#NotInMYNameWelcome back to another installment of the Watercooler, RedState’s daily Open Thread! Today, we’ve got…

The Curious Case of Afghanistan’s First Female Fighter Pilot

One would normally think being a “first” for your country is something to be proud of and celebrate with family, right? Not so much if you’re an Afghan woman, as illustrated by the case of Niloofar Rahmani, Afghan AF captain and former poster-child for a “modernizing Afghanistan” that’s not really modernizing so much.

“This attempt to flee for her life is proving embarrassing for the United States. While it sounds like Rahmani is a capable pilot, she’s become more of a political selling point for the war in Afghanistan, showing how the country is slowly but surely modernizing and our efforts there have not been in vain. The fact that she wishes to stay here to avoid some sort of honor killing or other peril shows that things really haven’t changed all that much.”

I just hope she can ride thins out long enough to get a chance at reshuffling the deck under the new administration… the current one we know will throw her under the bus.

Quick Hits

• No Bear Left Behind: Girl loses beloved teddy bear in Detroit airport. Twitter callout for help results in ramp-agent walking the airport… and taking the bear on a photo-tour of the airport before sending it onward to its owner. Kudos to SWA agent Steven Laudeman for the Christmas spirit!
• If you’re gonna do dumb stuff like burglary… don’t leave a half-eaten PB&J at the scene like this schmuck. Can YOU say, “DNA Evidence”? Bravo-Zulu to Cheyenne PD and the WY State Crime Lab.
• It could only happen in HELLifornia… a DUI for CAFFEINE? From my read of the case, this guy was just being a normal Commiefornia driver… Why can’t we just kick this place out of the Union already?

This Week In History

• Sunday, 12/25: Washington’s forces cross the Delaware overnight, 1776; Johnson pardons CSA vets, 1868; Nimitz takes command of Pacific Fleet, 1941
• Monday, 12/26: Trent Affair ends with release of Mason & Slidell, 1861; Patton’s Third breaks siege at Bastogne, 1944; Siegel’s Flamingo starts modern Las Vegas, 1946
• Tuesday, 12/27: “Manifest Destiny” coined, 1845; IMF established, 1945; Apollo 8 splashdown, 1968
• Wednesday, 12/28: Calhoun first VP to resign, 1832; Iowa statehood, 1846; “Greatest Game Ever Played,” 1958
• Thursday, 12/29: USS Constitution takes HMS Java, 1812; Wounded Knee Massacre, 1890; B-24 Liberator first flies, 1939
• Friday, 12/30: Redcoats torch Buffalo, 1813; Gadsden Purchase, 1853; Linebacker II bombing ends, 1972
• Saturday, 12/31: W. Va. statehood and Battle of Stones River, 1862; first Times Square New Year’s Eve event, 1907; Canal Zone handed over to Panama, 1999

Today’s Birthdays: Founding Progfascist Woodrow Wilson, 1856; comics king Stan Lee, 1922; actor Denzel Washington, 1954

Holidays Around the World: South Sudan celebrates Republic Day, South Australia observes Proclamation Day and Thailand has King Taksin Memorial Day.

This Week In History is compiled with assistance from History.com and Wikipedia. Something interesting not listed here? Please share in the Comments section–this is an Audience Participation Encouraged featurette.

Gratuitous Gun Giveaways

• *American Handgunner magazine, for a Rock Island .22TCM/9mm 1911 pistol package: http://americanhandgunner.com/giveaway/
• *Guns Magazine, for a Magnum Research BFR .30-30 Winchester revolver, EAA Tanfoglio Pavona .380 pistol, Diamondback Firearms DB9 micro 9mm pistol, or Mossberg Patriot rifle: http://gunsmagazine.com/giveaway/
• Davidson’s Gallery of Guns, for an IWI Galil Ace 7.62x39mm or Tavor X95 5.56x45mm service-rifle: https://ggg.galleryofguns.com/
• *Aero Precision, for a custom AR15: http://gvwy.io/0jjqn41
• GrabAGun, for a Ruger LC9S 9mm pistol: http://grabagun.com/giveaway

*Notes: FMG Publishing giveaways require you to provide an FFL dealer’s info at entry. Aero Precision links give me an entry for each referral.

Quote of the Day

“When you pay attention to big chunks of people who typically are ignored, interesting things happen.”–Mike Rowe

As always, the Watercooler is an Open Thread. Hopefully you found something tasty on the snack table, and now you’re invited to serve up your own tasty morsels too. This is my last Watercooler for 2016, so it somehow seems appropriate to close this week’s WC by bidding the year a heartfelt “Good Riddance!”

#NoQuarter #TheParty’sOver