Liberal Hollywood fights over patriotic war book
Michelle Malkin

Tons of you are reading “Lone Survivor,” the NYTimes best-seller I’ve spotlighted here and here. Now, there’s this incredible news from Hollywood gossip columnist Nikki Finke. Tinseltown wants to make a movie out of the book: ...

Folks, if you don't have a copy yet check out Rurik's review here then use the Amazon link on my sidebar to get  a copy.

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Death by rules of engagement
Diana West (Hat tip: Henry Mark Holzer)

Now that Marcus Luttrell's book, "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10," is a national bestseller, maybe Americans are ready to start a discussion about the core issue his story brings to light: the inverted morality and insanity of U.S. military rules of engagement.

On a stark mountaintop in Afghanistan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell and three Navy SEAL teammates found themselves having just such a discussion back in 2005. Dropped behind enemy lines to kill or capture a Taliban kingpin who commanded between 150 and 200 fighters, the SEAL team was unexpectedly discovered in the early stages of a mission whose success, of course, depended on secrecy. Three unarmed Afghan goatherds, one a teenager, had stumbled across the Americans' position, presenting the soldiers with an urgent dilemma: What should they do? ...

"Where Freedom Flies" by Diana Nagy

Below the fold:

• Bitter Martinez
• Rethinking Immigration
• Hot Air Audio: Michelle interviews Gov. Mitt Romney
• The Kos kids try but fail to devour party moderates

Quick hits:

• Thompson: Roe 'bad law and bad medicine'
• Video: “We are going to be getting in if we get in”

• “Baird sees need for longer U.S. role in Iraq”

• “Is Brussels a Caliphate?”
  Protest at the Belgian Embassy in Copenhagen

• John Edwards: “Predatory lending” beneficiary?
  Michelle Malkin: Welcome to John Edwards’ America, a land where Democrat presidential candidates demonize the businesses that made them rich. Via the WSJ today, a fresh look at silky hypocrisy. Headline: “Edwards, Foreclosure Critic, Has Investing Tie to Subprime Lenders:” ...

• “Identity theft. Mortgage fraud. Money Laundering. Pakistan.”

• Goracle delivers “one of the stupidest statements ever put on film”

• Video: Geraldo cringes everytime he sees Michelle on Fox
  Bryan Preston: Well, we wouldn’t want to make Geraldo Rivera cry. But the fact is, he didn’t really address the situation. He once again smeared Michelle by bringing up militias, the KKK and neo-Nazis, to whom Michelle has no links and has never had any links (to whom Geraldo has attempted to link Michelle before), rather than just answer the question of whether deportable criminal aliens ought to be deported. And he brought up In Defense of Internment, mischaracterized it as “extolling” Roosevelt’s internment, rather than answer the question at hand. That’s called changing the subject. And he said he “cringes” nearly every time he sees Michelle on Fox. Well ain’t that a shame. ...
• Michelle: Brown like Geraldo, but not down with Geraldo

Bitter Martinez

In a sign of serious Republican disarray, Sen. Mel Martinez, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, has just lambasted his party's two top presidential candidates over immigration positions which most Americans regard as reasonable. The junior senator from Florida is wrong on more than the substance. This is a case of Mr. Martinez putting his own personal views and his loyalty to President Bush above the serious responsibilities of his chairmanship. He has just driven a wedge between himself and the two men most likely at this point to contend for the Republican presidential nomination. To what end? He is at odds with his party. He sounds bitter. He isn't going to change minds. And he may have just undercut the man for whom Mr. Martinez's job requires a vigorous defense next year. ...

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Rethinking Immigration
NRO Editors

It is bad enough that Sen. Mel Martinez, the national chairman of the Republican party, is out of step with a large majority of the party’s voters and volunteers on immigration. What’s worse is that he is now attacking the party’s presidential candidates for being in step with them. Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have turned against the “comprehensive” reform that Martinez has tried to push through the Senate, so Martinez is accusing them of not “leading on the tough issues.” Neither is Martinez: To be a leader, you have to have followers; and the country does not want to follow him down the path to amnesty. Romney and Giuliani are right to seek another route. ...

See also: Romney, Giuliani Escalate Their Immigration Fight

Hot Air Audio: Michelle interviews Gov. Mitt Romney
Bryan Preston (H/T: Michelle Malkin)

Immigration and border security are now at the center of the GOP presidential race. Hot Air spoke with Gov. Mitt Romney about sanctuary cities, Rudy Giuliani’s response to his criticism of NYC’s illegal alien safe haven policy, homeland security, ID cards, CAIR, and civil liberties, among other related topics. We’d of course welcome the opportunity to hear from Giuliani about these issues. Thanks to the Romney campaign for taking the time to speak to Hot Air’s audience. ...

Democrats and Cannibals
The Kos kids try but fail to devour party moderates
Kimberley A. Strassel

Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar is today fond of quoting a famous Lyndon Johnson line: "You know the difference between cannibals and liberals? Cannibals only eat their enemies."

Mr. Cuellar would know, having found himself the main course on liberals' election menu just last year. A centrist Democrat who is pro-business, free-trade and strong on law enforcement, the congressman was designated an apostate by the left-wing Netroots crowd. They decamped to his district and bankrolled a liberal primary challenger. Mr. Cuellar triumphed, though Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas would later swagger on his blog: "So we didn't kill off Cuellar. But we gave him a whooping where none was expected and made him sweat."

Which is the point. If the liberal blogging phenomenon deserves to be known for anything, it is the strategy to intimidate or silence anyone who disagrees with its own out-of-the-mainstream views. That muzzling has been on full display in recent weeks as Mr. Moulitsas and fellow online speech police have launched a campaign against the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. DLC Chairman Harold Ford, Jr. was even thwacked last week for daring to speak to this editorial page (my sincere apologies, Mr. Ford)--the clear goal to discourage him from making such a free-speech mistake again.  ...

In a match-up on "Meet the Press" this past weekend, the Daily Kos's Mr. Moulitsas extolled those who use his site to trash thoughtful folks such as Mr. Cuellar as a shining example of "democracy." In the same breath he then commanded the DLC's Mr. Ford to "control" his moderate members, and force them to stop disagreeing with liberal Democrats. If you get that logic, you might just be a Daily Kos reader. ...