Simply saying what much of the Left thinks -- about not only Tony Blair, but George W. Bush as well.

The Respect MP George Galloway has said it would be morally justified for a suicide bomber to murder Tony Blair.

In an interview with GQ magazine, the reporter asked him: "Would the assassination of, say, Tony Blair by a suicide bomber - if there were no other casualties - be justified as revenge for the war on Iraq?"

Mr Galloway replied: "Yes, it would be morally justified. I am not calling for it - but if it happened it would be of a wholly different moral order to the events of 7/7. It would be entirely logical and explicable. And morally equivalent to ordering the deaths of thousands of innocent people in Iraq - as Blair did."

I'll agree with the characterization of Galloway by one of his fellow MPs.

The Labour MP Stephen Pound, a persistent critic of Mr Galloway during previous controversies, told The Sun that the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow in east London was "disgraceful and truly twisted".

He said: "These comments take my breath away. Every time you think he can't sink any lower he goes and stuns you again. It's reprehensible to say it would be justified for a suicide bomber to assassinate anyone."

I guess we shouldn't be surprised -- Galloway was on Saddam's payroll. And given how the Left in both the US and UK have tried to justify "understand" 9/11 and 7/7 as the "entirely logical and explicable" response of Muslims to US policy on israel and British involvement in the War on Jihadi Terrorists, there is absolutely nothing to be surprised about here.

(H/T: Captain's Quarters)

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UPDATE: I've been Insta-lanched! Welcome visitors from Instapundit. Thanks, Glenn.

Following much wrangling, the Iraqis have their own government, the result of free and fair elections.

Iraq's parliament swore in its full-term prime minister and his cabinet Saturday, a political milestone U.S. leaders hope will allow a new government to begin solving the country's problems and lead to the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops.

But the formation of the new government, anticipated for over five months since national elections were held Dec. 15, was marred by the new prime minister's inability to fill the top two positions in his government and the walkout of several Sunni Arab politicians who felt they had been spurned in the negotiations over cabinet posts.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said that he would run the Interior Ministry himself for a week, and that one of his deputies, Salam al-Zubaie, would temporarily fill the Defense Ministry. In the meantime, he will try to find a permanent replacement for those powerful posts, which control the country's police and army.

Yeah, that's right, we cannot talk about what is right with the situation -- we have to talk about what is wrong. Discussing the successes that led to this day isn't nearly as much fun as raining on this ever-so-significant parade.

And then, of course, we will soon be treated to the bleatings of those intrepid Leftists who view this as a bad thing because, after all, anything that smacks of a Bush success is bad for the world. Better that there be victories for the jihadi terrorists than for the President of the United States and the Iraqi people.

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Rather than allow this rogue regime to sell American-made fighters to the Iranians, we need a surgical strike to destroy the aircraft.

Venezuela's military is considering selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, possibly Iran, in response to a U.S. ban on arms sales to President Hugo Chavez's government, an official said Tuesday.

Gen. Alberto Muller, a senior adviser to Chavez, told The Associated Press he had recommended to the defense minister that Venezuela consider selling the 21 jets to another country.

Muller said he thought it was worthwhile to consider "the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the sale of those planes."

Even before the United States announced the ban on arms sales Monday, Washington had stopped selling Venezuela sensitive upgrades for the F-16s.

Muller said officials have been considering options for replacing the F-16s for some time. He said the military was considering Russian Su-35 jet fighters, "which is the best jet fighter there is in the world right now."

Chavez has previously warned he could share the U.S.-made F-16s with Cuba and China _ and look into buying new jets from Russia or China _ because he said Washington was not supplying parts for the planes as agreed.

U.S. officials disputed that accusation, saying they were living up to their commitments under the deal. They said Venezuela is bound under the 1982 contract to consult with Washington before transferring any F-16s to another country.

"The recommendation that I'm making to the minister, and which I will make to the president at the appropriate time, is that the (F-16s) be sold to a third party because if they aren't complying with their part of the agreement, we don't have any obligation to comply with our part," Muller told the AP.

The sale of these planes to Iran on the eve of that country obtaining nuclear weapons is a risk we cannot and must not take.

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As noted over the weekend, human rights crusader Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been under harassment from her political opponents who would prefer to rid the Netherlands of an inconvenient opponent of Islamism rather than the jihadi Muslim scourge itself.

A Somali-born member of Parliament who became an internationally known opponent of some violent types of Islam said Tuesday she will resign and leave Holland after the government said she was improperly granted citizenship.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been under police protection since a film she wrote criticizing the treatment of women under Islam provoked the murder of its director, Theo van Gogh, by an Islamic radical.

Hirsi Ali said she had made the decision to resign Monday night, after Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk told her "she would strip me of my Dutch citizenship."

"I am therefore preparing to leave Holland," Hirsi Ali told reporters in The Hague.

Hirsi Ali has acknowledged that she lied on an asylum application in 1992. But after a television program again reported on the matter last week, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk ruled Monday that her naturalization had been improperly granted.

Hirsi Ali was placed under guard after Van Gogh's murderer left a note threatening her was pinned on the filmmaker's corpse with a knife.

Hirsi Ali will likely be taking a position with the American Enterprise Institute, beginning in September. This could be an interesting mix.

Leon de Winter, an English-language blogger for the conservative German daily Die Welt, said, "She rocks the boat. As a member of the Dutch parliament for the liberal party she scares the insipid appeasers of the centre-left who'd like nothing better than to ignore what she has to say. What the racist right think of her is perhaps best left unsaid."

The report that Ali would join AEI was "premature," he added.

The Dutch media reaction to her prospective exile to America has been mixed, according to Expatica.com. Some political allies have expressed regret, while a spokesman for a Dutch Muslim group said her departure would contribute to religious understanding. An AEI spokesman cited a blanket policy of not commenting on personnel decisions.

In light of her loss of citizenship in the dhimmified Dutch nation, I again call upon American authorities to act to grant her immediate American citizenship in recognition of her activities on behalf of human rights.

UPDATE: The Washington Post has a later write-up that is none-too-friendly to Hirsi Ali.

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As noted over the weekend, human rights crusader Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been under harassment from her political opponents who would prefer to rid the Netherlands of an inconvenient opponent of Islamism rather than the jihadi Muslim scourge itself.

A Somali-born member of Parliament who became an internationally known opponent of some violent types of Islam said Tuesday she will resign and leave Holland after the government said she was improperly granted citizenship.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been under police protection since a film she wrote criticizing the treatment of women under Islam provoked the murder of its director, Theo van Gogh, by an Islamic radical.

Hirsi Ali said she had made the decision to resign Monday night, after Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk told her "she would strip me of my Dutch citizenship."

"I am therefore preparing to leave Holland," Hirsi Ali told reporters in The Hague.

Hirsi Ali has acknowledged that she lied on an asylum application in 1992. But after a television program again reported on the matter last week, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk ruled Monday that her naturalization had been improperly granted.

Hirsi Ali was placed under guard after Van Gogh's murderer left a note threatening her was pinned on the filmmaker's corpse with a knife.

Hirsi Ali will likely be taking a position with the American Enterprise Institute, beginning in September. This could be an interesting mix.

Leon de Winter, an English-language blogger for the conservative German daily Die Welt, said, "She rocks the boat. As a member of the Dutch parliament for the liberal party she scares the insipid appeasers of the centre-left who'd like nothing better than to ignore what she has to say. What the racist right think of her is perhaps best left unsaid."

The report that Ali would join AEI was "premature," he added.

The Dutch media reaction to her prospective exile to America has been mixed, according to Expatica.com. Some political allies have expressed regret, while a spokesman for a Dutch Muslim group said her departure would contribute to religious understanding. An AEI spokesman cited a blanket policy of not commenting on personnel decisions.

In light of her loss of citizenship in the dhimmified Dutch nation, I again call upon American authorities to act to grant her immediate American citizenship in recognition of her activities on behalf of human rights.

UPDATE: The Washington Post has a later write-up that is none-too-friendly to Hirsi Ali.

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It has been only a few days since the Red Chinese dictator was warmly welcomed at the White House by President Bush and an American citizen was arrested for voicing her displeasure. Now, the democratically elected leader of the Republic of China – Taiwan, for those who wan to kowtow to the Commies – has been denied permission to visit the United States, and is permitted only to stay in this country long enough for his plane to refuel in Alaska.

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has dropped plans to stop over in the US on his way to Latin America.

The move was prompted by a US decision not to allow him a more high-profile visit than a transit stop in Alaska.

Mr Chen - who has often made short visits to the US during previous trips abroad - accused China of influencing Washington's decision.

China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, disapproves of trips that imply Taiwanese sovereignty.

Mr Chen is en route to Paraguay and Coast Rica, two of a decreasing number of countries - now just 25 - that recognise Taiwan diplomatically.

The Republic of China shares our values. The murderous Beijing regime oppresses well over a billion souls, and murders or imprisons those who strive for even a hint of American-style freedom. It is nothing short of scandalous that we welcome the tyrant while banning the president. SHAME!

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