Bryan Strawser

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Bryan Strawser

Cluster Bombing Civilians?

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Kerri’s friend moominpapa writes a post ranting and raving about many things related to the war in Iraq.

dropped cluster bombs and cruise missiles on cities, towns and villages, remember?

Iraqi citizens had to be cluster bombed

And on and on.

While I think that they (I’ve no idea if they are male or female) share some of the same concerns that I have about how this war was sold, they lose credibility with me when they start talking about cluster bombing cities.

Do you know what a cluster bomb is used for? Do you know where they are dropped? Somehow I doubt that.

Do you think we set out to kill civilians intentionally? Somehow I think you believe that we did — and that the military flew about and gleefully killed civilians?

Are you a military expert? Do you know where and when to use cluster bombs? Were they the right weapon to use in Basra and other places where they were dropped? Were they dropped a controlled environment?

Would you have preferred that the cluster bombs not be utilized and a hundred British or US Soldiers been killed? How about fifty? Twenty? Where do you draw the line?

And the general feeling I get from reading this is that you’d be happier if Saddam was back in power? Since we have him in custody, I’m sure we could arrange that.

And I’m sure there would be much rejoicing.

When Going Home

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1600 hundred miles to cry it out;
1600 miles until the airplane touches down;
To relive every moment since the day we met;
Remember how forever felt, and then forget.

27 days of walkin’ on the sun;
27 days believein’ I had found the one;
Finally learnin’ what true passion’s all about;
How could anything that burns that strong suddenly burn out?

I’m leavin’ Austin on the 1205;
Gonna take my newly broken heart back to my old life;
And you know that you’ve been gone a little bit too long
When going home feels like moving on, yeah.

– Bering Strait

Amen Brother, Amen.

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Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands — (applause) — Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq. (Applause.) As we debate at home, we must never ignore the vital contributions of our international partners, or dismiss their sacrifices.

From the beginning, America has sought international support for our operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we have gained much support. There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations, and submitting to the objections of a few. America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country. (Applause.) [Whitehouse news]

Al-Qaeda Operative Captured in Iraq

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Hassan Ghul, described as the most senior associate of Osama bin Laden found in Iraq, was picked up last week in the northern part of the country by Kurdish forces, the official said. “He was a senior facilitator who was caught coming into the country,” the official said. Speculation was that Ghul, a Pakistani, was scouting out what al Qaeda could do in the future against U.S. forces, the official said. [Washington Post]

Nipple Twiddling

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Everyone needs to read their Dooce now and then.

I know I had this dream because I just read about the whole nipple stimulation technique, that there are some doctors who recommend that a pregnant woman past her due date try twiddling her nipples for up to three hours at a time.

Death Commutations Upheld

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I’m suprised this even went to court – can’t they read the Illinois constitution?

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Friday that former Gov. George Ryan was within his authority in commuting the sentences of all prisoners on the state’s death row.

The governor may grant reprieves, pardons and commutations on his own terms, and the decisions are “unreviewable,” the court said. [New York Times]