No Government Cheese: 08/01/2006

Time to Surrender

tee bee

Anybody coming with me? I'll need someone to wave the white flag - my hands will be full.

I suspect Cassandra's will be, too. After all, it's stupid to surrender to just anyone.

CP @ GMC.

'If we can turn the tide on this epidemic, it will unleash a burst of energy'

tee bee

An interesting article: "Beating this Epidemic Will Mark a High Point for Humanity."

The vulnerability of the world's women has dominated the International AIDS Conference, though the official theme of 'time to deliver' hasn't been forgotten.
'If we can turn the tide on this epidemic, it will unleash a burst of energy and belief and human potential that I think will spill over' –Bill Clinton
A concerted attempt involving a wide range of efforts is needed if HIV/AIDS is to be beaten, former American president Bill Clinton said in a presentation at the International AIDS Conference yesterday.

CP @ GMC.

'They are patriots'

tee bee

Jenna posts about Andrew Gimson's column in the Times Online, "Americans will die for liberty."

As I commented at Jenna's, I was touched by that article too, especially when I expect many here and abroad are crowing about this payback to Bush's crony, Blair, and how the evil neocons have created this terrible backlash of terrorism.

It was refreshing that not only did someone see through the smoke and blather, but they looked beyond themselves, the cultural divide and the national boundaries, and beyond our own harsh critics.

And someone printed it.

This should be today's required reading.

Not Necessarily the News

tee bee

At the end of a long week of political turmoil, regional strife, thwarted terrorism and faux-to blogging, Marybeth points to a little levity over at the Banterist:

The 2006 Photo(shop) Journalism Awards.

My favorite:

"Israeli helicopters converge on a group of happy children having a wonderful day and minding their business. (Adnan Hajj for Reuters)"

Oy!

Follow the Money

tee bee

Rightroots update:

That dude who ran against Lieberman did it with a fair share of netroots cash.

Rightroots: Oasis or Mirage?

tee bee

Who's jumping on the Rightroots bandwagon?

Rightroots is an Emily's List - or more accurately, netroots* - for "candidates who actually want to win the War on Terror, secure our borders, and cut spending and taxes," according to Patrick Ruffini, the GOP's eCampaign Director. It's being coordinated through ABC PAC.

Who's behind Rightroots? Ruffini notes the founding blogmembers: John Hawkins, Right Wing News; Mary Katherine Ham, Townhall; Robert Bluey, Human Events; Erick Erickson, Redstate; Ed Morrissey, Captain's Quarters; Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits; Lorie Byrd, Wizbang.

Congressman Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) has pledged support if Rightroots can raise $26,000 by midnight tonight.

The advantage I see to this is the quick coordination and involvement of the very strong conservative bloggers. I also like the fact that while Rightroots makes recommendations of who needs money and why, they don't designate your contributions - you do.

All that leaves is candidates who give more than lip service to GWOT, border control and fiscal restraint.

If you like it, add it to your blogroll. If not, I'd like to hear about it.

*According to Hawkins, "as of last night about 11:59 PM, the "netroots" had managed to already raise $386,968.31 for [Democratic candidates]."

CP @ BBA.

One Year Later: The Murder of Stephen Vincent

tee bee

Steven Vincent was murdered in Basra, Iraq, one year ago on August 2, 2005, because he went where other journalists wouldn't.
- Judith Weiss, calling for a blogburst.

My post at VAM:

August 3rd, 2005
Freelance Journalist Body Found
Missing since Tuesday, the body of American freelance journalist Steven Vincent was found today. He had been shot. The interpreter who was accompanying him was wounded. Police are working with the British military and the US Embassy to find the killers. A photo of an Vincent’s body being inspected by an Iraqi security guard
accompanies the article.
BAGHDAD, Aug. 3 (Xinhuanet) — American freelance journalist Steven Vincent has been shot dead in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and the US Embassy said Wednesday.
"I can confirm to you that officials in Basra have recovered the body of journalist Steven Vincent," embassy spokesman Pete Mitchell said.
Police in Basra said the American journalist, together with his female translator, were abducted Tuesday evening by five gunmen in a police car.
Vincent was shot multiple times while the translator was seriously wounded, police said.

"The US Embassy is working with British military and local Iraqi officials in Basra to determine who is responsible for the death of this journalist," the embassy spokesman said.
One would hope that the media would take up the cause of one of their own. The New York Times gets it right, reporting that "The incident involving the reporter, Steven Vincent, an art critic and freelance writer who had worked in Basra for months, was the first time an American journalist has been attacked and killed during the war. A handful of American journalists have died in vehicle accidents or from illness." The Times does note that 19 of these were apparently targeted attacks.
Clearly, Vincent knew too much.
On Sunday, The New York Times printed an article on its op-ed pages that Mr. Vincent had written about the British military in Basra, in which he sharply criticized the British for allowing religious Shiite parties and clerics to take control of Basra and populate the security forces with their followers.
He wrote that a police lieutenant had confirmed for him that a few fellow officers were carrying out assassinations of former members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party, apparently in revenge for the oppression of the Shiites under his rule.
"He told me that there is even a sort of ‘death car’: a white Toyota Mark II that glides through the city streets, carrying off-duty police officers in the pay of extremist religious groups to their next assignment," Mr. Vincent wrote.