Talk About Blood for Oil

Just as most other Americans out there, I am absolutely outraged by Scotland's release of the Pan-Am bomber, to (what else but) jubilation and reverence in Libya.

Scotland's reason for the handover of a man who killed 270 people and served only 8 years of a life sentence? "Compassion," of course, in light of his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis.

Well, while this reason made no sense to any sane person, diplomats and laymen alike, the truth -- which makes perfect sense -- has finally come out:

On Friday, Lord Trefgarne, chairman of the Libyan British Business Council, said Mr. Megrahi’s release had opened the way for Britain’s leading oil companies to pursue multibillion-dollar oil contracts with Libya, which had demanded Mr. Megrahi’s return in talks with British officials and business executives.

("New Questions in Lockerbie Bomber’s Release," The New York Times, August 21, 2009.)

Aaaah...so after years of liberal Europeans accusing the U.S. of trading blood for oil, we learn that the proper way to do it is to trade already-shed civilian blood. That makes it bloody better, indeed. Chip chip cheerio, carry on!

Sarah Palin Resigns ... For Now

My take on Sarah Palin's resignation? She's totally (and unfortunately) gunning for President. In reading articles that describe the resignation speech, it's hard to picture it leaving any impression other than Sarah Palin wants to hide under a rock, away from the public scrutiny that has engulfed her life and her family. But once you watch the resignation speech for yourself, you cannot come away thinking anything but that this is all tactical maneuvering for a presidential bid. ...Keeping her "eye on the ball," as she calls it.

What Harm Could a Few Terrorists Do?

In support of the argument that we should close the detention center in Guantanamo Bay despite a Pentagon report "that about one in seven of the 534 prisoners already transferred abroad from the detention center...are engaged in terrorism or militant activity," the New York times reported today:

Terrorism experts said a 14 percent recidivism rate was far lower than the rate for prisoners in the United States, which, they said, can run as high as 68 percent three years after release.

What ever happened to common sense? ... Of course, this is piled on top of yesterday's New York Times' ode to hypocrisy:

"Guantánamo makes us less safe," the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, said at a news conference where he laid out the party’s rationale for its decision [to bar transfer of detainees to the United States], which is expected to be voted on this week. "However, this is neither the time nor the bill to deal with this. Democrats under no circumstances will move forward without a comprehensive, responsible plan from the president. We will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States."

So now the Democrats are admitting that Guantanamo Bay houses terrorists, rather than some poor saps who happened to be walking by a war zone and accidentally got rounded up by the U.S. army?

Why are we closing Guantanamo Bay again? Anyone?

Targeted Musing About Something

On a more serious note, is anyone else concernced that the Russians are rolling in their tanks and taking over a sovereign, pro-west, democratic country (Georgia), while the U.N., as usual, is wrangling over the perfect words to use in a proposed resolution that will be vetoed by Russia anyway? This debacle in history is proving that 1) the Russians are too proud to ever live under democratic, peaceful rule; 2) in the post-Cold War era, with the European Union stronger than ever, the U.S. is no longer the superpower that it likes to still think it is (after all, France's Sarkozy is actively leading the mediation efforts with Russia on behalf of the E.U., while Condoleezza Rice is sitting in D.C., waiting for the phone to ring); and 3) Ukraine is probably next. Hmm...very reminiscent of the first half of the 20th century, don't you think? ...And just when we thought all we had to worry about were those darn Arabs.