Nonprofit Connects Murtha, Lobbyists

For a quarter of a century, Carmen Scialabba labored for Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), helping parcel out the billions of dollars that came through the House Appropriations Committee, so when the disabled aide needed a favor, Murtha was there.

In 2001, Murtha announced the creation of Scialabba's nonprofit agency for the disabled in Johnstown, Pa. The next year, with Scialabba still on his staff, Murtha secured a half-million dollars for the group, the Pennsylvania Association for Individuals With Disabilities (PAID), and put another $150,000 in the pipeline for 2003, according to appropriations committee records and former committee aides. Since then, the group has helped hundreds of disabled people find work.

But the group serves another function as well. PAID has become a gathering point for defense contractors and lobbyists with business before Murtha's defense appropriations subcommittee, and for Pennsylvania businesses and universities that have thrived on federal money obtained by Murtha.

Lobbyists and corporate officials serve as directors on the nonprofit group's board, where they help raise money and find jobs for Johnstown's disabled workers. Some of those lobbyists have served as intermediaries between the defense contractors and businessmen on the board, and Murtha and his aides.

That arrangement over the years has yielded millions of dollars in federal support for the contractors, businesses and universities, and hundreds of thousands in consulting and lobbying fees to Murtha's favored lobbying shops, according to Federal Election Commission records and lobbying disclosure forms. In turn, many of PAID's directors have kept Murtha's campaigns flush with cash.

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Court: Execute Saddam Within 30 Days

The Battle of Somalia - Roggio

The ICU attacks in Puntland and claims to have advanced to 7 miles from Baidoa, the Ethiopians strike in Beletweyn

The Battle for town Baidoa, the seat of government of the beleaguered Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, and greater Somalia has entered its sixth day. Both the Ethiopian backed TFG and the al-Qaeda supported Islamic Courts Union are claiming military victories during the battles on multiple fronts in central Somalia. The fog of war is making it difficult to determine the veracity of these claims.

The ICU claims to have advanced to within 7 miles (12km) of Baidoa. "The Islamic Courts commander in Bur Hakaba, Abdulahi Gedow, has told Shabelle by the phone that ICU forces have gone beyond Daynunay, some 22 km southeast of Baidoa and reached Gasarta quite close to Bai Provincial Township of Baidoa. Shabelle cannot confirm the claim. He also said they have blown up four Ethiopian tanks in the fight that took place in Daynuany." The TFG, however, claims to be close to retaking Burhakaba, and its forces are within 2 miles of the city.

An American intelligence source informs us the Islamic Courts are using the same tactics that Hezbollah successfully employed against Israeli armor during last summer in the Hezbollah-Israel war in Lebanon. A United Nations report released this fall detailed Iranian and Hezbollah involvement with training the ICU and providing weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. While this report was dismissed by many analysts, the ICU has successfully employed anti-tank weapons against Ethiopian armored columns in the past, and is currently doing so during fighting around Baidoa.

Fighting has also been reported in Bandiredley in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland. Bandiredley is just several miles from the city of Galcayo. "Islamic Courts Union fighters and pro-government militia backed by Ethiopian troops [exchanged] heavy artillery fires and anti aircraft machineguns mounted with the pick-up trucks," reports Somalinet. Both sides claim the other initiated the fighting.

On the Ethiopian-Somali border, the Ethiopians appear to be poised to reestablish secure lines of communications to Baidoa. Ethiopian fighter-bombers "hit a strategic road and a recruiting center for the militants," in Beletweyn, according to an Associated Press source in the town. Shabelle and Somalinet back up the report of airstrikes in Beletweyn. [Updated: Ethiopian has stated it is conducting an air campaign in Somalia.] Beletweyn is a strategic border city that sits astride major roads running north-south and east-west in the Hiran district. An Ethiopian push southwest along the road can isolate the Islamic Courts units currently engaged in Puntland.

The ground attack aircraft in the Ethiopian Air Force consists of Soviet era MiG-23s, Su-22s, Su-25s, as well as Su-27s which can be used in a ground attack role. The Ethiopians also possesses Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters. The Islamic Courts are said to be in possession of anti-aircraft weapons, but there have been no reports of any downed Ethiopian aircraft at this time.

Luke 2:25-32

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.' Luke 2:25-32

Cranial Outlet: Iraq "Surrender" Group

A Plan for Success in Iraq - Kagen

• Victory is still an option in Iraq. America, a country of 300 million people with a GDP of $12 trillion, and more than one million soldiers and marines can regain control of Iraq, a state the size of California with a population of 25 million and a GDP under $100 billion.

Victory in Iraq is vital to America’s security. Defeat will lead to regional conflict, humanitarian catastrophe, and increased global terrorism.

Iraq has reached a critical point. The strategy of relying on a political process to eliminate the insurgency has failed. Rising sectarian violence threatens to break America’s will to fight. This violence will destroy the Iraqi government, armed forces, and people if it is not rapidly controlled.

Victory in Iraq is still possible at an acceptable level of effort. We must adopt a new approach to the war and implement it quickly and decisively.

Three courses of action have been proposed. All will fail.

• Withdraw immediately. This approach will lead to immediate defeat. The Iraqi Security Forces are entirely dependent upon American support to survive and function. If U.S. forces withdraw now, they will collapse and Iraq will descend into total civil war that will rapidly spread throughout the region.
• Engage Iraq’s neighbors. This approach will fail. The basic causes of violence and sources of manpower and resources for the warring sides come from within Iraq. Iraq’s neighbors are encouraging the violence, but they cannot stop it.
• Increase embedded trainers dramatically. This approach cannot succeed rapidly enough to prevent defeat. Removing U.S. forces from patrolling neighborhoods to embed them as trainers will lead to an immediate rise in violence. This rise in violence will destroy America’s remaining will to fight, and escalate the cycle of sectarian violence in Iraq beyond anything an Iraqi army could bring under control.

We must act now to restore security and stability to Baghdad. We and the enemy have identified it as the decisive point.

There is a way to do this.

• We must change our focus from training Iraqi soldiers to securing the Iraqi population and containing the rising violence. Securing the population has never been the primary mission of the U.S. military effort in Iraq, and now it must become the first priority.
• We must send more American combat forces into Iraq and especially into Baghdad to support this operation. A surge of seven Army brigades and Marine regiments to support clear-and-hold operations starting in the Spring of 2007 is necessary, possible, and will be sufficient.
• These forces, partnered with Iraqi units, will clear critical Sunni and mixed Sunni-Shi’a neighborhoods, primarily on the west side of the city.
• After the neighborhoods have been cleared, U.S. soldiers and marines, again partnered with Iraqis, will remain behind to maintain security.
• As security is established, reconstruction aid will help to reestablish normal life and, working through Iraqi officials, will strengthen Iraqi local government

This approach requires a national commitment to victory in Iraq:

• The ground forces must accept longer tours for several years. National Guard units will have to accept increased deployments during this period.
• Equipment shortages must be overcome by transferring equipment from non-deploying active duty, National Guard, and reserve units to those about to deploy. Military industry must be mobilized to provide replacement equipment sets urgently.
• The president must request a dramatic increase in reconstruction aid for Iraq. Responsibility and accountability for reconstruction must be assigned to established agencies. The president must insist upon the completion of reconstruction projects. The president should also request a dramatic increase in CERP funds.
• The president must request a substantial increase in ground forces end strength. This increase is vital to sustaining the morale of the combat forces by ensuring that relief is on the way. The president must issue a personal call for young Americans to volunteer to fight in the decisive conflict of this age.

Failure in Iraq today will require far greater sacrifices tomorrow in far more desperate circumstances.

Committing to victory now will demonstrate America’s strength to our friends and enemies around the world.

Frederick W. Kagan is a resident scholar at AEI.

'We're Going to Win' - Barnes

It turns out you only have to attend a White House Christmas party to find out where President Bush is headed on Iraq. One guest who shook hands with Bush in the receiving line told him, "Don't let the bastards get you down." Bush, slightly startled but cheerful, replied, "Don't worry. I'm not." The guest followed up: "I think we can win in Iraq." The president's reply was emphatic: "We're going to win." Another guest informed Bush he'd given some advice to the Iraq Study Group, and said its report should be ignored. The president chuckled and said he'd made his position clear when he appeared with British prime minister Tony Blair. The report had never mentioned the possibility of American victory. Bush's goal in Iraq, he said at the photo-op with Blair, is "victory."

Matthew 6:19-21

'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

Annan to blast U.S. in farewell

By Barbara Slavin, USA TODAY
In a farewell speech on U.S. soil today, retiring United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan plans to deliver a tough critique of President Bush's policies. He will accuse the administration of trying to secure the United States from terrorism in part by dominating other nations through force, committing what he termed human rights abuses and taking military action without broad international support.

Incoming House intelligence chief botches easy intel quiz

Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the September 11, 2001 attacks.When asked by CQ National Security Editor Jeff Stein whether al Qaeda is one or the other of the two major branches of Islam -- Sunni or Shiite -- Reyes answered "they are probably both," then ventured "Predominantly -- probably Shiite."That is wrong. Al Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden as a Sunni organization and views Shiites as heretics.

Students interrupt Iran president

The next horror in Somalia

Radical Islamists are preparing to take control of the impoverished country and start a regional war in East Africa.

By Garrett Jones,
Garrett Jones is a retired CIA case officer who has served in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

TO MOST Americans, Somalia is the place where "Black Hawk Down" happened, or the place with the pictures of the starving African children, or, for some, the biblical land of Punt. (Scholars quibble about locating Punt.) Americans tend to confuse African countries with one another except when our soldiers are dying there, and the violence in Sudan, Uganda, Congo or Zimbabwe can seem indistinguishable. But the anarchy in Somalia, which straddles the strategic Horn of Africa, is in a class by itself. For more than 16 years, Somalia has existed without the pretense of a central government, surviving largely on foreign aid and remittances from its overseas diaspora, the best and brightest young Somalis. With the fading of the seasonal rains in December, the Somalis are preparing once again to inflict their intra-clan squabbling on their neighbors. Meanwhile, the neighbors are preparing a proxy war, and they plan to fight one another to the last Somali.

No Way to Win a War - WSJ

The theory of the thing is very peculiar indeed. You are in the middle of a war--a hard war, a war that is going badly. If the government has bogged down, if the people inside have gone stale, you would say that the sound thing, the Churchillian or Lincolnian or Rooseveltian thing, would be, first, to fire a bunch of officials (generals as well as top civilians), promote or bring in fresh talent, and put together a small group of people to take a new and unillusioned look. Those people would report back in secrecy to the president and his most senior advisers and aides.
They would consist of experienced soldiers and civilians in whom the president (who, after all, has to make the strategic decisions, and is the accountable executive) has trust. There would not be many of them, a half dozen or so, and they would have to be hardy enough to visit the war zone for several weeks, talking not just to politicians and generals but to captains and sergeants. They would go see things for themselves. They would visit a forward operating base near Tikrit; they would spend some time with Iraqi soldiers in Taji; they would take their chances in a convoy to al Asad, or even a patrol in Tal Afar.
They--not their staff of a few soldiers and secretaries--would do the probing, digging, thinking, discussing and, above all, the writing. The chairman of the group would insist that they air their disagreements candidly and thoroughly in front of the president, engaging in a debate that might last a day, perhaps longer. The rest of us would not find out about the panel until months, or even years, after it reported back; maybe not until the war was over.

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Cold Cash Jefferson Win Poses Dilemma for Dems

By Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 10 -- Rep. William J. Jefferson may be a pariah in some Washington political circles, but voters in this storm-battered city weighed in over the weekend with their own verdict regarding their scandal-plagued congressman: He's still our guy.
Voters gave the Louisiana Democrat an emphatic reelection victory over state Rep. Karen Carter, even though his campaign had been weighted with revelations that federal authorities had videotaped him taking $100,000 in alleged bribe money, and that $90,000 of it had been found inside a freezer in his apartment in the District. The investigation led House colleagues to dump him from a key committee, donors abandoned him and the state Democratic Party switched its allegiance to his opponent.

Birds

Briefing.com Early Action

is an extremely slow news day. That isn't so bad. Such conditions often provide a good read on underlying sentiment.
Futures indicate a modest up open. That suggests that the year-end seasonal upside bias persists. December has been the strongest month for the S&P 500 over the past fifty-five years, and traders, investors, and managers are all betting on that again.
There are some rumored mergers, but no major actual ones. Sabre Holdings is reportedly for sale. Biomet may receive a bid later this week, according to Reuters.
There are no economic releases today other than wholesale inventory data at 10:00 ET. The big event this week is the Fed policy meeting tomorrow. It is universally assumed that the Fed will not change policy, but the policy statement will be heavily scrutinized as always. The November CPI data will be out Friday.
Oil has dipped to $61.75 a barrel this morning. The 10-year note yield is holding at 4.55%.

Roggio: A Day Inside Fallujah

A small scale attack on the Fallujah Government Center; Fallujah Police form the SMG

FALLUJAH, IRAQ: As the American mission in Iraq is increasingly focusing on transitioning security responsibilities to the Iraqi security forces, the American Military and Police Transition Teams are becoming the focal points of Iraq policy. At the Iraqi Government Center in the heart of the city of Fallujah, the Police Transition Team (PTT) of the 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines is working to organize the local police and teach them to operate independently. The Fallujah PTT is commanded by Major Brian Lippo, a Marine Reservist and former Philadelphia policeman who works for the FBI. One of the primary missions of the PTT is to facilitate communications between the Fallujah Police, the Iraqi Army and the Marines in the Joint Command Center.

Isaiah 40:1-5

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.' Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV

Losing the Enlightenment - Victor Davis Hanson

A civilization that has lost confidence in itself cannot confront the Islamists.

by Victor Davis Hanson

WSJ Opinion Journal

Our current crisis is not yet a catastrophe, but a real loss of confidence of the spirit. The hard-won effort of the Western Enlightenment of some 2,500 years that, along with Judeo-Christian benevolence, is the foundation of our material progress, common decency, and scientific excellence, is at risk in this new millennium.
But our newest foes of Reason are not the enraged Athenian democrats who tried and executed Socrates. And they are not the Christian zealots of the medieval church who persecuted philosophers of heliocentricity. Nor are they Nazis who burned books and turned Western science against its own to murder millions en masse.
No, the culprits are now more often us. In the most affluent, and leisured age in the history of Western civilization — never more powerful in its military reach, never more prosperous in our material bounty — we have become complacent, and then scared of the most recent face of barbarism from the primordial extremists of the Middle East.

Our Unceasing Ambivalence - Shelby Steele

Possibly the most confounding feature of the Iraq war, from the very opening of hostilities to the present day, has been the American government's utter failure to define what victory would be in this war. "Victory" has been a conjure word for the Bush administration, a Churchillian allusion meant to evoke the heroic perseverance shown in the great wars of the past. But no one in the administration has ever said what victory would actually look like. And, lacking this description, even those of us who have supported the war have seen trouble coming for some time. Without a description of victory, a war has no goal.

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Marines Save Iraqi Baby to Honor Fallen Medic

Marine First Lieutenant Stephen J. Boada

Marine First Lieutenant Stephen J. Boada
1st Lt. Boada was attached to a platoon on routine patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan when over two dozen extremists attacked the Marines. As the unit’s forward air controller, Boada directed air attacks on insurgent positions. After two Marines were hit by fire while approaching an enemy cave entrance, Boada and a fellow Marine worked their way from boulder to boulder across roughly 25 meters to rescue them, all the while under machine gun fire from the cave. Boada hurled grenades into the cave, killing the fighters inside. Boada later directed further air strikes to cover the platoon’s withdrawal. 1st Lt. Boada received the Silver Star on February 1, 2006. When asked about his role that day, he said simply, "The Marines I was with that day deserve the recognition. They all need to be talked about, talked about more than me, they are all amazing."

Apostate Hell in Somalia - Bill Roggio

John 6:25-29

Jesus the Bread of Life When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, 'Rabbi, when did you get here?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.' Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.' John 6:25-29 NIV

Back to Iraq - Oliver North

TPM Muckraker: Focus of FBI Probe, Mollohan May Oversee FBI Budget

Two senior Democrats have seen their leadership ambitions deep-sixed because of their murky ethics histories. Here's a third Democrat heading for a powerful post whom folks may want to keep an eye on.
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) is under investigation by the FBI. And he's set to assume a top post which would put him in control of the FBI's budget. Neat trick, eh?
The FBI's probing Mollohan for possible violations of the law arising from his sprawling network of favors and money which connects him to good friends via questionable charities, alarmingly successful real estate ventures, and hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarked funds.

Recent Momentum is Fading

The market showed incredible resilience again yesterday. It fluctuated through the day, but the S&P 500 index ended with a 1 point gain. This was despite the fact that there was a fair amount of bearish news.
Nevertheless, the S&P is now unchanged for the week. This could be the second straight flat week. The recent momentum is fading.
There isn't much news this morning. The ISM survey of national manufacturing conditions due at 10:00 ET could be the biggest event. The similar Chicago regional survey was weak, and the stock market sold off. If the ISM index, which was 51.2 in October, drops below 50 for November, a similar reaction is likely.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Kirk Kerkorian sold his entire stake in GM. GM's stock will take a hit. Oil is down $0.65 to $62.50 a barrel.
There will be a number of Fed officials speaking this afternoon and this evening. The tough talk on inflation is likely to continue.
The market is holding up surprisingly well. Seasonal strength may be helping. But the momentum is fading and there are widespread expectations of a correction in January. We remain cautious short-term.

Bill Roggio: Hunting the Takfiris in Iraq

Ansar al-Sunnah leaders captured, raid on al-Qaeda in Iraq cell

Ansar al-Sunnah.
DUBAI, UAE: Task Force 145, the Coalition hunter-killer teams that focus on al-Qaeda in Iraq, have been busy over the past week. Multinational Forces Iraq reports Ansar al-Sunnah leadership has taken a hit in central, western and northern Iraq, while a raid nabbed 8 al-Qaeda.

From China to Iran, Web Diarists Are Challenging Censors

Authoritarian states like China, Iran and Egypt are having trouble dealing with the burgeoning number of critical online diaries. These blogs, which multiply by the second, expose news about incidents that many regimes would prefer to keep hushed up. In many countries, blogs are giving people their first real taste of democracy.

Krauthammer: This Is Realism?

Calderon opts for midnight swearing-in

Dollar slides as US business slows

Army National Guard’s Capt. Joel Arends

Then-1st Lt. Arends and his team of 30 soldiers operated just outside the Green Zone in and around Baghdad from February 2004 to April 2005. They were responsible for catching a number of terrorists, including one carrying bomb-making materials, jidhadist propaganda and large sums of cash. The terrorist claimed to be a professor at a major university in the United States. They also captured one of Saddam Hussein’s personal bodyguards. Another time, Arends’ team rescued Iraqi civilians from burning vehicles when insurgents attacked a checkpoint near their patrol area. Members of the team rushed into the flames and pulled several Iraqi civilians out of burning vehicles and administered life-saving medical treatment. For his efforts, Arends was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in March 2005. Arends is now a Captain in the Army Reserve.

Hebrews 10:32-35

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. Hebrews 10:32-35 NIV