All I can say is it's about dang time...ok thats not exactly true..I have plenty more I could say but we are supposed to keep our bligs clean and so I will refrain.

The North Carolina bar filed ethics charges Thursday against the prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse sexual assault case, accusing him of saying misleading and inflammatory things to the media about the athletes under suspicion.

The punishment for ethics violations can range from admonishment to disbarment. The complaint could also force District Attorney Mike Nifong off the case by creating a conflict of interest.

"He's got this hanging over his head," said Thomas Metzloff, a Duke law professor and member of the bar's ethics committee for the past 10 years. "It relates so much to his underlying conduct in the case."

Among the four rules of professional conduct that Nifong was accused of violating was a prohibition against making comments "that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused."


...

Nifong was also charged with breaking a rule against "dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation." The bar said that when DNA testing failed to find any evidence a lacrosse player raped the accuser, Nifong told a reporter the players might have used a condom.

According to the bar, Nifong knew that assertion was misleading, because he had received a report from an emergency room nurse in which the accuser said her attackers did not use a condom.

...

Before the ethics charges were filed, Bob Brown, an attorney in private practice who once worked with Nifong in the prosecutor's office, predicted the case would be a "bloodbath" for the prosecution if it went to trial.

Among other questions raised in recent weeks: Why did it take months for anyone from Nifong's office to interview the accuser? And why did Nifong initially withhold from the defense DNA test results that found genetic material from several men — none of them Duke lacrosse players — on the accuser's underwear and body?

"I don't see how any member of the public can have confidence in this case. I think it's making a mockery of our criminal justice system to permit this guy to keep fumbling along," Duke University law professor James Coleman, one of Nifong's leading critics, said before the ethics charges were filed. "It's either total incompetence or it's misconduct on a scale that is extraordinary."


I should add that in my opinion what this prosecutor did ought to be criminal. It isn't enough to me that he just be disbarred...though at least its a start.

 

Story

Recent visits by Syrian President Bashar Assad to U.S.-allied Yemen and the United Arab Emirates are prompting speculation that Syria is seeking to leave the Iranian orbit and pursue closer ties with the West.
Such a move would fulfill a major recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former Rep. Lee H. Hamilton, which suggested it might be possible through diplomacy to pry Syria away from Iran.
"Bashar was recently invited to Tehran by [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad as part of the Iranian effort to demonstrate regional leadership -- but he failed to show up, without even offering a public excuse," said Gary Sick, a U.S. foreign policy analyst who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Ford, Carter and Reagan.

Assad is playing his own game make no mistake and anyone who think he can be flipped into supporting “western objectives in the region are fools. He may or may not go along with policies we would like to see, but he would do so only toi the extent that they furthered his own aims. My personal guess is he smells blood in the water with an opportunity to have the US force Israel to the table over the Golan Heights and so is willing to play along. If so the price is too steep.

 

1141 Yue Fei Chinese general, executed
1170 Thomas Beckett archbishop, assassinated by 4 knights of King Henry II

1703 Mustapha II sultan (Turkey), dies at 39

1778 English troops occupy Savannah, Georgia

1813 British burn Buffalo New York during the War of 1812

1845 Texas admitted as the 28th state

1851 First Young Men’s Christian Association opens in Boston.

1862 Battle of Chichasaw Bayou: confederate armies defeat General Sherman

1891 Battle of Wounded Knee

1940 Germany begins incendiary bombing of London.

1947 Ship carrying Jewish immigrants driven away from Palestine

1968 Israeli commandos destroy 13 Lebanese airplanes

1989 Vaclav Havel elected president of Czechoslovakia.

Birthdays

Andrew Johnson, Charles Goodyear, Mary Tyler Moore, Jude Law

 

 

My reaction to this article varies.

Iraqi officials in the city of Najaf said on Thursday that a raid which killed a top aide of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was a violation of the deal that transferred U.S. control of Najaf to the Iraqi army.

Less than 10 days after the U.S. military handed control of Najaf to Iraqi forces, U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell told reporters that a U.S. soldier killed Saheb al-Amiri in a raid planned and carried out by Iraqi forces.

On the one hand I am cheering for us finally going after these guys.

On the other hand I find myself getting more and more furious at the Iraqi government officials that do everything in their power to thwart us in our efforts to bring these militias down. Its long past time we started telling these officials “tough” if they wont handle it or can’t handle it fine we will do it for them. But should not be negotiable that it will be handled.

This bit ought to be filed under the "dream on" section of the Bush presidency...right along side Social security reform and mainting republican control of congress.

 In a move to counter the Baker-Hamilton report, the Bush administration is boosting its involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a report in Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper on Sunday. Steps being planned include a series of measures that would embolden the Fatah movement and weaken Hamas.

According to the new plan, the final goal is the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders within two years, before the end of President Bush's term in office.

Oh sure they may be able to force some ludicrous senario where some psuedo state gets established. BUt it's a pipe dream because Fatah has no more intention to embrace and Israeli state then Hamas does. They are just willing to lie about it.

So go ahead. Israel give up land and arm Fatah to fight Hamas. once the smoke clears the enemy will still be Islam and a Palestinian death cult that has no intention of ever having peace with you. Sovereignty of such a state would be a smoke screen with no practical reality behind it.

As usual Victor Davis Hanson is in fine form.

The Iraq Study Group, prominent U.S. Senators and realist diplomats all want America to hold formal talks with the government of Iran. They think Tehran might help the United States disengage from Iraq and the general Middle East mess with dignity. That would be a grave error for a variety of reasons - the most important being that Iran is far shakier than we are.

The world of publicity-hungry Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not expanding, but shrinking. Despite his supposedly populist credentials, his support at home and abroad will only further weaken as long as the United States continues its steady, calm and quiet pressure on him.

In Iran's city council elections last week, moderate conservative and reformist candidates defeated Ahmadinejad's vehemently anti-American slate of allies. At a recent public meeting, angry Iranian students - tired of theocratic lunacy and repression - shouted down their president.

By supporting terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon, enriching uranium and insanely threatening to destroy a nuclear Israel, Ahmadinejad is only alienating Iranians, who wonder where their once vast oil revenues went and how they can possibly pay for all these wild adventures.

Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad has invested little in the source of his wealth - the oil infrastructure of Iran. Soon, even the country's once-sure oil revenues will start to decline. And that could be sooner than he thinks if the United Nations were to expand its recent economic sanctions in response to Ahmadinejad's flagrant violation of nuclear non-proliferation accords.

So, as Iranians worry that their nation is becoming an international pariah and perhaps heading down the path of bankruptcy in the process, now is not the time for America to give in by offering direct talks with Ahmadinejad. That propaganda victory would only help him reclaim the legitimacy and stature that he is losing with his own people at home.

Better models to follow instead are our past long-term policies toward Muammar el-Qaddafi's Libya and the Soviet Union of the 1980s. As long as Libya sponsored terrorism and attacked Westerners, we kept clear, and boycotted the regime. Only in 2003, when the Libyans unilaterally gave up a substantial program of weapons of mass destruction, agreed not to violate nuclear proliferation accords and renounced terrorism did we agree to normalize relations.

In other words, "talking with" or "engaging" Libya did not bring about this remarkable change in attitude within the Libyan government. In contrast, tough American principles, economic coercion, ostracism and patience finally did.


I would suggest something else however.

I don't think it is coincidence that Libya finally abandoned it's nuclear aspirations AFTER we invaded Iraq. So honestly its more than just patience and economic coercion and ostracism. Military action was the straw that broke Libya's back. They saw what happened to Sadam and didn't want to be next on the list. I certainly agree that firm resolve is essential BUt Iran isn't going to stop developing nukes at this stage because we decided to impose weak sanctions through the UN. It will take more than that.

I have unfortunately been unable to blog over the holiday thus far.

Between having sick daughter, sick wife, sick visting mother and now at the end...sick me.

Not to mention the usual hecticness of Christmas holiday I just havent had time.

To all who have visited my site the past several months and by doing so keeping my in the top ten blogs since July I am truly grateful. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

I read this over at "one eighty" Fellow blogger Sheila wrote it. It is a very nice Christmas poem.

If you haven't, you ought to read it.

I was delighted to read over the holidays that Saddam lost his appeal and was to be hung within 30 days.

This story is further evidence that his days are justly numbered.

Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer implored world leaders on Thursday to prevent the United States from handing over the ousted leader to Iraqi authorities for execution.

Khalil al-Dulaimi argued that Saddam enjoys protection from his enemies as a "war prisoner."

"According to the international conventions it is forbidden to hand a prisoner of war to his adversary," the lawyer said.

...


An official close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that Saddam would remain in a U.S. military prison until he is handed over to Iraqi authorities on the day of his execution.

Its also good to see that we haven't and won't be stupid enough to let him out of our control until the rope is placed round his neck. It's long past time for him to answer to his maker. Let him hang.
 

 

1065 Westminister Abbey opens in London

1832 John Calhoun becomes 1st Vice-President to resign

1836 Spain recognizes independence of México

1846 Iowa becomes 29th state

1869 William Finley Semple of Mount Vernon OH, patents chewing gum

1902 1st indoor pro football game, Syracuse beats Philadelphia 6-0

1945 Congress officially recognizes Pledge of Allegience

1948 The IDF crosses the Egyptian border

1950 Chinese troops cross 38th Parallel, into South Korea

1968 Israeli assault on Beirut Airport

1972 Kim Il-song, becomes President of North Korea

Birthdays

Woodrow Wilson, Denzel Washington

 

 

Hugh Hewitt wrote a piece for ABC that was a good ring but I think misses the mark…slightly.

I’ll give him credit he at least is understanding that the real threat is Iran and they should ultimately be the target.

But by far, the biggest problem for Iraq — in the region as a whole and indeed the world — is the increasing recklessness of the government of Iran. Headlines about Sadr are really headlines about Iran's leaders Ahmadinejad and Khamenei, just as headlines about Hezbollah are headlines about Iran's designs in Lebanon. A revolutionary regime is busy attempting to install its surrogates in nearby states, just as the Soviet Union did after the collapse of Germany.

But his piece is about success in Iraq and his title “The Problem Isn't Muqtada Sadr (or Nasrallah), but Ahmadinejad and Khamenei” Ok. Well yes and no. Certainly Iran is the real bogie man and they are certainly the primary backer of al Sadr.

But let us not forget that there is a two way street there. Iran may be the main backer of Sadr’s Mahdi militia…but Sadr’s militia is also Iran’s primary arm in Iraq. Taking out al Sadr has a dual impact…not only does it dramatically improve conditions in Iraq by eliminating one of the primary sources unrest within the country...it would also deal a significant blow to Iran’s influence. SO while yes Iran may be behind Sadr it is a mistake to dismiss Sadr as nothing more than a tool that can be ignored. If you want success in Iraq Sadr must be dealt with.

 

This out of ABC

British intelligence and law enforcement officials have passed on a grim assessment to their U.S. counterparts, "It will be a miracle if there isn't a terror attack over the holidays in London," a senior American law enforcement official tells ABCNews.com.

British police have been quietly carrying out a series of key arrests as they continue to track at least six active "plots" tied to what they call "al Qaeda of England."

…..

"It is not a matter of if there will be an attack, but how bad the attack will be," an intelligence official told ABCNews.com.

Authorities say they are seeking at least 18 suspected suicide bombers.

Meanwhile, we are putting our own soldiers on trial, electing muslims to congress at home, and generally speaking pretending as a nation that their is no threat and that the whole thing will go away if we just ignore it.

I pray that these reports are wrong…or that they catch the perpetrators in advance. I pray even harder that if they are successful that people begin to wake up to the threat.

I fear that my prayers will not be answered.

 

A Republican congressman from Virginia said most people in his district would support the letter he wrote warning that a newly elected representative's decision to use the Koran in taking the oath of office poses a danger to the traditional "values and beliefs" of Americans.

"I believe that the overwhelming majority of voters in my district would prefer the use of the Bible," said Rep. Virgil Goode Jr. in an exclusive interview on FOX News.

Goode responded to constituents who had written to him about Rep.-elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota, a Democrat and the first Muslim in Congress, who plans to use the Koran at his swearing-in ceremony.

"What I said in my letter was that I would be bringing the Bible to the swearing-in. I did not subscribe to the Koran and I would not be bringing the Koran into the chamber or swearing-in on it on a ceremonial oath taking," Goode said. Goode is listed as a Baptist in congressional handbooks.

Goode said he doesn’t prohibit Ellison from bringing the Koran into the chamber swearing-in ceremony, but does support immigration policy to prevent a majority of Muslim lawmakers.

Full Story

I wish I could say that this story lends hope to the possibility of having some folks in our country wake up to the threat of Islam, but it doesn’t. Mr. Goode will mostly likely be tossed overboard by his own party because of his “divisiveness” blah blah blah. The real reason is that the GOP is a pack of moral cowards that don’t have enough vertebrae amongst their entire congressional delegation to come up with more than a couple real men.

Do I seem particularly severe today?

I hope so. Today, I am tired of being tepid and restrained in my analysis. Today I just feel like calling a spade a spade. Our country has gone to sleep even while we are on the verge of another devastating attack in London (my next post) Instead of doing what we ought to be doing which is accurately identifying the enemy and doing something about it we are dancing about playing at platitudes and politically correct nonsense whose primary objective is to avoid giving offense rather than being any kind of effective policy to securing the defense of this nation.

 

Eight Marines have been charged in connection with the killings of 24 Iraqi civilians, including enlisted men accused of murder and officers accused of failures in investigating and reporting the incident.

Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich, the 26-year-old squad leader, was charged with fatally shooting 12 people while having "intent to kill or cause great bodily harm," according to charging sheets released by defense attorney Neal Puckett. Wuterich also was accused of telling Marines "to 'shoot first and ask questions later' or words to that effect," the charging sheet stated.

Full Story

This is my opinion is utterly disgraceful. These guys get fired upon and end up charged with murder. This kind of stupidity is part of the reason we aren’t winning. Until we stop this politically correct lunacy that has us charging our own soldiers in a WAR then we will have little to no chance of long term success.

Add to that this insult

Some Iraqis said Thursday that U.S. military plans to charge Marines in the shooting deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians were a sham, and that the American troops should face justice in Iraq.

As many as eight Marines could be charged in the killings, which took place on Nov. 19, 2005, in the Iraqi town of Haditha, northwest of Baghdad. In terms of the number slain, the expected U.S. criminal case is the biggest to emerge from the war.

"The trial they are talking about is fake," said Naji al-Ani, a 36-year-old laborer, by telephone from Haditha. "The American troops should be brought here, in front of an Iraqi court. They committed a horrible crime against innocents."

The fury I feel over this can’t be expressed in polite terms. It is bad enough that we are disgracing ourselves by charging these people at all. That these ingrates in Iraq expect we should hand our own over to them is too much to bear. I have never cared much about “freedom” for the Iraqi people to begin with. The idea of seeding democracy as a means of defeating the terrorists has always seemed to be to be a weak and false hope. You defeat your enemies by killing them. Some people cringe at the scope of what that would mean...after all if 10% of Islam is radicalized you are talking about some 100 million people. Well those are the kinds of numbers that die in “World Wars”. I’m not saying that to be blasé. It is simply a statement of fact. The problem is that we haven’t accepted the fact that we are already in the world war. We keep hoping that with some victories up front we can somehow hegemonize the problem and bottle it up.

However, even if that were true we lack the will and leadership to do what needs to be done to secure even those small opening victories. So instead of us doing what we ought to be doing...which is girding ourselves for a long and bloody struggle, we have convinced ourselves that with some half measured, sanitized, politically correct efforts up front we can some how defeat the enemy. I used to suffer under the delusion that our president got it. He doesn’t. He demonstrates daily that he still doesn’t when he allows sham trials like this to occur for the sake of appeasing an ungrateful Iraqi population that doesn’t care about justice half so much as they care about shedding American blood.