Obama Declares Kind of Good Outcome In Iraq

But not victory. Whatever you do, do NOT call it victory.

Also. praise the Iraqi people and the result, but never mention the foresight of the man who caused all the wrong in the history of the world, President George W. Bush.

This had to be a tough moment for Obama. He opposed the war. He never credits Bush for any good. Yet politically, he will try and make this success his own without alienating the antiwar crowd that increasingly tires of him.

Obama has left the Middle East a more dangerous place. By refusing to work with Iraq to even keep some forces in place to watch and cow Iran, the Obama Administration preferred to pull all forces out. This leaves a vacuum of power that Iran will try to fill one way or another.

Regardless of anything that Obama or Ron Paul says, Iran's mullahocracy has revolutionary ambitions for the region. As it inches closer to a doomsday bomb, American influence has gone into full retreat. We left no forces in Iran's most hated rival. We have failed to support Israel, our most reliable ally. What is it, exactly, that we plan to do besides blowing up a few facilities, supposedly in secret?

They also have had one of our most advanced pieces of military equipment in their custody for several days now. When that happened 200 years ago, men volunteered to risk their lives to blow it up. We are too impotent to do anything today?

We left Iran the initiative. Where they take it is apparently up to them.

Ann Coulter Could Decide the GOP Nomination

In the conservative world there are aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers . . . and then there are battleships.

Aircraft carriers project power hundreds of miles away in small or big chunks, whichever you prefer. Submarines stealthily ride beneath the waves, attacking from beneath, from where you least expect it.

Destroyers sit on top of the water, but mainly escort the bigger guys and have little pop by themselves.

Then there are battleships.

Maybe the navy decommissioned them, but they are alive and well in the conservative world. They are large, loud, and destructive. They also impress with the range and strength of their firepower. You can't miss the arrival of one, or its intent. Battleships change the game.

Ann Coulter is a conservative battleship. She has trained her guns on Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich has ranged himself as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney, latest of about ten. Coulter is one of his biggest threats.

The conservative base reads Ann Coulter. She may have less influence in the mainstream world, but she packs a major punch within strongly conservative ranks. When she supports Romney and broadsides Newt, she cannot be dismissed as squishy, or a RINO, or whatever the buzzword is these days. Newt's support is precisely what she is gunning down. Here are her last two commentaries for Human Events.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=48161

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=48005

And, yes, Coulter knows exactly what she is implying with the phrase "tiny stick." She is a battleship of the conservative movement and the shells have been fired. Don't expect them to cease any time soon.

David Cameron Makes a Stand

Prime Minister David Cameron took a stand for the United Kingdom this week. He decided that Britain would not march happily with the rest of Europe into the Fourth Reich.

Germany is willing to bankroll plans to save the Euro if member nations cede sovereign control over fiscal policy. In most people's experience, those that pay the piper call the tune. It is not a slam on Deutschland to say that their contributions would give them reason to act as though they were uber alles. It's not that they are evil or power mad, but it would be a reasonable and predictable position to take. Britain vetoed the plan as presented and will not take part in any tightening of the European Union.

Britain traditionally ranges itself against any power looking to dominate Europe. Germany, peacefully, and maybe even altruistically, is setting itself up to do just that.

The best policy would be to allow the Euro to disappear as the failed experiment that it is.

A Lowes Down Dirty Shame

Count me as one of those who does not think that the "All American Muslim" program on TLC is as grave a threat to Western Civilization as some have made it out to be. Sure it does not present the fact that Islamists have a political agenda over and above the faith of Muslims. But I'd rather not see the Westboro cult get mentioned in a show about mainline Protestants, either.

In all honestly, Lawrence of Arabia makes a stronger case for Islam than All American Muslim ever could.

Some companies, such as Lowes, pulled their ads from the show. In America, that is your right. You do not have to pay for a commodity. They made a business decision, maybe a good one, maybe not, but they made it.

Now Lowes is actually facing a lawsuit by a California state senator demanding that the company reinstate the ads and apologize to the Muslim community.

Honestly, this foolishness does not help the cause of Muslims who want to improve their image. Freedom to speak and spend when you want are rights. There is no right to not be offended by crass statements, mockery, due to the faith that you happen to carry. Certainly no right exists to force advertisers to support a television program.

Very interesting in comparison to the crusade of many in the media and elsewhere against Tim Tebow.

Frustration With the Field

Election season is almost upon us. The Republican Party offered up a large and varied field for consideration, which has been whittled down one by one.

I have to admit. Although I see considerable talent and experience in the original field, the country also saw an appalling lack of preparation. Many in the Republican field ran as if they had never witnessed a presidential election before.

We knew that debating in the fall might have something of an impact on the election. Why on earth did Rick Perry stumble into these competitions so woefully unprepared? He might have made a fairly good president, because the man is not as stupid as his detractors want to say. However, Perry needed a team to help him learn to parry rhetorically. He also needed to come up with a better way to defend his departures from conservatism in some way other than calling most of us "heartless."

I really liked Herman Cain. The man had a magnetism that filled a room. People instinctively liked him and he gave the impression that he liked you too, and had a good sense of humor to boot. Some say that sexual harassment allegations sank him. Only partly true. His decline in the polls also coincided with a sudden inability to answer any question that departed from his basic understanding of economics. Our world remains a dangerous place. It requires an American president with an already formed vision of how he wants to deal with its problems. Cain rarely gave an impression that he considered these problems very often.

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney come to the table with a solid understanding of foreign and domestic issues already in place. We have come to understand that the pitfalls of both are polar opposite. We don't want "world-historical Newt." We don't want the ultimate technocrat Romney. We need a president with energy, boldness, and focus.

We also do not want another Dear Leader. The Republican nominee must emphasize teamwork in his campaign and Cabinet. He cannot portray himself as the answer to all questions and the source of all solutions. But he must prove to us that he can assemble the team that can redirect our nation down the proper path, restoring prosperity and respect around the world.