Marines, Veteran's Day and Al Qaeda

Today is the 231st birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Read the Commandant's birthday message here.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day, formerly Armistice Day, the holiday founded to honor the killed and wounded of World War I. Now it honors all vets, living and dead.

Today, Al Qaeda released a new tape, praising the American electorate for turning over power in the US Congress to the Democrats, gloating over Rumsfeld's resignation, and threatening to "blow up" the White House.

Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, said in the recording posted on the Internet on Friday that the group had 12,000 armed fighters and 10,000 others waiting to be quipped to fight U.S. troops in Iraq. I tell the lame duck (U.S. administration) do not rush to escape as did your defense minister...stay on the battle ground," he said.

He said his group would not rest until it had blown up the presidential mansion in Washington. "I swear by God we shall not rest from jihad until we...blow up the filthiest house known as the White House," the voice on the recording said.

In other news, George McGovern, a rabid anti-Vitenam-war former South Dakota congressman, said he will meet with members of congress to discuss how to exit Iraq by June.

So in spite of the conciliatory rhetoric coming from the Dems after the election, they apparently have no intention of doing anything other than cutting and running, even in the face of continuing threats against the US by Al Qaeda.