StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

A reminder to reinforce the belief that in Afghanistan we fight the continuing war against terrorism, we recognize the death of Navy SEAL Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Thomas Harris of Lexington, N.C., who was killed in battle last week during an Afghanistan combat operation, the Defense Department announced.

“Petty Officer Harris was an exemplary SEAL. He served his country valorously during multiple combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Capt. Scott Moore, commanding officer of NSWDG, in a press release. “He was a brave warrior, SEAL role model, mature and reliable teammate and an absolute great American. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Petty Officer Harris’ family. His loss is deeply felt by the entire Naval Special Warfare community.”

Internet warriors take heed. Among PO Harris’ awards were Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (Valor) Distinguishing Device, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (Valor) Distinguishing Device, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Combat Action Ribbon (Operation Enduring Freedom), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbons and Good Conduct Medals.

Some do, some die, some write and rattle sabers.

Joshua Thomas Harris, Naval Special Warfare

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As we approach the 7 year mark post Sept 11th, Americans need to be reminded about the prupose of the War on Terrorism. Actually, we shouldn’t need it. But as President Bush prepares to leave office, he is seeking to re-affirm that we are at war with al Qaeda.

Sound strange? Well, I’ve been concerned about American complacency from when the last of the public funerals of those who died in the attacks. And yet, partly because of the passage of time, and partly because the focus of attention has been on Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran as pieces of geography instead of battlegrounds in the war versus al Qaeda. It was al Qaeda that attacked us on September 11, 2001. It was al Qaeda that attacked us at the USS Cole and at the African embassies.

Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Bush’s advisers assert that many Americans may have forgotten that. So they want Congress to say so and “acknowledge again and explicitly that this nation remains engaged in an armed conflict with Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated organizations, who have already proclaimed themselves at war with us and who are dedicated to the slaughter of Americans.”

The language, part of a proposal for hearing legal appeals from detainees at the United States naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, goes beyond political symbolism. Echoing a measure that Congress passed just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, it carries significant legal and public policy implications for Mr. Bush, and potentially his successor, to claim the imprimatur of Congress to use the tools of war, including detention, interrogation and surveillance, against the enemy, legal and political analysts say.

Some lawmakers are concerned that the administration’s effort to declare anew a war footing is an 11th-hour maneuver to re-establish its broad interpretation of the president’s wartime powers, even in the face of challenges from the Supreme Court and Congress.

If not in any other way, this Global War on Terrorism has been miserably mismanaged. September 11th was not and should not be treated as a singular event in history. Aside from the fact that other al Qaeda attacks pre-date Sept. 11th, the question now is how the war will be waged following the election of the next President

Perhaps the attempt to tuck language into legislation is a bit “funky,” but the fact is that too many Americans have lost focus. Many of those Americans are on Capitol Hill. Sadly my dear reader, we have lost our way in my opinion. Paraphrasing: if we forget history, it will repeat itself. We are at a cross roads in our Nation’s history. If we choose wisely, we may actually remain vigilent and remain prepared for the coming of the next attack on our Homeland. “Choose wisely grasshopper” when voting this November. There is only one real choise, and his name is John McCain.

Global War on Terrorism

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Blogging 24/7 can be stressful, and dangerous to your health. Some people take “it” (being first to scoop a story) so seriously, that they can’t do anything else but literally watch the AP wire.

Its the digital era sweat shop…the home computer!

A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

Of course, the bloggers can work elsewhere, and they profess a love of the nonstop action and perhaps the chance to create a global media outlet without a major up-front investment. At the same time, some are starting to wonder if something has gone very wrong. In the last few months, two among their ranks have died suddenly.

Pay? I don’t get paid for what I write…(is it worth anything?). Is anything that people post, especially when its only a cut/paste of someone else’s work worth it? Ask the question. Why has nothing been posted here in a week? Its called work…real work.

But if you think that blogging is a high-stress job, go try to do what I’ve been doing.

The danger factor results from high levels of stress that come with 24-hour, nonstop, sedentary reading and writing. In the world of blogging, time means everything. If you can be the first one to find, analyze, and post the news, then you can reap the rewards of the traffic it will produce, and therefore make more money, as many professional bloggers are paid per click or per post.

Keep things in perspective, despite all of the hype that bloggers are citizen journalists.

blogging, health risks

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A big “thanks” to Texas Fred for helping to get the word out on this topic.

I have also noticed an unsolicited link/trackback to this post from a “conservative” website named “Free Brittania” their post in which offensive and mistaken inuendo is made. I’ve said that you cannot disavow statements by other people who a blogger specifically and knowingly cross posts information from another source. However, in this case, I disavow all connection of this post to any post elsewhere where the entire religion of Islam is referred to (as in this case), “muzzies.” There is no accounting for what other people think, or their capacity to deal with the World on a rational basis. - EOM

Rep. Peter King (NY-3) has called upon the Metropolitan Transit Authority in NY City to remove 1000 ads that promote Islam. This is a pre-emptive move by a seriously patriotic Congressman who, along with his constituents, suffered through the Sept. 11th attacks, and who strongly believes in his mission.  While I am not sure that I’ve ever seen a list of September 11 victims by Congressional District, its a good bet that King’s constituents were very hard hit.

“I have no problem with the ad itself, but I have a very, very real problem with those behind it,” Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said Tuesday. He is urging the Metropolitan Transit Authority to reject the ads.

The main sponsor is a grass-roots organization, Islamic Circle of North America.  One of the backers of these ads is Siraj Wahhaj, imam of a Brooklyn mosque. Wahhaj was the first Muslim to lead a prayer before the House of Representatives, but Wahhaj was also a character witness for the “blind Sheikh,” convicted 1993 World Trade Center bombing. According to King, Wahhaj is “…known Islamic extremist, and you would be giving him credibility and stature through a known government facility.”

That “midget of a mayor,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg defends the ads under the 1st Amendment and freedom of speech! Indeed, Mr. Mayor, let those ads run seven years after the September 11th atrocities.

Congressman Peter King, Islamic Circle of North America, MTA Subway ads, Siraj Wahhaj

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One of my previous posts, Who Mourns Our Fallen Soldiers, prompted a comment from someone whose voice needs to be heard. His message and story is worth reading. Clearly, while agreeing with some of what I write, he did express a disagreement with parts of this particular post (see my explanation below). Here is the comment, converted into a well-deserved place on this blog as a single post.

From a Soldier writing from a dot mil email address:

I realize this post may never be read, but I wanted to let everyone know that I am a US Army Reservist presently attached to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division headquartered at FOB Iskan, just across the Euphrates River from Jurf as Sahkr, Iraq. Jurf as Sahkr, or “Jurf” to those of us who patrol the area on a daily basis, was one of the last AQI strongholds in Anbar Province. This area was only recently “awakened” by the Coalition Forces. I’ve been here for months now, doing the dirty work of convincing the locals that we are right and AQI is bad and so on, but my primary concern was to locate the remains of our MIA Soldiers. For the past year, we never gave up on those Soldiers. We conducted leaflet drops from Blackhawk helicopters, blared messages of support to them (although we were quite certain they had been murdered) and messages to the enemy that we would not rest until they were found. I can assure you that the every measure to locate those brave men was taken (within the boundaries of the Law of Warfare, of course). Although I can not tell you how we collected the information that led to the recovery of these men’s remains, I can tell you that it was most certainly not a “message” from AQI. AQI heard our “message” in Jurf as Sahkr, and it was usually delivered with precision guided missiles and 25mm machine-gun spitting hell’s fire from a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. These days, violence in Jurf has fallen to the lowest level since 2003. We are discovering enormous weapons caches that the fleeing AQI cowards could not take with them and uncovering DBIEDs (Deep-Buried IED) that have laid dormant for years. We are rebuilding schools, medical clinics, and local governance centers. Since the recovery of SGT Jimenez and PFC Fouty, the Government of Iraq and Coalition Forces have opened up their wallets to the good people of Jurf and the level cooperation with and gratuity for the Soldiers of the Iraqi and American military is overwhelming. Keep in mind that most of the residents of rural areas, where AQI dominated every aspect of life, fled their homes to avoid those murderous bastards and returned to find leveled homes and slaughtered livestock (both common tactics, techniques, and procedures of AQI members prior to their departure). These people came out to the hasty burial site of our Soldiers because what we found was not just the remains of our Fallen, but those of some 60 locals who stood up to AQI and were executed en masse.

I appreciate the forum and look forward to reading more of your informative and entertaining posts!
Sincerely,
Matt

My comment: There is some technology still in development, and perhaps soon to be (or maybe not), that might have assisted in the search and rescue early on. Who knows?

Jurf, Jurf as Sahkr, SGT Jimenez and PFC Fouty

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While often quoting articles of interest, this blog offers my points of view and no one else’s. Thus, unlike politicians who sometimes distance themselves from aides who display poor judgment in their acts or words, I have no one to blame for my opinions. I do not publish other peoples’ work here.

So, here is the question. When aggregating articles and information on one’s blog, are you responsible for the content, the accuracy and opinion, or, by the simple virtue denying ownership, are you then devoid of any such responsibility?

Despite a number of attempts, there is no accepted “blogging code of conduct” or “bloggers’ bible” by which to guide us. But here are two attempts:

A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics
10 Rules for Responsible Blogging
Draft Blogger’s Code of Conduct

Note that in “A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics” it refers to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

On my other venue, my work is edited for content and accuracy, as well as literacy and form. We don’t quote other people’s work unless we know who they are, and respect their attribution. As I wrote a few days ago (or was it weeks already?), I disavow nothing or no one here, but could I disavow someone else’s opinions if I allowed them space to publish their views here? I think not. Personally, I believe that as in any other form of “journalism” (giving blogging alot of credit), there is a responsibility of being accurate. Similarly, I believe that there is a responsibility to accept the heat and the kudos if you publish someone else’s words. Certainly, if you present yourself as an authority or as a resource of information and commentary, then this responsibility exists.

blogging code of conduct, responsible blogging

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Recently, I’ve been called to as a “liberal” for having certain opinions; I’ve been referred to as a “liberal Jew” because I didn’t believe that Israel should (or could) expel its Arab Israeli citizens, and now, astoundingly, I will most certainly be called worse for strenuously objecting to the concept of expelling or registering all American citizens who are Muslims…even those who are my friends.

It has been nearly three years since I started writing here. Yes, blogging has finally gotten to me. Some of the things that I read on other blogs are far too outrageous and ludicrous, even when veiled as “opinion” or “crossposting.” What has appeared on these pages and over a thousand posts have been my opinions, supported by facts, and always backed by my integrity and honesty. Disavowals of words on a blog are not possible, nor are they honest (these words are very telling - they are not mine: “I completely agree and support the material set forth in this particular article. We have found a kindred spirit my friends.”).

Time is too short and too valuable. Time is too short and the issues too big to waste effort on bigotry and blindness, when that will not solve the problems that we all face. The simplistic approach to solving this War on Terrorism will not work. It will simply and decisively not work. Avowing any simplistic approach to the solving of the issues at hand reveals a simplistic outlook on those issues. We are all endowed with the right to an opinion, however distasteful that opinion might be to me. Have a happy life, be good to others, do the right thing. And most of all, leave the hatred at the door.

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Deadliest attack in Kabul since the first “fall of the Taliban;” worst car bombing in Afghanistan since 100 died at dog fight in Kandahar in February 08. A vehicle born IED killed at least 40 people at the Indian mission in Kabul, among them were 4 stated to be Indian nationals (including the Indian Defence Attache, a Counsellor-level diplomat and two security guards).

This was apparently a targeted attack against the Indian minister with the other deaths being labeled as “collateral.”

There has been a sharp increase in acts of terrorism in Afghanistan since the new Government headed by Yousef Raza Gilani assumed office in Islamabad in the last week of March, 2008. NATO officers in Afghanistan have spoken of a 40 per cent increase in the infiltration of jihadi terrorists from the tribal belt of Pakistan into Afghanistan since the new Pakistani Government suspended military operations against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and entered into peace negotiations with them. Even as acts of terrorism—-including suicide terrorism— have increased in Afghan territory, there has been a sharp decrease in acts of suicide terrorism in Pakistani territory. This indicates that the new Government has made a deal with the Taliban allowing it to operate freely in Afghanistan in return for its stepping down its operations in Pakistani territory.

For pictures and a video of the gory details click on the links.

Let us recognize the point of what is meant by a “Long War.” The enemy has long patience. We do not. The enemy infiltrates places and organizations where we cannot (we don’t look like “them”). If you think for one second that the Taliban is defunct, kaput! or dead, you know nothing of the “Long War.” Even with great losses of troops and men, the Taliban, the jihadists, al Qaeda is resilient. Do you believe for one minute that our Defense Department or our State Department is not aware of this?

Department of Defense, Kabul, neo Taliban, U.S. State Department, VBIED

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Our Nation’s history had begun a bit more than 225 years earlier, but for us all, time stopped at 8:46am Eastern time on September 11, 2001 when American Flight 11 hit the North Tower. I measure time now in the days and weeks and months since that moment, and cannot keep the tears from my eyes when I think of that moment or hear our National Anthem or other patriotic hymns. Those moments, from the shut down of the bridges and tunnels in NY City at 9:21am, to the collapse of the South Tower at 10:05am followed by the North Tower only 23 minutes later are a mark of time.

Right after the attacks, leading to the Joint Session of Congress, to the bi-partisan gathering on the steps of the Capitol Building, to the National Prayer Service on September 14th…

…we thought, felt and acted as one unified body of citizens.

What happened? One of my readers recently wrote, and I will refrain his comment here now…which for the most part, I agree with…

I remember the time immediately “following the attacks of Sept. 11, we were once again united, many people from many walks of life at a moment of great dispair.” Shortly after, on the 12th or 13th, my town had a patriotic parade. All the Memorial Day flags were flown from the street lamps and people in cars and pick-ups drove up and down the main street honking their horns, yelling, and waving flags. They were united.

Maybe my wife Neve and I are wired differently than most people, but we had a feeling of dread on that night. We are not the type of people who are easily pulled into the herd - though we may want to be at times. We worried that the folks honking and screaming, while supportive of the US, didn’t really know what was going on. Our friends gave us dissapproving looks for not joining in the party atmosphere.

Now, almost 7 years later, I think I see where the dread was pointing. This unity that felt so good, this clarity of purpose and assertion of absolute right — was used. It morphed into fear and silence — fear of being branded as unpatriotic and silence instead of discussion.

I really do feel that many of the mistakes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the larger War on Terror, flowed directly from ‘moment of unity’. The checks and balances were removed, and instead of the Nation moving as one great force, political factions and interests used the opportunity to further their own agenda - to the detriment of their political foes, to the detriment a war effort, and to the great detriment of the Nation.

We all need to remember who we are People! Tonight, it is time to remember that we are “Americans, all.” We are not Black or White, Jewish or Christian or Muslim or Bhuddist or Hindu or atheist. We are “Americans, all.” If we forget that…if we lose sight of that, then we are doomed. Yes, we are doomed, because the terrorist attacks will have split us apart.

Be moved by Whitney Houston’s rendition. I cry when I watch it. I am, after all, an American.

And thanks to Right Truth for the link to the National Anthem (and for a reminder of who we are, and who are not).

4th of July, September 11th

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Anyone who reads this space knows that I’ve frequently made predictions. Those among you also know that at the predicted time, it is time to step back, reflect and recognize the validity of those predictions. On December 26, 2007 Austin Bay wrote, “Sometime within the next six months or so, al Qaeda or Saddamist terrorists will attempt a Tet offensive.” The article urged readers to believe that the jihadists sought to emulate the strategic political effects North Vietnam’s 1968 attack obtained.

Mr. Bay then went to draw an historic parallel between the peacewing of the Democratic party during the Civil War led by Clement Vallandigham to Senator Harry Reid (who Bay called “our era’s Vallandighams”). And further, Mr. Bay predicted that:

Their “ultimate Iraqi Tet” would feature simultaneous terror strikes in every major Iraqi city. These simultaneous strikes would inflict hideous civilian casualties with the goal of discrediting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s and General David Petraeus’ assessments that Iraqi internal security has improved. The terrorists would reduce Iraqi government buildings to rubble.

Well, I don’t want to be proven wrong by near term events, but given the “effectiveness” of the surge. there is reason to expect that no Iraqi Tet will occur (too soon at least). Of course, Bay bought himself a bit of leeway by then saying that the Election period in November would give al Qaeda, the jihad, the Islamic Fundamentalists etc. the opportunity to inflict “sensational carnage that even momentarily seeds the perception of defeat is their only chance of victory.”

But I’ll bet that Bay got his 10 votes within minutes…LOL And yes, I’ve had this article bookmarked since it first appeared simply to see if the bold prediction played out in reality.

Austin Bay, Terrorists Tet

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This will be short since I have to admit to having heard the concept while driving and hearing Limbaugh rant on about this. The mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, stood trial and was convicted of convicted of “seditious conspiracy” and now serves a life sentence in the Butner NC Correctional Facility. That was before we knew what we know now.

Affording terrorists or enemy combatants rights under the U.S. Constitution as the recent Supreme Court ruling does, leads to the presumption of innocence. This means that if Osama bin Laden was to be captured and brought to trial, he would be presumed innocent until proven guilty. What proof would we need? Or, worse, what reasonable doubt could be established to enable the man who ordered the murder of nearly 3,000 the morning of September 11, 2001 to walk free? The simple answer is that not only is the Supreme Court decision wrong headed, but the utter ignorance by Barack Obama that we are a Nation (and a World) at War with Terrorism by indicating a return to treating terrorism as a criminal act, is emptyheaded.

Obama, politics of ignorance

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I like Mike Huckabee.  Frankly, my favorite slate for the Republicans would have been Newt Gingrich-Mike Huckabee (strange choice for someone who is often enough accused of being a liberal - but I think Newt is one of the smartest guys out there, especially about health care).  I also like John McCain…and have supported his nomination since it became clear that Newt couldn’t/wouldn’t run.

Well, “Pastor” Mike has come out publicly with what I believe are “words of wisdom.” In noting that he felt that the Republican Veep nominee “would be a surprise” he said:

…he would be surprised if Republican candidate John McCain asked him to be the vice-presidential nominee, and he also doubted Hillary Clinton will be No.2 on the Democratic ticket.

In the same speech (I think, in Japan) Mr. Huckabee said if the Republicans (he really meant the far right conservatives) demonized Obama (which they already are doing), it would be a mistake:

The Republicans will make a fundamental, if not fatal mistake, if they seek to win the election by demonizing Barrack Obama,” Huckabee told reporters in Tokyo. “Don’t underestimate the extraordinary, substantive moment that Barack Obama’s nomination represents in our country.”

Its sad how I have commented often in the past about how polarized this country had become (since the 2000 Election) and the advent of political blogging. The future, unfortunately, is that this Nation is about to become even more polarized. In a way very different from the way that John Edwards meant it, we are in fact a Nation of “two Americas.” I am not smart enough to know the future or what it holds. I do know/believe that a Nation divide cannot stand. In these days, a Nation divide as we are, and as we will become, most certainly will become more vulnerable to terrorism (and not because or if the Democrats carry the next election - it will be because we are polarize and not of a single mind).

The “sock Obama“/curious George incident is just the beginning. IMO, there is the GWOT, and then there is the war that we are already fighting among ourselves.

polarization, Sock Obama

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OK, so I’m late posting on this ridiculous Supreme Court ruling, so I will keep it short. Jeffrey Imm on Counterterrorism Blog writes, “Don’t You Know There’s A War On?” Until this ruling, it was never considered that the Constitution covered foreign enemy combatants.

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy ignores the reality that the U.S. Constitution was for American citizens, not foreign enemy combatants during wartime, by arrogantly demanding that “[t]he laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times.”(Justice Kennedy Majority Opinion, page 70).

The reality is that when this ruling was first announced, I had recently returned from another grueling business trip. In my moments of time, I sought sources that would detail any indication that even non-resident immigrants (legal) had Constitutional rights. While I am fairly certain that a lawyer or two among the readers here may chime in, I came across this dialog, Immigration Law: The Constitutional Rights of Non-Citizens. I believe that this ruling is a sign of justice being blind. This time. however, blind to the realities that this War on Terrorism is a long war.

Jeff Imm’s post says it all…and makes the point better than any other writer I have seen on this subject. What I believe is that this ruling is likely to increase the battlefield deaths of enemy combatants. Kill of them! Kill them all!!! There are no rights on the battlefield…are there?  Check out the outrage here.

Constitutional rights, habeus corpus, Justice Kennedy, Supreme Court

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Its ironic and sad that Tim Russert would die so suddenly today from a heart attack, on this Friday before Father’s Day leaving behind his Dad, “Big Russ” about whom wrote so fondly, and his son Luke who he clearly loved. Perhaps only those who see the world in Black and White (or conservative and liberal)(or right and left) will find no void in his passing.

Tim Russert looked a little tired Friday morning, but nobody inside his studio at NBC news headquarters in Washington thought too much of it. He’d just gotten back from a quick trip to Rome to visit his son, who was on one of those do-it-while-you’re-young European tours.

He told me he had gotten just two hours of sleep on the plane. So he was entitled to look tired.

In a day and time when there is so little of substance on any of the broadcast news channels, Tim Russert offered analysis of the situation…and he probed with his questions. You didn’t have to like what he said, or some of his positions to admire his integrity. He was held in very high regard by his colleagues…

It was a measure of the degree to which Tim Russert was respected in the journalistic world that he was the first broadcaster elected to membership in Washington’s oldest journalistic organization, the Gridiron Club, an honor long restricted to print journalists.

And it was especially noteworthy in view of the fact that Tim had started out in politics, working for two prominent New York Democrats, Gov. Mario Cuomo and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

As a Dad to his son Luke…as a son to his elderly Father, “Big Russ,” the man named TIm Russert will be missed…perhaps not by all, but clearly by those who understand that the world is not black and white. And to those who choose to demean the man in his moment of death, you and not he are the lesser for it. Of course, there are those who will fit the mold that I describe. We are indeed, in a lot of trouble.

Also see the Anchoress’ post on Russert. In contrast of course is the utter ignorance and inanity of Mathew Yglesias who shamelfully insists on taking the absolute low road. My message…”You’re a bastard who deserves a fate more painful and more devastaing than anyone can imagine.”

Tim Russert

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Indeed, these are the best and worst of times. This election will undoubtably bring out the worst in people and unquestionably show just how little our society has advanced. In many ways, I, a patriot and a server of our country through deeds and actions, feel ashamed of some of my fellow country men.

These days are complicated by the continuing Global War on Terrorism (GWOT); it is also complicated by the lack of true sense of the meaning and scope of this War among the general population; it is also complicated by the poorly communicated missions of the GWOT and Iraq; it is further complicated by self-proclaimed citizen journalists who feel they have a right somehow to judgmentally defame other people, draw incorrect (yet correctable - but never corrected) conclusions, use innuendo to discredit people, and generally, in my opinion, diminish many of the rights and privileges that our Founding Fathers fought valiently for, and for which thousands of American soldiers have died defending in previous wars in which the enemy were so much more easily defined and identified.

These are the best of times because our country, regardless of whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, has broken barriers of race and sex to bring to the American people, certainly to those of the Democratic pursuasion, a choice between a woman and a Black man. And yet, these are the worst of times.

These are the worst of times. Why? To start with, you must examine the most recent rumor that Senator Obama is not even a “natural born citizen” of “these here United States” and therefore should not be allowed to run for, let alone win the Presidency in November. Why? Because in one corner or two of the blogosphere, it has been alleged that Obama is somehow hiding the fact of the country of his birth. So first let us examine the definition of a “natural born citizen:”

Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in those gaps. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are “citizens of the United States at birth:”

- Anyone born inside the United States

- Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person’s status as a citizen of the tribe

- Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S.

- Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national

- Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year

- Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21

- Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)

- A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S.

Anyone falling into these categories is considered natural-born, and is eligible to run for President or Vice President. These provisions allow the children of military families to be considered natural-born, for example.

Weary? I don’t know about you, but I’m committed to voting for John McCain, I’m just appalled at the behavior of some of the pseudo-”intelligencia” out there.

It is indeed the worst of times.

Is it “liberal” to be concerned that Fox News (that clarion of “fair and balanced” conservative news) referred to Michelle Obama as “baby mama?” Maybe it is since even the “respectable” conservative blogsphere is trying to justify it.

Know what? I’m ashamed of those people who consider attacking the wife of the candidate as being somehow justified. And I don’t care if some of you start to call me names as well. It may well be time for me to suspend this effort for the duration of the Presidential Election. Why? Because purposely, this is not a political blog…the purpose is to comment on world events and the GWOT. But it is impossible for me not to comment on the political landscape.

And yet, if you’re not already too surprised, but actually got this far, it seems that even Fox News has some degree of decency and has apologized for the slap.

Fox News has possibly revealed itself to be sexist, racist, and out of touch, all at the same time! The network has come under fire for referring to Michelle Obama as a “baby mama” during a segment in which anchor Megyn Kelly interviewed conservative pundit Michelle Malkin. The two were discussing a conservative group’s planned anti-Obama documentary when a caption popped up on the screen reading: “Outraged liberals: Stop picking on Obama’s baby mama!”

Go ahead a freakin’ call me a name or two, but while you’re at it, watch my right foot

(as it kicks you out the door).

Indeed, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.”

By the way, in case “you” missed the literary reference, the above quote is from Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.” Also, this post is related to: Whites in America - ‘ineradicably racist’

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