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Juan Cole is a disgusting prick, a Middle East "expert" who also serves as one of Islamofascism's most ardent -- and disturbing -- apologists. He also happens to be the "go to" guy for a lot of people on the...

With the decision this morning by an 8-1 vote, South dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base was removed from the list of recommended closures by the BRAC Commissioners.

Some coverage on the facts of the decision in the Rapid City Journal...
Ellsworth saved

Like the phoenix from the ashes, the status of Ellsworth Air Force base rose from expendable to essential in a matter of seconds when the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, or BRAC, voted Friday to save the base.

South Dakota's top lawmakers and the head of the Ellsworth Task Force were at the edge of their seats in the suburban Washington, D.C., hearing room when BRAC commissioner Samuel Skinner made a motion to reject the Pentagon's recommendation to close Ellsworth and move its 29 B-1B Lancer bombers to Dyess Air Force Base.

Looking for at least five commissioners to raise their hands in support of Skinner's motion, the South Dakotans instead saw all but one of the nine-member panel vote to save Ellsworth.

...and in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader:

ELLSWORTH SPARED

Ellsworth Air Force Base was taken off the Pentagon?s recommended list of closures this morning, a decision that sent jubilant Rapid City residents leaping to their feet as they watched the proceedings on live TV.

The nine-member independent commission voted 8 to 1 to reject the Pentagon?s recommendation to close the base as part of the Defense Department?s plan to restructure the military.

Meanwhile, some of the politics of the situation which provide a boost to Sen. Thune's position were not lost on others:

Base Closing Choices Impact Politics

When the Pentagon announced that it wanted to shut down Ellsworth Air Force Base, it was an enormous setback for Sen. John Thune. The Republican got elected in part by repeatedly telling voters he could save the base because of his close ties to President Bush.

Thune responded to the Ellsworth news by going on the offensive: He and fellow South Dakota leaders from both parties launched an intense lobbying effort. He also stopped fund-raising for the Republican Party and opposed the Bush administration on a few important Senate votes.

On Friday, Thune's political future got a big boost when a federal commission decided to save Ellsworth, home to B-1B bombers and a major player in the Cold War. He and other South Dakota politicians hailed the decision as the result of an extraordinary bipartisan campaign that convinced the commission that the military and nation need Ellsworth.

All in all, a very good day for South Dakota!

Mother Cindy says that she's losing "compassion" for other mothers who have lost sons and daughters in the war in Iraq, claiming that they've been "brainwashed" and accusing them of supporting "murder and mayhem." When will the left wing call...

Instead of going with the obvious solution and moving along with the ANWR deal, Tim Johnson is suggesting a congressional hearing to understand why prices are rising at the pumps. The U.S. Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing in...

Via Eric the Viking, we learn that there's a movement afoot by lib bloggers to actually make the centrist/moderate Democratic Leadership Council "radioactive." Quoth the Kos, nevermore: Two more weeks, folks, before we take them on, head on. No calls...

A lot's been made over the dwindling box office receipts this summer, and now I see (via Instapundit) that movie studios are going to drastically cut the number of ads they run in newspapers. This always brings about the "Why...

A letter to the editor from the Rapid City Journal:During his impeachment for perjury, President Clinton taught us that personal attacks never fed a hungry child. Our good friends on the left have obviously forgotten this lesson. Recently, there have...

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