UAE, WMD, blood running as rivers

The last two Birdshotgate posts I plan on ever posting: Confederate Yankee debunks a controversial video and Pat Buchanan (I have NEVER posted a piece of his, so this is unusual!) warns the White House to be aware of the fact that the WH Press Corps is committed to taking out the president. We all know it, but I guess Buchanan wants to make sure the WH realizes it.

Christopher Hitchens writes Stand Up for Denmark!. He dares to suggest that the Muslims who are killing people over cartoons could reasonably be considered to be engaging in Idolatry since Mohammed is not God.

Within a short while—this is a warning—the shady term “Islamophobia” is going to be smuggled through our customs. Anyone accused of it will be politely but firmly instructed to shut up, and to forfeit the constitutional right to criticize religion. By definition, anyone accused in this way will also be implicitly guilty. Thus the “soft” censorship will triumph, not from any merit in its argument, but from its association with the “hard” censorship that we have seen being imposed over the past weeks.

“The Vapid Culture of Cool” is what Vanderleun calls the eternally adolescent left and he makes a good case that the left has utterly captured the Democrat party. His piece is excellent and you’ll want to read it. Then read Dr. Sanity’s song parody.

Three Ohio men are indicted for terrorist Activity. Wonder how we found them?

In Nigeria, the Muslims have been out killing and burning and using the machete, and Gateway has all the links. Note, too that now the Christians are at it. Are they merely fighting back, or is this an “anti-Muslim” revenge attack as the headline says? Who can tell, anymore? Everywhere is madness.

Dan at Gay Patriot West notes that today is the 90th anniversary of the battle of Verdun – one of history’s bloodiest. We cannot seem to slake our thirst for it.

There are more questions about Saddam and his WMD, not that the MSM is picking up on it, much, but Ray Robison is looking at some documents that are interesting. Ace quotes Dennis Miller: “we should assume all these a****** have each other on speed dial”. Pajamas Media have interesting videotape from Intelligence Summit. Watch how resolutely the press does NOT cover any of this, while it begins to cover the dubious sale of port controls to the UAE. Well, they’d be under the supervision of the Coast Guard, but you know…it’s troubling. Michelle’s piece looks into the finances involved, and she has excellent links and a “tipster” email, as well.

I certainly don’t know enough to comment about this sale, but I’m reading lots of different opinions. Some wonder if this is a long treck to ultimately get Halliburton to be put in charge of the ports – threaten to allow the UAE to run the show and suddenly even Chuck Schumer is appreciative of Halliburton. I’d like to think this is just a big rope-a-dope, but quite honestly, I’m out of humor on this stuff. President Bush seems to be going out of his way to confound even his most staunch supporters. One looks at this and thinks – he’s bending over and giving the Democrats the belt with which to beat him. Thank you, sir, may I have another?

I don’t pretend to understand it, but I’m frankly growing weary of it, and Bush should pay attention to my weariness, because if even “I” am getting tired of having to defend some of the stuff coming out of his White House, then that may indicate that his base is utterly weary of it, too. If you really want to lose in ’08, make sure you’ve got everyone completely exhausted from your presidency and “ready for a change – any change” and make way too sharp a left turn. Seems to me that even if this is the greatest, safest deal in the world, its appearance stinks to high heaven and it’s a miserable political situation to be in the middle of: do we send a message that any and all Arabs, no matter who they are, are untrustworthy and business/finanical lepers? Or do we do business with them and allow possibly the worst sort of political fallout to occur? Joe Gandelman has a huge and definitive round up on all of this.

Meanwhile, Bush is talking about other important issues but no one can hear him. And it’s maybe his own fault.

Dr. Bob is wondering about all of this in a very thoughtful and important way and you’ll want to read his essay entitled Apollyon Appears-III The Core. No, it’s not going to make you feel good. Doc is serving up strong medicine. H/T Julie.

Finally, as if life were not complicated enough, one has to look at the case of Holocaust denier David Irving being sentenced to three years in prison for foisting his views upon the world. Free speech is being limited. But what he says is so dangerous…but free speech is free speech…but…but….Sigmund Carl and Alfred explore the dueling values of free speech and our right to protect ourselves from harmful madmen and succinctly make sense of at least THAT issue.

On a day when so little seems to be making sense, we are grateful for any little bit we can find. The Hitchens piece I referrenced above also takes up the Irving issue, from a different side.

I apologize for the downer tone. I have a horrendous ear infection (in my good ear) which is painful. I never had these things when I was young! Since I am so dreary today, I’ll understand if you don’t want to go vote for me in the political category, but I’d appreciate it if you would! :-)

Excuse me while I go lie down and fester, or something.

UPDATE: Buster has given me something to think about, here, and I have an additional roundup here.