The Progressive Truth

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Stupid People Say Stupid Things

"And Iran declared war on us when they took hostages from our embassy in 1979. So they are indeed at war with us, for whatever that's worth to you." - Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit.

Hmmm, then I guess that makes Reynolds' hero and favored jerk off material (Reagan & Co.) guilty of treason. Nice. Think about that the next time your hand creeps down into your dirty tightie whities, Glenn!

Blair Announces Removal of 1600 Troops, Bush Adds 1,000 Troops to Surge: Coincidence?

In the wake of the announcement that Great Britain will be withdrawing its almost 7,000 troops from Iraq, Administration officials are claiming this is good news. In fact, according to ABC News (via ThinkProgres), Vice President Cheney "said the move was actually good news and a sign of progress in Iraq.”

According to the plan, "Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months and aims to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if Iraqi forces can secure the country's south, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday."

While this is great news, the MSM has glossed over an additional piece of information: that Bush added another 1,000 troops to the surge last Friday.

According to a press release from the DoD:

"This three-month acceleration affects approximately 1,000 service members. U.S force levels in Iraq continue to be conditions-based, and are determined upon the recommendations of military commanders in Iraq and in consultation with the Iraqi government."

Less than a week before Tony Blair announced that close to 1,600 British troops will be making their way home shortly, it seems President Bush has compensated for that difference by adding an additional 1,000 American troops in Iraq.

Since Blair is typically considered Bush's lapdog, it is hard to believe that Bush was not aware of Blair's plans less than a week ago, when the decision to send further US troops into harms way was decided upon.

Monday, February 19, 2007

NJ Civil Unions in Effect Today

As of midnight this morning, civil unions have officially become recognized in the state of New Jersey.

"The civil unions, which offer the legal benefits but not the title of marriage, were granted automatically to the hundreds of gay New Jersey couples who had previously been joined in civil unions or married in other states or nations."

New Jersey is now the third state to recognize civil unions, following Connecticut and Vermont.

A handful of town halls opened their doors at 12:01 this morning to accomodate those seeking to apply for a license. New Jersey has a 72-hour waiting period, so those new applicants will not be able to hold their ceremonies until the waiting period is up.

While the civil union law is not considered "equal" by many advocates, including the ACLU, this is a positive step forward in recognizing the rights of all.