A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day...12-07-06...JH2 Essay

JohnHuang2, Billie, pookie18 | December 7, 2006 | JohnHuang2

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, GodBlessUSA, JustAmy ~

Group seen cutting trees
to make excellent bird cage lining by JohnHuang2

Vernon Jordan got caught trying to land Monica Lewinsky a plum gig at Revlon to keep her mouth shut; Chuck Robb had a sex scandal with former Miss Virginia Tai Collins and hung out at cocaine parties and listened in on illegally-recorded cell phone chats of a political rival. Neither Jordan nor Robb got indicted. As a result, both were put on the Iraq Study Group. Which probably makes this august body the most ethical and moral study group in history.

The Iraq Study Group on Wednesday "releases" its entire 'report' which it has already leaked. The group also leaked news that Britney Spears was filing for divorce. About the only thing that hadn't leaked is info on the panel's profound military qualifications. I wonder if the reason is because they don't have any.

The purpose of the Iraq Study Group is to figure out how to win the war in Iraq (although, according to published reports, Iraq's dictator was toppled and captured, his military crushed, and Iraq has had several national elections since. I'll have to look into this.) The Maliki government is a few months old and the fanatical Muslim terrorists haven't abandoned terrorism and gone back to working as bank executives and Clarinette players, so liberals judge Iraq a failure. In fact, the Iraq Study Group started 'studying' before the Maliki government took office. It took eight months and $1.3 million for this panel of dazzling military planners to come up with a plan for surrender, when all they had to do is ask the French.

While we're on the subject of waste, also on the list of Iraq Study groupies is Leon Panetta, Clinton's former Chief of Staff, a position which, in Panetta's defense, demanded great managerial skill as his boss juggled several projects at once -- from dodging testimony in the Paula Jones case and gathering dirt on women from his other sex scandals, to having the most 'ethical administration in history.' Panetta's supporters say he even has national security credentials, and point to the White House team he put together, which was ready for any national emergency, such as Clinton getting indicted.

But the semen-stained Iraq Study panel wasn't going to let itself be discredited by past scandals. Like Bill Clinton, it's compartmentalized. In the Compartment of Defense, you have William Perry. His qualification to be on the panel consists of the way he brilliantly executed the botched invasion of Haiti. That was during his stint as Clinton's Defense chief, before he decided to spend more time with his family at the board of Hambrecht and Quist. Perry's guiding defense philosophy revolved around the idea of building a quick-responding, ready military force, able to fight off two major Clinton bimbo eruptions at once.

Through sheer incompetence, Perry, as deputy secretary of Defense (the job he held before he got promoted), helped get 19 U.S. soldiers killed in Somalia, another shining Clinton success. Clinton retaliated by ordering troops to bug out, even before formation of a Somali Study Group. In that same gig as undersecretary, Perry helped his boss Les Aspin devise ways to implement Clinton's gays in the military policy (otherwise known as the "Bottoms-up Review.") Add to this, Perry's service in the Carter administration as undersecretary of defense, responsible for the procurement of weapon systems that didn't work, to make it fair. Perry was undersecretary during Operation Desert One, a failed military attempt to rescue 53 Americans held hostage in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. (Liberals later judged the operation a success because everybody wasn't killed.) Yeah, Bush needs war advice from this guy.

And then you have Lee Hamilton, co-chair of the Iraq Study Group. His stint on the Iraq Study panel was preceded by his stint as co-chair of the 9/11 panel, preceded by his stint as co-chair of the panel on Los Alamos, preceded by his stint as chair of the Iran-Contra panel, preceded by his stint as chair of the panel responsible for drawing up the Articles of Confederation in 1777.

As for the other Iraq Study groupies, their credentials on national security are equally stunning (although people were still eager to hear from supreme military leader, Sandra Day O'Connor.)

Apart from the lack of military cred on the part of individual members, why would you rely on a panel comprised of diplomats, lawyers, political has-beens and former Revlon honchos to devise military strategy? How about military strategists and generals to devise Revlon's marketing strategy? Imagine a group of idiot TV executives trying to win the ratings war by hiring Katie Couric. Oh, wait . . .

And why would you need a panel of crooked politicians and lawyers when you already have Congress? That's your problem with the James Baker group right there. Among the group's recommendations is the half-Bakered idea that you need to talk to Iran and Syria. After all, we talked to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. No doubt such talks played a very peaceful role in helping the Soviets "peacefully" invade Afghanistan. While we talked to the peace-loving Ghandis running the Soviet Union, they armed our enemy in the Viet Nam war, backed our enemy in the Korean war, tightened their grip over the Eastern Bloc, fomented revolutions in Latin America and armed to the teeth. Yes, soothing talk with Syria and Iran is the answer.

Carter tried talking to Iran and ended up with the hostage crisis. Reagan tried talking to Iran and ended up with Iran-Contra. Clinton tried talking to Iran and, after failing to get a date with Julia Roberts, tried 'dating' former "moderate" leader Mohammed Khatami by arranging to 'accidentally' run into him during the U.N.'s millennium summit, but got stood up when "Supreme Leader" Ali Khamenei called it off. Clinton "was left pacing the corridors of the U.N.," writes Iranian journalist Amir Taheri in the latest issue of Commentary magazine, as quoted in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal. The Europeans for years have tried talking to Iran, offering incentives in exchange for not having a nuclear holocaust and not wiping all Jews off the map. Germany took the lead in those negotiations. Germany! Now that's progress. So, how are those talks going?

Stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, the violence "across" Iraq is mostly contained in Baghdad (although an American female is probably still safer there than in Alec Baldwin's place.) The Shiite south and Kurdish north make L.A. and Washington D.C. look like war zones -- oops, they are. Liberal welfare policy and cops cutting-and-running are what made many American cities crime-ridden, gang-infested hellholes, so liberals want to export their ideas to Baghdad. Yeah, that'll restore order there.

While Baker-Hamilton were busy ordering pizza and 'studying' Iraq inside their dorms, even a liberal moron like Michael Hirsh of Newsweek noticed that the "fast-moving events in Iraq" were making the panel look like it's "standing still." He noticed all the action at Ft. Riley in Kansas, where the military is massively engaged in setting up "11-man transition teams" comprised of "advisers to be embedded in the Iraqi military" in a push to professionalize the Iraqi Army. Put enough teams of "U.S. officers and noncoms" on the ground and you let the regular U.S. Army battalion guys relax, kick up their feet and start studying the Iraq Study Group for laughs.

Anyway, that's...

My Two Cents...

10-01-06 ~ Hall of Fame #17

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-04-06 Military Monday 12-05-06 Deck the Halls, Ya'll 12-06-06 Warm Fuzzy Wednesday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

[Billie]

Yep! The dim's worst nightmare and our favorite "tell-it-like-it-is" Freeper, JohnHuang2!

[Billie]

You're my hero again! Thanks so much for your help!

[Billie]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to

Billie; Dutchess; DollyCali; The Mayor; GodBlessUSA; JustAmy,
and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa............husband, brother Maigrey.........................cousin mystery-ak...........son, husband Inspectorette.......................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave........niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline.................son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.......cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law kimmie7......................brother LadyX (RIP)..............grandson fawn796......................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady....................nephew Spruce......................daughter Bykrbayb..........................son Leofl.................................son chena...............................son Hope and Glory..................son Philman_36.............2 nephews TheMayor...............friends'son Doug from Upland.......soninlaw homeschoolmama........nephew ariamne...................2 cousins mhking.........................cousin 911angelady.................2 sons Consort.................2 daughters Consort...................son-in-law gonzo...................friend's son cookcounty......................son JFC............................nephew visualops......................cousin auboy..........................cousin painter........................nephew jrushing.............................son LoneRedRanger...brother-in-law Ladysmith.nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop......brother nelibeli........................nephew Misty4jc.....................husband Colorado Slim..............nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad......................son Alouette.............................son Katydidnt...........................son Zechariah_8_13....brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.............cousin PreviouslyA-Lurker........brother sheeza.......................husband kemathen7..................husband Q6-God..................twin brother Q6-God....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne..........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut...................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish........................active duty ODC-GIRL................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968................active duty NoLongerFreeState...active duty CMS........................active duty AlaskaErik...............active duty JemiansTerror...........active duty tongue-tied ..............active duty txradioguy................active duty

OhioWfan................................son ladtx..................................2 sons Its_me_K.E.T.........................son Hostel............................cousin MozartLover...........son, nephew ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son Armymarinemom................3 sons american_ranger.....................son Himyar....................................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin boxerblues........................2 sons the piper..............................son Tiffee4Bob......................boyfriend TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson mrstank..............................husband MrsMike31........................husband spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son SilentServiceCPOWife........husband DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law Skimask.....................................son Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy........2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson Socratic.............................nephew freema.......................nephew, son Azbushgal..............................son kimmykay.................................son NavySEAL F-16........................son repubmom...............................son wolfcreek..........................daughter JesseJane ...........................cousin Roses0508..............................son pmmd81..................................son GodBlessUSA......................cousin SoldiersPrayingMom.................son WakeUpandVote..................brother Skyraider.................................son CyberAnt...........................nephew mrs tiggywinkle...................cousin Jen's Mom........................daughter Meg33.............................grandson Nadine...............................nephew U S Army EOD.................daughter thehumanlynx...........brother-in-law Earthdweller......................nephew Scubachick.......................husband ChairmanDec19thSociety ..brotherinlaw Anthem............................2 cousins meanie monster .........family friend PragmaticWarrior..........2 nephews Sageb1...........................3 cousins JulieRNR21.........friend's grandson SuzyQue...mom,2 sons,3 brothers weeder1...........................nephew IndyPendance..daughter,soninlaw fatima.....................granddaughter Lori from Long Island....soninlaw monkeyface...................grandson redhead...................grandnephew gonzo............................soninlaw varina davis...................grandson Rivendell.......................daughter W.W.Smith...........................son vigilante2.....son, adopted soldier NavySEAL F-16....................son Jaxter...........................son-in-law USMCWife6869..............husband AgThorn & Lily4Jesus.............son

[2ndDivisionVet]

My brother-in-law and former stepdaughter (ex-wife's daughter) are both serving in Iraq.

[Diver Dave]

What a great analysis of the Iraq Study Group. Sad to think that we taxpayers are footing the bill for these Lords of Dufus (shaking head in disbelief).

Great Job, y'all!

[snugs]

Thanks JH2 fo some sanity amongst the madness of the never wasser and has beens on that committee.

[stopem]

Good Morning!

No one says it better than JohnHuang2 and certainly worth more than 2cents, the word that comes to mind..Priceless!
Thank you.

[pookie18]

My pleasure, as always, Billie!

[MEG33]

Thank you for the great presentation and essay..I'll be back with more of pookie's toons on the "Study Group" Report

[MEG33]

You beat me to it! I love them!

[pookie18]

I'm sure there'll be many more coming over the next few days...

[MEG33]

I'm sure.

[MEG33]

It's John Huang Day At The Finest..
WOO HOO!

[The Mayor]

December 7, 2006

Waiting For God

LISTEN TO ODB RADIO: MP3

READ: Luke 2:25-35

Simeon . . . was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel. —Luke 2:25

Author Henri Nouwen has observed that the first pages of Luke’s gospel are filled with people who were waiting: Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna were all waiting for the fulfillment of a promise from God. But instead of passively waiting, they were actively looking to the Lord each day, what Nouwen calls being “present to the moment.”

Simeon, for example, was controlled not by hopelessness but by the Spirit who prompted him to go into the temple. His words of praise when he saw the child Jesus, the promised Messiah, resound as an example of patient hope in God: “My eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).

Many of us find ourselves waiting on God for an answer to a prayer or the fulfillment of a promise. His word comes to us, just as it did to those who were swept up in the events that marked the first Christmas: “Do not be afraid, Zacharias” (1:13); “Do not be afraid, Mary” (1:30); “Do not be afraid, [shepherds]” (2:10).

As we listen to God in His Word and obey Him, we’ll discover His goodness and power as we wait. —David C. McCasland

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.  —Crosby

Time spent “waiting on God” is never wasted.

Bible in One Year:  Daniel 5-7; 2 John

[dutchess]

EXCELLENT analysis John. I think we should send a copy of this essay to every member of that joke commission.

GREAT presentation billie! Love the first picture of Vernon and Monica LOL!!!! You two helped start my day with a smile :o) ((((hugs))))

[Billie]

I interrupt this thread to wish you Happy Birthday, Marissa! Would have just sent a link to you in FR mail, but little girls and birthdays are special and the fun is in seeing it right away!

[Billie]

Heyyyy! I thought you were gone. :)

Thank you, sistah - it took me a while to get it together - been a while since we've talked about Monica! LOL

[Billie]

Thank you, 2ndDivVet - I have now added them to my list and given a heads up to the others to include. They will be in our prayers. We are grateful to all who serve, and to the families who are waiting at home.

[Texagirl4W]

This is so beautiful Billie. And John is wonderful, as usual. One of my sisters called me this morning to ask why the flags in Texas were at half mast. I told her it was not only Texas, but the U.S. I can't tell if she is really dumb or just pretending. LOL