Charles Johnson, of Little Green Footballs, is essential daily reading. Today, he has a number of startling items well worth reading (as usual). But he has outdone himself in pairing together a story of utterly inspirational valor with one of despicable exploitation and cowardice.

I will leave the latter to your further reading, but the former is well worth citing. Marine Sargeant Rafael Peralta, wounded in an assault on on a terrorist house in Fallujah, threw himself on a live hand grenade, to protect his brother Marines. Sgt. Peralta's ultimate sacrifice will be remembered forever. I hope and trust that he will join the ranks of posthumous Medal of Honor laureates, a pantheon the truly great among us.

The rest of us can only stand in awe of such a man.

Thomas Lifson  12 17 04