Body of Evidence

A little anecdote before I launch into the subject of this post. A couple of days ago, when the Presidents speech started, my wife turned off the T.V. asking the question, "What can he say that we don't already know?" Her question demonstrated what we all may be feeling. When war is always on our minds we may want to escape, we've heard these words before. Why can't it be finished? It was a, valid, sincere question. I answered that he would probably repeat many themes during his speech but that, much of what was said, would bear repeating-for some. Having read the speech, I have realized, my simple answer doesn't suffice. Nothing he said jumped off the page like the Crispin' day speech from Henry V. Nothing that he said was news to me but, he demonstrated, in saying it, that the Commander-and-Chief stands with our troops. The Armed forces have some core principles- finish the mission, never leave a soldier behind- that guides every action. Our President, despite all that he lacks, keeps these principles. He needs to say it again. We should listen.

Some, in the media, would have us believe that no relationship ever existed between al-Qaida and Iraq. This is untrue. The lie has been repeated often and most notably by CNN. Stephen F. Hayes of the Weekly Standard dissects the components of this lie in his article.

"Conveniently, such analyses ignore statements like this one from Thomas Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission. "There was no question in our minds that there was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda." Hard to believe reporters just missed it--he made the comments at the press conference held to release the commission's final report. And that report detailed several "friendly contacts" between Iraq and al Qaeda, and concluded only that there was no proof of Iraqi involvement in al Qaeda terrorist attacks against American interests. Details, details."

Body of Evidence