The second topic is the rabid press and Democratic attacks on one small reference in the President's State of the Union address back in January. I will make light of this in greater detail later on. For now I can only remind everyone just how quickly opponents dismissed the address and Secretary Powell's presentation days later at the United Nations. The claims on the left and among democratic hopefuls were: "not compelling, we do not believe the story." Funny how the argument was not strong enough (in their own claims) to justify war but it is now suddenly sufficient to claim the President was "lying" to the world. Enough of this political convenience already! Grow up!

Yes the inclusion of this particular comment regarding supposed Iraqi attempts to purchase Uranium from Niger should never have seen the light of day. But you should also remember that the National Command Authority was in a very difficult position to not reveal sources and methods yet still convey the VERY REAL and serious threat posed by the unfriendly regime in Baghdad to the West, the world and the Iraqi people.

If you want to be elected or your goal is to discredit the administration, please move on to substantive issues that actually matter to thinking, concerned Americans. You might delve into the ridiculous drug benefit plan that will become the largest single mandatory benefit in only a few short years. Then move on to the Farm subsidy programs that should have been eliminated rather than continued. Now that is something that matters. try those issues on for size.

On the correct side of the debate,

Chris

Well it is Sunday.... So I have little free time to go on a rant.

1st Up: People are remarkably self-oriented (rather than self centered)

So what is the deal with the Germans these days? For that matter, what about the rest of Western Europe (the French have jumped in to defend the Germans on this issue)? A significant number of Germans are up in arms over comments from Berlusconi and his tourism minister about the less than sterling German propensity for not behaving well. The vitriolic comments in the German (and many other West European) news media would lead those of us in the rational world to suspect that Germany and Italy are about to go to war over long standing animosities. Come again? Perhaps Germans ought to grow a stronger hide and get over themselves. The Italian comments were just that: comments. There was no state diplomatic or economic activity that harmed Germany or Germans. As to getting their feelings hurt, the Germans should dust off the shelves of their libraries and read a few newspapers.

It was only a few short months ago when a member of the Schroeder government compared President Bush to Hitler, merely because she disagreed with his politics. German indignation was noteworthy in its absence on this occasion. In reality she was actually cheered by many in the press and on the streets of the Federal Republic. Add the cynical Schroeder promise to deny use of German soil for the Iraqi campaign (quickly reversed after the elections last September) and his bizarre Anti-American campaign in the run up to the war and we see a very clear image of self-denial in Germany.

Mind you, no state is innocent in this regard. But a bit of balance is in order here. While screaming insults at the Italians and demanding apologies over a trivial incident, the Germans ought to mend the fences with America over a substantive action that seriously weakened the most dependable post WWII alignment: the Atlantic Alliance.