Saints win Super Bowl XLIV!

by Mike

Drew Brees and his son, Baylen, after Saint's victory.

This picture sums the whole story up quite nicely.

[Photo credit...New York Times]

Argument for smart defense spending

by Jason

I find myself moving closer to the CATO’s position on U.S. military defense spending. You can check that out, here.

Believe me, I’m all for defense spending, an unmatched military, and funding for future development and weapons production. Nations have long had a history of forgetting about the two greatest adversaries, instability and unpredictability. Scrapping programs simply because they do not fit today’s world isn’t necessarily the smart thing to do. But neither is signing over $700 billion just so we can call it defense spending. We need reform and a refocusing in how we allocate funds. And contrary to to the popular myth, our funds are in fact an exhaustible resource.

Greg Scoblete at The Compass, Big Government Foreign Policy

But why not produce defense savings by making changes in our military posture, reducing the load on the military by eschewing manpower intensive counter-insurgencies? Eaglen notes that manpower is one of the largest drivers in defense spending. If we continue to use the military to police Baghdad and Kabul (and possibly Yemen and Somalia) not to mention all its other deployments, the costs are going to outpace our ability to pay for them.

Drones, good intelligence collection and a change in our foreign policy with respect to the Middle East would reap savings which could be directed toward sustaining a highly modernized military force capable of deterring major nation state rivals.

U.S.-China foreign relations on watch

by Jason

Arms sales, schmarms sales so the story goes. China doesn’t like it when we sale arms to Taiwan just we don’t like it when they sale arms to Iran or North Korea. These things happen at the international level when two countries with considerable influence in the same regions have competing interests. At least that has been the case in the recent past. However, some analyst are saying the divide is running deeper and is becoming something larger  than just one or two points of contention. The big points of break are over economic, military, foreign policy, and national security and national interest disagreements.

Real Clear Politics | Storm Clouds Ahead for U.S. and China

A nasty spat has erupted between Washington and Beijing over the Obama administration’s arms sales to Taiwan. As soon as the US made the official announcement of the US$6.4 billion package last Friday, Beijing responded with both harsh words and retaliatory measures. Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei called in US Ambassador Jon Huntsman for a dressing down. Beijing also suspended scheduled military exchange programs and threatened to impose sanctions against any American company involved in the production or distribution of weapons destined for Taiwan.

The conventional wisdom in the United States is that this episode is no big deal. Those who take a relaxed view contend that China’s reaction is in line with its response to previous arms sales. The new brouhaha, the reasoning goes, will subside and relations will soon return to normal.

Perhaps. But the arms sale showdown is just the latest in a series of incidents stoking tensions between China and the US. Those tensions encompass economic, diplomatic and security disputes.

Even before the Obama administration took office, US officials complained about a variety of practices that they believed gave China an unfair advantage in the global economic arena. Those ranged from an undervalued currency to import dumping and arbitrary exclusion of American products from China’s domestic market. President Barack Obama’s decision to impose punitive tariffs on imported Chinese tires last summer was a signal that US patience was wearing thin.

See Carpenter’s accompanying piece written back in December, “Why Obama Is Selling Arms to Taiwan“

Robert Haddick at Small Wars Journal argues that, in fact, this is just business as usual. China must, at least publicly, put up a fight over arms sales to Taiwan but in the end its back to the real business and that’s exporting produce to U.S. markets.

The best bet is that it won’t. The Chinese government will most likely deliver its routine bluster and then allow the issue to fade away. Obama administration officials are likely hoping that the composition of this arms package — mostly defensive systems such as surface-to-air missiles, minesweepers, and communications equipment, but not new F-16 fighter-bombers — will appear non threatening to China.

The Chinese government needs to save face and protect China’s reputation in the eyes of a domestic audience that is occasionally prone to nationalistic outbursts. But at the same time, the government has to maintain an export-driven economic policy that generates millions of new jobs each year. Failure to do so risks social instability. Thus, in spite of China’s anger over U.S. military support for Taiwan, no confrontation with the United States is likely to result.

Fareed Zakaria at News Week offers the same analysis.

This time China’s strongest threat—to “retaliate” against U.S. companies involved in arms sales—is likely to be targeted at those firms, like Raytheon, that have been long-time suppliers to Taipei and as a consequence have written off the China market. Beijing will likely not punish the three American giants involved in the deal: Boeing, General Electric, and United Technologies.

[Snip]

On Washington’s part, despite Hillary Clinton’s criticisms of China over Internet freedom and President Obama’s declaration that he will get tough with Beijing over its currency, it is unlikely that this strong rhetoric will be matched with equivalent actions. The United States has few arrows in its quiver, and the administration knows well that public admonition of Beijing rarely works. In fact, both countries might well be playing the same game: feigning public outrage to satisfy domestic audiences.

Protest and opposition in Iran discussed in Congress

by Jason

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R., Neb.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee discusses the impact of Iran protest and the future of the regime.

Daily Star | Iran in one year: doom, gloom, and a faint ray of hope

The most accurate description one can apply to the present Iranian crisis is that it is an “unfolding” process. Neither the government nor the opposition could have possibly imagined last June that well into 2010 the election crisis would still continue to simmer. During the past seven months the opposition has demonstrated a remarkable degree of resiliency despite the government’s heavy-handedness. We can only conclude that it is very unlikely that the opposition will diminish during the next 12 months.

WSJ | The Future of Iran

Advocates of the Green Movement recognize that delaying discussions to resolve differences and to work through what comes next poses the danger that the rebellion, even in triumph, will degenerate into a chaotic settling of scores. Given Iran’s history, such an outcome could result in another dictatorship. This is why key thought leaders are taking advantage of the prevailing spirit of fellowship within the Movement to hold meetings through Skype, Paltalk, and other modern telecommunication devices that get around regime repression. These long distance meetings, termed “solidarity forums,” address political, legal, economic and social concerns as well as foreign policy priorities. Participants include those who have mentored the last two generations of Iranian political and social scientists, and who are now leading the way in drawing up a road map for a modern, pluralistic, forward-looking Iran that both meets the aspirations of its citizens and can interact with the international community.

Caption of the Day

by Jason

Taken during the Chinese Olympics

Majority of Democrats see socialism as positive

By Jason

So I guess we can dispense with all the games and chalking up the socialism charges as nothing more than stereotypical talking points used for political attacks. I’ve always found that its easier to let the horse do the talking — or in this case the donkey — for himself. You’ll usually find out more that way.

Real Clear Politics Blog:

The Gallup Poll reports that a majority of Democrats, 53%, have a “positive” image of socialism, which includes independents who lean toward the blue party.

Only 17 percent of Republican and GOP-leaners hold socialism in a positive light. In total, more than one-third of Americans, 36%, have a positive image of socialism.

Also viewing socialism positively: 61% of liberals, 39% of moderates and 20% of conservatives.

The poll comes at a precarious time for the political left. The headline of my column Thursday: “Dems Haunted by Revived Stereotypes.” As I wrote, we have seen “the return of ’socialist’ as a rhetorical dodge ball, evoking mid-twentieth century framing wars.” Senator Joe McCarthy must be rolling over in his grave (or maybe it’s Henry Wallace). This poll won’t help Obama’s effort to refute the resurgent stereotypes, whether its socialism or “tax and spend liberal.”

So I’ll say it again, the Democrats are the infamous party of the three S’s: Slavery, Segregation, and Socialism. What’s more, this the same party whose majority agree with Michael Moore and his nonsense.

Here’s a thought. Conservatism was dead and the Republican party killed it. At least that was widely believed to be the case this time last year. The pundits said that too many Bush policies and the exclusive demeanor of conservatism marginalized the ideology to the point that it would live a factional and regional existence at best. Well let’s flip that script and apply it to the Democrats. If there are 53% of those who view socialism as a good thing, and over 60% of liberals do, then that leaves an awful lot of Democrats who do not. Introduce Obama’s openly socialistic administration, gigantic government spending, huge deficits and debt and we just might see a marginalized Democrat Party and a new voting base for the Republicans. We are already seeing the early signs of that and this sort of stuff may just speed up the inevitable collapse of the Democrat’s coalition. Most Americans, whether Democrat or not, have no desire for a socialist system, and simply just want America back. And you can bet they will jump on the first train to take them there.

In any case, for those seeking a true measure of Obama’s judgment, on both policy and politics, the meeting between the president and Senate Democrats yesterday was much more instructive. Obama’s words made it clear that, notwithstanding his party’s recent election losses at the polls and its declining poll ratings, he has no intention of embarking on a Bill Clinton-style “triangulation” strategy.

I foresee a Republican deluge.

Here are those words and thoughts in motion. New Hampshire independents abandoning Obama in droves: Poll

A new WMUR Granite State Poll of 500 voters by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center finds the president’s support has slipped below 50% now. In the early 2008 Democratic primary there, voters preferred Hillary Clinton to Obama, 39 to 36. But come November they gave the Illinoisan 54% to John McCain’s 45%.

Now, only 48% approve of Obama’s presidential job, and 47% disapprove. The Democrat’s decline mirrors a national trend though slightly lower.

Commentary

• protein wisdom
• Real Clear Politics
• The Moderate Voice
• Althouse

America’s AAA bond rating in jeopardy.

Once upon a time the United States’ reputation as a borrower was stellar and unsurpassed by any other nation in the world.  You lent to the US, you knew we were good for it. Nowadays, with all the economic upheaval and outrageous spending going on, some serious doubt has been raised by Moody’s, the première international credit rating agency, to that fact.

Financial Times | Moody’s warns US of credit rating fears

Steven Hess, senior credit officer at Moody’s, said the deficits projected in the budget outlook presented by the Obama administration outlook this week did not stabilise debt levels in relation to gross domestic product.

“Unless further measures are taken to reduce the budget deficit further or the economy rebounds more vigorously than expected, the federal financial picture as presented in the projections for the next decade will at some point put pressure on the triple A government bond rating,” the rating agency added in an issuer note.

This week, the White House forecast a $1,565bn budget deficit for 2010, which represents 10.6 per cent of gross domestic product and is the highest such ratio of debt to GDP since the second world war.

While the budget gap is forecast to fall to about 4 per cent by 2013, it is based in part on economic growth not falling below government expectations, Congress agreeing to tax rises and a spending freeze on non-security discretionary spending.

In late November we warned of this potentially happening. Not that is was too difficult to figure out. Forget all the surmounting evidence which is contrary to the Left’s position of spend, spend, spend, they are damned and determined to turn this country into a cheap imitation of a third world banana republic.

General McChrystal gives new upbeat assessment on Afghanistan

by Jason

Remember the hoopla last year over McChrystal’s official report to the president and public remarks about the state of the Afghan war and how American forces were dangerously close to losing control? Since then operations have picked up leaving General McChrystal confident that the U.S. and its NATO allies are getting back on the offensive and creating difficulties for the Taliban. With more forces scheduled to arrive, McChrystal thinks we’ll  have our best opportunity yet in 2010.

New York Times | U.S. General Offers Upbeat Views on Afghan War

“I am not prepared to say that we have turned the corner,” he said. “So I’m saying that the situation is serious but I think we have made significant progress in setting the conditions in 2009, and beginning some progress, and that we’ll make real progress in 2010.”

General McChrystal’s assessment of the war came as NATO officials gathered here for a session in which Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was expected to press allies for contributions of several thousand more trainers to expand and improve the Afghan Army and police forces. Although United States officials have expressed satisfaction with the number of combat troops entering the fight — the bulk, of course, coming from the additional American troops ordered to Afghanistan by President Obama — the mission to teach Afghan security forces and then deploy alongside them remains about 4,000 personnel short.

General McChrystal said that the highly anticipated offensive to begin soon in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province would be a significant example of the improved partnership between foreign and Afghan security forces. Helmand is a focus of insurgent activity and the narcotics trade, and is viewed as a center of gravy in the allied counterinsurgency strategy because of its fertile river valley and significant population centers.

How should the U.S. and the West view Iran’s orbital launch?

by Jason

I have more thoughts and ideas along those lines but we can all get started on a key thing, and that is perception. Chris Thomas at True Slant explains that important concept.

When Apollo 11 touched down on the surface of the moon the astronauts who trod the lunar surface left a plaque there bearing the date and their names as well as the inscription “We came in peace for all mankind.”  NASA’s noble intentions not withstanding, however, the view from the Kremlin was a little different.  The technology that allowed Americans to land men on the surface of the moon would also more than enable them to land a 250 kiloton warhead on Moscow and so do with a phenominal degree of accuracy.  Implicit in the Col War space programs was a threat: if we can hit the moon we can hit you.

Though the dark days of Cold War brinksmanship are long behind us, the United States would be foolish to forget the military lessons learned during the space race.  The same technology that allows the Iranians to put a payload into orbit gives them the capacity to deliver that payload to any location on Earth.  A rocket that can reach Earth orbit is also a missile with intercontinental range.

Likewise, a capsule in which some small animals can survive a journey into space is also a capsule in which a weaponized virus or a chemical weapon can be kept stable en-route to a distant target.  Iran’s peaceful launch today thus demonstrates the capability to deliver a chemical or biological weapon –weapons the Iranian regime is presumed to possess – to the other side of the world.

Is the American economy and deep deficits undermining our superpower position?

by Jason

That has certainly been the recent fad over the last couple of years. Many economist and international relations strategist and historians have been warning U.S. policy makers of the potential consequences of running deep deficits that undermine our economy and global power. Without possessing a superpower economy we will be unable to maintain a superpower military. Then, with that gone all the contributing factors such as leadership, attraction, prestige will be diminished thereby officially removing us out of the rank as the world’s superpower and repositioning us among the world powers. Presumably allowing for another state (China) to assume the mantle as America will be diminished holding no more relative power than that of Europe. At least that is one thought.

Here is the other one. America has been remarkably successful in reinventing itself — if you don’t like that term then restoring itself — when circumstances require. To be sure these are tough times, domestically and internationally, but do they dwarf the Cold War era and the bad run of the 1970s? The Great Depression? How about the series of depressions that plagued the U.S. during the 1880s and 1890s? The natural ebb and flow of American history is not without disasters, failures, and major and minor setbacks. In fact, there is hardly anything unique or historical about … those facts. But what is amazing and rather unique is America’s ability to reform, to swing the pendulum in the right direction, to recognize a leader(s) fit for the time and change course categorically. It has been that idea of innovation, creativity, and the healthy disregard of tradition when needed, or the resolve to entrench ourselves in it at other times.

At any rate, our track record has proved remarkably successful when dealing with adversity. These economic times coupled with runaway debt and deficits are indeed troubling and something to arouse great concern. And if they aren’t corrected and turned around in some way, to some degree, it will be our ruin. However, I’m betting on just that. Americans will make the tough choices and reset an agenda for our nation. In fact, I think we are seeing the early stages of that.

Wall Street Journal | U.S. deficit balloons into security threat

But it’s time to start thinking of the ramifications for America’s ability to continue playing its traditional global role.

The U.S. government this year will borrow one of every three dollars it spends, with many of those funds coming from foreign countries.

That weakens America’s standing and its freedom to act; strengthens China and other world powers including cash-rich oil producers; puts long-term defense spending at risk; undermines the power of the American system as a model for developing countries; and reduces the aura of power that has been a great intangible asset for presidents for more than a century.

Newsweek | An Empire at Risk

And that $1.4 trillion is just for starters. According to the CBO’s most recent projections, the federal deficit will decline from 11.2 percent of GDP this year to 9.6 percent in 2010, 6.1 percent in 2011, and 3.7 percent in 2012. After that it will stay above 3 percent for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, in dollar terms, the total debt held by the public (excluding government agencies, but including foreigners) rises from $5.8 trillion in 2008 to $14.3 trillion in 2019—from 41 percent of GDP to 68 percent.

New York Times | Deficits May Alter U.S. Politics and Global Power

For Mr. Obama and his successors, the effect of those projections is clear: Unless miraculous growth, or miraculous political compromises, creates some unforeseen change over the next decade, there is virtually no room for new domestic initiatives for Mr. Obama or his successors. Beyond that lies the possibility that the United States could begin to suffer the same disease that has afflicted Japan over the past decade. As debt grew more rapidly than income, that country’s influence around the world eroded.

Read more on this at American Power

Liberal Symphony of Destruction

by Mike

Since the debate on health care and stimulus spending, the push back from across the nation has unleashed a torrent of stressors which are hurrying along the liberal S.O.D.

The Original Allegro

Being the bright and cheerful guy he is, Chris “My Leg is Tingling” Matthews has been a great source of comedic relief for conservatives. In his latest contribution to the destruction of his party Tingly has compared the GOP to the Khmer Rouge.

more about “Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Chris…“, posted with vodpod

[Source...Hot Air]

The Slow Movement

Our next contributor to the meltdown is that walking cacophony known as Keith Olbermann. Olbermann, by definition of his character, is an absurd little man, who similar to KSM, is not only intimidated by women taller than himself, but just women. This has led to a gender gap forming which is severely damaging his ratings. In Olbermann’s quest to be loved and validated through derision he has assisted Bill O’Reilly in not only squashing him, but obliterating the rest of the MSNBC lineup.

The Minuet

On the more delicate side, WAPO sports writer Sally Jenkins, has decided to dance in three-quarter time with NOW (National Organization for Woman) over the Pam and Tim Tebow pro-life commercial which is set to air during the Super Bowl. (Geaux, Saints!!)

Washington Post | Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are

I’m pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I’ve heard in the past week, I’ll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the “National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time.” For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.

Tebow’s 30-second ad hasn’t even run yet, but it already has provoked “The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us” to reveal something important about themselves: They aren’t actually “pro-choice” so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical

I may not like her pro-choice stance, but, I like this lady’s attitude.

The Rondo

Returning to the original theme, the symphony is playing out and right now it really doesn’t matter what you do.

Public Policy Polling | Health Care Polling

Here’s the bottom line on health care at this point: the political damage for Democrats has been done. It doesn’t matter whether it actually passes- it has had the effect of getting Republican voters really fired up and along with the economy continuing to struggle it has turned independents toward the GOP as well. Those voters aren’t going to come back at this point because health care doesn’t pass. Would Democrats be in a better position right now if they hadn’t even touched the issue? Probably.

Since it has been quite a while since we have done a musical dedication to the left, I think a little Megadeth is appropriate for finalizing this post.

Symphony of Destruction

Live at the Roskilde Festival 1992

more about “Megadeth-Symphony of Destruction Live“, posted with vodpod

President Obama to beef up U.S.’s nuclear programs?

by Jason

Woe! Where did this come from? President Obama is asking Congress for more funding for what he says will modernize facilities and retain valued experts, and to prevent the spread of nuclear material that will lead to his vision of a nuclear free world. In order to do this he’ll need more money that will increase spending to around $7 billion per year. That is a substantial jump in funding for nuclear research. In fact, it’s the largest increase since the Reagan years, which of course was during the Cold War era.

NNSA wants a 4.7 percent overall increase for infrastructure to more than $2.3 billion, including money for major long-term projects to replace aging buildings for plutonium work at Los Alamos and uranium work atOak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

Los Alamos’ budget includes about $225 million for design work for a chemical and metallurgy research replacement building, known as CMRR, to replace a 58-year-old lab where scientists analyze samples of plutonium and other radioactive materials.

Watchdog groups contend CMRR positions the U.S. to build more nuclear weapons by giving Los Alamos the capacity to make large numbers of new plutonium pit designs — the triggers of nuclear weapons.

This is undoubtedly making many nuclear arms control advocates nervous while breaking the hearts of Obama’s soft-hearted supporters who say he has caved to Senate Republicans in their threats to block Obama’s treaty with Russia that slashed existing warheads. You can read more into the history of that here.

However, many of his supporters and those who defended his Nobel Peace prize are not likely to let him forget about his past statements of a “world without nuclear weapons.” There not buying some of it and are wondering out loud is there are other intentions being unspoken.

“Essentially the new facilities would allow an increase in the production of new warheads if they wanted to do that. They (the Obama administration) say they don’t, but the next administration could,” said Stephen Young of the Union of Concerned Scientists. “There are risks … for our overall non-proliferation goals.”

None of this matters in the now because that isn’t the world that exist. Until that world comes into being the U.S. must equip itself with modern nuclear capability to survive in the world that is. Many studies and independent inspections have shown that our nuclear program has fallen to a degree that we have lost expertise, suffered from proper maintenance to ensure readiness, and over the years have maintained limited or inadequate support.

So, I’ll repeat what we’ve often said here, when the president is right we support him and defend him. These measures are long over due and the correct action is being taken in the name of national security and future research in technology for America. So maybe Bush wasn’t a warmonger after all for pursuing the same goals a few years back?

U.S. makes some news for its own stealth fighter jet

by Jason

Fresh off the heals of Russia’s new stealthy  fighter the, Sukhoi T-50, finally revealed this past Friday, the U.S. has made headlines regarding its own fifth-generation fighter jets. Accept, the news doesn’t involve bells and whistles. Instead, Secretary Gates delivered a stern lecture and showed disgust in the F-35’s development saying the program has a “troubling record”. Gates then fired the chief of production behind the plane’s development and ordered that he will withhold hundreds of millions of dollars owed to Lockheed Martin for performance fees.

Perhaps all of this is deservedly so because as he stated,“When things go wrong, people will be held accountable.” Furthermore, the F-35 is supposed to shoulder a heavy burden for our armed services as Danger Room reports.

The Air Force, the Marines, and the Navy are all counting on the stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to serve as its aircraft of the future, replacing everything from the A-10 to the F-16 to the F/A-18. It’s meant to knock out the most advanced missile sites, spot the most elusive terrorists, and win dogfights with the most sophisticated jets from Russia or China — all at a fraction of the price of the much-ballyhooed F-22 Raptor. Gates calls it the “backbone” of “American air superiority.” Without the promise of the JSF, Gates would’ve never convinced Congress to stop production of the Raptor, the Air Force’s most advanced dogfighter. By the time the program ends, there are supposed to be more than 2,400 of the planes in the American inventory, flying off of aircraft carriers, taking off from a conventional runway, or zipping straight up into the sky.

That is, if the JSF program works as planned. So far, that performance has “not been what it should” Gates said. Total costs have ballooned by more than 45% since the program’s inception. According to some reports, the stealth jet isn’t even that stealthy. Its engines run the risk of burning holes in the decks of the ships its supposed to lift off from. Final tests for the plane could be pushed back until as late as 2016, a two-year delay.

For all these troubles — and more — Gates has fired the JSF program manager, two-star Major General David Heinz. In his place, he’ll install a three-star officer. Gates will hold back $614 million in performance awards to Lockheed Martin — a withholding the defense contractor won’t fight.

Commentary

• The Politico
• The Note
• NY Times
• The Washington Independent

Help! KSM is homeless and has no where to go.

by Jason

Is this another policy proposal by the Obama administration that should be scrapped? And as much as I agree and hope for the outcome, I don’t think it helps matters when the President’s Press Secretary is airing it out as a matter of fact that KSM will be executed when they are trying to display the message of due process and rule of law. In fairness to Mr. Gibbs, the president himself has said similar statements in the past, too. At any rate, if so, and they really feel like this, then why create such problems for the administration and Democrats running for reelection by engineering such a political circus that was destined to be met with resistance? Why not just leave him under the military court of law as a captured unlawful combatant? The outcome would have very likely been the same — executed. Except without all of the blow back and unneeded political scrutiny of course. This administration never ceases to amaze.

How much do presidential advisers make these days?

CBS News: Obama Seeks $200M for Terror Trials

(CBS/AP) The Obama administration is proposing a $200 million fund to help pay for security costs in cities hosting the trials of accused terrorists such as Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

This funding is not specific to the Guantanamo detainee population, reports CBS News Correspondent Kimberly Dozier. Under the proposal, the money would be used to pay for security costs for the trial of a terror suspect arrested on U.S. soil.

The money will be included in a budget plan for 2011 of roughly $3.7 trillion that President Obama will submit to Congress on Monday, administration and congressional aides said Saturday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the spending blueprint hasn’t been announced.

The administration said late last year the trials would take place in federal court in lower Manhattan, near where the World Trade Center once stood. But there’s growing opposition from the city, and it now seems likely that the White House will decide to hold the trial elsewhere.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put the cost of tighter security at $216 million just for the first year after Mohammed and the others were to arrive from the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. New York City officials had warned of massive gridlock in lower Manhattan due to the extraordinary security steps that would have been required to host the trial.

Needs Home

Name: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Status: Homeless

Religion: Radical Muslim

Likes: Western porn and watching things blow up

Dislikes: Jews, infidels, and the West

General Summary: Unfortunately, KSM sheds heavily during the summer months, but otherwise can be groomed and loves to have his back and shoulder hair brushed. He is nervous around large crowds and fears women who are taller than him. When excited he releases an odor that at times can be offensive, but does bathe on his own several times a month. Often he chants and babbles uncontrollably about Allah and America. He loves cameras and recites excitedly from the Koran and will drop immediately to the ground and pray when he sees one. He is playful around ammunition and explosives. He desperately needs a place to live out his last days on this earth.

Buyer be aware asking price is around $220 million USD with several strings attached.

Commentary

• Instapundit
• Commentary
• Breitbart.tv
• Sister Toldjah
• The Moderate Voice