Culture of corruption.

Obama advisor Steven Rattner snagged in pay-to-play inquiry.

Democrats support the troops!

The Department of Homeland Security “prepared a report for state and local police officials titled ‘Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.’ …  The report also singles out for special consideration anti-abortion activists, gun owners, immigration opponents and, with allusion to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, returning veterans.”

Restoring our standing in the world.

[French President Nicolas] Sarkozy is pouring cold water on President Obama’s efforts to recast American leadership on the world stage, depicting them as unoriginal, unsubstantial and overrated.

Screw the little people; I’m here to end all crises.

By “de-emphasize the production of ever-more private goods and services, [and thereby] harnessing the economy to achieve broad social goals,” President Obama sets aside the standard logic of economic progress.

Great news – Hail to the Chief.

Here’s one for the good guys:

Navy Seals snipers rescued an American cargo ship captain unharmed and killed three Somali pirates in a daring operation in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, ending a five-day standoff between United States naval forces and a small band of brigands in a covered orange lifeboat off the Horn of Africa.

Acting with President Obama’s authorization and in the belief that the hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, was in imminent danger of being killed by captors armed with pistols and AK-47s, snipers on the fantail of the destroyer Bainbridge, which was towing the lifeboat on a 100-foot line, opened fire and picked off the three captors.

President Obama deserves credit – as do, obviously, the Seals who pulled it off. But, as the same article explains, we need to do more to prevent this nonsense in the future:

While the outcome was a triumph for America, officials in many countries plagued by pirates said it was not likely to discourage them. Pirates are holding a dozen ships with more than 200 crew members, according to the Malaysia-based International Maritime Bureau.

In Somalia itself, other pirates reacted angrily to the news that Captain Phillips had been rescued, and some said they would avenge the deaths of their colleagues by killing Americans in sea hijackings to come.

“Every country will be treated the way it treats us,” Abdullahi Lami, one of the pirates holding a Greek ship anchored in the pirate den of Gaan, a central Somali town, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying in a telephone interview. “In the future, America will be the one mourning and crying.”

We need to take these clowns out – enough with the reaction-only policy. But this item isn’t encouraging:

On one trip, one of the four pirates — whose hand had been gashed during the capture of Captain Phillips — asked for medical treatment and, in effect surrendering, was taken in the small boat to the Bainbridge. Justice Department officials were studying options for his case, including criminal charges in the United States or turning him over to Kenya, where dozens of pirates have faced prosecution.

As I said before, the only “options” to consider are whether to shoot the pirates or hang them. Treating them like common criminals is simply nuts. I fear that President Obama authorized force only to save the captain in this case and will back down in the face of stronger threats.

But maybe I’m too pessimistic: U.S. Military Considers Attacks on Somali Pirates’ Land Bases.

 

Hooray!

This blog began one year ago today.

Sacrifice during these hard economic times.

Michelle Obama is the nation’s first first lady to add a full-time makeup artist to her traveling entourage.

Obama continues to vote – “Present”

Obama Team Mulls Aims Of Somali Extremists:

Senior Obama administration officials are debating how to address a potential terrorist threat to U.S. interests from a Somali extremist group, with some in the military advocating strikes against its training camps. But many officials maintain that uncertainty about the intentions of the al-Shabab organization dictates a more patient, nonmilitary approach.

What is there to “mull”?  Whether to shoot them or hang them?  For crying out loud, this is not a criminal-justice question!!!

And who cares about the purported “uncertainty” concerning “the intention of the [Somali-based] al-Shabab organization”?? The U.S. government designated al-Shabab a terrorist group. Are all the smart people in the Obama Administration really uncertain about the intentions of an Islamist terrorist organization? But not to worry – according to Reuters, the al-Shabab group denies any links with the pirates. So there you go, Mr. President, they have nothing to do with the pirates – now start shooting.

Whatever the truth, the administration’s paralyzing indecision can work only against US interests. One of the pirates said, “We are not afraid of the Americans.” I wonder why not.

Change.

The Obama administration said Friday that it would appeal a district court ruling that granted some military prisoners in Afghanistan the right to file lawsuits seeking their release. The decision signaled that the administration was not backing down in its effort to maintain the power to imprison terrorism suspects for extended periods without judicial oversight.

Transparency.

Fed Said to Order Banks to Stay Mum on ‘Stress Test’ Results.