Everybody Panic! Kim Jong Il Is Dead As GOP Candidates Rattle Sabers At Iran

Sunday night word finally made it's way to the rest of the world that "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il of the "People's Democratic Republic" of Korea, aka the "Best" Korea, had died on a train. Of course, who knows if that's true, being as North Korea is a completely cut-off country trapped in a ruthless dictatorship. Kim Jong Il could have died from an orgy or eating too many jelly beans or could have died three years ago and he was pulling a "Sixth Sense" all this time. You don't know. I don't know.

It's North Korea.

Click to read more ...

GOP Looks For the Negative In Obama's Actions on Iraq, Libya

Barack Obama salutes Admiral Mike Mullen. (Via White House Flickr)So, we finally know when the rest of our troops are coming home from Iraq. It'll be by this Christmas. And it's great (obviously) as the war was largely pointless in the first place and, secondly, the Iraqis don't want us there anymore (as if they ever wanted us there), so we have to skedaddle and return the former Mesopotamia to those who have always lived there. And not many folks in the U.S. liked the Iraq War once it was obvious we'd invaded a country on a lark and turned it into Thunderdome. And President Obama, then candidate Obama, promised to end it and is. You'd think there'd be no "bad" side to this since major hostilities in Iraq have been over with for a minute now and we promised the Iraqis we would eventually leave and are now holding up our end of the deal. What's wrong with that?

Apparently, if you ask certain members of the GOP, everything.

Click to read more ...

Gaddafi Had A Crush On Condoleeza Rice

Rebels examine a photo album of former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, which was found in Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli, Libya, on August 24. (Photo by Ammar Abd Rabbo / Abaca, via MSNBC) From Mediaite:

On Tuesday afternoon rebels invaded Muammar Gaddafi’s compound, extracting many strange and opulent artifacts that seemed to perfectly symbolize a peculiar dictator (and in some cases donning golden military caps for interviews with Western media.) But one of the strangest items found was a photo album containing images of former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Well, former Secretary of State Condi Rice is kind of adorable in that perky, no nonsense, double-good, minister's daughter kind of way. (Mediaite, MSNBC)

VIDEO: Michelle Obama In Africa

Michelle Obama wrapped up her trip to South Africa and Botswana over the weekend. The First Lady visited the two southern African countries to meet and speak with young people, promote youth education, health and awareness, do a few push-ups with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and perform her duties as First Lady with a little soft diplomacy. Needless to say, it looks like everyone enjoyed each other. In a White House produced video, Mrs. Obama talked about meeting Nelson Mandela, one of her many highlights from the trip.

Videos from the First Lady's trip after the jump.

Click to read more ...

PHOTOS: Michelle Obama In South Africa

From CBS NewsFirst Lady Michelle Obama, along with daughters Sasha and Malia, and "First Grandmother" Marian Robinson, is in the midst of a six-day trip to Africa, where she is currently visiting South Africa and will later visit Botswana. Tuesday, Mrs. Obama, her mother and daughters all got to meet activist-turned-political prisoner-turned-President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, resulting in me, once again, badly wishing I was either A) Michelle Obama, B) Sasha Obama, C) Malia Obama or D) Marian Robinson.

I'm not picky. I'd be happy to be any of them!

More after the jump.

Click to read more ...

Osama bin Laden Is Dead

President Barack Obama confirmed the news that was buzzing online late last night -- Osama bin Laden was dead and was killed by our military personnel inside of Pakistan. And now, in the span of a few days, the compound where bin Laden was located, raided, bin Laden was apparently shot in the head and killed, his body was collected, the body was examined and tested and now the body is buried at sea. President Obama then drafted his own speech, later giving previous Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton a "preview" before he gave it. Then President Obama spoke to the nation, late Sunday night, for 10 minutes, remembering the families and victims and praising our troops.

What does this all mean? Screw candor. Unlike in past years where the United States glossed over all Jason Bourne-esque activities as the stuff of Hollywood fantasy and denounced state sponsored assassinations -- our President was blunt in a way few others have dared to be. He said he would make getting bin Laden a priority when he ran for President in 2008. And he did it. And now bin Laden, leader of the terrorist al-Qaeda network, and the man behind the deaths at our embassies in 1998, the bombing USS Cole in 2000 and the September 11th attacks in 2001 is dead.

More after the jump.

Click to read more ...

North Korea Just Wants Your Attention

Sure, they do it by threatening World War III once a year which seems highly counter-productive, but they're a closed off, isolated, Cold War relic of a Nation-State. Apparently they didn't get the memo that the Cold War was over and that they need to just talk to people, not threaten to blow them up every five minutes, fire actual artillery on civilians and kill two South Korean marines. Unless ... they want to accidentally start World War III by killing people. FYI: If for some reason North Korea decides to reignite the Korean War (because, technically, the war never ended as both sides just stopped fighting one day), the United States would be all up in that war as we have goo-gobs of troops at the border and have pledged to help South Korea if the North ever attacks. So, you know? You should probably care. (AP via Yahoo News)

Indonesian Information Minister Touches First Lady's Hand, Cries Cooties

"Look!" he thought excitedly, "It's Michelle Obama! Wife of President Obama who spent some of his youth in my country. MINE! The most powerful man in the world used to live in Indonesia and I'm meeting both him AND his wife! She's the First Lady of the United States! I LOVE HER! I'm going to go shake her hand! WHAT A FEELING! Wait ... um ... was that camera on? And do I have a history of telling people you should avoid all physical contact with women who are not your wife? Even friendly, handshake gestures because I'm a super, hardline conservative? Ru-roh! Think! THINK! How do I get out of this one? I KNOW!"

More and video after the jump.

Click to read more ...

President Obama Announces End of Combat Operations In Iraq (Video)

No party. No parade. No "Mission Accomplished." No "V" for victory. The unnecessary war is over (kind of). Last one in Iraq who's not one of the 50,000 advisory troops left behind, please turn the light out before you go. (Via White House YouTube)