Nassau Today

We're currently being moored to the pier in Nassau. We'll be here all day. For some reason I was not able to access the WiFi up on deck - maybe sometning to do with navigational equipment interfering. So I'll try posting more later today.

Surprise!

This just in: Killing terrorists stops them:

The Taliban's much-vaunted spring offensive has stalled apparently due to lack of organisation after dozens of middle-ranking commanders were killed by British troops in the past year, according to military sources.

The death last week of the key Taliban leader Mullah Dadullah at the hands of American special forces has harmed the Taliban's morale to the point that local commanders are having to tell their troops to "remain professional" despite the loss.

After suffering more than 1,000 dead in battles with the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines in the last year, the Taliban retired to regroup and re-equip last winter.

A spring offensive was ordered by the Taliban leadership based in Quetta, Pakistan, and was meant to be launched in late March.

But a lack of mid-level commanders has meant that there has been little co-ordination to bring about the offensive.

The way to disrupt the plans of our enemies is to kill them. Gee, what a concept. Not negotiate - kill them.

Trial Balloons That Are Not Making The Left Happy

CNN reports that aides to the Congressional leadership are busy floating trial balloons about a potential new funding bill for the troops that would drop the firm withdrawal date. The brief tour I took of Memeorandum indicated that the left was not at all happy about that.

The bill is expected to include benchmarks that the Iraqi government would have to achieve. The bill is also expected to require the president to provide numerous reports to Congress before August 2007 on the Iraqi government's progress, the aides said.

If the Iraqi government fails to meet the benchmarks, the aides said, reconstruction funds could be cut. The bill may also allow the president to waive the penalties for failing to meet the benchmarks if he feels they are necessary.

White House spokesman Tony Snow Tuesday declined to comment directly on the proposals in the new bill.

"One of the reasons why I think the talks have been able to proceed is that we are not floating trial balloons, nor are we responding to trial balloons," Snow said. "I think when both sides have worked out what they think is an acceptable agreement, I will let them do it."

A senior administration official added "it is premature to say that the White House has agreed to any provisions of the Iraq funding bill."

The war spending bill, also known as the supplemental appropriations bill, would also include a boost in the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour and other domestic spending initiatives, the amount of which are still being negotiated, the aides said.

So, the Democratic leadership – which always knew it did not have the votes even if the nutroots didn't – appear to finally be ready to get something passed to fund the troops. Sure, they will stuff as many extra things in as they can to claim they won a victory but the troops end up funded. Sleazy political theater? Sure. Appeasing the left? Well, they tried – but it won't work with them anymore than it has ever worked.