Italian video footage , I recommend the following jumping-off points for additional information: Ablution Exclusive: Weapons Expert Challenges White Phosphorus Claims and Willie Pete!!!! I'm not endorsing either of these sources as accurate or unbiased, but I do think they make a good beginning for anyone sincerely interested in learning more about White Phosphorous, the policies surrounding it...