Politics Blog

Then:

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) – John Walker Lindh was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Friday after tearfully telling a courtroom that he made a mistake in joining the Taliban.

Now:

AN AUSTRALIAN who pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism was sentenced to nine months in prison after becoming the first detainee convicted by military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay.

John Walker Lindh went on his “journey” as a teen, while David Hicks began his “journey” as a man in his 20’s.

Something is wrong with this picture and I am not sure what it is.

Based on this, are Conservatives wasting their energy and their political capital defending keeping GITMO?

— Oak Leaf

He’s had a journey into a wondrous land, whose boundaries are that of the imagination:

For six years, Fife Symington wasgovernor of Arizona, a state in America on Earth.

He now says that while he was governor, he had a brush with something not from America or from this planet.

“It was absolutely breathtaking,” Symington said. “I mean when I saw it, I said this is definitely a UFO. I have never seen anything like this in my life.”

It was an event that is now the stuff of legend, called the Phoenix Lights. There was video taken in 1997 of those mysterious lights flying in formation in the Arizona night sky, and was witnessed by thousands.

Cue Twilight Zone music…

— The Ace

Today, I read that Nancy Pelosi arrived in Israel and then will be going to Syria:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Syria, a country President Bush has shunned as a sponsor of terrorism, despite being asked by the administration not to go.

Pelosi arrived in Israel on Friday in what is her second fact-finding trip to the Middle East since taking over leadership in the House in January.

I wonder if Nancy Pelosi realizes that you will not be admitted to Syria with an Israeli stamp in your passport?

Syria is still hostile to Israel, and an Israeli passport stamp will keep the intrepid traveler out of Syria entirely.

It would be “hilarious” for many reasons if she was turned away.

It could also be very “interesting” if she is admitted with an Israeli stamp in her passport.

Does she even know about this little fact?

UPDATE: If you are going to cook a goose, you had better be ready to cook a gander. NRO Online is reporting that Republicans are venturing to Syria too:

…a group of Republican lawmakers has embarked on their own trip to Syria. Michael Lowry, a spokesman for Representative Robert Aderholt, said that the Alabama lawmaker will visit Syria as part of a Republican delegation led by Representative Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican. Wolf is the top Republican on the House appropriations subcommittee that funds the State Department.

— Oak Leaf

Envy is an ugly human emotion. It’s also the basis for public policy in Europe and, increasingly, the United States.

From today’s Daily Reckoning:

Why has collectivism - not individualism - triumphed almost everywhere, we ask? Individualism - a genuinely free market - clearly delivers more goods and services than a collectivized economy. People may not really care about liberty, but surely they care about money?

Why is it that even in the U.S. of A, where getting rich is practically the national religion, the government intervenes (in the name of the people, of course) in countless ways - from fixing key lending rates to setting the terms of employment contracts.

Part of the answer comes to us from Helmut Shoeck, who wrote a book 40 years ago called, Envy. Money isn’t everything, said Shoeck. In fact, in some ways it is less than nothing. People envy people who are richer than they are mostly because it confers status…not because it has any inherent benefits.

This comes from the peculiar nature of wealth. After you have the basics - adequate food, clothing, healthcare and shelter, wealth only matters in a relative way. Even if you are a multi-millionaire, for instance, you will be relatively poor in a neighborhood of billionaires. Since it is relative wealth that counts, you will be almost as satisfied - and maybe even more
satisfied - to see your neighbors taken down a notch than to see yourself with afew more million.

Envy is such a powerful emotion that all societies eventually have to deal with it. In primitive societies, a rich chief might have been required to host a giant banquet. In the Middle Ages, laws were enacted forbidding people from showing off their wealth - the sumptuary laws. People were given a place, or rank, in society and expected to dress accordingly. Sometimes they forced everyone to wear the same drab clothes - as in China during the Mao years - and sometimes they just took everyone’s property
away - as in most communist counties. In the West, taxes were imposed. Britain and the Scandinavian countries even had marginal income tax rates over 100% for a while.

People seem to hate the idea that their neighbors are having a better time in life than they are. It makes them favor controls, regulations, taxes…in short, it makes them favor a collectivist society.

— W.C. Varones

Given that,

Misguided advocates of negotiation with the mullahs, beware. The mullahs are on an Allah-mandated mission. They are intoxicated withPetrodollars and aim to settle for nothing less than complete domination of the world under the Islamic ummeh. It is precisely for this reason that they consider America and the West as “Ofooli,” setting-dying system, while they believe their Islamism as “Tolooi,” rising-living order. They are in no mood of negotiating for anything less than the total surrender of democracy, the very anathema to Islamism.

1. Will the British sailors be returned alive?
1.a If their dead bodies are paraded on tv, what will happen?

2. If they are not returned within say the next 30 days, but still seen in tv footage as alive, will Britain and the West respond with any force?

3. How long will this whole situation go on?

Post your predictions and thoughts.

— The Ace

Drudge has a headline “Oil spikes above $69 on week-old Iran standoff” that happens to tie in very well with a comment in another thread by “I despise Michigan politics:”

So the mullahs create some tension, and crude prices skyrocket, giving them more cash to stabilize their corrupt, unpopular regime. And you want to ratchet up the rhetoric and drive up crude prices even further, and give them exactly what they want? Bad move, IMO.

Speak softly and carry a big stick. The mullahs are completely surrounded, militarily and diplomatically, and they know it. They’re losing internationally, and even Russia and China have come around on the nuclear issue.

Their only friends are the ones out for cash, and we have the ability to cut off their cash. And we are, slowly. DON’T GIVE THEM MORE.

In this incident, the mullahs are being exposed as the pirates they are. Ignore the lefty freakazoid rants on this, that’s just background noise, and shouldn’t distract us. Clear thinking people see this clearly, and yes the fact that the Brits held fire is the biggest reason it’s so clear, to even the moonbats.

We’re quietly picking off the mullahs’ operatives in Iraq and elsewhere. Israel likely wasted about 100-200 of their highly-skilled operators in the Beka Valley last Summer. This is progress, and further bleeds the mullahs’ cash hoard.

Their actions have been reactionary, and their rhetoric is becoming bellicose and unhinged, a sure sign that they’re feeling the pressure we’re putting on them. We must not react kneejerk to their bellicosity, we gotta play the long game in order to truly win. Not saying cruise missiles are removed from the chessboard, but just not necessary at this time.

This is a good time to let the slimy diplomats do what they do. They’ll move slowly, and it’s frustrating to watch, but I believe we can make real progress that way (not to mention, the other covert actions and financial strangulations continue apace).

Comment by I despise Michigan politics | 3/30/2007 - 10:12 am | Edit This

So just what does this price spike mean to the Mullahs? Their net cash flow has increased by $1,000,0000 every hour. I am sure they will find use for those greenbacks.

— Oak Leaf

Abbas agrees to meet with Iraeli PM just to appease USA:

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas agreed to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert twice a month only to appease the Americans, a top Palestinian official said Thursday.

For 82 million dollars in aid that will help fund their destruction, I’d meet with my enemy too to appease my benefactors.

More threats against Israel:

Meanwhile, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal declared that his movement would continue to launch attacks on Israel despite the formation of the PA unity government. Addressing supporters in Gaza City by phone, Mashaal said: “We will never give up our principles; anyone who thinks that Hamas is tired or weak is mistaken. Hamas has not stopped its military operations.”

And of course, the PA say it’s Israel who doesn’t want peace:

“Our top priority over the next two months is to expose to the world the fact that Israel does not want to enter serious negotiations with the Palestinians and Arabs on all tracks,” he said. “The Arab peace plan is a precious opportunity, but Israel does not want to deal with it.

— ‘The Commish’ A.J. Sparxx

Perhaps they were to busy writing yet another resolution condemning Israel for wanting to exist, but the UN managed to squeeze in a statement voicing “grave concern” over the kidnapping by Iran:

The UN Security Council has agreed a statement voicing “grave concern” at Iran’s capture of 15 British sailors.
It also calls on Tehran to allow the UK consular access to the personnel, but stops short of “deploring” Iran’s action, as requested by the UK.

Iran, which the UK later confirmed had sent it a note, said it was not helpful to try to engage third parties.

Liberal Democrat’s repsonse:

Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the note may contain “matters of substance” which may be the beginning of a “proper exchange” and could “offer the possibility of a solution”.

Conservative Party leader’s response:

Responding to the UN statement, David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said: “Really there’s only one right outcome to this which is for Iran to release those people that they took captive, that they should be released without any further ado. It’s as clear and as simple as that.”

If you were a family member or loved one of one of the kidnapped Brits, which response would give you some hope ?

— ‘The Commish’ A.J. Sparxx

I’m sure if this were a Republican there would be the same sort of media blackout on the matter. I’m positive Chrissy M, Olbermann, et.al. would never be talking about it:

SEN. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. As previously and extensively reviewed in these pages, Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum’s ownership of two major defense contractors, who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.

As MILCON leader, Feinstein relished the details of military construction, even micromanaging one project at the level of its sewer design. She regularly took junkets to military bases around the world to inspect construction projects, some of which were contracted to her husband’s companies, Perini Corp. and URS Corp.

Funny how these Democrats, who despise the military, use it to enrich themselves and their families, huh? Murtha has done it, and there probably has been no bigger example of someone using their office to enrich themself than Harry Reid. Yet their media enablers/protectors don’t hound them about it.

— The Ace

Drudge has a headline right now that is starting to tie together with an earlier thread;

REPORT: IRANIAN TV SHOWS CAPTURE OF BRITISH SEAMEN

In the comments of an earlier thread, I started to develop the following thesis;

Step back for a moment, what would have empowered the Iranian Radicals more? Had the UK, which has diplomatic relations with Iran, fired upon on an Iranian boat in “Iranian waters” it would have been a PRIZE for the radicals! Now I am wondering what the radical wanted more? Did they want hostages or did they want an Iranian boat shot up? What stokes the fire of radicals more? 15 “illegal immigrants” consisting of one woman in a burka or an Iranian Naval Boat fired upon? When you think of it in those terms, Iran has blown it big time, they look like fools. Putting that woman in a burka was plain stupid. If the UK woman asked for it, she was brilliant.

If the Drudge scoop hold up, that possibly indicates that this whole thing was “planned” but what was the “plan?” The knee jerk reaction was that they wanted hostages, but as the post title says, that is so 1970’s.

Really, how “valuable” is it for the radicals in Iran to detain a “girl in a burka” and parade her around? As I also wrote, if it was her idea at all, she deserves a medal as it subtly mocks the Iranians.

I dohope that the Iranian people got to see the following, or that they at least read about it:

“They were very friendly and very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we’ve been arrested. There was no harm, no aggression.”

Something tells me that radical Iranians wanted something that they could really use, like the United Kingdom sinking the ship of another nation that it has full diplomatic relations with. And better yet, to be ready to show it on television.

The “girl in the burka” and her 14 polite British Sailors/Marines friends does not stoke up Iranian nationalism which is exactly what the radicals need to maintain their slipping power.

The radicals have already lost. The question is how much. Every action they do now is damage mitigation.

UPDATE: Step back for a moment and compare/contrast the propaganda that Saddam had to this. Saddam’s regime was “first class” in creating internal images compared to this “two bit” production. I am sure that Saddam is looking up and laughing at his former Persian nemesis.

UPDATE 2: The link is up and it would be funny if it was not reality. First, there was only FIVE seconds that were fit for televised propaganda!!

In thefive-seconds long footage, gunshots were heard and a helicopter is shown hovering above inflatable boats in choppy seas. Iranian guard boats are shown cruising around while a couple of Iranian guardsmen shoot into the air. Then, some of the British sailors—including the captured British woman, Leading Seaman Faye Turney—appear seated in a boat with an Iranian flag, presumably after their capture.

The brief video did not show the actual moment when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard navy seized the 15 British soldiers last Friday.

When they are released I will be waiting to hear if they fired any weapons, if the television version gun shots were just added for effect. Don’t you “love” how they always have to fire weapons in the “air.” If I was an Iranian dissident, I would do my damn best to get a copy of the not shown capture scene.

– Oak Leaf