Please note bilateral action changed rules of budget adoption in the Senate in order to include $1.5 billion the VA has announced it needs, after having turned down proposed increases in its budget earlier during VA budget consideration. This yesterday.

Noted Committee Chair Craig, the fiduciary body that made that decision relied on '03 figures, which of course did not include the figure for wounded in Iraq so only worked on a 3% increase projection. Or rising health care costs. They live in caves? Don't read?

Also said new VA Director Nicholson is a great successful businessman, who is truly embarrassed. NC.

As you cover the ME and have had comments in the past about weapons sales what do you make of this:
US agrees to sell anti-aircraft launchers to Egypt

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

"The Bush administration has authorized the sale of 25 Avenger anti-aircraft missile launchers to Egypt, calling its ally "an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East."

Does this jibe with the push for democracy or supporting stability by maintaining dictatorships?

"Egypt would be able to build two air defense brigades around the Avengers, the statement said.
"This proposed sale will reduce Egypt's dependence on its Soviet air defense systems and will enhance potential interoperability with US forces," the Pentagon said."

Against who I ask?
From my sideline it looks like back to Baker basics.

Iranian Hostage Crisis:

How sure are we that Ahmadinejad was involved? This morning on CNN, two former hostages said they were 99% certain.

The picture was supposedly taken the first day of hostage-taking. I thought the initial group of students were Marxists, later coopted by Khomenei.

Ahmadinejad was the "security chief" of the Khomeinists who accompanied the Marxists (the nucleus of the later MEK) that seized the embassy.

#2 Cynic

The Avenger, sometimes seen around Washington during terror alerts, is a Humvee that carries a launcher, which fires Stinger surface-to-air missiles.

More on the Avenger.

Egypt was looking to buy HUMRAAM's last I checked. The JCSS hasn't noted their arrival. Anyone know if the Avenger is being sold as an alternative, or if Egypt wants both?

BTW, thanks to Steve for the great briefing.

Thanks to all at Winds of Change. I feel like I was invited from the stands to pinch hit in a game at Wrigley Field on the 4th of July. What a thrill and what an honor.

To Cynic, I say that sometimes you just have to hold your nose and dance with who brung ya, like it or not. This may be one of those cases. We cannot fight all battles simultaneously.

Choose them wisely and timely.

Iran is next. Overtly or covertly, Iran is next. It has to be. There will be no victory in the War on Terror but through the Tehran mullahcracy. One way or another, that's just a fact of life.

Egypt can wait. In time, they may begin to wander on their own towards a Lebanese-style reform...

Wisely and timely.

Well, we do have options in Egypt, as I pointed out in How Do You Solve A Problem Like Mubarak

Those recommendations do, however, agree with the "wisely and timely" idea. I'll also note thast Victor Davis Hanson has a differing view, and uses a Sherman analogy to explain why he thinks Egypt is part of The Bush Doctrine's Next Test.

Oh, and BTW, nice double off the ivy....

We'll find out, there are pictures. Any joint in vegas can tell you with near certainty if the faces match, no matter the changes in age or facial hair.

Iraq couldn't be conquered so why would Iran be possible. It is much larger with a bigger population and a leadership that is much less hated than Saddam. Add to that the way America has f up Iraq and one would suspect that even the MEK would fight on the side of the Mullah's.
Besides Iran has real nukes.

Turkey’s will be a EU member in 2014 or 2015 and really nothing will change that. Even not immigrants who want to show off their nationalisme.

It's worthy of note that we have geographically solidified the isolation of many of the regimes who will eventually need to be dealt with.

Afghanistan wedged between Iran and Pakistan. With our official coronation of India (and it's about time), we 'officially' straddle Pakistan and finally declare a friend on China's western door. Iraq isolated Iran to the west and east and drove a wedge of power between Iran and Syria. The Lebanese matter that naturally followed furthered the isolation of Syria.

Two wars and a pact have turned a Rat Line into something resembling stones across a pond.

All a matter of linin' 'em up. And who wins? The people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon...and eventually those of Iran, Syria, Pakistan (well, if they want it) and the rest of the Middle East.

All you naysayers, this is a generational change, not a declarable victory. Your children will appreciate the work done today, though they may never have the courage to say such blasphemous utterances in your presence.

A common thread that goes unrecognized by the vast majority of the naysayers (another generational issue?):

It's not about you.

Iraq is now defacto allied with Iran and Syria. Turkey has also moved to a much more negative view of the USA so i wouldn't call Iran isolated at this moment.

Actually, our Monday Winds of War noted that Iraq's new prime minister said its relationship with the USA wouldn't change even if the USA attacked Iran. In the same news report, the Iraqis were making threatening noises at the Syrians and advocating a shutdown of the border.

a., I've long suspected you don't actually read the comments here. I'm beginning to suspect that you don;t read the posts, either.

Iran is next. Overtly or covertly, Iran is next. It has to be. There will be no victory in the War on Terror but through the Tehran mullahcracy.

I'm afraid I disagree. The insurgency in Iraq spelled the end of any ability (through lack of resources, public support, and political will) to intervene in either Iran or North Korea.

In a situation where the threat is relatively nuanced (compared to WWII, for example), the public will only let you have one stalemate. It will take at least a decade after Iraq is wrapped up for the USA to have the political will to intervene in a major way in a foreign country (barring a major catastrophe). Unfortunately, by that time, both Iran and NK will be nuclear capable.

Somehow I don't think that's the only things he's not reading, Joe.