More Polls

Fire of Liberty

Dick Morris has a good column on Social Security reform in The New York Post. Here's some poll numbers from the column.

Support for Private Accounts: Approve/Disapprove
Age 18-29: 65/22

Age 30-39: 63/28

Age 40-49: 59/30

Oppossed to Private Accounts: Approve/Disapprove
Age 50-64: 49-41

Age 65-up: 63-27

*Polls conducted by Scott Rasmussen

Iraq

Fire of Liberty

Fouad Ajami has a great article on Iraq in US News & World Report. Read it.

Polll numbers up

Fire of Liberty

According to a recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll, the President's numbers at up. Check here.

Lets look at some numbers:

Job Approval
2005 Feb 4-6 - 57% / 2005 Jan 14-16 - 51%

Economy
2005 Feb 4-6 - 50% / 2005 Jan 14-16 - 50%

Foreign Affairs
2005 Feb 4-6 - 51% / 2005 Jan 14-16 - 47%

Iraq
2005 Feb 4-6 - 50% / 2005 Jan 14-16 - 42%

Social Security
2005 Feb 4-6 - 43% / 2005 Jan 14-16 - 41% (It's improving)

Immigration in Europe

Fire of Liberty

The Financial Times has two articles on what several governments have done to tackle their immigration problems. The first is one on Denmark ( click here) and the other is on the United Kingdom (click here).

Lt. General Mattis

Fire of Liberty

Ralph Kinney Bennett has written a admirable salute to Super-Marine Lt. General Mattis over at Tech Central Station. It's a said day when a decorated soldier like the general can't make a manly and contrite statement on the destruction of our enemies. I guess free speech only applies to certain souls in the press. Fortunately, Bennett and several other respectful journalists have the general's back, much like the American public. Here's a sample from Bennett:

In the military it has always been true that what you see is not always what you get. The "salad" on the uniform chest often bears closer inspection. It may be the fruit of the career of a gifted bureaucrat, a crypto-politician, a superb manager, or a combination of these.

Nothing wrong with that. Our vast military establishment needs all of the above in varying ways and to varying degrees.

But it also needs leaders who are fighters. Those who will kick down the door. Those who will get the job done. As we have observed here before, all the niceties of democracy and civilization depend from time to time on a few men who will go down dark streets and do uncivilized and possibly undemocratic things we would rather not think about, let alone talk about.

Yet another respected journalist/writer is Mackubin Thomas Owens who has penned a very heartening piece on this awesome Marine.

I saw Bully for you Lt. Gen. Mattis!!!

Oil Conservation

Fire of Liberty

Arnold Kling has a good article over at Tech Central Station on the idea of increasing energy independence from Saudi Arabia. Kling notes that the US would be on a fool's errand in trying to free itself from Saudi oil. The overall argument on this is that the oil market is like a large pot where all oil sources are combined and are not sectioned off based on national origin. Therefore, the nature of the oil market prevents a reduction in a specific nation's oil supply. To get a 10 to 20 percent cut in Saudi oil you have to take a cut in the overall supply of oil. Secondly, there's nowhere else to go for cheap oil at this time. Saudi is awashed in oil right now and it's competition Iraq hasn't opened or developed the enormous glut of oil under the lands of Mesopotamia.

Kling also notes that several proposed methods of conservation have enormous costs to the economy and the consumer, see below for Kling's observations:

-"The reality is that energy conservation is a feeble tool for foreign policy. Significant conservation could be very costly to our own country. It might have only a small effect on Saudi oil revenue. It is not at all clear that a drop in Saudi oil revenue would bring about favorable changes in their policies toward terrorism."

-"Even a fuel consumption tax would not reduce world demand for oil by as much as it would reduce our own consumption of fuel products. That is because as the price of oil declines, demand will increase in other countries."

-"In my view, the worst policy option of all is to subsidize the use of alternative forms of energy. If other forms of energy are not economical on their own, then taxpayer subsidies are only harmful. The use of subsidized alternative energy does more damage to our own economy than to Saudi Arabia's."

While Kling takes an economic approach to the issue, he recommends that the US should seperate political issues from economic issues. While we can't affect the price of oil coming out of Saudi, we can demand reform on human freedom and a crack-down on terror.

Iraqi military training

Fire of Liberty

W. Thomas Smith Jr. has written a very insightful article on the development of the Iraqi military. Provides a good critique of Ted Kennedy and his ramblings.

Great tribute to The Gipper

Fire of Liberty

Gleaves Whitney has a wonderful tribute to President Ronald W. Reagan @ NRO. Long live the man. Huzzah, Huzzah,Huzzah!!!

Anyway, here's my favorite passage:

"Two writers for The Economist, John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, observe in their book The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America that Reagan achieved his own fusion, selectively appropriating the principles of classical conservatism and those of classical liberalism into a new synthesis. From the former he championed the belief in a transcendent moral order, respect for Western civilization, the legitimacy of old institutions, the force of custom, property rights, and a narrowly defined foreign policy. From the latter he championed individual freedom, equality of opportunity, the rule of law, constitutional government, lower taxes, and less regulation of business. Unifying the two different conservative strands were a fierce love of country and populist streak. It helped politically that Reagan rejected the historical pessimism of the traditionalists, embracing instead a sunny outlook toward the future. He genuinely believed in the limitless good the American people could do — if they were free. "His was the conservatism not of country clubs and boardrooms, but of talk radio, precinct meetings, and tax revolts."

Arabs talk terrorism

Fire of Liberty

Amir Taheri has an excellent article on an upcoming conference on terrorism in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He notes that the Arab people have been victims of terrorism for over some 25 years amassing some 250,000 deaths. While the nations and various regimes of the Arab World have been complicit in such terror by failing to destroy these groups or supporting them in hopes they committed their dirty work elsewhere.

The only sticking point is what the definition of terrorism really is. As Taheri notes, the Organization of the Islamic Conference was unable to agree whether attacks on civilians were considered acts of terrorism if they were considered a form of resistance against occupation. While any sane person would view this as an act of terrorism, these leaders still want to honor their fellow muslims in their resistance against Israel. While this might have been a formula of the past, the terrorists have come home to roost. These regimes realize that they can't play with these terrorists but have to destroy them. Therefore the duty of creating an effective counter-terrorism rests on their shoulders.

The only problem is that fleas never travel far from the dog. Regimes within the Middle East would solve most of their problems is through improvements of their own (think democracy, liberty and freedom).

Iran

Fire of Liberty

Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute has a stirring piece on the future of democracy in Iran. Ledeen notes that the Bush administration has a clear cut policy in Iran which is regime change. Such was clearly laid out in the president's 2nd inaugural address and especially in his SOTU where he stated, "...to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you." What's even more interesting is the fact that Secretary of State Rice vocally expressed the US policy of supporting the emerging democratic student movement within Iran.

To releave everyone's heart, this regime change envisioned by the President doesn't require an arsenal of military firepower but an arsenal of liberty. Such a regime change will come from within the nation much like Poland in the 1980's or the most recent regime change in Ukraine.

The students (60% of Iran under 25) as well as the whole democratic movenment of Iran has put up with too many years of public executions, women being stoned and the general danger of being beat by thugs brought in by the mullahs. To make the matters even worse, the people of Iran are tired of being offered a list of candidates who are hand-selected by the mullahs. While they have elections, the people's wishes are denied because the mullahs control the so-called "reformers", namely Mohammed Khatami. While Robin Wright, Andrea Koppel and Barbara Slavin fawn over the "reformers" in Iran and report to the US reader all is good, the Iranian voters know better. This discust of the regime actions probably explain why the public opinion polls show a 70% dissaproval of the regime. Unfortunately, the regime continues to place its heavy thumb on the voters of Iran with sham elections.

Such a problem has a solution which is the holding of a national referendum. By holding a simple referendum with a choice of approval or disapproval, the Iranians would determine their fate. Unfortunately, the mullahs favor retaining power and are well aware that if the people ever get a chance to dissolve the regime in a referrendum their goose is cooked. Such a move is afoot within Iran where some 18,000 people ranging from numerous Iranian leaders, internal dissidents, pro-democracy advocates and religous leaders have endorsed a referendum movement, which can be found at www.60000000.com. If the vote was observed by outstanding observers rather than the likes of Jimmy Carter, the referendum would more than likely be the end of the regime of the mullahs. Then the people of Iran would select a transitional government, which would lead to the drafting and ratification of a constitution and a vote on the new government.

While this sounds highly idealistic, it's the best solution for regime change in Iran. The democracy movement needs political and monetary help from the West rather than bombs. The US can do much like they did with the various democracy movements throughout Europe during the cold war. Our leadership needs to reach out to the democracy movement within Iran and promote their leaders, much like we did for Andrei Sakarov, Lech Walesa, Natan Sharansky behind the Iron Curtain. The movement could also use a leader in the West who will challenge the mullahs to hold a national referendum on the future of the regime. They could also bring back the US Information Agency and create a Radio Free Iran instead of the pop-music Radio Farsi. The Iran democracy movement needs our help and brimming with energy to take down the mullahs. Don't let them down.

President Bush

Fire of Liberty

Michael Barone has written a great column on the transformative nature of the president. It seems that President Bush has used his political skills to win several battles within the domestic and foreign policy fields in this nation.

Take for instance the current debate over Social Security reform. While the Democrats under the leadership of Harry Reid are resuming their "no" campaign on anything the president proposes, President Bush is charging ahead on reform. To begin with, the President knows how many votes he has in the Senate on his side as well as the number of votes the Democrats have, which are 45. Secondly, he knows what Senators are vulnerable in the "red states" and how popular Social Security reform is in these states. Therefore he has gone into the states of Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Florida with a clear message of reform that seems to be gaining in popularity. He's also started the transformation of the Middle East even though few doubted him.

I guess you never misunderestimate President Bush or you'll be eating dust wondering what passed you.

Life is hard in the Senate

Fire of Liberty

How much more longer do I have to play Senator and listen to this crap? Oh, until 2006.

Social Security

Fire of Liberty

George Will hit a homer in this Newsweek column. He notes from President Bush's SOTU the line that personal accounts would resemble the Thrift Savings Plan that all federal employees, senator, congressmen and military personel. Such was followed up by Will's foil attack on the opponent of reform with this:

"Begun in 1987, the Thrift Savings Plan, which as of December 2004 had assets of $152 billion, is a retirement-savings plan open to all civilian federal employees, including senators, and all members of the uniformed services.

They can invest as much as 14 percent of their salaries in one of five retirement funds. Consider the rate of return of C Fund, one of the five. It is a common-stock fund, so it should represent the risks that Reid thinks should terrify Americans:

In only four of 17 years has the rate of return been negative. But in 11 years the rate has been greater than 10 percent, in eight years it has been greater than 20 percent, in four years it has been greater than 30 percent. The compound annual rate of return for the last 10 years has been 12 percent, and the return over the 17 years has been 12.1 percent.

Reid participates in the plan, but opposes allowing all Americans the comparable opportunity that Bush is proposing. But if the numbers just cited are the result of roulette, the legislators should let the rest of us into the game in which they are prospering."

Venezuela

Fire of Liberty

Mort Zuckerman of US News & World Report has an informative editorial on the emergence of a tyrannical state in Venezuela under Col. Chavez. Zuckerman reveals that Chavez is accumulating substantial amounts of power in Venezueala by destroying the independent media by revoking charters and licenses, packing the courts, purging the military of critics, rewriting the Constitution. What's even worse is what Zuckerman revealed about Chavez's relationship with Cuba. Take a look:

"According to Miami's El Nuevo Herald, Chavez has granted Cuban judicial and security forces extensive police powers within Venezuela. Cubans are already running the intelligence services and indoctrinating and training the military. They will effectively bypass what is left of Venezuela's judicial system when they exercise new powers to investigate, seize, detain, and interrogate Venezuelan and Cubans living in Venezuela, with the right to extradite them to Cuba and try them there. This threatens the safety of some 30,000 Cubans in Venezuela."

Such a relationship should set off several alarms within NSC, State and the DOD. Since Chavez has an enormous flow of petro-dollars and is friendly with Castro, Iran and various narco-terrorists, the situation could become hot real quick and might need an closer look by the US. If I know this White House then there's someone watching and keeps the President advised of the situation.

Iraq

Fire of Liberty

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld penned a top-notch Op/Ed on the Iraqi defense forces in the January 4, 2005 issue of The Wall Street Jornal. The Secretary revealed that the Iraqi military/police forces have stood on the side of freedom and are beating back the dark forces that threaten democracy in Iraqi. While he noted that these troops might not be as experienced as 20 year veterans of the US army they are still bound and determined to win this lengthy fight. The most impressive point that Secretary Rumsfeld made in the Op/Ed is that the only way to ensure the success of democracy within Iraq is for the Iraqi security forces to take full responsability of their own security. Even though it might take some months or even years, the US will not leave until they are confident Iraq has secured its "ribs". Such strength is clearly emerging within the Iraqi forces which was clearly demonstrated during the January 30, 2005 Iraq election. I think Secretary Rumsfeld put it best when he wrote:

"Many thousands of Iraqi security personnel are performing exceptionally, and a few examples are worth mentioning. On Election Day, Iraqi security forces stopped a total of eight suicide bombers across Iraq who were hoping to upset the democratic process and kill innocent people. As was widely reported, one Iraqi policeman tackled and drove a suicide bomber back 50 feet from a polling station screaming, "Let me save the people!" before the bomber's belt exploded, killing them both. In the lead-up to the elections, Kirkuk police and the 207th Iraqi Army Battalion raided eight terrorist safe houses, capturing more than 30 extremists. The 205th Iraqi Army Battalion independently planned and executed an operation in the town of Miqdadiyah, capturing six extremists. Three days later, after receiving tips from local citizens, the 205th captured another 70 extremists, a large cache of weapons and bomb-making material."

The UN

Fire of Liberty

Mark Steyn knocks it out of the park with this article on the enormous Oil-for-Food scandal at the UN. Unfortunately, it seems no-one cares about the scandal accept Claudia Rosette and a Fox News. And you also have Mark Steyn who sums up the craziness at the UN with this scandal and how ineffective the people at Turtle Bay have become. Check out this snippet:

"The best alternative to the trans‐national jet-set is nothing – or at least nothing formal. When the tsunami hit, the Americans and Australians had troops and relief supplies on the ground within hours and were coordinating their efforts without any global bureaucracy at all. Imagine that: an unprecedented disaster, and yet robust, efficient, compatible, results-oriented nations managed to accomplish more than the international system specifically set up to manage such events. Would it have helped to elect a steering committee with Sudan and Zimbabwe on it? Of course not. But, if the UN wants to hold meetings, hector Washington, steal money and give tacit approval to genocide, let it – and let it sink into irrelevance."

America's Strength

Fire of Liberty

Doug Kern over @ Tech Central Station has a good article on the United States and its resemblence to superheros like Superman, Spiderman and Mr. Incredible. I think he sums it up with this passage:

"Every twenty years or so, we don the mask. The fight isn't always selfless; the superheroes usually fight to save their home cities, often rescuing their own loved ones first. The fight isn't always without casualties, or collateral damage. And sometimes the fight compels us to accept some responsibility for creating our own villains -- as Batman and Mr. Incredible learned, towards the end of their respective movies. But we choose the fight just the same, without anyone's permission, and we do so in the name of what we know to be the good."

Tax Reform

Fire of Liberty

George Will has written a great column on the challenges that await the President, Connie Mack and John Breaux in their quest to reform the Tax code. What's even better is how Will kicks of the article in his piercing fashion. Take a look at this:

"Asked, when he was near death, to name things he regretted not doing, Andrew Jackson said: "I didn't shoot Henry Clay, and I didn't hang John C. Calhoun." President Bush, who seems determined to leave office with nothing undone -- except, maybe, horsewhipping Harry Reid -- vows to transform not only Social Security but the hydra-headed tax code."

Darn, I wish I had written that. No matter what, the journey has begun. Let the reform begin.

Those nutty terrorists in Iraq

Fire of Liberty

Jack Kelly has an excellent column on the doddering actions of the "insurgents" in Iraq. It seems these terrorists and Saddam hanger-ons are losing the information war, especially with the G.I. Joe escapade and the silly claim that they shot the British C-130 down. Thanks to the blogosphere such stories were quashed. The same goes for Eason Jordan. The MSM will continue to become more irrelavant the more they refuse to actually do their jobs which is the truth. The MSM is more willing to take the word of terrorists and their fellow news brethern than the truth.

Happy 94th to The Gipper.

Fire of Liberty


Today we salute a wonderful man who freed millions from the disaster of International Communism and tyranny. Long live this gallant Cold-Warrior and God bless his "Shining City on the Hill."

Semper Fi!!!

Fire of Liberty

Ralph Peters has a blisstering column on the ninnies in the media who are trashing Lt. General Jim Mattis about his statement on warfare in San Diego this past Tuesday.

For anyone who isn't up to date on this story, let me fill you in. During a panel discussion on the future of war, USMC Lt. General Mattis candidly stated: "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil . . . it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." Unfortunately, the scions of the media took it out of context and hyped up the line "it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." Such a reaction by the media made the Lt. General look like Col. Cali who actually had committed crimes in wartime.

I think Peters sums it up best here:

"FORTUNATELY, Lt.-Gen. Mattis has three big things going for him: The respect of those who serve; the Marine Corps, which won't abandon a valiant fighter to please self-righteous pundits whose only battle is with their waistlines; and the fact that we're at war. We need more men like Mattis, not fewer. The public needs to hear the truth about war, not just the crybaby nonsense of those who never deigned to serve our country.

In my own far humbler career, the leaders I admired were those who had the killer instinct. The soldiers knew who they were. We would have followed them anywhere. They weren't slick Pentagon staffers anxious to go to work for defense contractors. They were the men who lived and breathed the warrior's life.

Table manners don't win wars. Winning our nation's battles demands disciplined ferocity, raw physical courage — and integrity. Jim Mattis has those qualities in spades.

Semper fi, General."

Newt

Fire of Liberty

Newt has written yet another manifesto on the emergiing policy problems that will emerge in the 21st Century. If you've followed the post-Speaker career of Newt, you are well aware of his skills at evaluating various problems a doling out the proper policies solutions to fixing it. Newt seems to shine as an academic at AEI and has a passion at getting down-n-dirty with the wonkish concepts like reforming America's health care system, immigration reforms and reforming social security. Check out this review or go to Newt's website to learn more. It must be good because The New York Times hated it, click here.

Anyway, go Newt!!!

Good one.

Fire of Liberty

Canadian columnist Paul Jackson of The Calgary Sun has written a wonderful column on the state of Canada. As I've said before, I'm no fan of the Canadian Federal Government but love the people of Canada. The best people are the silent majority that see the Canadian ship of state careening towards the jagged rocks of the coast with no room to right their course. It's time for these people to start yelling stop and the best voice for this is Paul Jackson. One day the people of Canada will come to their senses. Until then, read a sample of Paul Jackson:

Just wait days to get a doctor's appointment then, since the vastly underpaid doctor is so overloaded with patients, you might get 10 minutes with him. Try for a hip replacement and you'll wait two years.

Wahhabi Dogmatism

Fire of Liberty

Jeff Jacoby has a wonderful column in The Boston Globe on the growing threat of Saudi sponsored Wahhabi Islam within the mosques of the US. Such an outgrowth of this radical strain of Islam prompted Freedom House to conduct a study of the degree that Saudi influence has risen in the US. The most interesting fact is what Jacoby pointed out in his article:

"It is important to note that most Muslims do not share the xenophobic Wahhabi dogma. Freedom House undertook its study in part because ''many Muslims . . . requested our help in exposing Saudi extremism in the hope of freeing their communities from ideological strangulation." Now that Freedom House has done so, it is up to moderate American Muslims to purge their mosques of the Saudi toxin, and to ostracize the extremists."

Foreign Aid

Fire of Liberty

Aside from the President's inauguration, the Iraqi election, and the SOTU, the jet setters and the elites were partying down in Davos, Switzerland. During this extensive gathering of elites, talking heads, World leaders and the rest of UN crowd, the United States took its medicine of insults on our foreign policy, culture, and foreign aid contributions.

Its funny how the people who show up to these events to mutter insults on the United States and their "Cowboy" president fail to see that the US donates more money, manpower, medical supplies than some dozen or more nations combined. 1% of $11 trillion dollars GDP is a heck of a lot of money. Unfortunately, that's not enough for this crowd, who continue to cry for more and more. Such is the case on the various forms of aid in Africa, wether it's for aid on the fight of AIDS or debt forgiveness. When it comes to such aid, these elites complain about the US being stingy with the money it sends because we place certain stipulations or conditions on these nations recieving such aid. To begin with, the US requires these nations to either be a democracy or extending democratic reforms to the people. We also require that these nations provide the people with a transparent and honest government. Without such conditions, the US would be wasting its money and time by giving aid to these nations. For too many decades the nation has poured money into the bottomless pit which ended up in the pockets of the crooked leadership. People shouldn't have to worry whether or not their money is being used to aid needy people. The effort by the US is the right policy in dealing with foreign aid.

Following on such an argument is Professor Niall Ferguson in a opinion piece in The Daily Telegraph (London). Ferguson argues that the various leaders of the UK and other nations try to one-up the other in what they can contribute. He notes that they're writing large blank checks to regimes or nations that just pocket the money and zippo to the people. Here's a peek of what he's written on the subject:

"Nobody, least of all me, claims that British imperial rule was perfect. Elkins is not the first historian to expose the dark side of colonialism. But most sub-Saharan governments since independence have managed to treat their populations significantly worse than the British did. For all its imperfections, the Colonial Civil Service was not corrupt. When money was sent to build railways or schools, British officials did not simply pocket it."

Rather than giving money in the form of debt forgiveness and aid, these nations would be best served by micro-loans, agricultural trade liberalization (ending tariffs), rule of law, and the introduction of free-markets via free trade agreements. Such actions would be better solutions to the crisis in Africa than what these talking heads and anti-American elites suggest. If you don't believe me then look at the late Lord P.T. Bauer here , here and here.

The Iron Lady of State

Fire of Liberty

It seems Madame Secretary Rice has a spine of steel with the Europeans, see here. Could you ever imagine anyone at the State Department actually promoting the US and its foreign policy. Take a look at what Secretary Rice had to say in Europe:

"There cannot be an absence of moral content in American foreign policy," she says. "Europeans giggle at this, but we are not European, we are American, and we have different principles."

It's about time we had a soul at the helm of the State Department who's not afraid to say what needs to be said. It's starting out to be a wonderful voyage with Condi.

Victory against Trial Lawyers

Fire of Liberty

Awesome!!! The D.C. Court of Appeals strikes down the US Governments $280 billion lawsuit against the tobacco industry in a 2 to 1 decision. Read Here. According to D.C. Appeals Court Senior Judge Stephen Williams in his concurring opinion, "The plain fact is that wealth deprivation is an extremely crude device for 'prevent[ing]' criminal behavior." Therefore the only recourse for the government is non financial and or an appeal to Supreme Court. While the government is more than likely going to appeal the decsion, it's still a win against the lawyers and one for the workers of the tobacco industry.

Ukraine's New PM

Fire of Liberty



Yulia Tymoshenko was elected Prime Minister of Ukraine with a 373-0 vote. She was one of the vocal leaders in the glorious "Orange Revolution". I wish her good luck, she'll need it. Check out the story here. Here's her website as well.

The French

Fire of Liberty

Earlier, I mentioned Europe's problem with unemployment/economic growth and their refusal to take the appropriate measures to correct the problem. The best solution to the problem is for the government to remove itself from the economy by passing tax cuts, reducing spending on the Welfare State as well as less government regulation.

A good example of such pro-active measures is the current situation in France. In France, the government is trying to extend overtime and allow workers in the private sector a maximum 48 hrs work week. Prime Minister Jean Pierre is proposing such a rule because the current work week of 35 hours has put a crimp on the French economy, which is suffering a 10 percent unemployment week. In order for the French economy to reduce this burden it has to encourage competition via greater hours. If people are able to work more hours then they make more for their business a recieve more money in their pockets. These work hrs. also allow the various stores in France to be opened throughout Sunday thus making the work week more flexable to hire more workers. The only problem is that they have to work with the French Labor Unions. If anyone knows the French Labor Unions, they know what problem the French government is facing.

Iraq election

Fire of Liberty
Gerard Baker of The Times has written a wonderful article arguing that the Iraqi election will be a historic event on par with the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Here's two paragraphs that caught my eye.

If he had announced on Wednesday that he was replacing Donald Rumsfeld with Michael Moore, converting to Islam and seeking permission for the US to join the European Union, the headshaking verdict from the European cognoscenti and the American elite would have been the same: bad, dangerous, foolish man on a religious mission to destroy the world.

Sometimes moments of truly historic significance are almost instantly recognisable for what they are. The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 proclaimed its universal importance right from the start. No one needed to be told that the fall of the Berlin Wall was going to change history. With others the consequences creep up on us slowly, even surreptitiously. Some wise heads see the significance; others resist it or are blind to it. It was not immediately necessarily evident that Hitler’s ascent to power in 1933 would lead to the unrelenting tragedy that unfolded for Europe and the world over the next decade. We all know better now.

Good assessment

Fire of Liberty

Ralph Peters of The New York Post provides a good analysis on President Bush's SOTU.

The Hug

Fire of Liberty

John Podhoretz has a wonderful column on "the hug" between Janet Norwood and Safia Taleb al-Suhail in the Friday edition of The New York Post. Here's a sample:

But what made the moment especially meaningful was its symbolic force. It was impossible not to see the two women as indelible representatives of their respective countries — an American mother whose loss helped bring about an immeasurable gain in freedom and dignity for an Iraqi who not all that long ago was a prisoner in a torture chamber of a country.

Spot on!!!

Fire of Liberty

Here's another excellent column by Charles Krauthammer. Take a look:

This is both stupid and pernicious. The United States is trying to win hearts and minds; the insurgents are trying to destroy hearts and minds, along with the bodies that house them. They have no program. They have no ideology. They call themselves the "Party of Return." Their only platform is to return themselves to power to continue the rape, pillage, torture and murder of the past 30 years. That appeals to the minority of the minority that profited from these enterprises, and to nobody else.

Rice in 08

Fire of Liberty


Hey ya'll. I'm Professor Condi Rice and I'm hear to teach you a bit on US foreign policy.

Can you imagine it, Hillary and Condi battling it out in 2008. Right now lets watch her dazzle the people around the World and get our message out loud and clear. She's off to a good start and won't back down from a challange, which is bound to come up in the next four years. My best advic to her it to just give em' hell and let the chips fall where they may.

Un-Employment Number

Fire of Liberty

It's @ 5.2% which is .25% lower than it was September 11th, 2001. Such was caused by the addition of 146,000 new jobs. Such news sparked a 123 point rally on the DOW Jones to close at 10716.13. What a rally. These numbers also destroyed a canard created by Kerry partisans during the electon. According to Bloomberg.com:

The rise in January payrolls and revisions covering the last five years also were enough to allow President George W. Bush to avoid becoming the first president since Herbert Hoover to lose jobs during a term. The gains were enough to bring payroll employment to 132.57 million people, surpassing the previous peak in February 2001, a month before the world's largest economy entered an eight-month recession.

Oh joy, could it be true. Yes it is.

The UN

Fire of Liberty

Once again the United Nations has a liittle problem and needs the help of the US. According to a article in The New York Sun, the UN needs a huge allottment of cash to finance the $1.2 billion renovation of the current UN headquarters along with $655 million for the construction of a 35 story swing space with a 100,000 sq. ft. park.

What's more interesting is that the UN wants the US to chip in a considerable chunk of change to finance this project. According to the article:

The GAO report says it assumes the federal government will pay 22% of the $1.2 billion loan principal, because America pays for 22% of U.N. operating costs. If the total construction cost reached as high as $2.45 billion, the portion supplied by American taxpayers would be $539 million. In addition, the GAO reported: "The Secretary General anticipates that the United States will provide a no-interest loan to finance the renovation." The United Nations has not yet accepted America's offer of a $1.2 billion loan at 5.5% interest. According to the State Department, the offer expires September 30.

It's funny how the UN can ridicule the US about deficits, foreign aid and military actions but can be our best friend when they need help. As with most of our dealings with the UN, the US has to step in to solve the problem.

Colombia's Uribe

Fire of Liberty

Cancels trip to Venezuela and Europe due to viral infection. I'd be sick to if I had to visit people like Hugo Chavez, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Jacques Chiraq, and Javier Solana. Hope he recovers for the sake of Colombia.

Sweden

Fire of Liberty

Swedes want to raise tax rates.

Well it seems Sweden is not satisfied being the highest taxed nation in the World, they want to increase the tax to increase their growing welfare state. Could you imagine the growth rate within Sweden if they lowered these rates, they just refuse to accept the fact that Ireland and other EU nations has demonstrated that low tax rates create growth. I guess socialists like the Swedes don't read any Friedman, Hazlitt or Laffer.

Patriot Act

Fire of Liberty

The Patriot Act has done more good for this nation than we think. Such was revealed in a recent Review & Outlook editorial in The Wall Street Journal. Take a look at this and see for yourself.

Just before Christmas a savage murder took place in John Ashcroft's home state of Missouri. Bobbie Jo Stinnett, an expectant mother, was strangled to death in her home and her unborn child was cut out of her womb with a kitchen knife. Less than a day later, the baby was found alive and well in Kansas. Lisa Montgomery was arrested and charged with Mrs. Stinnett's murder.

We now learn that the infant was recovered thanks at least in part to the Patriot Act. Mr. Ashcroft used his valedictory address as Attorney General on Tuesday to explain that the law allowed investigators to follow an e-mail trail to the accused killer. That provision of the controversial but evidently useful Act is set to expire at the end of the year.

Good article

Fire of Liberty

Max Boot has written an excellent Op/Ed in the LA Times. Here's a peek:

History shows that a mighty nation can recover from wartime miscalculations. It can bounce back from defeats at Bull Run or Bataan, Chancellorsville or the Choisin Reservoir, as long as it possesses a leader who never acknowledges that he is beaten.

And who is this person? G. W. Bush

Zimbabwe

Fire of Liberty

Freedom has a chance in Zibabwe, if the opposition party just backs out of an un-winnable election. According to an article @ NRO Roger Bate, a fellow at AEI, this boycott would cause the international community to take notice of the lack of democracy and it will increase tensions and squabbles amongst Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF. He also argued that the State Department should make all aid, trade dependent on democratic reforms.

FDR on Private Accounts

Fire of Liberty

FDR said this in a January 17, 1936 Message to Congress:

"In the important field of security for our old people, it seems necessary to adopt three principles: First, noncontributory old-age pensions for those who are now too old to build up their own insurance. It is, of course, clear that for perhaps 30 years to come funds will have to be provided by the States and the Federal Government to meet these pensions. Second, compulsory contributory annuities that in time will establish a self-supporting system for those now young and for future generations. Third, voluntary contributory annuities by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age. It is proposed that the Federal Government assume one-half of the cost of the old-age pension plan, which ought ultimately to be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans."

I guess the boo-birds last night need to take a double take. It seems the congress has kicked this can down the road as far as it can go. FDR might have been a devotee of Keynes but he knew that the system needed more self-sufficency or it would be the straw that broke the camel's back or better yet the nation's. Even FDR knew the power of choice.

To learn more about this, check out this article.

Let the debate begin.

Clinton saw crisis

Fire of Liberty
Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute wrote a wonderful Op/Ed on the need of SS reform in the February 1, 2005 issue of USA Today. I really enjoyed this line:

"Bill Clinton's fiscal year 2000 budget explained that trust fund assets are not "real economic assets that can be drawn down in the future to fund benefits." Rather, these funds are "claims on the Treasury that, when redeemed, will have to be financed by raising taxes, borrowing from the public, or reducing benefits or other expenditures."

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty



This is why we should continue to keep up the arms embargo, which is to prevent China from rolling out the tanks. The students who erected the mock Statue of Liberty, and braved the tanks for Liberty and Freedom deserve better than this.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

Europe is very close to saying yes on the question on dropping an arms embargo on China, which was passed shortly after the PRC launched its severe crack-down on the students in Tianamen Square in 1989. While the arm merchants and the governments of France and Germany are willing to take a blind eye to the continued repression of China's citizens, the US has expressed its continued imposition of the such sanctions. Here's what Secretary of State Rice had to say about the situation,

"I have to say that in a circumstance in which the embargo was levied because of human rights concerns out of Tiananmen, one has to be very careful not to send the wrong signal about human rights..."

Click out these articles here, here to learn more.

Missile Sales to Iran/China

Fire of Liberty

Check out this Financial Times report. It reveals a Ukrainian secret police (SBU) investigation report that the SBU had illegaly sold some 12 AS-15's, to Iran (6) and China (6). These missiles which feature an advanced guidence system have a range of some 3,000km which place Iran's missiles well within striking range of Israel. These transactions occurred between 1999-2001 under ex-president Leonid Kuchma who was replaced with the Pro-Western Yushenko in the Orange Revolution in late December 2004.

Georgia's PM found Dead

Fire of Liberty


Zurab Zhvania

America has lost a true friend in the country of Georgia. Our prayers go out for President Saakashvili, Georgia and PM Zhvania's family.

The Financial Times revealed in an article today, that Zurab Zhvania, prime minister of Georgia, was found dead in his apartment. The reformist minded PM and spearheader of "The Rose Revolution" was discovered slumped in his chair after succumbing to gas posioning. Due to the untimely death, President Mikhail Saakashvili has lost a true ally and is forced to seek out a new PM. During the interum period, President Saakashvili will wear the dual hats of prime minister and president.

Social Security Reform

Fire of Liberty



The late Senator Pat Moynihan always joked that liberals were adamantly opposed to reforms in SS that created wealth. The reason "It's because they worry that wealth will turn Democtats into Republicans."

Charles Murray on In Depth

Fire of Liberty

For anyone who's a fan of AEI's W.H. Brady Scholar Charles Murray who wrote the wonderful books like Losing Ground: American Social Policy 1950-1980, The Bell Curve, What it Means to Be a Libertarian, and his most recent Human Accomplishment, you can see him live on C-SPAN2 from 12-3 Sunday on In Depth. I you want to learn about Murray and his wonderful career, tune in to C-SPAN2.

Great Book

Fire of Liberty

Peter W. Huber and Mark P. Mills of The Manhattan Institute have a wonderful and insightful book on the future of energy. Its called The Bottomless Well: The Twilight of Fuel, the Virtue of Waste, and Why We Will Never Run Out of Energy. This book basically argues that we will eventually run out of one source of energy and will still find other sources. Either through technology or the human mind, people will seek an energy source and find it. Ask the book points out, the more a certain source is used the more experienced and efficient one gets with it. Think about the evolution of the combustabile engine from a Model T to the current engines of today or the evolution of electricity. If your interested in dynamism and the future of our energy supply, check out the book. Or read this review and decide for yourself.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

Amir Taheri has an excellent column on the days after the vote. He sums up the future hurdles that the Iraqi people face. Overall, things look good from his standpoint.

Larry King

Fire of Liberty

I was watching the post-SOTU coverage with Larry King on CNN last night and heard the most absurd question by a caller. The lady asked Senator John Warner, "What has this nation ever achieved through the fighting of a war?" Well let's see, we won our Independence from England in The Revolutionary War, We defeated English aggression in the War of 1812, We fought a war to restore our union and brought a whole race out of bondage during the Civil War, We fought back the aggressive Kaiser of Germany and his expansionist tendencies in WWI, We also fought in WWII to defeat World domination of murderous regimes of Hitler and Tojo, We also pushed the tyrannical Kim Il Sung back to his dungeon of the north thus freeing millions upon millions of South Koreans, We also have freed countless individuals in Grenada, Panama, Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq from the ruthless dictators or tyrannies that threatened their freedoms.

I'd say that fighting a war has resulted in one thing and that is Freedom. People need to read more history and watch less American Idol and Fear Factor.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

Charles Krauthammer, one of my favorites, says that the foreign policy portion of the SOTU was directed at the terrorists and the various Outpost of Tyranny nations. He also hinted that the president gave his signal of support to the growing democracy movement amongst the students of Iran.

I expect it will have an effect on the students of Iran much like Reagan's Evil Empire speech had on Natan Sharansky in the Soviet Gulag.

By the way check out Natan Sharansky's wonderful book The Case for Democracy.

Ron "cynic" Reagan Jr.

Fire of Liberty

Ole cynic Ron Reagan on MSNBC is saying the hug between Safia Taleb al-Suhail and Marine Corps Sergeant Norwood's mother was a political ploy. He also gave his spill on stem cells once again. Don't tell me this is fake.

Excellent editoral on AT&T

Fire of Liberty

The Wall Street Journal gets it right with this editoral. Heres a great line:

"While each such failure is disruptive, as a whole they signal the dynamism and creativity that propel American economic growth. One paradox of capitalism is that prosperity requires failure -- even, or perhaps especially, in its grandest names."

Spread the Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

"The government of Saudi Arabia can demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future. And the great and proud nation of Egypt, which showed the way toward peace in the Middle East, can now show the way toward democracy in the Middle East."

--President Bush - 2005 SOTU

Freedom on the March

Fire of Liberty

"To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act — and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom."

"Today, Iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror — pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium re-processing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you."

--President Bush - 2005 SOTU

Semper Fi!!!

Fire of Liberty

One name we honor is Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Texas, who was killed during the assault on Fallujah.His mom, Janet, sent me a letter and told me how much Byron loved being a Marine, and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror. She wrote, “When Byron was home the last time, I said that I wanted to protect him like I had since he was born. He just hugged me and said: ‘You've done your job, mom. Now it’s my turn to protect you.’” Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts, we honor freedom’s defenders, and our military families, represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood’s mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

“Tell America not to abandon us.” He and all Iraqis can be certain: While our military strategy is adapting to circumstances, our commitment remains firm and unchanging. We are standing for the freedom of our Iraqi friends, and freedom in Iraq will make America safer for generations to come. We will not set an artificial timetable for leaving Iraq, because that would embolden the terrorists and make them believe they can wait us out. We are in Iraq to achieve a result: A country that is democratic, representative of all its people, at peace with its neighbors, and able to defend itself. And when that result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home with the honor they have earned."

Take that Ted Kennedy.

God bless Safia Taleb al-Suhail!!!

Fire of Liberty

"One of Iraq’s leading democracy and human rights advocates is Safia Taleb al-Suhail.She says of her country, “we were occupied for 35 years by Saddam Hussein. That was the real occupation. … Thank you to the American people who paid the cost … but most of all to the soldiers.” Eleven years ago, Safia’s father was assassinated by Saddam’s intelligence service. Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country – and we are honored that she is with us tonight."

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

"They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression, in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control every aspect of every life. Our aim is to build and preserve a community of free and independent nations, with governments that answer to their citizens, and reflect their own cultures. And because democracies respect their own people and their neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace."

--GWB

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty
"The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom."

--President George W. Bush

Good ole Pat

Fire of Liberty

"A worker could easily work forty years then die and own not a penny of the contributions he has made for retirement benefits."

Yes, these are the words of the late Senator Pat Moynihan when he was a co-chairman for President Bush's Commission to Strengthen Social Security. Greater details can be found in this Public Interest article by James Q. Wilson.

He's been reading Newt's Book

Fire of Liberty

The President seems to like Newt new book Winning The Future: A 21st Century Contract with America.

Hillary

Fire of Liberty

I guess Hillary is still under the weather. Reminder, don't eat chicken salad.

Outposts of Tyranny

Fire of Liberty

"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever."

--George Orwell - 1984

Oh yes, Orwell forsaw the future of people within Iran, North Korea, Burma, Zimbabwe, Cuba and Venezuela of World face everyday the go without the Fire of Liberty and the Flames of Freedom.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

George Mellon has an excellent column at The Wall Street Journal. He argues that the Iraqi's don't have to fight sectarian/ethnic battles between Sunni, Shi'a or Kurd because they have a forum in the national assembly to settle problems. Instead of guns, death and strongmen the Iraqis have political coalitions, debates and compromises to cut any Gordian knot that might befall them. The days of death at the hands of a strongman is over. Long live Freedom!!!

Go to the Light!!

Fire of Liberty



Andrew Sullivan writes a great piece on the Iraqi vote in The London Sunday Times. He handles this one well, check out this moving line.

"One more conviction that makes hope possible: the belief that freedom is a universal value, that it knows no cultural limits, and that all societies have a chance to achieve it. Many Iraqis tell us they believe it too. “I don’t just see light at the end of the tunnel, I see light at the start and throughout the tunnel,” one told the Associated Press. “It’s one of my wishes to die at the gate of the polling station. I want to be a martyr for the ballot box,” one told The Washington Post.

If they can hope, how can we not?"

--Andrew Sullivan -London Sunday Times

German Jobless Rise to Record

Fire of Liberty

Mein Gott, the German unemployment rate is rising, see here.

Changes in the EU

Fire of Liberty

Check out this article in The Financial Times.

It seems the EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is presenting reforms to the European Union's socialist/welfare state mentality. His proposals focused on jobs, research and growth. The best way to achieve this is by lowering the massive tax rates within the various nations in Europe. While France, Germany and Sweden are choking on rising unemployment and slow growth under these excessive taxes other nations like Ireland, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and countless others have either initiated sweeping tax cuts at the individual or corporate level. Several of these states have also implemented a flat tax. By taking these steps, these countries are experiencing extensive growth rates. When nations enact pro-growth tax policies like lower tax rates or a flat-tax they become very attractive to businesses. Being that a company's chief objective is to make money, they're more than likely to stay were taxes are low. With companies coming in, they also cause a growth in the job market.

These states also could increase their growth by reducing the burdensome regulations and removing the intrusiveness of the bureaucrats within Brussels. Barroso noted his concern for the ever increasing expansion of the EU's federal goverment when he stated "I think we should have 'ever closer union', but the basic legitimacy of our union is the member states,"

Unless the EU follows the policies of Reagan, Thatcher, F.A. Hayek, Milton Friedman, Hazlitt and others like the newly introduced EU states have done, they will never be able to compete with the US.

Michael Ramirez

Fire of Liberty



Awesome!!!

Ted Koppel to This Week

Fire of Liberty

The NY Post says in this article that Ted Koppel might take over ABC's "This Week" while George Stephanopoulos would take over "Nightline". The people at Disney think the Mickey Mouse Club Teenagers will watch the 25 year old news-show.

Bye Dan

Fire of Liberty

According to this story Bob Schieffer will be offered the interim News Anchor spot at CBS to forestall transition problems with Dan "The Man" Rather's departure from the anchor chair. I guess John Stewart wouldn't leave a fake news show that has more facts than CBS Evening News broadcasts in a given episode.

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

The temp is dropping, bundle up tonight in Middle GA

Demographic Decline

Fire of Liberty

It seems that the World is facing a population problem. No, its not some Malthusian population boom but a dearth. If people don't improve the situation soon there won't be enough people to replace the aging populations in the World. Europe is facing such a problem today and we're on the verge of the same thing by 2042. Several essays have been written on this particular subject. Check out Stanley Kurtz Policy Review piece Demographics and the Culture War, Phillip Longman's Foreign Affairs piece The Global Baby Bust, and Nicholas Eberstadt's Policy Review article Power and Population in Asia.

These articles provide the evidence for the inpending problem that we face with Soccial Security. By 2042, there will be less workers to replace the retirees. This means for my age bracket 18-35 will either be paying more taxes, recieving less benefits or even an increased retirement age. By using 4% or more of my Social Secrity Taxes on personal accounts, we can forestall a bigger problem. We can free the people from the grip of the federal government. You will see Senators and Congressmen hem and haw about the doom of Social Security but the same system Bush is pushing already exists for federal employees and our elected leaders. Ole Teddy doesn't want to share. Click here, here, here, here, here and here to discover the growing problem with Social Security and the reasoning for private accounts.

For further reading on the demographic bust see:

The Empty Cradle: How Falling Birthrates Threaten World Prosperity and What to Do About It
by Phillip Longman

Fewer: How the New Demography of Depopulation Will Shape Our Future
by Ben Wattenberg

Iraq=Vietnam analogy nixed

Fire of Liberty

Jonah Goldberg has whitteled down Teddy Kennedy's analogy of Iraq to Vietnam even further in this article.

Kim Jong IL's demise?

Fire of Liberty

It seems the London Times has a story about the wacky Kim Jong IL of North Korea who's World seems to be falling apart. We can only hope so. Weirder things have happened.

For a greater insight into the machinations of the Dear Leader and his regime of hell, check out Bradley K Martin's Under the Loving Care of the Fartherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty . Check out the review here and here.

Two other good books on North Korea are Inside North Korea and Aquariums in Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag.

Million Dollar Baby not for me

Fire of Liberty
As most of my friends know, I'm disabled with Muscular Dystrophy and am an advocate for the rehabilitation of disabled people. Instead of sulking in one's own depression and spouting "whoa is me", these people need to suck it up and get on with life. Medical technology has improved so much in the past years that no-one has an excuse to give up on life. If the good Lord keeps you living it's for a reason, make the most of it. Instead of a boxing movie, Million Dollar Baby is a euthanasia film that glorifies the so-called "do-gooders" who feel such is best. Click here for details.

Pope update

Fire of Liberty



He's feeling better but will probably be the hospital for a couple of days. I guess the prayers worked.

El Comandante Chavez

Fire of Liberty

The Castro of Caracas is playing a dangerous game with Colombia. He seems to be harboring and equiping the narco-terrorist group the FARC, which has wreaked havoc on the people of Colombia for some four decades. As with all dictators, Chavez is rallying his fellow compatriots to take on a peaceful neighbor. I guess he's jealous of Colombia's President Uribe and his special relationship with our nation. See for yourself here.

Good Analysis

Fire of Liberty

Peter Berkowitz has written a wonderful analysis of the critiquing of Bush's speech by the Washington press in the February 7, 2005 issue of The Weekly Standard. Read it here.

WFB Jr. on al-Jazeera

Fire of Liberty

William F. Buckley Jr. sets the people at al-Jazeera straight in this seering commentary.

Iraqi self-government

Fire of Liberty

"The ball of liberty is now so well in motion that it will roll around the globe."

Thomas Jefferson to Tench Coxe , 1795

Rand @ 100

Fire of Liberty

"At first I was happy to be learning to read...but then I read...Atlas Shrugged... because of this, I am never reading again."

-Officer Barbrady - South Park

Ayn Rand was a great crusader for capitalism and individual freedom, read her work if you can but try these pieces here, here and here first.

It's all over but the Screaming

Fire of Liberty

It seems Howard Dean is set to be the next DNC Chairman. I hope Frost's dropping out will settle it. Dean becoming DNC head, joy to the World and the Republicans. I'm still skeptical that the DNC will pull Dean lever.

Read David Brooks

Fire of Liberty
David Brooks wrote an excellent column in The New York Times on Iraq. Great passage by Whittaker Chambers.

"I sometimes feel," he wrote, "that it takes a tainted mind to understand - to really understand - the threat of Communism. To really understand Communism is to have touched pitch: one's view of man is forever defiled. To understand Communism means to understand the terrible capacity of man for violence and treachery, an apprehension of which leaves one forever tainted."

Fire of Liberty

Fire of Liberty

"I moved to mark my finger with ink. I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all the world's tyrants."
-Iraqi voter

Found in David Brooks Op/Ed "Stepping out of the tar pit"

Michael Rubin is Spot On!!!

Fire of Liberty

Rubin wrote a wonderful commentary titled "Iraq Has Voted" in the January 31, 2005 issue of The Wall Street Journal. This passage drew me into the piece

"That no political party is likely to win an absolute majority bolsters the election's legitimacy. While the Arab Middle East is dominated by single parties and strongmen, the transitional Iraqi government will be a coalition. Already, in smoky backrooms and parlors, Arabs and Kurds, Sunnis and Shia are meeting to strike deals and hammer out policy. Every Iraqi may not vote, but they now have a choice of candidates and parties denied to millions of Egyptians, Saudis and Syrians, let alone more than a billion Chinese. Iraqis may fear violence, but they no longer fear speech or thought."

Brilliant!!! Buy the man a Guinness.

Mugabe sets election date

Fire of Liberty

Mugabe calling for election.

I'm guessing Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party don't want to let go of their 25 year rule at the helm of Zimbabwe. He'll probably continue to use his forces to intimidate, threaten and murder his opposition but will claim that he had a vote much like his friend Saddam. Such is the status quo in one of the Outposts of Tyranny. We'll here's praying for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change to wrestle power from Mugabe. Everybody needs hope, freedom and liberty more preferable.

Basque push for Break from Spain

Fire of Liberty

3 Basque provinces in Spain are arguing for a break with Madrid. Rather the autonomy, the Basque region under the leadership of Juan Jose Ibarretxe(president of Basque region) is really calling for a virtual independence from Spain. The Spanish Cortez (The Parliament) will hold a debate and vote on what is known as the Plan Ibarretxe. Such a plan is expected to fail in the Cortez because it calls for the

introduction of a Basque citizenship, an independent judicial system, separate laws on political organisations, a Basque penal system and the right to sign foreign treaties with other countries.

Ibarretxe says this isn't a call for independence but the Cortez won't fall for such shenanigans. The Cortez has argued that Plan Ibarretxe is a threat to Spain's national unity. Decide for yourself here.

Reid follow-up

Fire of Liberty

Reid's actual statement the other day was:

"As far as setting a timeline, as we learned in the Balkans, that's not a wise decision, because it only empowers those who don't want us there. And it doesn't work well to do that."

Better than ole Ted Kennedy's call for retreat on Sunday. How does this statement steel the spines of the Iraqis and our troops.

"Once Sunday's elections are behind us and the democratic transition is under way, President Bush should immediately announce his intention to negotiate a timetable for a drawdown of American combat forces with the Iraqi government," Mr. Kennedy said, adding that at least 12,000 "should leave at once."

The whole story can be found here.

The Pope is in the hospital

Fire of Liberty

FOX News just reported that Pope John Paul II has been put in the hospital with breathing problems. I pray he gets well, he's got too much work to yet do.

New Beer

Fire of Liberty

Anheuser-Busch has come out with a caffeine infused beer called B{+E). Check out this Washington Post story on this new concoction.

State Department re-org.

Fire of Liberty

Henry Sokolski has an excellent article on the State Department's reorganization, which will merge the Bureau of Arms Control with the department's Bureau of Nonproliferation. We'll see if it works.

Pentagon's on right course

Fire of Liberty

Finally, the Pentagon has been given a greater amount of freedom in their abilities to strike at the heart of the terrorists. In the same manner that we achieved success in Afghanistan with The Northern Alliance, the Pentagon will be able to use the special forces to recruit indigenous help in the battlefield. This is a good step in our counter-terrorism fight.

This follows a path of effective counter insurgency actions by the British against the Japanese in WWII, Malayan Communists from 1948-1960 and in Africa. The US also have done this in the past in the Philippines and other countries within our own hemisphere in the 20th Century. Check out this article in the International Herald Tribune.

These classic examples of an effective counter-insurgency can be found in two wonderful books. The first is Fire in the Night: Wingate of Burma, Ethiopia, and Zion by John Berma. The book details the actions of General Orde Wingate throught various counter-insurgent battles in the jungles of Asia and the deserts of Africa and the Middle East.

The Second is Max Boot's wonderful book The Savage Wars of Peace ,which details the effectiveness of our counter-insurgecy battles throughout the Western Hemisphere and within Asia.

Great Canadians

Fire of Liberty

While I'm no fan of the Martin government of Canada and its Nanny State, I respect the Canadian people especially the sensable ones in the West. Anyway, I have several Canadian columnists that I enjoy and urge you to read.

The first is Peter Worthington of The Toronto Sun. Worthington, a veteran of The Korean War and vetern journalist. He has a way with words that put most writers to shame.

Second, is Mark Steyn who is required reading for a post 9-11 World. Steyn has an enormous bevy of work under his belt at The Atlantic Monthly, The London Spectator, National Review, The Daily Telegraph, and The Chicago Sun-Times.

Third, you have David Warren who is a columnists at the Ottawa Citizen as well as a contributor to Commentary and Crisis Magazine (The Adler).

Finally, you have George Jonas who writes for The National Post. Along with his column, Jonas has written some 13 books. Jonas tends to focus on The Middle East and the Outposts of Tyranny.

Enjoy these wonderful writers.

Good article

Fire of Liberty

Christopher Hitchens destroys Kennedy's Iraq=Bush's Vietnam argument here. If you can stand some of his heavy rhetoric.

Immigration

Fire of Liberty

John Fund has a good article on immigration on Opinion Journal, which can be found here. I guess I fall on the side of Victor Davis Hanson, who argues in his book Mexifornia: A State of Becoming and his recent article at NRO for legal iimmigration, enforcement of immigration laws and a return to assimilationist policy in our education system and government.

I feel that in order to continue to be the Shining City on the Hill, then we have to slow the tide of illegal immigration. I welcome everyone to this great nation as long as they do it legally. We've also have to move beyond the policy of multi-culturalism and return back to a "melting-pot" nation that had different pasts but still learned US history and spoke english. If we achieved such for 2oo plus years, why can't we now?

To fully understand what I'm arguing for, one should check out Samuel P. Huntington's excellent book Who Are We: The Challenges to America's National Identity.

Iraq Election cont'd

Fire of Liberty

Its funny watching the various politicians and talking heads hem and haw about the Sunni participation in the election and future government of Iraq. While it is true that several provences in Iraq didn't participate in the election, there still were several Sunnis who either ran on Sunni party list (Adnan Pachachi-Independent Democratic Gathering- 10 seats), ran on a Shi'a list under the banner United Iraqi Alliance (some 30 seats), which was endorsed by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. Sunni's are also expected to gain some 17 seats under the Sunni banner The Iraqi Islamic Party. Sunnis also participated in Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's (Shi'a) Iraqi Ticket political party as well as with many of the Kurdish lists. The current defense minister and president are also in the race.

Overall, the Sunnis will have some 60 seats in the 275 member National Assembly. This would roughly represent some 22% of the assembly, which would be about equal to their proportion of Iraq's population.

Professor Phares has a run-down of the various parties that are in Iraq, here. Check it out.

Iraqi Election

Fire of Liberty

I watched Hardball on MSNBC last night and I'm perplexed with Matthews continued infatuation with the divisions between the Kurds, Shi'a, and Sunni. Matthews and his guests never point out that the Iraqi population is more homogeneous than the divisions. Some Kurds are also Shi'a as well as Sunni Muslims. Even more, the Sunnis of the the Central to Northern parts of Iraq generally have a cousin, aunt or uncle that is a Shia and lives in the South. While these groups might be able to be grouped into these sectarian or ethnic groupings on paper and the MSM, they fail to play out in the real world.

Such details about the reality on the ground in Iraq can be found in the writings of Amir Taheri. Along with Taheri, Professor Walid Phares also provides a considerable amount of insight into the whole affair. He seems to provide a breath of fresh air into the study of Middle Eastern Studies, which generally sees the Muslim World as the victim. Yet another astute observer of the situation in Iraq is Michael Rubin, who served as an advisor for the CPA in Iraq during Bremer's time in Iraq. Along with this work, Rubin also is a resident scholar at AEI and is the editor of Middle East Quarterly.