Gen. David Petraeus made clear in an interview Sunday that no one should expect significant progress in Iraq by September, which many in Congress have identified as a key deadline for assessing the "surge" and continued military funding. In fact, Petraeus said that the counterinsurgency operation in Iraq would require at least 10 years of U.S. commitment.
Has President Bush really leveled with the American people about what’s required for "victory" in Iraq?
Expect more GOP leaders to break with the president in September. Congress will be pushing anew for a reduced troop presence and a new strategy.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth might be the U.S. prison of choice if terrorism detainees are ever moved from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Lawrence Journal-World reported. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, introduced a bill to close the Guantanamo prison and send the detainees to Fort Leavenworth, which is the only military prison with the maximum security designation.
Meanwhile, two attorneys who have helped represent the detainees argued on Tuesday’s Opinion pages that "we can’t effectively close Guantanamo unless we distinguish between those who have no business being there and those who actually are dangerous." They argued that it is in our nation’s best interests to allow the detainees to have fair hearings so that we can "separate the wheat from the chaff."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
An article in Tuesday’s Eagle noted this week’s conference of “progressives,” or the Voters Formerly Known as Liberals.
Conservatives rightly scoff at how liberals, after years of Limbaugh-led demonization of the word “liberal,” have run away from the term.
Think about it. Conservatives were demonized for years by Democrats for all kinds of perceived sins — but in their years in the political wilderness, they never abandoned the word “conservative.” Instead, they defended it, emphasizing their bedrock values and waiting for the country to come back around to them, which it did during the Reagan era.
Democratic lefties are making a big mistake. They should rehabilitate the word “liberal” and wear it proudly as a core part of their party’s tradition. Instead, they’re letting Republicans — on this and many other issues — frame the debate and the language used.
It’s one reason Democrats have been losing for so long.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
A coalition of evangelical Protestant and Roman Catholic groups turned on Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and other national pro-life leaders related to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the ban on partial-birth abortions, the Washington Post reported. The coalition blasted pro-life leaders in full-page newspaper ads last month because the leaders had cheered the court ruling as a major pro-life victory. The coalition argued that the ruling was “more wicked than Roe” because it affirms the legality of late-term abortion “as long as you follow its guidelines.” The coalition contends that pro-life leaders, in an effort to boost fundraising, have “misled the Body of Christ about the ban, and now about the ruling itself.” A Focus on the Family official responded that the ruling was about incremental change and that most pro-lifers “are sophisticated enough to know we’re not going to win a total victory all at once.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Congratulations to Lavonta Williams, the newest member of the Wichita City Council — though the council’s sudden unanimous vote Tuesday in selecting her, after 20 consecutive tie votes last week, raised suspicions about whether all its meetings have been open. Williams should be a strong, knowledgeable District 1 representative and a valuable addition to the council. And as we’ve noted before, her selection appears to be historic on two fronts — the first time the council has had either three women members or two African-American members.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
