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Members of the U.S. National Guard work along a new border fence near the U.S.-Mexico border in Otay Mesa, San Diego July 21, 2006.

Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist have sent the Secure Fence Act of 2006 to President Bush for his signature. Their joint statement is here.

Captain Ed says the bill will be signed on Thursday.

Too little and TOO LATE………

Allah says BLEH

Previous:

Illegal Immigration Watch: President Bush WILL Sign Secure Borders Act

Illegal Immigration Watch: Pocket Veto for Secure Borders Act?

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Technorati Tags: SecureFenceAct, illegalimmigration

Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) meets with visiting Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh at his official residence at 10 Downing Street, in central London. Nearly half of Iraq ‘s 18 provinces will be under Iraqi control by the end of the year, Saleh has said, despite growing concerns about increased violence in the troubled state.

Jed Babbin has the policy alternatives.

Why not WIN?

Flap agrees with Paul. American security interests are not threatened with civil strife in Baghdad.

However, a precipitous redeployment/retreat of American troops will.

There are other choices, including winning the peace, continuing to train Iraqi security forces and helping the Iraqi government reach political consensus on self-governance.

Stay tuned…….

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Technorati Tags: IraqWar, JedBabbin

How would you like the 2006 Congressional elections to turn out?

Glenn Reynolds has the poll here.

A view of the Arak heavy-water project 190 km (120 miles) southwest of Tehran in this August 26, 2006 file photo. Iran said on Sunday the West’s ‘carrot and stick’ method for getting it to halt sensitive nuclear fuel work was doomed to failure.

AP: Diplomats: Iran Expanding Enrichment

Iran is expanding its uranium enrichment program even as the U.N. Security Council focuses on possible sanctions for its defiance of a demand to give up the activity and ease fears it seeks nuclear weapons, diplomats said Monday.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge the information to media, told The Associated Press that within the past few weeks Iranian nuclear experts had started up a second pilot enrichment facility.

And why not?

The United Nations and the European Union have set deadline after deadline and Iran has been consistently adamant: IRAN WILL NOT CEASE URANIUM ENRICHMENT.

Why?

IRAN COVETS NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Iran President Ahmadinejad boasts that Iran’s nuclear capability has INCREASED TENFOLD.

While the G-8, including the United States and European Union have fiiddled Rome has been burning. Negotiations with Iran have bought Iran precious time to master the nuclear fuel cycle.

Of course, Russia and China will do NOTHING to stop Iran because of their business and oil deals but the feckless United Nations and the European Union muddle along. I mean can the UNSC REALLY expect Russia and China to shoot themselves in the foot economically?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during Friday prayers at a university in Tehran October 20, 2006. Ahmadinejad said on Monday Western powers were wrong if they thought Iran would retreat under political pressure from its nuclear plans, even as the country faces possible sanctions.

Iran does NOT care about UNSC sanctions. The Mullahs and Ahmadinejad will tolerate a little inconvenience to possess the weapons to wipe Israel off the map.

Ahmadinejad today says he wants to increase Iran’s population. Interesting, because he will need more people after the coming civilian conflagration from Israel and the United States if Iran does not stand down their nuclear program.

Stay tuned……

Iran Nuclear Watch: Olmert – IDF preparing for Iranian Threat

Cox & Forkum: Savoir-Farce

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – Iran Will NOT Back Down “An Inch”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Warns Against United Nations Sanctions

Iran Nuclear Watch: Anonymous Assured Destruction

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – Iran to Proceed With Uranium Enrichment

The Iran Nuclear Files

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.

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Technorati Tags: Iran, Ahmadinejad

Powerline: Has the GOP bottomed out?

Perhaps so.

Let’s look at the races over at Election Projection.

Note: Scott is making his premium content avcailable for free until tonight and then there is his “Name your price” subscription program to continue access through election day and beyond.

The Senate:

Current: 55 GOP, 44 DEM, 1 IND
Projected: 50 GOP, 48 DEM, 2 IND
DEM +4, GOP -5, IND +1

State	Major Candidates	Projected Result
Arizona	Jon Kyl (R)-inc vs Jim Pederson (D)	Mod GOP Hold
California	Dianne Feinstein (D)-inc vs Richard Mountjoy (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Connecticut	Lieberman(I) / Lamont(D) / Schlesinger(R)	Mod IND Gain
Delaware	Tom Carper (D)-inc vs Jan Ting? (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Florida	Bill Nelson (D)-inc vs Katherine Harris? (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Hawaii	Daniel Akaka (D)-inc vs Cynthia Thielen (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Indiana	Richard Lugar (R)-inc (unopposed)	Strong GOP Hold
Maine	Olympia Snowe (R)-inc vs Jean Hay Bright (D)	Strong GOP Hold
Maryland	OPEN: Ben Cardin (D) vs Michael Steele (R)	Mod DEM Hold
Massachusetts	Ted Kennedy (D)-inc vs Kenneth Chase (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Michigan	Debbie Stabenow (D)-inc vs Mike Bouchard (R)	Mod DEM Hold
Minnesota	OPEN: Amy Klobuchar (D) vs Mark Kennedy (R)	Mod DEM Hold
Mississippi	Trent Lott (R)-inc vs Erik Fleming (D)	Strong GOP Hold
Missouri	Jim Talent (R)-inc vs Claire McCaskill (D)	Weak DEM Gain
Montana	Conrad Burns (R)-inc vs Jon Tester (D)	Mod DEM Gain
Nebraska	Ben Nelson (D)-inc vs Peter Ricketts (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Nevada	John Ensign (R)-inc vs Jack Carter (D)	Strong GOP Hold
New Jersey	Robert Menendez (D)-inc vs Tom Kean, Jr. (R)	Weak DEM Hold
New Mexico	Jeff Bingaman (D)-inc vs Allen McCulloch (R)	Strong DEM Hold
New York	Hillary Clinton (D)-inc vs John Spencer (R)	Strong DEM Hold
North Dakota	Kent Conrad (DNL)-inc vs Dwight Grotberg (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Ohio	Mike DeWine (R)-inc vs Sherrod Brown (D)	Mod DEM Gain
Pennsylvania	Rick Santorum (R)-inc vs Bob Casey, Jr. (D)	Mod DEM Gain
Rhode Island	L. Chafee (R)-inc vs S. Whitehouse (D)	Mod DEM Gain
Tennessee	OPEN: Bob Corker (R) vs Harold Ford, Jr. (D)	Weak GOP Hold
Texas	Kay Hutchison (R)-inc vs Barbara Radnofsky (D)	Strong GOP Hold
Utah	Orrin Hatch (R)-inc vs Pete Ashdown (D)	Strong GOP Hold
Vermont	OPEN: Bernie Sanders (I) vs Richard Tarrant (R)	Strong IND Hold
Virginia	George Allen (R)-inc vs James Webb, Jr. (D)	Weak GOP Hold
Washington	Maria Cantwell (D)-inc vs Mike McGavick (R)	Mod DEM Hold
West Virginia	Robert Byrd (D)-inc vs John Raese (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Wisconsin	Herb Kohl (D)-inc vs Robert Lorge (R)	Strong DEM Hold
Wyoming	Craig Thomas (R)-inc vs Dale Groutage (D)	Strong GOP Hold
BOLD – party turnover
Race ratings: “Weak” – less than 5% “Mod” – 5% to 15% “Strong” – greater than 15%
For projected margins of victory, click here

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Real Clear Politics has 2006 Senate RealClearPolitics Poll Averages

Not so optimistic at RCP with a net GOP loss of 6 seats and control of the Senate.

Certainly the political consensus is the GOP has already lost the House and MAY lose the Senate. But, the question remains: Has the GOP bottomed out?

Will the last weeks campaign strategy and superior GOTV programs be enough?

Stay tuned …….

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United States House 2006 Election Watch: Rush Limbaugh and the Coming GOP DEBACLE

Michael Ramirez on the Coming GOP Debacle

United States House 2006 Election Watch: SEA OF BLUE

Election 2006 Watch: The Coming Republican DEBACLE

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Technorati Tags: Election2006, GOP, Democrats

Alberto Fernandez

Washington Post: Fernandez Apologizes for Al-Jazeera Remarks

The State Department official in charge of public diplomacy for the Middle East apologized Sunday for telling the Arabic language Al-Jazeera television station that the U.S. had displayed “arrogance and stupidity” in Iraq.

Alberto Fernandez, director of public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the State Department, made the remarks in an interview that aired Saturday on the Qatar-based channel, which is carried by satellite and is closely watched in the Arab world.

The QUOTE:

“We tried to do our best,” he said during the interview, which aired late Saturday. “But I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq.”

Now, Fernandez has apologized. A HIT AND RUN attack?

The State Department should review this character’s work and determine if he is best serving the United States. IF Mr. Fernandez has policy differences with the United States State Department under President Bush then he should resign his position.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice needs to bring Fernandez in for a WOODSHED TALK.

Flap continues to await a return call to interview Mr. Fernandez.

Blogosphere:

MM: State Department weasel apologizes

MM: State Department stupidity

NRO: American “Stupidity” and “Arrogance” in Iraq

Wizbang:Sometimes Sorry Just Isn’t Enough

Previous:

Iraq War Watch: American Diplomat – America Has Shown “Arrogance” and “Stupidity” in Iraq

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Technorati Tags: AlbertoFernandez, Al-Jazeera, IraqWar

Day By Day by Chris Muir

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Technorati Tags: DayByDay, ChrisMuir