WEDNESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* U.S. Army Col. Viet Luong conceded today that “it has become practically impossible to stop insurgents from slipping across Afghanistan’s vast border with Pakistan.” If that’s true, doesn’t that make military success in Afghanistan almost impossible?
* Mosul police commander Lt. Col. Shamil al-Jabouri was a relentless terrorist foe, and was an al Qaeda target for assassination five times, all of them unsuccessful. Today, three suicide bombers wearing police uniforms over vests laden with explosives managed to kill him.
* No, conservatives, snow storms do not cast doubts on the veracity of climate change data.
* On a related note, I tend to think the blizzard in the Northeast is getting far too much attention, but it’s probably worth noting that the storm likely delayed $1 billion worth of retail shopping.
* It seems likely that WikiLeaks revelations have severely undermined democratic reforms in Zimbabwe.
* Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Tex.), reflecting on the BP oil spill disaster: “As we saw that thing bubbling out, blossoming out — all that energy, every minute of every hour of every day of every week — that was tremendous to me. That we could deliver that kind of energy out there — even on an explosion.” Did I mention that Hall will be the new chairman of the House science committee?
* Remember Judith Miller? Her ignominious career trajectory has managed to take her from the New York Times to Fox News to a fringe, extremist website called Newsmax. Wow.
* The problem with higher-ed in the U.S. isn’t more students going to college; it’s students and their families having to pay for most of that education themselves, plus interest.
* Congrats to Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) of Maryland, who’s poised to become the longest serving female senator in American history.
* How many times has Politico run a story purporting to show hostilities between the Obama White House and the business community? Would you believe 28 times?
* And Michael Vick’s dog-related crimes were awful and he clearly deserved to be punished. But Tucker Carlson thinks the quarterback deserved the death penalty and that strikes me as insane.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
