Logic

Apparently we’ve all been mistaken all this time, since a “moderate” Muslim has explained that there is no such thing as Al Qaeda.

Well, shit, I’m glad to know that, because here I was thinking that the World Trade Center towers had been knocked down. Guess we can all pack up and go home now…

Or NOT.

I think we should just ignore this jackass and point out that “moderate” is not a self-given description.

Look, when you have world-respected religious leaders of the Islamic faith preaching that Jews are descended from pigs and dogs, the Qu’ran itself saying that the faith should be spread by the sword, and madrassas all over the region preaching hatred of any infidel, that’s not something that is going to go away overnight, or even in less than a few decades. It will take at least two generations, folks. This is a long hard slog, not something that can be handled in the space of a thirty minute sitcom or a fifteen minute press conference.

It is a war that they started. It is a war that we will finish.

But I’m back in the saddle again…

Lots of things to bitch about today, so let’s get started.

First, for those who are whining about how things are so Gott-damn terrible in Iraq, let me introduce you to a new reason for those recipes for crow - the Iraqi Constitution. Seems the deadline they set for themselves to submit a first draft was supposed to be the middle of next month, but they are about two weeks ahead of schedule. All of the violence (which is aimed primarily at the fledgling government and the citizens wanting a voice in their own future more than it is against the “foreign invaders and crusaders") has done nothing to slow the process down. Just as a gentle reminder to those of you who are judging Iraq by the ‘Domino’s Pizza’ mindset where “everything gets delivered within 30 minutes or it’s free”, the fledgling United States took almost six years from the end of the War for Independence until the enacting of the Constitution. The war in Iraq was over on May 1, 2003 (the end of “major combat operations"), which means that it has only been two years, during which the Iraqi people have held open and free elections, begun the establishment of their own military and internal security forces, and created a draft of a Constitution.

That’s progress, and only someone willingly blind will refuse to admit it.

Second, the attacks of Bush’s SCOTUS nominee, John Roberts (Judge on the DC Federal Circuit Court), have already started. The usual suspects have started to dig up anything they can to present Judge Roberts as “outside the mainstream” and “extremist”. All this despite the fact that Roberts was unanimously confirmed (99-0) to the DC Court by essentially the same Senate just two years ago.

The resulting implosion of the Democratic Party continues apace.

Finally, I note with sorrow the passing of actor James Doohan. I met him at a Star Trek convention in San Francisco several years ago. He was splifficated, but funny and polite. He died of pneumonia and complications from Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 85. May God welcome him and bless his family. (Interesting side note: Despite the repetition of the phrase, Captain Kirk never once said, “Beam me up, Scotty”. Never, not once.)