Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.
John F. Kennedy

I saw this quote and it made me yearn for the days when Democrats had the cahones to stand up to someone not named Bush. Of course, being relatively young (37), I’ve never really seen those days. I’ve seen the days of Carter responding meekly to the Iranians, I grew up spending a lot of time in VFW’s and American Legion Posts with my Dad listening to how we could of won Vietnam if the politicians had stayed out of it, I’ve seen Clinton running out of Somalia and all the effects it had there. Now I see the Democrats declaring the war in Iraq is lost and crying for a pullout. I think that it’s because of things I’ve seen that I have a respect, even if begrudgingly, for Democrats like Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman. It really starts to make my blood boil, that later today, while people are out eating burgers and dogs, while we’re watching fireworks ostensibly to celebrate our fight for independence that Democrats are planning and plotting on how to get us to surrender in Iraq. I wonder how the Democrat Party could of moved so far away from words of JFK
I’m reminded of that Ronald Reagan quote:

I didn’t leave the Democrat Party, the Democrats left me”

Now I wonder who else the Democrats are trying to leave behind. The list is sad in it’s occupants. The Democrats want to leave the Iraqi’s, the Afghani’s, the Israeli’s, the memories of the soldiers who’ve given life and limb in Iraq and Afghanistan, and quite frankly ever soldier that’s over there now, it wants to leave behind the ideals that America finishes what is starts and it wants to leave behind the America that JFK spoke of. It’s frustrating talking to extreme lefties these days, the vitriolic acid that drips from their voices or in their posts concerning Bush (sure I got my problems with the dude but not like the moonbats) or Cheyney.
The media isn’t any better. It just parrots the talking points of the Democrats cheerfully walking in lockstep with them down the road of abandoning the Iraqi’s and a little piece of our soul all at the same time. The shift has happened over time, it started with editorial pages and then slowly progressed to effect the entire newsroom and into our TV sets. What’s so astonishing is not only the amount of lies they will tell, but rather the truths they won’t tell. For reference go look at Michael Yon’s post Bless the Beasts and the Children. In it he talks about a village where over the course of some time Al-Quaeda slaughtered and tortured every man, woman, child, and even animals in the entire village so they could use it as a base to plant bombs on a local road. Even though there are other embedded reporters in Baqubah not one is reporting in the MSM about the slaughter Al-quaeda did here. He’s offered his pictures free of charge to outlets who want to broadcast about this slaughter, as I write this not one has taken him up on it. Our media is complicit in their silence, they don’t want to broadcast about this slaughter, rather they will lead with the latest American casualties in an effort to aid the Democrats path to surrender. They know that reporting an atrocity like this will instill support in our troops trying to bring peace and freedom to Iraq. How sad it is, that on a day we all celebrate our independence the Democrats and the media are working so hard to make us give up on granting the Iraqi’s the same thing. The last word tonight on the subject comes from this email that Instapundit put on his page (hat tip to HotAir.com).

Yon’s story doesn’t get attention because it is humiliating.

It is humiliating because it is obvious that we media – and our allies in the state department, the legal trade, the NGOs, the Democratic Party, the UN, etc., – can’t do squat about such determined use of force.

Our words, images, arguments and skills can’t stop the killing. Only the rough soldiers and their guns can solve the problem, and we won’t admit that fact because the admission would weaken our influence and our claim to social status.

So we pretend Yon’s massacre – and the North Korean killing fields, the Arab treatment of women, the Arab hatred of Israel, etc. – doesn’t exist, and instead focus our emotions and attention on the somewhat-bad domestic things that we can ‘fix’ with our DC-based allies. Things such as Abu Ghraib, wiretapping, etc. When we ‘fix’ them, then we get status, applause, power, new jobs, ego, etc.

Please don’t be surprised. We media are an interest group not much different from the automakers, the unions, and the farmers.

There’s been some buzz in the blogosphere recently concerning the Haditha Marines. Of course you won’t see it on the main stream media but there has been movement and it looks good for those Marines. To refresh your memories these guys were accused of slaughtering 24 Iraqi’s in cold blood. They maintained their innocence all the while. The media of course lied about it, John Murtha tried them in the press, and of course the world held us to a different standard.

Today I saw 2 different stories about it though that shows that the tide is turning in their defense and perhaps, just perhaps they will be proven innocent and release. One is here by Kit at Euphoric Reality and the other is here from Gateway Pundit. Great reads and I recommend that you all go and read both pieces, especially since you won’t see it on your night news casts anywhere.

Saw this today and thought “oh the crap is hitting the fan now”. The last thing Iraq needs is this, same with the entire middle east and of course America doesn’t need it either. I’m not sure if it’s a “wag the dog” situation for Turkey where they are trying to distract from their internal issues in trying to remain secular.

Sources: Thousands of Turkish troops enter Iraq

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who operate from bases there, Turkish security officials said.

Two senior security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the raid was limited in scope and that it did not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish leaders have been discussing in recent weeks.

“It is not a major offensive and the number of troops is not in the tens of thousands,” one of the officials told The Associated Press by telephone. The official is based in southeast Turkey, where the military has been battling separatist Kurdish rebels since they took up arms in 1984.

I’m really torn here, I understand Turkey’s right to defend itself from any kurdish terrorist attacks. However I would think that due to the nature of the terrain in Northern Iraq (very rugged mountains etc) that border control would be easier to maintain, more efficient, and better PR. In addition, the Kurds are some damn good allies of the US and peace in area (they are even friendly enough with Israel that they don’t call for it’s destruction). The Turks have been damn good allies also, and it’s important to keep them secular and not let them go the way of Islamic rule.

Ok, I’ll admit I was a very young member of the KISS Army. Loved them and still do think they rock. Now I dig Gene Simmons even more. Check out how Gene showed some love to the troops at Camp Pendleton. Saw it over at Ms Underestimated’s site (awesome site, added it to the dropdown on the right under great sites.)

Hmmm..George Carlin may be on to something here..

Gas Price Solution by George Carlin:
President Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas w e use. The best way to
stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal immigrants! There would be 11 million less people using
our gas. The price of gas would come down, then bring our troops home from
Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the
border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq.
Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the
military. Give him a soldier’s pay while he’s there and tax him on it.
After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended
this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal
patriot. This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide
a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better
life for themselves. If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway,
without the canteen, rifle or ammo. Problem solved.