A lot of mixed signals coming out of Camp Hillary. Not that it matters. Whether she's suspending the campaign or not, she's lost.

Probably.

Because there is no superdelegate voting until June 3rd. Doesn't matter how many superdelegates announce their pledges in the coming days. If the jug-eared jackass says something really bad, or if his terrorist and radical connections further alienate patriotic Americans from him, there is always the chance the party will decide to support a moderate, non-elitist friend of the common man who respects American values.

Or even Hillary, for that matter.

As Bono said, "Charlie Manson stole this song, and now we're stealing it back."

Posted by: Ace at 01:06 PM | Comments (6)
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Four tax warrants issued.

Are you planning on actually paying the high rates of taxation you routinely agitate for, Sir? Or, Sir, do you feel that taxes are for little people?

Posted by: Ace at 01:00 PM | Comments (31)
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As Martin Riggs might say, "You're gonna need to bring more bad guys."

The fallout from the capture of a senior FARC leaders laptop last March continues. Police are investigating leftist politicians for connections to FARC. There is also a long list of foreign "humanitarian" organizations and individuals that apparently were on very friendly terms with FARC. The foreigners, including Americans, deny it, but then they always have.

With death of the FARC leader, and his replacement by a communist true-believer, it is believed that FARC will splinter. The pro-drug FARC commanders are not going to give up their drug money. Government counter-terror operations have destroyed the "old FARC" during the last six years. FARC leaders who have surrendered have made it clear that they believe FARC is splitting into independent factions, and that much of the organization has simply been destroyed by police and army activity. A lot of the damage has to do with loss of income in the last six years. Lucrative kidnappings are down 83 percent, and terrorist attacks fell by 76 percent in the that period. Army and police pressure have reduced FARC strength to less than half of what it was in 2002 (when it was about 15,000 gunmen.) Last year alone, 2,480 FARC members deserted or surrendered to the government. The revolution is over, even if some of the rebels have not got the message yet.

Posted by: Ace at 12:54 PM | Comments (11)
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For reasons unfathomable to me, Reuters termed this a "remarkable victory for firebrand Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr."

Missions by special forces and air strikes by unmanned drones have "decapitated" the Taliban and brought the war in Afghanistan to a "tipping point", the commander of British forces has said.

The new "precise, surgical" tactics have killed scores of insurgent leaders and made it extremely difficult for Pakistan-based Taliban leaders to prosecute the campaign, according to Brig Mark Carleton-Smith.

In the past two years an estimated 7,000 Taliban have been killed, the majority in southern and eastern Afghanistan. But it is the "very effective targeted decapitation operations" that have removed "several echelons of commanders".

This in turn has left the insurgents on the brink of defeat, the head of Task Force Helmand said.

"The Taliban are much weaker," he said from 16 Air Assault Brigade headquarters in Lashkar Gah.

"The tide is clearly ebbing not flowing for them. Their chain of command is disrupted and they are short of weapons and ammunition."

Last year's killing of Mullah Dadullah, the Taliban chief, most likely by the Special Boat Service, was "a seminal moment in dislocating" their operation in southern Afghanistan, said Brig Carleton-Smith, 44, who has extensive operational experience in Afghanistan and Iraq and has commanded elite Army troops.

...

Taliban fighters are apparently becoming increasingly unpopular in Helmand, where they are reliant on the local population for food and water.

They have also been subjected to strikes by the RAF's American-made Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle and the guided Royal Artillery missile system, which have both proved a major battlefield success.

"I can therefore judge the Taliban insurgency a failure at the moment," said Brig Carleton-Smith. "We have reached the tipping point."

Posted by: Ace at 12:20 PM | Comments (22)
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A bit of wikivandalism of UFC fighter "Tank" Abbott's bio at Wikipedia.

I'll post the bio as it currently stands, as I imagine the, um, editorial changes won't last long.
more...

Posted by: Ace at 12:01 PM | Comments (31)
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After being overruled by the State Supreme Court, the judge in the Texas FLDS case has signed the order to reunite the children and their parents.

The order signed by Texas District Judge Barbara Walther, responding to a state Supreme Court ruling last week, allowed parents in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to pick up their children from foster care facilities around the state almost immediately.

In exchange for regaining custody, the parents are not allowed to leave Texas without court permission and must participate in parenting classes. They were also ordered not to interfere with any child abuse investigation and to allow the children to undergo psychiatric or medical exams if required.

However, it does not put restrictions on the children's fathers, or require parents to renounce polygamy or live away from the sect's Yearning For Zion Ranch in West Texas.

If thereÂ’s any abuse going on there, I truly do hope they find it and deal with the perpetrators. That said, both the court of appeals and the state Supreme Court were pretty clear that Child Protective Services didnÂ’t present sufficient evidence for this action. Someone really needs to take a look at how CPS and the local authorities acted in this case.

Yeah, the compound thing is creepy but creepy isnÂ’t a legal standard that justifies what was done here.

Posted by: DrewM at 11:40 AM | Comments (27)
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Partly, of course, it's because the Washington Post joined the rest of the media in a conspiracy to denigrate or simply ignore the success of the surge.

But now they've decided that honesty compels them to admit the obvious.

This is a huge editorial. The rest of the MSM has to answer the WaPo's question; they can't easily be ignored, the way that right-leaning organizations and columnists are routinely ignored.

The Iraqi Upturn

Don't look now, but the U.S.-backed government and army may be winning the war.

THERE'S BEEN a relative lull in news coverage and debate about Iraq in recent weeks -- which is odd, because May could turn out to have been one of the most important months of the war. While Washington's attention has been fixed elsewhere, military analysts have watched with astonishment as the Iraqi government and army have gained control for the first time of the port city of Basra and the sprawling Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, routing the Shiite militias that have ruled them for years and sending key militants scurrying to Iran. At the same time, Iraqi and U.S. forces have pushed forward with a long-promised offensive in Mosul, the last urban refuge of al-Qaeda. So many of its leaders have now been captured or killed that U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, renowned for his cautious assessments, said that the terrorists have "never been closer to defeat than they are now."

Iraq passed a turning point last fall when the U.S. counterinsurgency campaign launched in early 2007 produced a dramatic drop in violence and quelled the incipient sectarian war between Sunnis and Shiites. Now, another tipping point may be near, one that sees the Iraqi government and army restoring order in almost all of the country, dispersing both rival militias and the Iranian-trained "special groups" that have used them as cover to wage war against Americans. It is -- of course -- too early to celebrate; though now in disarray, the Mahdi Army of Moqtada al-Sadr could still regroup, and Iran will almost certainly seek to stir up new violence before the U.S. and Iraqi elections this fall. Still, the rapidly improving conditions should allow U.S. commanders to make some welcome adjustments -- and it ought to mandate an already-overdue rethinking by the "this-war-is-lost" caucus in Washington, including Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

...

If the positive trends continue, proponents of withdrawing most U.S. troops, such as Mr. Obama [and everyone in the MSM -- ed.], might be able to responsibly carry out further pullouts next year. Still, the likely Democratic nominee needs a plan for Iraq based on sustaining an improving situation, rather than abandoning a failed enterprise. That will mean tying withdrawals to the evolution of the Iraqi army and government, rather than an arbitrary timetable; Iraq's 2009 elections will be crucial. It also should mean providing enough troops and air power to continue backing up Iraqi army operations such as those in Basra and Sadr City. When Mr. Obama floated his strategy for Iraq last year, the United States appeared doomed to defeat. Now he needs a plan for success.

Unhinged hack Andrew Sullivan has offered the predictable leftist response to this editorial -- basically, the success means that Obama has to push faster for surrender, because, um, the best time to surrender is when you're on the verge of victory, I guess.

That's as idiotic as most of Sullivan's oevure. Of course liberals and conservatives have the same ultimate goal regarding US troops in Iraq -- namely, get them out -- and I'm happier than most liberals about this rush of victory because, unlike most of them, I really do care that troops are being killed and see them as more than convenient, if thuggish, murderous, and troglodytic, props to be used in a political war against George W. Bush. I'd guess almost every conservative in America wants the troops home for the sake the troops more than almost any liberal does.

But of course this entire line of spin is ridiculous. If victory is coming, as it appears to be, of course most of the troops will return home, and the rest will remain in relative safely and calm as troops do in Germany and South Korea. There's no reason to push a "plan for withdrawal" when a plan for victory accomplishes both military victory and withdrawal just as quickly as any "phased over-the-horizon redeployment to Okinawa."

But most liberals actually do not want there to be a victory in Iraq, even if one could be had with no further US combat deaths. They crave defeat and surrender as a positive outcome, as it vindicates their long-held claims of futility and defeatism, undermines their hated enemy George Bush, and most importantly, chastens the evil America that sends troops to foreign lands and gives it a "teachable moment" in pacifism and isolationism.

Still, it'll be interesting to watch the rest of MSM begrudgingly admit "some" progress while repeating Sullivan's spin (hopefully more persuasively) that defeat can and must be snatched from the jaws of victory.

Unless, as is possible, the MSM simply decides to ignore even the Washington Post.

Even NPR... featured a reporter in Iraqi noting the great progress. I'm searching for the program -- I guess it aired around 3:15-3:30 or so Eastern time -- but I'm not finding it.

He offered all the usual caveats -- everything could fall apart, reporters still can't move freely in Baghdad due to the kidnap threat, etc. -- but was pretty definitive on the fact that there are remarkable improvements. Including, if I heard this right, that today or yesterday was the first day that zero bodies were discovered after having been kidnapped, killed, and unceremoniously dumped. During the worst of the violence, that number was something like 50-60 per day.

Posted by: Ace at 09:48 AM | Comments (56)
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Today at the White House.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on 4 December 2006.

That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner's hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled "grenade," allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade's blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner's hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion.

Private McGinnis' gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis' extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

You can read more about this American hero who gave his life so that others might live here. McGinnis was 19 years old.

Four other men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Global War on Terror.

Sergeant First Class Paul Smith (US Army)
Corporal Jason Dunham (USMC)
Lt. Michael Murphy (USN)
MA2 Michael Monsoor

UPDATE [Dave in Texas]: Video of the presentation ceremony. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 07:43 AM | Comments (28)
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Clinton is recalling her advance staff to New York for one last day before they call it quits, according to Ben Smith at Politico. Clinton will hold her last primary event in New York City on Tuesday night when the results come out. Her staff expect her to return to Washington, D.C. the next day.

Even though she's letting staff go, we shouldn't necessarily assume that she's about to concede (for example, as Marc Ambinder and TIME hint). There aren't any states left to campaign in and she's out of money anyway. All that's really left to do is keep making calls to superdelegates in which she pleads electibility and popular vote.

I expect that we'll know if she decides to Take. It. All. The. Way. by the end of the week. Either she will have conceded when Obama declares victory or she's going to fight at the convention.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 07:13 AM | Comments (28)
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Yesterday he claimed he would post something important today about the supposed Michelle Obama “whitey” tape. What did he have? Aside from more rumors and innuendo, nothing (the link has been up and down all morning).

I learned over the weekend why the Republicans who have seen the tape of Michelle Obama ranting about “whitey” describe it as “STUNNING.” I have not seen it but I have heard from five separate sources who have spoken directly with people who have seen the tape. It features Michelle Obama and Louis Farrakhan. They are sitting on a panel at Jeremiah Wright’s Church when Michelle makes her intemperate remarks.

He heard from people who talked to people who have seen the tape? Well thatÂ’s just rock fucking solid. My Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon number is lower than that.

Meanwhile, Paterico links to a lefty blogger who claims Michelle doesn’t say ‘whitey’ but rather ‘why’d he’ as in ‘why’d he cut Medicare’. The ‘he’ in this case being President Bush.

Given this and his story about RoveÂ’s indictment I can only hope Johnson was better at influencing foreign elections at the CIA than he is showing here.

Still, the fact that left is tearing itself apart with stuff like this is fun. Not as much fun as the actual tape would be but given the state of play in '08, it's about as much fun as we can expect to have. Enjoy it while you can.

UPDATE: Not that this 'story' is really worth it but I found this new post from one of Johnson's 'cobloggers' or whatever they call themselves over there, highly amusing.

FYI, for those expecting to SEE the tape, GET REAL. Read Larry JohnsonÂ’s description of what is ON the tape. That is the story.

Oh, I see, it's not the actual tape but what Johnson says he heard from someone who spoke to someone who saw it that's important.

What flavor Kool-Aid do you have to drink to "think" that way?

Dear God, I hope that woman never winds up on a jury with all that messy 'evidence' and 'proof' to consider.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:50 AM | Comments (45)
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