A Middle East Without American Influence?

Slate "In the Middle East, however, there is nothing that reeks so much of weakness as beating up on an ally in public. Moreover, this tongue-lashing comes shortly after the White House swallowed the open taunts of its adversaries." Gonna be a long three years. Seven if we don't stop getting our voting recommendations from celebrities.

The Gunny speaks

Military Times "Military Times recently interviewed R. Lee Ermey, combat veteran of Vietnam and Drill Instructor extraordinaire, on important subjects such as Don't Ask Don't Tell, rules of engagement, tattoos, and stationary (sic)." Via Blackfive

Capturing Bin Laden

From Grim at Blackfive "It happens that these don't. Islamic law has its own ideas about what is just and righteous in war, and it happens that al Qaeda is in violation of those standards too. These are not criminals; they're the enemies of civilization. Not "the enemies of our civilization," but of all civilizations. We can apply the laws and justice of war to them without violating any standard to which they have a right to appeal." Oh, yeah, by the way: Lawfare - ACLU sues over drones "And since when was it the job of the ACLU to determine the "wisdom" of using drones, much less the "legality"? Does it also claim the right to determine the "wisdom" and "legality" of artillery strikes? Air strikes? "

Republicans cast Nancy Pelosi as health care villain

Politico "Health care reform might be President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy, but not if you ask Republicans running for the House this year. According to them, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the driving force behind the enterprise, assisted by an army of subservient lieutenants."

Media Critic: Baier's Obama Interview Antidote to Brian Williams' Bow

Newsbusters " 'Still as a journalist and media critic, I salute Baier for putting the president to the test and respectfully challenging him on his contradictions and reversals -- and the subsequent flaws in the legislation he hopes to see on his desk in a matter of days.' Well, at least someone in the mainstream media thinks Baier did a good job. "

CIA director says secret attacks in Pakistan have hobbled al-Qaeda

WaPo via Heritage "So profound is al-Qaeda's disarray that one of its lieutenants, in a recently intercepted message, pleaded with bin Laden to come to the group's rescue and provide some leadership, Panetta said. He credited improved coordination with Pakistan's government and what he called "the most aggressive operation that CIA has been involved in in our history," offering a near-acknowledgment of what is officially a secret war." Give the Obama administration for this one.

Losing the War

Robert Rector "The War on Poverty created a destructive feedback loop: Welfare promoted the decline of marriage, which generated the need for more welfare. Today, out-of-wedlock childbearing and the resulting growth of single-parent homes are the most important causes of child poverty. If the poor women who give birth out of wedlock married the fathers of their children, two-thirds would immediately be lifted out of poverty. "

Twisting path to 216 for Pelosi

Politico "Two-hundred sixteen Democrats who remain in the House voted "yes" the first time, while 37 voted against it. Pelosi is sure to lose some of those "yes" votes, so the question is how many "nos" can she flip. " Remember that, in the end, they're still Democrats.

Video: The obligatory “Obama and Bret Baier try to be civil” clip

Hot Air "I’ll leave you with this question, my very favorite of the ones he asked: “Monday in Ohio, you called for courage in the health care debate. At the same time, House Speaker Pelosi was saying this to reporters about the deem and pass rule: ‘I like it, this scenario, because people don’t have to vote on the Senate bill.’ Is that the kind of courage that you’re talking about?” Heh."

Bret Baier Interviews Barack Obama

Weekly Standard "It wasn't what you'd call a friendly encounter. Baier, concerned that the president was filibustering, repeatedly interrupted the chief executive. Obama quickly grew frustrated. Before long, the look on his face suggested he was wondering why he agreed to the interview in the first place."

What are Pelosi and the House Democrat women up to now?

Michelle Malkin "The gender card is the first and last refuge of House Scoundrel Nancy Pelosi. She’s played it since Day One of her reign of error. She wielded it last week when she surrounded herself with kiddie human shields. And it appears she may be plotting it to use it in the Demcare end game."

The Longest Hatred, Part One

Ruthie Blum Leibowitz "But anyone really familiar with Judaism and the history of the Jews would know that the tripod that makes up the core of the Jewish people — Judaism, the land of Israel and the laws of the Torah — cannot be disconnected. This is why anti-Zionists, and often anti-Semites, try so hard to separate them."