Harry Potter and the War on Terror

NonParty Politics

About 45 minutes into the film, Harry and his classmates are subject to their new 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' instructor, Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge was recently appointed by the Minister of Magic (Cornelius Fudge). Her role at Hogwart's is to not only teach a watered-down version of the class, but likewise to play down the fears of Lord Voldemort's return and act as a shill for the Ministry of Magic, helping to whitewash the perceived threat.

The wonderfully sardonic, condescending and controlling Umbridge, played by Imelda Staunton, seemed to embody every shameful ounce of Democratic obfuscation and denial when it comes to the war on terror. She contained elements of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Jack Murtha, and John Edwards in her persistent and eager desire to reduce any hint of danger to mere understanding or hyperbole, seeking to silence dissenters (Through the implementation of tortuous quills, if necessary).

More on the Congressional temple of democratic denial at Gateway Pundit, who also has the al-Qaeda map. Ralph Peters:

Al-Qaeda-in-Iraq is suffering a humiliating defeat, as fellow Sunni Muslims turn against the fanatics and help them find the martyrdom they advertise. Yet for purely political reasons - next year's elections - cowards on Capitol Hill are spurning the courage of our troops on the ground.

While Congress waves the white flag and we're watching movies, Iran Celebrates US Congressional Resolution. Jules asks if the media's Lazy, Stupid or Willfully Ignorant?

Here's one from the AP yesterday about a contested village north of Baquba. The story is all about failure. The failure to control this village. The failure of Iraqi forces to provide follow-on security in areas U.S. troops have cleared. It tells us, "Fleeing insurgents appear to be trying to capture more territory farther north in Diyala, where Iraqi security forces are fewer."

It doesn't say why. Because they have been run out of Baquba, after being run out of Baghdad and Anbar. The three-week operation to clear Baquba has been highly successful, with the loss of one soldier, according to Michael Yon. Can this possibly be true? One soldier killed in three weeks of what is routinely described as bitter fighting in Baquba, fighting that has run al-Qaeda out of the much-vaunted IED-saturated stronghold where al-Qaeda was executing people in the city square. How is that not a screaming headline?

As Steve Gilbert realizes,

But you can't blame our media too much.

It is their job to make US lose this war. Their Democrat masters insist.

Victor Davis Hanson fisks the NYT editorial clamoring for surrender, and concludes:

The truth is that Iraq has upped the ante in the war against terrorists. Our enemies' worst nightmare is a constitutional government in the heart of the ancient caliphate, surrounded by consensual rule in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Turkey; ours is a new terror heaven, but with oil, a strategic location, and the zeal born of a humiliating defeat of the United States on a theater scale. The Islamists believe we can't win; so does the New York Times. But it falls to the American people to decide the issue.

Go read the full article.

Update
This is what passes for leadership in Washington:

Even Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) admitted that the Democrats' bill was a political charade, telling reporters yesterday that Democrats had to bring the bill to the floor to pacify antiwar groups: "If we don't do anything, these groups will feel like we haven't done anything."

Lord Voldemort, and Wahhabism: let's call them by their names:

The Sunni radicals have a name. They are Wahhabis and they are backed by a powerful faction within Saudi Arabia, Iraq's southern neighbor. The MSM continues to dance around a reality that has been visible since the Coalition took Fallujah in late 2004 - almost three years ago [see here.] As I wrote then on TCSDaily, Fallujans had turned against the Arab Sunni extremists who invaded their city and "set up a Taliban-style dictatorship, in which women who did not cover their entire bodies, people listening to music, and members of spiritual Sufi orders... were subject to torture and execution... [The radicals] were financed, recruited, and otherwise encouraged by Wahhabism, the state religion in Saudi Arabia."

The missing truth in the MSM about Ramadi is the same as that in Fallujah, and although habitually elided from Western reporting, it is known to Muslims, if they pay attention to Iraqi events. The Sunnis of Anbar, both sheikhs and ordinary folk, deeply resent the attempted imposition of an extreme Sunni order on them and are prepared to conciliate with Iraqi Shias and cooperate with the U.S.-led coalition to prevent it from happening.

Why do Westerners remain so reticent about Wahhabism and its Saudi backers?

Read it all.

Update 2
Read Obi's Sister's post, The Voldemort war and Alice the goon

Special thanks to Larwyn.



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Yes, Harry Reid, you said it.

After Harry Reid called Generals Pace and Petreus "incompetent", the Weekly Standard asks Did Reid Really Say That?

The answer is, clearly, yes.

Which is why Harry Reid's approval rating is 19% - as high as Scooter Libby's.

Dennis Miller lets it rip on Harry Reid (via Tigerhawk)

Amy Proctor notices that Harry Reid has no intention to listen to commanders on the ground no matter what.

However, the best post so far is Cassandra's, whose husband is in Iraq. Her post, Reid: Baghdad Troops "Out of Touch" with Gritty Reality of War is a masterpiece.

More at Fox News.

Hamas wins in Gaza

UPDATED
Welcome to Hamastan

Hamas captures Fatah security HQ

Hamas militants have seized the headquarters of their rival Fatah's Preventive Security force, tightening their control over the Gaza Strip.
...
Hamas also seized control of the town of Rafah as it targeted security and political command centres across Gaza.

Meanwhile, the top Palestinian umbrella group, the PLO, has recommended that the unity government be dissolved and a state of emergency declared.

The road to Hamastan

Hamas may pull back from a final showdown in Gaza, forcing Fatah to sit down and negotiate. But some predict a total split between a “Hamastan” in Gaza and a West Bank ruled by Fatah. No Israeli leader—including Ehud Barak, the former prime minister, who this week won the Labour party’s primary election and could return to power next year—will feel any pressure to talk peace with a Palestinian leadership that is so definitively divided

Sigmund, Carl and Alfred:

If Hamas wins the civil war, their ideologies and beliefs will no longer be camouflaged. we will know how to deal with these same ideologues that supported Saddam Hussein. If the PA wins the civil war, they will have to make some serious choices, or the cycle of internal violence will repeat itself. The only thing that is certain is that neither the western democracies or Israel will allow for another 40 years of Arafat type obfuscation, double talk and hypocrisy from the Palestinians.

Betsy poses a few questions:

"We want them to vote and vote and vote again" on Iraq, said a senior Democratic senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss party strategy. "They are going to have to vote on Iraq until they are sick of it."

The tougher-talking Reid is taking a decidedly harder line on Iraq at a time when anti-war activists are stepping up their criticism of Democratic leaders for not forcing a quick end to the conflict in Iraq.
...
Remember that these are the same sorts who kept pushing for "peace in the Middle East" by forcing Israel to pull out of the Gaza and the West Bank. Well, Israel unilaterally did just what was advised and pulled out of Gaza. And it descended into chaos with Hamas and Fatah conducting their own civil war. Hamas has now won in Gaza giving Iran their little terrorist puppet state there on the borders of Israel and Egypt.

Do Harry Reid, the Democrats, and his blogger pals think that there would be any different fate if we just pulled out of Iraq now? Do they want to see Iraq becoming like Gaza except with more territory, more possible victims, and all that oil that can be used to fuel more terrorism abroad?

Oh, and by the way, how does Nancy Pelosi, diplomat at large, think about her pals in Syria now that they've assassinated another democracy leader in Lebanon? With the assassination of members of the anti-Syria majority in the Lebanese parliament, Hezbollah is trying to literally exterminate that majority. Does she still think that the path to peace travels through Syria?

That is, does she willingly continue to be a pawn?

Update: Hamas Takes Gaza- Executes Fatah Members In the Streets

Update 2, Via LGF, Video: Murderous Hamas Rampage in Gaza

Victor Davis Hanson: Gaza — It’s All Our Fault: Blaming America on CNN is all the rage



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No-go on the immigration bill

Immigration Overhaul Bill Stalls in Senate
Bipartisan Compromise Collapses; Reid Says Measure May Return

A tenuous compromise to overhaul the nation's immigration laws collapsed last night when senators from both parties refused to cut off debate and move to a final vote, handing the unlikely alliance of Democratic leaders and President Bush a setback on a major domestic priority.

LEt me go on the record and say, I'm very glad. It was bad law.

And it was going to be expensive: Amnesty Will Cost U.S. Taxpayers at Least $2.6 Trillion

But apparently the bill isn't dead, it's just resting. Let's hope it Rests In Peace.

Update
The Inside Story Of How The Senate Immigration Bill Died



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Did you listen yet? and today's items

I'll post more about Venezuela later today, but here's the morning round-up:

Did you listen yet?

Last Monday my guests were Dymphna and Baron Bodissey of Gates of Vienna and Siggy co-hosted. Listen to a most enjoyable podcast, and tell your friends. If you listened already, go back and listen again.

Soldier's Family Needs Immediate Help

Victor Davis Hanson writes about The Global Immigration Problem

The moment illegal immigrants arrive, a sort of race begins: Can these newcomers become legal, speak the host language and get educated before they age, get hurt or lose their job? If so, then they assimilate and their children are held up as models of diversity. If not, the end of the story can be welfare or jail.
...
Governments in countries such as Mexico and Morocco usually care far more about their emigrants once they are long gone. Then these poor are no longer volatile proof of their own failures, but victims of some wealthy foreign government's indifference. And these pawns usually send cash home.

Don't miss also The Legal Visa Crunch: The Senate bill is worse than current law for skilled immigrants.

And Now...British Academia

Investor's Business Daily continues its series on Jimmy Carter, Friend of dictators

Via Red State, Sen. Byrd: "Allowing the public to actually see earmark requests...isn't a good idea"


We beat global warming, and "Al's the guy!"

Via Larwin, Ace posts that Jon Corzine didn't think of wearing a seat belt, and zoomed down the turnpike going 90 miles an hour, but he's going to keep you from getting fat. Maybe Corzine should call Michael Moore for diet tips.

Mitt gets heckled in New Hampshire for being a Mormon. Harry Reid better stay away.

Also from Ace, some fool at Newsweek thinks wussy men are hot. Where is Pullo when we need him?
Here's a short list of other non-wussies. And the ever-popular Swiss.

Speaking of wusses, Betsy has The humbug that is John Edwards, who, by the way, may have some trouble getting some of the treasure money as Spain sues over shipwreck bonanza

Harry Potter theme park planned in Orlando. It'll take real magic to duplicate the terrain and the weather, for sure.

And last, but not least, The Studied Linguist (a poem)

The Five Myths Of Harry

The Dem Cong's been busy, hasn't it?

Captain Ed has The Five Myths Of Harry

MYTH #3:
General Petraeus Says There Is No Military Solution

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): "...There Is No Military Solution In Iraq. General Petraeus, The Commander On The Ground, Has Said So Himself." (Sen. Reid, "Reid: As Situation In Iraq Worsens, America Can And Must Change Course," Press Release, 04/22/07)

FACT:
General Petraeus Believes "Improv[ing] The Security" With "Additional Forces" Is Necessary To Achieve A Political Solution

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: "I want to assure you that Lieutenant General Odierno and I would not have asked to maintain the surge force levels in Iraq – a request that led to your tour extensions – if we did not view the additional forces as being absolutely necessary to our ability to accomplish our mission. That mission – to help Iraq improve the security for its population – is intended to provide Iraqi leaders with an opportunity to begin to tackle the crucial issues that must be resolved to achieve a sustainable outcome in Iraq." (Gen. David Petraeus, Letter To Soldiers Serving In Multi-National Force-Iraq, 4/14/07)

David Broder:

Instead of reinforcing the important proposition -- defined by the Iraq Study Group-- that a military strategy for Iraq is necessary but not sufficient to solve the myriad political problems of that country, Reid has mistakenly argued that the military effort is lost but a diplomatic-political strategy can still succeed.

Meanwhile, Jeff Emmanuel's reporting from Iraq.

Too bad Harry can't read Red.

Update: Harry Reid agrees with George W. Bush!