YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE THIS, ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT - AT 9:15 A.M. ET:  A number of commentators have noticed President Obama's appalling ignorance of history.  The gaps were on full display during his speech in Cairo to the Muslim world, in which he did some hefty rewriting of the historical facts.  He also is on record as saying they speak Austrian in Austria.

But this takes the prize.  Consider - the president of the United States on the history of World War II:

President Obama has put securing Afghanistan near the top of his foreign policy agenda, but "victory" in the war-torn country isn't necessarily the United States' goal, he said Thursday in a TV interview.

"I'm always worried about using the word 'victory,' because, you know, it invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur," Obama told ABC News.

COMMENT:  Oh dear, oh dear.  Is there any reasonably educated adult in America who doesn't know the story of the end of World War II?  No, Mr. President, we didn't see Emperor Hirohito "coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur."  The instrument of surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay.  General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (temporary rank, made permanent in 1946) presided over the ceremony.  The Japanese were represented by appropriate officials.  The emperor didn't come down that day, and never surrendered to MacArthur.  He was permitted to remain on the Chrysanthemum Throne as part of the surrender agreement. 

Do you feel our national security may be in some jeopardy?

July 24, 2009