GENERAL KATIE: Giggle, giggle.

The Elitist Defeatist
The Daily Gut

Last Tuesday, CBS Evening News anchor and lover of triathletes, Katie Couric, spoke critically of the war in Iraq at a seminar at the National Press Club - which according to my sources, is actually a treehouse in Bob Schieffer's backyard. Her comments included accusing Bush of disbanding the Iraq military and upsetting 100,000 Sunni men. That's 100,000 men otherwise known as the Ba'ath Party. Can anyone say, De-Nazification?

Initially, I was impressed by Katie's newfound war expertise. She must be catching up on her blogs. But do I care what she thinks about the war? I mean, I'm really only used to looking to Katie for ways to cure my toenail fungus, or a low fat recipe for blueberry muffins. Couric is a typical example of the "elitist defeatist" - whose real problem isn't why were fighting a war, but war itself - and how it makes her feel inside. Wars are so mean! And Katie isn't mean. Unless, of course, you work for her.

When talking about those who support the country during a war, she says, and I quote, "The whole culture of wearing flags on our lapel and saying 'we' when referring to the United States and, even the 'shock and awe' of the initial stages, it was just too jubilant and just a little uncomfortable." So, to her, being patriotic is "a culture," one that's wrong because it implies you're taking a side. Saying "we," when dealing in matters of war, is icky. There's no "we" in Katie. I know because I saw her colonic.

Couric and her ilk are uncomfortable with patriotism because, like organized religion, it takes the focus off of her. Worse, it competes with ratings. Patriots root for the country--not for CBS.

But I'm sure, in her mind, the only kind of patriotism is "dissent." In fact I bet she thinks she's being patriotic by being critical of the war, in her armchair quarterback sort of way. It's the kind of patriotism, mind you, that our enemies love. In fact, when you really think about it, our enemies are America's truest patriots - for they're exercising their dissent against America. And for Katie, a serious journalist and resident Cougar, that's the kind a patriotism she can get behind.

In other news...
Iraqis' peaceful march: Demonstrating the fruits of a young democracy.

BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers observed a peaceful demonstration in support of Iraqi Security Volunteers in the West Rashid District of the Iraqi capital Sept. 26.

The demonstrators, who numbered approximately between 600 to 1000 people, marched through the streets of Saydiyah during the morning hours in a show of approval for the ongoing reconciliation efforts of an area that has been a source of sectarian friction in recent weeks.

Troops from Company C, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment “Vanguards” observed the event and made sure that the people in attendance were allowed to express their position without significant incident.

“A peaceful demonstration on the streets of Saydiyah is one of the most powerful symbols of a growing democracy there is,” said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Seeing the citizens marching in support of the Iraqi Security Volunteers serves as an important reminder of the positive impact the ISV are making in Rashid and how far the security situation there has come in recent weeks.”

"Team Easy" scores against terrorists! BLACKFIVE - Anbar has awakened; but, West Rashid is tipping and the ripples from that are already having an impact -- on several levels -- in Baghdad.

The implications are profound, for the U.S. and the future of Iraq. Yet, on a more fundamental level, the affairs of princes mean little here considered against the basic and most important thing: we are all safer today because the citizens in this region are stepping forward.

West Rashid is tipping, and if it lands on its feet, the ripples should become waves of change.

Left uses Iraq deaths for political gain. "Since Tuesday, everyone's been getting phone calls asking for names of the last soldiers killed," said one congressional aide. "It seems to be a coordinated effort."

Congressional sources showed us a military communication that indicated the soldier's family had explicitly declined to release their son's name to public officials under the Federal Privacy Act. It was a move they were entitled to do, and may well have been intended to prevent use of his name, presumably by ambitious politicians... It turns out the soldier's family had nothing to worry about from politicos. Their son's name was used by the media instead.

Shuster's use of the deceased 18-year-old's name (and we aren't going to print it) piles insult onto injury on a gold-star family now in mourning. And the purpose of this stunt? To humiliate a congresswoman who said she was in regular e-mail contact with her military constituents by making her appear callous to deaths.

It also just happens to justify MoveOn.org's current effort to deflect the topic from its sorry ad to the deaths of U.S. troops.

P.S. A link on the Yahoo frontpage says, "Alliance Between U.S., Sunnis in Iraq province close to collapse", but the link only led me to this. OK, where on earth is the story? I had no idea the alliance was in danger of collapsing! Nevermind, it's up.