Riehl World View

"There's a word for this kind of long-range, deep, subtle planning: Strategery"

The "Arab Spring" of 2010-11 — however bitter or sweet its fruits may grow in the fullness of time — didn't just happen. Bill Whittle makes a powerful case for GWB's foreign policy as a major catalyst in his latest YouTube sensation, "Memebusters! The Osama bin Laden Edition," where he asks "Why are all these Muslims in repressive regimes suddenly rising up for freedom and the right to vote? Why now, all of a sudden? That's why," he answers, pointing to the iconic image of a triumphant Iraqi woman who had just voted for the first time in her life in the wake of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"You know, there's a word for this kind of long-range, deep, subtle planning. It's called 'strategery,'" says Professor-at-Large of Memebuster University Bill Whittle, turning the memetic Saturday Night Live putdown of GW's Iraq strategy on its head in a Geography 101 lesson about why the 43rd President sent our forces into both Afganistan and Iraq in the aftermath of 9/11: 

If you wanna know why there haven't been any large-scale attacks on the U.S. homeland since 9/11, 2001, just look at this map (below). Imagine if Mexico and Canada both became radical Muslim Nations like Iran or Saudi Arabia. Where do you think our attention would be? 

Armchair strategerist that we are, we'd noticed something similar — including the geographically strategic importance of Pakistan — way back in July of 2004 in "Between Iraq and a hard place" …

Read full post here.

Castle Threatened Bush On Iraq, Signed On To Impeachment Bill

For those, such as Powerline, so quick to give Castle a pass on his vote on Kucinich's impeachment bill, one might want to consider the context. Jeffrey Lord has more on that today at the American Spectator. Castle's defenders might want to take note that the vote took place a year after Castle was already threatening Bush with the withdrawal of Republican support for the war effort.

In early May 2007, Rep. Castle attended a meeting, organized by Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), between several moderate Republicans in the House and President Bush to express their concerns over the War in Iraq. The group warned the President that his pursuit of the war in Iraq was risking the future of the Republican Party, and that he could not count on Republican support for much longer.

Haditha Marine Seeks Dismissal, Attorney Was Retired Against His Will

It's an interesting motion. I'm wondering why they forced his counsel, Vokey, to retire despite he desire to stay? So, Vokey then joins a civilian firm, but can't represent him due to a conflict of interest there. That could be some very interesting lawyering going on there.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Lawyers for a Marine sergeant whose squad killed 24 Iraqis said Thursday they are preparing a motion that will seek to have the case dismissed because the Marine Corps retired his military attorney.

Attorney Haytham Faraj, a civilian lawyer representing Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, told a military judge that the Camp Pendleton Marine's defense has been compromised because the retirement violated attorney-client relationship rights.

Another civilian defense attorney, Neal Puckett, told The Associated Press after Thursday's hearing that their aim is to have the case thrown out.

Puckett said the Marine Corps retired Marine Lt. Col. Colby Vokey in 2008 despite the objections of Vokey, who wanted to stay on the case as his detailed military counsel until after the trial.

Defense lawyers are calling their filing the "Hutchins Motion" after Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III, whose murder conviction was thrown out this spring by a military appeals court that ruled he was given an unfair trial because his military defense attorney was relinquished before his 2007 court martial.

After retiring from the military, Vokey continued to represent Wuterich as a civilian lawyer. But Puckett said that is no longer possible because Vokey now works for a firm that has represented another Camp Pendleton Marine who is being called by the prosecution to testify in Wuterich's trial.

That presents a conflict of interest and would make it difficult for Vokey to cross-examine the witness during the two-week trial, Puckett said.

Vokey plans to withdraw from the case, and the defense will ask the judge to dismiss all the charges against Wuterich, arguing that his defense has been compromised, Puckett said, adding that Vokey was the only defense lawyer to go to Iraq and witness the scene of the killings. The case is similar to what happened to Hutchins, he said.

Halperin's Disgrace - My Human Events Op Ed

Halperin's Disgrace, in which Obama cheerleader, Mark Halperin of Time magazine, gets something of a spanking - one he truly deserves for his politically biased Ground Zero mosque whine. I couldn't find his calls for civility, or his concern regarding our enemies, while anti-war, anti-Bush liberals and Democrats spewed ugliness for years.

Painful divisions? Overheated rhetoric? Helping our enemies win? Was it not all that and more when Democrats, one as prominent as former Vice President Al Gore, said this of then-President George W. Bush? Here's the audio if you'd like to confirm it, Mr. Halperin, as the objective journalist you claim to be.

Judge Releases Hutchins - Marine Accused Of Hamdania Killing

The government is still going forward with their appeal of the overturning of his conviction.

But on Monday, a judge released Hutchins after his attorney, Capt. Babu Kaza, argued that the married father of a 5-year-old girl was not a flight risk or a threat to society.

The decision deals another blow to the government's prosecution of U.S. troops accused of killing unarmed Iraqis.

Attorneys for the government have said Hutchins led a squad of seven troops who dragged Hashim Ibrahim Awad from his home in the Iraqi village of Hamdania in 2006 and killed him. They then planted a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an insurgent.

Government Appeals Overturned Conviction Of Marine Sgt. Hutchins

Is this about justice, or saving face? It's our money, we have a right to question.

The Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps announced Monday that it will send the case of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III to the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces.

That court can either affirm or reverse the April ruling of the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. The criminal appeals court overturned Hutchins' conviction, saying he was not given a fair trial because a judge allowed his lead defense attorney to leave shortly before his 2007 trial.

Prosecutors say Hutchins led a squad of seven troops who killed an unarmed man in Hamdania in 2006. The 26-year-old Marine was sentenced to 11 years.

Fort Hood: How Many Shots

Pilgrim at the always feisty SayAnything blog takes a look at some details regarding the Fort Hood murders. He wonders if everything we're being told really adds up.

Buried underneath the horrific senselessness of this entire, hideous episode is one little thing that isn’t clicking.

We have the report that the shooter, who we now know was Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was armed with two handguns when he started his murderous rampage and managed to kill 12 and wound another 31 before he was engaged and neutralized by responding police. Initial reports said that he was killed but this morning I’m reading that he’s alive and on a ventilator. Too bad.

Sarah Palin Greets Stryker Brigade, Receives Thanks Herself

Sarah Palin helped welcome home her son's Stryker Brigade today.

"To Sarah Palin, who for the last year was the senior mom of the brigade and along with her husband Todd, is a distinguished member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team," Col. Burt Thompson, the brigade's commander, said.

"Ma'am, thanks for being here today and allowing your son to serve in our brigade. Thank you both for what you have done for your extended Army family and thanks for your unwavering support."

Video with Palin below may be slow coming up at first and more video avaliable at link.

The Strykers deployed to the Diyala province of Iraq on Sept. 11, 2008.

"Today we celebrate a job well done and your safe return to Alaska and the Fairbanks community," Maj. Gen. William Troy, commander of U.S. Army Alaska, said. "The teamwork between military and community here in Alaska is like nowhere else.

"By every account the Arctic Wolves acquitted themselves brilliantly."

Said Thompson: "Gentlemen, I report to you mission accomplished."

A memorial unveiled Wednesday at Fort Wainwright bears the names of 12 soldiers who died during the deployment. Seven were stationed at Fort Wainwright and five were attached to the brigade.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the monument also bears the name of a dog, Sgt. Jok, killed by a bomb while searching a house.

 

Also see C4P for more.

Iraq Attacks Down 85%

I guess you can say that surge Obama opposed during the campaign worked. Too bad it looks like we aren't going to implement it in Afghanistan. Silly me, I always thought the goal of war was victory. But I've heard the current WH doesn't seem to think much of the concept.

WASHINGTON — The number of attacks in Iraq has dropped 85% over the past two years, the top U.S. commander testified Wednesday.

Gen. Ray Odierno said security has continued to improve in the three months since American forces withdrew from cities as part of a agreement to remove all american forces by the end of 2011.

Alleged New Bin Laden Audio: Obama's Broken Promises

Man, you know it's getting bad when even this evil jerk is accusing you of breaking campaign promises: over to Rusty.

Just two days after the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC by Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization has released a new message from its leader, Osama bin Laden.

CNN offers this: I wonder what Obama will come up with to apologize to him for.

(CNN) -- An audio message purportedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has accused President Barack Obama of being unable to fulfil his election pledge to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.