If At First Your Surge Doesn't Succeed...

The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday.

The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of duty for troops already there.

..."It doesn't surprise me that they're not talking about it," said retired Army Maj. Gen. William Nash, a former U.S. commander of NATO troops in Bosnia, referring to the Bush administration. "I think they would be very happy not to have any more attention paid to this."

Lawrence Korb, an assistant defense secretary for manpower during the Reagan administration, said... "The administration is giving itself the capability to increase the number of troops in Iraq,"... "It remains to be seen whether they actually choose to do that."

Well let's see, if you weren't planning on increasing troop levels, why would you send them there? If you really are preparing the troops, just in case, isn't that the definition of a surge? Evil bastards...

Huckabee Boycotts Carter

This is a laugh! Republican presidential candidate and southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee said Tuesday he will skip a Baptist conference organized by Jimmy Carter after the former president called the Bush administration the "worst in history" in international relations.

Does the truth hurt, Mike? Is Carter's opinion not valid? The guy is only a former president, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, builds houses for the poor with his foundation and his own hands, but I guess that's not good enough for you.

Joining the bandwagon, the White House called Carter "increasingly irrelevant."

I guess it's irrelevant to tell the truth. So long, Mike. Wish I could say it's sad to see you go.

Presidential Demeanor

I don't know if it bothers you, but it bothers me when the President of the United States or other offical in high political office partakes in behavior that is unbecoming of such a position. If I'd wanted a foul mouthed trucker or ranting street person to be elected, I would have voted for him.
Joining Darth Cheney in his rant against Senator Patrick Leahy when he told the Senator to go fuck himself on the Seante floor, presidential candidate Senator John McCain said "Fuck you" to Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn. Apparently this was in response to Cornyn accusing McCain of being too busy with his campaign to work on immigration legislation.

McCain's political handlers have plenty of experience in explaining McCain's salty language and strident attacks. His temper has ranged far and wide, directed at other members of the Senate, congressional staffers, government agency chiefs, corporate chieftains, high-ranking military officers and even teenage campaign volunteers.

Good job, Maverick. Presidential material indeed.

Here's the more detailed Washington Post article.