Want to Feel Really Sad About the Reasoning Ability of the Left?

Then I suggest that you read this Maclean’s article, an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and then read the comments.  Specifically, focus on the comments against Ms. Hirsi Ali.  Their logic would be funny if it weren’t so scary. 

Now, I don’t know too much about Ms. Hirsi Ali.  I haven’t read her books, though I’ve read a few articles on her and she sounds like a compelling figure.  She grew up in an Islamic family, in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Kenya.  As a child, she was forced to have a clitoridectomy.  She fled her family to the Netherlands at age 22, in order to avoid an arranged marriage, and since then, she has written a great deal about the horrors of Islam.  The Muslim extremist who murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh for making a film about Islam’s treatment of women left a note promising that she would be next, and she continues to require continuous security protocols. 

All of that information would be enough to make her sound like a fascinating and heroic figure.  But that’s until you read the comments and learn the other side of the story, from Islam’s defenders.  There you will learn that the actions of Islam towards women like Ms. Hirsi Ali is also found in the Christian church.  There are no links given to Christian clitoridectomies or forced marriages, but apparently they are rampant.  We learn that she is a well-known liar.  We know this because, after all, she lied to avoid the arranged marriage.  This shows her true character and that she can’t be trusted.  Her family (the ones that mutilated her) were not even that religious or extreme.  We know, because they say so.  The few people who have committed violent acts in the name of Christianity, who are currently in prison or, in the case of Timothy McVeigh, in the ground due to law enforcement actions made up of mostly Christians, show that Islam and Christianity are exactly the same.  She, by inciting the wrong people, is responsible for what happens to her.  She’s just after money, because she needs so much of it to pay for her protection (a frivolous luxury item, to be sure). 

In law, we sometimes talk about whether or not an off-the-wall argument passes the “smell test”- that is, can you say it with a straight face, seriously expecting that someone might buy it.  I’ve seen judges dress down attorneys who make arguments that clearly don’t pass this test.  None of these arguments come close, but none of the people writing them are attorneys duty bound to support a client in the best way possible; they can choose their side.  Why do they choose a side with, and even advocate with, such flimsy arguments?

“Yeah, we waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, I’d do it again to save lives,”

Thank you, Former President Bush.  I disagree with a lot of what you did, but I don’t regret my vote for you.  I’d do it again to know that people like you are willing to save lives. 

In a question-and-answer session following his speech to the group of local business leaders, the former president also defended his 2003 decision to invade Iraq.

 “Getting rid of Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do and the world is a better place without him,” he said according to the paper.

How some people fail to see this, I do not know.  The time is gone for reasoning about it; it’s all emotion and memory, but I have no regrets. 

Added: In addition to his clarity on this issue, I admire the fact that Mr. Bush refuses to criticize his replacement, while still not equivocating on what is right.  He’s a classy fellow.

Why do terrorists keep terrorizing?

Because it works.  At least, it worked on Comedy Central.  Hot Air reports:

Aasif Mandvi, a self-described “liberal Muslim” and the “senior Islamic correspondent” for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, said on air after the “South Park” threats that it would upset him to see the Prophet Muhammad depicted in a cartoon. But, he added: “Here’s what’s more upsetting. Someone, in the name of a faith that I believe in, threatening another person for doing it.”

But after the failed Times Square terror attack, “The Daily Show” asked Mandvi not to comment further on the matter, according to his spokesman. In fact, reps for the networks and television shows reached for comment on this article, including Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, FOX, NBC, and CBS, either failed to respond or asked to speak on background for fear of retribution.

And it isn’t just comedians on fake newscasts who are being muzzled. One writer for a scripted drama fold Fox411.com that in one of his show’s final episodes, there had been a minor plot point involving a Muslim extremist. Last week it was removed and the script was rewritten, he said.

Will this mollify them, or encourage them to make greater demands?  What do you think?

These sorts of things need to get more coverage

Peace-loving, American Muslims say down with terrorism such as the actions of the Christmas Day Crotch Would-be Bomber:

Chanting “No more terrorism,” about 150 Muslim and Nigerian protesters waved U.S. flags as they rallied in the cold outside the federal courthouse during a hearing for the suspect accused of trying to bomb a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day.

“Muslims here to tell you: Go to hell,” read a sign held by Majed Rizki, 48, of Dearborn. “It was a sin against humanity, against civilization,” Rizki said of the attempted attack.

“Islam is not a terrorist religion,” Bilal Amen, 27, vice chair of the Islamic Institute of Knowledge in Dearborn, said while holding an American flag. “Islam is a peaceful religion.”

Amen and others said they were concerned that the Muslim suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmatallab, was giving the wrong image of Islam.

“I’m an American, born and raised,” Amen said. “Islam teaches us to abide by the laws of our land.”

I saw a clip on FoxNews that showed one of the men looking the camera dead in the eye (well, lens), and saying something along the lines of “you want to kill us, we’re right here on TV, put a bullet right there” (pointing to his forehead.  I couldn’t find it online, but it was chilling and beautiful.

Maybe Obama should re-think that whole closing Gitmo thing

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the men behind the Christmas airplane plot were released from Guantanamo Bay in 2007. 

Yes, this would make it a Bush screw-up, unrelated to Obama.  That doesn’t mean that Obama should do him one worse, though. 

And incidentally,

American officials agreed to send the two terrorists to Saudi Arabia where they entered into an “art therapy rehabilitation program” and were set free, according to U.S. and Saudi officials, ABC News reported.

Are you as shocked as I am that an “art therapy rehabilitation program” failed to actually rehabilitate?

Ann Althouse has more.

Update: White House,apparently undeterred by silly threats of a guy managing to sneak a bomb onto a plane and failing to detonate it through pure dumb luck, still plans to send (some) detainees to Yemin.  (HT: Ann Althouse).  Hey, Obama, how about you listen to me on something more important than just public perception?

Threats against the president are NOT up

since Obama took office. 

You may remember a rash of media reports in August and September about a claim that assassination threats directed at President Obama are up 400 percent over previous presidents, stretching the Secret Service to its limits. The claim came from a book by NewsMax’s Ronald Kessler, “In the President’s Secret Service.”

In the wake of the White House party crashers media blitz, Kessler has again gotten attention, saying the Secret Service has been cutting corners since 2003, and may be endangering Obama.

But Director of the Secret Service Mark Sullivan begged to differ at a Congressional hearing over the party crasher incident today:

 “The threats are not up,” Sullivan said, adding that they receive about the same amount of threats against Obama as they did for presidents Clinton and Bush.

 He also specifically claimed the 400-percent figure was incorrect and added, according to CBS’ Mark Knoller:

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan tells House committee reports of greater threats against Pres. Obama are not true. 

I’ve been meaning to research this, because I keep hearing different things.  I’ve heard the 400% claim several times, but never from reputable sources (mainly from commenters trying to prove how “racist” a country we are or something like that). 

Fortunately, The Weekly Standard beat me to the punch.  (Via Nealz Nuze).

Apparently, the current liberal playbook is to just make up any . . .

shit they want to about conservatives, and somebody will air it. 

For example, Ed Schultz says some conservatives want Obama to get shot: (Transcript here)

Sometimes I think they want Obama to get shot. I do! I really think that there are conservative broadcasters in this country who would love to see Obama taken out. They *fear* socialism, they fear Marxism. They fear that the United States of America won’t be the United States of America anymore.

Which ones? Who knows?  Maybe all of them.  What, specifically, have they said to indicate this?  As we’ve discussed before, evidence is not needed. 

(Of course, Ed Schultz is on record actually openly wishing for the death of our former vice president:

He is an enemy of the country, in my opinion, Dick Cheney is, he is an enemy of the country. He’s making it harder for those who are in power right now to protect the country. He’s about the political divide. It just, I just think the guy’s such a freakin’ loser. You know, Lord, take him to the promised land, will you? See, I don’t even wish the guy goes to hell, I just want to get him the hell out of here.

But, I guess that didn’t count, now, did it?  Or maybe he’s just studying up on the Psych 101 concept of projection.)

And then there’s this:

Experts who track hate groups across the U.S. are growing increasingly concerned over violent rhetoric targeted at President Obama, especially as the debate over health care intensifies and a pattern of threats emerges.

The article points to no evidence, besides an idiot with a sign and a man with a holstered, legal gun.  Oh, and:

Experts say a sharp growth in so-called militia groups that helped spawn a wave of domestic terrorism in the 1990s – and are now using YouTube, rock music and the Internet to recruit members and spread hate and fear – shouldn’t be ignored.

You guys,  they’re using rock music.  Satan’s music, being used for political protest!  Surely this is all the evidence that we need of their evil ways!

(BTW, ABC, you might want to check with the White House, who say that there have been no increases in threats at this time.  Just sayin’)

And, don’t worry, Robert Gibbs, like any good press secretary, also has the magic ability to see into opponents’ minds:

I don’t think there’s any doubt that in some ways — look, I — I think some of you were disappointed yesterday that the president didn’t get yelled at, sure. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.

And you want these people in charge of your healthcare, part ???

Whoops!

The federal government mistakenly made public a 266-page report, its pages marked “highly confidential,” that gives detailed information about hundreds of the nation’s civilian nuclear sites and programs, including maps showing the precise locations of stockpiles of fuel for nuclear weapons.

The publication of the document was revealed Monday in an online newsletter devoted to issues of federal secrecy. That publicity set off a debate among nuclear experts about what dangers, if any, the disclosures posed. It also prompted a flurry of investigations in Washington into why the document had been made public.

But, you really shouldn’t expect too much.  After all

“These screw-ups happen,” said John M. Deutch, a former Director of Central Intelligence and deputy secretary of defense who is now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Remember that when its your medical records.  These screw ups happen.

Ouch! (and Darn!)

As I noted before, the great and grand hope of President Obama would be that EUROPE WOULD LIKE US AGAIN!  Now, I stand by my statements that it doesn’t matter what Europe, or anyone else thinks, but it would have at least been nice if he could get them to, you know, stand beside us and fight a little or something.  But it was not to be:

Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America’s allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.

But though he continued to dazzle Europeans on his debut international tour, the Continent’s leaders turned their backs on the US President.

Gordon Brown was the only one to offer substantial help. He offered to send several hundred extra British soldiers to provide security during the August election, but even that fell short of the thousands of combat troops that the US was hoping to prise from the Prime Minister.

Just two other allies made firm offers of troops. Belgium offered to send 35 military trainers and Spain offered 12. Mr Obama’s host, Nicolas Sarkozy, refused his request.

Poor Barack pulled out all the stops to convince them to do more.  He tried hope:  

The derisory response threatened to tarnish Mr Obama’s European tour, which yesterday included a spellbinding performance in Strasbourg in which he offered the world a vision of a future free of nuclear weapons.

He tried lecturing:

Mr Obama – who has pledged 21,000 more troops to combat the growing insurgency and is under pressure from generals to supply up to 10,000 more – used the eve of Nato’s 60th anniversary summit to declare bluntly that it was time for allies to do their share. “Europe should not simply expect the United States to shoulder that burden alone,” he said. “This is a joint problem it requires a joint effort.” 

 He even tried outright threats:

He said that failing to support the US surge would leave Europe open to a fresh terrorist offensive. “It is probably more likely that al-Qaeda would be able to launch a serious terrorist attack on Europe than on the United States because of proximity,” he said.

But, alas, no more help from our friends abroad than when that detestible, mentally retarded, chimpy, cowboy (spits on the ground in disgust) was in office.  This must be Bush’s fault, somehow.