Let’s hope that this presages what the rest of Iraq will start to look like in the coming weeks, as we slowly root out the venom of Saddam’s monstrous regime. From the Guardian, the people in the port of Umm Qasr start to show signs of security.

Still, many Iraqis said they were happy coalition troops were patrolling the streets.

“We don’t want Saddam Hussein. He doesn’t pay attention to our suffering,” said Ferras Mohammed, 30, who was walking through town with water jugs perched on the back of a battered bicycle. “We have been waiting for you to come. We feel good to have soldiers here.”

Wonder if they’re showing that on Al Jazeera?

Texas and Massachussetts are contemplating legislation that would essentially make firewalls, NAT, encryption and tunnelling illegal.

That’s what happens when you let political science majors make technology policy.

Just in case you thought that there was any chance that Ramsey Clark retained any vestiges of sanity or morality, we learn that he’s been claiming that Saddam is not brutal, and any reports of brutality in Iraq are simply “disinformation” and “propaganda.”

And to think that this creature was once a high US government official.

According to this article, Iraq has become a magnet for suicidal/homicidal jihadis. I don’t know whether or not it’s the case, at least in terms of it representing significant numbers, but if so, it’s actually good news. Once the regime falls, they won’t find the local environment as friendly as they did in Taliban Afghanistan, or southern Lebanon, or the West Bank. I suspect that there will be many inhabitants pleased to turn them in to the Americans.

It’s actually a good thing, because we have an opportunity to gather up many, if not all, of this life-hating and freedom-hating scum into one place and dispose of them there, rather than have to hunt them all over the world.

[Update at noon]

Now the ABC (the one Down Under) says that thousands of jihadis have arrived in Mosul from Syria.

Good, that means we can wipe them out now, and won’t have to fight them in Damascus later.

from Mark Steyn.

First he dismantles the media war reportage, then he goes after Michigan Fats.

Enjoy.

I dunno, and I’m not likely to find out–there are too many of them on the news channels right now.

What is the affinitive noun for them, anyway? How about this–a despair of wringing hands.

Bill Whittle has a new essay up. As usual, it’s long. Equally as usual, it’s well worth reading.

Some Iraqi refugees have been providing food to the Marines. I particularly liked this little bit of understatement:

Khairi Ilrekibi, 35, a passenger on one of the buses, which broke down near the marine position, said he could speak for the 20 others on board.

In broken English he told a correspondent travelling with the marines: “We like Americans,” adding that no one liked Saddam Hussein because “he was not kind.”

It turns out we don’t have total air superiority in Iraq. Apparently, the Iraqis have some ultralights, and they’re being taken seriously.

For those who are still buying French products, you might want to check out the French version of the Swiss Army knife. Get one while they last. Order today, and you’ll get a free panty sheath, too.