Hero Receives Medal of Honor
Lost in an incredibly busy news week, Paul Smith received a Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award given by the United States.
Smith died during America’s initial invasion of Iraq, battling off the Iraqi army at the Baghdad airport. According to the Pentagon, Smith saved many American lives that day; the day he died; the day he staved off the enemy and gave his own live that his fellow soldiers could escape.
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First Non-Arab Elected Leader of Arab State
The Iraqi Parliament had a time of it. Once they had to kick out the press and have a real down-home smoke-filled room conference. In due course, Jalal Talabani was appointed interim Iraqi head of state. Talabani is a Kurdish leader. An ethnic group scorned, murdered and mistreated by Saddam’s Sunni buddies.
The sweetest note of all: Saddam got to watch it all from his jail cell.
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Sandy Bergler Admits He Took Documents
Had Condaleeza done such a thing the press would be on it night and day.
It’s unclear, at least to me, what documents Sandy took five copies of and eventually destroyed several of them. I understand it was something called an “after action” review by none other than Richard Clarke.
Remember Richard Clarke? We’ll discuss this fine fellow in a bit.
Scuttlebutt has it that Clarke’s report detailing the Clinton administration’s handling of the millennium terrorist threat, allegedly gave that same administration a very bad mark. And at the time the 9-11 commission was looking into this sort of thing. Sandy was just doing a little purging of the national archives so that His Honor Bill Clinton and Her Royalest Honor, Hillary, would not be made to look as bad as they really were during the public commission hearings.
From the NY Post:
Of particular interest to Berger were drafts of an after-action review by anti-terrorism adviser Richard Clarke of al Qaeda's thwarted attempt to attack America during the turn of the millennium in 1999. The memo reportedly identified national-security weaknesses so "glaring" that only sheer "luck" prevented a 9/11-style attack back then.
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Speaking of Richard Clarke
May I remind yon ladies and gems that the very honest Mr. Clarke was the fellow who wrote the book excoriating not the Clinton administration as he did in his after action report regarding the memo Bergler was so desperate to steal, but the BUSH administration. George W. Bush had been in office for eight months when the 9-11 attacks occurred. Richard Clarke, knowing full well that the Clinton administration paid the problem of terror no mind. He knew it well enough to write an after action report that the Clintons wanted stolen from the National Archives.
Of course it could be that there was an election in process and Clarke agreed to carry the water for the Democratic party’s spin in return for a few book sales.
From Amazon.com re Clarke’s book:
Clarke, a veteran Washington insider who had advised presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush, dissects each man's approach to terrorism but levels the harshest criticism at the latter Bush and his advisors who, Clarke asserts, failed to take terrorism and Al-Qaeda seriously. Clarke details how, in light of mounting intelligence of the danger Al-Qaeda presented, his urgent requests to move terrorism up the list of priorities in the early days of the administration were met with apathy and procrastination and how, after the attacks took place, Bush and key figures such as Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Dick Cheney turned their attention almost immediately to Iraq
He levels the “harshest criticism” at George W. Bush’s administration? An administration in power for only eight months when the 9-11 attacks occurred? Could Clarke have been truthful or trying to prevent Bush from a second term?
It’s good to revisit this sort of thing. Because is he’s lied once he’ll lie again. I hope he made some bucks from his lying novel.
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American Citizens Decide to Patrol the Border Themselves
The history books reveal that when citizens take up arms themselves the situation changes. Whatever the situation might be.
Now it’s a group of trained Americans who decided that the border between Mexico and the United States is inadequately protected against illegal aliens. Not to mention Mexico distributing self-help booklets on how to escape to America.
They’re serious and dedicated and The Wise I had admiration for the concept and action. Although The Old Media are trying to make it a bad thing and goodness knows our government is a bit embarrassed. What a hoot!
And it’s working! Imagine that! Ordinary American citizens doing a better job than the government. It’s a liberal’s nightmare.
From Foxnews:
TOMBSTONE, Ariz. — More than a thousand Americans have descended on a remote stretch of the U.S.-Mexican border to join a group that calls itself the Minutemen (search), which claims to be dedicated to stopping illegal immigration, but which others call racist.
"Just a month previous to hearing about this, I said to a co-worker that I would be more than willing to spend a vacation to protect the borders," said one Minuteman.
Part public-relations stunt, part political theater, the makeshift border patrol has already had an impact. The activists have virtually closed down a popular pipeline used by people smugglers.
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Prince Ranier of Monoco Dies
Since his death there’s been even more problems for that family. His son-in-law is also very ill and there is no immediate heir to take Ranier’s place as his eldest son, well there’s questions about his eldest son.
Besides being President of a tiny state, Ranier is best known as the royal who married Grace Kelly. Like so many royal inbred situations, the family is a mess.
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The Pope’s Funeral
There’s nothing more I can add to the 24/7 coverage of this event.
Except I must note that the Italians did a wonderful job handling that situation. And that Bill Clinton, one of three US Presidents invited to the ceremonies, gave an asinine interview in which he stated, amongst other stupid stuff, that he would never run against the pope for MAYOR! I’m not making this up.
Oh and did we mention the flap over Jimmy Carter’s anger at not being invited along with Clinton and George H.W.? Jimmy Carter was not only a terrible American president, he worked against the Vatican on many Latin American issues and was never considered a friend of Catholicism.
In honor of Jimmah the peanut farmer, the political cartoon of the week:
Best Satire on the Web
Mentioned by El Rushbo himself, I decided to check this web site out. Rush Limbaugh does, ahem, reach a few more folks than this humble Blogger. But hey, to the five or six readers of this site, check it out.
Examples of “Headlines” on Scrappleface.com
:: Kofi Annan Not Aware of Relationship to Kojo
:: Gingrich Sues Rep. DeLay for 'Demon' Infringement
:: Attorney: Michael Schiavo Looks 'Peaceful, Euphoric'
:: Report Clears Annan: UN Chief Had 'No Clue'
Scrapple Face-Satire at its Best
American Idol; Mork and Mindy; Other
I’m not that fond of Robin Williams although once upon a time I did enjoy the show Mork and Mindy.
This past week featured an “unauthorized biography” of that show. Whatever that means though it sounds vaguely sinister and caused me to tune in.
It was a story about a TV series. Duh.
Viewers discover that Williams had a cocaine problem and Jim Belushi’s death scared him straight. Way I hear it half of Hollywood got scared straight by Belushi’s death.
A Hollywood actor hooked on cocaine. Imagine that.
Beyond that, well it was a series about a TV show. And Robin Williams. A frenetic fellow that definitely should not be on cocaine.
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American Idol Countdown
I was only able to watch the half hour show this past Wednesday when a contestant was eliminated. As such my notes are a bit shallow.
The theme was show tunes. I noted Nadia was as stylish and beautiful as always. Scuttlebutt is that she’s the next Whitney Houston. No. She doesn’t have Houston’s pipes. Although I hear that Nikko Smith is related to Whitney’s husband. Which has nothing to do with nothing.
Because Nikko was voted off the show this past week. Nikko was a second-chancer when he was called back when another contestant resigned. He’s had his fifteen minutes, he is not in the same league as Nadia and Bo Bice, it was time for him to go.
Vonzell and Scott Soval were in the bottom three but it was Nikko who was sent home. Vonzell sang Streisand’s “People” and got a standing ovation from Paula Abdul. Paula also loved Anwar.
Constantine sang “My Funny Valentine” and by me he fairly whispered the tune.
My predictions:
Next to go-Scott Soval
Top three-in order
3-Nadia Turner
2-Bo Bice
1-Carrie Underwood
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TV Notes for Week Upcoming
On Monday, 4/11/04, at 9 pm NBC is featuring the Miss USA pageant hosted by my home town of Baltimore.
Note-American Idol continues. On Tuesday 4/12/05 there will another hour of performances on Fox. And an elimination half hour on Wednesday 4/13/05 at 9 pm.
Note-The Apprentice continues. On Thursday 4/14/05, at 9 pm, NBC will have another competition and another would-be apprentice will be fired.
Finally, a good movie perhaps?
On Sunday, 4/17/05, at 9 pm, ABC will feature a movie that from the hype, well here’s the promo blurb:
A desperate psychiatrist (Michael Douglas) must get a patient (Brittany Murphy) to give him information that will convince a kidnapper (Sean Bean) to free his kidnapped daughter.
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