J's Cafe Nette

Archive for November 29th, 2007

This was just received in an email from Michael Yon:

Just returned from the Iraq-Syria border back to Mosul after an interesting day. The progress in Iraq could not be clearer. I’ve never seen so much hope among the Iraqis or our soldiers. U.S. officers and senior NCOs caution me to be careful about sounding too optimistic, but the fact is I have never seen so much optimism in Iraq or about Iraq.

I know they are right about their concerns for setting expectations too high; they know many hard times are ahead. But the fact is I have not personally experienced combat in months, Contrast that to times when we might get into fights several times per day and the optimism seems more grounded.

Had dinner today with a powerful Iraqi Sheik and U.S. soldiers. The food was great, but unfortunately some goat brain was lopped onto my plate. Somehow I ate it without incident.

Please click here for an intense story of urban combat. The British make me proud to have gone out with them this year for nearly two months.

His latest in the series Men Of Valor has been posted. This is part III and is just as riveting and information filled as the first two.

The 4 Rifles first trip into Basra brought more than 15 hours of fighting that left a Pakistani driver killed, dragged away and never seen again by the British. Two British killed in action and many more wounded, a convoy of banged-up vehicles that ran the damage gamut from flat tire to complete destruction, and almost no break before it was time for Major Steve Webb to saddle up and move on again, his Welsh Warriors always taking point on another convoy.

As this year draws to a close I offer thanks to Michael and those like him, who at their own expense and risk of their lives have gone to the front lines of this war to report back what was seen with their own eyes.

It is because of them that many of us have received a clearer picture of exactly what our troops and those of the coalition countries face each day.

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MSNBC is reporting:

Former Rep. Henry Hyde, the Illinois Republican who steered the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and championed government restrictions on the funding of abortions, has died. He was 83.

HT: Macranger who adds:

Very few of this breed left. Although he opposed the Iraq War he did son on principal, not on “stick the finger in the air” politics. A man who meant what he said, and said what he meant.

Condolences to the family and may Mr. Hyde Rest In Peace.

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Wouldn’t it have been nice to come away from last nights CNN/YouTube debate with a clear winner and strong GOP candidate for the 2008 presidential race?

For what it’s worth, I thought Mike Huckabee ws the only person who acquitted himself well on all questions posed to him.

Mitt Romney is too much of a phony for me (he reminds me of Bill Clinton in his first presidential campaign).

Fred Thompson looked far too old and almost gaunt and while his answers on immigration were to be appreciated, I cannot see him winning in a general election.

John McCain, while I respect his service to this country, shows too much of the my way or the highway mentality (on all issues) to be the CIC, and Rudy, well he was a disappointment to me as he, by now, should be aware that he is being criticized for not expanding beyond his NY mantra.

Hunter, Paul and Tancredo…well they could have stayed home.

But wait. Planted questions, planted Generals in the audience? Why would anyone be surprised by this?

I have not considered CNN a reputable news organization in years. They have shilled for the democrats for so long that nothing they do surprises me any longer. Of course they deny knowledge of the political affiliations of any of these questioners, they spend most of their days in a state of denial in their coverage of issues.

If you read the blogs as I do, you have probably read many pieces on the debate last evening but here are a few that if you missed you might want to check out:

Rick Moran:

If life were fair and the press unbiased, this would become a huge media scandal – perhaps the biggest in a while. You and I both know that will not happen. So what if Republicans get short changed in a debate by having a shamefully incapable cable news network allow supporters and activists from the other party to ask questions designed not to elicit information from the candidates but to try and trap them and make them look bad?

Betsy Newmark:

When you couple this sorry demonstration with the fact that, as Wizbang reminds us, CNN allowed Democratic party operatives to ask questions at the last Democratic debate, CNN has shown how utterly derelict in doing some basic research. Oh, and remember how they pressured that girl in the Democratic debate to ask Hillary if she preferred diamonds or pearls. Yeesh.

Townhall (complete with video):

UPDATE: Uh Oh! Looks like there are more plants. John Edwards and Barack Obama supporters plus a union activist.

and on and on….

We expect answers from those in contention in this race to be honest and straightforward. We should be able to expect the same from those charged with sponsoring these debates.

Update: Linked from Drudge, Joe Scarborough and the reply from the Clinton campaign concerning General Kerr: (Take note of who’s not buying the story)

At 7:51 AM ET, Mika announced that she had received a reply from head Hillary honcho Howard Wolfson. As displayed on screen, Wolfson stated [emphasis added]: “Keith Kerr is not a campaign employee and was not acting on behalf of the campaign.”

Chris Matthews, a guest during the segment at the time, was unimpressed.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Well “employee” could be a weasel word, too. I mean, he’s not being paid? Well that’s not the question that was asked.

Note also what Wolfson didn’t say. He didn’t claim the Clinton campaign was unaware of what Kerr was up to, nor did he say that the campaign hadn’t encouraged him to do this. “Not acting on behalf of the campaign” is a meaningless non-denial denial.

If nothing else I’ll say this. The Clinton campaign manages to turn the focus of any major event towards their campaign. Maybe that’s the plan???

Thanks to the Anchoress for the link and welcome to readers from her site who stop by.

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I honestly tried hard to watch the CNN-YouTube Republican panel discussion debate last night, but after I saw a guy eating an ear of corn to make a point about agricultural subsidies in this country my attention span had run its course and I turned off the TV.

Apparently I missed a lot as today’s headlines on Drudge and Fox News site are talking about Democratic supporters as “plants” in the YouTube videos chosen.

I actually don’t care if CNN knew it or not except if they knew it they should have disclosed it and I suppose the questioners should have said they were supporters of Democratic candidates in the spirit of full disclosure.

What we all need to realize is the candidate chosen to be the Republican nominee is going to have to answer questions from people like this during the general election campaign and should be ready to answer them now.

I’m so sick of this interminable campaign that I mostly tune out now.

Every day I receive three or four campaign calls for donations. Calls from Young Republicans, from the NRC, from the Senatorial and Congressional Committees and calls from the various primary candidates for president.

This is on top of all the other calls I get requesting donations to this or that cause.

I’ve particularly been receiving calls from “Friends of Fred”. I finally told them I was a friend of Fred but Fred has to show me something before I can support him, and so far he has appeared lackluster. I asked to be taken off their calling list. Hopefully they’ve done it.

I will do my civic duty and vote for the candidate I can most agree with on the issues I am most concerned about and if he is not the nominee I will study the issues of the nominee and most likely vote for him since my other choice would be Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama and I feel neither of them represents my political beliefs.

But back to the debate. I can’t honestly tell you anything that stuck out in my mind because I turned it off early and apparently the fireworks started after I tuned out. I actually think I was tuned out even when I was watching.

I’m sorry I can’t tell you anything about it except it was the same old, same old and it reinforces my opinion I don’t like Ron Paul’s positions.

It also reinforces my opinion the candidates should be allowed to question one another on their positions and defend their own without the interference of a moderator except to say it’s time to move on or go to commercial.

I would like to see this in the general election particularly instead of these stand behind a podium and talk out the clock sessions we have become used to seeing.

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