Truth in Journalism at the New York Times
More of the same at the "Paper of Record." Authorâs subtitle, not mine! EFL
Looks like the New York Times has another ugly Jayson Blair-like scandal on its hands. This time, the young minority reporter is Charlie LeDuff, a part Native-American, part-Cajun ooh. sounds sexy writer, known as a rising star and favorite pet of former executive editor Howell Raines.
The hotshot LeDuff is now in hot water over his cribbing of anecdotes from someone elseâs book about kayaking down the Los Angeles River for his own Page One fluff story about â you guessed it! â kayaking down the Los Angeles River. An embarrassing correction [was] published in the New York Times on Dec. 8. snip
Perhaps not coincidentally, youâd have never guessed LeDuff was a good pal of the disgraced Jayson Blair. snip
...the Times has been willing to overlook LeDuffâs journalistic shortcuts before. In September, author and columnist Marvin Olasky reported that LeDuff attributed fake quotes to a naval officer in San Diego to fit the reporterâs antiwar agenda. This is long, but the character assault on a military officer pissed me off royally
Lieutenant Commander Beidler, 32, on his way to Iraq in January, was walking with his family toward the end of Naval Station Pier 2 when the Timesâs Charlie LeDuff asked him for his general view of war protesters. Mr. Beidler recalls stating,
"Protesters have a right to protest, and our job is to defend those rights. But in protesting, they shouldnât protest blindly; instead, they should provide reasonable solutions to the problem."
The LeDuff version had Mr. Beidler criticizing Los Angeles protesters but turning his guns at a complacent United States: "Itâs war, Commander Beidler said, and the nation is fat. âNo one is screaming for battery-powered cars,â he added." The journalist then turned to Commander Beidler wifeâs Christal: "âIâm just numb,â she said as she patted down his collar. âIâll cry myself to sleep, Iâm sure.â" I guess this is the level of accuracy to expect.
Mr. Beidler was at sea when he discovered how far at sea cute! the Timesâs reporting was, but he sent off a letter to the editor stating what he had said and arguing that the quotes about national fatness and battery-powered cars "were completely fabricated by Mr. LeDuff ..."
Mr. Beidler also stated,
"Mr. LeDuff continued his shameful behavior by attributing words and actions to my wife that were not her own. Not only did she not say she would cry herself to sleep, but she didnât pat down my collar either, which was impossible for her to accomplish with my civilian shirt hidden under my jacket and a duffle bag hanging on my shoulder closest to her."
In response, a Times editor not Daniel Okrent. They didnât need a public editor back then shrugged off Beidlerâs complaint. LeDuff, he informed Beidler, "thinks that he accurately represented his interview with you and your wife, and therefore so do I. If you have another encounter some day with The New York Times, I hope its outcome is more satisfactory to you." Hey, CNO: Thereâs a LCdr Breidler who needs orders that pass him through NYC so he can have an encounter between his fist and some NYT editorâs nose hoping for a satisfactory outcome.
Institutional arrogance. Diversity monomania. Intellectual thievery. Wasnât this all supposed to end with the fall of Raines? naah, guess not How many other victims of LeDuffâs "colorful writing" are out there? And how many other Jayson Blairs remain nestled in the Gray Ladyâs bosom?
Stay tuned.
Posted by: Glenn (not Reynolds) ||
12/18/2003 10:59:48 AM ||
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"Credibility, once lost, can take a lifetime to restore"...hope the NYT has that on their epitaph
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/18/2003 11:19 Comments ||
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Frank, pretty soon Letterman and Leno will start making fun of being "quoted in the Times." It will catch on as an expression of derision. Then 80 years from now nobody will remeber where the expression came from. How do you like them apples?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 20:47 Comments ||
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Members of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, who concluded their seven-day deliberations in Makkah yesterday, emphasized the need to remove the conditions that breed terrorism and extremism by implementing Shariah.
Oh, yeah. That'll do it.
The academy, an affiliate of the Makkah-based Muslim World League, called for a meeting of scholars in the Muslim world to streamline fatwas (religious edicts) on contemporary issues. It also called for the establishment of an international body to coordinate among major Islamic organizations around the world.
More shariah... And an Islamic high command...
A final communique issued after the meeting urged Muslim countries to include Islamic teachings in school curricula as part of the efforts to fight deviant thoughts and extremism.
And indoctrinate the kiddies...
The meeting denounced all forms of terrorism and urged the international community to reach an agreement on the definition of terrorism and its punishment.
Seems like they're still refusing to accept any rational definition of terrorism. And if it remains "undefined," then how can you do anything about it?
The academy urged all banks in Muslim countries to keep away from interest-based financial dealings. Referring to third-party sales or tawarruk deals being practiced by certain financial organizations, the scholars said they were unacceptable because of suspicious involvement of interest in such deals.
Looks like the princes have reached another accomodation with the holy men...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:23 ||
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This is gonna be a really looooong War.
Posted by: Mark ||
12/18/2003 6:47 Comments ||
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Shariah is the problem, not the solution.
This war will not be really won until Arabs have to look up shariah, fatwa, and jihad in a dictionary because the terms have fallen into disuse.
Yup, it's gonna be a long war.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/18/2003 7:23 Comments ||
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Long ? How long DOES it take to drag a civilization kicking and screaming out of the iron age ?
#5
At least their position is consistent: If all countries implement sharia, the Islamonuts won't be tempted to boom the infidels who insist on living free.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 9:38 Comments ||
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This is a extremely belated and logical attempt to remake Islam from a horizontal helter-skelter mob of local loose-cannon Imams issuing fatwas all over the place and paying only lip service to the Grand Doodahs into a new sleek modern vertical power structure with consolidated power and control over their future and PR.
The con-man's version of Pyramid Power. Only took them 1400 years to figure it out. F**kin' Duh.
#7
How long DOES it take to drag a civilization kicking and screaming out of the iron age?
First of all, you have to actually get them INTO the Iron age. Nothing the Arab states are using, including their religion, originates with them. Everything is borrowed (or stolen), down to the iron-age implements they stole from the Romans to wage their first "Holy Wars". Without the advancements of the Turks, they would STILL be wandering nomads, living in tents off camels and goats. Until the basic character of the nomad/herder "I can take anything I come across and use it" self-centered "our society needs to rule the world because our hearts are pure" idiots are purged from Islam, it will be a problem. As long as Islam is a problem, there will be war between its followers and people who have a different idea about how to live. That's very simplistic, very heavily edited to save Fred's bandwidth, but that's what we're up against. Two hundred years may not be enough. We may have to end up locking these people away in their own tiny little garrisons and leaving them to their own idiocies, because they are either incapable of changing, or unwilling to take the necessary steps.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 12:22 Comments ||
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A prominent Saudi businessman yesterday decried the flight of capital funds from the Kingdom and urged authorities to take effective steps to attract domestic and foreign investments. More than 2,500 Saudi companies have chosen to establish investment projects in Dubai rather than Saudi Arabia during the past three years, he said. âWe have to open our country for investment like the outside world opened its doors for us,â said Abdul Mohsen Al-Hokair, chairman of Al-Hokair Group. âUnfortunately we still find it difficult to get licenses. As a result, there are now more than 2,500 Saudi firms registered in Dubai for industrial and commercial projects.â Al-Hokair blamed bureaucracy, complex regulations and slow decision-making process for the massive exodus of capital.
Exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that the country's crawling with gunnies, religious fanatics and xenophobes...
âI feel extreme sorrow when I see Saudi industries running away from the Kingdom. We have to cooperate and work together to repatriate Saudi funds and attract foreign investment,â he said. He urged authorities to step up efforts to promote domestic tourism and encourage Saudis to spend their holidays at the Kingdomâs resorts, pointing out that Saudi Arabia is the biggest exporter of tourists in the Arab world.
That's because having fun is against the law in Soddy Arabia...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:18 ||
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Saudi Arabia is the biggest exporter of tourists in the Arab world.
Is that "tourist" or "terrorist"?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 9:38 Comments ||
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Yes.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/18/2003 10:03 Comments ||
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that darn cause and effect thing again.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 10:43 Comments ||
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Question, probably answerable by .com:
How many of these "Saudi" companies might be foreign companies whose "Saudiness" is just a result of regulations enforced by Saudi bureaucrats ?
Posted by: Carl in N.H. ||
12/18/2003 11:46 Comments ||
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Akmed, we're victims of globilization. We must stage some protests and damage some small businesses. Where are my urine bombs?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 12:03 Comments ||
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One of the biggest problems is one .com has alluded to, but not directly stated: the high cost of useless Saudis who have to be employed in order to get a license to operate, but who do nothing to generate a profit for the company. There's only so much of that a normal company can absorb, considering the normal number of dead-heads most companies carry around.
From my experience in the private sector, I've seen the following: 15% of the people do 60% of the work; another 25% do 30% of the work, 40% do 10% of the work, and the rest are useless. In Saudi land, from what I've heard from others, the 15% becomes 75%, the rest accomplish proportionately less. For most businesses (outside the oil industry, let's say) that raises the cost of doing business beyond what can be done and still expect a reasonable profit.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 12:29 Comments ||
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Carl - Indeed, every company doing business in SaoodiLand must be at least 51% Saudi-owned, called JV's (Joint Ventures) in Saoodi. But I would say that it may be just as bad as Abdul Mohsen Al-Hokair, chairman of Al-Hokair Group, is saying - it's real Saudi money flowing out at a high rate.
Saudi doesn't export anything but petro products, realistically speaking, so these companies have no product they're trying to push into some external market by buying market share, etc. Saudi companies are largely manpower importers (flesh peddlers), trading companies importing foreign finished products for resale, and franchise games (the Royals' favorite gig: controlling popular money-making markets by granting "franchise rights" for computers, cars, Burger King, etc -- for hefty fees and % with no outlay). Besides oil, they have no product to push... and General Motors doesn't need any phriggin' asshat slimeball Saudi partner to do biz in the UAE... maybe a slimy UAE JV, but no Saudi is needed. So...
I'd say it's certain the majority is pure outflow of available money that these Saudis are choosing to move out of the kingdom instead of using for expanding existing biz or funding startups in-kingdom. Pure capital flight. If I were a Royal, I'd be buying into good businesses in stable places with decent returns - especially places where being a Saudi wouldn't automatically be held against me.
Someone with better import / export knowledge and vocabulary can make the case clearer, but I think this guy is right to be worried!
#8
Oops, I was typing and didn't see OP's comment - which is dead right. There is a deadbeat requirement on all these JV's with foreign partners to carry some worthless freeloaders. My outfit had 4 on payroll for an office that had 4 worker types - the contractors like me were the prized cash cows that Aramco paid top dollar for - so we funded the whole operation. Profitability is, indeed, heavily impacted - and the costs are passed on to Aramco and the Saudi Govt. A hidden cost of doing business. My company had a minimum profit margin on me of 40%... so you can see that, if SA was a normal market economy, you'd say Aramco was getting screwed Royally. But it's not a market economy and every Saudi citizen is getting screwed by the House of Saud's twisted patronage system. The whole thing is artificial. Aramco and every JV is, in effect and practice, an employment agency -- partially for worthless shits who never even show up. Those that do, well, you wish they'd stay home, too. A bad joke that is now imploding under the weight of their demographics and Royal greed.
#9
This is a post with very high significance. This and other posts confirm .com's and others comments, and that is that the Saudi govt does not have a clue in taking responsibility for running their country. From this article, the marketplace is going to partially take care of this crisis in govt. I think, though that things will get alot worse in Saudi before they get better. In short, Saudi will have to bottom out before they start going back up. And it will get ugly, but given the mindset over there, I do not see any other way.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/18/2003 13:09 Comments ||
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The United States has said it would allow its non-essential diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia due to increased security concerns and advised US citizens in the country to consider leaving.
"Due to security concerns, the Department of State has authorised the departure of family members and non-emergency employees of the US embassy and consulates (in Saudi Arabia) on a voluntary basis," the department said on Wednesday. "Private American citizens should evaluate their own security situations and should consider departing the country," it said in a travel warning that replaced an existing alert issued just nine days earlier.
"Otherwise, please make an appointment at your earliest convenience to update next of kin information and organ donor cards."
"The US government continues to receive indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and Western interests, including the targeting of transportation and civil aviation," the department said.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:01 ||
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Wasn't there something here just the other day about SA becoming a tourist destination?
This should help advertise this vacationers paradise.:)
#2
Yep, Nayef's really got a handle on things. You betcha. The proof is that this evacuation order warden notice / travel warning is "voluntary", heh. The pro expat rule of thumb is: do what the Ambassador / Consul does. If he/she sends his/her family out - you do too. If he/she hauls ass, run over him/her on the way out. You can say "Excuse me!" at LAX Customs.
#3
.com, can the evacuatees rent out their apartments in a time-share arrangement?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 12:05 Comments ||
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SH - heh. Like most leases, including those in the Real World, subletting is usually prohibited... but I was thinking about how you'd get anyone to do it even if it was allowed. At gunpoint, perhaps!
Did you know that you have to pre-pay the entire lease? Shortest one I saw was 3 months, and it was a rarity only costing 27K SR (approx $7,200 USD @ 3.74 SR/USD) - and I had to pay the whole thing up front. My last place had a minimum lease of 6 months. Now, you may ask yourself, what incentive does the property owner / mgr have to keep you happy if you've prepaid? None. QED.
#5
That's a pretty hefty deposit. To a certain extent every country has positive and negative elements that effect its attractiveness for business. In the US the negative business elements are insurance costs and government over-regulation. If you use a metaphor of cancer or leprosy to represent these negative elements, then Saudi Arabia is a staggering zombie with one of it's arms about to fall off.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 14:04 Comments ||
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EFL
A lawyer who has visited his client being held at a US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has told the BBC prisoners there are not being treated equally. Stephen Kenny was the first civilian lawyer allowed access to any of the former Afghan war suspects being held at the military facility. He said there was a pecking order of treatment depending on the captiveâs nationality - with Americans on top. Here is a link to a post from 9/16 called: Gitmo Reward Plan Lets Prisoner Earn Perks. To the more than casual observer, it should be obvious that the US has different layers of treatment for detainees. Inequality of treatment is not much of a dirty little secret to expose when it has been publicized two months ago. It is interesting to note that the Americans must be sucking up the extra benefits. Our punks donât make very committed jihadis.
Mr Kenny visited his client - Australian David Hicks - last week. He said Mr Hicks - a convert to Islam who was arrested two years ago in Afghanistan - had survived reasonably well, but had a desperate desire to go home. - Obviously a stooly if he is being treated well.
Mr Hicks "was absolutely glad to see me. Indeed, his last letter home wanted to know where I was and why hadnât I been there," Mr Kenny told the BBCâs World Today programme. The lawyer said that in order to be allowed to see his client, he had to sign a legal document preventing him from talking about anything related to Guantanamo Bay and what he saw there without the permission of the US military authorities. Nevertheless, Mr Kenny said inmates appeared to be treated differently depending on whether they came from countries that had allied themselves with the Americans or not. A brilliant stroke of genius - break regulations in defending a man who will be tried in a miltary tribunal.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 11:52:17 AM ||
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the BBC prisoners there are not being treated equally
I didn't know there are BBC prisoners at Gitmo. Awesome.
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/18/2003 12:49 Comments ||
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Why do we allow anyone not part of the military to visit Gitmo? This should be strictly a military installation. We have a hard enough time keeping security with our own personnel, some of whom seem to have their own agendas.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/18/2003 13:15 Comments ||
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"Gitmo Reward Plan Lets Prisoner Earn Perks"
Turn in 10 jihadis and get 5 free upgrade coupons?
#4
The Left's whining about plastic turkeys, mission accomplished banners and "torture" at GITMO, does more for Bush's reelection campaign than anything else around. It makes everything the left says suspect for petty, partisan, bickering.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 13:33 Comments ||
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You mean your client has too many perks? Well we will just get right on that. I just shake my head every time I hear about the injustices that these jihadis face at the hands of the U.S. We should have just put a bullet in their brain and that would end the discussion. Jihadis have NO legal status and keeping them alive in a humane act in itself, these Isalomfacists would never return that favor.
#6
At least it's a BBC article. If it was from the NYT, I would question whether the lawyer actually went to Gitmo, or whether the lawyer actually existed at all.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 20:45 Comments ||
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Nevertheless, Mr Kenny said inmates appeared to be treated differently depending on whether they came from countries that had allied themselves with the Americans or not.
So what? These twats were captured in a foreign land, are not legal U.S. citizens or residents, nor are they uniformed soldiers of some nation's armed forces. I sure as hell don't care whether they are being discriminated against, and I don't see any particular reason why anyone else should.
EFL: Bjorn Lomborg, the author of a controversial book attacking the environment movement, was cleared yesterday of "scientific dishonesty" by the Danish science ministry. The ministry overturned a ruling in January by the Danish committee on scientific dishonesty (DCSD), part of the Danish Research Agency, that Mr Lomborgâs book The Skeptical Environmentalist was "clearly contrary to the standards of good scientific practice". Mr Lomborg hailed yesterdayâs decision as "brilliant". It provided confirmation that freedom of speech extended to the environmental debate, he said. In its report, the ministry criticised the committee for failing to provide evidence either that Mr Lomborg had been biased in his selection of data or that his methodology had been dubious. It also said the committeeâs judgment had used "condescending and emotional" language. And it was a "clear mistake" that the committee had failed to give Mr Lomborg an opportunity to defend himself before publishing its judgment. They had decided on the judgment before they started work.
This scathing assessment of the DCSD ruling meant that critics would have to find solid arguments to attack his work, rather than rely on mud-slinging, Mr Lomborg said. All they have is mud. A victory over the watermelons.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 2:30:38 PM ||
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Unlike Galileo, it looks like Mr. Lomborg won't have to wait 359 years for them to get a clue.
Vatican admits Galileo correct
by the Los Angeles Times, October 31, 1992
VATICAN CITY -- It's official: The Earth revolves around the sun, even for the Vatican.
The Roman Catholic Church has admitted erring these past 359 years in formally condemning Galileo Galilei for entertaining scientific truths it long denounced as anti-scriptural heresy.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 18:07 Comments ||
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Great news!
This is a terrific book and I heartily recommend it as a Christmas present for a every Greenie and enviromental whacko on your list!
Update from yesterdays story, edited for new stuff:
Belgian police arrested in Brussels a gang of local gangsters suspected of a series of armed robberies of postal offices.. One of the men arrested, identified by the authorities only as Khalid Al N., is a Palestinian explosives expert, who was deported to Belgium in May 2002, after a five-week standoff of armed Palestinians in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Thatâs Khalil Mouhammad Abdallah al-Nawawreh, folks.
According to Belgian media sources, Khalid was heavily involved with local organized crime groups and was dealing with explosives on a daily basis. He was in possession of firearms and explosives at the time of his arrest. Tap..tap..nope.
The Belgian newspaper De Standaard reported another member of the arrested group is known to have links with fundamentalist Muslim groups. It is yet unclear if the money obtained from the various thefts was used to finance Palestinian terror. Wouldnât be surprised at all.
The Belgian Interior Ministry said Khalid became involved with people with a criminal past in June and maintained the contacts, despite official advice. "We told him that hanging out at the pool hall would lead to no good, but would he listen to us?"
"During one of four searches ... to solve a series of attacks on postal offices, he was discovered at the home of one of his contacts," the Interior Ministry said.
Initial reports of the arrest raid excluded information of Khalid identity. Iâll just bet they wanted to cover this up.
When word did come out of his notorious past, it was stated that for his first few weeks in the country, Khalid was under police supervision. Later on, the supervision was downgraded to a mandatory monthly visit to the local police station, an order with which Khalid failed to comply. Fred, you were right. They are that stupid.
"The Jewish community is shocked and outraged," Michael Zevi Freilich, a journalist for a local Jewish newspaper, commented on the arrest. "That a known terrorist should be free to engage in criminal activity and be discovered only at a chance raid is a disgrace for the Belgian Government and security services. Itâs Baja France, what do you expect?
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 2:02:03 PM ||
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Itâs Baja France, what do you expect?
Uh, Steve, more like Paris Nord, rather than Baja France, but other than that, right on the mark! It's a shame, too - Belgium could be such a nice country, if they only stopped trying to see how far up France's butt they could crawl.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 17:41 Comments ||
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very good sources mentionned that the guy recieved a 4000 Euro per month from Belgium to pay for his food, phone, not allowed trips to Spain and courses (in robbery?)
Italian police suspect that Norway is being used as a recruiting ground for terrorists and insurgents seeking Arab fighters against the USA in Iraq. They believe that al-Qaida and mullah Krekar's group Ansar al-Islam are behind the activities. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Italian investigators link al-Qaida and Ansar al-Islam to a network of recruits to Iraq to fight the USA. Besides Norway, Germany and Spain were listed as countries where these groups were active.
Mullah Krekar was interviewed by Italian investigators in Norway on Monday in Oslo courthouse. "The interrogation lasted all day and mullah Krekar answered questions from the Italians," said district attorney Erling Grimstad, who was present for Oekokrim, Norway's Economic Crime Unit. Grimstad said that Oekokrim was aware of the suspicion that Ansar al-Islam recruited in Europe but had not heard that Norway was one of the countries used. Mullah Krekar told Aftenposten that he was shown about 75 photographs and was only able to identify three of the people depicted, two Kurds and an Arab living in Italy.
Mullah Krekar was leader of Ansar al-Islam from its origin in December 2001 until his arrest in September 2002, when he dropped out of the group. American authorities do not believe Krekar's story, and Aftenposten's US sources "have reason to believe" that Krekar is still a central figure in what is left of Ansar al-Islam in post-war Iraq. Despite lingering international suspicions, three Norwegian courts, including the Supreme Court, have ruled that there are no demonstrable grounds for suspecting Krekar of terrorism and this exempts him from detailed surveillance, though authorities can still follow his movements.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 11:55 ||
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Actually, maybe we can stage a fake war somewhere believable against an Islamic "enemy" that is in cahoots with us. Get a local Iman to issue some fatawa's against us calling for all jihadi's to fly to maybe Dijbouti to free it from the crusaders. It would be different than Iraq because the insurgent groups would just be CIA shells. We'd bus all the clowns into some "training" camps. Then surprise! It's orange jump suits, handcuffs and shackles for all my friends.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 21:00 Comments ||
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These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkeyâs press on December 18, 2003. WHERE IS THE WARNING?
It was revealed that the U.S. forces, who launched operations against the camps of the al-Qaida terrorist network in Afghanistan following September 11th events, sent information to Turkey about Turkish supporters of al-Qaida. In its report, the United States informed Turkey two years ago that Habib Aktas, Feridun Ugurlu and Ilyas Kuncak, who were involved in Istanbul bombings in November could have connections with al-Qaida. However, this information was not sent to the Security Department. The police identified Turkish supporters of al-Qaida from testimonies of detainees. Somebody filed the report and forgot about it, sounds like our FBI.
JAPAN MAY BEGIN IMPLEMENTING VISA
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying an official visit to Japan, has said, ââJapan may start implementing visa because of unregistered Turkish citizens living in Japan.ââ Speaking at a meeting at the Turkish Embassy in Tokyo, Gul said, ââJapan is the only country among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members which does not implement visa for Turkish citizens. However, unregistered Turkish citizens in Japan have been damaging the esteem of Turkey recently.ââ Referring to his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, Gul said that the issue of co-operation in Iraq was high on agenda of their meeting. "damaging the esteem of Turkey" Hummm, wonder if they are talking about normal criminals in the sex and drug trades, or those reports of al-Qaeda suspects seen scouting targets in Japan? Hereâs more on the meeting in Japan.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Japanese capital Tokyo on an official visit, was received by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan on Thursday. Recalling that Japan had taken a decision to send its soldiers to Iraq, Gul said, ââPrime Minister Koizumi wanted to learn Turkeyâs views and to benefit from Turkeyâs experiences. I told him that Turkey has become a center of humanitarian aid to Iraqi people. I also informed him on possible role of Turkish and Japanese firms in rebuilding process of Iraq. He was very interested.ââ Meanwhile, Japanese press showed great interest in Gulâs visit. In an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun daily, Gul said about capture of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, ââa new era has begun in Iraq. Turkey has welcomed capture of Saddam Hussein. All obstacles in front of democracy in Iraq have been removed. Now, necessary measures should be taken to accelerate the process of democratization.ââ Gul told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper that they would allow Japanese defense forces to use facilities in Turkey for humanitarian purposes. Thatâs good, itâll give the Japanese a logistics hub.
Noting that Turkey had been carefully monitoring all separatist activities of Kurds in northern Iraq, Gul stressed, ââthe new constitution of Iraq should not include any characteristics that can lead division of the country.ââ Code for seperate independent Kurdish state.
Referring to the United Statesâ request from NATO to strengthen its role in providing security in Iraq, Gul said, ââit is not certain yet whether or Turkey would send military troop to Iraq as an ally of NATO. All I can say at this points is that Turkey has been supporting NATOâs contribution to Iraq from the very beginning.ââ The Iraqis said "Thanks, but no thanks" to troops.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 10:09:30 AM ||
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Italian authorities have clamped unprecedented security coverage over the Vatican and other Christian landmarks after receiving a "credible threat" of a Christmastime terrorist attack. ...there was a "high index of probability" that "an important symbol of Christianity" would be the target of an attack between Christmas and New Yearâs, senior officials told NBC News. Special attention focuses on the Vatican. The Via della Conciliazione, the main road leading to St. Peterâs Basilica, will be closed every night until Dec. 25, a precaution that officials said was unprecedented. Looks like Binny and his boys really want to start a Holy War - or maybe the Crusades all over again.
Posted by: OldSpook ||
12/18/2003 3:20:38 AM ||
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The big impacts would be a complete shattering and dividing the Islamic world (they'd finally be forced to publicly take a side), and the unification of Christianity in opposition to Islamist/Wahhabbi fascits terror. And (from my relapsed Catholic viewpoint) maybe the Vatican will finally realize that there is Evil out there that cannot be reasoned with, it must be driven out by force.
#2
Binny can't be that divorced from reality can he? This would destroy him and his vision of Islam. It would have exactly the opposite effect he would desire, and I doubt Allah would be able save him. Even as an act of faith, I'd bet Allah would tell him, "Sorry, you are on your own."
Posted by: Ben ||
12/18/2003 4:59 Comments ||
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#3
I'm not sure how much Christianity as a whole would be unified by an attack on the Vatican, but I suspect it would motivate Latin Americans to go on the attack against al-Q camps in Venezuela and other places where they are taking root. If an attack like this happens, it might cause Latin Americans to see this as a global issue, not just an issue for the envied/hated US.
#4
Last I heard Christianity was the largest religion on Earth,with Catholics being the largest branch.An attack on the Vatican would be seen as an attack on all Christianity,the same as an attack on Mecca or Medina would be viewed by Moslems as an attack on all Islam.
If Moslems are stupid enough to attack the Vatican then Binny and his boys would get thier wish and would have a Holy War on thier hands.This could easilly mean the destruction of Islam,millions on both sides would die but Islam will loose(I can just hear Not Merly Mundanes's whinning already).
Despite what Pries.Bush and the PC crowd claim,if one side kills in the name of a Holy War then it is a religious war.
#5
Raptor and rkb are correct in their facts: Christianity and Catholicism are really big south of the equator. So big, that the American Catholics were astonished when the Vatican ignored THEIR liberal-wet-dream demands and Stayed conservative in deference to the Southern hemisphere. The biggest opposition to the elevation of that homosexual bishop was from the non-american bishops and membership. Don't expect the liberal-protestant-mainline churches to endorse anything: The muslims, in their view, are killing off the Christians who are a thorn in their sides.
What will happen if the vatican or other religious building is bombed? I dunno: Oriana Fallaci has written about the daily desecration of Cathedrals and artistic monuments in Italy, and has earned hisses and boos in response.
#7
And the Sicilians would quietly handle the problem in their own unique style.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 12:38 Comments ||
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#8
Whoever got the blame, the Spaniards and Portuguese would demand something be done about it, Italy would react in an upheaval that would make the Jewish Diaspora look like a Protestant Sunday school picnic, Poland and Hungary would likely declare war, and things would get really, REALLY ugly all over the world. CAIR would make a few stupid statements, which may or may not result in retaliation. The one result that would be undeniable is that it would wake up 2/3 of the world to the fact that this is a total clash between Islamofascism and the rest of the world, whether they want to accept it or not. From there, things would go downhill in a hurry.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 12:53 Comments ||
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#9
Mhw brings up an interesting point when he says " At the UC Berkeley faculty lounge they would raise their coffee cups in a toast and would say, "those Catholic conservatives deserved it". I'm not sure if that's true because although its a relgious site the Sistine chapel and St. Peters still carry some weight in the leftist art world. If they shot the Pope and spared the art they wouldcertainly raise a toast, but if the art were destroyed they'd probably cry over the loss of art if not the lives.
#11
This is a religious issue: Muslims want to have a war with ROME because that is how the world ends. Therefore, questions about the logic or the strategy are besides the point. When Islam launches its war with Rome, the end will come, God will intervene, Jesus (yes, Jesus -- granted this "Jesus" is quite a bit different from the Christian Jesus) will return and so on. Here's a link to the islamic end of the world material:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html
EFL, a bunch
Hereâs some happy news this Christmas season, an unexpected gift for those who have seen and admired Mel Gibsonâs controversial movie, "The Passion," and wish to support it. The film has a new admirer, and he is a person of some influence. He is in fact the head of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church. John Paul II, who even with the challenges of his current illness has more good sense than many of his PC-Vatican-Hangers-On cardinals, knew of the Politically-Correct smear campaign controversy surrounding Mr. Gibsonâs film, and wanted to see it. Read the article and contrast that with the gutless stand the American Cardinal the author talked to.
Producer Steve McEveety, who had flown to Rome with a brass pair on himuninvited to show the film to as many Vatican officials as he could, bypassed the watchdogs gave the DVD to Msgr. Dziwisz on Friday, Dec. 5. The monsignor and the pope watched it together in the papal apartments. "He had to watch it late in the evening," Mr. McEveety said of John Paul. "Heâs pretty well booked. But he really wanted to see it." Looks like the Old Guy isnt done yet - at least he slipped the leash this time!
Afterwards, Msgr. Dziwisz gave Mr. McEveety the popeâs reaction. The pope found it very powerful, and approved of it. Mr. McEveety was delighted. Msgr. Dziwisz added that the pope said to him, as the film neared its end, five words that he wished to pass on:
"It is as it was." What eloquence! That ought to shut up the nattering fearful shiftless cringers in the Church (especially the US Bishops who tried to do a hatchet job). Read the linked article for more detail and some very on-target commentary regarding Cardinal Martino
Posted by: OldSpook ||
12/18/2003 3:07:05 AM ||
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Seems the Pope slipped this one under his handlers' radar, and even as old and worn as he is, he still has the guts to state the truth in spite of the Vatican sycophants that try to handle everything in such a PC manner - would that we had him young again and able to clean house there...
#3
LH--Nice touch. I have to agree. While Mel Gibson took a brave stand in making this movie, which stands for everything Hollywood is against, there are many brave men willing to sacrifice much more to make the world a better and safer place, and the Pope can't be bothered to thank them.
Posted by: Dar ||
12/18/2003 9:46 Comments ||
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Dar Im not sure its stands for everything Hollywood's against, and wont be sure until people I trust have seen it. Folks in Hollywood have been apologists for Saddam and others who blame everything bad in the world on the Jews. IF - I repeat IF - it turns out that this movie blames the crucifixion on the Jews, following pre-Vatican II approach, then I will conclude it has much in common with the folk that Hollywood is apologetic for, even if Hollywood doesnt realize it.
#6
I don't think we want the Pope calling political shots . . . The Church militant, regardless of sect, is called to be a moral force of good in the world -- not to lift up or cast down political forces (be they good or evil). Granted, no sect ever stays perfectly, politically neutral, but do we really want religious leaders shaping government? Isn't that the objection to cultural catholics, or cultural potestants, or cultural jews claiming the moral high ground and calling it PC? Of course, it is a fine line. We must have freedom of religion, NOT freedom FROM religion, and true democratic constitutional republics based on natural law only function well when the populace is moral.
#7
"Afterwards, Msgr. Dziwisz gave Mr. McEveety the popeâs reaction. The pope found it very powerful, and approved of it. Mr. McEveety was delighted. Msgr. Dziwisz added that the pope said to him, as the film neared its end, five words that he wished to pass on:
"It is as it was." "
How the hell does he know?
Posted by: Colin MacDougall ||
12/18/2003 11:45 Comments ||
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#8
How the hell does he know?
The Pope is old. Really, really REALLY old...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 13:01 Comments ||
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Osama bin Laden proposed attacking a Turkish military base used by the United States, but militants stymied by tight security bombed civilian targets instead, killing Muslims and upsetting al-Qaida leaders, Turkish officials told The Associated Press.
"What's the matter, Binny? You look upset!"
"Damn, Ayman! My militants were stymied by tight security around those Merkin bases in Turkey!"
"Oh, that's too bad."
"So they killed a bunch of innocent Muslims instead."
"Oh, well. At least they killed somebody. Here — have a nice cup of tea. That'll make it all better."
The information came from interrogations of a top suspect
"Ooch! Ouch! Hey! Stop that!"
in last monthâs deadly bombings in Istanbul that authorities believe were carried out by Turkish militants trained by al-Qaida in Afghanistan, according to the officials. The suspect, Fevzi Yitiz, told interrogators that bin Laden approved attacks in Turkey on condition that Turks were not killed. But the militants instead bombed two synagogues, a London-based bank and the British Consulate, killing 62 people, mostly Muslims.
"Yar! Blood! I wanna see blood!"
The attacks appear to be part of a growing trend in terrorism — bombings by al-Qaida trained activists who have returned to their home countries and are maintaining only weak ties with the central group, terrorism experts say. The ties they do have seem to be more than enough ...
"They planned and carried out the attack independently after receiving the blessing of bin Laden," said the Turkish intelligence official who is part of the investigation. That was the same drill for Ahmed Ressam and the LAX plotters too.
The Istanbul bombings, simultaneous attacks against two synagogues on Nov. 15 and two attacks against British targets only five days later, bore the signature of al-Qaida, an anti-terrorism police official said. The attacks killed 62 people. A break in the case came when Yitiz was arrested on Dec. 10 after infiltrating Turkey from Iran, a police official said. Yitiz, a bearded man who appears to be about 30, confessed to police that he was trained by al-Qaida in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in 1994 and helped make the bombs used in the attacks inside a front workshop called "Rainbow Detergents" that was set up in an industrial section of Istanbul. Yitiz told police that two of his accomplices — Habib Aktas and Ibrahim Kus, who have been identified as key suspects — met with bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2002. The two militants told bin Laden "they wanted to do something in Turkey for the jihad," the intelligence official said. Yitiz told police bin Laden replied, "I am approving it on condition that it is directed against the Americans and their allies but not the Turks." The killing of mostly Muslim Turks led top al-Qaida officials to criticize the attacks, according to Yitiz. Yitiz said he heard from Aktas, who had fled to Iran before the attacks, that al-Qaida "considered the bombings as a failure because it mostly killed Muslim Turks," the intelligence official said. The information attributed to Yitiz was based on his meetings with other accomplices in Turkey and recently in Iran, officials said.
Iran's suddenly becoming the hub of both Shia and Sunni terrorism...
Almost all of the worldâs terrorist attacks attributed to al-Qaida or groups linked to the terror network since the Sept. 11 terror attacks have taken place in Muslim countries — including Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen.
The ones with more lax security and plenty of local supporters...
Bin Laden, during his meeting with Aktas and Kus, first suggested an attack against Incirlik Air Base, a sprawling facility used by U.S. troops or U.S. or Israeli ships using the Mediterranean port of Mersin, according to the police description of Yitizâ interrogation. But security at the air base and the Mersin harbor made the attack too difficult. Coast guard cutters protect the harbor and Turkish forces patrol the baseâs perimeters. A high wall also was erected around the base before the Iraq war. That forced the alleged conspirators, Aktas, Kus and Azad Ekinci — all of whom are believed to have trained in Afghanistan — to change the attack plans. It took a few months for the attackers to pick new targets and recruit four suicide bombers, the police said. Binoculars, wireless radios and cameras were seized in raids after the attacks.
"Hey, Mahmoud! Interested in doing a suicide bombing?"
"Uhhh... What's it pay?"
Yitizâs purported path to a bombmaker illustrates how terror groups have been able to recruit disgruntled radical Muslims. Yitiz is from Van, a poor province bordering Iran, police said. After graduating from high school he attended a university in Pakistan at the prodding of some radical Islamic friends. Broke and far from home, he was drawn to an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan, where he was told that he could study Quran and Islam for free. It was not clear whether Yitiz had other training or maintained direct links with al-Qaida leaders after 1994 in Afghanistan. He later returned to Van and worked in a restaurant. Then he traveled to Istanbul, where he began to sympathize with Turkish Hezbollah. Yitiz was briefly detained by police in 1998 and questioned about his ties to Hezbollah, which is not suspected of playing a role in the Istanbul attacks. He reportedly traveled to the Netherlands and to Iran for business.
What business? He was a waiter!
His brother, Servet, told the Hurriyet daily that Yitiz found himself jobless in Van, and left for Istanbul seven or eight months ago, telling his family that he started selling detergent. The detergent business, however, was allegedly a cover for bombmaking.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:27:48 AM ||
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Yitiz said he heard from Aktas, who had fled to Iran before the attacks,..
#3
LOL they wouldn't get close to an American base before the Turks blew them away. That is why they are hitting soft targets. Those damn merkins have learned how to defend themselves.
#4
GKarp, the two controllers who skipped to Iran are the ones who say they met bin Laden in 2002. Yitiz met Binny in 1994. The controllers may have been using Binny's name to rouse the faithful. Or, they may have met someone posing as Binny, or been told the message was from him.
Anyone know if bin Laden's son looks anything like him? If he was about as tall, and looked a little like him, in a cave at night with the right lighting?
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 14:13 Comments ||
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Bulgarians pursuing religious studies at Jordan universities are being lured into al-Qaedaâs terrorism network, Bulgarian 24 Chasa daily said Wednesday. According to the articleâs author, the information came from some Istanbul journalists who were familiar with a special services report on worldwide-spread terrorism. In 1999, Afghan radical groups prepared a plan for recruiting religious studies scholars from Jordan universities, the newspaper claims. Al-Qaeda is also eyeing youths from Romania, Bosnia, Macedonia and the province of Kosovo, the article says. Those who develop the perfect skills for enticing new al-Qaeda followers themselves, travel back to their homelands and start "preaching." As for those who are less clever but prove to be fanatically devoted to the group, they leave for Afghanistan to take the lead of fightersâ parties, the article explains.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:22:48 AM ||
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From Soviet stooges, to Islamist cannon fodder...
#3
This is quite likely, but there are strong pro-US sentiments among some in Bulgaria too. I've met a few young Bulgarians who will be effective leaders there, I think.
#4
Given the kill ratios we're hitting in Iraq, I'm expecting NMM to be screaming genocide shortly to help out his friends there who are members of the Jihadi League of the Walking Brain Dead...
#8
Folks, I'm no expert, but I'm sure that Murat or Aris (where is he anyway?) could vouch for this: Bulgaria has a roughly 10% ethnic Turkish minority with the usual historic/demographic axe to grind. For instance, during Soviet times, Bulgarian Turks were "strongly encouraged" to abandon Turkish/Islamic given names (and even surnames) and adopt Bulgarian names instead. Plus there are smaller numbers of Muslim ethnic Bulgarians (locals call them "Gorans" or "Pomaks"). Either way, just another tailor-made conscription pool of pissed-off, underemployed, undereducated, wannabe-turbans young men.
Hurrah! My first RB post after more than a year of spineless but daily lurking.
Several pro-ILLEGAL immigration and civil rights groups yesterday filed a class-action lawsuit to stop the government from entering immigration information into a national crime database, saying the data is being misused in the wake of the September 11 attacks on America.
Filed in U.S. District Court in New York, the suit says the Justice Department and the FBI unlawfully entered civil immigration information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), accessed by state and local police millions of times each day. Thus, the action subjects immigrants to the risk of unlawful arrest by state and local police. Ahh... yes.... enforcing federal laws is unlawful.....
The suit also questions the authority of Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Justice Department to enlist state and local police in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
"Co-opting state and local police to make immigration arrests undermines public safety and encourages racial profiling," carped said Raul Yzaguirre, president and chief executive officer of the National Council of La Raza, one of the suitâs plaintiffs.
"It makes illegal immigrant victims and witnesses afraid to report crimes and assist police investigations, diverts law enforcement resources from other policing priorities, and entangles untrained officers in the complexities of immigration law."
Other parties to the suit include the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Latin American Workers Project, New York Immigration Coalition and Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).
Oscar Paredes of the Latin American Workers Project said the policy "encourages every local cop on the beat to make ILLEGAL immigrant arrests," while UNITE President Bruce Raynor said "hard-working but vulnerable ILLEGAL immigrant workers and their families are intimidated by any contact with local law enforcement authorities." God Forbid we actually enforce federal law..... I bet these people are all up in arms if someone violates federal labor laws...
The NCIC database, which includes more than 40 million felons, fugitives and others being sought by federal law enforcement, was expanded after the September 11 attacks to include immigrant criminals who failed to show up for their deportation hearings.
It also includes thousands of immigrants who registered with the government under the "special registration" program, which requires that foreign visitors from designated countries register when they enter the United States. NCIC is used by 80,000 law enforcement agencies across the country.
Mr. Ashcroft has said that under the special registration program, authorities have detained eight suspected terrorists, including one known member of al Qaeda. Which this lawsuit would have protected.
Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), praised the decision to expand a national database to enable state and local law enforcement officials to identify and apprehend known criminals and illegal aliens as "an essential step to real homeland security" and an "invaluable tool in the effort to combat terrorism in the United States." This guy gets it.
Mr. Stein noted that several of the September 11 terrorists had direct contact with local law enforcement officials before the attacks, and the lack of a central, accessible database made identifying them impossible.
"One of the direct contributing factors to the success of the September terrorists was the governmentâs failure to collect and share information that might have foiled the attacks," he said. "If we maintain a policy of willful blindness, by erecting firewalls to protect people who are in the country illegally, then we are courting another terrorist attack." B I N G O ! ! ! Give the man a cigar!
Mr. Stein said final orders of deportation have been issued for 400,000 alien absconders, but they cannot be located. INS âCatch and Releaseâ at work gentlemen.
Since these names have begun to be entered into the NCIC database, 5,000 have been removed from the United States, including 4,200 with felony convictions, he said. And its working....
The lawsuit wants the government barred from entering immigration CRIMINAL records into NCIC and the removal of the thousands of entries compiled since September 11. It says Congress strictly limited the power of local and state police to make immigration arrests by requiring them to, among other things, receive formal training in federal immigration law before undertaking general immigration enforcement activities.
The journalists - reporter Mark Epstein and photographer Jean Paul Guilloteau of LâExpress magazine - arrived Pakistan on December 7 on journalist visas which only allowed them to visit Karachi, the capital Islamabad and eastern city Lahore. Epstein and Guilloteau had not requested the necessary special permits for their trip to Quetta because their investigative reporting required discretion, Reporters Without Borders said. Another person was also reportedly arrested for giving them an interview, the organisation said. Police confiscated a computer and notebook from Epstein, and digital camera memory cards and videotapes from Guilloteau. Epstein won Diplomatic Press Prize in 2001 for a report he and his Pakistani assistant, Khawar Mehdi Rizvi, produced on Pakistanâs western tribal areas. A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official said the pair could face three years jail. "They will be put on trial. The maximum penalty in this case is three years," FIA deputy director Mohammad Malik said.
Posted by: seafarious ||
12/18/2003 11:55:10 AM ||
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They're not from the same "journal" that attached reporters to a Iraqi terrorist, are they?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 12:17 Comments ||
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#2
Another instance of the Fifth Estate believing that laws and regulations are for the little people...
#3
Paris Match was the magazine whose photographers filmed the attack on the DHL plane. L'Express is the French newsweekly that ran a cover story on (George W. Bush) "The Man Who Ruined Our Year."
#7
just to look at another possibility, is it possible govt of Pakistan has things to hide in Quetta?? Reports recently that Taliban go about openly there, etc.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Wednesday assured the Upper House that remaining Pakistani prisoners in Afghan jails would return to the country soon. Responding to a question by Dr Azizullah Satakzai during question-hour session, the minister said the government is presently working out necessary arrangements with the Afghan and the US authorities for the transfer of all these prisoners to Pakistan. He said according to International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), there are 601 Pakistani prisoners in Afghan jails. Took that many alive, did they?
Kasuri said Afghan minister for interior, during his visit to Pakistan in July 2003, informed that 643 prisoners were in Afghanistan, of which 540 were in Shiberghan. Got 42 that the Red Cross donât know about, it seems.
The minister said despite our repeated requests to the concerned Afghan authorities, particulars of Pakistani prisoners are still awaited. I guess he means names.
He said as a result of the governmentâs efforts some 470 prisoners have been released so far including 65 prisoners who were repatriated from Siberghan jail in May 2003. 643 + 470 = 1113 jihadi wantabes who missed taking a dirt nap. Wonder how many are up for round 2?
He said the continued detention of Pakistani national in Afghan jails is a matter of great concern for the government of Pakistan, adding, "We have raised the matter at the highest level with the Afghan and US governments." Guess these have been pumped dry of info.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 11:49:14 AM ||
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The leadership of the Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal seems to have realised the mistake of openly supporting Taliban and have started distancing itself from the extremist group of Afghanistan, observed political analysts. So are they going to covertly support them now instead?
Talking to journalists in Attock recently, Syed Ejaz Bokhari, an MP of MMA, criticised Mullah Umar, the deposed leader of Taliban for his extremist approach and termed him an agent of the agencies. He even supported Afghan President Hamid Karazaiâs assertions about Mullah Umarâs hiding. He admitted old one-eye is hiding in Pakistan? That is new.
Political observers are of the view that a statement of the sort by a responsible MMA leader hints at the changes in future approach of the MMA. It may be mentioned here that till recently the component religious parties of Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal had been supporting the Taliban in all their activities and spared no opportunity to even criticise the Pakistan government for its thrusts in war against international terrorism. We noticed, so did Perv.
The experts said that it was a positive development and the MMA would hopefully emerge as a saner political entity if it pursued its policies in conformity with the changing environment. These observers were of the opinion that MMA by pursuing saner policies and shunning extremism could play a positive role in the overall political and economic development of the country and develop a political culture which can as well prove a fillip for the weal of the common masses. That must have been a real interesting meeting they had with President Musharraf a while ago. Makes you wonder if walls and muzzle blasts were mentioned.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 11:38:00 AM ||
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Some 90 Indian separatists and 34 Bhutanese soldiers were killed in a military crackdown in the Himalayan kingdom, Indian news agencies reported Wednesday. Many other members of the Bhutanese army were injured in the operation launched Monday, the United News of India (UNI) quoting unnamed Indian intelligence sources said. The dead rebels belonged to three separate guerrilla groups including members of the United Liberation Front of Asom separatist (ULFA) group, which holds sway in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, according to UNI and the Press Trust of India (PTI). The Bhutanese army has overrun six rebel headquarters in four districts bordering Indiaâs Assam, the Bhutanese foreign ministry added in a statement.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
12/18/2003 3:31:33 AM ||
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Pakistani authorities have arrested ten people, including Afghans, for suspected links with al Qaeda and their Taliban allies, officials said on Wednesday. The suspects were arrested in Rawalpindi on Monday, but the interior ministry said the arrests were not related to Sundayâs bid to assassinate President Pervez Musharraf in the same city, which lies close to the capital Islamabad. Pakistanâs military ruler narrowly escaped an attack when a series of explosions ripped apart a bridge in Rawalpindi just after his motorcade passed by. "These arrests are not related to this incident. These are related to al Qaeda and Taliban," said Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, a senior interior ministry official. He said some weapons were recovered from the detainees, but did not say how many Afghans were among those arrested. Pakistani intelligence officials say they had no firm leads, but suspected the al Qaeda network may be behind the weekend bid to kill Musharraf. Pakistani authorities are questioning seven security personnel, including four policemen detailed to check the bridge.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:18:55 AM ||
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Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat Wednesday hinted the possible involvement of Al-Qaeda in Sundayâs life attempt on President General Pervez Musharraf. Meanwhile, he said, "Domestic and foreign elements are under investigation. The culprits would soon be brought to book." Faisal Saleh Hayat said that explosion on Nulleh Leh bridge was not of ordinary nature, saying civil institutions as well as intelligence agencies were probing into the incident. In the large interest of Pakistan, he said it was not appropriate to bring to light the investigation so far conducted. "Investigation will continue till the government reaches plotters. Police officers on duty are being probed, however, no one from among has been arrested," he added. The government is more vulnerable to internal elements than external ones, he said, maintaining that terrorist activities were being conducted due to governmentâs policies and operations to curb terrorism as well as its (government) condemnation of terrorism at international scale. Ayman let the word out a little while ago that Perv was to be iced, my guess is that this is somebody trying to follow-up on his orders.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:17:54 AM ||
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"Police officers on duty are being probed..." Sounds kinda painful.
Among the documents found in Saddamâs briefcase when he was captured last weekend was a list of names of Iraqis who have been working with the United States â either in the Iraqi security forces or the Coalition Provisional Authority â and are feeding information to the insurgents, a U.S. official told ABCNEWS.
Lawrence Wilson e-mailed The Pilot Tuesday, giving his personal account of Saddamâs capture. The brigade had been conducting raids and other combat operations around Husseinâs hometown of Tikrit since April. The region is filled with his supporters. They questioned Saddam loyalists. Every capture added to the divisionâs store of knowledge. A five-hour raid Dec. 4 in Tikrit brought in lower-level supporters, but not the chief man of five families who comprised the heart of Saddamâs protection. Wilson and Hickey learned he had escaped, fleeing to the nearby ancient town of Samarra. Another Army unit then carried out a raid there. They captured several men and found $1.9 million in cash, but not the potential informant Hickey sought.
âThe capture of Saddam started on the 12th of December with the capture of a individual who was very close to Saddam,â Wilson said. âThe individual was questioned about the whereabouts of Saddam, and he stated he knew of two places where he might be.â Hickey sent for the man. âThese two places were 15 minutes west of Tikrit, so he was flown to Tikrit where he was questioned more by Special Operation forces,â Wilson said. âHe got here on the 13th of December and Colonel Hickey was called sometime mid morning about this informant and the information he had.â
Just before noon, they learned Saddam was possibly in an underground bunker in one of two locations. âOnce Colonel Hickey knew of this, he informed Major Reed, our operations officer, to send warning orders to G Troop 1-10 CAV (the recon troop for Wilsonâs brigade combat team), our 299th Engineer Battalion, and our 4th Battalion 42nd Field Artillery for a possible raid in Ad-Dawr for HVT 1 â High Value Target Number One: Saddam Hussein,â he wrote. âWe started making the plan for the raid and developing a time line.â Saddam was thought to be in or near one of two farmhouses near the town of Ad-Dwar, a few miles from his birthplace in Uja. One of his most trusted aides, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, is from Ad-Dwar. The two houses were on the banks of the Tigris, opposite one of many palaces where Saddam used to come to swim. Saddam took refuge here before coming to power, staging operations in the 1960s against an Iraqi government he would later overthrow.
Troops secured a two-square-kilometer area around the houses. âColonel Hickey had a briefing with the special operations force to insure we were good and to set a time line,â Wilson wrote. âThe 1st Battalion Combat Team was to go into Ad-Dawr with the special operations forces to capture Saddam.â They code-named the houses Wolverine One and Wolverine Two. âThe command group was made up of Colonel Hickey, Major (Bryan) Reed, myself, our drivers, three Humvees and two Bradleyâs with three-man crews.â The command team left their forward operating base at 6:30 p.m. to link up with the forces. âThe 299th Engineers Battalion would secure the west side of the Tigris River to ensure no one crosses the river,â Wilson wrote. âWe also had attack helicopters (64 Apaches) on standby if we needed them, call sign Viper. The special operations forces also had helicopters. They would secure the targets by air to ensure no one escaped their target areas.â
At the link-up site there would be two Special Operations forces, G troop (divided into two platoons), the command group and a command element for special operations forces. âThe two assault forces were made up of one Special Operation forces team and a platoon from G troop,â Wilson wrote. âThe other assault was made up of one Special Forces team and another platoon of G troop. The assault teams would depart at the same time, which was 1930 [7:30] and would close on Wolverine 1 and Wolverine 2 by 2000 [8:00]. The command and control group would follow behind the assault forces.â
By 8:15 p.m., some 20 to 30 Special Operations troops equipped with night vision goggles and laser-aimed weapons had Wolverines One and Two, but not Saddam. Soldiers spotted two men running from another house about 200 yards away. The men were arrested, and a search of the area began. Between the farmhouses was a small walled compound, soldiers found a metal lean-to and a mud hut. One soldier noticed a white rug lying oddly on the ground nearby. Pulling it aside, troops found a mud- and dirt-covered lid made of foam plastic. They pulled it up, peering into the dark shaft beneath, preparing to throw in grenades. A man appeared to be lying on the floor at the bottom. Could he be one of the two most wanted men on earth?
Their call came to Wilsonâs command unit.âAt 2015 [8:15], we received a radio message from the assault team on Wolverine 2 stating that they might have Saddam and they would confirm ASAP,â he said. The Green Beret at the top shouted down, âWho are you?â
A bearded, bedraggled man crawled out, raising his hands. âI am Saddam Hussein; I am the president of Iraq, and Iâm willing to negotiate,â he said in English, according to Reed. âPresident Bush sends his regards,â a soldier replied.
âAt 2026 [8:26], they confirmed that they captured Saddam and were preparing him to be moved to a secure area in Tikrit by OH 58 helicopter,â Wilson said. He and Hickey saw Hussein secured and helicoptered south within the hour. âThe soldiers who executed this raid are great Americans and soldiers,â Wilson wrote. âThese brave soldiers are sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers and sisters. These soldiers are your silent heroes and Iâm telling this story for them.â Since the end of major combat, his brigade made more than 500 raids. âIt has been a long and hard eight months, and the capture of Saddam is a sweet victory,â Wilson wrote. âYes, we congratulated each other with handshakes, slaps on the backs and a âYou did a great job.â I have been a soldier for over 25 years and I love the Army, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, the 4th Infantry Division. But most of all â I love the soldiers.â
Probably the most important thing, besides bagging saddam. Once the $$$ starts drying up, these guys (especially the bagmen) are going to start thinking "waitaminnit, I gots $250,000 I'm supposed to deliver to some putz? Screw DAT!", and start disappearing into the 'new' Iraq. They'll just start disappearing with the cash. It's not like the thugs believe in anything, they turncoat as soon as the writing's on the wall. And it's being written in BIG BOLD LETTERS now.
Suspected followers of Saddam Hussein shot to death a representative of a major Shiite political party, a party official said Thursday. Muhannad al-Hakim, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was killed Wednesday morning while leaving his home in Baghdad, party official Latif al-Rubaie said. He blamed the killing on loyalists of the former dictator, who was captured Saturday. Or it could be religious in-fighting.
More likely Sammy's hard boyz, I'd guess...
Al-Hakim, who is in his mid-30s and was head of security at the Education Ministry, was a cousin of Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council. A funeral procession was held Thursday. Iâm sure there was a lot of the usual ranting and swearing of Dire Revenge(tm).
In August, Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, a top Shiite cleric and founder of the Supreme Council party, was killed in a car bombing in the southern city of Najaf that left at least 85 people dead in Najaf. He was a brother of Abdel-Aziz Al-Hakim. Not been a good year for the al-Hakim family.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 9:44:41 AM ||
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Tidbit from Rooters: A representative of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) said Muhannad al-Hakim had been shot dead near his home in Baghdad's Amil district, after receiving death threats from Saddam supporters.
The SCIRI official added that in a separate incident, an angry crowd in the southern city of Najaf had attacked and killed Ali al-Zalimi, an official of Saddam's Baath party who played a role in crushing an uprising by Iraqi Shi'ites after the 1991 Gulf War. "People surrounded him with guns, and proceeded to shoot and beat him," the official said, calling the killers: "residents of Najaf who recognised this criminal".
No trial for you, Ali.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 12:29 Comments ||
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"People surrounded him with guns, and proceeded to shoot ..." Vision of the old un-PC diagram of the Polish ... noItalian ... no French(!?) firing squad. Couldn't resist.
As recently as two days before his capture, Saddam Hussein dined with a top lieutenant who was co-ordinating guerilla attacks on the so-called Highway of Death from Baghdad north to Tikrit. He also gave him more than $US1 million ($1.35 million) to finance the attacks, a US military commander said. The deputy, Qais Hattam, was arrested at a farmhouse south of Tikrit early on Tuesday with 73 suspected Saddam Fedayeen guerillas, a huge cache of explosives and paperwork accounting for $US1.9 million to finance attacks, said Colonel Nate Sassaman, who led the raid.
Raids against suspected guerillas are continuing. US forces sealed all roads into the city of Samarra early on Wednesday and arrested about 30 suspects. The show of force, the biggest since the US-led occupation began in April, signalled an escalation in the anti-insurgent campaign and reflected a growing sense that the military has to change tactics if it is to counter increasingly well-planned attacks in Iraqâs Sunni Muslim heartland.
I dunno that they're changing tactics. I'd think they're alternating them...
Hattam, believed to be Saddamâs top lieutenant for guerilla operations north of Baghdad, has been on the militaryâs wanted list for months. An Iraqi informant came to a US base just hours after Saddamâs arrest was reported in Iraq and said that Hattam was meeting regional Fedayeen militia commanders. It is unclear how much control Saddam had over the guerilla campaign centred on Samarra, where at least 54 Iraqis were killed in a gun battle this month and insurgents mounted a sophisticated two-stage ambush against a US patrol on Monday, two days after Saddamâs arrest. There was civilian outrage in Samarra over the troopsâ strong-arm search tactics. The US said it would pay restitution for any property damage.
Officials would not say whether financial documents found in Saddamâs hideout directly linked him to Hattam or other guerilla money men. However, in the northern city of Mosul, Major-General David Petraeus, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said documents found with Saddam confirmed that he had had contact with several suspected Iraqi insurgents long sought by US forces in north-western Iraq. EFL. More info on the inexplicable meeting we raided the other day. Sounds like we made quite a haul.
#1
IMHO, no. They're stepping up the attacks because the intelligence value of Saddam's information is dropping faster than my 401k did after 9/11, striking while the iron is hot. Add to the mix the meatheaded calls that are sure to come to temporarily cease operations during Christmas, ostensibly out of motives of charity, goodwill, Peace on earth, bunnies, flowers, and all the little friends of the Forest that came to Snow White's aid in the Movie version, but which, in reality, will give Saddam's remaining personnell to scatter, regroup, and fight again another day. Some acts of charity are comitted in total vanity, and thus not worth doing.
The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division here are working to give their follow-on unit — a multinational division — a head start, division commander Army Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus said Dec. 17. During combat operations in March and April against Saddam Husseinâs regime, the 101st fought from Kuwait up through the west of Baghdad and into the north of Iraq. The unit is due to rotate back to Fort Campbell, Ky., in January and February. The soldiers of the 101st have gained some hard-won lessons, Petraeus said, and they already are working to pass those lessons along to the unit that will replace them here. The general said it is important the follow-on unit recognizes that coalition forces in the region are not only doing counterinsurgency and stability and support operations simultaneously â with a rifle in one hand and a wrench in the other â but also is doing counterterrorism operations.
To combat threats of former regime cells, the unit has put together a joint interagency task force that fuses all of the intelligence and operational assets available in the Mosul area. "That has enabled us to get the kind of target resolution that you need to conduct precise raids, so you are not just on fishing expeditions and can go right to the place for that individual and get him," Petraeus said. It is lessons like this that the next unit must take to heart, he added. Mosul is a complicated area. Mixed in ethnicity, the city is the second largest in Iraq, with 1.5 million people. "Itâs incumbent on us to set our successors up for success, and to do that we have to share our knowledge," Petraeus said. Mosulâs local elections in May were the first in Iraq. The division has patrolled the area since moving in at the middle of April. The 101st worked with special operations personnel to kill Saddamâs sons Uday and Qusay. "What we have to do is a very thorough hand-off in a relatively short period of time to get them to understand the main players, the ethnic groups, the political parties (and) the other interests groups that are here," he said.
Itâs also important the new soldiers understand the current issues and how the coalition got to this point in the region. "Somehow, weâve got to transfer that knowledge to them as best we can," Petraeus said. The advance party elements will arrive in Mosul this week. "It is a challenge," the general said. "But the units that are coming in here have been studying the area for months. They already know the vocabulary and the landscape. What weâve got to do is get them immersed in it and living it so they can just take off and take it to the next level, instead of having a lull before they can move out."
Saddam Hussein spent the final weeks before the war writing a novel predicting that he would lead an underground resistance movement to victory over the Americans. He was not, as most of the world imagined, planning the defence of his nation. As the war began and Saddam went into hiding, 40,000 copies of Be Gone Demons! were rolling off the presses. Most were destroyed by bombing and looting. The historical epic reveals Saddamâs increasing detachment from the world and his inflated sense of self in a narrative that meanders through the history of Iraq from biblical times and is filled with paranoid invective against the Jews, who delight in inciting troubles between Muslim nations and encouraging the Romans (Americans) - to attack Iraq. The arch-villain is Ezekiel, an immortal Jew whose presence runs throughout time. He is a fat, evil, old man; Saddam probably had Ariel Sharon in mind. The Iran-Iraq war began when Ezekiel persuaded the Iraqisâ leader to invade his neighbour. The Iraqis, led by a doddering sheik, are soon defeated and Ezekiel seizes power. Enter Saddam as the resistance fighter Salim - "a pure, virtuous Arab" . . . "Salim is tall and handsome with a straight nose". A ghost writer journalist involved in producing the novels, Saad Hadi, said: "He lost touch with reality. He thought he was a god who could do anything, including writing novels."
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
12/18/2003 3:43:11 AM ||
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ummm... So the Jews told Saddam to invade Iraq, and he did it? He is the doddering sheik!
Posted by: Ben ||
12/18/2003 4:45 Comments ||
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I hear he's working on the new one, Man in a Hole.
"So, you want to be a genocidal dictator"
"infidels are from the west, terrorists from islam"
"12 habits of long reigning dictators"
"how to find a friend in France"
Using intelligence gained in part from the capture of Saddam Hussein, US forces have mounted a blitz to capture mid-level leaders of the former Iraqi regime who are believed to be key to the insurgency in Iraq.
"Get 'em while they're hot!"
"In the past 48 hours, we have had a very good haul," General John Abizaid, chief of the US Central Command, told reporters in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Wednesday. He said the leaders of several Baathist cells had been captured. Abizaid's assessment of the impact of the capture on Saturday of Saddam Hussein on a farm south of his hometown of Tikrit was the most upbeat yet by a senior commander. "Make no mistake: the loss of Saddam Hussein is a huge psychological blow and will pay dividends over time," said Abizaid. "We have got a lot of fighting ahead of us, but this is a big win for the young soldiers that made it happen, and for the young intelligence professionals that were smart enough to put the information together to lead us to the right place."
And we don't have nearly as much fighting ahead of us as we had a week ago...
In what appears to have been a major intelligence coup, US commanders have said a trove of documents were seized in the raid that netted Saddam, including minutes to a meeting of resistance attacks leaders that listed by name those who attended.
Whoa! Toilet paper usage just spiked in the old Triangle!
The find shed light on a leadership network that financed and issued general guidance to some 14 cells operating in the Baghdad area alone, Brigadier General Martine Dempsey, the commander of the 1st Armored Division said on Tuesday. "We continue to use information that we have gained from the intelligence system,.. some of which came from the capture of Saddam, to continue to take down those folks that are conducting attacks against the coalition," Abizaid was quoted as saying.
The intel guys are wallowing in red meat, trying to digest it all before it spoils...
Abizaid said US forces were focusing on mid-level leaders of the former regime who are believed to be running the resistance attacks. Other military officials have said that many are former majors, lieutenant and colonels from the former Iraqi military and security services who have risen to prominence since the regime's collapse. "From fighting this particular enemy, (we have learned that) knocking out the mid-level leadership is the key to success," Abizaid said. "If they were to take out our lieutenant colonels and colonels, we would have trouble, too. That is what we are doing to them." Abizaid added coalition forces captured several mid-level Baathists who were leading cells in areas where previously there had not been a clear picture of the enemy. "We have a full-court press on, understanding the environment better and connecting the various pieces of information we have from various sources," he said.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:01 ||
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...including minutes to a meeting of resistance attacks leaders that listed by name those who attended.
Cheez! Did these guys go to the Terrorism School for Stupid People? Minutes???? In writing? What else were they doing, roll call? Bunk checks? Swim buddies?
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/18/2003 0:09 Comments ||
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Repressive regimes tend to document everything. Old habits are hard to break.
#4
You sound bitter NMM. Unhappy that we're doing so well this week? Don't fret maybe someone will get killed soon...that should brighten your day, eh?
#5
"Maybe they'll find those WMD's in Saddam's shirt pocket".
Witty.
We know he had 'em, NMM...or did your precious U.N. pass 17 resolutions about his WMD violations for nothing?
#6
Now now. Mike is having a bad week. First the economic news is great, the Dow is over 10,000, and Saddam is in our jail. He has to grasp at something.
I find it very amusing that lefties like Mike always go on about the WMD issue. Ignoring completely the mass graves, the plastic shredder, or Uday's "special relationship" with the local high school principles. As if the suffering for the Iraqi people is simply not worthy of being relieved. So much for the compassionate left.
Different people supported this war for different reasons. WMDs, Saddam's links to terrorism, his past actions, as well as the horror he visited on the Iraqi people all were cases for the war. The case against amounts to what? France would be mad at us?
Even if you don't like America and want to see it fall, surely you don't want the people of Iraq to be murdered, robbed and rape in perpetuity do you? Well, do you?
Posted by: Ben ||
12/18/2003 4:54 Comments ||
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Repressive regimes tend to document everything.
#8
People like NMM would have no trouble at all- not even a little bit- finding a host of good reasons for this war, if only a Democrat were waging it. The reasons were numerous, and obvious.
Saddam's WMD were never "the" reason for the war: they were just one reason among many, and were emphasized for the purpose of bringing the U.N. on board.
For justification, one need look no further than the mass graves, the childrens' jails, the torture chambers and the shredders.
Anyone who cannot accept the imperative of ending that evil tyranny as sufficient reason for what we did, is not a decent human being.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/18/2003 7:19 Comments ||
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Can't add much more to the commentary noting the callousness and cynicism of NMM. One gleans more about the voids in his character from what he doesn't say as from what he does.
Old Patriot's observation of increased troll activity being dependant on good news for George Bush and/or America seems to be holding. I vote that we elevate it to a theory. Too bad we can't design experiments to test it properly...
#11
Repressive regimes tend to document everything
Agreed, just look at the detailed records the Nazis kept on the death camps, the Soviet archives, the East German Stasi spy files, etc. I believe they found the same in Cambodia. That may be one reason for the "looting" and all the fires in government buildings when we took Baghdad. Someone was trying to destroy as many records as possible. Look at the mountain of records the WMD team is sifting through. When Cuba and North Korea fall, watch for the same thing to show up.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 8:39 Comments ||
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it'll still backfire Dave D. Dean goes down like a lead balloon in '04, dem hawks led by Hillary smash doves led by Gore in '08. Clinton(H)-Edwards beats Bush(J)-Rice in general.
#17
LH, one problem bro'; no self-respecting hetero-sexual man will vote for Billary. Maybe some pseudo-enlightened intellectual weenies who like to go to wine tasting events - but no straight shooters. Rice would split the black vote. A lot of folks in N.C. don't even like Edwards. Better hope it's J. Bush running and not McCain. If its McCain, the dems get crushed again.
#18
If I were an intel troop in Iraq right now, I'd be watching for massive runs on consumables, especially, as someone mentioned, toilet paper. Anything CAN be used, even the stuff the Germans sell, but good toilet paper is hard to find. When you're scared enough to not know whether to sh$$ or go blind, nature usually makes the decision for you.
Jarhead: I don't feel comfortable with McCain. For some reason, every time I see him, hear his voice, or read what he's said, I get flashbacks of the "Manchurian Candidate" running through my head. I've had enough experience with personal life-saving prescient episodes I don't ignore them.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 14:24 Comments ||
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Interesting observation by Jonah Goldberg over at NRO, concerning news reports about the course of Saddam's interrogation:
"A few quick points before I get on a plane. First, where are all the Democrats denouncing these leaks from Saddam Hussein's interrogation room? I mean we were told that leaks are terrible, especially pertaining to intelligence operations, right?
"More important, I'm kind of at a loss as to why all of these reports of Saddam being defiant and arrogant are being taken at face value. . . .
"Since when does the CIA -- who's handling Saddam -- leak how super-important interrogations are going? In other words, any news that's allegedly coming out of Saddam's pie hole is news his handlers want leaked. My most hopeful guess is that Saddam's actually singing like a bird but the Americans don't want the bad guys to know it. Normally, you keep even the capture of an important asset secret so you can roll-up all of his contacts without them flying the coop. Since that was impossible, my hope is that the Americans are saying he's not cooperating even as they have all of these successful raids. Doesn't that seem plausible?"
Posted by: Mike ||
12/18/2003 14:25 Comments ||
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"Clinton(H)-Edwards"
Damn! That sounds like a plan, liberalhawk! Here, I'll buy you a tube of lipstick: put enough of it on that pig, and you might even get her into the prom.
But not into the White House.
LOL...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/18/2003 14:27 Comments ||
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Singapore has arrested two men it alleges were being groomed as future leaders of the militant Muslim group Jemaah Islamiah (JI). The two, both Singaporean nationals, were members of the same Pakistan-based cell that was broken up in September. Thatâs turning into a major bust.
Six Indonesian men from the cell were extradited to Indonesia this month and a further five are being detained in Malaysia. Singapore said the arrest of the two Singaporeans had "dismantled" JIâs operations in the city state. Donât left your guard down.
Singaporeâs Ministry of Home Affairs said Muhammad Arif bin Aaharudin, 20, and Muhammad Amin Bin Mohamed Yunos, 21, were being detained under the countryâs Internal Security Act. Which they take very seriously.
Singapore said the two studied at a JI-run religious school in Malaysia in the 1990s, and had both received military training. "Both Arif and Amin were among several students who were talent-spotted by the JI leadership to be groomed to become the next generation of key operatives and leaders in the JI organisation," the ministry said. Guess theyâll just have to breed another.
The Pakistan cell is reported to have been set up by Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, who is believed to have been JIâs operations chief but is now in United States custody. Hambaliâs brother, Rusman Gunawan, has been accused of running JI operations in Pakistan and is one of the six Indonesians handed over to Jakarta. Indonesian authorities said on Thursday that two of the six had been released for lack of evidence. Under Indonesian law, the remaining four must be released by Friday unless evidence against them can be found. Weâll be watching.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 9:25:53 AM ||
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Troops and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines have re-established a shaky, five-month truce after three days of pitched battles, both sides said on Wednesday. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the fighting at Datu Piang town, a marshy area in the centre of Mindanao island, would not affect formal peace talks that are set to resume under the auspices of Malaysia next month. "This is an isolated situation that will not derail the peace process," Arroyo said in a statement. She said members of a ceasefire committee were meeting to prevent an escalation of hostilities between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the biggest Muslim rebel group in this largely Roman Catholic nation. "There are no reports of armed encounters since Tuesday night, when both sides agreed to stop fighting," Lieutenant-General Rodolfo Garcia, who heads the government team on the ceasefire panel, told reporters. "We have also agreed to disengage our forces in the conflict area. However, the situation remains strenuous."
The fighting broke out when troops pursuing members of a kidnap-for-ransom gang, who abducted a car dealer on December 8, clashed with hundreds of MILF rebels. More than a dozen people, including five soldiers, had been killed in Mindanao since Saturday. Four soldiers were captured, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said. "We will be happy to turn them over to their families as soon as the situation settles down," Kabalu told Reuters, saying the rebel group had sustained minimal losses. Garcia said both sides had sent teams to investigate.
Malaysia, a mainly Muslim nation, is brokering attempts to restart formal negotiations to end a 31-year separatist rebellion by the MILF in which more than 120,000 people have died. The truce has largely held since June. The fighting broke out as a team of Malaysian ceasefire monitors were due to arrive in the Philippines. Military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Lucero and Malaysian Ambassador Mohamed Taufik said on Monday — the day originally set for the arrival — that the trip had been postponed. But military sources told Reuters an advance team of Malaysian observers, led by a general, was expected to arrive in Manila on Thursday. The Malaysian state of Sabah lies to the west of the southern Philippine islands, the centre of the insurgency and home to the bulk of this countryâs eight to 10 million Muslims. The talks, which began in 1997, stalled in late 2001 and nearly collapsed in February after troops overran a major rebel camp at Buliok in Mindanao. But former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad persuaded Arroyo to re-start the peace process during a meeting in Tokyo in May.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:44:18 AM ||
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'scuse me, but there's something surreal about a supposedly sovereign government conducting long-running "formal peace talks" with armed thugs and goons insurrectionists What's to negotiate? You either fight, or surrender. Or is it just me?
#2
They have been fighting there for so many years (since @1975 seriously) that everyone is pretty much institutionally exhausted. Add to that the fact the Philippine government is chronically broke, the Army is underpaid, undertrained, badly equipped and not entirely reliable, that the Muslims, or some of them, do have some valid grievances, and that Manila basically just doesn't really care because those parts of Mindanao are the back of beyond. Its not as if they matter much to the national economy.
The Philippines, with the help of the Abu Sayyaf group and the separatist Moro Islamic liberation Front (MILF), has helped in creating a fertile ground for the growth of the Jemaah Islamiyah since 1994, said Maria Ressa, a Filipina author of the newly launched book entitled Seeds of Terror.
About 11 Indonesians would be graduating from a training camp, allegedly manned by the MILF, in the southern Philippines in January 2004, said Ressa, bureau chief of the Cable News Network, in Jakarta. She was previously based in Manila. "One of the camps, named Camp Palestine, was an exclusive Arab facility; another named Camp Hodeibia was for Jemaah Islamiyah, which was set up with Al Qaidaâs help in 1994. Another was named Camp Vietnam. They were all located at 10,000 hectare Camp Abubakar in Maguindanao," Ressa told Gulf News. She saw the camps through a CD, which documented their growth from 1994 to 2000. Inside the camps were two bridges including a football field. Quoting her source, Ressa said the three camps were built with lots of money because they were located in a very inaccessible area in the northeast portion of Camp Abubakar. She said that Camp Bushra, also an MILF controlled area in another southern province, has giving training to several radicals. In 2000, the military took over Camp Abubakar and dismantled all the training camps there. In several intelligence documents almost all the arrested terrorists claimed they underwent training in the southern Philippines, said Ressa. "One (report dated August 24, 2001) named 14 men from Indonesia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar," said Ressa, adding, "Years before that and until today, thousands of militants have learned terrorist techniques in more than 27 camps set up by the MILF in the south." "These training camps are not just patterned after the Al Qaida camps in Afghanistan, they are run with Al Qaidaâs support and leadership," she added. 1995 was a very important year for the Philippine military because at that time, the military intelligence managed crack at members of the so-called terror groups who were responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Centre in 1993. In 1995, the Al Qaida sent new operatives to the Philippines to run terror plots against the US. Al Qaida began infiltrating and co-opting homegrown organisations," said Ressa, adding all of these activities helped bring about the September 11 attacks.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:42:50 AM ||
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The government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been urged to halt Iranâs nuclear weapons program. A senior Israeli parliamentarian regarded as a leading expert on Iranâs strategic programs has warned the Sharon government that it cannot rely on the United States to stop Teheranâs nuclear weapons project. The parliamentarian said Iran will achieve independent nuclear weapons capability over the next year."If we donât act by ourselves, then others wonât do anything," Knesset member Ephraim Sneh told a strategic conference in Herzliya on Tuesday. "They will only do something if they know that we will act, providing no other alternative. This moment is approaching," Middle East Newsline reported.
Sneh, a minister in previous Israeli governments, warned of Iranâs nuclear capability as early as 1993 and helped draft policy that called for U.S. pressure to stop Russian technology to Teheran. He is a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee, which receives frequent intelligence briefings on Iranâs nuclear weapons program. "In 2004, or at the latest 2005, Iran will arrive at the point of no-return for nuclear weapons," Sneh, echoing an assessment by Israelâs intelligence community, said. "This means that it will no longer require foreign assistance to produce a nuclear weapon."
Sneh warned that an Iranian nuclear bomb will destroy the fabric of Israeli society. He said Israelâs government will be intimidated by an Iranian atomic bomb and that the nationâs elite will flee to avoid an Iranian nuclear attack. "People will leave here and not come back if they think Iran could use such weapons," Sneh said. "How would a government in Jerusalem confront nuclear weapons against an irrational regime. We will be limited in every way."
Israeli officials said Snehâs remarks reflects those of the nationâs intelligence community. They said Israel has urged the United States to stop Iranâs nuclear program during 2004 before Teheranâs reaches indigenous nuclear capability. But U.S. analysts who appeared with Sneh during a discussion of Iran frowned on a military strike on Iranâs nuclear facilities. They said the Bush administration had little stomach for another military confrontation amid the campaign to stabilize Iraq. Patrick Clawson, head of research at the Washington Institute, said the United States can delay Iranâs nuclear weapons program by between two and 10 years with a military intervention. Clawson said a U.S. assassination campaign against leading Iranian scientists could be more effective than an air strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. "It could be what Israel did in Egypt in the 1960s, making certain that key people in meet an untimely accident."
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/18/2003 9:41:17 PM ||
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Stirring up the boiling pot the UN keeps trying to ignore
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/18/2003 22:02 Comments ||
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There's no better time like the present for the Israelis to launch a long range strike. Once Iraq has a permanent government, over-flight rights will be a problem.
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/18/2003 23:04 Comments ||
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#3
Since the "international community" will certainly ignore the Iranian nuke threat, it will fall to one of the remaining countries with balls to take out the trash....nothing new under the sun.
#4
I don't know about overfly rights under a new free Iraqi government: they fought the Iranians pretty well for 8 long years (just like we in the VRWC fought the Clintoons!) and there's got to be more than a little payback at stake.
Also, Iraqi (Arab) Shi'ites aren't on the same page as Iranian (Persian) Shi'ites.
But the IAF has my permission to take out these Iranian nuke sites whenever the spirit moves them!
EFL - read the long article for details Lee Boyd Malvo was found guilty Thursday of killing a woman during last fallâs sniper shootings that terrorized Washington, D.C., and outlying areas of Virginia and Maryland. Malvo, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, could face the death penalty. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury deliberated about 13 hours over two days before finding Malvo guilty of terrorism and capital murder in the October 14, 2002, killing of FBI analyst Linda Franklin outside a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia. Malvo also was found guilty on one count of using a firearm in commission of a felony. Franklin was one of 10 people killed in the sniper attacks. Three others were wounded. The same jury of eight women and four men will begin hearing testimony Friday to decide whether to recommend the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The firearms charge carries a mandatory three-year sentence. Two psychiatrists called by the defense testified that years of abuse and neglect by his mother and the persuasive techniques used by Muhammad left Malvo with dissociative disorder -- a disruption of the integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception of the environment. The mental illness rendered him incapable of telling right from wrong, they said. "Did he know right from wrong?" defense attorney Michael Arif asked the jury. "Right was what John Muhammad said was right and wrong." Prosecutors came armed with their own experts and depicted Malvoâs insanity defense as a "smoke screen." They said Malvo was aware his actions were wrong and conducted his sniper missions with cool calculation and a studied indifference to his victimsâ pain. Malvoâs childhood neglect and abuse was not an excuse, they said. "A hard life is not a mental disease," prosecutor Robert F. Horan Jr. told the jury. a breath of sanity in a PC world
EFL of Newday AP story. Be warned - it contains some touching moments.
The normally barren Al-Zahra Hotel has been turned over the past few weeks into something of a Gaza City frat house. On a recent day, some of the new guests -- Palestinians expelled by Israel from the West Bank in an experimental approach toward suspected militants -- stretched out on lobby couches, chain-smoking, chatting, staring listlessly at a TV. Sometimes, local residents invite their 18 new neighbors to lunch. Some of the expellees show up at the odd protest or hold beach barbecues, but mostly they spend their days padding about the lobby -- a bunch of men with no jobs and way too much time on their hands. "We are not from here. We donât know anybody here. Itâs very hard to meet people," said Taha Doek, 39, who is from Hebron.
Palestinians say expulsions without trial are illegal under international law, and worry the small numbers will soon turn into a flood. Israel says Al-Zahraâs guests are dangerous militants: It had to expel them because trying them would have compromised intelligence sources. "This is only the start," said Capt. Maurice Hirsch, a legal official with the Israeli army. The Israeli military gave the men about $230 each and dumped them in overcrowded and impoverished Gaza in several groups from mid-November to early December, barring them from returning to the West Bank -- separated from the strip by Israeli territory -- for up to two years. The Palestinian Authority picked them up and put them in this quiet and otherwise empty back-alley hotel -- high-class by Gaza standards with a clutch of new floral-print couches and tables topped with fake flowers.
For many Palestinians, whose society is anchored in clan and family, being barred from their hometowns is a terrible punishment -- compounded in this case by the utter monotony. They wake up to a breakfast, which, like all their meals, comes courtesy of the Palestinian Authority. Some go for walks through the city. Others, confused by the new surroundings, stay inside all day. They speak with their families on the cell phones they immediately bought with the Israeli cash. A few pray and read the Quran. Lazily they chat with each other, although having spent weeks together in detention itâs not clear whatâs left to say. "I am miserable," Doek said before inviting a reporter and photographer upstairs to see pictures of his family. The front-desk clerk sprung into action, demanding they remain in the lobby for "security reasons." See thatâs the type of service that these guys are being subjected to. So much for that clerkâs Christmas tip.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 2:37:08 PM ||
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President Bush canât hold an American citizen seized on U.S. soil and suspected of being part of a "dirty bomb" plot as an enemy combatant, a idiotarian federal appeals court ruled Thursday. That decision could force terroristJose Padilla to be tried in civilian courts. The circuit court ordered the suspect to be released from military custody within 30 days but said the government could transfer him to civilian authorities who can bring criminal charges. Padilla can also be held as a material witness in connection with grand jury proceedings, the court said. In a 2-to-1 ruling, a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Padillaâs detention was not authorized by Congress and that Bush could not designate Padilla as an enemy combatant without the authorization. Iâm almost speechless. Is our judicial system now compromised by fifth columnists?
#3
As the saying goes, be careful what you ask for. No matter how significant this ruling is, or is not, in terms of civil rights, this will play well for the GOP - even when Padilla claims torture...which of course he will.
Normal people are sick of our security being put at risk so that pompous elites can talk down through their upturned noses about how vividly they can see utopia from their ivory towers.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 13:22 Comments ||
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Okay, I've skimmed the opinion very quickly. Based on both Constitutional analysis (the Third Amendment is even cited, a rarity) and on statute (the Non-Detention Act, 18 U.S.C. sec. 4001(a)), the President lacks inherent authority to detain American citizens as enemy combatants when seized on American soil outside a zone of actual combat. For those of you studying for Con. Law exams, the President is placed thoroughly in Jackson Category Three. The Quirin case, involving Nazi saboteurs, is distinguished. This seems right to me, based on my rather quick read of the opinion. I think that the real danger in Presidential authority to detain terrorists comes when it's applied to American citizens in America, since that's where the risk of politically motivated abuse is highest. Whether Congress has the power to authorize such detention isn't addressed in the opinion, but I would incline toward the position that it does not.
And, by the way, they don't have to let Padilla go -- just release him from military custody. They can transfer him to civilian custody for further prosecution, and the majority, in the conclusion to the opinion also notes that he can be held as a material witness in connection with other civilian prosecutions.
Got to agree with him here. If they had picked him up in Afghanistan, the enemy combatant status would be ok. Because he was picked up in the US, he gets a civilian federal court. Still can try him for supporting terrorism, just not in a military court. We just move him from one jail to another.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 13:32 Comments ||
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#5
They have 30 days to release him? They will find another charge to keep him under lock and key. I don't think 'Jose Mahammed Atta El Heffe' is going anywhere but to another prison cell.
It occurs to me, however, how convenient it is that the decision comes today, AFTER the Iraqi resistance is being rolled up like a red carpet. Any intel Padilla had is surely far less significant now than it was a week ago.
Wonder if the judges took their time looking at it - and then after a wink and a nodd gave the correct decision. I guess we'll never know.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 13:50 Comments ||
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#7
Yep, the only thing I'd add to what Glenn Reynolds said is that reasonable people can disagree as to whether Padilla was actually inside or outside the "zone of combat," since Padilla's buddies were the ones who made American soil a combat zone in the first place.
I saw a quote from an ACLU lawyer, jeepers those people sure are dunces. He called it a "repudiation of Bush's attempt to deny access to fed courts" for these folks, or something like that. This ruling came out of a Federal Appeals Court. Duh! And of course the three judge panel's ruling doesn't have to be the last word on the subject, if the gov't doesn't want it to be.
Let him stay where he is, get a trial in a civilian court, or be held as a material witness. It really doesn't matter to me, as long as he remains in custody and is unable to be a terrorist, doing the things that terrorists will do. I hope Mr. ACLU feels the same way, but sadly I'm not so sure he does.
#9
He's still an American citizen with all the rights afforded to us all. The gov't just needs to arrest and charge him like the Lackawana 6 (sp)
Posted by: Bill ||
12/18/2003 17:36 Comments ||
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#10
Bah. I agree with the dissent opinion that as the US is Al Qaida's declared target, Padilla was in "the zone of combat." And as #8 someone clearly notes, this moves Padillo 2 decisions away from freedom -- a step in the wrong direction.
#12
well obviously we need a legislative fix here and it shouldn't be too hard to write a short amendment to the patriot act that gives some but not full constitutional rights to American citizens conspiring to commit terrorism.
If it is even moderately logical, it should pass both houses easily.
#13
I'm heading for NYC tomorrow for the weekend. I believe that's in the "zone of combat".
With idiot judges like this and the court jesters of the 9th, the terrorists won't have to do much. These dickheads will do it for them. God help us all.
When US President George W. Bush visited Canberra in October, he told his friend John Howard that the Democratic candidate who, if he won the primaries, would be his most formidable opponent in the 2004 presidential election was Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman. If Joe wins the Presidency, I could live with it as THE most important issue is our nationâs security now and for the future.
What a fantastic irony it would be if the capture of Saddam Hussein this week led to the derailing of former Vermont governor Howard Deanâs anti-war candidacy and Bush had to face the formidable Lieberman in November. One thing you can say about Bush is that he is expert at winning elections and his assessment of Lieberman â Al Goreâs running mate in 2000 and the most hawkish of the Democrats â is a fascinating insight into the role he thinks national security will play in Novemberâs election. Hill finishes the year delighted that there were no Australian defence fatalities and that the ADF is held in such high esteem in the community: "When I first went to Iraq in April one or two soldiers said to me they were worried about what their reception would be back home. I said donât worry, youâll be treated like heroes. Itâs one thing to debate the politics but nowadays when a government commits the troops the people rally round them." Bush knows this. So do Lieberman, Howard and Latham.
#1
given the choice between capturing saddam and facing a more formidable election opponent or taking the easy road to re-election, I have no doubt Bush would put Sammy in the jug - that's what makes him a better choice than the Dems
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/18/2003 12:15 Comments ||
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#2
I cannot recall the names, but there were two American Patriots, active in the Revolution and the politics of the young nation. They vigorously opposed each other on many issues, but when they died, ironically on the SAME day, each expressed relief and thankfulness that the other was still alive to watch over the Republic.
Bush doesn't intend to lose, but he, and all of us, would rather that he lose to Liberman than anyone else.
#5
Latest NYT/CBS poll of Democratic primary voters.
Howard Dean: 23%
Sen. Joseph Lieberman: 10%
Gen. Wesley Clark: 10%
Rep. Dick Gephardt: 6%
Rev. Al Sharpton: 5%
Sen. John Kerry: 4%
Sen. John Edwards: 2%
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: 1%
Sen. Carol Moseley Braun: 1%
Sharton leads Kerry, Bwahahaha!
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 12:52 Comments ||
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#6
frankly, if I were Bush I would fear Edwards who is more photogenic and who has a better voice and also a better grasp of the domestic issues than Edwards
also, if the dems nominate Lieberman, there would be a massive defection of the ultra leftist to Nader - somewhat less so in the case of Edwards
#7
I don't think Bush fears anybody right now. The opposition is really weak.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 13:25 Comments ||
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#8
I doubt Bush "fears" any of the Democrats at this point; the Democratic Party looks less fearsome than it has at any time in the last half-century.
The most interesting question is whether the party itself will even survive next year's election, not whether they'll win the presidency.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/18/2003 13:30 Comments ||
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#9
The numbers cited above add up to 62%. There is still a huge number of undecided Dem. voters out there. I think that once Dean begins to implode (which will happen once primaries start in more conservative states like South Carolina and a different sort of voter begins to examine his statements carefully), we'll see some interesting shifts in the standings.
#10
MW - that other 38% are probably the Dems who plan to vote for Bush. We've heard a LOT about them, from Zell Miller down to local Rantburgers. As the man said, the big question is whether the Democratic Party will remain a viable political apparatus after November, 2004.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 13:57 Comments ||
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#11
The guy Bush really ought to fear is John Kerry. I don't know if you guys have heard, but he served in Vietnam! Vietnam, folks!
#12
John Adams had recently turned aside invites to various festivities, citing poor health. His last words were, "Thomas Jefferson lives," not knowing Jefferson expired a few hours earlier, July 4, 1826. The country turned 50 that day.
Once AGAIN, putting the lie to a lefty-loon meme.
For the fourth time since the war on terror began, President Bush visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center Thursday to honor wounded soldiers and thank the medical staff, which has treated 2,100 patients from the Iraq war alone. Bush was visiting privately with "some of our bravest troops," who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. He was to meet with about 30 soldiers admitted to the hospital for orthopedic injuries stemming from service in the two nations. Separately, Bush was meeting with about 20 physical therapy outpatients and their relatives. He planned to honor some with Purple Hearts, the military award for wounded service members.
Later, Bush planned to give a speech to about 200 members of the Walter Reed medical staff and drop in on Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was at the hospital recovering from prostate cancer surgery on Monday. Bush combined his hospital visit with care for his own sore knees. The 57-year-old president spent about two hours Thursday morning getting MRIs, or magnetic resonance imaging scans, to help diagnose pain that bothers him when running. Walter Reed currently has about 220 admitted patients. Roughly 40 of those are classified as "battle casualties" from Iraq and Afghanistan. Many more patients at the hospital are being treated for non-battle injuries or illnesses after serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
#2
Headlines for Next week:
After her OB/GYN Appointment, Senator HRC visited troops and told them that âtheir health care sucked and that Bush made them sick.â
Senator Kerry (who served in Vietnam) visited troops after he had his balls reattached. His wife returned his nards, as required in the Pre-nump agreement. Senator Kerry (Vietnam Vet) told troops that âhe too had spilled blood in a war that nobody supported.â
Dr. Gov. Dean visited troops after performing four abortions on Girls age 14, 12, 11, and 9 (His daughters). Dean opined that âWhile he hated everyone in the military, he would be a great Commander-in-Chief.â
"Kerry ... told troops that âhe too had spilled blood ...â"
I'm not posted up on this. Has Senator [censored] Kerry ever actually used that phrase? Interesting choice of verb. Were it me, speaking of my own blood, I'd be inclined to say "shed." "Spilled" implies someone else's.
So Islamic world, what have you invented lately?
The first piloted and rocket-powered craft to have been developed by a private company made its maiden flight on Wednesday, over the Mojave desert in California. The craft, called Space Ship One (SS1), also become the first private craft to break the sound barrier, reaching a top speed of 930 mph (1490 km/h). The flight, exactly 100 years after the Wright brothers made their historic flight, marks a big step to winning the $10 million X Prize for private spaceflight. SS1 has been developed by Scaled Composites, an aerospace company run by famed airplane pioneer Burt Rutan. My moneys on Burt to win the prise.
The fully reusable system uses two vehicles. The first, a turbojet-powered carrier plane called White Knight, carries the second, SS1, up to about 15,000 metres (48,000 feet). SS1 is then released by White Knight and ignites its innovative hybrid rocket motor. Test pilot Brian Binnie, at the controls of SS1, began the flight at 0815 PST, after being released from the carrier plane by its pilot, Peter Siebold. The two were moving at Mach 0.55 at the time of release. Binnie then pulled SS1âs nose up to 60° and lit the rocket for 15 seconds. This blasted SS1 to 930 mph, or Mach 1.2, and an altitude of 68,000 feet (20,700 km). Such heights have not been seen by any such rocket craft since the X-15 test flights in the 1950s. Finally, SS1 glided down for 12 minutes and returned to the runway. To win the X-Prize, the craft will have to reach an altitude of 100,000 metres (328,000 feet) with three people aboard, and then repeat the process within two weeks. Rutan and his colleagues plan to continue their cautious approach and push a bit higher with each flight over the coming months as they work toward the prize flights. Picture of both planes at the link, typical Rutan styling. Look out NASA.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 11:14:28 AM ||
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Heres a mojave blogger with pictures of the drop test:
http://www.mojavebooks.com/mhv/031217-1.html
Scaled composites website:
http://www.scaled.com
Posted by: Frank Martin ||
12/18/2003 12:33 Comments ||
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I still like Bob Zubrin's plan but I think it doesn't qualify for the x-prize so we won't hear much about it. Zubrin wanted to use mid-air refueling at high altitude for the last leap into suborbit. If you use kerosine for your rocket fuel you get less bang, but its easier to refuel on the ground and in the air.
Er...not to be too picky here...but I think they got a few decimal points off! Hehe. I think they meant 20.7 kilometers, because 20,700km would put him at I believe geosynchronous orbit.
Posted by: Val ||
12/18/2003 20:19 Comments ||
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All I want to know is if it folds up into a suitcase like George Jetson's car? And can I drive it to work?
Israeli forces killed five Palestinians early Thursday in Nablus. The operation, which began Tuesday, is directed at Fatah-Tanzim cells in the West Bank city, which Israel claims are responsible for the most recent attempts to send suicide bombers to carry out attacks inside Israel. According to Israeli reports, in one of the incidents, three Palestinian fighters were killed in a fire exchange near an abandoned building in the old city. They were identified as Jebril Awad, 27, from Ortta Village, Fadi Hanini, 25, from Beit Dajan and Majdi Fakhri, 25, from Beit Forik. The three were believed to be affiliated with the military wing of the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Palestinian sources reported. Their bodies have seemingly come under heavy gunfire in the chest and head, ripping them into shreds. Well, that brought a smile to my face, but thatâs just me.
In another incident in the city, the Israeli reports said, troops killed a Palestinian apparently planting an explosive device in the area. But, Palestinian provided a different version for this incident. Iâm sure they did.
According to Palestinian medical sources, Aladin Daawiyeh, 25, a bakery worker, was killed while he was going to workplace when the Israeli soldiers opened their gun fire at him. "Look, a innocent un-armed baker! Nail him, Moshe!"
He was left bleeding for two hours until he pronounced his last breath, the Palestinians said. Canât seem to stop smiling today.
Also in Nablus region, occupation troops stormed into Asseira Al Shamalyia village and arrested Mahmoud Awad, 21, after breaking into his house. He is a student at Al Najah University of Explosives Nablus. Israeli sources said he planned to carry out a suicide bombing attack inside Israel. How come they didnât shoot him and leave him gasping in the dust? Maybe theyâre gonna take him back and torture him, huh?
Elsewhere, Israeli troops arrested a Palestinian in the operation, and eight others in another operation in the West Bank overnight Thursday.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 10:56:49 AM ||
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How come they didnât shoot him and leave him gasping in the dust?
Already bagged their limit of terrorists....save hime for another day? These are the boomers the wall is stopping
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/18/2003 11:17 Comments ||
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#2
"pronounced his last breath"?
What, did the mutt gasp out "breath!"? Or was it "rosebud!"?
A Chinese court sentenced a hotel worker and a prostitute to life in prison on Wednesday for organizing a three-day-long sex party for Japanese tourists â a case that outraged Chinese and reignited anger over Japanâs wartime conduct. In my original "China, Still Dictatorial After all these Years" I pointed to the ChiComms desire to suprise sex. This is going a step forward, now they embrace the tribalistic view of sex, in which women are a collective property, so having sex with them is an unpardonable insult.
Its final day fell on Sept. 18, the anniversary of a Japanese attack in 1931 on a city in Chinaâs northeast that Chinese regard as the start of World War II. The timing, which appeared to be coincidental, angered Chinese, many of whom believe Japan hasnât atoned for wartime brutality â including mass rapes. Japan hasnât admitted to many of its crimes from WW2. But China still comits crimes, and calls them virtue. At any rate, present-day Japanese are not responsible for the crimes of their Grandfathers.
Beijingâs pursuit of Japanese suspects threatened to complicate their relations further. Xinhua identified the three Japanese as Isao Hirobe, Shunji Takahashi and Koji Fukunaga, employees of an unidentified construction company in Osaka, a city in western Japan. It cited testimony that they "clearly requested sexual services" from hotel managers while arranging a business meeting for the company. China aspires to be the Worldâs greatest thug. They might already be.
The trial began Friday and ended Saturday amid tight security in the Zhuhai Intermediate Court. The public and nonessential employees were barred from the courthouse by officials who cited privacy concerns. Were are the Human Rights Organizations protesting this show trial? Oh, they are all too busy defending Saddam Hussein.
Posted by: Sorge ||
12/18/2003 10:33:22 AM ||
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Were are the Human Rights Organizations protesting this show trial?
- They weren't required to publicize the injustice. Because the trial involved illicit sex and hookers, all of American is paying close attention.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 12:09 Comments ||
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Hat tip: InstaPundit. Edited for brevity.
Debbie Shultzâs class had just finished a Spanish II final exam Wednesday morning when the door to their trailer burst open with a bang. Shultzâs estranged husband stood wild-eyed in the doorway, teeth gritted, pausing almost for dramatic effect, she recalled. Then he rushed toward her, she said, raising a large knife toward her chest. Thatâs when Shultzâs students, 16- and 17-year-old kids, went to her rescue. Several of the youngsters tackled the man, pinning him to the floor and wresting the knife from his hand.
Nimesh Patel, 17, was taking a nap after finishing his final when he heard screaming and the scampering of fleeing students. He saw his teacher trying to fend off her assailant. "I froze there for a second. Me and a couple of other guys grabbed him and threw him to the ground and basically sat on him until the cops came," he said. Several other students helped Patel subdue the attacker. They included Austin Hutchinson, 16; John Bailey, 16; Andy Anderson, 17; Matt Battaglia, 17; and Scott Wigington, 17. As Hutchinson saw the man pull the knife, "I thought I could run like the rest of the people or I could help," the student said. "Itâs just not right leaving her there." Hutchinson and Wigington, son of Rockdale County Sheriff Jeff Wigington, were the first to reach the assailant. Wigington grabbed the hand holding the knife. The others helped push the man to the ground, at which point Wigington took the knife away from him. The six boys then kept him pinned to the ground. Patel said Debbie Shultz, who helped pin the man down, didnât want to leave the room. "She was scared he would hurt us. We told her to get out," said Patel. "She was more worried about us than herself." From Flight 93 to the high schools, against international terrorists or everyday criminals, itâs time to fight back.
Posted by: Dar ||
12/18/2003 10:02:33 AM ||
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"And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddlesome kids!"
#5
Nimesh Patel, 17, was taking a nap after finishing his final
Ah! Somethings never change.
One of my yuts went to a tough inner city magnet school... said he felt safe there because anyone trying to do a Columbine would be shot to pieces after one round by the drug dealers.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/18/2003 11:41 Comments ||
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#7
And when Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was stabbed and killed in an attack in a Stockholm department store, those wonderful, loveable Swedes just stood around and watched and did nothing to help. Where do you feel safer?
Posted by: Seymour Paine ||
12/18/2003 12:00 Comments ||
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#8
Happened in Conyers Georgia, several counties north of Atlanta.
I cannot remember the Union officer who exclaimed, after a fierce engagement with the Confederates, "Give me Northern artillery and Southern Infantry, and I'll conquer the world!"
I never had any doubts about the former. Good to hear that the upcoming crop of the latter are up to snuff.
#9
Wasn't a Union man. It was Daniel Harvey Hill, of North Carolina after Malvern Hill.
Posted by: Chris Smith ||
12/18/2003 13:34 Comments ||
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#10
I hope the kid that was standing on his elbow weighed more than 200 lb's. The adreneline probably would have caused him to move about some and grind the joint into the cold school house floor.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 14:20 Comments ||
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#11
I didn't think they could use minor's names in newspapers.
Posted by: Bill ||
12/18/2003 17:50 Comments ||
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#12
I didn't think they could use minor's names in newspapers.
Bill, that's only if it's negative information, such as arrests, accusations, etc. If it's good info, such as the heroic effort of these kids, the activities of student athletes, contributers to civic action, and so forth, it's perfectly permissible.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 19:15 Comments ||
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#13
Correct, CS #9. Shows up in "Battles and Leaders" 25 years after the fact. Hill also notes how quick soldiers on opposite sides were to forgive each other after the war unlike the non-combatants, some of whom are still fighting. Speaking of Harvey Hill, Shelby Foote has several interesting anecdotes of Hill at Malvern in Vol. 1 but far too long to quote here.
A traditional healer in Nigeria has died after an anti-bullet charm he prepared failed a potency test. But heâll make the Darwin Award finals.
The healer, Ashi Terfa, was allegedly shot dead by a client in Benue state, during trials for his product. The herbalist reportedly tied the charm round his neck and asked his client to shoot him to test its efficacy. The client, Umaa Akor, has been charged with homicide since the herbalist allegedly asked to be shot at, according to police spokesman Bode Fakeye. AFP news agency reports that the traditional healerâs skull was shattered after he insisted that a gun be fired at him. "Go ahead, shoot me. I stand behind my product...BANG!"
Mr Akor had reportedly sought "insurance" against bullets from the traditional healer. Mr Akor, think Kevlar next time.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 9:13:42 AM ||
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*sigh* I told him baking powder and baking soda are two completely different ingredients, but NOOOooOOO! Stubborn ass...
Posted by: Dar ||
12/18/2003 9:49 Comments ||
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#2
Dear Sir or Madam
My name is Ashi and I have this wonderful partnership opportunity to offer you. Unfortunately local product liability laws prevent me from capitalizing this venture locally.
If you could send me your address and bank account....
Posted by: john ||
12/18/2003 10:51 Comments ||
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#3
Is there a charm to defend against attack with a pointed stick?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 12:00 Comments ||
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#4
Is there a charm to defend against attack with a pointed stick?
Yes, it's called a .357. Magnum assures greater protection, but is not necessary for ordinary pointed sticks. Effectiveness is a matter of personal experience and range.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 12:13 Comments ||
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#5
Actually, yes, I do. It's right over here, next to the property deeds of fine oceanfront land in Kansas.
Zambiaâs Supreme Court has backed death sentences passed on 44 soldiers involved in a foiled 1997 coup attempt. The court ruling spared 10 others from the death sentence. The 54 soldiers were charged with forming a private army and attempting to overthrow the former head of state, Frederick Chiluba. They were also found guilty of breaking into an arms depot, assaulting army officers and seizing state broadcasting studios to announce the takeover. If you attempt a coup, better make sure you succeed. That, and have a escape plan ready in case you donât.
Under Zambian law, President Levy Mwanawasa, Mr Chilubaâs successor, has the final say on whether the death penalty should be carried out. Theyâll swing, it keeps people from getting ideas about trying it themselves.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 9:05:41 AM ||
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EFL & You cannot make this up! The King of Pop is restyling himself Jacko X.
Michael Jackson last night became a member of the Nation of Islam - and sources told The Post his religious changeover comes along with a shake-up of his personal staff. Thatâs how I converted from atheism to Christianity. You know, I was in the middle of firing all of my staff, and thought âhey, why donât I convertâ.
High-ranking members of the Nation of Islam have been working to bring Jackson into Rev. Louis Farrakhanâs flock - and Jacksonâs conversion is now well-known in the NOI community. En-shalla
Exactly why Jackson converted wasnât clear to The Postâs sources. This is called covering you ass, in anticipation for jail time.
But Fox Newsâs Web site reported yesterday that Jacksonâs brother Jermaine, who converted to Islam in 1989, has been seeking to win favor with his more famous sibling, and has brought Farrakhanâs chief of staff, Leonard F. Muhammad, into Jackoâs bedroom inner circle as a "bodyguard." Someone needs to fend off all the children, no?
Thatâs just one of many changes under way in Jacksonâs inner circle, sources said. Other changes that have been leaked to the press include Mr. Ali Jacko being fitted for a new wardrobe. Rumored to be included in this new wardrobe are a lot of orange jump suits.
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
12/18/2003 5:54:36 AM ||
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I wouldn't have thought it possible, but surely Michael's conversion adds even MORE credibility to the Religion of Peace.
Posted by: Mark ||
12/18/2003 6:43 Comments ||
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#2
He converted to the only religiion that would understand him. Don't forget, Muhammed (peace of sh*t be upon him) was a child molester to.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/18/2003 7:04 Comments ||
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#3
Don't forget, Muhammed (peace of sh*t be upon him)...
#9
I'm sure his performances will be welcomed by Muslim's worldwide.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 10:48 Comments ||
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#10
oops..muslims.
Posted by: B ||
12/18/2003 10:49 Comments ||
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#11
Robert C.
I've heard that Kandahar is a center of homosexuality and many love ballads of the NAMBLA type originate there. This may predate Islam (Kandahar is named for Alexander). Also, since I made the comment earlier, I've done some additional browsing and it does seem that some of the Koranic and hadithic content could be seen as permitting homosexual acts (although this is contradicted by other content).
Of course, the NOI is wacko even by the standards of Islam.
#12
You may recall that there were some questions raised during the search of Neverland about the whereabouts of three Norwegian youths who were allegedly visiting with MJ at the time. I never saw any more about whether or not they were found, but one name struck me; Omer Bhatti, a Pakistani-Norwegian. My ears always perk up when I hear Norway, 'cuz that's where Mullah Krekar (Ansar-al-Islam) hangs his turban these days. Am I just being paranoid?
#13
Brilliant PR move, Michael. Just when everyone is convinced that you're a crazy pedophile, you join an organization run by a crazy racist. And didn't you call Tommy Mottola a racist devil a few years ago? Farrakhan is less racist than Tommy Mottola (who, by the way, was married to Mariah Carey, a mixed race womanwho is more of a black woman than you'll ever be)?
Posted by: Tibor ||
12/18/2003 11:44 Comments ||
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#14
Am I just being paranoid?
Seafarious, it's not paranoia when they're really out to get you.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 12:16 Comments ||
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#16
Mariah Carey is black ? I didn't know.
Which just goes to show how far the US has moved toward a color-blind society! It's the extremists that keep bringing up race as an issue. For most Americans, it was an easy transition, and we've moved on beyond skin color - now we hate for other reasons. The current nutcases pushing Aztlan and the Islamofascists have given us new people to concentrate on - for far more legitimate reasons than skin color.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 13:51 Comments ||
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#17
From Jet magazine:
"Even though she didn't want to discuss it, Carey is hoping the topic of her ethnic identity will finally be put to bed. "Ethnically, I'm a person of mixed race. My father's mother was African-American. His father was from Venezuela. My mother is Irish. I see myself as a person of color who happens to be mixed with a lot of things. And no matter how I answer ... No matter what you say, when someone asks you the question `What are you?' and you say `Black' and you look mixed, they're going to ask what you're mixed with. That's what always happens. I think a lot of people who look at me and don't know a lot about mixed-race people are confused by it."
#20
Will Jacko now have to wear a bow-tie with his Sgt.Pepper-like uniforms? Despite the seriousness of the allegations, this just keeps getting better and better.
#28
Well, at least we know MJ isn't completely out of money: garregos and cochran are on the scene. Those bloodsuckers wouldn't be hogging the cameras if jacko couldn't pay their tabs. Sh'mon, inshallah, heee-hee, and all that.
At least 60 people were reported killed and another 90 wounded in renewed fighting this week in the northwest part of Somaliaâs Galgadud Region. Local sources in the regional capital, Dhusa-Mareb, told the U.N.âs Integrated Regional Information Networks the latest fighting was between the Darod subclan of the Marehan and the Dir subclan of Fiqi Muhumud, and was concentrated in and around the village of Herale, northwest of Dhusa-Mareb. Last month Herale, which is populated by the Fiqi Mahmud, was also the scene of serious fighting between the two sides which left over 50 people dead. According to sources from a neutral clan in the area, what started out as "revenge killings" had now flared up into a "fully-fledged land war". Sources told the IRIN the Marehan want the Fiqi Muhumud out of the area, and until one group gives up, the fighting will probably continue.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:40:22 AM ||
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#1
"a fully-fledged land war"? They're restraining the awesome air force and navies of the gang punks warlords?
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/18/2003 11:21 Comments ||
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The body of 50-year-old Nurdi Elmurzayev, the head of administration in the Alkhan-Kala settlement, who was kidnapped on December 9, has been found in Chechnya, the Interior Ministry of Chechnya reported on Tuesday. The body of Elmurzayev with gunshot wounds was discovered yesterday in the village of Petropavlovskaya in the Grozny district on the republic, a Ministry spokesman said. Elmurzayev was abducted last Tuesday on the Grozny-Alkan-Kala highway as he was driving in his car without bodyguards. According to initial reports, Nurdi Elmurzayev was attacked by armed men dressed in military-style uniforms and masks. Elmurzayevâs car was later found at the roadside.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:38:03 AM ||
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Hundreds of Russian troops hunted a small army of Chechen rebels on the run on Tuesday after releasing nearly a dozen hostages they had seized in mountainous southern Russia. The rebels killed at least nine border guards on Monday when they surged into the villages of Shauri and Galatli — near where the borders of Chechnya, the Russian region of Dagestan and Georgia meet — and took 11 people hostage. "The hostages are now free... In the evening, the fighters left the village and at night headed off in an unknown direction," said Basyr Magomedov, head of the region where the villages are located. "They are probably still in the region, but no one can say where they are going."
Russian news agencies said more than 700 interior ministry and special forces swept through the Dagestan mountains in pursuit of up to 100 rebels who had stormed into region on Monday. "The operation to pursue the fighters is continuing, four helicopters from the border guards are taking part," said Viktor Tsitsver, head of border guards in Makhachkala, Dagestanâs capital. The rebels, in a statement issued on a Web site, said their operations in the Caspian Sea region of Dagestan were part of a campaign to win independence that would eventually reach President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. "If someone in Moscow thought that all this time we would fight only in Chechnya, he was deeply mistaken," said one of the groupâs commanders, according to the Web site www.kavkazcenter.com. The site is linked to Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, who led the 1999 raids. "There will be no more living peacefully. Sooner or later, should Allah will it, our war will reach Putinâs Kremlin office," it said. Russian officials disagreed on what the group was doing in Dagestan, with some saying it was attempting to break through to Georgia where it could spend the winter in peace. The rebels said they were deliberately targeting Dagestan.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:36:59 AM ||
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Aided by helicopters, hunters and local volunteers, soldiers and police searched the remote mountains of western Dagestan a third day Wednesday for rebels who killed nine border guards. A total of 12 rebels have been killed during the search operation — eight in one helicopter strike Tuesday and four more in a separate airstrike Tuesday night, said Alexei Maslov, the chief of staff of the federal military district that includes Dagestan and Chechnya. On Wednesday, about 100 local volunteers aided a total of about 2,000 Dagestani police and federal military forces trying to track down the remaining rebels, helping them find mountain paths and potential hiding places. President Vladimir Putinâs representative in southern Russia, Viktor Kazantsev, placed blame on the military for the incursion and "all this chasing of rebels in the mountains," saying officers "knew about the paths they can use and failed to take advantage of their experience" with gunmen in the region.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:34:46 AM ||
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The source is me; I was there.
Kill Devil Hills, NC (on location) -- Under blustery skies and intermittent rain, President Bush, John Travolta and numerous aviation heroes led a celebration of the 100th anniversary of first powered flight by the Wright Brothers. At the north end of the national park, a re-creation of the first flight using a 1903 model Wright flyer painstakingly built to the original plans was delayed by rain, and then failed to fly in the single attempt made a couple hours later. The Flyer, built using materials and processes faithful to the original, managed a short hop at the end of the launch rail but did not fly.
About 30,000 people were at the memorial during the morning, and over half stayed well into the afternoon in hopes of a second attempt. People were disappointed at the weather but otherwise happy and joyful. The celebration capped the five day event. The previous day honored "100 aviation heroes" with a roll call, appearances by a number of heroes including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Chuck Yeager, and a 100-person free-fall parachute jump. Mondayâs high point was a fly-by of 100 aircraft arranged in order from early 1910 era craft to the most modern military and civilian aircraft. The Park Service sponsored the event with major support from the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Ford Motor Company (which will receive the replica Flyer for the Ford Museum) and Microsoft. Several historical airplanes were on display including the obligatory Stearman and Corsair. A Marine Osprey was present for Tuesday; the Marines did public walk-through tours for delighted attendees and answered questions.
John Travolta, a long-time aviation buff and pilot, was master of ceremonies for the morning. President Bush spoke briefly in the morning celebration praising the Wright Brothers and all aviation heroes. Bush arrived and left on Marine One at the First Flight airstrip at the site; about 45 minutes after he left Air Force One did a low fly-by wagging its wings in salute. Both the Presidentâs remarks and the fly-by were well received by the crowd.
Driving rain and varying winds dogged the morning and prevented any attempts at putting the Flyer into the air until shortly after noon, when a break in the weather led to an attempt. The launch sequence was the same as for the Wright brothers: two men turned the propellers to start the engine, after which the plane was released down a catapault rail (60 feet, as with the original). At the end of the rail the plane hopped briefly and then went nose down into the water-logged sand. From my vantage point, the wind was about right (perhaps 15 knots) but the plane never appeared to have sufficient air speed. The Flyer was not damaged in the attempt.
The emotional part for me: at precisely 10:35 am, the time of the first flight a hundred years ago, about 30 people including myself stood at the #1 granite marker, touching it. About a hundred people watched curiously as one person in the group with a GPS-synched watch did a countdown. At the right moment we all counted in unison, "1, 2, 3, ... 12" to honor the 12 second first flight. As we hit "12", we looked up in the skies to see a B-2 doing a low fly-by in salute. Perfect timing.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/18/2003 12:32:38 AM ||
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#1
SW--I live in NC and was told that they had videotaped successful flights to show if the one today didn't work, that indeed that plane could fly--did you see that?
#3
The winds were apparently too light for the Flyer. Remember; the Flyer was the aircraft equivalent of an alpha release of software. The Wrights were pretty sure it could fly, but the biggest reason for building it was to see what it could teach them.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 9:44 Comments ||
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The United States has expanded security and military aid to Algeria, including the sale of non-lethal weaponry to the North African state. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns said the Bush administration offered what he termed defensive systems to Algeria as part of expanded military aid and cooperation. Burns did not specify the weaponry. During a visit in October to Algiers, Burns said the United States provided Algeria with $700,000 a year for military equipment and training of security forces. That equipment is said to include night-vision and other non-lethal equipment. "Counter-terrorism cooperation between our countries continues to be outstanding and of a great value," Burns said. "For our part, we are doing what we can to help Algeria finally put an end to the terrorist scourge that has ravaged the Algerian people for over a decade."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:32:08 AM ||
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#1
Now let's get real folks--Algeria looks to France, not the US for help---France is more threatened than we are by Islamic nutz in that country--remember the guys that wanted to crash a plane into the Eifel Tower? And the CIA had no clue what was headed OUR way? Our imcompetent National Security Advisor/ Oil Co employee Condi lied again.
#2
I'm sorry, but where was the "lie" that Dr. Rice supposedly told?
Here in Texas, we don't haul off and call people liars without damn good reason and you'd better be no exception!
I've never seen *any* evidence of NatSecAd Dr. Condileeza Rice being incompetent.
The view from your POV must be pretty jaundiced.
IIRC, Algeria seems to have been pretty cooperative with us in the WOT and in dealing with it domestically.
I'm pretty sure that the Algerians stopped "looking" to France when they got totally screwed by them as a colonial power several decades back.
You may not be Mike Moore, but do you play him on TV?
#3
Jennie, for people like NMM "lied" means "said something I don't want to hear".
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 9:36 Comments ||
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#4
NMM: France is more threatened than we are by Islamic nutz in that country--remember the guys that wanted to crash a plane into the Eifel Tower? And the CIA had no clue what was headed OUR way?
I would say that NMM is the incompetent moron, except as usual, he has left out an important pertinent fact, namely that the Eiffel Tower-related hijacking occurred in 1994, while the Clinton administration was busy negotiating a worthless treaty with North Korea and not pursuing bin Laden. Basically, NMM is evil, but his sheer incompetence precludes the use of the word genius, so I'll just call him an evil moron. (BTW, equating a strike on the Eiffel Tower with a strike on the World Trade Center is ludicrous - one is an IRA-style limited attack, whereas trying to bring down the World Trade Center was an attempt to kill tens of thousands - I know - I used to work there).
#5
Another moronic aspect of NMM's criticism (namely that we should have prevented it because it's happened before) is that there are lots of things we know about in a general way without being able to prevent them because details are lacking on the time, the place and the method of attack (and there are a number of alternative methods).
This is why American troops continue to die in Iraq (Russian troops in Chechnya and Indian troops in Kashmir) - knowing in general terms that something is going to occur doesn't mean that you can prevent it. The attackers have the initiative - they can choose the time, the place and the method of attack. Whatever we deploy in response, they will find a way around it - our defenses of publicly accessible buildings are in plain sight, whereas their preparations to overwhelm our defenses are conducted in secret. This asymmetry gives them the initiative every time. Unless. Unless we make the terrorists run for their lives, and persuade their state sponsors that funding and providing weapons to terrorists could lead to them being toppled and led away in chains or worse (Uday's and Qusay's fates). Ultimately, the only way to fight terrorism is to capture or kill the terrorists and remove their sources of funding by either arresting or killing their state sponsors.
#6
Thanks, guys! ;-)
Glad to hear that Dr. Condi and I hadn't entered a parallel universe, particularly Dr. Rice as she seems to be President Bush's closest adviser.
#7
Algeria is/was more or less a client of France, with privilegied trade of natural gas among other ressources; one of the grudges the local islamo-throatcutters have against France is its steady support of the junta since 1992 (mostly political, plus intelligence sharing, lending nightvision equipped helicopters, intercepting radio traffic,...). If indeed Algeria is willing to get closer to the USA, this is another loss of influence in Africa for Paris, to the benefit of Washington. Btw, 2003 was "Year of Algeria" (ie praising our common history, cultural ties, planned development, what a joke!) in France. Most people didn't even notice.
#8
About the privilegied trade between Algeria and France. In 198x Mitterrand signed a treaty with Algeria in which France agreed to buy gas above the prices of international market. Don't know if the treaty is still in vigor.
However Algerian's goovernment is a panarab supremacist one (it has forced the use of classic Arabic, like talked in Saudi Arabia, to the detriment of French, Berberic and dialectal arabic).
The Algerian governemnt is also actively promoting wahabism much to the sorrow of the Berbers who see their suffi imams being displaced.
BTW, the use of French instead of Arabic is favoured by Berbers and liberals for two reasons: as a vector of communication who doesn't drag Algeria still more toward Arabization and because the Arabic culture is a closed one (Spain, and probably France, translate more books in one year than the entire Arabic world since Gutenberg).
That is why I think that Algeria's drift of France means probably that the FLN is up to no good. And no I don't believe they will be better allies for the US than the Saudis. It happens I know first hand what kind of Saddam-like monsters are in the FLN.
#9
JFM, you have encouraged me, unintentionally. I saw very little to be gained by for Europe in the tunnel to Morocco deal. I had a picture in my mind of a bunch of Eboli carrying, AK slinging leftist rebels infiltrating through Spain. On the contrary, at least for the Berbers, an added connection to Europe might be just the ticket.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/18/2003 20:41 Comments ||
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#10
BTW, the use of French instead of Arabic is favoured by Berbers and liberals for two reasons: as a vector of communication who doesn't drag Algeria still more toward Arabization and because the Arabic culture is a closed one...
From personal experience, use of French is also favored by certain parts of the Algerian military. Unfortunately, they're not the ones with any power (yet).
The government in Iran has said three Western tourists - one Irishman and two Germans - are "physically okay" 10 days after they were kidnapped. A government spokesman said he expected the tourists, thought to be cyclists, to be released soon. The three were kidnapped on 8 December in south-eastern Iran, close to the Pakistani border. Their captors - thought to be drug traffickers - have demanded five million euros for their release. Iran has said it will not pay any ransom and has urged Irish and German authorities to do the same. The Irish Red Cross Thingy has named the Irishman as Aidan James Leahy. The organisationâs chairman, David Andrews, has met the Iranian ambassador in Ireland to attempt to secure the manâs release.
Iranâs Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mussavi-Lari said the intelligence ministry and the police were both working on securing the touristsâ release. "Based on the information [our departments] have given us, they are physically okay," he said. He added that officials working for the release of the three were confident they could "resolve the issue soon". The three tourists were cycling near Nosrat Abad, on the road between the ancient city of Bam and Zahedan in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, when they were kidnapped. The government says their captors are drug smugglers who are unhappy at a police seizure of their consignment. Ten Europeans were kidnapped in three separate incidents in the Islamic Republic in 1999. The hostages were freed unharmed and three of the kidnappers were publicly hanged in 2001.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:30:30 AM ||
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Iran insisted Saturday its decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary, saying it plans to enrich enough fuel in the future for at least one of seven nuclear power plants it expects to build. Hasan Rowhani, head of the powerful Supreme National Security Council, also said Iran would punish countries that backed U.S. efforts to take Iranâs nuclear record to the U.N. Security Council at last weekâs board meeting of the U.N. nuclear agency by cutting them out of development contracts. âOur decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary. Uranium enrichment is Iranâs natural right and (Iran) will reserve for itself this right. ... There has been and there will be no question of a permanent suspension or halt at all,â Rowhani told a news conference. âWe want to control the whole fuel cycle,â he added. âSince we are planning to build seven nuclear power plants in the future, we want to provide fuel for at least one or more of the plants ourselves.â
The 35-member board of the International Atomic Energy Agency last week adopted a compromise resolution censuring Iran for secrecy in its nuclear program but not directly threatening U.N. sanctions, as the United States had sought. Key European powers opposed a direct threat, worried that Tehran would stop cooperating in retaliation. Iran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed only a peaceful uses, challenging U.S. accusations it planed to make weapons. U.S. State Department spokesman Lou Fintor had no specific response to the remarks made Saturday by Rowhani, but said in general that âwe expect full Iranian cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.â
The Iranian government hopes to produce 6,000 Megawatts of electricity by 2021 from planned nuclear reactors, along with one currently under construction. Iranâs first nuclear power plant, being built by the Russians at Bushehr on the shores of the Gulf, is expected to be completed by the end of 2004. Rowhani, Iranâs top nuclear negotiator, said Iran possesses the technology necessary to enrich uranium and does not need foreign assistance. âToday, we can produce centrifugal parts ourselves. We possess the technology. We are at the pilot stage. We havenât reached the semi-industrial or industrial stage yet. Itâs a local technology now,â he said.
Rowhani said countries that supported the U.S. call would be effectively barred from receiving lucrative contracts for huge energy and development projects in Iran. Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand offered outright support to Washington, while Russia, China worked for a softer resolution, along with other European, nonaligned and Latin American states. âIran will not treat countries that stood beside America and others equally. We will scrutinize this carefully. In big economic projects, Iran will consider this,â he said.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:29:11 AM ||
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#1
I wonder why If you're sitting on a sea of oil - do you need nuke plants?
It'll be interesting to see if the Israelis allow them to take any of these plants online, or if they "mysteriously" become smoking holes in the ground.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/18/2003 7:15 Comments ||
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#2
Iran insisted Saturday its decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary, saying it plans to enrich enough fuel in the future for at least one of seven nuclear power plants it expects to build.
Oh, I'd say it's about time to compile a digital map of Iran's nuclear facilities and transmit it to all U.S. ships, subs, and aircraft in the region.....
#3
B-A-R: I am sure that the digital maps have already been made, and I am also reasonably sure that they are being continually updated as new intelligence comes in. Heh heh.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/18/2003 13:29 Comments ||
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#4
Digital maps aren't necessary any more, just GPS coordinates for the launch and termination points of the "message" being sent. Equip it with a very low yield nuclear warhead (>10Kt), and let fly.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 13:40 Comments ||
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#5
Digital maps aren't necessary any more,..
I believe they're still needed in the case of the Tomahawk. (TERCOM and DSMAC)
Agents from Osama bin Ladenâs al-Qaeda network visited South Korea several times in recent years scouting for targets, media reports said in Seoul, citing a closed-door intelligence briefing to members of parliament. The English language Korea Times newspaper reported that potential targets included airports and US facilities, which prompted the South Korean government to declare an anti-terrorism alert. The report did not specify details of the alert, including the date or time. The al-Qaeda activities were revealed in a National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefing to South Korean lawmakers on Monday, the media reports said. NIS officials declined to confirm the contents of the confidential briefing.However, the National Assemblyâs Intelligence Committee was told that an agent of the al-Qaeda network, which is blamed for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, had examined security provisions of South Korean airlines and US military forces based in the country. Another network member, suspected of having taken part in the bomb attack on the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, had visited South Korea two or three times since 1999, the Korea Times said. According to Yonhap news agency, one agent lived for six months in South Korea until March 1998, working illegally for a small manufacturer north of Seoul. Al-Qaeda also searched for information on South Korean security on the Internet, according to the briefing, details of which were relayed to the media by an opposition lawmaker. "The al-Qaeda network is increasingly turning its attention to Northeast Asian countries, amplifying chances of terror in the region," the lawmaker was quoted as saying by Yonhap. Thatâd likely be a reference to the Chechens and assorted al-Qaeda whoâve recently shown up in Japan.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/18/2003 12:21:12 AM ||
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#1
Don't think there's a big Korean islamic community to hide in. And South Korean intelligence has plenty of experience hunting spys and infiltrators. Unless al-Qaeda has a joint cooperation agreement with North Korea, which is a real possibility, I don't think they'd last long. And the Koreans play rough.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/18/2003 8:45 Comments ||
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#2
And the Koreans play rough.
Correction, Steve. The Koreans play to win. They have no second option. One loss to the North and it could be all over. They know this, and it affects everything they do. NOT winning every match is an option only soft, reasonably secure Western civilizations can indulge in.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/18/2003 14:29 Comments ||
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#3
I will take the Koreans and whatever odds anyone wants to waste on the Jihadists. Korea's not the place you want to 'probe' for weakness. they shoot 1st, 2nd, & 3rd and then ask questions. Place your bets now.
Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday Israel would have no option but to implement unilateral measures if the troubled roadmap peace plan remains stalled, as defence chiefs accused the Palestinian leadership of showing no inclination to tackle armed militants. Olmert said Israel should continue to try to reach an agreement with the Palestinians through the roadmap and give new Premier Ahmed Qorei a chance to prove he was a man to deal with, even if the roadmap were "not an ideal option or a dream (for Israel)." But he added in a speech at a security conference here that time was running out and "we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that the process will not end in agreement - Then unilateral steps are the only option." Sharon has also been speaking increasingly about unilateral measures. While he has yet to say what they might entail, Israeli daily Maariv reported Tuesday that he was planning to unveil in Herzliya on Thursday a plan for a major army redeployment and dismantling of several Jewish settlements.
What will the Paleos have to bitch about without the settlements?
"All the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip will be evacuated. At the end of the process, isolated settlements in Judea and Samaria will be evacuated," the daily said, using the Israeli term for the West Bank. The European Union's special envoy to the Middle East, Marc Otte, said Israel must coordinate with the Palestinians if it pulls out of Gaza. "We cannot talk in advance about whether they (unilateral measures) will have a stabilising or destablising impact," he told AFP.
Anything, to include doing nothing, has a destabilizing effect — though by now instability has reached such a point that any more won't be noticeable...
"But it will be in the interests of the Israelis to have some sort of coordination with the Palestinians. "You cannot just leave Gaza, close the door and see what happens. If Hamas then becomes the Palestinian Authority it will be much worse for Israel." US President George W. Bush has also warned Israel not to do anything that will make the creation of a Palestinian state more difficult, and Olmert acknowledged that Washington opposed unilateral measures as "they do not want to damage the possibility of implementing the roadmap."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:07 ||
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I am damned puzzled: The establishment of a Palestinian state implies that Jewish settlements in them will be dismantled, no? Palestine for the Palestinians alone, no? And wasn't dismantling settlements part of the Road map?
When the other guy remains pissed at you, no matter what you do concerning an issue, his problem is not with the Issue, but with you.
#2
Sharon will pull out of the isolated settlements, and stay in the more defensible ones - withtdrawing to a line thats viable for Israel, but gives the Pals less land than they want - and gives them nothing in Jerusalem - and effectively takes away some of their leverage on Israel - thus preempting the negotiations through which they hope to get more - Sharons justification - the negotiations arent going anywhere anyway, and Abu Alaa is looking like a stooge for Yasser. If you DONT like the line Im drawing then crack down on Hamas, and we can talk about a line that you might like more.
Syrian President Bashar Assad promised Tuesday to keep talking with the United states despite Washington's recent approval of sanctions against his country following accusations that it supports terrorism. "We are optimistic about our dialogue with the United States, which has never ended," Assad said while visiting Greece to seek closer trade ties with the European Union.
"I don't want to end up hiding in a hole. Let me think my way out of this paper bag..."
"We accept delegations, there is an ongoing dialogue," Assad said after talks with Greek Premier Costas Simitis. The American legislators who discussed the new law with Assad said US-Syrian disagreements could still be resolved. Meanwhile, Israel's foreign minister on Wednesday said the government should seriously consider a Syrian offer to renew peace talks.
Oh? Has there been one?
Silvan shalom offered one of the most positive public responses from an Israeli official to the Syrian overture, made earlier this month in a New York Times interview. Several other Israeli leaders and academics have brushed the offer aside, calling it insincere and a shrewd attempt to deflect pressure from the United States, which is threatening sanctions if Syria fails to withdraw troops from Lebanon and stop militants and arms from crossing its border with Iraq. Shalom acknowledged that such an interpretation might be the case, but that efforts to make peace Syria must go ahead anyway.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/18/2003 00:01 ||
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#1
The American legislators who discussed the new law with Assad said US-Syrian disagreements could still be resolved.
In other words, Shelia Jackson Lee gave him hope he can get out of this.
Are we ever going to see traitors punished?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/18/2003 12:25 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
