Report From Anbar

Another photo essay from Michael Totten:

“Don’t get any closer,” Corporal Waddle said. “We need to stay out of the blast radius in case it blows.”

One Marine, whose name I didn’t catch, accompanied the Iraqi man to the location of the explosive. “It’s an 82mm mortar round,” he said when he returned. “It’s not an IED. Most likely a round that didn’t go off when it was fired.”

Every time I thought something vaguely exciting might happen, it didn’t happen. There is no war in Western Iraq any more. This is a mop-up.

Fascism In America

As described by Lileks:

As for the NRA logo, it’s a reminder of the happy days of FDR’s attempts to revive the economy by pouring a bowl of alphabet soup over its face. The NRA, among other things, was intended to prevent the depredations of competition, and “allowed industry heads to collectively set minimum prices,” as this rather scant wikipedia entry notes. (The same page relates the story of the tailor who was arrested for charging 35 cents to press a suit; the NRA rules specified the price at 40 cents. So he was arrested. Consider that the next time someone complains that liberty and civil rights have been eliminated in the last 7 years.)

The Women In His Life

Spengler says that Obama hates America.

I don’t know whether he does or not, but his wife’s attitude is very troubling, and I don’t think that he’s going to be the next president. I think that the first (true) black (and woman) president is much more likely to be a Republican.

[Update a few minutes later]

Isn’t it interesting that the American press doesn’t seem interested in stories like this one? I guess that it’s just another example of foreigners doing the jobs that Americans won’t do.

This would be a gift to the Clinton campaign, if they were in a position to criticize people over land deals. You can bet that the McCain campaign will use it in the general, if Obama gets the nod.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!