Author: Fuzzy Curmudgeon

That Jonah:
“I agree with Andrew Sullivan and others when they suggest the Saddam broadcast was authentic. If Saddam was looking to make a show of strength, he wouldn’t wear those glasses. Reading from that pad he looks like an old man trying to figure out why the deli raised the price on the chicken noodle soup.”
Exactly.

this morning has a good point about the possible etymology of “Shock and Awe” (page down, it’s at the bottom…but read the whole thing.)
The only problem is that you don’t pronounce the Hebrew that way. But I’m willing to overlook it.

Democrats don’t understand what their problem is. I do. I think The Prowler does, too.

“We focus-grouped and tested the idea that Bush had failed miserably as a diplomat and most of our respondents agreed,” says a Democratic leadership aide. “It seemed like the perfect approach for us.” Apparently it wasn’t.

Quit applying marketing techniques to politics, boys. You’re way too poll-driven to see the forest for the trees.

[U]nspoken in all of this is that the Bush administration hasn’t been polling or focus grouping its Iraqi policy. “That the Democrats feel the need to poll on this just shows where their minds are,” says a Republican Senate leadership staffer. “You’d think they’d have learned a lesson from the Clinton White House on that.”
Indeed.

It is morally impossible to support the troops and not support their Commander-in-Chief. Anyone who makes this pious pronouncement loses all moral authority with the American people. And if they are legislators, they should immediately surrender their seats to people who have the requisite moral clarity.
Yes. I used the word “moral” three times.

What a maroon. [page down to get to this paragraph]

One anti-war legislator remained defiant even after the war began.
“Tonight, President Bush has commanded U.S. forces to go to war in violation of American traditions of defensive war that have lasted since George Washington. This war is wrong; it violates the Constitution and international law,” said Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.

This statement is so remarkably asinine on its face that it really needs no response. But I will make one point for the Boy Mayor: WE DIDN’T START THIS WAR. Remember the Twin Towers? The Pentagon? Flight 93?

…but I found the “pregame show” attitude that I saw on Fox last night to be, hmm, in relatively poor taste. I assume the other networks did the same thing.
I don’t know what made everybody think the bombs were going to start falling at 8PM sharp. I certainly hope we got something for our money when they mounted that little surgical strike last night (I gather that the response by Saddam might have been given by a double, so you never know…).
God bless our troops.
Death and damnation to Saddam.
Eternal embarassment to those who protest too much.

Michigan Town Bans Live War Coverage in Schools

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — For high school teacher Bill Boyd, television can be a valuable classroom tool.
But if the U.S. goes to war with Iraq, live TV news coverage will be off-limits at his and all other schools in Plymouth, Mich., from kindergarten through 12th grade. Instead, teachers will be limited to showing edited videotaped footage only.
Plymouth-Canton School Superintendent James Ryan said he’s afraid the live war coverage could be too graphic for students. Some parents agree.

I’m sorry, but this is the same attitude that led to 9/11. Pay no attention to the war beyond the border. Pay no attention to what goes on in the rest of the world. Hate America and any good she might do in the world. ASSHOLES!

“To see those people jumping from 80 stories — I won’t ever forget,” said teacher Darrin Silvester. “I was 28, 29 years old, and I won’t forget it.”

I was 41, and my first wedding anniversary was coming up in six days, and I damn sure won’t. But “protecting” the children from war footage isn’t going to keep it from happening again.
Teachers make me sick. And I say that being the son of a good one who unfortunately believes all the crap her union threw at her all those years.

Wanting to Stay Sealed
Targets of terrorism probe change their plea regarding records.

In an abrupt change of course, several Saudi-financed charities and corporations targeted by the Department of Justice in a terrorism investigation have asked the government not to unseal a federal search-warrant affidavit, after originally demanding that the affidavit be made public.

Gee. Wonder why they’d change their (alleged) minds.
Read the whole thing.

Anti-War Groups Threaten Disruptive Action
I don’t think anything else really has to be said. At this point if you pull something like this, you deserve whatever you get.

Tim Kingston, a spokesman for the San Francisco-based Global Exchange, said civil disobedience and other disruptive tactics would likely stir more resentment than sympathy.
But, he says, “What else are we supposed to do? Sit and say nothing … and be silent? That’s not very American.”

Doing what you can to support your country and its troops is American. Protesting and trying to disrupt things is a commie tactic. Kindly die, Mr. Kingston.

Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
March 18, 2003
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Consistent with section 3(b) of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), and based on information available to me, including that in the enclosed document, I determine that:
(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither (A) adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor (B) likely lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and
(2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. BUSH