Monthly Archives: November 2006

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Boehner and Blunt Take GOP Leadership Posts

November 17, 2006 3:37 pm / 5 Comments /

[Updates Continuing]

Who didn’t see this coming?

House Republicans chose Rep. John Boehner as minority leader Friday, succeeding Speaker Dennis Hastert in the top GOP leadership post for the Democratic-controlled House that convenes in January.

Boehner defeated Indiana conservative Mike Pence. The vote tally was 168-27 with one vote for Texas Rep. Joe Barton. Boehner’s election cements the Ohio conservative’s resurrection within GOP leadership ranks. His elevation to succeed Hastert as the party’s front line leader came despite unrest within the rank and file and a spirited campaign by Pence.

Shortly afterward, Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, won a 147-57 vote to keep his post as whip, which will be the No. 2 GOP job when Republicans become the minority party in January. Blunt is currently the No. 3 House Republican; he defeated Arizona conservative Rep. John Shadegg despite sentiment for fresh leadership faces.

Mary Katharine Ham: Hey guys? Want more of the same? Isn’t that what you meant when you voted Republicans out of office? Good news. The Republican Party delivers! John Boehner, current Majority Leader, was elected Minority Leader over challenger Mike Pence this morning. Fox is reporting the vote was about 150-50. Exactly what message did they think voters were sending them?

Michelle Malkin: The Examiner slams the pork-besotted GOP. Speaking of which, Betsy Newmark notes that Sen. Ted Stevens–Boss Hog himself–has announced he’ll run for re-election in 2008. Oink, oink, oink.

Suitably Flip: That party leadership may be content to resist the will of the majority, waiting around for enough Pelosi-led mistakes pile up and then start pointing unified fingers is a disturbing thought, suggesting the Republican delegation not only may have failed to learn its lesson from this year’s election, but also may have picked up a bad habit or two from the incumbent minority.

Good Richard’s Almanac: When your allies cease to help you, they cease to be your allies.

Hot Air: It’s Karl Rove’s party. You just think it’s yours.

Lord Nazh’s Daily Ramble: Seems that not many Republicans understand the nature of their defeat in this past election and are doomed to repeat their mistakes. Pence at least would have offered a new direction to the party and new hope that they would at least begin to listen to the people that have put them where they are. Alas, it’s not to be.

Hyscience: So, any idea how the GOP is going to do in 08 with the entire right side of the blogosphere disgusted with them? I do!

The American Pundit: Quite frankly, WE the citizen Republicans haven’t “abandoned” our principles. I don’t believe much different than I did 12 years ago. I believe in states’ rights, defending America, improving the economy, solving the immigration issue and the likes. CONGRESSIONAL Republicans are the ones who wandered from principles, and need to get back, if anyone.

Webloggin: If there ever was a sign that the GOP is no longer the party of First Principles this is it.

Confederate Yankee: See the photo.

Cold Fury: Repubs continue pissing on us, telling us it’s rain.

Don’t forget to hit the Democratic Underground.

Posted in: Politics

Henry Kissinger: What Do We Do With Iran?

November 17, 2006 6:36 am / Leave a Comment /

I had questions about the Russian-Iranian relationship and Kissinger has answers:

Russia’s position is more complex. Probably no country — not even the US — fears an Iranian nuclear capability more than Russia, whose large Islamic population lies just north of the borders of Iran. No country is more exposed to the seepage of Iranian nuclear capabilities into terrorist hands or to the jihadist ideological wave that the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, encourages. For that very reason, Russia does not want to unleash Iranian hostility on itself without a prospect of probable success.

In addition, Russian attitudes towards the United States have undergone a significant change. There is a lessened commitment to strategic partnership. Suspicion has grown on both sides. The United States fears that Russia is striving to rebuild its imperial influence in what Russia calls the “near-abroad”; Russia believes that America is seeking to pressure the Kremlin to change its domestic policies and to reduce Russia’s international influence.

Because of its conviction that Iran will be a formidable adversary and its low assessment of the American effort in Iraq, the Kremlin doubts that the US has the staying power for a prolonged confrontation with Iran and chooses to avoid manning barricades on which it may be left alone. In consequence, Moscow has shifted its emphasis towards Europe and, on Iran, operationally shares Europe’s hesitation. The difference is that if matters reach a final crunch, Russia is more likely to take a stand, especially when an Iranian nuclear capability begins to look inevitable, even more when it emerges as imminent.

I knew most of this already but for some reason it never occured to me that Russia would fear Iran that much. It probably should have. I also think he’s right about Russia taking a stand if things turn ugly. It’s possible we might find ourselves in a shakey WWII-style alliance again before all of this is over. Who knows? The only prediction I feel comfortable making at this point is that just about everything is going to get worse.

Posted in: Blogroll, Iran, Politics

Iraq: Civilian Convoy Hijacked – Americans Kidnapped

November 17, 2006 6:10 am / Leave a Comment /

Another mass kidnapping in Iraq:

The Pentagon said a convoy of civilians traveling near Nasiriyah was hijacked on Thursday, while earlier in the day the Shiite-led Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for the top leader of the country’s Sunni minority. The move was certain to inflame already raging sectarian violence.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said preliminary reports suggested there could be as many as 14 people captured and that the convoy included about 19 vehicles.

An official familiar with the incident said preliminary reports being checked by the military indicated that the attack occurred at a checkpoint near Nasiriyah and that four Americans were believed to have been taken captive.

…The convoy was being operated by the Crescent Security Group. The company works mostly in Iraq, and its operations are based in Kuwait.

Michelle Malkin: Waiting for the inevitable “Screw them” attacks on the contractors from the far Left…

Posted in: Blogroll, Iraq

Pelosi and Murtha’s Strong-Arm Tactics Angered Democrats

November 17, 2006 12:29 am / Leave a Comment /

A fractured, poorly lead, majority could spell trouble for the Democrats:

A showdown over the House majority leader’s post today has Democrats bitterly divided only a week after their party took control of Congress and has prompted numerous complaints that Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and her allies are using strong-arm tactics and threats to try to elect Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.) to the job.

…Pelosi’s aggressive intervention on behalf of Murtha has baffled and angered many Democrats, who think she has unnecessarily put her reputation on the line out of misplaced loyalty to a friend and because of a long-standing feud with Hoyer, the minority whip. Pelosi has pushed Murtha’s candidacy at social events, in private meetings and with incoming freshman Democrats; they have been called to her office to discuss committee assignments, only to hear first that she needs Murtha in order to be an effective leader.

I guess that’s it – by her own standard she’s now been rendered ineffective.

Posted in: Politics