Statue Of Ronald Reagan Unveiled In London

In celebration of America's independence day a statue of Ronald Reagan was unveiled in London today. The unveiling coincides with the celebration of what would have been "The Gipper's" 100th birthday. His statue joins those of Dwight D Eisenhower and Franklin Roosevelt, both for their instrumental roles in WWII as well as being former presidents.

Seven Taliban In One Day

Here is a guy who really loves his job. His job is killing Taliban fighters.

SNIPER Steve Lewis is the dead-shot of the British Army - killing SEVEN Taliban fighters in one day.

And the 29-year-old ex-binman who blew away 13 of the enemy in his first tour of duty pulls no punches about his job. Steve, of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, says: "We're glad when we get a kill - it's what we do".

The British have been suffering some serious casualties lately in Afghanistan and there is no doubt they have a lot of skin in the game. At least their soldiers, like ours, know what the stakes are, and aren't tied up in all of the political touchy feely mindset which has afflicted so many in the West who have no stomach for this fight.

There is also an American connection to this dedicated sniper.

Frank - who holds a British passport but grew up in America's Mid-West - adds: "Even so, if you talked about it much people would want to avoid you. They'd think you were weird."

Nursing a battle wound near his eye, Frank, 22, shares Steve's grim determination.

He wanted to be a sniper after getting a pellet gun at 12. "I always wanted to be the best, the pinnacle," he says. Frank dreams of being SAS one day. For now he's the 'number two' in the sniping pair, responsible for ranging the targets, working out wind speed, humidity, temperature - anything that can affect the trajectory of a bullet.

Being a true sniper is an art form. It takes a lot of patience, skill, and knowledge to do the job. Merely being a good shot is not good enough. You have to know everything about the weapon you use--the ammunition, weather, light, wind and a hundred other things. Your brain must be a super-computer to calculate all of the variables and to be ready at the precise moment that the target presents itself to execute flawlessly. The cost of failure often results in your death or the death of other soldiers.

Never underestimate the impact a sniper can have on the enemy. I wish these men continued good hunting and success.

BTW, a binman is a garbage collector.

Petraeus: Iran Involved In Kidnapping of British Citizen

I noticed the story of a British IT consultant who had been kidnapped in Iraq while working there and was released yesterday and waited to see what sort of ransom had been paid to secure his release. Well now we know the answer.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office sources confirmed, however, that the transfer from US custody a few days ago of Qais al-Khazali, a cleric and commander of AAH, helped to pave the way for Mr Moore’s release. They also admitted that British diplomats had been pressing the US to hand over al-Khazali to the Iraqi administration.

The insurgent leader, who is suspected of helping to plan an attack that killed five US servicemen in Karbala in 2007, is expected to be released as part of reconciliation talks between the Iraqi Government and extremist groups.

Mr. Moore was kidnapped along with four British security personnel. Three of them have been killed, and the fourth is also suspected of being killed. This is the Muslim version of negotiating in "good faith."

When Laith al-Khazali, a brother of Qais al-Khazali, was released in June, the remains of Jason Creswell, 39, and Jason Swindlehurst, 38, were surrendered. Inquests were told that each died from a gunshot wound to the head. The body of Alec MacLachlan, 30, was handed over in September.

Probably the most shocking part of the saga however is the assertion by Gen Petreaus that Mr Moore was kidnapped by Iranian led and trained henchmen and may have indeed been held in Iran for some of his 31 months in captivity.

Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent, said that at a conference in Bahrain on December 13 he had asked General Petraeus whether Mr Moore was moved to Iran.

Mr Gardner told Radio 4’s Today programme this morning: “He didn’t hesitate. He said ‘I’m absolutely certain. I’m 90 per cent certain.’

“I said: ‘Is this a personal view or have you seen hard intelligence?’, and he thought for a minute and he said ’I am pretty sure I’ve seen hard intelligence on it’ ... that they were held in Iran for some of the period of their captivity.”

So we hand over a terrorist who was already suspected of having a hand in the killing of five U.S. service members, the captors killed three, and probably four of the other people they kidnapped and we get one British hostage back in exchange.

I tell you what, if we get slapped upside the head by that Iranian unclenched fist anymore, I just might begin to think that this whole make nice policy won't work.

Asked to comment on the general's assertion, Barry O responded with "Fore!"

Religious Differences Lead to Honor Killing

The BBC reports that this honour killing was the result of a religious disagreement, but fails to mention which religion or religions. I guess it must be a revival of the old Catholics versus Protestants thing that raged through England in centuries past.

The court previously heard Mehmet Goren disapproved of Tulay's relationship with factory worker Halil Unal because of religious differences and the fact Mr Unal was 15 years older than Tulay.

Tulay Goren was a 15 year old girl, and yeah I might have a little problem if I had a 15 year old daughter having a relationship with a 30 year old guy, but I think I would pursue child molestation charges, and I might be tempted to visit some real harm on the guy, but this father's solution is to kill his daughter.

It has taken 10 years to see justice done because no body was ever found.

I sure wish they would have said what those religious differences might have been.

Beauty Queen in a Bar Fight

I can't believe she gave up her crown over this. If there are any real men on the judges panel of the Miss World she would have been sure to win in landslide. The only thing that could be better is if she actually owned the bar.

The reigning Miss England has relinquished her crown after being accused of a fight in a bar.

Pageant organizers say Rachel Christie has also withdrawn from next month's Miss World competition in South Africa.

They said in a statement that the 21-year-old heptathlete will now focus on clearing her name and training for the 2012 Olympics.

British newspapers reported that Christie got into a dustup with another beauty queen — Miss Manchester Sara Beverley Jones — in a nightclub earlier this week.

I'm sorry, did I say the only way this could get better is if she owned the bar? This is way better. Are you ready for who will be replacing her? You got to love this.

Soldier Kat Hodge is glowing with the thrill of taking second place in the Miss England contest – and nursing a pair of very tender feet.

In her day job, the Lance Corporal is used to wearing sturdy boots, but for the beauty pageant these were replaced by a pair of heels. The 22-year-old clerk with the Adjutant General's Corps is probably the only entrant to Miss England who has a commendation for bravery.

Miss Hodge, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was only 18 and was serving in Iraq with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment when she leapt into action after the vehicle she was travelling in overturned.

It gave an Iraqi insurgent time to grab two rifles and threaten the soldiers. Miss Hodge punched him and retrieved the guns.

Another Failed Obama, er British Plan

Are any of the liberal Democrats listening or paying attention to the news coming out of Europe, and more specifically England in regards to what happens when you keep raising taxes?

We have all heard all the stories coming from the country once known as Great Britain regarding the debate over government control of the healthcare system but I don't think much attention is being paid to all of the other news from across the Big Pond regarding financial matters.

Today's entry in that list of warning signs that we really ought to pay attention to but aren't, is about American expats who are now fleeing England and returning home due to the rising tax rates. Where will they go when they find out the tax rate here, if the Democrats have their way, will soon make those tax rates seem like small potatos?

Americans are heading home as Britain plans a 50 percent tax rate for those who earn more than 150,000 pounds ($248,000) a year and employers cut benefits for workers living abroad, reducing the allure of London. That comes a year after the U.K. said foreigners who have lived in the country for more than seven years must pay 30,000 pounds annually or give up the special status that shields overseas income from British taxes.

Anybody else get a sort of deja vu feeling when they see the amounts quoted? Do you sometimes think that the only thing Barry O is doing is looking at policies imposed in England, which have mostly failed, and proposing them here and trying to claim them as original or his own?

That $250,000 amount sure seems to be some sort of magic number.

No Beer To Cry In

More evidence that the more you tax something the less people will buy it. To liberals this is completely acceptable since they presume to be the judge and jury on what products or services should be available to you, for your own good doncha know.

In England they recently raised the taxes on beer with the expected results.

UK pubs closed at a rate of 52 per week in the first half of the year - a third more than the same period in 2008 - the British Beer & Pub Association said.

The Democrats in this country are of course pursuing the same logic in regards to driving entire sectors of our energy producers out of business by their cap and tax legislation and their proposals to tax everything in their health care package. Remember back when there was a furor over the expansion of the SCHIP, that was to be paid with increasing taxes on tobacco?

It seems liberals like to point to Europe as some of utopia that we ought to emulate here while ignoring the hard data that comes from the imposition of such programs. In another example England is also reporting a rise in deaths from knives, even though they have outlawed guns almost completely and have instituted some draconian measures in regards to possession of knives. Guess where the biggest increase is occurring?

That's right, in those areas where they are imposing the tightest enforcement.

Maybe there is a connection between the two, closing of pubs and more knife violence I mean.

18 Weeks From Diagnosis To Treatment

Imagine if these health care targets, as the British call them, standards in our language, were in place right now in America.

Mr Burnham said that core targets - such as the 4-hour waiting time target in A&E and the 18-week target from GP referral to treatment - would remain in place as “minimum standards”, but others which had served their purpose and now “alienated people” would be up for review. He said that targets surrounding inpatient waiting times - which include a 13-week target from decision to operate to hospital admission - might be expected to be removed.

Those are some of the standards they have in England for their national health system, a system that liberals want to impose on Americans.I think all of us have stories of a loved one who is diagnosed with a serious condition that may require surgery, but I doubt many of us can recall having to wait 13 weeks before surgery. A 4 hour emergency room visit is a reality a lot of times.

Speaker To Step Down June 21

I know that is the headline a lot of folks have been looking forward to, but unfortunately this is the speaker of the House of Commons in England, not our illustrious Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Michael Martin announced his resignation as Speaker of the House of Commons today, swept away by the expenses scandal engulfing Westminster. He is the first Speaker to be forced from office for more than 300 years.

For those that don't follow politics in the country formerly known as Great Britain, they have been embroiled over the recent disclosure of the expense accounts of members of their Parliament, or what we call standard operating procedures in this country. Their Parliament is no better then our congress, having learned long ago that they can take the taxpayer's money and pretty much do whatever it is they please with it and if they need more they simply pass legislation to seize more from the hard working folks.

Maybe this headline will be true in America soon, but knowing how power corrupts and intoxicates those who wield it I don't think we can expect Nancy or any of the other members of the most ethical congress evah to be stepping down.

More On England's Economic Problems

I know it sounds like we are jumping on Great Britain today, but the economic principles that they are applying are the exact same policies that the Democrats and their messiah Barry Obama wish to implement here. Now it would seem that if I had all of this empirical data of just what those policies would mean for us I might want to rethink my strategy, but liberals are never one to let facts and past poor performance stand in the way of hoping for change. Is this the change we can survive?

The news that WPP is considering fleeing UK shores to escape ever increasing taxes resulting from Gordon's prolifigacy must signal that business has had enough of Gordon's tax and spend policies. Every week a major business seems to make the move, Ireland is continually welcoming companies keen to halve their tax bill.

And they have even noticed this over at Pajamas Media.

Despite talk of recession in the U.S., even though it has perhaps not occurred yet, most of these individuals are either aiming to move to the U.S., looking into it, or would like to. Because of the favorable exchange rates with the dollar in contrast to weakening economies on the continent, there seems to be little interest in a move to Spain or to France. Of course, Australia gets a look from many.

I look forward to this new British invasion.

Domestic Monitoring of Communications Must Be Stopped

Oh wait, this is in England.

Nevermind then, it's okay.

Since last October, telecoms companies have been required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months and police and security services can access them with a warrant issued by the courts.

And it is supposed to be the liberals who are running England? They now want to expand the program to cover email, voice over internet (VOIP), and internet usage.

Talk about Big Brother.

I Wonder How Much Kiddie Porn This Judge Has On His Computer?

A British man who had sexual relations with an 11-year-old girl avoided prison when the judge decided she "welcomed" the man's flirtations.

Judge Robert Atherton prompted an angry response when he ruled in Manchester Crown Court the girl had encouraged Jon Dixon's molestation because she possessed a "sexual awareness" that could cause a person in their 20s to blush, The Daily Mail reported.

The victim is still an 11-year-old girl and I don't care if she was acting like Paris Hilton after a night of bar hopping, nobody has the right to pursue any kind of sexual desires with her.

Conservatives Gain Power in UK Election

So while European countries more and more are turning to conservative candidates, leaders here in America we seem to be running the other way.

England is holding elections this week and one of the most prominent races if for the Mayor of London, but they are also having national elections.

BBC research suggests Labour won 24% of votes cast in England and Wales, behind the Tories on 44% and Lib Dems on 25%.

So far Labour has lost 226 councillors and key councils like Reading. Tory gains include Bury and North Tyneside.

Mr Brown insists his party will learn lessons. David Cameron called it a "big moment" for the Conservative Party.

The Labour party is considered liberal and was the party of Tony Blair. Tories are the conservatives and Lib Dems speak for themselves.

I am sure the liberals in this country are noticing this change in Europe. The pundits are also predicting that Ken Livingstone will lose his seat as mayor to Boris Johnson, the conservative candidate. It should make for some entertaining times in England.

And you thought American politicians were bad?

Over in England they are having a mayoral contest for the city of London. The current mayor is well known to folks who follow the spread of Islamic extremism across the globe. He is Ken Livingstone, normally referred to as Red Ken. He hasn't met a Muslim extremist he doesn't like.

Livingstone, a throwback to the heady days of the late '60s when revolution was in the air and on the airwaves, has welcomed Islamic extremists to London, and was suspended from his post for a month after comparing a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard. When the U.S. ambassador claimed diplomatic immunity from having to pay a "congestion charge" on cars entering central London, Livingstone called him a "chiseling little crook."

His opponent this time is Boris Johnson who is from the British Conservative party. Boris is quite a character too.

In a 2002 article in The Daily Telegraph, Johnson referred to Africans as "piccaninnies" (he apologized); he once offended Liverpudlians by saying they were wallowing in "victim status" after one of their own was taken hostage and killed in Iraq (he apologized), and he described the people of Papua New Guinea as cannibals and chief killers (he was sorry about that, too).

I think we can drop the word Great from in front of Britain now.