Why Is the Existence of WMD Still Being Kept Classified?

OK.  Read the title of this post carefully.  it is NOT intended as an argument that the recent declassification of a document (find the source document here: http://powerlineblog.com/archives/Iraq_WMD_HPSCI_Negroponte4.php ) which states that Pre Gulf War WMD munitions have been discovered in Iraq justifies us going to war.  It does, however, make conclusions that are favorable to the Bush Administration and decisions it has made in the conduct of the war, and there are people about who's entire purpose in life is to snuff out anything that does not classify Bush as downright evil, so they will debate my conclusions as if this WERE an argument that justifies us going to war.

People on one side of the "Should we have gone to war?" question will rightfully point out that these weapons were not the ones we were looking for.  Those on the other side of the argument will rightly point out, however, that these weapons were't even supposed to be there because Saddam Hussein and the United Nations had certified that they had been destroyed, and that's the reason we weren't looking for them. 

No matter which side you fall on, none of this will change minds on either side of that argument.

 

New England Politician Crashes Car, Wanders Away, Has no Memory…

H/T Ace of spades 

Police say a New England Politician crashed his car in an accident, wandered away in a daze, swam across a river and huddled in the woods for warmth until he was found a day later, according to documents released Tuesday.

So what? You say…this is not news.

 Yes it is—cuz he's NOT a KENNEDY

NYT on Al Queda Staff?

Andrew McCarthy makes some excellent points here:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjE4ODFmMmI3ZmM5ZGE4ZDQxNmY1ODA5YTQ3NzkxZWQ=

Regarding the latest "scandal" that the NY Times claims to have exposed regarding the government's efforts to track Al Queda's financial transactions:For the second time in seven months, the Times has exposed classified information about a program aimed at protecting the American people against a repeat of the September 11 attacks. On this occasion, it has company in the effort: The Los Angeles Times runs a similar, sensational story. Together, the newspapers disclose the fact that the United States has covertly developed a capability to monitor the nerve center of the international financial network in order to track the movement of funds between terrorists and their facilitators.

snip

NoKos not so Long Dong

Questions asked on LST this Am regarding Kim Jong Il's Dong ca n be answered here:

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002523.html#comments

First off, Kim Jong Il doesn't have a Dong. It's NoDong…which is the same thing.

The hype kicked into high gear when the New York Times claimed that the Norks "completed fueling a long-range ballistic missile" over the weekend. But the report is getting fishier by the second. The Norks generally rely on a highly corrosive gasoline-kerosene mix for their missile fuel, and an oxidizer containing nitric acid. It's nasty, metal-eating stuff. And once fueled up, the missile has to be launched quickly — two or three days, I've been told — or else the missile is basically ruined.It's now been four days. And there's been no launch. Which means it's becoming increasingly unlikely that a missile has been fueled. So much for Perry's demand "to strike the [missile] if North Korea refuses to drain the fuel out."

And, of course, there may not be an ICBM at all. Remember, the North Koreans have launched exactly one intermediate-range ballistic missile, in 1998. The thing — a combination of smaller, Nodong and Scud missiles — went about 2,000 km or so. Now, U.S. intelligence assumes the Norks have been working on strapping together more Nodongs and Scuds (or, at least, their engines) for an ICBM — something that can reach three to five times further, and hit the U.S. But no one has actually seen the weapon. Even how many the stages the mystery missile has in unknown; some folks say two, others say three.

Friday Open Comments

Sorry it took so long to get hre this AM. Had a breakfast meeting. Not sure why folks are having a hard time posting as I'm getting comments from at least one other blogger.

You'll need to log in.  Click on "Comments" and then when that box comes up, click on "log in," then use your WordPress ID and password and it should come up.

Thursday Open Comments

I'm here.

Is The Left Turning On Jack Murtha?

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0549,mondo1,70696,6.html

 The Village Voice can be called many things.  Liberal is certainly one of them.  Not even the most dedicated Kos diarist could call this paper a "Wing Nut Rag."

 So why do they open thier story like this?

 Being called a coward could turn out to be the least of Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha's problems.

 Of course it could be that even a Liberal paper can stand just so much hypocrisy and corruption.

Murtha's ties to his brother's lobbying firm are once again coming under scrutiny. Some 10 companies with ties to KSA Consulting, a lobbying firm where Murtha's brother Robert is a senior partner, got $20.8 million in defense contracts. The Los Angeles Times in June reported that the funding was passed as part of the Pentagon's overall $417 billion spending bill. Roll Call recently reported Murtha leaning on Navy officials to transfer the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard to San Francisco on land whose rights were at one time held by a company whose top execs included Laurence Pelosi, a relative of Nancy Pelosi's. Murtha is widely credited with being a prime figure in getting Pelosi the Democratic minority leader job in the House. Pelosi's office said the suggestion Pelosi was involved in any impropriety was "absolutely ludicrous."

That's right Laurence Pelosi, nephew of Nancy Pelosi, Representative from San Francisco (where Hunter's Point NS is located), Mizz "Culture of Corruption herself.  And, coincidentally, the person who will be in the best position to get Jackie Poo into the House Majority Leader role he craves if the Democrats win control of the House.

Lotsa back scratchin' goin' on roun' here…..

Moral Equivalency

 http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NWUxOTNhY2Q3OWJlZDgxYmIwMjkyMDJlNWRlMmNhMTQ=

 The man hits it right on the button:

Three American soldiers in Iraq have been charged with murder for the deaths of three prisoners of war. Meanwhile two captive American soldiers were slain by insurgents. Privates Kristian Menchaca and Thomas L. Tucker were tortured, killed barbarically, and their bodies left to be found wired with booby traps. For the insurgents it was cause for celebration. “We have executed the Exalted Almighty God's verdict on the two Crusader infidels we captured, by slaughtering them,” the Mujahedin Shura Council stated. “God is great. Glory be to God.”Any bets on which of these stories has more staying power? My guess is we won’t be hearing much more about Menchaca and Tucker. But the Iraqi prisoner deaths, along with two investigations into alleged illegal killings by Marines at Haditha and Hamdania, are stories that will be with us for a long time to come.

Why is it that the Anti-War Democrats and the media seem so intent on highlighting the infrequent bad acts of American Soldiers, which we investigate, prosecute, and punish, but take no time to dwell on the evil and barbaric acts of our enemy?

Do al Queda and the Democrat Party Have the Same Press Agent?

http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom1/Shared%20Documents/Extremist%20Page/What%20Extremists%20Say.aspx?PageView=Shared

This is the news release put out by the guy who succeeded Zarko. Read it carefully, it sounds like Jack Murtha’s:

“The ferocious war that is taking place in Iraq between the soldiers of truth and the soldiers of evil from the Crusaders and the apostate rejectionists is no secret to you. Three years have passed and your mujahidin sons are making the enemies taste the bitterness of defeat and disgrace. God willing, your sons have reached a decisive stage and our enemy is literally about to show us his back. “

Yep…they say we are losing, too

“Your sons in the Land of the Two Rivers are doing well. Today, they are stronger, more firm and more courageous than any time before. No matter how allied and how numerous the unbelievers are, they are defeated and vanquished and their nose is bleeding, as admitted by their leaders.”

Gee, I think he’s been reading the press releases of the Democrat party.

“You have seen how your Crusader enemy is begging the forces of his allies not to withdraw and leave him alone on the battle field. He now turned to the European countries and the tyrants of the Arab states asking them for their help and rescue from what has come to be known as 'The Iraqi Quagmire.'”

Now I’m convinced he’s reading the Democrat Party Press Releases…or the same guy is writing them.

Wednesday Open Comments

Can't get to LST.  Shakey won't moderate for civility.

Speak, I am here.