Back To Iraq

Obama is fired up and ready to go back to Iraq:

WASHINGTON — President Obama said Thursday that he authorized "targeted airstrikes" if needed to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq, as well as airdrops of food and water to religious minorities in Iraq who are under siege from Islamic militants and trapped on a mountaintop.

"Today, America is coming to help," Obama said.

The president's announcement Thursday amounts to a significant escalation of involvement in the growing Iraqi crisis, but Obama attempted to assure the American public that it would not lead to U.S. involvement in a ground war there.

The reassurance about no ground troops is hardly necessary - we all understand Obama is not committed to success here.

Peter Baker of the Times unleashed his inner auteur; it's "news analysis", not straight reporting, so let the prose flow:

WASHINGTON — In sending warplanes back into the skies over Iraq, President Obama on Thursday night found himself exactly where he did not want to be. Hoping to end the war in Iraq, Mr. Obama became the fourth president in a row to order military action in that graveyard of American ambition.

The mandate he gave to the armed forces was more limited than that of his predecessors, focused mainly on dropping food and water. But he also authorized targeted airstrikes “if necessary” against Islamic radicals advancing on the Kurdish capital of Erbil and others threatening to wipe out thousands of non-Muslims stranded on a remote mountaintop.

As he explained himself to a national television audience, Mr. Obama made a point of reassuring a war-weary public that the president who pulled American forces out of Iraq at the end of 2011 had no intention of fighting another full-scale war there. Yet his presence in the State Dining Room testified to the bleak reality that the tide of events in that ancient land have defied his predictions and aspirations before.

We see this "war-weary public" meme everywhere. But are we weary of war, or weary of endless, inconclusive struggles fought with no plan for victory? I opposed Obama's Hokey-Pokey surge in Afghanistan (You put the troops in, you take the troops out...) because Obama clearly had no conviction or commitment and becasue our hazy objectives were probably not attainable. I would oppose an effort by Obama to put troops back in Iraq for similar reasons. But under new leadership (not Hillary!) maybe a renewed US-led push in Iraq could make sense. Leaving ISIS to fester seems like an insane alternative.

WRONG ALL SUMMER: This is interesting if unsurprising, from Mr. Baker:

Mr. Obama has spent months resisting just that. Even after the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, seized Falluja and other territory in the western part of the country at the beginning of the year and marched through Mosul and toward Baghdad by summer, the president expressed no enthusiasm for American military action. 

In June, he sent in 300 special forces troops not to fight but to assess the situation, an assessment that has yet to be completed, and he increased surveillance passes over Iraq. But Mr. Obama rebuffed calls, including those from within his administration, to quickly send in air power to hit ISIS forces.

Aides said his hand was not forced until ISIS won a series of swift and stunning victories last weekend and Wednesday night against the Kurds in the north, who have been a loyal and reliable American ally, especially compared to the Baghdad government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. ISIS threats to wipe out Yazidis and other religious minorities trapped on Mount Sinjar, they said, added to the urgency.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or would have been.

Comments

[Captain Hate]

So pulling all the troops out prematurely leads to genocide? The deuce you say.

[Steve]

Tom: you and I will both be long dead before the crazies over there ever agree to live together without trying to blow each other up and/or chop off their heads. There's just too much bad history and too much fanaticism to think that there's ever a chance of attaining Bush's idealistic vision of people living together, holding hands, singing songs and sharing a Coke.

The best we can hope for (and this was true before Bush invaded) is to stick American lives into the mix which gives the crazies a target they all dislike more than they dislike the other. The 'peace' or 'victory' our troops win isn't a real victory, it's merely somewhat of a pause in the fighting. Flooding the streets with NYC cops doesn't make the Mafia families love one another, it just forces them to wait things out for a while, and the same holds true here.

Given this reality, how many American lives is worth it to buy a temporary lull in the fighting?

[NKinLimbo]

Pulling the troops out, letting the Mullahs boss the Shia coalition govenment who stick it to the Sunni, Scare the crap out of the House of Saud who see the Shia Crescent expand south and west to Baghdad and Damascus and Beirut, so they pay to arm ISIS. The blood floods so hard and fast, even the desert can't soak it all up. This is the way of Obama.

[narciso]

the practical reality, is that the Sunni tribesman are the short to mindterm enemy,
from the Euphrates river beginning in Syria,
crossing through Deir ur Zour, and running
SouthWest into the Nejd, where the Ikwan tribes of Arabia, lie

[NKinLimbo]

And a Caliphate run by the madest Jihadis of all between the Levant and Mesopotania helps Americans how? Please

[Beasts of England]

Has Nancy said 'We have to airstrike it to find out what's in it'?

[narciso]

so they are getting around to this now;

http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2014/08/us_adds_nusrah_islamic_state_f.php

who are we targeting, just rank and file ISIL
fighters, there's no sense of seriousness here,

[Ignatz]

It's not the wars we're sick of as much as it is the pieces peaces.

The public is tired of losing wars that never end based on strategies with no hope of success.

If we delineated a clear strategy that defines for everyone to see that "here are the things we won't tolerate and we'll decide where we won't tolerate them" and then went about smashing to perdition anyone who performed any of those things and then left them to clean up the mess they caused themselves we would soon find, again, that having enemies who are scared to death of you makes for a much simpler more peaceful world.

When you slaughter your enemies like the death angel and lay waste their lands and armies for certain proscribed acts with no concern for subsequently building a nation out of a tangle of mangled tribes you soon find there are fewer proscribed acts to stomp out. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper in lives and treasure.

And those proscribed acts can include the kind of barbarity we're witnessing right now.
If ISIS knew it would be pulverized and obliterated beyond recognition and, more importantly, its aims never reached because it chooses to massacre allies of ours like religious minorities and invading Kurdistan it would most likely be doing neither.

It knows it will either get away with what it's doing with only minimal damage or at worst will have to wait out and win a prolonged proxy war that we never really care too much who wins and so they don't fear us or the consequences of their actions.

'Rubble makes no trouble' is inaccurate. Rubble makes plenty of trouble; it just makes it for someone other than the guy who made the rubble in the first place, which is the best one can hope for in a world full of evil.

[Jeff Dobbs]

What this world really needs right now...An Obama Major Speech on Why The Terrorists Militants Have Disappointed Me Greatly and Are Irresponsibly on the Wrong Side of History and If Only They Will Unclench Their Fists We Will Offer Them an Open Hand . . . delivered in Erbil.

And if that doesn't work, a #hashtag

[Miss Marple]

Testing.

[Miss Marple]

Aha! I couldn't figure out why I couldln't post, and then realized that when I deleted my cookies my name and email weren't on the posting screen, so nothing would post.

I am sort of slow in my thinking early in the morning. Ha!

I am going back to work at the food pantry today, so will check in to see what new disasters have befallen the republic when I return.

[Extraneus]

What are the odds that a caliphate would arise under an American president whose middle name is Hussein and a CIA Director who probably converted to Islam?

[Threadkiller]

Last night Danube pondered Obama's use of "targeted" with reference to air strikes.

I think it stems from two things.

From his uber-liberal side he believes that guns kill people more so than people kill people, so he is promising that extra care will be used with these dangerous toys.

Second, from his jihadist-Muslim side, he thinks the best and the brightest Muslims, who have contributed so much to technology, wouldn't just randomly send missiles across the country side. This justifies his notion that munitions have a mind of their own.

[rse]

MM-this is for you. http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118910907.html

The former mayor of Indianapolis has written a book called The Responsive City on the use of all that delicious governmental data to plan and take care of the needs of the disadvantaged especially. That of course is why cities exist.

The fact that NYC and the Windy City are also featured. No wonder Open Data was bo's first act in office-the day of his initial inauguration. We have to begin to wonder too if people exist to finance and give a reason for the existence of a broad public sector in this vision of the future.

[Threadkiller]

If John Jay were the odds maker he would say pretty likely.

[Old Lurker]

Ext, that wouldn't happen unless you also had an Iranian mole acting as puppeteer of that president. Then you have a hat trick.

[Threadkiller]

Hagel helps with the crafting of the odds:
http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2013/01/secretary-of-defense-nominee-chuck.html?m=1

[Threadkiller]

IDIOT JOHN KERRY TELLS STARVING AFRICANS NOT TO FARM ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwE2hYkziLs

[Extraneus]

Forgot about her.

Btw, that came from VictoriaJackson.com. Remember her?

http://victoriajackson.com/10438/obamas-senior-advisor-muslim

[Threadkiller]

Chris Stirewalt on Fox points out that Obama is the fourth consecutive President to order air strikes on Iraq.

[narciso]

well he doesn't really care, about this, fundamentally transforming 'is his thing'
ISIS seems to be undercutting OPEC, unlike
the way the BEND is doing in Nigeria,

[Comanche Voter]

Well last night in the White House, the trapped weasel sung--sort of. Who knows which way he'll wiggle next.

[AliceH]

I have Geraghty's "Morning Jolt" open in another tab and for the 3rd or 4th time I did a double take by misreading the tab caption as "We're Dropping Acid".

(What it really says: "We're Dropping Aid...")

I may never close that ;)

[narciso]

an update;

http://minx.cc:1080/?post=351043

darnok, when the walls fell,

[NKinLimbo]

This is right up Janet's alley: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-08-06/a-streetcar-named-progress

[Rick B]

Narciso,

What is BEND?

[NKinLimbo]

The Iranian Ferret's threats? I think they were aimed primarily at the Dem Clintonistas, Tea Party second.

[Beasts of England]

I agree, NK. Although if she was that miffed at the Clintonistas, imagine what she thinks about the rest of us.

[NKinLimbo]

"imagine what she thinks about the rest of us."

DEATH TO AMERICA!! that.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

(long OT)

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts. They worked. After I had a nuclear stress test on Saturday, it was determined that the tachycardia attacks likely came from impeded blood flow from the left side of my heart. So, rather than an ablation, on Tuesday the very skillful interventional cardiologist who opened my totally occluded right CA in January 2013 opened an almost totally occlude left anterior descending CA (aka the "widow maker").

The procedure has been a great success restoring heart function as far as I can tell. I made 1 lap around the hall Thursday, 4 yesterday and 4 so far this morning with greater strength each time. My main problem is that I was able to walk too fast, and my leg strength flagged somewhat. I slowed done a bit with good result.

Now, I am on controlled, supervised diuresis to assure the die used in the procedure caused no significant kidney damage, and that will be a slow process to do it right. If all continues to go well, I will be discharged tomorrow or Sunday, likely the latter.

In the course of the blood work, it was discovered I have serious hypothyroidism which is easily treated, and should greatly improve my activity level.

[NKinLimbo]

Hey hey hey.. good new JimR. Keep up the good work.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Thanks for the update Jim and continued prayers.

[Threadkiller]

I am glad to hear your progress, Jim!

[Rick B]

Great news, Jim. Please keep us updated.

[narciso]

Nigerian river pirates, attack oil platforms along the delta

http://therightscoop.com/bill-whittle-the-murderer-in-the-kremlin/

[Extraneus]

Thanks for the update, Jim!

[narciso]

Great news, Jim,

Farguhar was a little better than David 'Abbott' Kirkpatrick, but still woefully inadequate at the Moscow desk

[henry]

From Chitown lurking types, a takedown of income inequality arguments. Thorough smackdown of economic modelers, no extra charge.

[Threadkiller]

On Tuesday of this week, Barack Obama turned 53. Or so we were told.

On the occasion of this presumed birthday, it might be useful to revisit a claim by Obama himself as to when he was born, one that would put his current age at 48 – or younger.

http://www.wnd.com/2014/08/obama-turned-53-or-did-he/

[Beasts of England]

Cheers, Jim Rhoads - great news!

[narciso]

this may slow down his golf game;

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/08/08/top-advisors-predict-a-long-very-long-campaign/

[Jane on Ipad]

Yay Jim! Just remembering all that medical jargon would have done me in! Are you home?

[Old Lurker]

OK, we can breath now. Congrats, Jim.

[Old Lurker]

TK.........

[Thomas Collins]

Glad to hear that you're on the mend, Jim. Stop by here when you need to take a rest from your exercising (although I realize following Obama's half measures in the face of the Islamic State establishing itself as a sovereign body politic may not be the best recuperative strategy).

[Cecil Turner (on mini pad)]

Good grief. As lame and as hesitant as the conduct of the Iraq war was, it was a win. The President, elected on a platform of hopelessness, needed a loss. The only way we could lose was by withdrawing . . . and so we withdrew. Kind of inspirational, in a back asswards sort of way.

I'm convinced our best path going forward is to announce an immediate alliance with ISIS. Their die-hards would choke in despair . . .

[NKinLimbo]

CecilT-- I agree with your first graph. My sarcasm detector doesn't function, so I don't get your second graph :)

[narciso]

Who's to say we haven't as was done with the
February 17th Brigade, how did that work out again,

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/08/08/top-advisors-predict-a-long-very-long-campaign/

[narciso]

the press decided they needed another Vietnam, and they got their McGovern it would be so.

[Threadkiller]

Maybe we should do "targeted air strikes" on all the oil fields. Take away their purpose.

It worked against The Humongous.

[rse]

Hooray Jim.

Assuming you are still in hospital let me recommend the Mediterranean restaurant across the street to your family. Mom had a hip replacement there last year so I was there quite a bit over several days.

[Extraneus]

2010:

Obama Declares an End to Combat Mission in Iraq

Mission Accomplished.

[Extraneus]

In 2010, Biden Predicted Iraq Would Be "One Of The Great Achievements Of This Administration"

[Extraneus]

2007:

“There’s no doubt there are risks of increased bloodshed in Iraq without a continuing U.S. presence there.”

The greater risk is staying in Iraq, Obama said.

“It is my assessment that those risks are even greater if we continue to occupy Iraq and serve as a magnet for not only terrorist activity but also irresponsible behavior by Iraqi factions,” he said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19862711/ns/politics-decision_08/t/obama-dont-stay-iraq-over-genocide/#.U-T2L_ldVc9

[Extraneus]

FACT: President Obama kept his promise to end the war in Iraq. Romney called the decision to bring our troops home “tragic.”

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 22, 2012

[NKinLimbo]

It's extraordinary how totally wrong Obummer is about everything. He's the living embodiment of the Costanza Rule. Slo Jo? how moronic can someone be without being institutionalized?

[Cecil Turner (on mini pad)]

My sarcasm detector doesn't function, so I don't get your second graph :)

The truly sad thing is, I'm not sure it's a joke.

I just watched John Kerry try to cheerlead for a "wakeup call" on how bad ISIS is. Obviously he thought somebody should do something about it . . . he just wasn't sure who.

As for the airstrike(s), the current description is that (one) section of Hornets dropped bombs on (one) mobile artillery piece. Hopefully we'll do more, but so far it's hard to see how the material support outweighs the propaganda down side.

And in the running for shortest operational life span of a pentagon statement is Pentagon: Iraq bombing reports 'completely false'. The strategic cluelessness and confusion is palpable.

So, if your choice is "US as ally" vs "US as enemy" . . . which way do you go?

[NKinLimbo]

BTW-- are the FA-18s carrier based?

[Cecil Turner (on mini pad)]

NK: according to reports they were, and it's hard to see where else they'd be based, so I'd rate that as very probable. There also must be some airborne tankers in the area, but those weren't in any reports I saw.

[MarkO]

Jim,

Great news.

[Ignatz]

I'm glad you're mobile and on the mend, Jim.
You must be one tough son of a gun.

[Jack is Back (From Bridgehampton via the Road from Hell)]

CT,

Is it a iPad Mini? How do you like it?

Got to be the G.H.W. Bush (CVW-8) since it was in UAE August 2nd.

[Threadkiller]

BTW-- are the FA-18s carrier based?

Launched off the George Bush.

[lyle]

Great news, Jim.

opened an almost totally occlude left anterior descending CA (aka the "widow maker").

That one took my brother's life at the ripe old age of 42.

[NKinLimbo]

CVN-78 it is. Back to the future. 24 years and 4 POTUSs dropping ordinance on Iraqi sovereign territory. I am sure NancyP will jump up and blame Obummer for 'encouraging' ISIS as she did with GHWB's 1990 Ambassador to Sadaam.

[Rick B]

". . . which way do you go?"

Simple. You refer to the Obama Administration Strategic Ten Year Ad Hoc Plan and then use a Magic 8 Ball backed by a Quija Board for confirmation of your decision. Over time your results will fall in line with the success rate of climate or economic models.

[Extraneus]

If only we had a military base in the area.

[Pagar]

Glad to see your good news, JimR.

[MarkO]

Whatever happened to overwhelming force?

[Sandy--Engorged Capital~Fallow Districts--Daze]

Great news, Jim !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TM -We see this "war-weary public" meme everywhere. But are we weary of war, or weary of endless, inconclusive struggles fought with no plan for victory?

Exactly.

[Jack is Back (From Bridgehampton via the Road from Hell)]

Jim R,

That is great news. Keep up the PT.

[Extraneus]

US warns Russia that any intervention in Ukraine would be viewed as 'an invasion of Ukraine'

Whoa. They must be sweating now.

[Sandy--Engorged Capital~Fallow Districts--Daze]

Iraq is over as a nation. As established post Ottoman rule (whether the British era, the Kingdom or Sadamn's Republic established in 58), it is dead.

Not coming back.

Stick a fork in it, that potato is baked.

The only questions remaining are

1) the Kurdistan carve-out--hopefully the Barzans are engaged with PM Netanyahu to develop a security relationship, fat chance that the feckless in WDC will help.

2) the southern oil fields--how long can they be operating and, on a side note, if we are concerned about "conflict diamonds" what will the international community (HAH HAH what a laugh) will think about "conflict oil."

3) Will we--or anyone for that matter--be concerned when the Islamic State army rolls to Kuwait's border, smashes it, and then marches to Medina and Mecca.

No entity in the world--save the United States of America--is capable of stopping the Islamic State army.

There will be a bloodbath in Baghdad and environs which will make what we have seen so far, and just recently, the Yazidi matter, be a pin prick in comparison

Go to Live Leak (eg: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7fd_1406604477) if you want to see the documentation.

If you thought the last thirteen years were something, just await the sequel over the next six.

Hey, you "Consequence management experts" -- time to start earning your Wheaties...

[Cecil Turner (on mini pad)]

Is it a iPad Mini? How do you like it?

A Nexus-7 and I like it fairly well. Very good for reading (and adequate for scrolling through JOM). It's great for travel. I miss the functionality of a laptop a bit, but love the space/weight savings.

[NKinLimbo]

"No entity in the world--save the United States of America--is capable of stopping the Islamic State army."

1. What is the combat ability of the Saudi armed forces?

2. can the Mullahs deploy combat forces to Basra? to Baghdad?
3. Would the Mullahs drop the Shia Bomb on ISIS?

[Extraneus]

For the lawyers...

Monkeys take 'selfies,' sparking copyright dispute

A series of self-portraits taken by Indonesian monkeys has sparked a copyright dispute between Wikipedia and a British wildlife photographer, who wasn't amused that the popular images are being used for free.

Photographer David Slater complained Thursday that Wikipedia rejected his requests for the images to be removed from the website. He said he owns the copyright to the images of crested black macaque monkeys, which were taken in the Indonesian jungle in 2011.

Slater told the BBC that although the monkeys pressed the button, he had set the self-portraits up by framing them and setting the camera on a tripod.

"It wasn't that the monkey stole the camera, went behind the bush and photographed it all by itself. It required a large input from myself," he said.

But Wikimedia Foundation, the group behind the free information-sharing site, argued that Slater didn't own the copyright to the photos because he didn't take the images.

[lyle]

The best and the brightest:

Ben Rhodes, the U.S. deputy national-security adviser, told me that Obama believes a full withdrawal was the right decision. “There is a risk of overstating the difference that American troops could make in the internal politics of Iraq,” he said. “Having troops there did not allow us to dictate sectarian alliances. Iraqis are going to respond to their own political imperatives.” But U.S. diplomats and commanders argue that they played a crucial role, acting as interlocutors among the factions—and curtailing Maliki’s sectarian tendencies.

This is a NYT excerpt.

[narciso]

those Harvard types are really sharp, of course wouldn't the Donbas repo team, have been kind of an intervention, I'm just saying,

Hornets, what Intruders weren't available, you have to go aways back to the Abbasid caliphate,

[Ignatz]

--Iraq is over as a nation.--

I agree and am willing to admit SloJoe may actually have said something not idiotic years ago when he suggested Iraq as three states would be a better solution that trying to keep three incompatible groups in one room.
Would it have prevented or blunted ISIS? Who knows? But it would likely have meant a more stable area to begin with.

--Will we--or anyone for that matter--be concerned when the Islamic State army rolls to Kuwait's border, smashes it, and then marches to Medina and Mecca.--

The infidel in me regards that as one of the great opportunities of history to finally and forever destroy this insane cult of Islam by using such an event as an excuse to level to the ground and salting the earth of those two irreplaceable monuments to Allah's supposed power and sovereignty. As even moslems admit, no Mecca no Allah; no Allah, no Islam.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/8/democrats-applaud-obamas-airstrikes-iraq/

[Danube on iPad]

CNN poll.

"Forty-six percent of people believe the events leading up to the resignation of President Nixon were 'just politics,' according to a new poll that coincides with the 40th anniversary of his stepping down.

"The CNN poll found a narrow majority, 51 percent, believe the Watergate scandal was a serious matter, while slightly less describe it as the kind of thing in which both parties engage."

[NKinLimbo]

I consider Watergate a 'serious matter', and Nixon's resignation was necessary. 1974 wasn't a very good year for the USA, but as a constitutional Republic based on liberty... we were miles ahead better then.

Speaking of polls, 70 % see mass illegal immigration as a 'threat' to the USA. You don't say?

[Jane]

Yeah Dot but that was a time when integrity in a president mattered. Not so much today.

[NKinLimbo]

@1:09-- NancyP's quote? There are no words anymore to describe that Botox addled old lizard.

[MarkO]

Nixon obstructed justice for the purpose of winning an election.

Sound familiar?

[NKinLimbo]

actually he won a landslide, without any knowledge of 3rd rate burglaries, but later he obstructed justice to prevent inconvenient facts from being revealed that would hurt him politically and aid his political enemies.

[lyle]

Definitely worth your time:

http://pjmedia.com/blog/to-be-liked-or-to-be-feared/2/

[lyle]

Infuriating. Nobody circles the wagons like asshole Dems.

[narciso]

Well the first Wahhabi state, did exactly that way, working it's way up south toward the two shrines, and north into Najaf and Karbala,

what exactly was Nixon's great offense, political surveillance, get me the smelling
salts, some penny ante dirty tricks, attempting to sic the IRS on his opponent, some undisclosed campaign contribution that funded the former exercises,

[lyle]

Wretchard:

For the ultimate source of leftist legitimacy is the view that they are better simply persons than the rest; able to make moral judgments no one else can. Their self-regard is almost erotic. They’re in love with themselves. Or to paraphrase one the president’s campaign lines: ‘we are the people the world has been waiting for.’

We’re ready for our moral close-ups.

[NKinLimbo]

Well Nixon ordered subordinates to obstruct responses to lawful subpoenas, subpoenaed audio tapes lost info, and he flat out lied to the American people.. wait?!!!

[Captain Hate]

Watergate is something LBJ would get done before breakfast on a slow day. I was no fan of Nixon other than exposing that creep Alger Hiss, but the hypocrisy of the commiecrats set the bar at such a high level that it's never been surpassed.

[NKinLimbo]

Thanks for the Link Lyle. All very true.

[Jane]

Speaking of landslides, was there one near you, Mark?

[Danube on iPad]

"If John Jay were the odds maker he would say pretty likely."

Help us out: what did Mr. Jay have to say about Islam and people with the middle name "Hussein?"

[NKinLimbo]

I will say this about Nixon... the major difference between Nixon and JFK, and LBJ and FDR was the Media covering up for them and conducting a Jihad against Nixon. Nixon had the unfortunate timing of coming after LBJ and Vietnam, both of which the young turk media types (W & B) despised, so getting Nixon was like a two-fer for them.

[Jane]

The liberals I know are desperately waiting for the talking points. So far all they've got is "It's Bush's fault". Might not work this time.

[daddy]

Good Morning. Is it "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" yet?

[NKinLimbo]

Daddy-- no chance of you being recalled to fly some S-3 Texaco missions is there? BTW, what does the Navy use for Texaco these days? http://www.history.navy.mil/planes/s3.htm

[lyle]

Marie Harf, best and brightest:

And that’s why throughout this conflict you have seen us continue to ramp up our support and continue to look very urgently at other things we could do to help fight this threat, because at the end of the day we can help the Iraqis, but the Iraqis also have to stand up, they have to pull themselves together, with our help, because this is a threat that certainly they but no one else in the region wants to see grow any more.”