About Me

Name: Bradford
Loading...

Create Your Own Blog Find Other Townhall Blogs

Comments

Archives

Search

Blog Roll

 

Cal, Cal, Cal, Cal . . .

Posted by Bradford on Thursday, May 31, 2007 8:59:39 PM
Ever-clueless columnist Cal Thomas, opining on the nattering "false prophets" of nabobish negativity, April 15, 2003 :
When the Berlin Wall fell and Eastern Europe escaped from the shackles of communism, I wrote that we must not forget the enablers, apologists and other "fellow travelers" who helped sustain communism's grip on a sizable portion of humanity for much of the 20th century. I suggested that a "cultural war crimes tribunal" be convened, at which people from academia, the media, government and the clergy who were wrong in their assessment of communism would be forced to confront their mistakes. While not wishing to deprive anyone of his or her right to be wrong, it wouldn't hurt for these people to be held accountable.

That advice was not taken - but today we are presented with another opportunity in the form of scores of false media prophets who predicted disaster should the U.S. military confront and seek to oust the murderous regime of Saddam Hussein. The purpose of a cultural war crimes tribunal would be to remind the public of journalism's many mistakes, as well as the errors of certain politicians and retired generals, and allow it to properly judge their words the next time they feel the urge to prophesy...

All of the printed and voiced prophecies should be saved in an archive. When these false prophets again appear, they can be reminded of the error of their previous ways and at least be offered an opportunity to recant and repent.

Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (12) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

Petraeus Condemns Torture

Posted by Bradford on Friday, May 11, 2007 7:25:42 PM
It's a depressing fact of life that many so-called "patriots" and "freedom-lovers" on the right see nothing wrong with torture, so long as we're the ones doing it. Such a willingness to abandon the principles of civilized behavior suggests that, for many of these would-be authoritarians, talk of freedom and liberty is just that. Talk.

Now Army General David H. Petraeus, top U.S. commander in Iraq, has publicly repudiated those who would support torture and other "expedient methods" in the war in Iraq.  A recent Army survey found many U.S military personnel willing to tolerate some torture of suspects and unwilling to report abuse by comrades prompting Petraeus to write:

"I was concerned by the results of a recently released survey conducted last fall in Iraq that revealed an apparent unwillingness on the part of some US personnel to report illegal actions taken by fellow members of their units. The study also indicated that a small percentage of those surveyed may have mistreated noncombatants. This survey should spur reflection on our conduct in combat . . . Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. They would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary."

Kudos to General Petraeus.

Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (7) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

"Winning Dirty" in Iraq

Posted by Bradford on Thursday, May 10, 2007 7:11:16 PM

Mort Kondracke, Roll Call executive editor and Fox News contributor, writes today that if the 'surge' policy fails, Plan B should be “winning dirty.” This would involve  “accepting rule by Shiites and Kurds, allowing them to violently suppress Sunni resistance and making sure that Shiites friendly to the United States emerge victorious." He continues, "Winning will be dirty because it will allow the Shiite-dominated Iraqi military and some Shiite militias to decimate the Sunni insurgency. There likely will be ethnic cleansing, atrocities against civilians and massive refugee flows."

And just what, and how, will we have "won," exactly?


Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (1) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

The Coming Storm

Posted by Bradford on Thursday, May 10, 2007 6:52:13 PM
Here's 'Gunny Bob' Newman on Colorado Newsradio 850 KOA on May 8:

"I want -- tell me if I'm wrong or tell me if I'm right. I want every Muslim immigrant to America who holds a green card, a visa, or who is a naturalized citizen to be required by law to wear a GPS tracking bracelet at all times. And the FBI and the NSA should monitor their phones and their emails, all communications -- electronic -- at all times, as well as bug their places of work and their residences. If they don't like the idea, or if they refuse, throw their asses out of this country. All mosques and community centers as well as Muslim organizations must be monitored. We know with the arrests today that the Muslim terrorists are absolutely, positively here -- and we invited them to our country! And I think maybe it's time that we should stop doing that. Call me kooky, but I think maybe it's time for a little moratorium on Muslim visas, period. Hey, I'm sorry, guys -- I know that a lot of you are great people. I know you just like to do business here or become a U.S. citizens and be a peaceful person. I know that. But you know what? You better get control of your own people. Once you get control of them, then come see us again and we'll think about -- however many decades down the road it is -- we'll think about maybe opening our doors to you again. But you are doing absolutely freaking nothing to help, to, to help this nation. And that's that."

Listen up, Zalmay Khalilzad, US Ambassador of Iraq! Listen up Elias Zerhouni, Director, National Institutes of Health! Listen up, US Army Chaplain James Yee!  Listen up all you millions of peaceful Americans of Muslim faith! Gunny Bob has your number.

Perhaps he owns some stock with these guys?


Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (5) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive
« Previous1Next »