Now, there's an image . . .

Whoa . . . little confusion around this little corner of heaven this evening.

I was flipping thru the channels on ye olde boob tube in the wake of the event which shall not be mentioned, and saw this image pop up on my screen.

At first, I thought it must have been broadcast out of Tehran, or somewhere else in Iran.

Then the newscaster explained the rioters weren't clamoring for democratic reforms, but were instead celebrating a far-away athletic victory by destroying property, endangering lives, and generally behaving like hooligans.

Nice town, Kobe, et al.

The folly of ignoring history's lessons

As the junior senator from Illinois prances about on the world stage this week, making friends and captivating the "mainstream" media, I find it awfully ironic that he is able to do this with any degree of personal safety.

Oh, but, that's right. The surge worked. So, now, all the cut-and-run folks can actually show up in Baghdad in their tie-dye and Birkenstocks without too much risk of getting blown into atheistic oblivion.

Why is it the same folks who just love to play Monday morning quarterback about how we went to war with Iraq are the same folks who are wearing blinders when it comes to the success our troops are currently enjoying over there?

They really do need to crack a history book or two or three.

Don't they understand a rapid withdrawal of American military might from Iraq will create a tremendous power vacuum in which Al-Qaeda and Iran will be able to launch terrorist attacks on regional democracies AND on the U.S. homeland itself?

Read a little Florida history, and pay particular attention to the lesson Old Hickory taught the Seminoles.

Don't they understand that failure to win this round in Iraq can only result in Iraq War III?

Read a little about Woodrow Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles.

Do they really want to pass such grave obligations to future generations?

That would be a cop-out nearly without parallel in the pantheon of American history.

If he is drinking that kind of Kool-aid, the Democratic nominee is too naive to be our president.

Iraq progress report

I don't know how many of you socks stayed up late enough to catch El Presidente's live address to the nation on the success of the troop surge in Iraq.

Suffice it to say that progress is being made, much more remains to be done, but the success of the surge to date means several thousand of our troops will be returning home by Christmas (and will not be replaced with fresh units).

Overall, I'd say that was pretty good news, echoing the report delivered to Congress by General David Petraeus earlier this week.

So, imagine my surprise at the Democrats' response to the news.

Ok, ok, I was NOT surprised at all.

I've been saying for quite some time that the Dems have vested interest in seeing our mission fail in Iraq. They want our troops to have to withdraw in disgrace. I guess they see it as the best way to improve the pitiful public opinion of their Congressional leadership.

Just pathetic.

Here's an exercise for you. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. On the left hand side, write down the names of everyone who have a stake in a stable Iraq. I come up with the American people, our troops, the Iraqi people, etc., etc.

Now, on the right hand side, write down the names of those who want to see democracy fail in Iraq. If you're an honest sock, you'll come up with Al-Qaeda, Iran, Syria, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, etc., etc.

Like it or not, Dems. You shall be judged by the company you keep.