Israeli/Gaza Conflict: Monday Morning Quarterbacking

I must say this crap is most pathetic. 🙄

First off, we have terrorist supporter and America’s worst former President and Commie Liberal traitor, Jimmy Carter in the WaPo:

I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided.

After visiting Sderot last April and seeing the serious psychological damage caused by the rockets that had fallen in that area, my wife, Rosalynn, and I declared their launching from Gaza to be inexcusable and an act of terrorism. Although casualties were rare (three deaths in seven years), the town was traumatized by the unpredictable explosions. About 3,000 residents had moved to other communities, and the streets, playgrounds and shopping centers were almost empty. Mayor Eli Moyal assembled a group of citizens in his office to meet us and complained that the government of Israel was not stopping the rockets, either through diplomacy or military action.

Knowing that we would soon be seeing Hamas leaders from Gaza and also in Damascus, we promised to assess prospects for a cease-fire. From Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who was negotiating between the Israelis and Hamas, we learned that there was a fundamental difference between the two sides. Hamas wanted a comprehensive cease-fire in both the West Bank and Gaza, and the Israelis refused to discuss anything other than Gaza.

We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza were being starved, as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food had found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian families eating only one meal a day.

Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.

After extended discussions with those from Gaza, these Hamas leaders also agreed to accept any peace agreement that might be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PLO, provided it was approved by a majority vote of Palestinians in a referendum or by an elected unity government.

Since we were only observers, and not negotiators, we relayed this information to the Egyptians, and they pursued the cease-fire proposal. After about a month, the Egyptians and Hamas informed us that all military action by both sides and all rocket firing would stop on June 19, for a period of six months, and that humanitarian supplies would be restored to the normal level that had existed before Israel’s withdrawal in 2005 (about 700 trucks daily).

We were unable to confirm this in Jerusalem because of Israel’s unwillingness to admit to any negotiations with Hamas, but rocket firing was soon stopped and there was an increase in supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel. Yet the increase was to an average of about 20 percent of normal levels. And this fragile truce was partially broken on Nov. 4, when Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas inside the wall that encloses Gaza.

On another visit to Syria in mid-December, I made an effort for the impending six-month deadline to be extended. It was clear that the preeminent issue was opening the crossings into Gaza. Representatives from the Carter Center visited Jerusalem, met with Israeli officials and asked if this was possible in exchange for a cessation of rocket fire. The Israeli government informally proposed that 15 percent of normal supplies might be possible if Hamas first stopped all rocket fire for 48 hours. This was unacceptable to Hamas, and hostilities erupted.

After 12 days of “combat,” the Israeli Defense Forces reported that more than 1,000 targets were shelled or bombed. During that time, Israel rejected international efforts to obtain a cease-fire, with full support from Washington. Seventeen mosques, the American International School, many private homes and much of the basic infrastructure of the small but heavily populated area have been destroyed. This includes the systems that provide water, electricity and sanitation. Heavy civilian casualties are being reported by courageous medical volunteers from many nations, as the fortunate ones operate on the wounded by light from diesel-powered generators.

The hope is that when further hostilities are no longer productive, Israel, Hamas and the United States will accept another cease-fire, at which time the rockets will again stop and an adequate level of humanitarian supplies will be permitted to the surviving Palestinians, with the publicized agreement monitored by the international community. The next possible step: a permanent and comprehensive peace.

Disgraceful. The old bastard ought to be charged for Treason and sent to a reeducation camp, along with the rest of Liberal America. 😡

I mean, just who the hell does that old duffer think he is?  This is the same damned President who economic policies were a complete disaster. If it had not been for Ronald Reagan this country would have went into a full scale depression back in the 1970’s. Luckily Reagan made some very much needed changes and rid the country of some of the waste, which in turned staved off a depression and thankfully, we only experienced a slight recession. Again that recession was due to the disastrous polices of Carter. Hell, even Bill Clinton could not stand the old man, Clinton refused to meet with Carter at all. Which caused a major problem during his administration.

On the other hand, Marvin Hier makes some very valid points in a Wall Street Journal in an opinion piece:

At the U.N., no surprise, this double-standard is in full force. In response to Israel’s attack on Hamas, the Security Council immediately pulled an all-night emergency meeting to consider yet another resolution condemning Israel. Have there been any all-night Security Council sessions held during the seven months when Hamas fired 3,000 rockets at half a million innocent civilians in southern Israel? You can be certain that during those seven months, no midnight oil was burning at the U.N. headquarters over resolutions condemning terrorist organizations like Hamas. But put condemnation of Israel on the agenda and, rain or shine, it’s sure to be a full house.

Red Cross officials are all over the Gaza crisis, describing it as a full-blown humanitarian nightmare. Where were they during the seven months when tens of thousands of Israeli families could not sleep for fear of a rocket attack? Where were their trauma experts to decry that humanitarian crisis?

There have been hundreds of articles and reports written from the Erez border crossing falsely accusing Israel of blocking humanitarian supplies from reaching beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza. (In fact, over 520 truck loads of humanitarian aid have been delivered through Israeli crossings since the beginning of the Israeli counterattack.) But how many news articles, NGO reports and special U.N. commissions have investigated Hamas’s policy of deliberately placing rocket launchers near schools, mosques and homes in order to use innocent Palestinians as human shields?

Many people ask why there are so few Israeli casualties in comparison with the Palestinian death toll. It’s because Israel’s first priority is the safety of its citizens, which is why there are shelters and warning systems in Israeli towns. If Hamas can dig tunnels, it can certainly build shelters. Instead, it prefers to use women and children as human shields while its leaders rush into hiding. Read the Rest

I suggest you go read that entire piece. It is filled with truth. I mean, people sure have short memories when it comes to Israel, Gaza and Palestine. Some people must have forgotten that Israel totally pulled out of the Gaza Strip, gave the Palestinians that land, that was rightfully Israel’s and let them live there. So, what does Gaza do? Elects a terrorist organization to govern and then they whine and cry when Israel invades that land!   Fata was at least honorable enough to uphold a peace agreement, more than I can say for Hamas. The people in Gaza had better be glad I am not running that war campaign for Israel. They think the human toll is bad now? Ha! I’d bomb gaza into the damn stone age. Which is what Israel should rightly do, and take back their damn land from those arab scumbags.

Others on the right side of this conflict: QandO, , A Blog For All,protein wisdom, Don Surber, Little Green Footballs, Pirate’s Cove Macsmind, Gateway Pundit, Riehl World View, Yourish.com,Jules Crittenden, neo-neocon and Jihad Watch

(Via Memeorandum)

Cartoons of the Day

Underdogma?
Underdogma?

More at www.diversitylane.com

Or blog at diversitylane.wordpress.com

Obamassiah?
Obamassiah?

More at Baloo’s Cartoon Blog

The Obligatory Roland Burris might be seated in the Senate posting

It seems that the race baiters won.

Via Chicago Breaking News:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid opened a potential path to seating Roland Burris in the Senate after a 45-minute meeting with the former Illinois attorney general at the Capitol this morning.

After days in which Senate leaders had demonstrated determined resistance to Burris’ appointment to the Senate by scandal-tainted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Reid praised Burris as “candid and forthright.” And he suggested the testimony Burris is to give Thursday before the state legislature’s impeachment committee could be crucial to his prospects of gaining the seat.

“He’s going to go answer any other questions they might have. He’s not trying to avoid any responsibility and trying to hide anything,” said Reid (D-Nev.) “Once that’s done, we’ll be in a different position and see what we are going to do.”

One Democratic aide said the Senate leadership’s attitude toward the appointment had now “thawed.”

Still, citing a Senate rule, Reid said the Senate would not seat Burris until his certificate of appointment is signed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. White has declined to sign the certificate but Burris has gone to court to seek an order requiring White to certify the governor’s appointment.

Reid said he still would ask a Senate committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the appointment before Burris is seated but said he hoped the process would move swiftly.

“There’s going to come a time when the entire Senate is going to have to act on this, and that day I hope would come sooner rather than later,” Reid said.

Burris said at a news conference in Washington this afternoon that he expects to join the Senate “very soon.” A Burris advisor said his camp’s understanding is that the Senate will move to seat him swiftly if Burris’s testimony before the Blagojevich impeachment committee goes well.

Burris’ appearance at the opening of the Senate session and the refusal to seat him stirred saturation media coverage, eclipsing efforts by Democrats to promote their economic stimulus plans.

On Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), an influential Democrat, broke with the Senate leadership and urged them to seat Burris.

Yeah, I’ve been following this. I wanted to wait and see what happened before I Blogged about it.

I just find it very interesting that this joker got seated or will get seated. Ol’ Rocking Rod Blagojevich played the Blacks in Chicago like a damned fiddle; and they just went along with it! Unbelievable! Say what you wish, but if this guy had been a White Man, he would be turned away and this would all be over with. But, because he is black, he gets this special free pass. Kinda like our soon to be “President”.

Sorry Democrats; but sometimes, you just make it too damned easy. Do you all see now why I refused to ever vote for another Democrat? 🙄

There’s a word I thinking of here…. Oh, right!  It’s called Identity Politics. Bobby Rush played that hand, very well.

Andrew Sullivan goes off the damned rails……………again.

You know, I totally understand Jeffrey Goldberg‘s point about this situation over in Gaza, believe me, I do.  But for Andrew Sullivan to print a picture of a damn dead little girls face on his Blog, that’s just fucking uncalled for man. Sorry for the language in this posting, but damn it, that’s just wrong. 😡

Careful with that link, it’s quite disturbing to look at.

Besides, there’s a possibility that the photo was faked anyhow.

Others: The Sundries Shack

Picking Dr. Sanjay Gupta was an absolutely brilliant move!

There are some Conservatives who are saying that picking Dr. Sanjay Gupta was a bonehead move by Obama. I disagree. Why?

Watch these two videos and you will completely understand:

I say anyone that has the stones to basically make a Liberal gas bag like Michael Moore look like an idiot, has my respect, and I hope like hell that Obama will pick this guy. Gupta made Moore look like a tool and basically discredited his movie “Sicko”. I think this was a brilliant move. I might not agree with Obama’s Politics, but this was an excellent move! 😀

Others: Washington Monthly, The Swamp, Michelle Malkin, CBS News, The New Republic, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Michael Calderone’s Blogs, NewsBusters.org, Paul Krugman, Outside The Beltway, Hot Air, TVNewser, The Washington Independent and Spin Cycle

(Via Memeorandum)

Toyota is feeling the pinch too.

So much for that stupid  Neo-Con line saying that the slump in auto sales is the automakers fault.

Via the New York Times:

TOKYO — Toyota Motor will idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March to reduce output in the face of steeply declining global vehicle sales, the company said Tuesday.

The Japanese auto giant said the suspension would affect production at all 12 of its directly operated domestic plants, which include four vehicle assembly plants and also factories that make transmissions, engines and other parts. The closings are in addition to a three-day shutdown this month at these plants that Toyota had already announced.

The move is unusual for a company that just a few months ago seemed unable to keep up with voracious global demand for its fuel-efficient vehicles. But even strong players like Toyota have failed to escape the drastic slowdown in the global auto industry.

The company said it would idle the plants to reduce stocks of unsold vehicles amid a relentless slide in sales, particularly in the United States, its biggest market. Last month, Toyota’s sales there dropped 37 percent, a larger decline than at its struggling American rivals General Motors and Ford.

Plunging sales and a stronger Japanese yen, which reduces the yen value of overseas profits, forced Toyota to forecast last month its first annual loss in 70 years at its vehicle-making operations.

Toyota did not say how many vehicles would be affected by the suspension announced Tuesday. The company said its four domestic assembly plants produced 1.5 million vehicles in 2007, the most recent year for which the company has figures. Toyota-brand cars are also made by other companies in the Toyota group.

The company had already announced that it would shut down truck production at two United States plants for three months

Its American rivals — General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler — have also idled plants across North America in response to the slowdown.

For once, I am in agreement with a Liberal, and yes, it is the same knuckle-headed liberal that insulted Conservatives. Hey, I am one that praises when it’s due and bitches when it’s due too; At least I’m fair. 😉 😀 😛

Matthew Yglesias Weighs in:

This is the conceptual problem with efforts to “save” the car industry through bailouts or union busting or whatever you like. One assumes demand for cars will get higher than it is right now, but the industry has a whole just has more capacity to build cars than there is demand for new cars. Which is fine. When you look across the developed world and try to take stock of the medium- and long-run problems facing the OECD nations there’s just no way you’re going to reach the conclusion that an automobile shortage is a big concern. But obviously it’s not fine for the companies that make cars. There’s going to be a need for some shrinkage.

Yeah, I know, most likely some of the Conservatives who are basically scraping my blog for content are going to try and deride me as a fake conservative, because I stick up for the middle class and because I happen to be the son of retired General Motors Worker and U.A.W. member. Well, I got two words; screw you and the rest of the asshole Madison Ave. Conservatives. 😡

Anyhow, I happen to agree with Matthew here, I live here in the Detroit Area. If the auto industry dies, so does this area. That will cause my parents to suffer, they need the health insurance, as they are both diabetic and the amount of medications that they take is staggering.  Anyhow, this article above disproves and basically strikes down the “Meme” that was going around in the Conservative Blogosphere that the issues with the auto industry was the fault of the automakers. Which I totally dismissed as abject bullshit of the highest order. It was the fault of President Clinton for putting pressure on the loan companies to give those toxic subprime loans to those who were considered high risk. That is what started this whole thing. Of course, equal blame can be given to the Republican Congress of 2003 for not changing the laws, after all, they were warned by the Bush White House to do something; and they did nothing at all.

Best thing they could do, was have a hearing, of which the CEO of Freddie Mac pulled the race card, and congress backed off. So, all the blaming of the Auto Companies was nothing more than a feeble attempt by the Republicans at scapegoating the wrong damned people.

Here’s hoping that Japan’s auto industry totally collapses and people, both American and otherwise, have to buy American products, for a change!

Leon E. Panetta to head Central Intelligence Agency, Some Dems not happy

A Clinton retread is one thing, but a Clinton retread with no experience is another.

Via the NYT’s “The Caucus”:

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Leon E. Panetta, the former congressman and White House chief of staff, to take over the Central Intelligence Agency, an organization that Mr. Obama criticized during the campaign for using interrogation methods he decried as torture, Democratic officials said Monday.

Yet the choice encountered early opposition on Capitol Hill, with some senior Democrats questioning why the president-elect would pick a C.I.A. chief without a deep reservoir of intelligence or counterterrorism experience.

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat also; is not amused:

“My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best-served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein who, as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, would be in charge of Mr. Panetta’s confirmation.

Senator Feinstein said that she had not been notified by Mr. Obama’s transition team about the selection.

Uhm…. Smooth move there Bambi. Good way to start out. Put some inexperienced toad as the leader, to piss off your follow commies. Good one! 🙄

Malkin is equally unimpressed, as is Allahpundit.

Glenn Greenwald is wetting his pants with Glee, as usual.

It’s going to be a very interesting four years.

(Via Memeorandum)

Richardson Withdraws Update: Team Obama Says Richardson Misled them

Seems Richardson is withdrawing his bid to be secretary of Commerce.

Via MSNBC:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

“Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact,” he said Sunday in a report by NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell. “But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.”

Yeah, you withdrew, because your fat ass was guilty.

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson’s political activities won a New Mexico state contract worth more than $1 billion. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

Richardson said he plans to continue in his role as governor. “I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country.”

The announcement came ahead of Obama’s Monday meetings with congressional leaders on a massive economic recovery bill he wants lawmakers to pass quickly.

Obama said Sunday he accepted Richardson’s decision to withdraw with ‘deep regret.’

“Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office,” Obama said.

Obama gave no indication whom he might name to replace Richardson as the nominee but said “we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson’s decision.”

A person familiar with the proceedings has told The Associated Press that the grand jury is looking into possible “pay-to-play” dealings between CDR Financial Products and someone in a position to push the contract through with the state of New Mexico.

State documents show CDR was paid a total of $1.48 million in 2004 and 2005 for its work on a transportation program.

Richardson ran against Obama in the Democratic presidential primary, but withdrew after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. He later endorsed Obama in his primary campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s nominee for secretary of state.

He is one of the most prominent Hispanics in the Democratic Party, having served in Congress and as President Bill Clinton’s ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary. As governor, he has kept up an international profile with a specialty in dealing with rogue nations. Obama also considered him to be secretary of state.

CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an AP review of campaign finance records.

The largest donation, $75,000, was made by CDR in June 2004 — a couple of months after the transportation financing arrangement won state approval — to a political committee that Richardson established before the Democratic National Convention that year.

Here’s hope that they nail that taco-headed mother fuckers balls to the damn wall. Of course, they won’t, he’s most likely well fed funded by George Soros and his group of Communist Liberal idiots. So, he won’t see any jail time. But on a positive note, there won’t be as many Liberal moonbats in the White House or the Government for that matter. Score one of justice, I suppose.

Seems every person that Obambi has contact with, is some crooked made politician.  Which is so fucking typical of the Democrats anymore. FDR would be rolling over in a his grave.

Update: According to Jack Tapper team Bambi said they were mislead:

Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.

Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.

The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.

From 2004 to 2005, CDR Financial Products, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company founded and run by David Rubin, received nearly $1.5 million through the New Mexico Finance Authority for advising the state in a complex highway funding project pushed by Richardson. In roughly that same time period, CDR and Rubin gave approximately $100,000 to political organizations run by Richardson, including one that paid for his and his staff’s expenses at the 2004 Democratic convention. Neither the grand jury nor the FBI has interviewed Richardson.

President-elect Obama did not ask Richardson to withdraw his name from consideration, sources from both camps say, but the fact that the confirmation seemed untenable in the short term was apparent to everyone involved.

There were some discussions about whether the confirmation process could be delayed a few months until the investigation concluded, sources say, but it became clear that wouldn’t happen any time soon, and no one wanted to be seen as pressuring law enforcement officials to wrap up their investigation.

The governor spoke with the president-elect several times over the weekend, their last conversation being Saturday, when Richardson told Obama he was withdrawing his name from consideration.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Democrats. Hope and Change, Deceit and Corruption! What a joke! 🙄

Oh and in case anyone has forgotten, this joker also tried to run for President. Wouldn’t that have been a nice little present to the Republicans. If he had won? I could see the headlines now! 😀

Others: The Fix, BitsBlog, Hot AirDon Surber, , Wizbang, JOSHUAPUNDITTigerHawk, Michelle Malkin, , Outside The Beltway,   Scared Monkeys, Riehl World View, NewsBusters.org, , The Economic Populist, QandO, Fox News,, Top of the Ticket, Weekly Standard, CommentaryMacsmind and Stop The ACLU


Rep. Ron Paul on the Israeli Gaza Conflict

I must admit, the man speaks the truth. I don’t agree with one point however. To me, it does not matter how many missiles Hamas fired into Israel, one missile is one too many. But the rest, I pretty much agree with.