Bill's Nibbles // Open Post -- 2007.03.27
Contributed by Bill Faith
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Some Bill's Bites posts, some things I excerpted and linked but I'm sending you to the original post, some things too short to excerpt and too good to not mention. I occasionally move things from Bill's Nibbles to longer posts as the day goes on:
Red On Red In Iraq
Ed Morrissey: Iraqi Sunni insurgents have begun turning on their former friends in al-Qaeda, to the point of open combat in some areas, according to Sunni politicians and insurgent spokespeople. The development gives hope that the Iraqi factions will reject foreign terrorists and that the conflict can provide an opening for the end of the native insurgencies:
Bush to Issue Bonds to Buy Back Iraq Timeline Votes
Scott Ott: (2007-03-27) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, struggled today to maintain the Democrat party’s courageous stance on a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq in the face of a new White House initiative designed to buy back Congressional votes that she purchased last week for about $20 billion. ...
Misreading McConnell
Ed Morrissey: The Washington Post reports that Senate Republicans, led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, appear to have retreated from defending the White House on the supplemental funding bill for the Iraq war. The decision to forego a cloture battle gets analyzed as am increasingly unhappy GOP caucus forcing Bush to fight the battle on mandatory timetables alone: ...
Reid Scores A Victory On Iraq By Backing Defeat
Ed Morrissey: Harry Reid won his most important victory as Senate Majority Leader today by unexpectedly passing the supplemental spending bill for Iraq with the mandatory timetables for withdrawal within 12 months. Two Senators, Ben Nelson and Chuck Hagel, reversed their stand on the automatic withdrawal from less than two weeks ago, when the Senate last considered it:
Britain’s Hostage Crisis
Times of London: It is time to stop appeasing those who kidnapped the servicemen. ... Their kidnapping is an outrage. In earlier times it would have been an immediate casus belli. It would fully justify the use of force to obtain their release. There is, however, an even greater outrage compounding this insult to international law: the pusillanimous timidity of British officials and politicians, who have failed disgracefully to confront Iran with the ultimatum this flagrant aggression demands. ... (H/T: JC)
U.S. Begins Show of Force in Persian Gulf
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. Navy on Tuesday began its largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by warplanes flying simulated attack maneuvers off the coast of Iran.
Iran’s terror navy
Bryan Preston: This email comes from a USN Lt who has served in the Gulf and has seen Iranian tactics and actions up close. He served aboard the USS Underwood, which patrols the North Arabian Gulf along with the HMS Cornwall. That’s the ship that the captured British sailors and Marines belong to. I think the Lt provides some useful backstory on the Iranian seizure of those 15 British troops. ...
- March 27, 2003
"Critter" Crittenden: On the morning of the 27th, it was clear, and after three days of dust and more than a week on the road, it was cleaning day. They hauled up a 500-gallon water buffalo full of rotten-smelling treated water … all the water anyone wanted. ... We had been the most-forward placed conventional unit in Iraq for most of the past week. Beyond our line of tanks was the open desert, and beyond that, Karbala, the Republican Guard and the approaches to Baghdad.
- U.N.: Don't Disturb Decorum With Truth
Bruce Kesler: Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, spoke truth to the U.N. Human Rights Council last Friday, for which he was admonished for speaking the truth. How dare he was the reply. How dare we ignore the reply, and what it says so clearly about the U.N.?
An Anniversary To Remember (Updated)
Ed Morrissey: Traditionally, fifth anniversary gifts come in wood, although more modern givers select silver. That seems appropriate as the nation celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, otherwise known as McCain-Feingold (Senate version) or Shays-Meehan (House version). Five years ago, wooden-headed politicians sold out the First Amendment for thirty pieces of silver in order to enact the first restrictions on political speech since the Sedition Act of the early 20th century. ...
- Poll: Thompson Pulls Giuliani Votes, McCain Holds Steady
Ed Morrissey: USA Today and Gallup offer their latest in polling for both parties in the extended presidential primary race, and a couple of changes have raised eyebrows. First, even the rumor of a bid by Fred Thompson has dented Rudy Giuliani's momentum, while John McCain's decline in support appears to have leveled off:
- Turning The College Kids Into Pros
Ed Morrissey: No, I'm not talking about college athletes in high-revenue sports, such as basketball and football players, getting a share of the millions their schools make. Mitt Romney wants to pay college students who raise funds for his campaign a percentage of what they generate for his campaign: ...
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