Cruising Crawford with the German Chancellor
One rule of U.S. diplomacy is that if you do something nice for the French, you must also do something nice for the Germans. Following in the wake of the full red carpet treatment laid out for French President Sarkozy (State Dinner toast and photos) Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, got a special perk with an overnight stay at the Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch (satellite image) outside Crawford, Texas.
On Friday, after picking up Ms. Merkel at the helicopter pad in the President's white Ford pickup truck, they motored through the ranch. Later during the visit they dined on hamburgers and since Chancellor Merkel originally came from Hamburg Germany, she announced she felt right at home.
Can we now, once and for all put to rest the big lie by Democrats from Carter, Clinton (both Bill and Hillary), Kerry on down that President Bush has damaged our alliances around the world?
Since the U.S. and our allies invaded Iraq in 2003 nearly every major Western democracy has elected, re-elected, or in the case of Britain transitioned, to leaders who are pro-Bush and pro-American. If you need a further reminder of this reality, review the photos of the incredible visit President Bush made to Albania and the other capitals of Eastern Europe last Summer.
And even more encouraging: dangerous despots like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who has aligned closely with Iran, are being isolated. Curt posts that the Spanish King Juan Carlos went so far as to tell Chavez to "shut up" in a public meeting at the Summit of Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese leaders in Chile.
All of the above must really gall moonbat lefties who refuse to see any good to come out of the Bush Administration. Maybe we need to invite King Juan Carlos over to offer similar advice to the Democrats!
Outrage over Musharraf, Silence over ChavezSpeaking of Venezuela's newly minted dictator, isn't it odd that "news" media in the United States focuses almost exclusively on the turmoil in Pakistan and has barely mentioned, if at all, the violence in Venezuela?
A Tale of Two Coups
By Oliver North
Real Clear Politics
November 09, 2007
WASHINGTON -- It's been a tough week for democracy and American diplomacy. In Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf pulled a coup against himself, and U.S. diplomats apparently were stunned. In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez pulled a coup against his countrymen, and U.S. diplomats once again, well ... were stunned. The difference in political attention and media coverage accorded these two affairs has been -- for lack of a better word -- stunning.
...
Last week, Venezuela's rubber-stamp legislature approved 69 constitutional changes drafted by their party boss, Hugo Chavez. If affirmed by referendum on Dec. 2, the amendments would dramatically expand the powers of Venezuela's chief executive, permit the government to seize private property without court approval, virtually eliminate civil liberties and allow Chavez to serve -- like Kim Jong Il in North Korea -- as president for life. To make this deal attractive to the people, the Venezuelan workday officially would be shortened to six hours.
On Wednesday this week, while Presidents Bush and Sarkozy toured George Washington's gardens and Congress mulled the means of tightening the screws on Pakistan, more than 80,000 people took to the streets of Caracas to protest the Chavez coup. When students gathered on the campus of Central University and refused to disperse as ordered by police, the cops and National Guard troops pulled back allowing goons from Chavez's United Socialist Party, many wearing ski masks, to open fire on the student gathering.
Despite numerous accounts of the Caracas clashes in the Latin American and European media -- even the BBC -- there has been scant coverage in the U.S. media -- and almost no mention of Chavez's machinations by our diplomats. The protests in Pakistan, including pitiful pictures of jailed lawyers, have gotten almost as much ink and airtime in the U.S. as the Hollywood writers strike. President Bush even called Musharraf to tell him to take off his uniform and hold elections as promised. Yet official Washington has been practically mute in criticizing Chavez. Why the difference?
Joe Lieberman Describes the Defeatist Democrat DiseaseIt was a tough week for Democrats whose heads are still stuck in the sands of defeat in Iraq.
First, the New York Times had to bury the story which opened with this paragraph:
American forces have routed Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the Iraqi militant network, from every neighborhood in Baghdad a top American General said today, allowing American troops involved in the 'surge' to depart as planned.Rich Galen noticed the starkness of the words:
Routed. Every. Planned.Yet, even as we observe Veterans Day honoring the service and sacrifice of our veterans, Democrats continue to deny that the surge is working and dismiss any idea that progress is being made in Iraq?
Not "making headway against." Routed.
Not "some neighborhoods." Every.
Not "leave in disgrace." Depart as planned.
What's their problem? Have they just been so poisoned by hate and a lust for power that they have finally gone crazy?
Joe Lieberman has the answer. The following are excerpts of a speech he delivered on Thursday to the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies:
"The Politics of National Security"Ouch! That has to leave a mark!
Excerpts of an address by Senator Joseph Lieberman (Independent- CT)
Full transcript
November 8, 2007
“Since retaking Congress in November 2006, the top foreign policy priority of the Democratic Party has not been to expand the size of our military for the war on terror or to strengthen our democracy promotion efforts in the Middle East or to prevail in Afghanistan. It has been to pull our troops out of Iraq, to abandon the democratically-elected government there, and to hand a defeat to President Bush.
“Iraq has become the singular litmus test for Democratic candidates. No Democratic presidential primary candidate today speaks of America’s moral or strategic responsibility to stand with the Iraqi people against the totalitarian forces of radical Islam, or of the consequences of handing a victory in Iraq to al Qaeda and Iran. And if they did, their campaign would be as unsuccessful as mine was in 2006. Even as evidence has mounted that General Petraeus’ new counterinsurgency strategy is succeeding, Democrats have remained emotionally invested in a narrative of defeat and retreat in Iraq, reluctant to acknowledge the progress we are now achieving, or even that that progress has enabled us to begin drawing down our troops there.”
“[T]here is something profoundly wrong—something that should trouble all of us—when we have elected Democratic officials who seem more worried about how the Bush administration might respond to Iran’s murder of our troops, than about the fact that Iran is murdering our troops.
There is likewise something profoundly wrong when we see candidates who are willing to pander to this politically paranoid, hyper-partisan sentiment in the Democratic base—even if it sends a message of weakness and division to the Iranian regime.”
Campaign Trail Quickies--Elect Hillary, Get Bill Too (and all that goes with him?) Hillary Clinton had a bit of trouble on the campaign trail ever since her disastrous debate performance on October 30th. So what's the first thing a tough female candidate and lifelong advocate of feminism does when in trouble? She calls in her lying, cheating husband to save her. Bill Clinton has been barnstorming Iowa in the last week (lock up your daughters) and went so far as to compare Edward's or Obama's comments on Hillary to the Swift Boat attack ads that were so successful in unmasking the true character of 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry.
At least that over the top remark took the focus off Hillary, but did it help Hillary to refocus the nation's attention on Bill? Bill's very public activity in Hillary's campaign can't help but remind voters about the scandal plagued Clinton Administration even as Hillary continues to be faced with questions about more recent fundraising scandals.
As a follow-up, see Peggy Noonan's latest: "Things Are Tough All Over But Mrs. Clinton is no Iron Lady.
--John McCain Brings in the Big Guns: Mama!
You know John McCain is feeling the heat when he brings in his 95 year old Mother Roberta to help campaign for him.
It was a reminder about the early corruption which plagued the Salt Lake City Olympics before Romney, a fellow Mormon, was tapped to clean up the mess.
No doubt that Roberta's direct, frank approach may be John McCain's inspiration for the much ballyhooed "Straight Talk Express."
Oklahoma Implements Model Immigration Control LawThis should be a model for every state and the Federal government as well!
Oklahoma Implements Toughest US Measures Against Illegal Immigrants
By Greg Flakus
Voice of America News
05 November 2007
The state of Oklahoma has begun implementing a new law that is described as the toughest in the nation against illegal immigrants. Supporters of the law say it will reduce crime and curb use of taxpayer funded services by people who have no right to be in the United States. But Latino groups, joined by civil rights groups and churches say the new law is fostering discrimination. VOA's Greg Flakus has more in this report from Houston.
The new law makes it illegal to hire, transport or house an illegal immigrant and authorizes police in Oklahoma to assist federal immigration authorities in enforcing U.S. immigration law. The law also denies state services to undocumented aliens and imposes penalties on employers who hire them.
Weather Channel Founder: Global Warming ‘Greatest Scam in History’The global warming debate gets hotter every day!
Global Warming ‘Greatest Scam in History’By John ColemanThe number of eminent scientists and meteorologists who have debunked the massive socialist inspired lie that is man made global warming continues to grow. They can't all be working for big oil!
Icecap
November 7, 2007
It is the greatest scam in history. I am amazed, appalled and highly offended by it. Global Warming; It is a SCAM. Some dastardly scientists with environmental and political motives manipulated long term scientific data to create an illusion of rapid global warming. Other scientists of the same environmental whacko type jumped into the circle to support and broaden the “research” to further enhance the totally slanted, bogus global warming claims. Their friends in government steered huge research grants their way to keep the movement going. Soon they claimed to be a consensus.
Environmental extremists, notable politicians among them, then teamed up with movie, media and other liberal, environmentalist journalists to create this wild “scientific” scenario of the civilization threatening environmental consequences from Global Warming unless we adhere to their radical agenda. Now their ridiculous manipulated science has been accepted as fact and become a cornerstone issue for CNN, CBS, NBC, the Democratic Political Party, the Governor of California, school teachers and, in many cases, well informed but very gullible environmentally conscientious citizens. Only one reporter at ABC has been allowed to counter the Global Warming frenzy with one 15 minute documentary segment.
I do not oppose environmentalism. I do not oppose the political positions of either party. However, Global Warming, i.e. Climate Change, is not about environmentalism or politics. It is not a religion. It is not something you “believe in.” It is science; the science of meteorology. This is my field of life-long expertise. And I am telling you Global Warming is a non-event, a manufactured crisis and a total scam. I say this knowing you probably won’t believe a me, a mere TV weatherman, challenging a Nobel Prize, Academy Award and Emmy Award winning former Vice President of United States. So be it. [more]
More recent Global Warming news:
- It’s the Sun Stupid
By Lawrence Solomon, Financial Post, Nov 11, 2007 - Despite Predictions, Sky is Not Falling
By Paula Easley, Anchorage Daily News, Nov 11, 2007 - Globaloney
The Washington Times, Nov 11, 2007
Scaremonger Hurricane Predictions Wrong AGAIN!
Speaking of global warming scaremongers, you would have thought they would have learned their lesson after wrongly predicting 2006 would be as bad a hurricane season, or worse, than 2005 which was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, and brought us Katrina and Rita. 2006 turned out to be the quietest hurricane season in ten years with no hurricane making landfall on the mainland United States.
With just days to go in the 2007 season, the average predictions of 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes is again WRONG! So far, there were 5 named hurricanes and only 2 major storms. Only one, Hurricane Humberto, made landfall on the mainland of the United States and promptly weakened below hurricane force. One unfortunate death was the result, but also much needed rain helped alleviate drought stricken areas of the Southeast.
More hurricanes and more intense hurricanes was said to be proof that manmade global warming was having an adverse effect on our climate and would ultimately be payback for ignoring the problem. Since that conclusion was based on one year's storm activity in 2005 can we now say that two years of record breaking minor storm activity proves just the opposite?
Ask your favorite global warming Nazi for the answer to that!
Honoring veterans is something we should do every day!
Vice President Cheney observes Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, November 11, 2007:
Vice President Dick Cheney delivers remarks Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007, during Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. "Gathered as we are today in a time of war, we're only more sharply aware of the nation's debt to the members of the armed forces," said the Vice President, adding, "They are constantly in our thoughts." White House photo by David Bohrer
Excerpt from Vice President Cheney's remarks:
America may be a country founded in revolution, but we've never been a warrior culture. We are a democracy, defended by volunteers. We're a peaceful nation, with friends to the north and the south of us, and great oceans to the east and the west of us. Yet these blessings alone have never been enough to assure safety at home or peace in our world. At times in our history, arms and ideologies have been massed against us, and we have heard the call to bring freedom, new hope, and healing to afflicted peoples.
America has faced these challenges, often at very high cost. We see part of that cost right here on the hills of Arlington. And the legacy of the American armed forces is truly extraordinary. They've thrown back tyrants, liberated death camps, carried out heroic rescues, and kept the peace in volatile regions. Above all, they have kept us free in the land we call home -- free to live as we see fit, free to work, and worship, and speak our minds, and choose our own leaders. All of this, we owe to the men and women who have taken that oath to defend America. And may the rest of us never take them for granted.Gathered as we are today in a time of war, we're only more sharply aware of the nation's debt to the members of the armed forces. They are constantly in our thoughts. Our gratitude extends to their loved ones, because military service is often a family commitment, and they, too, are giving up a lot for the good of our whole nation. [full text here]
Vice President Dick Cheney lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Veterans Day ceremonies, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. White House photo by David Bohrer
Veteran Warren G. King, Sr. of Nashville, center, salutes with fellow veterans Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007, during Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. White House photo by David Bohrer
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