It's that time of year again, when we look back at events of 2007. Here's a few items I found of interest in the blogosphere. Enjoy.
The Counterterrorism Blog looks back at fighting terrorism and concludes:
State laws and means for prosecution remain woefully outdated, slow and ponderous. There is little of the legal agility needed to fight a against an enemy that uses front groups, deception, violence and lack of transparency as part of its primary tactics.
Sensitive Muslims were upset many times over the last year, but this takes the cake:
Dutch government firework safety ads featuring a spoof Islamist terrorist group have been criticised as insensitive and depicting a negative stereotype of the Muslim community.(more)
The Top 10 Stupid Criminals of 2007, at Gina Cobb
Gen. Petraeus' Letter to the troops, at BlackFive (excerpt below)
The way ahead will not be easy. Inevitably, there will be more tough days and tough weeks. Unforeseen challenges will emerge. And success will require continued hard work, commitment, and initiative from all involved. As we look to the future, however, we should remember how far we have come in the past year. Thanks to the tireless efforts and courageous actions of the Iraqi people, Iraq’s political and military leaders, the Iraqi Security Forces, and each of you, a great deal has been achieved in 2007. Thus, as we enter a new year, we and our Iraqi partners will have important accomplishments and a newfound sense of hope on which we can build.
A Strange Veto Threat, Captain's Quarters:
... Today, the White House announced that it would veto the hard-won defense authorization bill that passed with huge majorities in both chambers of Congress, which had been until now a legislative victory for the administration. The reason has Congressional leadership apoplectic
Pro-Muslim Pentagon officials pressuring one of the U.S. military's most important specialists on jihad, Jihad Watch
Infiltration. "Muslim pressure," by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times (scroll down):[snip] Stephen Coughlin, a specialist on Islamic law on the Joint Staff, met recently with Hasham Islam, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England's close aide. The officials said Mr. Islam, a Muslim who is leading efforts for the Defense Department's outreach to Muslim groups, sought to convince Mr. Coughlin to take a softer line on Islam and Islamic law elements that promote extremism. [snip]Mr. Coughlin came under fire from pro-Muslim officials after a memorandum he wrote identified several groups that are being courted by Mr. Islam's community outreach program as front organizations for the pro-extremist Muslim Brotherhood.
Video: The obligatory “Bhutto says Omar Sheikh killed Osama” post, Hot Air
Even Rusty’s treating this crap semi-credulously so I guess I’m obliged to post on it. Watch it and see what you think. The fact that she mentions it so casually, en passant, and uses a word that’s freighted with moral condemnation like “murdered” instead of “killed” makes me strongly suspect she meant to say Sheikh murdered Daniel Pearl but because she was lost in her train of thought about the jihadis who wanted to take her out she thoughtlessly substituted Osama instead.
The Top 12 Blunders of the Presidential Campaign, Right Wing News -- read them all here
More Blatant Media Smearing Of Fred Thompson?, Pro Patria
Fred Thompson is quoted as saying:“there is no woman on the horizon that ought to be president next year.”
Makes perfect sense to me. He was taking a shot at Senator Clinton, since she is obviously then only major female candidate in the Presidential race and the only one who has a shot at being president next year.
Vote on this at RCP
Other reading:
Malkin’s year-in-review: Notable quotables, Pt I.
We Went to Dachau Concentration Camp Today, Blue Star Chronicles
bRight&Early is looking back at 2007 blog posts.
ACLU Spokesperson: Mike Huckabee a Nasty Boy
Fred Thompson talks to FOX News about Bhutto assassination-- video
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