Thanks, Raph, but we have a handle on the situation.

I almost feel guilty about this since Raphael Alexander is one of the few Blogging Tories that is clinically sane and worth reading on occasion, but I have to take serious exception with his bitching and moaning here:

Worth Repeating: U.S. Cheating War Veterans

One could write it off if it were one or two stories in the media, perhaps even from news sources considered to have a political bias. But more and more lately we are hearing about Iraq war veterans being cheated out of bonuses, compensation, and basic benefits in all forms of the American media. Not too many bloggers have picked up on this story, but it's an important one to tell The idea that the U.S. is cheating war veterans first caught my attention in October ..."

You don't say, Raph. "Not too many bloggers have picked up on this story," but the fact that U.S. vets are getting reamed up the ass by the Bush administration finally caught your attention last month, did it? Man, we are so lucky to have you on the case, aren't we? But Raphael isn't done suspecting something is rotten in Denmark:

Army officials and government bureaucrats insist that incidents like this are not the norm. But time after time, we read differently. It's getting difficult not to acknowledge something is amiss.

Yes, you just can't sneak anything past junior cub reporter Raphael Alexander, can you? But seriously, Raph, you'll have to trust me when I say that we in the Progress-o-sphere have already noticed this, as evidenced by our 58 billion, zillion, skajillion posts on that very topic going back way earlier than last month. So while we appreciate your sudden enlightenment and concern and participation regarding the systematic fucking over of U.S. troops by the Republican chickenhawk administration down south, we really do have the situation under control on this side of the aisle. But thanks for offering to help. We appreciate it. Really.

AFTERSNARK: At one point in that article, Raph is apparently appalled by, get this, "absolutely shocking and tragic stories of Iraq veterans committing suicide after serving their country honourably." No way, dude! Get outta town! Who knew?

Seriously, Raph, when I say we have things under control over here, I mean it. But thanks for showing up. Better late than never. Now why don't you go back to dissing global warming or whatever it is you folks do over there in the Rightwing-o-sphere while we progressives are breaking the real news.

There's a good boy.

BONUS TRACK: Over at TGB, Dave yanks down Raphael's panties and gives him the public spanking he deserves. And by "spanking," I don't mean in a good way.