06 January 2008

Information Round-Up

Sorry, I've been jokin' and smokin' in Seattle the last week so I did not have time to keep up to speed on the blogs, so here's what's been going on in the last week.

Tragedy:
Milblogger Andrew Olmsted was KIA in Iraq, his final post is here. His final post asked that his death not be used for political purposes, and I understand this is a politically-themed blog. But there is no political machination going on in my mind since when our military brothers and sisters are killed in hostile action, the only thing I feel is shitty.

That putz Huckabee wins Iowa: Well it looks like Huckabee has won Iowa. I guess we didn't get the memo that 8 years of evangelism in the White House might not be what the country needs right now. That guy's a rube, just like the last 3 southern Governors who were President (see John Bergstrom's dead-on political cartoon here). He was hamming it up with Romney about how he supported the surge strategy, but it turns out he actually didn't back in January 2007 (see Hot Air post here). I'm not real keen on a politician who's going to be a "fair-weather" fan on something like war. This isn't a football game, you jackhole. Of course I think we should keep more options on the table that don't involve us staying in Iraq for 100 years as SEN McCain suggested (VetVoice discussion here). I wonder if they'll let me deploy with my oxygen tank when I'm some crazy old geezer sucking Kool menthols through a trach-hole. Why does the GOP suck this election year? Where's Barry Goldwater?

AQI killed: The enemy continues to be driven from Iraq (see MNF-I press releases here, here, and here).

Some Good news from Iraq: Just because the good news doesn't get much airtime, check out Iraqi Mojo talking about Hakim praising Sunni awakening groups here. Hakim is head of the of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), the Shiite bloc with tremendous political influence. It's guys like him and other moderates like Foreign Minister Zebari and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih that are going to save Iraq. This is good news since it decreases the probability that Sunni tribal groups and the Shiite-dominated government will erupt into brutal in-fighting.

Viva SGT Freedom! I happened upon SGT Freedom's website here for the first time. This dude has got a rant for you. Many "Support the Troops" websites I have found nice, but a little dull at times. Not so with his video show. SGT Freedom doesn't beat around the bush, go check him out.

And now for something unpleasant: Blogs of War had the 40 most obnoxious quotes up here for 2007. The #1 quote was pretty offensive (and I've got thick skin!) from Ted Rall. “Only idiots signed up; only idiots died. Back home, the average I.Q. soared.” Is this what liberal America thinks of US troops? Well, I just spent some time on the left coast in a city with a statue of Lenin proudly displayed in the middle of town, and I would have to say...no. I would say that even if people don't support Bush or the Iraq War, that does not mean that they are throwing dogshit on our military members. Therefore, that makes you an asshole Ted Rall.

Ted Rall sucks

10 comments:

DebbieKinIL said...

Jumping out of lurkdom to say,
ITA about Ted Rall, he is the IDIOT. Ummmm, thinking up a motivation poster idea- his pix with the word Idiot under it. LOL.

Nixon said...

Thanks for swinging by Debbie. Unfortunately, idiots like this seem to get a lot of buzz for saying hateful things about vets and our military.

dutchmarbel said...

I saw your comment on ObWi's "remembering Andy" thread and followed the link.

You thanked Hilzoy for putting a face on the casualties. I wanted to point out in addition that Daily Kos tries to do diaries on every fallen soldiers, describing who and what they were. The call it the "IGTNT" series (I got the news today).

Reading this entry the link seems even more appropriate. That Ted Rall quote is abysmal, but Ted Rall is pants, as the Brits say.

There are some idiots on every side, but the hugh majority of people supports the troops, albeit in different ways. I've always been against the Iraqi Invasion and am Dutch, but I that doesn't mean I don't see the troops as individual humans. Not ours, not yours.

My mother lived through the German occupation of Amsterdam as a girl and had stories about horrible deeds and about great deeds by both the occupied Dutch and the occupying Germans. In they end we are all human and some of us are mensch.

Stay safe!

Nixon said...

DutchMarbel,

Thanks for the info. I have frequented Daily Kos but was unfamiliar with this tag. I must say your English is certainly better than my dutch, but what does "Mensch" mean?

Thanks for stopping in!

dutchmarbel said...

I married a Brit, had English at school and worked for American compenies. Though my English is far from perfect I ought to make myself understood ;)

Wiki is my friend and gives the best explanation.

Off to bed now, it's past midnight in my timezones and tomorrow is the first schoolday after the holidays. Take care, I might drop in more often.

Anonymous said...

How's Seattle? I lived in Portland for a year and a half or so before heading back out to the sand - I love the Pacific NW!

Nixon said...

Jackie,

Seattle is lovely. Lousy weather, cheap beer, and things to do. My personal vision of paradise.

Jackie has got a new blog from Iraq called Defiant Compliance, check it out.

Anonymous said...

While I think we are both in agreement with Huckabee being a putz, I'm not really sure I understand the Southern comments. Is Southern somehow synonymous with imbecile? Call me an imbecile, but I've found dumbass to be pretty universal and not so much relegated to one particular region in the country.

Anonymous said...

Kiyum,

Not dissing the south (I'm in Atlanta right now so I should shut my yap), just emphasizing the fact that many of the last sucky presidents have been governors from the South. Please don't hurt me.

Anonymous said...

Is this akin to calling someone a "well-spoken" black man? I may hurt you just for fun.