Support For Iraq War Growing

Captain's Quarters: Support For Iraq War Growing

"USA TODAY's Susan Page reports that President Bush is making some headway in arguing that the increase in U.S. troops in Iraq is showing military progress. In the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, taken Friday through Sunday, the proportion of those who said the additional troops are 'making the situation better' rose to 31% from 22% a month ago. Those who said it was 'not making much difference' dropped to 41% from 51%. "

I think most Americans want us to win the war in Iraq. Partly that is out of national pride, because aside from those on the far left, most Americans do have pride in their country. I think that they want this war to be a success not only for what it means for America, but for what it means to Iraq. When they believe it is going to fail, then they think the war is not a good idea. When they are shown that not only can it work, but it is working they believe in it again. I think the war can be won, and the support of the American people can be won. I think Bush needs to put more of an effort into talking to Americans, this has been his weakness from the start. The void of his discussion with the American people has allowed his detractors to fill the void with their ideas.

The Denver Post - Bloggers consider forming labor union

The Denver Post - Bloggers consider forming labor union:

"In a move that might make some people scratch their heads, a loosely formed coalition of left-leaning bloggers are trying to band together to form a labor union they hope will help them receive health insurance, conduct collective bargaining or even set professional standards."

If this weren't in the Denver Post, I would think I was reading something out of The Onion. This sounds like a joke, a bad joke. A blogger union? You can't see me but I am shaking my head and wondering what I could say to express my confusion on this topic. I have worked for a union before and it wasn't any different than any other job, except I had to cut a share of my check to one more party.

Atlas Shrugs: Jewish Genius

Atlas Shrugs: Jewish Genius:

"The team stresses the main question is whether — according to the principles of curvature development in the theory of relativity — a time machine can be created. 'In other words ' can we cause spacetime to curve in such a way as to enable travel back in time? Such a journey requires a significant curvature of spacetime, in a very special form.' "

I can prove to you right here and now that either a time machine will never be invented (or if invented never used in any meaningful way - most of all by a Jew. I'll explain). If there were a time machine in the future, then we can assume that they would be able to go to the past, not just their past, but more importantly our past. If they went to the past and changed it, even if we didn't know it had been changed, it would still be our past. When we stand in the present and look at the past, what we are looking at is either events that either have not been changed or have been changed in ways that we don't know. The reason for example that I would say that more than anything a Jew can be proven to not create a time machine is the holocaust. There was a massive killing of Jews in world war II, that is historical fact. If a Jew invented a time machine why would that person not go back and change the historical facts, so those people did not die. In which case we would be living in a present where there was no killing of the Jews in World War II. You can say, well maybe they will, but the nature of the event makes it so that if they will, then they already have. Unless they used the time machine to stop some even worse crime from taking place. It is interesting to note that without the holocaust there might not be an Israeli state, so there are reasons to not change it.

At a basic level, the idea of going back to the past is silly. There are few things that can be changed in the past that wouldn't have unpredictable changes on the future, both good and bad. The inventors could even change history to kill themselves and destroy their invention. If there was no Israeli state, then there would be Israeli Universities to promote the research, probably the researchers parents would not meet and conceive them. Time may move forward and backward, but changing the past is a dangerous and futile exercise.

Which of course means that maybe it is invented but it is either never used, or it is used in strictly observational purposes, and parallel technology is invented to prevent beings in the past from experiencing beings from the future.

Dhimmi Watch: UK: 'Allah' ice-creams banned

Dhimmi Watch: UK: 'Allah' ice-creams banned:

"Cone-demned ... 'spinning whirl' ice creams look similar to the world Allah written in Arabic script"

Are people really that insane that they are offended that the design on the top of an ice cream container bears a very lose resemblance to the name Allah. Where is Rage Boy, he should be out in the streets getting his ugly mug in the news again. This is ice cream people.

On the other hand I feel like I am watching one of those parents that try and protect their children. You see how they try and keep them away from the simple dangers of the world, and while you understand it, you think it is making the child weak and giving it an unrealistic expectation of the world. You want to ask the parent, when are you going to stop treating them like children. When are we going to stop treating Muslims like children.

Atlas Shrugs: Beauchump recants: Liar Liar Pants on Fire ...... and shirts and shoes and.........

Atlas Shrugs: Beauchump recants: Liar Liar Pants on Fire ...... and shirts and shoes and.........:

"THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned from a military source close to the investigation that Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp--author of the much-disputed 'Shock Troops' article in the New Republic's July 23 issue as well as two previous 'Baghdad Diarist' columns--signed a sworn statement admitting that all three articles he published in the New Republic were exaggerations and falsehoods--fabrications containing only 'a smidgen of truth,' in the words of our source."

What is this guy the brother of Stephen Glass or something? This going to hit the magazine hard, this is the second major scandal of this nature in recent history, and is going to damage its credibility. It is understandable that it is hard to do fact checking on stories that take place in a war zone, so I want to give them a break on that one. Where they run into problems is the relationship one of their staff members has with the author, and what effect that may have had on the stories being accepted.

In the larger picture, I don't think this tells us anything about the war in Iraq or those who oppose the war. Members of the left, took to his stories when they came out because they fit they world that they wanted to believe. We all take the information that confirms what we believe much easier than that which does not confirm what we believe. That doesn't mean that the whole of the movement against the war is peopled by persons who would lie and cheat to get their agenda through.

Despite -- or because of -- Bush's mentoring and tough talk, Al-Maliki's government is crumbling. - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

Despite -- or because of -- Bush's mentoring and tough talk, Al-Maliki's government is crumbling. - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth:

"Five ministers suspended their participation in meetings of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s cabinet on Monday, sending a warning signal that they may pull out of his increasingly isolated government if their demands are not met.

The five are members of the secular Iraqiya coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a moderate group whose lawmakers are drawn from across sectarian lines. Their move, coupled with the largest Sunni Arab bloc’s decision to withdraw its six ministers last week, struck yet another blow to Mr. Maliki’s faltering efforts to present his religious Shiite-led coalition as a “national unity” government."

It might be time to work towards getting someone else into power. al-Maliki may be a good man, and he may care deeply about his country but he has not shown that he can lead it through the problems that it is dealing with. What Iraq needs is a strong leader that the people can connect with, and that can bring all the parties to the table and get them to work out what are very hard problems. Al-Maliki for his time in power, has been a failure in getting the two sides together to even talk. It is time for a change of power in Iraq.

Karzai Admits No Progress On The Hunt For bin Laden | Air America Radio

Karzai Admits No Progress On The Hunt For bin Laden Air America Radio:

"Before leaving for his visit with President Bush, Hamid Karzai, Afghan president, on capturing Osama bin Laden said 'We are not closer, we are not further away from it. We are where we were a few years ago.'"

I think there are more important concerns than going after Bin Laden, the terror network that he inspires is not going to cease to exist if he is captured. If we happen to get intelligence on where he is, we should make an effort to arrest or kill him, or push to have it done by another government if they will not allow our forces. Terror does not begin and end with Bin Laden though, and long after he is gone, there will be enemies in this world that hate America. I think there are more important ways invest our capital resources and military resources than chasing down an old man in a cave.

Media Matters - Wash. Post reported on Giuliani's health plan, but not how he would pay for it

Media Matters - Wash. Post reported on Giuliani's health plan, but not how he would pay for it:

"Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and other Republicans are touting approaches that would be less costly and would cover fewer people. This week
Giuliani released a plan, similar to an initiative that Bush has adopted, that would exclude up to $15,000 of a family's income from taxes if it was spent to purchase health insurance.Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and other Republicans are touting approaches that would be less costly and would cover fewer people. This week Giuliani released a plan, similar to an initiative that Bush has adopted, that would exclude up to $15,000 of a family's income from taxes if it was spent to purchase health insurance.Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and other Republicans are touting approaches that would be less costly and would cover fewer people. This week Giuliani released a plan, similar to an initiative that Bush has adopted, that would exclude up to $15,000 of a family's income from taxes if it was spent to purchase health insurance."

The easy problem to point out about a problem like this is it does nothing for the people who need help the most. It is great to offer to make funds that are paid towards medical health insurance tax deductible, but that doesn't help many who don't have that money to spend in the first place. It is like when you go to the store, and they have that great TV on sale for $500, wow you think to yourself I have that much, I can buy it. When you look closer you see that really it is $1000, with a mail in rebate for $500. While it could be honestly said that the consumer is only paying $500 for the TV, that does not help the consumer that doesn't have the $1000 to buy the TV so he can get the $500 back. People who cannot spend the money on health insurance, won't be helped by this in the same way.

RUDY GIULIANI'S DAUGHTER IS BACKING BARACK OBAMA!

Lindsay Lohan Would NEVER Drink and Drive!