Clearing Up Some Misconceptions

For starters, I'd like to clear up this myth that Joe Biden has built up that, if only the Iraqi government could pass this profit-sharing of oil revenues legislation, then the "insurgent" problem would clear itself up. While terrorism and Islamic fanaticism certainly burns the brighter in poverty, the most recent attempts in London prove that this is not a prerequisite, as several of the perpetrators were doctors - not exactly at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum.
At the same time, though, it also brings into question some of Michael Moore's assertions regarding nationalized health care systems, such as they have in England. If it is such a great system, why are doctors over there so gung-ho about major career changes - say, to suicide bomber? And now that their overtaxed health care system is short even more doctors, don't expect the wait to get any shorter for that MRI.
If we were to use the same measurement that the Democrats are using to judge the success of the Iraqi government against the Democrat Congress, I think we would be all clamoring for a phased withdrawal from their control of Congress. While the progress of the Iraqis has been modest at best, so far, in over 7 months in office, Democrats have managed only a modest increase in the federal minimum wage, a move that was primarily symbolic, since most states already have in place minimum wages higher than the new federal level. The Shias in control can't work together with the Sunnis to get critical measures passed? The Democrats in control can't work together with the Republicans to get critical measures passed. And the Democrats don't even have the added pressure of armed militants around them (unless you count Jim Webb's aides smuggling guns onto capitol hill).
I apologize in advance for my next comments about John Murtha, who, as a war veteran, is perfect in every conceivable way, and is completely immune to any criticism on matters even remotely related to the military. That said, it now looks like John Murtha is up for the Mike Nifong travesty of justice award. You remember how resolutely Murtha condemned the Marines in the Haditha shootings? He had weighed all the evidence (even though he did not have all the evidence) and determined that a war crime had been committed by the Marines. Now it turns out that a Marines officer charged with looking at the evidence (this person actually saw all of it, unlike the infallible Murtha) and providing a recommendation whether charges should be filed, has determined that at least one of the marines in question acted in a way completely in accord with military conduct and the rules of engagement. It turns out that the officer found that the witness statements were contradictory and not trustworthy. In his opinion, while the death of innocents in war is always a travesty, it should not be unexpected when battling an enemy that regularly hides among civilians and stages attacks while using civilians as human shields. In the heat of battle, a soldier has to make his best judgement. But Murtha knows better:
"It's much worse than reported in Time magazine. There was no fire fight. There was no IED that killed these innocent people. Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood. And that's what the report is going to tell."
My final note of the day. I have some praise and some objections to recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI. Recently the Pope issued high praise for the Boy Scouts organization. Its good to see that some people in this world still recognize a good and honorable organization and give it the praise it deserves. As an Eagle Scout, I continue to support the organization and its integrity in staying true to its founding principles. My objections to the pope are his recent denouncing of other Christian churches as not being "churches" (with the exception of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches). I don't begrudge the Pope or the Catholic Church their right to assert that theirs is the one true and complete Christian Church. I don't share this view, as I believe that my own religion is the only true and living church. But to dismiss other Christian faiths as merely "ecclesial organizations" is going a bit too far. I will grant the pope the right to profess his belief in the supremacy of his beliefs, but I will not allow the monopolizing of a word. Just as I object to the many misinformed people out there who deny the characterization of Mormons as Christians, I also object to the pope denying the characterization of other Christian faiths as churches.