So...that's swell.

Stand by for more.

Egyptians had two bad options and they took one. Of course there's no Parliament or constitution so the military is still running the show to a very significant degree. Still, it shows the direction the people of Egypt want to go in and this is the beginning not the end of the Muslim Brotherhood's push for control.

I guess they and Syria didn't get the memo that we are pivoting to Asia and China.

Wouldn't want to be a Coptic Christian in Egypt today.

Non-expert opinion: The military is trying to hold sway over things as long as they can and try and co-opt the Brotherhood. The reality is, revolutionary movements like the Brotherhood don't see elections as a charge to govern but an opportunity to increase power. Morsi will sound conciliatory and such but will leverage this victory to increase pressure on the military and to exercise greater control than whatever formal power he winds up.

Lots of optimistic talk among the usual suspects on CNN...the Muslim Brotherhood will be different or something. Personally, I think they've stood for things for decades, it seems insanely naive to think that they will suddenly moderate in victory.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:32 AM | Comments (169)
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Anthony Watts has an excellent post on the use of the term "denier" as applied to skeptics of catastrophic manmade global warming.

It's from a reader comment on his site by Dr. Robert G. Brown of Duke University in response to a post on the journal Nature's use of the term and really must be read in its entirety. A sample:

On WUWT most of the skeptics do not “deny” AGW, certainly not the scientists or professional weather people (I myself am a physicist) and honestly, most of the non-scientist skeptics have learned better than that. What they challenge is the catastrophic label and the alleged magnitude of the projected warming on a doubling of CO_2. They challenge this on rather solid empirical grounds and with physical arguments and data analysis that is every bit as scientifically valid as that used to support larger estimates, often obtaining numbers that are in better agreement with observation. For this honest doubt and skepticism that the highly complex global climate models are correct you have the temerity to socially stigmatize them in a scientific journal with a catch-all term that implies that they are as morally reprehensible as those that “deny” that the Nazi Holocaust of genocide against the Jews?

For shame.

Thanks to Mama AJ in the morning open thread comments.

Posted by: andy at 06:08 AM | Comments (44)
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The Secret Service is taking "stick a fork in him, he's done" comments with respect to Obama just a little too literally.

Posted by: andy at 03:04 AM | Comments (186)
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It is pretty pathetic CNN how you continue to carry water for Democrats. I seem to recall during the Valerie Plame investigation you guys were like rabid dogs covering every angle and how any leak was just horrible and unacceptable. Now you peddle this? Obama Leak 'Scandal' Is Wildly Overblown. Peter Bergen's main point is that the rest of the world pretty much knew this stuff already. Maybe so, but Mr. Bergen should know that even if something that is classified is published in the open, one NEVER confirms that the info is correct. You don't hand out intel freebies. Ever.

As for his other points, you don't need leaks of classified information to have discussions about the pros and cons of cyberwarfare or UAV use. Those were happening before the leaks. And yes, these leaks have harmed national security. If they hadn't, you wouldn't have Democrats talking about it. more...

Posted by: CDR M at 05:38 PM | Comments (432)
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Sorry, I don't have much this week. Work and life sometimes get in the way.

Game of the Week

This week's famous chess game is Nimzowitch v. Tarrasch, St. Petersburg 1914. Hypermodern v. Classic. Old School v. New School. Who will win this generational shootout? Rumor has it that these two players completely despised each other, and that the winner avoided a simple finish to one that looked very much like he was grinding his opponent's face in it. I'm not going to give away the ending, but I assure you, it's spectacular.

You can play through it yourself here. more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 02:42 PM | Comments (57)
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Inscribed upon the Marine Corps War Memorial outside Arlington National Cemetery are the names of famous battles. One of them is "Belleau Wood", fought in World War I, this month, 94 years ago. They are carved into the base of the monument, along the top and etched with gold. You can walk right up and touch them. A few years ago I pressed my fingers into "Belleau Wood" in the WWI section of the memorial.

With the collapse of the Eastern front as Russia descended further into civil war, additional German forces were brought to the west to crush the Allies before the American forces could fully engage. The British 5th Army had been badly weakened in the north from two costly offensive operations. The German army pressed their advantage southward, against French and American forces, into the Marne. The US Army Second Division, with a brigade of US Marines, were brought up to halt the German advance.

Belleau Wood is where they were stopped in a desperate 26 day fight. US forces suffered over 9000 casualties, including almost 2,000 killed in action. The number of enemy casualties is not known. That single Marine brigade dug in with bayonets in shallow positions, and over the course of this battle repelled multiple German assaults, until the assaults ended, and Marine Major Maurice Shearer, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, reported "Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely."

After this victory, General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing is remembered as saying "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle."

Still is. 94 years later.

Semper Fidelis.

more...

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 01:14 PM | Comments (139)
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As a prequel to the ever-exciting Sat. Nite chess thread, here's a less-filling open thread featuring the big Zero himself: more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:28 PM | Comments (274)
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He has a few questions about the film.

SPOILERS.
It's all spoilers.
You are warned.

more...

Posted by: LauraW at 07:24 AM | Comments (166)
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Video below the fold. He hits all the high points and debunks the lib apologist line that "Fast and Furious was just like Wide Receiver, so Booooosh!!11! started it."

And most importantly, Fast and Furious was not a "botched operation". By every bit of evidence we've seen, including whistleblower testimony from BATFE Agent John Dodson, it was working exactly as intended.

The design of this operation required a body count to link the Fast and Furious guns to crime, but, hey if you want to make an omelette you have to break some eggs.

This point cannot be repeated often or loudly enough. more...

Posted by: andy at 06:06 AM | Comments (141)
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Summer wedding season is upon us.

PShop by our gal across the pond.

Posted by: andy at 02:44 AM | Comments (266)
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