See previous: 2007.05.15 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup

Below the fold, newest items at the top:

• LTG Doug Lute Appointed War Czar
• Getting the War Wrong... Again
• Iraq withdrawal move thwarted in Senate
• Obama and Clinton: Cut Off Funds for the Troops

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LTG Doug Lute Appointed War Czar
By James Joyner

After a long search in which he was reportedly turned down by several four star generals, President Bush has found his war czar in the J3’s office: Army LTG Douglas E. Lute. Presuming he is confirmed by the Senate, “Lute would have the rank of assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser, and would report directly to the president. His job, which is part of a broader reorganization of the National Security Council staff responsible for Iraq and Afghanistan, would be to brief Mr. Bush every day on the two conflicts, and work with other government agencies — including the Pentagon and the State Department — to carry out policy.”

I expressed dubiousness about the whole idea of a war czar when it was first floated and the appointment of a 3-star who is currently running operations for the Joint Staff doesn’t win me over. ...

Jules Crittenden: Assume the Position

Phillip Carter: Doug Lute: Dream The Impossible Dream 

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Getting the War Wrong... Again
Confederate Yankee

A chronic problem of news agencies reporting from Iraq is their apparent inability to separate sectarian violence--violence committed by one sect on another, typically Sunni to Shia, or Shia to Sunni--with the terrorist attacks instigated by al Qaeda and aligned groups.

al Qaeda will attack against anyone and everyone else, including their Sunni co-religionists. It is this propensity towards terrorism for terrorism's sake that has spurred both the Anbar and Diyala Awakening movements.

AFP today provides a prime example of the media mislabeling an act of violence, turning a terrorist attack into a sectarian attack, even when their own report indicates they got it wrong: ...

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Iraq withdrawal move thwarted in Senate

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008.

The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war. But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding — an indication of the conflict's unpopularity among voters.

The proposal lost 29-67 on a procedural vote, falling 31 votes short of the necessary votes to advance.

The Senate also narrowly rejected a proposal by Republican moderates intended to restrict U.S. aid for Iraq, after Democratic leaders lashed out against the proposal as too weak. The 52-44 vote was widely supported by Republicans, but fell eight votes shy of the required 60.

The Senate agreed only on a nonbinding resolution expressing the need to pass a war spending bill by Memorial Day. That proposal passed by an 87-9 vote. ...

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Obama and Clinton: Cut Off Funds for the Troops
Kim Priestap

I can't think of anything that undermines or disheartens our troops in harms way more than to hear two presidential candidates stand up and publicly declare that all funds that support the troops in Iraq should be cut off:

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton separately declared their support Tuesday for a March 31, 2008, cutoff in funds for the Iraq war, two Democratic presidential front-runners abruptly shifting positions on a key issue.

The twin announcements came on the eve of the largely symbolic Senate vote on the cutoff and as Obama and Clinton compete for the support of anti-war activists.

Obama and Clinton are selling out our troops in exchange for support from anti-war activists. ...

That was yesterday. Today Clinton & Obama Vote To Cut Off Funds For Troops In Iraq (H/T: MM)