Tidbits

- During the attack on the US compound in Benghazi, our intelligence agencies picked up electronic communications coming out of there in Farsi (Persian). The suspicion was that this operation was directed by Iran’s Soleimani.

- The Diplomad suggests that the above Benghazi speculation may be true and also that Iran may have given up Soleimani to the US because he was creating too many problems for the Iran leaders ... see: The Diplomad.

- It is reported that President Trump convinced Putin NOT to supply Iran with Russia’s latest anti-ballistic missiles last year ... a major win for us and loss for Iran. (Obviously another case of Trump colluding with Russia.)

- DC scuttlebutt has it that Pelosi’s timing of sending the impeachment articles to the Senate may have been to disadvantage Senators Bernie and Warren by tying them up before the Iowa caucus ... and therefore favoring Biden.

- Mark Steyn revealed today on the Rush Limbaugh radio show that Prince Harry and Meghan Markel, while in Canada, will be staying at the house of the billionaire who had sold 20% of America’s uranium to Russia ... with the blessing of Comey and Hillary. You can’t make this stuff up!

- Mark Steyn also revealed that, during the Bill Clinton impeachment trial, he was covering it and staying at the Mayflower hotel in DC. Toward the end of the trial, Monica Lewinsky, as a potential witness, was also staying at this same hotel. One morning, Mark Steyn pushed the elevator button to go up to his room. When the elevator door opened, there was Monica who waved him off saying, “I’m going down.”

Maya Angelou

Mark Steyn somehow has an encyclopedic knowledge of almost anything.  Yesterday he regurgitated his all in tribute to Maya Angelou on the occasion of her demise. Although he proffers a few zingers, in general he treats her reasonably kindly … with lots of gritty life details (it’s worth a read) … see: Steyn Online.

Swimming in all this interesting flotsam about Ms. Angelou’s life however, somehow Mr. Steyn missed what I remember most about this lady. That was the doggerel part of the poem she read at Bill Clinton’s first inaugural … see: Professor Althouse's Blog.

William F, Buckley Jr., also now deceased, when commenting on this poetry performance by Ms, Angelou famously said, “We were both at a loss for words.”

RIP, Maya

South Africa

Mark Steyn must have a large and/or competent research staff … because most of his opinion pieces are full of salient and often startling facts.  (As opposed to most New York Times news articles that are chock-a-block full of opinions.)  

Steyn has just written a piece on South Africa and Nelson Mandela that recalls much of the seedier side of this country after the demise of apartheid … see: Steyn Online.  In it, Steyn treads lightly on Mandela’s legacy … but spares not the country from a barrage of unfortunate revelations (e.g., South Africa is the murder capital of the world) … many of which I once knew but have forgotten.  Please read it if you have any designs on going there.

This is really a shame for, from what I hear, South Africa is a country full of incredible scenic beauty and bountiful natural resources.  But, as a result of its current condition, it is not on my bucket list.  I just wish I could have seen and relished it (ditto Kashmir) before it went the way of most former colonial nations. 

From a selfish point of view, one wonders if this country will ever regain its previous stature and benign presence.  I certainly hope so.  But I think it will take a passel more of statesmen the likes of Mandela for this to occur.

Bongo

I am often smitten with Mark Steyn's writing.  He is able, in one blog posting, to weave erudite prosy ... cross referencing musical nostalgia, current politics, geographic history, and even some shy name dropping into a complex word tapestry worthy of Tom Wolfe.  Please read his greatest latest ... Bongo Bongo Bongo.  And don't miss the upbeat ending.

Queuing Up

Here is a partial list of well-known Republicans (Rush Limbaugh would call them "Establishment Republicans") who are lining up to take their shots at Newt Gingrich:

Ann Coulter

Joe Scarborough (see: The Newt I Knew)

Eliot Abrams

Bob Tyrrell

Bob Dole

Tom DeLay

Matt Drudge

Mark Steyn

Chris Christie

Marco Rubio

Jonah Goldberg

If Gingrich loses in the Florida primary next Tuesday, it may be because of the rotten tomatoes that this group brought to the festivities.

Juxtaposition XXIX

Wall Street Protest

Tea Party Rally

See 13 Demands and Mark Steyn's Comments