He’ll never get an Obama cabinet post at this rate

Sully’s just too honest.

Chesley Sullenberger has a problem. He borrowed a book from the Danville Library – and it’s overdue. To complicate matters, the book was an interlibrary loan from Fresno State.

Sullenberger contacted librarians and asked for an extension on the loan and a waiver on the overdue fine. The reason? The book is in the cargo hold of the US Airways plane that made an emergency landing last month in New York’s Hudson River. Sullenberger is the pilot who made that landing. No one was seriously injured.

Fresno State library officials were impressed with Sullenberger’s sense of responsibility… and waived all fines and fees, even the one for losing the book. The library’s going one step further: when the replacement book goes up on the shelf, it will have a special template in front, dedicating it to Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

Oh, by the way. The topic of that book? Professional ethics.

Don’t Dream of Afghanistan

Michael Yon emails:

Afghanistan is in a sad state.  Some folks are worried about “disturbing trends” in Afghanistan.  I was concerned about disturbing trends back in early 2006.  But that concern is over.  My concern is more grave; that we will completely lose the war if we set expectations too high.  We should downgrade our expectations for Afghanistan, and what we are willing to invest there.  The world is a big place and there are other problems at hand.  Iran just launched a satellite to orbit, for example.  Afghanistan is such a sorry place that it will require at least decades severe effort to become half-way presentable, and likely a century to bring to anything respectable.

In Iraq, the light at the end of the tunnel was always bright (except during the civil war), and now Iraq is already out of the tunnel and blinking in the light of a new day.  But Afghanistan is a national Humpty Dumpty.  The best I see is the very distant, very dim, twinkling of a star.  Or maybe it’s just a phosphene and not a star at all.  My humble recommendation is to downgrade all expectations for Afghanistan.  Treat the patient as best we can, and concern ourselves with more important matters while striving not to allow Afghanistan to again become a launching pad for international terror.  President Obama should not stake our national reputation on the idea that we will achieve our current more ambitious goals.  Decrease expectations, and work on more important matters such as the world economy and other more serious military threats.  Afghanistan is not worth so much effort when most of NATO has no heart and is virtually worthless.  Eventually we’ll likely end up alone, or mostly alone, holding the bag, while Europe goes home to its wine and beer.

And read his post to make sure your expectations are properly lowered.

Update:

Compare and contrast.

Well, at least he’s probably paid his taxes

As if it’d really happen.

Empty Suit Watch

Two whole weeks, and He is tired of being in the White House.

Love the brave spin His press people at the Associated (with terrorists) Press try:

The stop at the school underscored a promise that the Obamas made and insist they will keep: to avoid getting caught up in a White House bubble. They say they will be visible parts of the Washington community—even in the midst of a hectic day. Or a difficult one.

It’s going to be a long, long four years.

Monkey With a Gun

The Mad Mullahs of Iran have apparently orbited a satellite.

Will The One tell them to unclench their fist? The Annointed One’s feckless policy toward Iran which, ironically, actually makes Bush’s non-policy look like it was a policy, is going to leave us with nuclear-armed, rage-infested chimpanzees.

Swell.

Update:

Our new Secretary of State sets out to prove that she can be more toothless and pathetic than our last couple of Secretaries of State.

Iran has an opportunity to step up and become a productive member of the international community,” she said after a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. “As president Obama said, we are reaching out a hand, but the fist has to unclench. And we will see how we proceed together toward a policy that we believe represents the objectives that we share, vis-a-vis Iran. (Emphasis added)

Would you like a side of bacon with your Buttle?

Your wish is our command.