My heroes this week are the Iraqis standing up against al Qaeda. AP:

BAGHDAD (AP) - A battle raged in west Baghdad on Thursday after residents rose up against al-Qaida and called for U.S. military help to end random gunfire that forced people to huddle indoors and threats that kept students from final exams, a member of the district council said.

While we are facing difficulties in Iraq, this shows that at least some Iraqis recognize that al Qaeda is the common enemy of both Iraq and the United States.

My hack this week is the New York Times in their continued Barack Obama crush-fest. Today they have a story about Obama playing basketball! While maybe this is useful for voters, even the NYT admits in the article itself that it isn't relevant:

Basketball has little to do with Mr. Obama’s presidential bid — in fact, he has trouble finding time to shoot baskets anymore — but until recently, it was one of the few constants in his life.

Sheesh.

Also, for anyone who identifies as a conservative, read today's Peggy Noonan column. Especially if you are as ticked off about this immigration bill as I am (link).

UPDATE (6/1/2007 11:37 AM): Instapundit has some interesting follow up to Noonan's column:

I'd disagree with Noonan, though, in that I think the GOP Congress was just as bad as the White House is now. In both cases, it's an attitude of entitlement that seems to be endemic among our political class, and certainly one that the Democratic Congress is already displaying in full measure.

I think Reynolds is right, but I don't think he and Noonan would actually disagree, as she traces the Bush tearing to at least his reelection, which I think would cover Congress too.

Anyway, I like his point about entitlement, and I think there has to be a way to demonstrate that being an elected official is a privilege, not a right. Vote against incumbents!

Labels: 2008 Watch, Hero/Hack, Iraq

Posted by Ryan S. on Friday, June 01, 2007 at 9:48 AM | Permalink |