Clinton’s Legacy

Former President Clinton has made quite a stir, first about the ABC movie “Path to 9/11” and now in an interview with Chris Wallace on Fox when questioned about his actions fighting Bin Laden.

I didn’t like Mr. Clinton as a president and I voted against him twice. Despite that, not too many, including myself, took terrorism as seriously as we should of prior to 9/11. I think most Americans would agree and would actually give Mr. Clinton somewhat of a pass for our unprepardness prior to 9/11. So I think the former president’s bluster now does him no good. It only serves to remind many of us why we didn’t like him in the first place. Can’t see how this will help the Democrats in the upcoming election.

Bombing Pakistan into the Stone Age

Yahoo News reports Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said the United States threatened to bomb Pakistan "back to the stone age" in 2001 unless it cooperated in the US-led war on terror. [He] “said the threat came from former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage” to his security director.

NPR reports “Richard Armitage says he never said the United States would bomb Pakistan if the country didn't help in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida”. Instead they report “Armitage says, he told Pakistan's top intelligence official on Sept. 12, 2001, that Pakistan would have to decide if it were "with us or against us" in the American effort to confront al-Qaida and the Taliban.”

Richard Armitage is probably factually correct. A Colin Powell deputy wouldn’t be so blunt; plus there was no military necessity to bomb Pakistan to the Stone Age. But I’m sure the State Department got Musharraf’s attention as Mark Steyn opined last month:

That must have been quite the phone call he'd got from Washington a day or two earlier. And all within a week of Sept. 11. You may remember during the 2000 campaign an enterprising journalist sprung on Gov. Bush a sudden pop quiz of world leaders. Bush, invited to name the leader of Pakistan, was unable to. But so what? In the third week of September 2001, the correct answer to "Who's General Musharraf?" was "Whoever I want him to be." And, if Musharraf didn't want to play ball, he'd wind up as the answer to "Who was leader of Pakistan until last week?"

Just after 9/11, the resolve of America was never higher. Musharraf knew few here would have thought twice about going through Pakistan if they interfered in our pursuit of the Taliban. Perhaps after five years Musharraf thinks he may get some sympathy for being forced to turn his back on a murderous regime. I hope not.

We made the right call in 2001 but Mark Steyn wonders “Do you get the feeling Washington's not making phone calls like that anymore?”

“You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man”

“which is why Democrats have proven themselves such easy marks.”

Mick Stockinger has a different take on McCain, et al than my view below.

Tortured Reasoning

A few years ago I read that the sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ made his male inmates wear pink jail outfits. The inmates didn’t like this; instead of being “cool” they were humiliated. Precisely the sheriff’s point. Too many gang-bangers saw jail as a badge of honor. The sheriff re-introduced shame to make jail uncool.

If foreign terrorists, however, were humiliated in Guantanamo, the New York Times, Senator McCain, and Senator Graham would be calling for war crimes tribunals – not against the terrorists, but against their American captors. See, this violates the Geneva Convention on treatment of prisoners of war and recently the Supreme court ruled the U.S must treat unlawful combatants by the Geneva conventions. This had never been a requirement in the past. They ruled this way, not because the treaty states so (it doesn’t) but because Congress did not differentiate between a prisoner of war and an unlawful combatant when it wrote the U.S. code for treating prisoners. President Bush has requested Congress rewrite the code to differentiate between legitimate prisoners of war and illegal non-combatants. Senators McCain, Graham, and the liberal media would have us think George Bush has asked permission to torture prisoners. He has not.

When the Senators and liberal media use the word torture – call them on it. What exactly is it they are calling torture. For most Americans it means cattle prods, paper shredders and similar evils. I find it hard to believe folks will want to go on record saying rock music, uncomfortable temperatures, and pink outfits constitute torture.

Elites Attack the Wrong People

The Pope is the latest in a long line of notables who have addressed directly the issue of violent Islam. Others include Danish Cartoonists and the late Oriana Fallaci. The reaction among the Western elite, particularly in the media, however has been to vilify these messengers for “provoking” violent Muslims instead of recognizing the elephant in the living room of growing Islamic Fascism. George Bush is attacked in the same way. He is the first President to seriously confront radical Islam instead of accommodating it; the events of September 11th surely being the turning point in his thinking. What is ironic is these elitist, who champion the debauchery of the West, have the most to lose in a world dominated by radical Muslim overlords.

Week Ending 16 September 2006

Current Events and Commentary

Pope Invites Muslims to Dialogue

“The Pope, who used the terms "jihad" and "holy war" in his lecture, added: "Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul."

Muslims angered over his remarks respond. My favorite quote:

"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence," [Pakistan] Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

Uh, thanks Tasnim, for proving the Pope wrong...

(H/T Small Dead Animals)

Utah Governor Seeks Additional Congressional District

Utah’s Governor Huntsman testified before the House Judiciary Constitution subcommittee to lobby for an additional Utah congressional seat. The increase in Utah’s delegation would be politically balanced by giving a representative to Washington DC.

I was going to write something snide like “The Governor needs to first live in DC or close by. does he think a city that consistently voted in Marian Barry could handle the responsibility of a congressperson who actually gets a vote that counts!” However, knowing that the Governor’s father was an official in the Nixon Whitehouse, he probably has lived in Washington DC or nearby. So what gives?

Utah is sure to get a new congressional seat with the next census and should wait. Local DC officials have been some of the most corrupt in the United States. Before I would contemplate giving DC a voting congressional representative, I would want to see that city without corruption for 10 years.

Sunset Over Split Rock

I took this photograph of the sunset over Split Rock while visiting Wyoming last month. Split Rock was an important landmark for pioneers on the California, Mormon, and Oregon trails.

Brush Fire

The mountain east of Layton, Utah, was under smoke and flames this afternoon. I do not know the cause. This appears to be north of Adams Canyon, which is fortunate. Adams Canyon has a popular hiking trail. It rained shortly afterwards which should make fighting the fire easier.

Current Events

As a service to aspiring young college students studying American Heritage, periodically I'll write a little about local, national, and world events.

The big event this week happened five years ago, this being the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

- Many commemorations took place across the country
o New York
o Utah

- ABC aired a special “Path to 9/11” that wasn’t particulary kind to either President Bush or President Clinton. Democrats were pretty thinned skinned and pressured ABC to yank the feature from broadcasting, to no avail.
- President Bush gave an anti-terrorism speech; Democrats shrieked like stuck pigs.

Meanwhile BYU has placed Physics professor Steven Jones, on paid administrative leave while they investigate how well his “research” has been peer reviewed. I wrote my thoughts here. Apparently the American Association of University Professors thinks no professor should be held to account for their actions.

Cooking Skills

I guess I’m not the only one who noticed (see post below)

An Anecdote from the Baking Goods Aisle

I was in Wal-Mart Labor Day, and it was as crowded as ever. That is to say except the baking goods aisle. Perhaps this was a coincidence, but I distinctly remember wall to wall carts and people on every other aisle. The baking goods aisle was bereft of shoppers. It made me pause and think that we are no longer a bake from scratch nation. The only reason I was there was to pick up some corn starch; I heard it is good for removing oil from concrete.

Marley and Me

Lily - no relation to Marley; multi-tasking a stick and ball

I stopped into the Deseret Bookstore and thumbed through Marley and Me, while waiting for the family to finish shopping. The sub title, Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, and cover picture could have been my dog (well I’m still working on the love part). I haven’t read the book, but I’m not in suspense why Marley is one of the world’s worst dogs. My dog, Lily's purchase price was only a down payment. I’ve shelled out for torn pants, chewed shoes, cords, furniture, toys, rugs, hoses, siding, etc., and the vet bill for getting hit in the head by a horse Christmas eve; were up to forty gazillion dollars. I figure John Gorgan, Marley’s owner, wrote his book just to keep up with his dog’s bills.

Spanky (again)

Found this in the DesNews. Tried to upload it in the previous post.