Author: COB6

Remember when the so-called “torture memos” were released? The left went nuts and started calling for blood from the Bush administration.

Their collective Bush Derangement Syndrome however was not appeased by the President.

This is a time for reflection, not retribution. I respect the strong views and emotions that these issues evoke. We have been through a dark and painful chapter in our history. But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past. Our national greatness is embedded in America’s ability to right its course in concert with our core values, and to move forward with confidence.

So why then did AG Eric Holder float the Special Prosecutor balloon yesterday?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder is considering whether to appoint a criminal prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration’s interrogation practices, a controversial move that would run counter to President Obama’s wishes to leave the issue in the past.

Holder plans to make a final decision within the next few weeks, a Justice Department official told The Associated Press on Saturday night. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on a pending matter.

Now the Democrats are trying to make a big deal about a secret program that was not briefed to Congress. They have even managed to insert the evil Dick Cheney into this. The truth is that if the program was never launched operationally it is not required to be briefed to Congress. So once again we have a big dust up over something that was very likely perfectly legal all along.

Some Democratic senators are calling for an investigation after learning Congress wasn’t briefed about an covert CIA counterterrorism program allegedly ordered to be kept secret by former Vice President Dick Cheney.

CIA Director Leon Panetta briefed Congress about the still classified program on June 24, a day after learning about it and immediately canceling it. Intelligence sources noted that the program never got off the ground and wasn’t instituted.

Some of the Democrats are stupid enough to be buying this crap but most know it’s crap and are pushing it anyway. Why?

demonstration (JP 1-02, NATO) – An attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought, made with the aim of deceiving the enemy. (Army) – 1. Type of attack that is a deception similar to a feint, with the exception that no contact with the enemy is sought.

Nothing will consume the MSM like a kangaroo court and the Jackson funeral like coverage of former Bushies being called on the carpet would make the OJ coverage pale.

But why do the Democrats want to consume their time chasing shadows when the claim has been the need for super urgent Congressional action to save the day? So urgent in fact that they are passing $trillion spending bills without even reading them?

Because if the media is not distracted from this administration’s agenda and the epic fail that it is rapidly becoming you will see a sweeping Republican victory in 2010 and it doesn’t matter who wins the Republican primary in 2012 because November will be a landslide of Reagan proportions.

Let’s review:

Cap and Trade is dead. This would be an economy killer and a whole bunch of Democrats in the Senate know it. They are also watching the local polling reversals for the Democrats in the House that voted for it. They also know that nothing energizes the idiots in this country more than gas prices.

Health Care Reform is either gravely wounded or even dead. There is simply no way to do this abomination without a significant tax raise on all Americans and folks aren’t in the mood for a tax increase right now. They know that trying to force this revenue drain on the rich only will boost unemployment 4 points in a month and of course that would be political suicide.

They also know that at least three more bullets are heading our way at break neck speed.

Commercial real estate collapse, sky rocketing interest rates and massive INFLATION.

This charade investigation strategy might get enough attention to save a few seats for Democrats in 2010 but there is no way to hide all of this through 2012.

Hope you liked the Carter years because this is likely to make that catastrophe look mild. The only people I know who look back at those days happily are Crimson Tide fans (Alabama went 34-2 in the first three years of Carter’s run with two National Championships, Roll Tide.)

I only put that headline up to drive hits. TSO is pimping himself and me to glean comments but if we ever want to get off the Wendy’s dollar menu, we need hits and nothing (other than porn) gets more hits than a combination of Palin and Paul.

Now to the real post.

I have two brothers that are PHDs and though I have a Masters, it’s a money-grubbing, evil Republican MBA, so I always like leaning on them for great deep thinking issues.

The issue of discussion was Sarah Palin. We agreed unanimously that her recent resignation will definitely have the left/MSM labeling her as a quitter. That’s already happening folks, so let’s not argue that point.

The question remains; how does she counter that label?

My older brother suggested that she should interject herself as much as possible in the 2010 elections. She is a money making machine and will need significant support from the RNC later on. She should select races where a conservative has a very good chance of knocking off a Democrat or RINO. Unless there is a better than 50% chance of success, she should avoid that race like the plague. (Read that as don’t touch Florida, that’s firmly in the RINO column.)

She has already endorsed Rick Perry for governor in Texas (where he has a solid lead). If she next goes to New Jersey and Connecticut where two more Democrats are in real trouble, her strategy may become even clearer. If a major shift in favor of Republicans materializes, she can take credit for it and emerge as a national conservative leader.

My take: This is a plausible strategy and could very well turn out to be what Palin is planning. This would solidify her bona fides with the conservative base but is the conservative base enough to win the Presidency? This strategy doesn’t seem to do anything to reach out to the independents and right of center Democrats. This strategy makes sense for a Republican primary but what about November?

My younger brother opined confidently, November doesn’t matter. The big question for November will be if Obama can eclipse the futility of Jimmy Carter in 1980.

In fact he is very likely to face a serious primary challenger just like Carter did with Ted Kennedy. His train wreck prediction isn’t going to help Obama at all.

Cap and trade will fail. Health care will either fail or be so watered down that it fixes nothing and simply raises taxes.

Unemployment will hit 11% and if the Congress decides to raise the minimum wage and tax health care benefits it will 13%.

The absolutely irresponsible bailout mania has severely undermined the value of the dollar and the economic killer called inflation is just around the corner and it is going to be more vicious than we have ever seen. If Republicans don’t take the congress in 2010 we will likely see double-digit inflation with energy leading the way.

Three years from now one of two things will have happened in the Middle East. Iran will have a nuke denoting an epic failure of the Obama theory of appeasement or Israel will strike Iran and spark a regional war sending gas prices soaring to $10 a gallon.

A quick preview of the buzz primary candidates for 2012.

Palin – Probably already in.
Romney – In but he has the Albatross of the catastrophic Romney Care scheme that he left in Mass and still those nagging flip-flops on abortion.
Pawlenty – In but needs to get his name out in a big way.
Huck – Too early to call. Definitely wants in but he knows he’s unelectable.
Newt – Totally unelectable.
Jindal – Probably in and probably the strongest candidate in the field.

I don’t know if Fred Thompson reads TAH but if this scenario develops he might want to consider getting into the game a little earlier. Okay, a lot earlier.

This news made my day!

DENVER — Learning at the University of Colorado will go on without Ward Churchill.

On Tuesday Chief Denver District Court Judge Larry Naves denied Churchill’s motion for reinstatement of employment as well as any “front” pay. It was part of a decision where Naves granted CU and the Board of Regents immunity from being sued, which vacates the jury verdict from April of this year.

Churchill essentially got nothing.

The ethnic studies professor had sued CU in an attempt to regain his teaching post.

Churchill was fired in 2007, following a two-year investigation into allegations Churchill fabricated some of his scholarly publications.

But a Denver jury in April 2009 ruled the school had only fired him after controversy erupted surrounding an essay he’d written in September 2001, comparing the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to a Nazi leader.

That ruling included only a symbolic damage award of $1.

“Based on the foregoing, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendants are GRANTED quasi-judicial immunity as a matter of law from Professor Churchill’s second claim for relief. As a result, the jury’s verdict in this matter is hereby VACATED, and judgment is hereby entered in favor of Defendants on Professor Churchill’s Second Claim for Relief.”

I don’t get an email like that every day. Naturally it came with a link to an article.

Der Spiegle has the story of Germany’s newest version of the Iron Cross called “The Cross of Honor for Bravery”.

The medal is the fifth and highest distinction in the Bundeswehr. According to the decree that created it, the new cross honors “exceptionally courageous deeds” that go beyond what is expected “within the framework of the performance of duty.”

The story is mostly about the medal itself and the controversy it caused by its resemblance to the old Iron Cross.

What caught my attention was this phrase, “exceptionally courageous deeds” that go beyond what is expected. This struck me because all of my sources say that the German contingent are pretty much “Fobbits” who are not allowed to do anything remotely close to fighting.

At the very end of the article we finally learn the heroic actions that these four soldiers did to earn the highest distinction in the German Army.

The four soldiers that were honored on Monday were witness to a suicide attack by Taliban militants on Oct. 20, 2008 southwest of Kunduz. Two German soldiers were killed and two wounded in the attack. Five Afghan children were killed, one injured. Although the German’s armored vehicle was on fire and munitions were exploding, the four soldiers, aged 28 to 33, rushed to the scene to try to help.

Okay let me try to get my brain wrapped around this one. You are a soldier in a war zone and an explosion happens and several people are killed or wounded and rushing to the scene to render aid is “beyond what is expected”?

Don’t get wrong, this probably rates a three day pass or an extra beer ration but the highest medal in the whole frigging army?

In fact, not rushing to the scene could easily be cause for charges of dereliction of duty or cowardice.

Note to the German Army; this is the kind of action that deserves this kind of medal. Meet SSG Erich Phillips:

Mortar Platoon Sergeant for Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross Sept. 15, 2008 in Vicenza, Italy, for his actions at Ranch House in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2007.

Phillips initially directed fire from the mortar pit, then led its defense — holding off more than a dozen insurgents who had breached the perimeter with a combination of small-arms fire and grenades. Then he and Sgt. Kyle Dirkinitis, a medic, rushed out to defend an isolated guard post. Phillips halted another enemy advance with more grenades and fire.

Dirkinitis — who would eventually receive the Bronze Star with “V” device — was then wounded in the chest. Phillips dragged him to safety and directed another soldier to treat his injury while rejoining the fight. Strafing runs by the A-10 and machine-gun and mortar fire by the Chosen Company soldiers forced the enemy to abandon their positions.

Phillips then led a team that retook part of the perimeter. He then dragged another wounded soldier from a destroyed guard tower and directed the evacuation of wounded.

And even that DID NOT rate the highest award in the American army.

If you start giving away medals, people will stop earning them.

Just as a follow up on Jonn’s post.

With the encouragement of a clown car full of communist dictators, the United Nations and our very own Commissar in Chief, the ousted former Honduran President has decided to return. The new President of Honduras however doesn’t think it’s such a great idea.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras’ exiled president took off for home in a Venezuelan jet in a high-stakes attempt to return to power, even as the interim government told its military to turn away the plane.

And now for the unusual update:

Tin Pot Dictator Hugo Chavez has so far stolen most of the limelight in this current crisis but it looks like old school Communist dictator Daniel Ortega is about to change that.

Honduras says Nicaragua has troops moving on border 05 Jul 2009 20:20:26 GMT Source: Reuters TEGUCIGALPA, July 5 (Reuters) – Honduras’ interim President Roberto Micheletti said on Sunday Nicaraguan troops were moving to the mutual frontier and urged Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to respect Honduran sovereignty.

He gave no further details about troop movements in Nicaragua which shares a border with Honduras to the southeast of the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.

I personally spent a lot of time in the mid-80’s in this particular shithole so my take on Ortega’s move (if real) is based on some experience. He will rattle his sabers as far as the Rio Coco and realize that his pathetic military has no way to attack across a motor pool no less a fairly big river. Not that the Honduran military is much better but Ortega’s move is purely PR and nothing of substance.

If you guys hit Jonn’s PayPal enough, I’ll volunteer to go to Puerto Lempira and report directly from the source. Even if you don’t give a shit about Honduras, throwing a couple of sheckles Jonn’s way would be greatly appreciated. The man is a government employee and apparently pretty accident prone!

Stay tuned, you never know what can blow up in situations like this.

At this point no one really knows the true reason (s) for Governor Sarah Palin’s sudden resignation. Bill Kristol called it “risky” but “brilliant”.

Steve Hayward reminded us to be careful to write a premature political obituary.

Newsweek, 1971, “Ronald Reagan’s Slow Fade,” ended with the judgment that “the somber truth is that Sacramento may mark the end of Ronald Reagan’s political road. . . By every normal measure, Ronald Reagan ought to be entitled to any political future he wants. A close aide said, ‘The Presidency? Oh, he’s not interested. Four more years and I think you’ll see Ronald Reagan riding one of his horses off into the sunset.’” And see Stephen Roberts in the New York Times Magazine: “In 1976, the reasoning goes, Reagan would be 65, and too old to run.”

“When a guy’s built on celluloid,” Democratic State Senator George Moscone said, “he goes up fast, but he burns out quickly.”

After the 1976 campaign, Newsweek offered a reprise, “Into the Sunset”: “The concluding line of Reagan’s convention speech—’There is no substitute for victory’—could also turn out to be a epitaph for his own political career.”

Of course both of these gentlemen and the scores of others who (like myself) fell in love with the truly conservative beauty queen, basketball star, marathon running, moose hunting mother of five are missing a huge difference between Palin and past political resurrections like those of Reagan and Nixon.

Sarah Quit.

It’s that simple really. To the MSM it’s not remotely relevant why she quit; only that she undeniably did in fact quit.

A huge part of her political appeal was the perception of her as a fighter. And fighters don’t quit.

Sooner or later the mystery will be revealed, it always does.

Given what we know after her rambling statement which isn’t very much, speculation has run the full spectrum of possibilities. My take is that only two scenarios make any sense at all.

If Sarah or someone in her family has been diagnosed with something very serious it would make sense and she could easily recover in time.

The more likely however is that a major scandal is about to break and she will never recover in any serious way.

Inside the beltway Republicans have long argued whether or not Palin was electable on the national stage; I think she just settled that debate.

This totally avoidable display of weakness was just as predictable. I warned that putting the USS McCain on the trail of this ship was a bad idea from the start.

Obama had decided to pursue the toothless United Nations route and should have left it at that. Instead we get this news today.

The United States will not use force to inspect a North Korean ship suspected of carrying banned goods, an American official was quoted as saying Friday.

An American destroyer has been shadowing the North Korean freighter sailing off China’s coast, possibly on its way to Myanmar.

Rather than allow this to be another UN failure, Obama decided to make it a 100% American failure.

HotAir aptly described their view:

So why did we bother to get the resolution in the first place? If the Obama administration didn’t see that threat coming from miles away, then they are even more clueless than I’d imagined. Instead of Obama looking tough, Kim has shown the world that he can bully the US into retreat at any time. He exposed Obama as a paper tiger.

Kim now knows he can do whatever he wants in the Pacific Rim and suffer no consequences at all. He can sell missiles, proliferate nukes, and the worst that will happen will be the US Navy asking, “Mother, may I?” when it comes to inspections. This, Obama wants us to believe, is “smart power”; in reality, it’s neither. It’s Jimmy Carter-style weakness, and our enemies will derive the obvious lessons from it.

Pathetic.

Note to President. A war ship at sea is like a pistol in a ghetto. If you have no intention of using it, you don’t want to show it off.