A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. ~ Alfred Renyi

Blue Crab Boulevard (Gaius) Border War

Now about that fence. Critics say we shouldn’t build one. Perhaps they’re right. It’s looking like time to build some forts instead. Allah asks why the unit retreated. How much do you want to bet they were ordered to pull back and refused permission to return fire? I got a five here.

Captain’s Quarters (Ed Morrissey) The Tax Line In The Sand

It looks like the Republicans have found their theme for the next two years of Democratic control of Congress. A slew of press releases from the GOP yesterday focused on the spectre of tax-raising by Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and their controlling caucuses. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney became the first top-level Republican primary candidate to sign the Tax Pledge, joining most of the Republican caucuses in Congress:

Blogs for Bush (Mark Noonan) The New Congress: First Impressions

As to the Democrats – an amazing amount of arrogance, especially from Pelosi and Rangel. They seem to think that they can dictate policy to the White House. If nothing else, it will be fun over the next few months to watch as they get put in their place by political reality.

Flopping Aces (Curt) Jamil Hussein Found?

As many of us have said from the beginning, finding Jamil Hussein will not make this story go away. Actually it makes it better since we can now question him on how he has been able to report on stories all across Baghdad. On why no other witnesses can be found other then three who will not go on record, everyone else says it didn’t happen. On why there is no record of any bodies going to a morgue or hospital as the AP reported. On why no family of the victims can be found nor can the vicims be identified.

In the Bullpen (Chad Evans) Iranians Captured in Iraq were Intelligence Officers

On BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ program, a British official said five Iranians detained in Iraq in late December were senior intelligence officers, rather than members of the Revolutionary Guard as suggested by the leader of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NICR). However, the two aren’t mutually exclusive.