Archive for September, 2009

Two thumbs up for Obama…

Posted: September 15, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, war
Tags: , , ,

The first is for the hit on the Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan.

Navy Seals from US Special Operations Forces conducted a raid in southern Somalia on Monday that killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, one of 4 co-conspirators wanted in the 2002 bombing of an Israel owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, two senior U.S. military officials told Fox News.

Ten days ago President Obama signed the Execute Order for Nabhan, who since 2006 was on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists. He was also wanted for the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Kenya in 1998.

Even Dan Riehl is impressed.

The second is his signing an extension to the Cuba embargo:

In a largely symbolic act, on Sept. 11, President Barack Obama signed a one-year extension of the law used to impose the embargo on Cuba in the 1960s. The Act was due to expire on Sept. 15, which was when the signing was announced. The Miami Herald reported that no reason was given for the delay.

In one respect this actually helps Cuba in the sense that it preserves an excuse for their failure as a nation.

And it looks like he will maintain his spine in Afghanistan:

Obama seems to have learned the right lessons from the Iraq surge, which is not necessarily to send more troops, but that failure cannot be a policy.

The Democrats in Congress who declared Iraq lost and the surge sure to fail (including Obama himself at the time) cannot be trusted with national security now anymore so than in the past. The Democrats in Congress still are fighting George Bush. The rest of us are fighting against an ideology of death.

The supporters of the people who flew planes into the World Trade Center would do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance. At least Obama seems determined not to give them that chance, and for that he deserves our support.

I still say the War on Terror is the #1 issue, economy not withstanding. Even if all the nasty stuff he is pushing domestically passes if he continues to fight the wars to victory his presidency can be considered successful.

You can always repeal a law or even a constitutional amendment, you can’t unlose a war.

Inquiring minds want to know, Can you actually get a million hits from posting Hannah Giles Bikini photos?

I don’t know if it’s true that you can get a million hits from Hannah Giles Bikini photos, but I’m sure it will be a lot more than DaTechguy bikini photos, or Robert Stacy McCain Bikini photos, or Charles Johnson Bikini photos.

Mika Brzezinski bikini photos, now THAT would get hits!

Update a partial answer

There was some snark in comments concerning Charles Johnson, not to be unexpected. I answered with a comment that I think is worth repeating:

What I think is most important about him is that as a 9/11 conservative he is exactly the kind of person we want supporting the troops, opposing Radical Islam and backing Israel. It is the person who would normally be liberal on social issues that needed to be convinced.

30 Years ago he would be a “Scoop Jackson” democrat. Regardless of if you think he is right or wrong about Stacy McCain (I suspect he is wrong and it’s my nature to take a man’s word on a subject.) It is much more important to the country and the world to have as many liberals with us in the fight that matters.

“The fight that matters” of course being the fight against Radical Islam.

In terms of the Tea Party stuff as someone who has attended one I have a simple suggestion: Charles is like myself a Computer guy, computer guys are If/Then guys by nature.

As I’ve mentioned I don’t know Charles personally but I understand Stephen Green does. That being the case the solution is pretty easy.

Although the DC tea party was the largest it is certainly not going to be the last. I would suggest that Steven invite Charles as his guest to the next one he is attending. Let him meet the people there. If he see’s what I saw I think his mind might change, but he will have to actually see it.

I can’t see him refusing. After all it would for Charles be the change to personally affirm what he has stated.

Hey it’s worth a shot.

The most telling video on the net

Posted: September 15, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, war
Tags: , ,

Via Tim Blair and Legal Insurrection we have this video of troops preparing to strike the bad guys planting an IED.

The importance of it is not what is done in the video but what Isn’t done:

But listen to the video, don’t just watch it. The American soldiers watching the scene unfold repeatedly hold fire as a child carrying supplies to the bombers enters the target area, “My only concern is that child right now” one of the soldiers says (at 2:20 descending).

After the child leaves, the soldiers move towards the firing sequence, but the child reappears: “Is that a kid, damn it.” (at 1:15) Then “go away kid, go away kid.” Not a shot is fired.

This is the reality of the US. It’s why we ARE better than our foes.