Happy Dance

‘Night Train’ gives US 1st 4-man gold since 1948

Three Childrens’ Mass Graves Found in Iraq

via The Corner:

It’s news like this which should remind us that, regardless of recriminations in the U.S. political debate about how Saddam’s ouster was managed, the righteousness of the cause is a far different matter.

Here’s more from the article linked to above:

Three mass graves were discovered in the sub district of Dubiz in Kirkuk. Announced the Kurdish daily news paper ASO on Sunday, Feb.21st. These graves are to be excavated by the Ministry of Anfaled and Martyrs of Kurdistan regional government in a near future.

“The graves are holding remnants of children from both Chamchamal and Garmyan areas”. Sayd Fazil Amin the head of KRG martyrs office in Kirkuk told ASO, these kids were taken into captivity during 1988 Anfal campaign against the Kurds.

Anfal genocide was a campaign against the Kurds in 1980s. It was aimed at the elimination of the Kurds in Iraq, by destroying and burning Kurdish villages down. Killing and burying alive the people of these villages. It costed over 200,000 lives of innocent Kurds.

[...]

“We were jailed in a prison in Dubiz for a while. The only thing we knew then was that of, our crime was being a Kurd. In Dubiz they separated us into men, women and children” Bafraw, an Anfal survivor told Hawler Tribune, “Amanj, my 7 year old son, before taken away was very sick, I asked if I could go with him. They [soldiers] told me, do not worry we will put an end to his sickness, I know how they did it”

Kurds know all their beloved Anfaled ones are dead somewhere in the deserts of Iraq. All they are awaiting for is the return of their remnants. As said Bafraw “Ever since then I have been waiting for him”

A group of experts from ministry of Anfaled and Martyrs are to excavate these graves soon. The graves hold remnants of 272 children and the oldest one among them is a 16 year old girl. A pregnant woman is also among them, added Amin.

It’s Bush’s fault these children can now be accounted for and given a proper burial.

Speaking of Bush, let’s check in on Saddam himself.

Quote of the Day

“It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there’s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.” – Ayn Rand

Late Breaking Olympic News!!!!

This just in from the mail bag:

The International Olympic Committee stunned the world this morning when they awarded U.S. President Barack Obama a gold medal for Men’s Skiing. When asked how this could be, considering that President Obama has never skied nor competed in the Olympic games, an IOC spokesman justified the decision by stating Barack Obama is going downhill faster than anyone this year.

President Obama wins Gold in Men's Downhill

This is going to look great next to the Nobel, Heisman, Cy Young, Truck of the Year and many other awards he’s already won. Congratulations, Mr. President!!!

Dingy Harry makes Nevada proud

click for larger

That is if you can be proud of a dishonest, partisan, blathering idiot like Reid.

via Jonah Goldberg:

But it was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, mugging for his doomed reelection bid at home, who put the ugliest face on the Democratic party. Cranky, mean, and short-tempered, Reid seemed like he was sitting on a carpet tack throughout the discussion. He snapped that “no one is talking about reconciliation” — a reference to the arcane parliamentary procedure Democrats are considering as a means to ram their unpopular bill through Congress.

That’s true, save for the more than 100 House Democrats and more than 20 Senate Democrats who have already signed letters calling for reconciliation. His crotchety dyspepsia, combined with his arrogant dishonesty, made the leader of the Senate seem like the sort of oldster who would pinch little kids for fun if he could get away with it.

What Was Obama Thinking?

Obama was thinking he could just miracle up a solution and he failed miserably.

Tunku Varadarajan writes:

What on earth was President Obama thinking when he decided to convene this weird little powwow?

Was he trying to make the Republicans look bad—retrograde ogres who would leave uninsured babies to die in their cribs? If so, he didn’t succeed at all. On the contrary, they came out of it looking rather alert and grownup.

Was he trying to establish—perhaps in all sincerity—that the differences between the two sides were not unbridgeable, and that there was nothing that separated the two that couldn’t be resolved by a good, cathartic heart-to-heart on TV? If so, he didn’t succeed. On the contrary, he gave the Republicans a national stage on which to air their disagreements with the health-care bill—and air them they did, with something approaching panache.

Did he believe that he would, somehow, by his sheer charisma, “win it” for his side? If so, he didn’t succeed. On the contrary, he may have chipped his image in significant ways….

It was, instead, a simulacrum of a debate, a pretend-conversation, one in which Obama established, yet again, his command over fact and detail, but in which he also revealed reflexive superciliousness, intolerance of different opinions, and a shortness of patience unbecoming of a president. (He also showed that he’s a tedious clock-Nazi, cutting people off all the time, while showing no inclination to edit himself.)

What was so striking about the summit was the preparedness of the Republicans. All of them had done their homework: Lamar Alexander, Tom Coburn, Jon Kyl, John McCain, Dave Camp, John Barrasso, and Paul Ryan.

The Democrats, by contrast, suffered from an acute case of “anecdotitis” (is it a preexisting condition?): Almost all of them delivered speeches that boasted a story or two meant to tug at the heart….

…But there could be no escape from the one, fundamental difference that divides the two sides: The Democrats want this bill and the Republicans don’t. That—and the latter’s preference for market solutions and the former’s rejection of them—ensured that the summit was a total waste of our time and Obama’s.

Worst Congress EVAH

Rasmussen Reports:

Voter unhappiness with Congress has reached the highest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports as 71% now say the legislature is doing a poor job.

That’s up ten points from the previous high of 61% reached a month ago.

Only 10% of voters say Congress is doing a good or excellent job.

Would we lie to you?

Way to go Paul Ryan!

Glad to see the work that needs to be done on healthcare is not above everyone’s pay grade at the summit today.

However, I would have liked to see the president fumble and mumble a response to that.

Healthcare Summit FAIL

via Obama: Bipartisan health deal may not be possible

After a day of debate and disagreement, President Barack Obama concluded Thursday’s unprecedented live talkfest on health care with the bleak assessment that accord between Democrats and Republicans may not be possible. He rejected Republican preferences for seeking a step-by-step solution or simply starting over.

Obama strongly suggested that Democrats will try to pass a sweeping overhaul without GOP support, by using controversial Senate budget rules that would disallow filibusters. And then, he said, this fall’s elections would write the verdict on who was right.

“We cannot have another yearlong debate about this,” Obama said at the end of a 7 1/2-hour marathon policy session.

Neither side gave much ground, sticking mostly to familiar arguments and talking points. The president urged Republicans to “do a little soul searching” but said majority Democrats would decide quickly how to move forward on a priority that has eluded leaders for half a century.

“This will take courage to do,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. said in her own closing speech. “But we will get it done.”

Even if the American public does not want it and it will further bankrupt our nation. Because that is not the point, we want our names to go down in history. We don’t really give a crap about objective and empirical analysis that shows what a giant mistake this is at this time and with our nation in economic decline.

Health Care Summit: Dogs, Ponies, Smoke, and Mirrors

This is why our nation is still so screwed up.

First, we get to hear yet another completely meaningless personal narrative from Dr. Utopia (starts about 5:28).

Next, one of my two pathetic senators, Harry “The War is Lost” Reid’s senility appears to be catching up with him.

And finally, the queen of San Fran-syphilis tries to turn this fustercluck into a JOBS bill?

And then we face the issue of reconciliation and how it has been perceived in the past and how it is being perceived today. Mind you, principles are not a consideration on Capitol Hill, only personal and political gains.

We are so screwed with these vapid idiots in charge.

Follow-up: The family of Canadian soldier write Michael Yon

Dear Michael Yon,

Today we were sent your story of February 14, 2010. The “unknown” Canadian is our son Danny. He is a 23-year-old soldier from Vancouver, Canada.

Your photographs were extraordinary and have impacted so many people here in Canada. There has been an outpouring of affection for the Americans who helped Danny in his moment of need. For that, we thank you for recording these acts of kindness into history.
Danny’s injuries were the result of an explosion on February 12, 2010. Four Canadian soldiers were injured and tragically one Canadian soldier was killed. Within 20 minutes of the explosion, Danny was airlifted by helicopter to Kandahar. Upon arrival he received emergency surgery that saved his life and prepared him for the flight to Bagram that you were on….

Read the whole thing

Quote of the Day: Bend It Like Obama

If you just accept the our president is a pathological liar, this will no longer surprise you:

First President Obama said critics of his health care plan had no ideas worth considering. Then he said he never said that. Now he says he is eager to hear those previously unacknowledged ideas.

via Reason Magazine

Colonel Robert L. Howard: A hero passes and you will most likely not hear a word about it.

via Michael Yon:

COL(R) Howard was arguably America’s most highly decorated Warrior ever, earning more awards for valor (10) than Audie Murphy, but he was surely America’s most highly living warrior until his death.  The US Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) Biographical Sketch.

Color image from the Robert L. Howard Tribute website.

Wounded 14 times in 54 months of combat duty in Vietnam, Robert Howard was awarded 8 Purple Hearts and was believed to be the most decorated living American.

Colonel Howard served five tours in Vietnam and is the only soldier in our nation’s history to be nominated for the Medal of Honor three times for three separate actions within a thirteen-month period. He received a direct appointment from Master Sergeant to 1st Lieutenant in 1969, and was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in 1971. Colonel Howard is one of America’s most decorated soldiers. His other awards for valor include the Distinguished Service Cross – our nation’s second highest award, the Silver Star – the third highest award, and eight Purple Hearts. He was the last Vietnam Special Forces Medal of Honor recipient still on active duty when he retired on Sept. 29, 1992.

In this despicable society we live in, it is good to know there are men and out there who serve the rest of us and protect those things so many of us take for granted. It is too bad we have to learn about them after they have left us when we as a nation could have learned so much from them.

Rest in Peace, Colonel. Welcome home.

Joe Stack, Right Winger?

via TobyToons @ RedState:

Yes, we can!

US Jan mass layoffs edge up on weak manufacturing

MTA To Cut 1,000 Jobs; Security Concerns Grow

Over 900 Pink Slips Set for SF Schools

So, more than a year in, this is all still Bush’s fault until it turns around and then Obama is responsible, right? Isn’t that how this all works?