An Epiphany On The Left?

The Belmont Club was discussing the McChrystal letter and the President's response to it.

The Wall Street Journal says Secretary Gates has passed on a request for more men for the Afghan campaign from General McChrystal. Gates had attempted to delay the formal transmission, but mounting public interest in the issue made it pointless to hold it back.

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates has forwarded a request for more troops in Afghanistan to President Barack Obama, the Pentagon said Wednesday, as divisions within the administration and Congress continued despite Mr. Obama’s high-profile meeting with congressional leaders the day before … in the end, the defense chief feared that the document — already widely reported on — would leak to the press before Mr. Obama had a chance to read it, said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell. The request outlines several options ranging up to 40,000 troops added to the 68,000 now stationed or headed there.

Interestingly Fox News reports: Code Pink Supports Afghan War?

But one report says the group is now rethinking its position on the Afghanistan war. The Christian Science Monitor reports that during a recent trip to Kabul, local Afghan women told Code Pinkers the situation is a lot more complicated than they think. Afghan member of Parliament and women’s activist Shinkai Karokhail told the group's founders: "In the current situation of terrorism, we cannot say troops should be withdrawn."

Those concerns convinced the founders that setting a deadline is not in Afghanistan's best interest. Medea Benjamin, Code Pink co-founder, said: "We would leave with the same parameters of an exit strategy but we might perhaps be more flexible about a timeline... So many people are saying that, 'If the U.S. troops left — the country would collapse. We'd go into a civil war.' A palpable sense of fear, that is making us start to reconsider that."

It is amazing what even accepting a little responsibility can do.

Let us not forget that a lot of vets (Ds as well as Rs - The founder of Swift Boats was a D) caused Kerry to lose to Bush. If Obama turns his back on the troops he loses them.

And then with responsibility for the women of Afghanistan adopted by Code Pink (they actually want to live up to their highest ideals - even if it tarnishes some of their others - as long as it is they who care and not Bush)

A debacle in Afghanistan for the women of that country (more videoed stonings of women) would not just be a point for the opposition. It would ruin what is left of Obama's self image. The guy has got to be really hurting. The knife to the gut from Medea Benjamin has got to be his "Et Tu Brutus" moment.

My friend Alex sent me an e-mail with a link to this piece from another Code Pinker (or a fellow traveler) who was in Afghanistan.

I have come to Kabul because I want to experience for myself what is happening here, eight years after the U.S. ousted the Taliban. I have spent the past 40 years of my life protesting war and working for peace in conflict areas. I don’t believe that killing leads to peace.

I came here as part of a small peace delegation of mostly women who share my conviction that President Obama must not send more troops and should set a timeline for withdrawal of the 60,000 that are here.

But now - after seven intense days and nights of interviews and meetings in Kabul - I no longer have that conviction.

The best path to peace may not be the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops. And since the troops here now are not able to provide enough security for the Afghans to rebuild their country, it is possible more troops may be needed.

It shocks me to admit this. But the voices I have heard – local and international NGO workers, reconciliation activists, ex-Taliban members, warlords, women in homeless shelters and in governmental positions – clearly do not want a withdrawal of troops now. They are under attack. The great majority of the people I listened to – not all but the great majority – feel that additional troops are necessary to train a viable Afghan army and a national police force and to secure the country so that development projects can proceed. Yes, we should have accomplished those goals by now, but we have not.

Now if you go to the site you will see some drivel about Palestine to begin the post. But I have to tell you that even a little honesty and honor among the left is a big surprise and was the very best I could expect after the election of our current President. Now if only our President was listening. One can only HOPE.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Sarah Barracuda

At Israpundit Mario Goveia has done a guest post on our Sarah. Mario makes a very good point:

The US left wing is justifiably terrified of Palin and have begun to realize why she earned the nickname Sarah Barracuda as a high school athlete. Unlike them, she stands as a real-life example of real feminism, not their phony selective feminism based primarily on abortion rights. She stands for Reagan-style conservatism based on low taxes and fiscal discipline and an assertive foreign policy. In other words, she stands against everything the political liberals and their chosen candidate, Barack Obama, stand for.

Now, as a “movement conservative” like Ronald Reagan, whose goal was to promote the objectives of conservative philosophy in addition to governing as a conservative, she has decided that to advance the cause she needs to move on from the day-to-day and time consuming pressures of running a state. Thus she decided not to run for re-election in November of 2010, leading her critics to exclaim that she should have completed the term she was elected to. While this may sound plausible, it really makes no sense.

While most lesser politicians would have run out their term as a lame duck Governor, without any real power to influence and affect policy and taken their paycheck while marking time, this has never been Palin’s style. So, thinking outside the box once again, she decided that she would not waste the state’s time and money as a “lame duck” but turn the Governorship over to her Lieutenant, who has a longer term vested interest in the position. It also gives him the time to organize his campaign for re-election in November 2010, and she is now free to promote the conservatism she believes in.

Don’t expect the left leaning American Obama-media to appreciate any of this. Look for some of the most vicious and speculative coverage of her resignation that can get past the editors in the media plus the typical terrified and scurrilous barrage from the left wing blogs.

Not all left wing blogs. Reclusive Leftist is wondering why all the misogynistic Palin hate from the left?

I don’t usually comment on other blogs; I have little enough time to keep my own gig in working order. But the other day I was over at I Blame The Patriarchy, where I was dismayed to find in the comment threads some of the same Palin-bashing that has become drearily familiar from the rest of the inner tubes. Now, IBTP is just about the best feminist blog going, with a genius proprietor and a thoughtful commentariat. Hence my dismay. Even here? I thought. Fortunately, some of the commenters there did try to set the record straight, though they got significant guff from others.

Dr. Violet Socks (the Reclusive Leftist) can't figure out where all the hate is coming from. I can. And I agreed with Mario before I read him. It is fear. Naked fear. Here is a powerful woman that can't be controlled. Not by the Left nor by the Right.

My kind of woman. Fortunately I was able to attract and keep a woman with a will of her own. I love strong women in general and one very special one in particular. Every time I see Sarah I'm reminded of my treasure at home.

H/T Israpundit and Judith Weiss on Facebook

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Queen Of Spain Vs American Peasants

The above is queen Sophia of Spain from Barcepundit.

And of course below are our American lovelies.







H/T Susan in the comments at Classical Values for the Queen of Spain. Original idea suggested by Judith Weiss on Facebook

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Why Are We Over There?

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
- John F. Kennedy

Any other questions?

I’m still a liberal. My (former) party these days? Not so much.

Prompted by a commenter at Breitbart - Hollywood is casualty of war. Hollywood is a strange battlefield. It is where losses are taken from no INCOMING. From what I can ascertain, losses in that division may actually improve combat efficiency. In fact it seems that a lot of other divisions whose strength reduction would improve our combat capabilities are in fact losing strength.

What happens in such cases is that small losses do not impair combat capability much. However, if the losses continue eventually the division is no longer self sustaining and it breaks. The thing is you can tell that a break is coming but exactly when is hard to predict. A lot depends on morale. If that is high the losses must be severe. If it is low insignificant losses can trigger collapse.

The recent turn around in the fortunes of war will only add to the strain. Will it be a breaking strain? Too early to tell.

Romance Novels

Grim, one of my favorite mil-bloggers is posting at, Villainous Company on the subject of "what do women want?" An age old question. He asks if the romance novel isn't a reflection of what women really want(a man) and thus feminism has done its duty by allowing the free expression of female desire.

All this in response to a piece in the Nation that suggested:

Feminism has not finished its job; a version of nonmushy, nonmarital sex that makes women feel good about themselves is still hard to achieve.

Commenter Annlee says:

I wouldn't know - I've never read any of them, either. But then, I'm an engineer - I try not to think in mushy anything.

I think I'm in love. Provided the first mate approves.

Morality Police In Iran

Here is a short video of an Iranian woman confronting the morality police in Iran. Dymphna has this to say about it:

...I think you will enjoy the thirty seconds or so of sweet revenge, I urge you to click on what my friend described as an example how “Iranian women are sick and tired of the women morality police.” Fortunately, you don’t need to understand Farsi to see what is happening.

It looks like Iran may be ripe for a revolution.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Seven Women to be Stoned to Death

Iran is at it again. Eteraz reports:

This is a call for action to do our small part in coming to the assistance of the women in Iran who have been sentenced to death by stoning.

1. Read the background and an explanation of the punishment for stoning to death in Islamic Law.

2. Realize that crimes against chastity in Iran are a pervasive problem by going to the website of one of the leading Iranian-American activists. There you may watch a detailed 48 minute documentary about a woman executed for a crime against chastity.

Eteraz' post is full of links and e-mail addresses of the Iranian leadership. Go read the whole thing.

This is just another example of Islamic Tribalism.

H/T Winds of Change.