ABU GHRAIB
I was going to talk about the prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Enough indignant condemnation – the world knows we’re upset about it. But let’s keep things in perspective:

These guys were prisoners. That place was never Club Med. Bad things, justified or not, happen in prisons. The best way to stay out of them is to just do the right thing.

The ‘torture’ that was going on is bad, shameful, and repugnant, but is nothing compared to what used to happen in those prisons under Saddam. At least those prisoners will eventually be able to walk out of those prisons, with all pieces intact.

Many of these prisoners had valuable information about al-Qaida, and were understandably reluctant to talk. Making these people a little uncomfortable without permanent physical harm, in order to save American lives, is not a vice. (Of course, that’s not meant to imply that putting them on leashes and parading them around nude is an appropriate interrogation technique.)

Liberals are calling for Rumsfeld’s head. What a stupid, preposterous idea. What political prattling. I recall a certain Attorney General who authorized the attack and burning of a ‘compound.’ Innocent people – including children - died. If somebody should have resigned from that episode, it was Janet Reno, who directed that operation. Don’t lecture to me about how Rumsfeld has to go. He’s doing a great job, and the ‘torture’ that occurred had nothing to do with him, but a few military idiots who thought they were above the rules of war. The bottom line is that Democrats are trying to score a few political points. How sad that the important objective – eliminating terrorism and establishing a democratic beachhead in the Middle East, is being disregarded.

Having said ALL of that – the beheading of the American pretty much silenced the debate. This is what we’re fighting – people who have no conscience other than a blind allegiance to the mullahs who preach Wahabbi violence and others who would twist the words of the Koran into its most perverse and violent.

Cinco de Mayo! Yea!
Well, I've spent the entire day working...and I'm gonna spend the entire night...working...but I do like Mexico. Nice memories down there, and I've been there twice.

(cue strains of James Taylor's 'Mexico.....)

(I said, CUE JAMES TAYLOR'S MEXICO!!!)

Ummm....we don't have that version....

Oh.

(cue strains of Jimmy Buffett's version of 'Mexico')

There. That's better.

As I was saying, I wasn't sure what May 5 meant to Mexicans other than drinking a lot of tequila. But being curious, I happened upon this link. Wow, this guy is really excited about Cinco de Mayo. Hey, Mexico liberated itself from the French! What kind of challenge was that?

I'm not sure I agree with the author's analysis, and he throws in a lot of jingoism and excited adjectives ("Diaz' superb horsemen", the French had "the finest modern equipment", etc.). But it's still a fun read.