The American Pundit

CNN: Spy Plane Video Backs Claims by Marines in Haditha

In my opinion, this deserves a siren. Not so much because it’s “breaking news”, but because it’s extremely important. CNN reports:

Flying over Haditha, Iraq, on November 19, 2005, a small, unmanned spy plane called “Scan Eagle” recorded scenes of heavy fighting — bombings and strafings from the air, and ground work by U.S. Marines seeking insurgents who earlier in the day had set off a roadside bomb that killed one of their members.

Shortly after the bomb attack, Marines hunting the attackers killed 24 Iraqi civilians, leading to murder charges against four Marines a year later.

Charges against two of those Marines have been dropped — one in exchange for his testimony and the other because a hearing officer decided that he followed rules of engagement.

The Scan Eagle arrived about 30 minutes after the initial bomb attack on the Marines and does not show the the civilians being killed.

It does show a house from which the military suspected insurgents triggered the bomb — and the wrecked vehicle it left 1,000 yards (about 900 meters) away.

CNN has learned that the Scan Eagle’s video — obtained exclusively by the network — will be introduced as evidence by lawyers for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who is facing 17 murder counts and charges of making a false official statement and trying to get another Marine to make a false statement.

The video appears to show that, throughout that day, Marines engaged in fierce firefights and called in air strikes to level buildings — often with no definitive idea of who was inside.

That could buttress defense arguments that Marines clearing buildings on the ground with guns and grenades were just following rules of engagement.

Emphasis mine. What say you, Congressman Murtha? Charges have already been dropped against 3 of 8 Marines charged. The fourth, the last relating to “murder”, is also expected to be dropped. The remaining deal with operating procedure - not killings. What was it you told Chris Matthews on Hard Ball last year, before you had any evidence? Oh, right:

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Let me ask you Mr. Murtha to give us some details about that. Draw us a picture of what happened at Haditha.

REP. JOHN “JACK” MURTHA: Well, I’ll tell you exactly what happened. One Marine was killed and the Marines just said we’re going to take care – we don’t know who the enemy is, the pressure was too much on them, so they went into houses and they actually killed civilians. And, and –

MATTHEWS:—was this My Lai? Was this a case of – when you say cold blood Congressman, a lot of people think you’re basically saying you got some civilians sitting in a room around a field and they’re executed.

MURTHA: That’s exactly it.

Tried and convicted by Congressman John Murtha (D-Penn), without any evidence. Actually, evidence to the contrary.

H/t William Amos at Hot Air.

Liberal Judge Blocks Tougher Employer Sanctions

She needs “breathing room”, before making any decision on the legality of the new penalties. Never mind the fact that the penalties would help stop millions of illegal aliens and their employers from breaking the law. She’s a Liberal federal judge from San Francisco, appointed by Clinton. Who brought the suit? Big labor, of course.

The Social Security Administration cannot start sending out letters to employers next week that carry with them more serious penalties for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Ruling on a lawsuit by the nation’s largest federation of labor unions against the U.S. government, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the so-called “no-match” letters from going out as planned starting Tuesday…

…Chesney said the court needs “breathing room” before making any decision on the legality of new penalties aimed at cracking down on the hiring of illegal immigrants.

She set the next hearing on the matter for Oct. 1.

That leaves another month for employers to break the law, hiring law breakers themselves. And that’s just before the next hearing. Gee, think she has an agenda? To its credit, the DHS is fighting the decision, rightly saying it is “an obvious attempt to impede the department’s ability to enforce our immigration laws”.

You know, I thought Liberals were all touchy-feely with unions because they want to protect American workers. Yet, a Republican administration implements sanctions against employers, in an attempt to help American workers, and it’s met with resistance from Liberals. A Liberal judge blocking it, Liberal members of Congress opposing it, and Liberals marching in the streets in support of illegal aliens. Yeah. There’s a whole bunch of American worker-protection going on there, hmm?

AFP: There’s Only Been One Moon-Landing

Nice catch by The New Editor. AFP wrote:

The only moon landing in history is NASA’s Apollo expedition in 1968.

Yeah. Don’t know where AFP has been, but history remembers six (6) manned-moon landings. July 16, 1969; November 14, 1969; January 31, 1971; July 26, 1971; April 16, 1972; December 7, 1972. Damn facts. Always getting in the way of a story.

Corrected: The news source was Agence France-Presse, which explains a whole lot more.

DOJ Now Investigating Campaign-Finance Violations by Hsu

If Clinton gets into office, I’m sure he’ll make the top of the pardon list. The Department of Justice is now investigating possible campaign-finance regulations for the top Democratic donor.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating possible campaign-finance violations by top Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, according to people familiar with the probe. On Friday, Mr. Hsu surrendered to California officials on an unrelated grand-theft charge dating to the early 1990s.

Mr. Hsu has denied reimbursing any associates for their donations, which would be a felony, or other wrongdoing in his fund-raising activities. “I’ve asked friends and colleagues of mine to give money out of their own pockets, and sometimes they have agreed,” he said in an email to the Journal this past week. A member of the Paw family also has said the family’s donations were their own.

The amounts and dates of the Paws’ donations were similar to those of Mr. Hsu, who once listed the Paw’s address as his own. The Paws, Mr. Hsu and other associates collectively donated nearly $1 million to an array of candidates the past few years, including the presidential campaign of Mrs. Clinton.

I’m still having trouble wrapping my mind around how Hsu, who has a 15-year-old bench warrant, has gone unnoticed for a decade and a half. He’s hosted lavish parties, worked with major companies, had a role in the fashion industry, and the WSJ writes:

Indeed, in magazine articles in 1993 and 1994, Mr. Hsu was identified as managing director of Newton Enterprises Inc., a Hong Kong-based exporter.

He was in a magazine article. The whole time being a fugitive to be held on $2 million bail, facing 3 years in prison. How was he not found until the media got a hold of this? Wait, it gets better. Democrats very much knew he existed.

“He was involved in the fashion business,” said Bob Kerrey, a former Nebraska senator who is president of the New School in Manhattan, where Mr. Hsu resigned as a trustee yesterday. “I know that he designs and sells clothing.”

Before making him a trustee, didn’t anyone do, I don’t know, a Google search? Hsu’s own former wife works in California’s damn probation office! And nobody knew…

Don’t worry Mr. Hsu. You’re still liked by Democrats:

“I like him a lot,” Mr. Kerrey said. “He’s one of these guys in politics who gives and doesn’t ask for anything.”

Replace “Kerrey” with “Bush”. Replace “Hsu” with “Libby”. What do you have? Outrage from the Democrats.

Reid Weakens Stance on Iraq

Allah’s surprised. I, on the other hand…ok, I’m somewhat surprised, too.

Saying the coming weeks will be “one of the last opportunities” to alter the course of the war, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said he is now willing to compromise with Republicans to find ways to limit troop deployments in Iraq.

Reid acknowledged that his previous firm demand for a spring withdrawal deadline had become an obstacle for a small but growing number of Republicans who have said they want to end the war but have been unwilling to set a timeline.

“I don’t think we have to think that our way is the only way,” Reid said of specific dates during an interview in his office here. “I’m not saying, ‘Republicans, do what we want to do.’ Just give me something that you think you would like to do, that accomplishes some or all of what I want to do.”

It’s constantly tauted in the media how Republican Senator John Warner believes the US should reduce our troops levels. However, the media has a tendency to completely leave out the Democratic-switch-overs. Like Representative Brian Baird (D-Wash), who is now taking crap from anti-war Dems for suggesting we give our troops more time. Then there’s Democrats Rep. Tim Mahoney, Senator Casey, Senator Levin, Senator Durbin, and Clinton all admitting that progress is being made in Iraq. But, by all means, let’s concentrate on Warner.

Breaking: Craig to Resign Tomorrow

Senator Larry Craig will resign tomorrow, reports the Associated Press. Allah writes:

Major Garrett is reporting on Fox News right now that the GOP told him to resign or the following would happen:

1. The Senate GOP leadership will call on him to resign.
2. The Republican Senate Campaign Committee will deny him re-election funds and recruit a primary challenger.
3. The RNC will announce that Republicans nationwide want him to resign.

Adios!