The True ‘Cost’ of Defeat in Afghanistan

Max Boot  "Norquist seems quite enamored of Ronald Reagan’s pullout from Lebanon after the suicide car-bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983. Perhaps he is not aware that this incident was routinely cited — along with the U.S. pullout from Somalia in 1993 — by Osama bin Laden in the 1990s to justify his belief that the U.S. was a “weak horse” that could be attacked with impunity. Note to Grover: Even the great Ronald Reagan was not infallible." Via Weekly Standard

A US Foreign Policy Marked By Competence and Strength  by Victor Davis Hanson: "...appearing weak only encourages such violence. After the three-week brilliant victory in March-April 2003, Gaddafi gave up his WMD arsenal, Syria got out of Lebanon, Dr. Khan was shut down in Pakistan, and the Gulf states curbed their subsidies to terrorists. By 2007, however, anti-Americanism in Middle Eastern nations arose again commensurate with our apparent incompetence in Iraq. And yet by 2010 and apparent victory in Iraq, the US was regaining greater influence among the Arab community, especially as it looked for our leadership to stop Iran. Proven competence and strength, especially in pursuit of a good cause, can do far more than expressions of good intentions; a weak nation that is most considerate and full of deference will nevertheless be ignored or despised if it loses wars — given the universal nature of man."

Congressional Security and the Tucson Shooting

STRATFOR  "A common mindset of politicians and their staffers is that better security will limit their accessibility and thus hinder their ability to do their job (and win elections). In fact, there are a number of measures that members of Congress and other public officials can institute for better security without limiting accessibility. While staying in a secure facility would be the safest, it isn’t a realistic option. What is realistic — and effective — is the prudent employment of protective intelligence as well as some measure of physical protection on the move."

Liberals Seek Ban on Metaphors in Wake of Arizona Shooting

Ann Coulter  "Every friend of Loughner who has characterized his politics has described him as liberal. Not one called him a conservative.
"One friend says Loughner never listened to talk radio or watched the TV news. Throw in "never read books" and you have the dictionary definition of a liberal. Being completely uninformed is precisely how most liberals stay liberal."

 Krauthammer wonders at the delusions of the media  "Krauthammer dissects the the media’s hysterical and fact-free ranting about fantastical links between Sarah Palin and the Tea Party and the shootings in Arizona and neatly skewers the raging hypocrisy of it."

The U.S. Loses Ground on Economic Freedom

Wall Street Journal "Austerity is the name of the game for governments whose promises have outstripped their ability to pay. Sustainability, not the faddish environmental sustainability that has dominated political circles for almost two decades, but rather the true sustainability of economic growth and job creation, is back in style."

The Government Spending Threat to Economic Freedom  "All told, 117 countries, mainly developing and emerging market economies, improved their Economic Freedom Index score. Meanwhile the U.S. dropped to 9th place, remaining “mostly free,” weighed down by the burden of President Obama’s spending spree." From Heritage

Tucson Tea Party Will Counter-Protest Westboro Cult

Gateway Pundit  "The Tucson Tea Party sent this out last night.They are planning to counter-protest the Westboro cult at the funeral of the Tucson shooting victims.
"This came after the Westboro cult announced that they will protest the funeral of Christina Green."

We ask everyone to make sure that our overall tone is civil and respectful in accordance with the serious and somber circumstances of the day. Do not allow yourself to be provoked and bear in mind that our presence is about the victim and her family and loved ones and not about political ideology. The family has also asked for no media, so preserving the privacy and dignity of the family is our highest priority.
Please adhere to the following code of conduct:
*Please be peaceful with all other attendees and possible protestors at all times
*This is a non-partisan gathering of many members of our community, so please refrain from political discourse
*Please do not wear any clothing that has logos for political, activist or community groups. It has been requested that our community members that will be at the funeral to support the family all wear white.
*Please do not pass out any literature or use this gathering as an opportunity to promote a group or individual or religious viewpoint
*Please do not bring any signs. This is not a rally or protest, and signs and banners are not appropriate for a funeral.
*Please do expect a diverse gathering of supporters for the family. The tragedy has brought our entire community together in unity to support the victims and their families.

...."

The charlatans' response to the Tucson tragedy

George Will  "Three days before Tucson, Howard Dean explained that the Tea Party movement is "the last gasp of the generation that has trouble with diversity." Rising to the challenge of lowering his reputation and the tone of public discourse, Dean smeared Tea Partyers as racists: They oppose Obama's agenda, Obama is African American, ergo . . .
"Let us hope that Dean is the last gasp of the generation of liberals whose default position in any argument is to indict opponents as racists. This McCarthyism of the left - devoid of intellectual content, unsupported by data - is a mental tic, not an idea but a tactic for avoiding engagement with ideas. It expresses limitless contempt for the American people, who have reciprocated by reducing liberalism to its current characteristics of electoral weakness and bad sociology. "

ONE HAND ... OVER-PLAYED "But the left has no real choice here but to push the attack ... to carry on. Polls show that 57% of the American people aren't buying it, but they'll carry on because they have no way out right now. Soon this latest onslaught against talk radio will die down, and the leftists will sharpen their weapons for the next assault ... just waiting for the next tragedy to exploit. " Neal Boortz

A Horrid Crime, a Dishonest Debate "The same Left that embraces terrorist Bill Ayers seeks a tactical victory in Tucson." Andy McCarthy

The Extreme Rhetoric about Extreme Rhetoric "But this debate about the “tone” of American politics is ideologically unidirectional, designed not to elevate debate but to vilify a political enemy. The call for calm—with its frequent invocations of Tea Party “fascism”—is stupid partisan politics dressed up as incoherent moral politics."

Nate Beeler


















Bozell Column: Liberal Sickos Exploit a Rampage  "This flood of slanderous sludge is designed for nakedly political benefit: to paint a permanent black mark on conservatives as accessories to murder, and criminalize any expression of conservatism as a dangerous anti-government conspiracy.
"Happily, after a few broadcasts of this vomit, CBS pollsters found 57 percent of Americans questioned on Sunday and Monday didn’t accept the notion that the country’s “harsh political tone” had anything to do with the Tucson rampage."  More posts"

Rush Nails It: Giffords’ Shooter Has The Full Support of The Democratic Party…

A solemn presidential duty awaits Obama in Tucson Via The Freedomist. Perhaps he will address the role of the left in poisoning discourse in the nation.

Rep. Slaughter uses AZ tragedy to push for Fairness Doctrine

William Sullivan "The left would have loved for Loughner to have been revealed as an ex-military Tea Partier when the curtain was pulled back, thereby proving they were right and Rush is to blame. But there has been no such confirmation, not does it look like there will be. So when we reasonable Americans examine the actual evidence that has been released surrounding this case and cast aside all politicization that has ensued in its aftermath, where does it really lead?
"Not surprisingly, it leads to the simplest answer. Jared Loughner is an evil man who committed a crime that cost innocent people their lives, and his actions are directly the result of a mental instability that afflicts only the most depraved of our species. "

Rhode Island Governor Chafee to ban employees from talk radio  "Add to Paul Krugman, Clarence Dupnak, Chris Matthews and Sherrod Brown the name, Lincoln Chafee, who joins a growing chorus of stooges building a narrative around the straw-man, talk radio.  The governor of Rhode Island, Mr. Chafee will institute a "no talk policy" for state officials, banning them from speaking to radio hosts."

http://townhall.com/cartoons/jerryholbert

Arizona Lawman Acting Stupidly, Obama Silent; Cartoonist's take on the whole mess.

American Thinker  "At a press conference in the summer of 2009, President Barack Obama admitted to not having all the facts about an incident involving his friend Henry Louis Gates and the Cambridge Police. He then proceeded to declare that the Police "acted stupidly" anyway. ....

"If ever Obama was justified in singling out a police officer for acting stupidly, it's in the case of Sheriff Dupnik. Yet, he remains silent on the issue; he even called Dupnik to thank him for his efforts after the Sheriff made the unsubstantiated charges. What should we infer from the fact that Dupnik's extremely irresponsible words seem to be falling on deaf presidential ears?"

Chip Bok

Mike Ramirez, Townhall

Dana Summers

Libs Flock to Facebook Page Calling for Death of Sarah Palin

Moonbattery  "Surreal as it may be that the liberal media has tried to blame Sarah Palin for the Tucson shootings, that she generates a climate of hate cannot be denied. However, any hate she inspires is on the Left. The Facebook site "I hate it when I wake up and Sarah Palin is still alive" now has 2,200 likes. Here's an example of what you'll see if you wade into this cesspool:"....

"No matter how low your opinion of progressives, it always turns out to be too high."

Would this be the scar tissue that John Boehner referred to?

Palin Releases Facebook Video in Response to Shooting  "Sarah Palin has officially broken her silence and responded to criticism that she is somehow connected to the shootings in Tucson. The response came via a video on her Facebook page released Wednesday morning, and included her calling the shootings “inexcusable” and “incomprehensible” while accusing journalists and pundits of “blood libel”:"...."She also made sure to call out the actions of the many news outlets and journalists that politicized the issue. “But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn,” she said. “That is reprehensible.”"  Emphasis mine.

Rich Terrell at http://terrellaftermath.com/
-----------

Sarah Palin on ‘America’s Enduring Strength’  The text of Sarah Palin's statement. Hat tip to Bully Pulpit 

RIP Dick Winters

Moonbattery  "Major Dick Winters, the WWII hero who inspired the TV series Band of Brothers, died Saturday of Parkinson disease complications at age 92."

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Winters commanded a group of troops who parachuted behind enemy lines onto Utah Beach, where thousands of Allied troops landed for the invasion of Normandy.

Winter[s] and his Easy Company went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, the last-ditch Nazi offensive in western France. He also took part in the liberation of the Dachau death camp and numerous other battles.

Winters earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroics. Some feel he deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor. He certainly deserves to be remembered.

"Thank you Major Winters for your contribution in the never-ending battle to defend liberty from its enemies."
Van Helsing, blogging at Moonbattery.

Dick Winters, 'Band Of Brothers' Inspiration, Dies "Winters wasn't sure he would live through the war. He told writer Stephen Ambrose that he knelt down and prayed after D-Day. That comment inspired a scene in Band of Brothers.

"Portraying Winters, actor Damian Lewis says, "If somehow I manage to get home again, I promised God and myself that I would find a quiet piece of land someplace and spend the rest of my life in peace."

"Winters found that quiet piece of land. He bought a farm outside Hershey, Pa., where he spent the rest of his life."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185906/



Westboro Baptist Church to Picket Funeral of 9-Year-Old Tucson Shooting Victim

Hot Air "Westboro’s founder, Fred Phelps has run in several Kansas Democratic Party primaries, but has never won. In his most successful bid, as a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992, he received 31 percent of the vote.
"Phelps was an enormous supporter of Al Gore 1988 Democratic Party primary election and in 2003 wrote a letter to Saddam Hussein, praising his regime for being

the only Muslim state that allows the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be freely and openly preached on the streets.

Fred Phelps 
"Gender: Male

Religion: Baptist

Race or Ethnicity: White

Sexual orientation: Straight

Occupation: Activist, Religion

Party Affiliation: Democratic [1]

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Convinced that God hates fags"

Hillary Hauls Out Old 'Extremist' Rap

Investor's Business Daily  "...If there's one thing more detestable than using a crime to make political hay, it's using the crime to make the hay abroad. Hillary Clinton hit that new low in comments on the Giffords attack."
....

"The statement stands out as wrong in two ways. One is the suggestion that there's no real difference between a lone wacko who shoots a congresswoman and others in Tucson, and the global scourge of Islamic terrorism. The other is the undertone of the word "extremist," a pejorative the Clinton administration used to discredit political opponents in the 1990s. For a secretary of state to deliver such a message abroad ill serves the interests of America."