Iran’s Supreme Leader Praises U.S. ‘Occupy’ Movement

CNS News  "The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – the “supreme leader” of Iran –  praised America’s “Occupy Wall Street” movement on Thursday, calling it a reflection of people around the world who are “losing their patience” with the dominance of the United States and Israel in the international community."

Bing

150 Years ago: The Campaigns of Second Manassas to Antietam (Update)

August 27-27; Second Manassas  and the defeat of Gen. John Pope.  "A heavy, soaking rain fell across northern Virginia on the night of August 30-31, 1862. Despite the storm’s intensity, it could not wash away the bloodstains that reddened the fields and wood lots along Bull Run creek. On the two previous days, more than 100,000 Northerners and Southerners had killed and maimed each other.

If General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia had a single crucible that forged it into one of history’s finest commands, it was perhaps this familiar killing ground at Manassas." (Video)    Numerous excellent links at this site.    NPS Historian Ray Brown explores the intense fight between Fitz John Porter's Federals and Stonewall Jackson's Confederates at the Deep Cut at Second Manassas on August 30, 1862.  

Some background on why Lincoln wanted to remove the Army of the Potomac from the dithering McClelland and his unfortunate choice of John Pope as the solution;

   The Cabinet of Mr. Lincoln found itself, in the spring of 1862, in the very difficult position of having called to the chief command of the army an officer in whom it did not place entire confidence. The attitude of General McClellan on many points was disliked; his political affiliations were distrusted; his extreme caution, so far as his own movements were concerned--his easy confidence when the matter at stake was the safety of Washington--his startling plan of removing the army to the Peninsula--all combined to awaken alarm, and to deprive him of that cordial support which his great undertaking required in order to be successful. He had even attempted to evade the orders of the President, by taking with him to Yorktown troops supposed to be needed for the defence of Washington; the Government had promptly interfered by detaining the entire corps of McDowell; and, though two divisions of this corps were afterward sent to McClellan, the fact remained that he did not have at the outset of the campaign the overwhelming force on which he had calculated. The irritation caused by this found abundant expression in his correspondence with the President and the Secretary of War.

The Battle of 2nd Manassas  Various reports and situations linked to here for the student.

The destruction of the 5th New York Zouaves   "Just after 4 p.m. that afternoon, a Confederate advance started toward the grassy slope just south of the present day Lee Highway.  The 5th New York regiment rushed to form a line to stop the oncoming assault, but they were quickly overrun by the oncoming Rebels.  In less than ten minutes, 123 members of the regiment were either killed or mortally wounded. 

"One Union veteran referred to the Southern counterattack that day as a "hurricane of death." That was the single greatest loss of life suffered by any Union infantry regiment in any single action during the Civil War."     More on the 5th New York and 2nd Manassas

150th Anniversary Battle of First Manassas Part 3 (Known also as Bull Run)

The Union tended to name battles after the nearest river while the South used the name of a nearby town. The North named the Battle of Antietam after the creek on the battlefield; the South called it the Battle of Sharpsburg, the town there. So also with their armies; Union armies were generally named after rivers and Confederates after states. (Army of Tennessee was Confederate; Army of the Tennessee was Union.

Left: The Stone House, or Matthews’ House, located along the Warrenton Turnpike, was constructed 

circa 1848.  It served as a hospital during the First Battle of Manassas and the Second Battle of Manassas.

Below; the stone house today.

• Fighting in the Twilight at Brawner Farm  The battle opens. Follow the trail of markers
• Second Manassas Campaign by Virginia Historical Markers
• The Guns of Second Manassas
• Get a battle app.   I kid you not.
• General Pope's battle report
• The Case of the Missing Manassas Cyclorama
• Frank Harrell's Civil War History Mr. Harrell was first webmaster of Manassas  National Battlefield Park

 (Left) Uniform of the 5th New York  "Clad in colorful garb modeled on the uniform worn by french colonial troops, the 5th New York Infantry, or "Duryée's Zouaves", was one of two regiments in Colonel Gouverneur Warren's brigade that bore the brunt of Longstreet's onslaught on August 30, 1862. cought in a deadly crossfire that one survivor likened to "the vortex of Hell". In less than ten minutes the regiment lost 330 out of some 550 men taken into action. At least 120 Zouaves were killed outright or died of wounds, the greatest fatality sustained in a Civil War battle by any single Union infantry unit."   

Below, Don Troiani's "The 5th Texas, Second Manassas, August 30, 1862"

Army of Northern Virginia Order of Battle - Second Manassas
Union Order of Battle - Second Manassas
AmericanCivilWar.com; The Battle of Second Manassas

Second Manassas - Morning of Delusion from Civil War Trust on Vimeo.  Hat tip to CyndisList.com  for this and the following.

Second Manassas - Prelude (1 of 14) from Civil War Trust on Vimeo.
"Historian Scott Patchan talks about the failings of Union high command on August 30 1862 and how they impacted the Battle of Second Manassas."

Update: The weight of war–a 150th musing

"This is an image of Lt. Colonel Joseph McLean of the 88th Pennsylvania–his shirt unbuttoned, shoulders slumped, face heavy with sadness or fatigue. Precisely 150 years ago this afternoon–almost to the minute as I write this–McLean fell in the swirl of fighting on Chinn Ridge, at Second Manassas. About most who fell in this war, we know little beyond the official record–little of their life, their being, or their death. But of this man, Lt. Colonel Joseph McLean of the 88th Pennsylvania, we know a good deal."
More...

Hat tip to James Sullivan, Tampa, FLA

Liberal Chickens; Virtually every left-wing attack on Bush can legitimately be turned against Obama.

Victor Davis Hanson  "Beneath the folksy veneer and the serial calls for “civility,” Obama proved vicious in his denunciations of George Bush, at one point calling him “unpatriotic” for adding $4 trillion to the national debt over eight years. Obama offered two general arguments: that the chief executive is solely responsible for economic hard times, and that four years is easily long enough to right the ship. Obama scoffed at the Bush defense that politically driven interventions by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae — hand in glove with congressional overseers — had distorted the real-estate market and contributed to the subprime-mortgage collapse, which destroyed an otherwise strong economy. "

....During the Bush administration, the Left established another caricature: the gaffe-prone, golf-playing elitist George Bush. Did they ever imagine that they were ensuring like caricature for the leftist academic Barack Obama, who quite unexpectedly would play golf four times more often in four years than Bush did in eight years? 

http://www.tobytoons.com/td/

Lessons in demagoguery from Debbie Blab-, er, Wasserman Schultz

Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Opponent: ‘She’s Able to Implode Herself’

http://www.conservativedailynews.com/2012/08/branco-cartoon-legitimate-politics/

Of course, Schultz's friends help out when they can:  (Via Weasel Zippers)

Code Pink Loons Interrupt Paul Ryan RNC Speech…   Ryan stopped his speech and convention-goers responded with chants of “USA! USA!”

New Black Panthers To Protest RNC Today: “F--k These Crakkkas”…

Leftist RNC Protester: Rich People Need To Be “Destroyed”

Clear Choice

http://www.conservativedailynews.com/2012/08/branco-cartoon-clear-choice/

Republicans are Offering Governance and Leadership   "The Democrats gave up on governance and leadership long ago in favor of the creation of disparate disaffected groups that could be separated and courted with government programs to address their dissatisfaction (real or imagined) with success in our society. "

Paul Ryan: The Right Man in the Right Place at the Right Time   "Ryan vowed that “Medicare is a promise, and we will honor it. A Romney-Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare, for my Mom’s generation, for my generation, and for my kids and yours.”

"As Ryan stated midway through his nomination acceptance speech: “So our opponents can consider themselves on notice. In this election, on this issue, the usual posturing on the Left isn’t going to work. Mitt Romney and I know the difference between protecting a program, and raiding it. Ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate. We want this debate. We will win this debate.” "

Dems Pander for Votes   "By the way, one more thing the proggies don’t tell you is that two-thirds of minimum wage workers earn a raise within a year from those evil job creators who hired them."

Legal Insurrection,

Rice: World is 'chaotic and dangerous' with a weak USA

" "There is no country … not even a rising China, that can do more harm to us than we can do to ourselves if we fail to accomplish the tasks before us here at home," she said."

Republican committee chair calls Obama an 'unabashed leftist Democrat'
"This is not your daddy's Democrat in the White House," Priebus said ..."He's an unabashed leftist Democrat, an European-style Democrat."

Mr. Barone discusses Obama's likeability vs. Romney's. (What on earth do they find likable about this petulant juvenile president ruling over us now?)
Michael Barone; Team Romney emphasizes Mitt’s differences from the president on the issues.

"The latest ABC/Washington Post poll, for example, reported that when asked which of the two candidates was more likable, 61 percent picked Obama and only 27 percent said Romney. That looks like a huge advantage.

"But when you look at what pollsters call their favorable/unfavorables, the contrast is much less distinct."... 

The Leaker in Chief

Caroline Glick  "Last month, provoked by the Obama White House's penchant for routinely using top secret information to advance its political fortunes on the backs of US allies, agents and armed forces, Latma produced an English-language song we called Tell on Me, to the tune of the immortal words of Ben E. King's masterpiece Stand By Me.
"If you missed it then, here it is again."

"I mention our work because this week a courageous group of former US Special Operations fighters posted a video where they spell out precisely how Obama's leaks imperil US national security. It's already going viral. When I watched it last night it had 57,000 views. Now it's got nearly 250,000. 

"Here it is if you haven't seen it."

About Caroline Glick, Deputy Managing Editor of The Jerusalem Post.

Defending America Takes More Than “Hope”

Heritage  "Speaking to veterans at the American Legion conference this week, President Obama said, “Today, every American can be proud that the United States is safer, stronger and more respected in the world.”
"That’s quite a statement from a President who has granted legitimacy to extremist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood and promised the Russians he would be “flexible” toward their demands on missile defense, while slighting American allies like Poland and the Czech Republic.  

"Heritage defense experts call Obama’s defense strategy “a strategy of hope“: “a hope that big wars are a thing of the past; a hope that America’s allies will do more; and a hope that fewer resources do not jeopardize the lives of American soldiers.”  

"These are flimsy hopes in the face of hostile nations and terrorist groups that want nothing more    than the destruction of America."t

Speaking of honor and respect for our warriors:

 Obama Honored Fallen SEALs By Sending Their Parents a Form Letter Signed By Electric Pen

"Yesterday, Karen and Billy Vaughn, parents of Aaron Carson Vaughn, spoke at theDefending the Defenders forum sponsored by the Tea Party Patriots outside the RNC Convention in Tampa. Karen brought a copy of the form letter they were sent following their son’s death."

Countering Workplace Violence

STRATFOR  "In most cases of workplace violence, the violent outburst is driven by factors that build up over a long period of time, rather than by sudden, traumatic events. Failed romantic relationships or marriages, stress from financial problems, lack of job advancement and perceived (or actual) injustice at the hands of a co-worker or superior are all factors that have led to violent incidents in the workplace.

"The Johnson case fits very closely into the model described above. Confrontations between Johnson and Ercolino had reportedly taken place for about a year before the attack, so there was an obvious buildup. This was also a premeditated attack targeting a specific individual, and the perpetrator was male."  Read more: Countering Workplace Violence | Stratfor 

Countering Workplace Violence is republished with permission of Stratfor.

MSNBC’s Schultz and Sharpton Falsely Claim Janesville Plant Closed Under President Bush to Slam Ryan

Conservative Daily News    " Rep. Ryan reiterated that President Barack Obama promised to keep the plant open, but then shut it down.  The left-wingers went rabid and supported  the false narrative that the plant was closed by George W. Bush.

Sharpton said if you want “an eloquent person [Ryan] that does not tell the truth, this was a great performance.” "
Meanwhile, Smilin' Ed said  that the people in is hometown must know that he’s lying about the plant.

"The irony is palpable. In actuality, the plant closed in June of 2009.  The Janesville Gazette reported back in February of 2009 that:"....Read more...

Speaking of MSNBC, you may not believe this, but...

MSNBC's newest race code-word  Chris Matthews is a real racialist piece of work.  "Clearly, the pundits at MSNBC are being driven mad by the success of the GOP convention, particularly Paul Ryan's barn-burner Wednesday night. When desperate that the message of limited govenrment and opportunity is connecting with the American public, they resort to the last, worn-out, obsolete weapon in their arsenal: the race card.
"Last night, they really stretched, and offered a novel theory, that the city of Chicago is actually a code word for black. See for yourself:"

Legal Insurrection

Newt Takes it to Chris Matthews on His 'Racist Thinking'

In the Tunnel Wall
"Chris Matthews, on Monday's Hardball, attacked Newt Gingrich with the same old liberal line about the GOP using racial code words, from Mitt Romney talking about welfare reform to Gingrich calling Barack Obama the "food stamp president." However, the former Speaker of the House wasn't having any of  it, as he hit back: "Why do you assume food stamp refers to black? What kind of racist thinking do you have? Wait a second! Why aren’t you being a racist because you assume it refers to black?" "

Much more on this at the Tunnel Wall

RNC Protesters: Pushing the Narrative; On the ground, their behavior is pure Alinsky.

PJ Media  "Of course: no concern was expressed about a war on a conservative women, like Sarah Palin. The talk around Tampa for weeks before the convention was about the booming business that strip club operators hoped to receive from conventioneers. The mayor got in on the act with the club owners, and insulted his Republican guests by joking about a stripping Palin impersonator.

"The “Republican hypocrisy” narrative was made to order for the media. The majority of delegates could be planning to attend prayer meetings, but the media have and will continue to imply that they are frequenting strip clubs. The private entrances were shown on nightly news programs, no evidence required of either booming business or conservative critics of the clubs being the clients. Local news programs, like Channel 10 News, simply ran with the implication: “Grand Ol’ Party: Strip Clubs Expect Busy Week During RNC.”

Women Dress Up In Vagina Costumes To Protest Mitt Romney At RNC    "The anti-Romney vagina protest also included signs which read, “Republican arrogance hurt America more than AL-Qaeda ever did” and “abort sh*t Romney and his Taliban party.” "
 Videos at the link. Find 'em yourself

This was fail #1

For Second Time Dems Fly Grammatically Incorrect Banner Over RNC: “Romney-Ryan-Akin: Too Extreme For Woman”…

This next is from 25 August:  ANARCHISTS PLAN TO TAKE DOWN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AT RNC
"In addition to trying to shut down bridges to prevent delegates from reaching the convention center next week, Brandon has learned that a subgroup of Occupy is looking to shut down EMS communications throughout the city."

Man at RNC protest camp arrested for battery 

A demonstrator prepares to leave his tent, Tuesday,
Aug. 28, 2012, in Tampa, Fla.

"Tampa Police say 24-year-old Dante M. Sea was charged with aggravated battery Tuesday after he hit 60-year-old Eddie Thomasand broke Thomas' jaw.    "Police say Thomas was staying in a shed in back of a military surplus store and Sea was sleeping in a tent on the same property, where protesters have set up a makeshift camp they call "Romneyville."

"Police say Sea took a piece of cardboard from Thomas' shed and that prompted the fight."

Newt Takes it to Chris Matthews on His 'Racist Thinking'

Newsbusters   "Chris Matthews, on Monday's Hardball, attacked Newt Gingrich with the same old liberal line about the GOP using racial code words, from Mitt Romney talking about welfare reform to Gingrich calling Barack Obama the "food stamp president." However, the former Speaker of the House wasn't having any of  it, as he hit back: "Why do you assume food stamp refers to black? What kind of racist thinking do you have? Wait a second! Why aren’t you being a racist because you assume it refers to black?" "

NRO; Who Racializes Welfare Reform?  "Mr. Matthews’s accusations were, as is his style, presented without evidence or argument, and indeed without anything that might even charitably be called intellectual content."

Eric Allie doubts Matthews', um, intelligence

...."Welfare reform is not about limiting the transfer of money from white taxpayers to non-white welfare recipients, but about ensuring that programs intended to help the poor and ease their transition into the productive economy do not in the end damage the poor, corrupt public institutions, and constrain the economy. "

...."Republicans seek to reverse both of those trends, which would be self-evidently good for all Americans. The best the Democrats can do in such a situation is to shout “Racist!” and so they will."