Embrace the Wealth Gap

Income inequality is one of those forces that makes capitalism superior to all other types of markets. It drives people to take risks and it drives them to innovate instead of sit on their laurels.

clipped from www.spectator.org In a recent op-ed, economist Robert Samuelson said "there is something unsettling about extremes of wealth and poverty." He obviously meant it pejoratively, but in truth, extremes of wealth and poverty are the very source of the economic advances and creativity that we regularly witness around the world. As Canadian economist Reuven Brenner wrote in his 1983 book, History: The Human Gamble, "it is the perception of inequality that induces people to take risks." Importantly, none of the people described here started out rich. Indeed, while the fortunes of many are presently the source of unease about wealth gaps, there was a time when all were on the outside looking in. If income equality were the norm in the world, it's arguable that some would not have taken the risks that are at the root of our economic vibrancy today. As such, fears of income inequality are misplaced. The latter is the driver of economic and human creativity, so rather then bemoan it, we should embrace it.

Iraqi Papers: Al-Qa'ida on the Run?

Things are definitely changing in Iraq. It's getting harder and harder to ignore.

clipped from www.iraqslogger.com After a period of covert confrontations, including assassinations and counter-assassinations, al-Hayat said that anti-al Qa'ida Sunni groups have finally announced their public opposition to al-Qa'ida and its “Islamic state,” and declared that they will unite their efforts within an organization called “the Front for Struggle and Reform.” Clearly, one of the objectives of the new front is to further marginalize al-Qa'ida and its affiliate organizations (such as Ansar al-Sunna) and to present a “new face” for the resistance in Iraq, with the new front announcing, in its first statement, that it does not engage in attacks against Iraqi civilians. The conflict is leading to further fragmentation within al-Qa'ida, al-Hayat said, with splits announced within the organization of Ansar al-Sunna, one of the main allies of al-Qa'ida in Iraq.

More details can be found at The Fourth Rail.

The Anbar tribes' turn against al-Qaeda has developed significantly since the end of the Anbar Campaign late last year, which swept al-Qaeda and the insurgency from the major towns and cities west of Ramadi. Over the past year, the majority of the tribes have denounced al-Qaeda and formed alliances with the Iraqi government and U.S. forces operating in the region. Numerous 'foreign fighters' have been killed or captured by the tribes. The tribes are working to restore order, and are providing recruits for the police and Army, despite horrific suicide attacks on recruiting centers. These attacks have not deterred the recruiting, but in fact have motivated the tribes to fight al-Qaeda.

Iraqi Blog: Don't bury your heads in the sand.

An Iraqi blogger couldn't get it more right. I would rather surround myself with people like this guy than people like Harry Reid. Judge for yourself.

clipped from iraqthemodel.blogspot.com We must keep fighting those criminals and tyrants until they realize that the freedom-loving peoples of the region are not alone. Freedom and living in dignity are the aspirations of all mankind and that's what unites us; not death and suicide. When freedom-lovers in other countries reach out for us they are working for the future of everyone tyrants and murderers like Ahmedinejad, Nesrallah, Assad and Qaddafi must realize that we are not their possessions to pass on to their sons or henchmen. We belong to the human civilization and that was the day we gave what we gave to our land and other civilizations. They can't take out our humanity with their ugly crimes and they can't force us to back off. The world should ask them to leave our land before asking the soldiers of freedom to do so. Some will keep on blaming America and her policies and they will consider anything America did and does wrong whether America stayed or left, fought or ran away, negotiated or boycotted.

An Army Ranger's Words About Staying in Iraq

First thing, this is a must view. Second, have kleenex handy.

It's a YouTube video that has an Army Ranger calling into Neal Boortz's radio show pleading with Democrats to let him do his job.

Here's the link. Go now. Share with all you know.

Machiavelli on War

Found this quote over on Hotair and felt it was good enough to repost here. Certainly a bit of wisdom that applies very easily to current events.

clipped from hotair.com [I]f you yield to a threat, you do so in order to avoid war, and more often than not, you do not avoid war. For those before whom you have thus openly demeaned yourself by yielding, will not stop there, but will seek to extort further concessions, and the less they esteem you the more incensed will they become against you. On the other hand, you will find your supporters growing cooler towards you, since they will look upon you as weak or pusillanimous. But if, as soon as you become aware of your adversary’s intentions, you prepare to use force, even though your forces be inferior to his, he will begin to respect you, and, since those with which you were allied will now esteem you, they will be ready to help when you begin to arm, which they would never have done had you given up. –Niccolo Machiavelli, Discourses Book II, Chapter 14.

Lou Dobbs Blasts Media on Coverage of Illegal Immigration

Lou Dobbs makes a very strong case for media bias with relation to illegal immigration. He also makes a very strong and well-articulated case for sealing the borders.

clipped from newsbusters.org It is rare for a mainstream media journalist to openly criticize the media’s coverage of a particular issue. But that is exactly what CNN’s Lou Dobbs did on Tuesday’s "American Morning." In an interview with co-host Kiran Chetry, Dobbs blasted the media’s coverage of illegal immigration, saying "They're selling an agenda. And they're not applying critical judgment. And critical judgment and skepticism is our job as journalists. We're talking about comprehensive immigration legislation as reform. We're using the word 'reform' as if it were true. There's no skepticism." We need immigrants in this country. That's why we bring in more than two million. Has anybody over the past hour on this broadcast or this network reported, or any other network, reported that we bring in more than two million immigrants into this country lawfully each and every year?

Video: How Modern Liberals Think

Evan Sayet describes modern liberalism in a very plain and understandable way. This video has literally changed my view of liberalism. He is dead-on with this. I have never seen or heard of him before tonight, but boy is he right. Watch the video - it's a bit long at 45 minutes, but you'll be enthralled - trust me. He makes a lot of great points throughout.

Hat-tip to Pat Dollard for this one.

No safe way for U.S. to leave Iraq, experts warn

Apparently the folks at CNN agree with my potential consequences of early withdrawal detailed in the previous post.

clipped from www.cnn.com (CNN) -- Pulling U.S. forces from Iraq could trigger catastrophe, CNN analysts and other observers warn, affecting not just Iraq but its neighbors in the Middle East, with far-reaching global implications. Sectarian violence could erupt on a scale never seen before in Iraq if coalition troops leave before Iraq's security forces are ready. Supporters of al Qaeda could develop an international hub of terror from which to threaten the West. And the likely civil war could draw countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran into a broader conflict. Shepperd said Iraq's neighbors would be drawn into the all-out civil war likely if U.S. forces left too quickly. Iran could move in to further strengthen its influence in southern Iraq; Turkey likely would move against the Kurds in the north; and Saudi Arabia would be inclined to take action to protect Sunnis in western Iraq, he said.

Why are the Democrats doing this?

An Iraqi blogger asked the question, "Why are the Democrats doing this?" The easy answer is one I can rattle off without batting an eyelash: politics. There is really nothing else to explain. The discussion in Congress should be one of assessing the situation in Iraq and addressing the best course of action there. Not surprisingly, there is zero discussion about any of this in Congress. There is whatever piece of legislation that the Democrats craft behind closed doors and then there are those who oppose it. No discussion about how to win or if we can win or what the real situation is there. Nothing. Just accept these terms, ignore anything you hear that is positive about Iraq, and if you don't agree then you don't agree with the American people. Apparently anything the Democrats do is exactly what America wants. Funny. They never asked me. Nor did they ask the folks I'm going to introduce you to in this blog.

Iraq The Model is a blog written by two Iraqi men named Omar and Mohammed. It's an excellent blog for those interested in hearing what a couple of Iraqis have to say about things over there. In a recent post titled, "Out of Iraq? Why Are They Doing This?", Omar says the following:

Instead coming up with ideas to help the US Democrats are trying to stop the effort to stabilize Iraq and rescue the Middle East from a catastrophe.

I am an Iraqi. To me the possible consequences of this vote are terrifying. Just as we began to see signs of progress in my country the Democrats come and say, ‘Well, it’s not worth it.Time to leave’.

To the Democrats my life and the lives of twenty-five other million Iraqis are evidently not worth trying for. They shouldn’t expect us to be grateful for this.

For four years everybody made mistakes. The administration made mistakes and admitted them. My people and leaders made mistakes as well and we regret them.

But now, in the last two months, we have had a fresh start; a new strategy with new ideas and tactics. These were reached after studying previous mistakes and were designed to reverse the setbacks we witnessed in the course of this war.

This strategy, although its tools are not yet even fully deployed, is showing promising signs of progress.

General Petraeus said yesterday that things will get tougher before they get easier in Iraq. This is the sort of of fact-based, realistic assessment of the situation which politicians should listen to when they discuss the war thousands of miles away.

We must give this effort the chance it deserves. We should provide all the support necessary. We should heed constructive critique, not the empty rhetoric that the ‘war is lost.’

After Senator Harry Reid announced that the "war is lost," another Iraqi blogger responded to Sen. Reid with the following.

Do you have any idea how your words sounded to ordinary Iraqis? I'm sure you don't. It sounds like you haven't given the matter a moment's thought. It even sounds like you think the Iraqis and their fate are irrelevant, especially when weighed against your cheap political aims. Yet millions of Iraqis want only to live peacefully, and have embraced the early positive signs of the security crackdown as a reason for limited optimism. You've told them to abandon any hope. You've invited them to make whatever accommodation they can with the murderers around them. Didn't you have a single word to say to them? Did it not occur to you that they heard you, too?

Do you have any idea how your words sounded to the rest of the Middle East? To the region's press, for example, which as a result has been trumpeting American surrender? Or to the delighted mullahs of Iran? Or to the region's brutal, murderous jihadis? Not only the jihadis who are spilling so much blood in Iraq, but to the jihadi network in Afghanistan, Somalia, and elsewhere that dreams of making the world cower? They already think that, with divine aid, they've caused the Soviet Union to cease to exist. Your thoughtless and ignorant words of defeat were like an answered prayer to them. Didn't you have a single word of warning or caution for them? Did it not occur to you that they heard you, too?

Or how about the soldiers. I think they have a stake in this whole situation as well. I mean, it's not the Senators laying their lives on the line every day. The Democrats seemingly refuse to acknowledge that there might be some good outcome from this war. That's because they can't. They literally can't. From a political perspective they can never admit anything positive about the war. That would lend vindication to President Bush. And apparently it's worth it to them to throw the entire country as well as Iraq and perhaps the entire Middle East under the bus than to give Bush any such ray of light.

General Patraeus just briefed Congress on the situation in Iraq. Democrats (all save a couple) didn't even bother to show up to the briefings. Rep. John Murtha claimed that Gen. Patraeus is a liar - apparently because he had some positive things to say about how things have been going over there in recent months. Murtha claims the good general was only doing the bidding of the White House. But things are going better in Iraq. Read the Iraqi blogs. They will tell you. Read the first-hand accounts of soldiers in theater. They will tell you.

One Marine in Ramadi writes:

well ramadi was once dubbed by everyone as the worst city in the world. but we have done such a great job here that all the families in the area have worked with us on driving out the insurgency and that we work directly with the IA and the IP’s. the city has been cleaned up so well that the IP’s do most of the patrols now and we go out with them to hand out candy and toys to the children. you can tell that the people want us here to protect them from the thugs and gangs (insurgents). granted they would rather have peace and quit but they know that if we arent here they will be thrown around by the insurgents. a good example is this one mission we did. long story short we got blown up in multiple buildings and had to run into a families house. i spent my christmas holidays covered in ash from the mortar fire and the IED’s, sleeping under a dirty rug i found in the house. everyone was sleeping way to close for comfort just to stay warm. anyways. a family was there and they obviously didnt want us there. atleast at first. the daughters were very sick so our corpsman treated them. they didnt have electricity so we got them a generator for power, they were cold so we got them gas heaters, we got them food and water and then we gave them $500. by the end of the week long visit with them we were drinking tea with them. when we left we cleaned their house better than it was when we got there. i even have pictures with the family. they told us that they liked marines and they would help us as much as they could and they gave us some information on the insurgents in the area. we ended up catching a HUGE target down the road from there house because of it.

Another Marine shares some particularly interesting facts about how things have been in Iraq and how they are going now.

The Kurds, who were already autonomous, had the security forces already organized and in place. They stayed the course which resulted in no American deaths since 2003, a notable feat. For most of the Shia, who controlled southern Iraq, things were relatively peaceful. Although we had our run-ins with the Madhi Militia, the Shia had so much to gain in this war that by in large the Shia community began to cooperate. The Shia took a willing role in the security effort, making up the large majority of a 250,000 security force a few years ago. They suffered ultra-violent retaliation from Sunni and Al Qeada insurgents. Yet they shouldered on, and in such a dismal state of affairs, it should be considered remarkable. Now the predominantly Shia army have graduated from clearing Falluja, to policing their own ranks by driving out the Shia death squads and Madhi militiamen. The only piece of the puzzle missing was the Sunni. Things have changed.

I left Ramadi, Iraq in 2005. The only Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in the city were Shia battalions and Shia Commando units. The Sunni were no where to be found. A fledgling police force was corrupt and continuously disbanding or being disbanded. Over the next year things would very slowly turn around. One could speculate the reason why Sunni men were joining the ranks of the ISF. Money would be the most obvious indicator, and one could claim that they had an honest interest in their prosperity, but I look in another direction. Even the Iraqis have television and internet, and they have witnessed the growing anti-war sentiment of Americans. Coupled with watching the success of the Kurds, and the rise to power of the Shia, the Sunni have much to lose. And it was time that they became part of the process or face being left behind.

The ISF has since grown to over 330,000 members. Most remarkably is that the Sunni of Al Anbar province, the heartland of the insurgency, has pitched in significantly. The over 5,000 man army unit, “the Sons of Anbar”, continues to grow and by actively operating against insurgents, they positively influence the once hopeless province. While this unit makes up only seven percent of the Army, hundreds of Sunni men volunteer for service weekly, so much that US training elements had to grow in order to compensate for the influx of recruits. This is more than encouraging, not just for the citizen of Anbar, but the US service members whose sole purpose is to build these forces (so we can leave). Their immediate success gained the attention of the insurgents. They have executed numerous Sunni ISF via suicide bombings, firing squads, and beheadings, and captured it all on video. But that has not deterred the brave Sons of Anbar. They continue to grow and the tribes who support these men have become victims of retribution as well. This unfortunate set of circumstances is not without benefit, for it has united the majority of the tribes in Al Anbar against the Al Qaeda terrorists. The once sworn enemies of America are now standing alongside side us and even with the Kurds and Shia – all of us united against Al Qeada. Unseen between news reports of bombings, beheadings, and political infighting, is the hope that Iraq is not lost.

These stories from Iraqis and American soldiers are a far-cry from what we hear from Democrats and the American press. And you'll notice something peculiar about that, the voices of Iraqis and for the most part the American soldiers are silent. We hear about how "bad" things are going in Iraq and how pulling out is the only thing to do. But we hear it from people who deliberately ignore what's really happening in Iraq and try to replace that reality with a made-up version of their own.

We hear very little about the repercussions of pulling out as well. As if we'll all be home having a jolly-good time watching football and enjoying Cokes and hamburgers once the boys come home in 6 months. The Democrats might be doing that - celebrating their little victory against President Bush and looking forward to winning the White House in 2008.

Meanwhile the Iraqis will be left in the struggle for their lives. The violence likely escalating into a real civil war with state-sponsored militias running amok and slaughtering innocents by the tens of thousands. It'll be like Darfur at least and potentially worse. The small Sunni population will likely be nonexistent before it's all said and done. Turkey will likely invade the north to deal with the PKK who has plagued them for so long. Saudi Arabia will attempt, in vain, to support the small Sunni population but will succumb to the Iranian backed Shias. They'll be lucky if the violence doesn't spill over into their borders or launch a Middle East-wide battle between Sunnis and Shiites.

I cannot say for sure what would happen in that scenario. But I can say with some certainty that it will be far worse than what's happening there now. And I challenge anyone with any knowledge of the Middle East to prove to me otherwise. And why is all this necessary? Why when it seems we finally are making some progress in Iraq is this a necessary course of action? Why risk spilling the blood of hundreds of thousands for political gain? Why risk sending oil to $150/barrel and gas prices over $10/gallon in the wake of a major uprising in the Middle East? WHY? Maybe it won't happen that way, but why risk it when things seem to be on the uptick with our current course of action?

It's all for the infinitesimally small reason of bruising the President and his party. Of all the years I've seen watching the small and puny things done by politicians in this country, I've never seen any stoop so low as this.