confrontation

Remember when Joe Biden said someone would really test Obama early in his presidency? Well I would consider the pirates capturing U.S. ships and crew as a test, and after yesterday’s news of the Hollywood style rescue of captain Richard Phillips, it looks like he passed his first big military test.

For President Obama, last week's confrontation with Somali pirates posed similar political risks to a young commander in chief who had yet to prove himself to his generals or his public.

But the result -- a dramatic and successful rescue operation by U.S. Special Operations forces -- left Obama with an early victory that could help build confidence in his ability to direct military actions abroad.

Oh and he passed it without having to resort to Reagan style hostage negotiation deals. Of course the right is spinning this and trying to give the administration no credit at all.

The right wing loons are at it again. Aravosis has a complete run down of their latest attack and this time it is on the Capital Police. Here is a prime example, but please read the entire thing:

1. ALLEGATION: The Capitol Police "allowed" the protesters to spray paint the US Capitol - the police saw the protesters defacing the property and did nothing about it because the chief of police ordered his fellow officers to let the evil protesters do whatever they wanted.

TRUTH: The Police had no idea that a small group was defacing anything, and had they seen the defacement, there would have been immediate arrests. And I quote the chief of police:

Some members of this group did covertly mark the pavement on the Lower West Terrace during their confrontation with us. Had this been observed, I would have directed arrests to be made. However, the size and continual movement of the crowd provided concealment and made detection of their actions impossible. Once the crowd dispersed, I was appalled and disgusted that any individual, whatever their cause, would deface the grounds of the Capitol. Fortunately, due to the notable efforts of the staff of the Architect of the Capitol, their signs of disrespect were quickly washed away.

Now the war bloggers are up in arms over this and wanting to "jam" the switchboards at the Capital Police:

While the AP spent tonight reporting on the passing of the Patriot Act as a major victory for Republicans, the Washington Post was busy getting an article ready for tomorrow's print edition. That article talks about a House GOP effort to block the Dubai ports deal:

Efforts by the White House to hold off legislation challenging a Dubai-owned company's acquisition of operations at six major U.S. ports collapsed yesterday when House Republican leaders agreed to allow a vote next week that could kill the deal.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) will attach legislation to block the deal today to a must-pass emergency spending bill funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A House vote on the measure next week will set up a direct confrontation with President Bush, who sternly vowed to veto any bill delaying or stopping Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steamship Co

Attaching this to the Iraq and Afghanistan funding bill is an excellent move. Bush vows to veto and legislation blocking the ports deal but will he do it when it also means vetoing the funding for his wars? This will definitely set the stage for a show down between the White House and both sides of the aisle in Congress on this very important issue.

Of course tomorrow can always bring something new and I can almost hear it now. They will try to spin this into being partisan politics that is to blame on the Democrats. Not sure how yet but they will find a way.