Spoiled children void of reason throw temper tantrums

Ok, I am sated from a full dinner, so this time I won't call them the F-word, but the Left's inability to deal with reality in Europe or in one of our BENELUX areas here in the States is getting tiresome. Mostly because they get away from it.

The new habit of the Left is to attack what you cannot logically oppose in the marketplace of ideas do to your complete lack of reason in facts. Michael at Downeastblog has a nice example from the enlightened youth of Belgium. There is so much wrong with this, but most of all only the most uncivilized person would do this to an Alpha Romero. Just wrong.

Of course, we have our clueless spoiled brats here as well. You can watch the video here or just read the Brownshirt Moonbattery here. Oooohhhhh. Yell at the Zoomies!!! what a stud!!!!! I bet the place smells like Patchouli Oil for weeks.

Iraqi Police give their lives so American Soldiers will live

Being that Dan Rather and CBS didn't report this during Dan's swan song, Major K reports of a case near his base where the Iraqi Police (IP) proactively put themselves between a suicide car bomber (AKA Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device-VBIED), loosing their lives to save Americans. Ponder that, then ponder again.

Some people (and you know who you are) need this shoved in their face. Bravo Zulu and Rest in Peace IP.

As they headed to their destination a civilian vehicle pulled on from a side alley and attempted to get into the convoy. Apparently, the convoy gunners were too green or some how did not perceive the car to be a threat. They did not wave the car off, throw anything at him, cut him off, or shoot to try and stop him. A nearby IP (Iraqi Police) SUV witnessed the intruding vehicle and immediately intervened. It pulled up to the rear of the convoy and tried to force the intruding vehicle off the road. The IP’s had successfully put themselves between the vehicle and the US convoy. Unable to deter the vehicle from approaching the US convoy or make it pull over, the IP’s fired at the engine of the encroaching vehicle. At this point, the driver detonated the IED inside his vehicle. Yes, this was a classic VBIED.

This suicide bomber killed himself and the four IP’s in the vehicle holding him at bay.

Hat tip Argghhh!!

Theodore Roosevelt - American Soul

Though not a perfect man, Theodore Roosevelt is a giant. I don't use that term often: Giant.

One part of an upcoming essay I am putting together on my trip to New York City has to do with the quotes from Theodore Roosevelt at the American Museum of Natural History. After reading these, the first thing that came to mind was, "What happened to New York. This man couldn't be elected to a CO-OP board now." How in 100 years could the state of New York go from an attitude that earned its moniker of "The Empire State" to deserving the title "The BENELUX State?" What a shame. I'll let Teddy speak for himself.

Nature

There is a delight in the hardy life of the open.

There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm.

The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value.

Conservation means development as much as it does protection.

Manhood

A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

All daring and courage, all iron endurance of misfortune-make for a finer, nobler type of manhood.

Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die and none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life.

Youth

I want to see you game, boys, I want to see you brave and manly, and I also want to see you gentle and tender.

Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground.

Courage, hard work, self-mastery, and intelligent effort are all essential to successful life.

Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.

The State

Ours is a government of liberty by, through, and under the law.

A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.

Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords.

In popular government results worth while can only be achieved by men who combine worthy ideals with practical good sense.

If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness.

While working on this post, via The Corner Jonah Goldberg pointed the way to an essay on Theodore Roosevelt in The New Criterion by Harvey Mansfield via Powerline. You should read the whole thing as it covers the many unique aspects of TR's philosophy and how we have lost some of it. Here are some selected quotes that apply here though. NB: I think some of Professor Mansfield's observations may derive from the fact that as a Professor of Government at Harvard University he runs in that rarified peer group that runs from Northern Virginia to Southern Maine that represents the Beneluxization of part of the country. Some of his comments do apply to the average "man" there, but in Red State America, notsomuch. He too, needs to get out more. I think it might make him feel better. Perhaps he should go noodling.

The most obvious feature of Theodore Roosevelt’s life and thought is the one least celebrated today, his manliness. Somehow America in the twentieth century went from the explosion of assertive manliness that was TR to the sensitive males of our time who shall be and deserve to be nameless.

I think we know who he is talking about, but I would still love for him to name names.

TR appeals to some conservatives today for his espousal of big government and national greatness, and all conservatives rather relish his political incorrectness. As a reforming progressive he used to appeal to liberals, but nowadays liberals are put off by the political incorrectness that conservatives rather sneakily enjoy.

His father’s advice had been to lengthen the reach of his mind by strengthening his body, using sheer will-power.

Beats any gov'munt school "self-esteem building" program ever invented.

“Life is a great adventure, and the worst of all fears is the fear of living.”

We have abandoned—not reason for manliness like the pragmatists, nor manliness for reason like their tender-minded opponents—but both reason and manliness. We want progress without a rational justification and without the manliness needed to supply the lack of a justification.

That last quote from Professor Mansfield is right on target; for Blue State males and those that think like them. Again, in Red State America I think there is still a large swath of Roosevelt manliness out there. I know in my line of work my opinion is warped a bit by my subset, but I think it is largly accurate.

Whodathunk? The Army found me!

Wow, Army Times is going to make it harder for me to hide. Nice complement, thank you. I am surprised I made the cut, especially since I pinged on their sister publication, The Navy Enquirer, ummm I mean Navy Times, awhile back.

In the company of Mudbille Gazette, Blackfive, Life in this Girl's Army, Armor Geddon and others like them. Wayne said it best.

Let me steal some of Blackfives code:

Below are the articles on the MilBlogs:

The Blogs Of War (New MilBlogging Article)

A Penny For Their Thoughts (MilBloggers Cash In?)

Learning From Blogs (Editorial)

Before you leave, check out the "recently" list of latest posts on the right if you are looking for Navy specific links. I have been on a "macro strategic security trends" kick over the last few days. Comments always welcome. Visit often. WELCOME ABOARD!

Gloire

John J. Miller over at The Corner reminds us all, especially those who like frog gigging, of a great quote from an outstanding book:

"Time and again in the last two centuries, France has refused to come to grips with its diminished status as a country whose greatest general was a foreigner, whose greatest warrior was a teenage girl, and whose last great military victory came on the plains of Wagram in 1809."

BAAAWAAAHAAAHAHHA. Easy target.

Seriously though. Do not underestimate national psychological insecurity's affect on their decisions. When you wonder, "What is France's problem?", remember that.

Lebanese Spring: Why we are on the right side of history

The desire for freedom is a beautiful thing. Laugh at cowboy movies where the Good Guys wear white hats and are someone you would aspire to be, or be around with, and the Bad Guys wear black hats and are shifty, dirty, smelly brutes that would make you uncomfortable to be in the same area code with. Laugh at the Lord of the Rings where the Good Guys are handsome or cute, and the Bad Guys are nasty creatures with horrid habits and give you the creeps. But you know what? Sometimes it is that way in real life.

Pro-freedom demonstrators in Lebanon.


Pro-Syrian demonstrators in Lebanon.

'Nuff said.

Hat tip: The Jawa Report
Update: Rusty provides a NC-17 link to an update on the two pro-Assad fellas above, now identified as Yasuk Dawoud and Abdul bin Hed-Muncheen.

Economic ignorance gets people killed

You would expect a better understanding of supply and demand from the richest capitalist in Italy. But, then again, we are talking about a country where the Communist Party is still a driving force in politics and opinions.

Speaking of Communist amoral bloodsuckers, everyone knows the story behind Giuliana Sgrena, 'reporter' and general all around apologist for genocidal evil (as long as it is done "for the people") everywhere, for the Communist daily Il Manifesto,

Well, the story is coming out that her freedom was bought with cash by her government through people better than herself, and bought by a life of a person better than herself, Nicola Calipari.

There were conflicting reports on the extent to which Italian authorities had informed their American counterparts about the operation, in which a reported $6 million was paid for the journalist's release.

Mr. Berlusconi won plaudits last year when Mr. Calipari obtained the release of two young volunteers kidnapped in Iraq known as the two Simonas, also through payment of a multimillion-dollar ransom.

OK class, lets go back to ECON 101. If a product can gain substantial profit through the marketplace, there will be entrepreneurs out there that will trade in that product. If there is not a market for a product, no one will attempt to trade in it.

There is a reason we do not negotiate with, or support the negotiation with terrorists. Not only are you feeding (with cash) the monster that wants to devour you; you are creating a marketplace for the kidnapping of your people, putting everyone in greater danger. When you buy back a hostage, you endanger many more. Short term feel-good-ism vs. long-term safety.

The bad thing is that the life of a good and honorable man was expended to rescue a Communist propagandist that has nothing but contempt for men such as the one that secured her life. As a matter of fact, if Sgrena and her ilk had their way, everyone that worked with and was associated with Mr. Calipari would be put up against the wall and shot. Mr. Calipari knew that but did his job, as all professionals would. He was failed by his Chain-of-Command. Rest in peace Mr. Calipari.