Iran

Until I can come up with something blog-worthy on my own, here’s something to think about.

Bring Back the Old Cheney

I’m not sure why this 1994 interview with Dick Cheney hasn’t received wider coverage, or if it has, how I’ve managed to miss it until now.

I do know that I’m a lot more comfortable with the 1994 Dick Cheney than I am with the current model.

Thanks to Waldo for bringing this to light.

Why is it OK?

A headline on our local news yesterday was a report that the police broke up a house party and charged 25 people with Underage Possession of Alcohol. Fifteen of those charged were adults over the age of 18 but under the legal drinking age of 21. Commenting on the bust, our local prosecutor explained that “[t]he lesson here is it is illegal for children to drink. The lesson is the one that I don’t want them to ever have to learn is going to the funeral of one of their friends; that’s the lesson I don’t want them to learn.”

Speaking of funerals, a review of U.S. casualties in Iraq as of July 4, 2007 reflects the following:

A 20 year old from Charlottesville, Virginia died as result of enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 19 year old from Grottoes, Virginia was killed by small-arms fire during combat operations against enemy forces in Ar Rutbah, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Coeburn, Virginia was killed by a non-combat weapon discharge in Kuwait.

A 19 year old from Falls Church, Virginia died as a result of hostile action in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 19 year old from Richmond, Virginia died of wounds sustained when his dismounted patrol came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations in Hit, Iraq.

A 19 year old from Hampton, Virginia died of wounds suffered when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq.

An 18 year old from Richmond, Virginia was killed when her military vehicle hit a roadside bomb as it was returning to Camp Eagle in Baghdad, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Fairfax Station, Virginia died of injuries sustained during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Alexandria, Virginia died from injuries received as result of enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Chesterfield, Virginia died of wounds received as result of enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 20 year old from King George, Virginia was killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive inside the mess hall at Camp Marez in Mosul, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Woodbridge, Virginia died as the result of enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 19 year old from Crimora, Virginia died while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Winchester, Virginia died of wounds received in action in central Iraq.

A 19 year old from Stuarts Draft, Virginia died as a result of hostile action in Babil Province, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Stafford, Virginia was killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive inside the mess hall at Camp Marez in Mosul, Iraq.

A 20 year old from Lynchburg, Virginia died of non-combat related injuries in Muqdadiya, Iraq.

An 18 year old from Manassas, Virginia was killed during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

Why is it OK for 18, 19 and 20-year old Virginians to fight and die for their country, but illegal for them to have a beer?

An Adequate Response

Saddam Hussein has been executed.

His case is one of those that tests my opposition to capital punishment. The man was a monster responsible for murder, torture, and crimes against humanity that are beyond comprehension. If anyone ever deserved to die, Saddam did.

But I keep coming back to the wisdom of my 13-year-old daughter. “It doesn’t make sense to kill someone to show that killing is wrong.”

Somehow “yes, but he deserved it” just doesn’t seem like an adequate response.

An Ominous Adjustment

The Washington Post reported today that the U.S. Army, faced with the prospect of missing its recruiting goal, has raised the maximum enlistment age from 40 to 42. This is on the heels of a 5-year adjustment (from 35 to 40) just five months ago.

I find this very troubling. Not that I think 42 is too old – I happen to be 42, and I appreciate the Army’s acknowledgement of the fact that I’m not quite over the hill yet.

Rather, what I find troubling is the last sentence of the article: “Some analysts have said if the military cannot attract enough recruits, the United States might have to consider reinstating the draft.” While carefully couched in qualifiers (“some”, “if”, “might”), this sentence really contains the crux of the article. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I don’t care what kind of spin they put on it, if the Army wouldn’t take anybody over 35 years old in December 2005, and they’ll now accept recruits who are just a year away from their 25th high school reunion, times are getting desperate.

Greatest Play in Baseball

Barry Bonds hit his 715th steroid-enhanced home run today, passing Babe Ruth. However, Bonds’ asterisk-accompanied accomplishment is not the “greatest play” referred to in the title of this post.

Instead….

Thirty years ago last month, during a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, a father and son jumped out of the stands and ran into the outfield. Once they got there, they pulled out an American flag, soaked it with lighter fluid, and attempted to set it on fire. Before they could get it going, Cubs center fielder Rick Monday sprinted up and grabbed the lighter fluid-soaked flag away from the protesters. Afterward, the crowd in the stands spontaneously started singing “God Bless America.”

I firmly believe, as does the Supreme Court of the United States, that burning the flag is constitutionally protected speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution. See (Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989)).

I also firmly believe that Rick Monday did a great thing in grabbing that flag.

MLB.com has photos and video.