A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their US superiors never ordered them to fire. The French military, however, said that the incidents never happened and the report was erroneous information.
And all it would have taken was an American order to fire. Sure, I believe that ...
The documentary, due to air next year, says the troops could have killed the Al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan but the order to shoot never came, possibly because it took too long to request it. In 2003 and 2004 we had bin Laden in our sights. The sniper said I have bin Laden, an anonymous French soldier is quoted as saying.
Just ask his wife, Morgan Fairchild.
The documentary Bin Laden, the failings of a manhunt is by journalists Emmanuel Razavi and Eric de Lavarene, who have worked for several major French media outlets in Afghanistan. A cable television channel plans to air the documentary in March.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I'd still like to find out what induced Osama's shy, LT girlfriend and alleged sex concubine to bear her breasts like Janet Jackson. D *** ng you, WHITNEY, we're waiting.
#2
I am more curious about where and when and what organizational structure resulted in "French special forces" with US superiors (by which I assume they mean commanders). I am not sure that there has been much in the way of joint US French military activity since de Gaulle had his tantrum in the 60's.
#5
Because the French are so good at following American orders (or even their own orders).
The headline should read:
French troops saw Osama twice (and invited him for dinner)
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
12/21/2006 12:51 Comments ||
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#6
Somehow I think there would be a special article to the rules of engagement that said if it is Osama, and you know it is Osama, shoot him. Shoot him center mass so we can identify the head and so you don't miss. Call the Americans afterwards to collect your reward.
Afghan authorities released 10 Pakistanis on Wednesday, a day after detaining them for crossing into Afghanistan by mistake, officials said. Pakistani tribal elders and government officials received the 10 men from Afghan officials at Badini, a border crossing along the Afghan-Pakistan border, said Ahsanullah Baloch, a government official. The 10 men were arrested late on Tuesday in a mountainous region where the two countries border is not demarcated, said Abdul Raziq Bugti, spokesman for the Balochistan government. Five of the Pakistanis were off-duty border guards while the other five were civilians from Pakistans Tarkha area. The men crossed into Afghanistan while cutting fire wood in a mountain forest, Bugti said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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Britain announced on Tuesday that it was preparing to make mandatory the recording of biometric details fingerprinting and photographing of the 700,000 foreigners a year living in the United Kingdom, suggesting that Britain is effectively trying to close its borders to foreigners, The Guardian reported. While British residents will likely be obliged to carry the identity (ID) cards from 2011, foreigners visiting the country will be required to carry them from 2008. The Guardian also reported that the government was establishing 150 screening centres worldwide in the next 18 months to record biometric data from visitors from 169 countries outside Europe. This means that from 2008, everyone from the 169 countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) the 25 European Union (EU) members plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway who intends to work, study or stay in Britain for a period of more than six months, must first provide biometric data as part of their pre-departure travel requirements.
In addition, visitors from 108 countries of the 169 that have visa agreements with the UK will also have to provide biometric details, even if they intend to stay in Britain for just 24 hours, the paper reported. The announcement, made by Home Secretary John Reid, comes after reports earlier this month that identified Britain as the western country most at risk from an attack by Osama Bin Ladens Al Qaeda terror network. Reid defended the move, saying, people we are concerned about will be stopped from coming here before they travel.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Good move. Everyone is going to have to come to this, unfortunately.
#2
PakiWaki Daily Zoom: "suggesting that Britain is effectively trying to close its borders to foreigners"
Um, no. It means, not suggests, that Britain is trying to keep track of you sneaky little fucks while inside their soveriegn nation. I hope it's very effective.
#3
Let's see here. With each terrorist suspect typically caught possessing multiple passports in the name of Abu Mohammed Haj al Kobayashi Maru or several variations thereof, biometric identification represents:
1.) Blatant profiling.
2.) A brilliant method to isolate users of false indentification.
Years ago I would have argued vehemently against such a notion. Islam's toll upon my personal philosophy cannot be exemplified any better than by how much I now support such an idea. I'd weep if I didn't know that my very life depended upon such a measure.
#6
I'm really surprised they weren't doing that already in the UK. My sweetie has to update his biometrics every year to stay legally in the US. That includes his fingerprints....I guess they think they're going to change or something.... :P
Chinas foreign minister said on Wednesday that new consensus had been reached at six-party talks aimed at ending North Koreas nuclear programmes, but the agreement appeared to break no new ground. All parties reaffirm that they will implement the September 19 joint statement, they reaffirm that they will resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula through dialogue and peace and they reaffirm that they will uphold the aim of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in a statement. North Korea agreed in a September 19, 2005, accord to give up its nuclear arms in exchange for aid and security guarantees from the other five countries at the talks - China, South Korea, the United States, Japan and Russia.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Meet the 'new consensus', same as the 'old consensus'. Wotta surprise...
Heh. These guys are sooo Jacksonian it hertz, lol.
A KORAN has been torn up and smeared with faeces and the floors of a Melbourne prayer hall urinated on, in an apparent retaliation to Muslim schoolboys desecrating the Bible.
The Islamic community was last night furious as the police continued their investigation into the "criminal damage" done to the Melbourne airport facility on Wednesday morning.
Muslim spiritual leader Fehmi Naji El-Imam condemned the desecration as "ignorant and immature", fearing that it was in retaliation to an incident earlier this month where young boys at a Melbourne Islamic school burned and urinated on the Bible.
"This kind of behaviour just puts you off," the Victorian Board of Imams' secretary told The Australian last night. "We want to eliminate all these kind of things from happening to any (holy book)."
While police last night refused to outline or confirm the damage done to the prayer centre, Sheik Fehmi said he was told that the floor was urinated on and the Koran was torn up and someone had "wiped themselves" with it. Oh shit, literally, lol. DNA evidence. They must not watch CSI: Melbourne.
He said while he was not expecting any violent retaliation from the Islamic community, the offenders should be "strongly punished by the law".
"The courts should handle it once the person is caught," Sheik Fehmi said.
A statement by the Victorian Board of Imams last night warned the Islamic and Christian community against an "us and them" mentality.
"The prayer room is a place that must remain clean, not covered in urine and faeces. Faeces? Sheesh.
"Enough is enough. No more us and them ... The striving of our forefathers was not for this; they would be really ashamed of us if they were to witness what we have sunk to. Uh oh, there goes my Boggle, again.
"It is time we got together and used our similarities to move forward instead of our differences to go backwards."
Police said the prayer hall was predominantly used by taxi drivers while waiting for customers at the airport. Whoa. An Extra Holy place. Gotta be in the top 10,000.
A Melbourne airport spokesman refused to comment last night, except to say it was a police matter.
Reminds me of what must be the worst show on TV anywhere: CSI Riyadh. Every damned episode, the Jews did it.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/21/2006 10:54 Comments ||
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#3
So if somebody purchases their own koran, and does this to it, is this a crime? It's just a book, a piece of property.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
12/21/2006 10:54 Comments ||
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#4
"A statement by the Victorian Board of Imams last night warned the Islamic and Christian community against an "us and them" mentality."
An "us and them" mentality permeates the koran. An "us and them" mentality is the foundation of their faith ideology. The Board of Imams should stuff a sock in it. I don't take kindly to "warnings" of any kind from muslims.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
12/21/2006 11:06 Comments ||
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#5
According to "The Age" version, the koran was found at 5:30 am, & the "prayer" room is in Melrose Drive, near, but not in the Tullamarine
terminal.
Not somewhere the general public would go at that hour - mainly taxi drivers as stated.
#9
Well, now let's reflect for a moment. If I - or most other people in that big ol' happy family we call Western Civilization - was pis*ed off at a book, we'd tear it to shreds and leave it at that. Maybe drop-kick it into a garbage can or run over it a few times.
But OTOH, only the Koran seems to ever get defcated or urinated upon on a regular basis, and almost always in a mosque or prayer hall that no non-muslim should ever be able to get near without being noticed. Look back at all the complaints of desecration of the Koran, and it always seems to involve #1 or #2.
Reality check - the muzzies did it themselves and have already absolved themselves of blame so long as a couple of kaffirs get what's coming to them. After all, how dare they not overreact and go medieval on us when the muslims desecrated THEIR holy book?
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/21/2006 12:01 Comments ||
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#10
I am taking bets that this turns out to be another ROP faithful trying to drum up sympathy.
#11
I'm with Mike. Heavy feeling it's staged. Only muzzies feel strongly enough about their book to desecrate it. Infidels don't give much of a hoot about "holy books".
Posted by: Mark Z ||
12/21/2006 17:17 Comments ||
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"A statement by the Victorian Board of Imams last night warned the Islamic and Christian community against an "us and them" mentality."
One way to overcome the "us and them mentality" would be for the Victorian Board of Imams to sanction Melbourne's 2000 muslim taxi drivers to carry guide dogs & alcohol, as requested by the Victorian Taxi Association.
Melbourne taxis are best avoided, in my experience.
#2
Muslims seek countries with good welfare systems-FACT!!!
In Muslim counties the welfare state is minimal/non existant and as they have to pray 5 times a day they cant work????!!! and seek countries that give them money/benefits for not working!!!!
#3
Or you could handle this the old-fashioned way: Make newer "Swedish" citizens work in the furniture mines while allowing multi-generational residents drink catastrophically taxed liquor.
#4
The Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions, which represents 15 unions, opposes the new laws, arguing that the proposed cuts in unemployment benefit would force people to accept badly paid jobs.
First, I simply don't understand why anyone believes it is better to pay people not to work than it is to have them work in poorly paying jobs.
Second, someone has to do those jobs. How's that work going to get done if everyone's paid not to do them?
#5
I took one of those "poorly-paying" jobs about fifteen years ago - $8/hour, no benefits, through a temp agency. Ended up working for the company, full benefits, at $18/hour in less than six years. Best job I had outside the Air Force. Maybe some of these people need to try some of these "badly paying jobs". Maybe they'd learn something.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/21/2006 15:46 Comments ||
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#6
Someone I know has parlayed a "badly-paying" job into owning the company. He improved profit in sales by over 40% in his first three years of a $10 an hour job. Now the owners, who have no children who want to inherit the business lined him up for onwership within 5 years.
Now he owns the store. It took 8 years from the bad salary start.
#7
Ummm ... gentlemen, you overlook the fact that the one thing required in all of your success stories is the single most lacking thing in people who aspire to be a parasites. Namely, vision.
#8
SWEDEN = NORWAY? > EMPLOYMENT LEVELS CAN'T BE TOO HIGH. Didn't believe it until I read it - a Euro-Nation/Govt does NOT want high levels of employment, but by its converse logic favors = demands the opposite, HIGH UN-EMPLOYMENT.
A former national security adviser to President Clinton, Samuel Berger, stashed highly classified documents under a trailer in downtown Washington in order to evade detection by National Archives personnel, a government report released yesterday said.
The report from the inspector-general for the National Archives, Paul Brachfeld, said Mr. Berger executed the cloak-and-dagger maneuver in October 2003 while taking a break from reviewing Clinton-era documents in connection with the work of the so-called September 11 commission.
" Mr. Berger exited the archive onto Pennsylvania Avenue," the report says, recounting the story the former national security chief told investigators. "He did not want to run the risk of bringing the documents back in the building. He headed toward a construction area on 9th Street. Mr. Berger looked up and down the street, up into the windows of the archives and the DOJ, and did not see anyone. He removed the documents from his pockets, folded the notes in a V' shape, and inserted the documents in the center. He walked inside the construction fence and slid the documents under a trailer."
According to the report, Mr. Berger said he retrieved the documents after leaving the archives complex for the evening and took the papers to his office. It is not clear how long the documents were unattended at the construction site, but the report suggests it was a few hours, at most.
The former national security chief said he cut three documents up in his office and discarded them in the trash. Mr. Berger returned two other documents after archivists notified him that some records were missing, but his efforts to retrieve the others from the trash collector were unsuccessful.
Last year, Mr. Berger pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information. A magistrate, Deborah Robinson, sentenced the international business consultant to two years' probation and ordered him to surrender his security clearance for three years. Prosecutors and defense lawyers had agreed on a fine of $10,000, but the magistrate boosted it to $50,000.
" Mr. Berger made mistakes in his efforts to prepare thoroughly for the 9-11 Commission. But he has taken full responsibility for his conduct, he long ago provided everything that government investigators needed, and he has fully paid his debt to society," the former security chief's attorney, Lanny Breuer, said in a written statement yesterday. "Like the court, the government, and the 9-11 commission, Mr. Berger considers this matter closed, and he is pleased to have moved on."
Mr. Breuer did not address the trailer-related episode, but stressed that the Justice Department determined that no original information was lost as a result of Mr. Berger's actions and that he did not intend to hide any of the records.
A leading authority on classification policy, Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists, said Mr. Berger's behavior was reminiscent of a "dead drop," when spies leave records in a park or under a mailbox to be retrieved by a handler.
"It seems deliberate and calculated," Mr. Aftergood said. "It's impossible to maintain the pretense that this was an act of absentmindedness."
All five documents Mr. Berger removed were versions of an after-action report about the foiled "millennium plot" to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport and other sites. The internal review, by a top counterterrorism official, Richard Clarke, reportedly found that luck was the major factor in disrupting the plot and that more attacks were likely.
Mr. Berger has admitted placing classified documents and his notes, which were also presumed classified pending a review, into his suit pockets to carry them out of the archives. However, the inspector general's report resurrects claims that Mr. Berger may have removed some papers by placing them in his socks.
An archives staffer reported that Mr. Berger took frequent bathroom breaks and was seen in a hallway "bent down, fiddling with something white, which could have been paper, around his ankle."
Mr. Berger later told investigators that any fidgeting near his feet was due to difficulties he has keeping his footwear tidy. "He stated his shoes frequently come untied and his socks frequently fall down," the report said.
A person close to Mr. Berger said yesterday that the so-called docs-in-the-socks incident never took place. "It simply didn't happen. It was wrong. The Justice Department determined it was wrong," the Berger ally, who asked not to be named, said.
The inspector general's report, released under the Freedom of Information Act, was heavily redacted on national security and privacy grounds. The internal watchdog appears to have focused on whether archives personnel were too deferential to Mr. Berger by contacting him about the missing documents before notifying the FBI.
Names of archives employees were deleted from the report, as were those of any National Security Council staffers involved.
One employee "did not believe there was enough information to confront someone of Mr. Berger's stature" and delayed acting as a result, the report said.
When the allegations about the missing document were leaked to the press in 2004, Mr. Berger resigned from a team advising the Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Kerry of Massachusetts.
At that time, Mr. Berger insisted that he accidentally removed and destroyed the records. When he pleaded guilty last year, the former national security chief admitted he acted intentionally.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/21/2006 14:17 ||
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#1
I'm certainly glad that no one has made comparisons between Sandy Berger and the front page guy of goatse.
#3
The former national security chief said he cut three documents up in his office and discarded them in the trash.
But... but... those would have been the documents that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clinton was DA MAN when it came to counter-terrorism and that the whole millennium plot was blown wide open thanks to his awesome capabilities.
Why ever would he want to destroy those, right before the 9/11 Commission testimony and all?
#4
He was hiding something for Bushitler. No wait, he was hiding something from Bushitler, ummm he was hiding the secret of happiness from the haliburton robot Chainey who wanted lunch, uhh, umm... it didn't happen?
Posted by: At m Laundro Matt ||
12/21/2006 18:04 Comments ||
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#5
Lol. Wotta lame-assed bunch of worthless pricks inhabited Camelot II.
#7
Clinton administration National Security Adviser Samuel Sandy Berger today said he still cant say for sure what happened to several classified documents he removed from the National Archives in October 2003, but that they may have gone up in smoke.
Mr. Berger, who was convicted of the crime, fined $50,000, sentenced to 100 hours of community service and barred from the Archives for three years, allegedly smuggled out some of the documents in his socks.
Today his attorney released a statement from Mr. Berger in response to this weeks report on the Inspector Generals probe of the case.
According to Mr. Bergers own account:
Twas nigh upon Christmas
and down in my socks
I secretly stuffed those archival docs.
My stockings I hung
by the chimney with care
in hopes that the FBI wouldnt look there.
Later in his testimony he admits the documents may have fallen from his stockings into the fireplace:
As dry leaves that before
the wild hurricane fly
when they meet with an obstacle
mount to the sky
so up through the chimney
in ashes they flew
and thus my secrets were safe
and Bill Clintons were too.
A spokesman from the Inspector Generals office expressed skepticism about Mr. Bergers new story, but said it has a ring of familiarity.
#8
Lets take a little trip down memory lane for some tasty quotes shall we?
"For all those who know and love him, it's easy to see how this could happen"
An unidentified former Clinton colleague
"So is this about Sandy Berger, or is this about politics?"
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, (D-Md)
"Its interesting timing"
Former President Bill Clinton
Why now?
Sen. John Kerry,(D-Ma)
This incident was triggered by a carefully orchestrated leak about Berger -- and the timing of it appears to be no coincidence."
CBS News Anchor Dan Rather
Something tells me the same people prolly will respond with the obligatory No comment in light of these latest revelations.
#9
One employee "did not believe there was enough information to confront someone of Mr. Berger's stature" and delayed acting as a result, the report said.
A registered Democrat, no doubt.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
12/21/2006 20:44 Comments ||
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#10
We really should line these fuckers up and shoot them. The Clintonistas bent on advancing communism in America at any cost. I'd kill these fuckers if I could get away with it. Maybe there will be a CW2. Maybe there will be a time when their guard is at the wall, and someone like me has come up behind them, locked and loaded.
I can only dream and pray.
A bunch of anti-American media types meet to dicuss whether they're responsible for the spread of anti-American sentiment abroad. YJCMTSU. Gee, I wonder how it turned out.
December 20, 2006 · Hollywood is an entertainment-industry juggernaut; its success in exporting movies, TV shows and music that have vast, global appeal is unparalleled. At the same time, anti-American sentiment is rising overseas, most notably in the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.
A panel of authors, educators and filmmakers gathered on Dec. 13 to explore to what extent, if at all, these two phenomena are connected. They debated the proposition, "Hollywood has fueled anti-Americanism abroad."
Participants agreed on two basic premises: that there is growing anti-American sentiment abroad, and that Hollywood produces globally successful exports. But the panelists disagreed over the significance of Hollywood's influence, and the distinction between causing anti-American sentiment and fueling it.
Continued on Page 49
#1
It is not ALL about you being anti American, but more anti human than anything. The screes you flicker past us now days makes us feel cheapened when we watch it. Nothing personal but you sucked for some time. Why not for a spat, concentrate on connecting with the world instead of trying to change it from your worms eye view.
#2
I'm in South Korea. Last month I saw someone here, a Korean, watching "Law and Order--SVU" on TV. I told this lady, in my halting Korean, that I was sorry that Americans made such bad television and that most Americans who had any intelligence or morals didn't watch much of anything Hollywood made. My statement seemed to surprise her.
Over here, the Korean Wave of soap operas is sweeping through Asia on a HUGE wave of popularity. Guess what they're about: boy meets girl, fights through difficulties honorably, marries girl, lives happily ever after. The good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and the crowd eats it up. They come back waving money and begging for more. Why did the degenerate idiots in Hollywood forget--or more accurately, throw away--the formula that created the magic in the first place?
Anybody who doesn't think it's because they hate this country, and particularly the heterosexual, white, and churchgoing segments of it, has a seriously uphill battle to fight to even begin to persuade me. Howard Veit has been saying for a long time that Hollywood would rather lose money making films that further their destructive social agenda than make money providing what the audience wants to see. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Posted by: mac ||
12/21/2006 3:50 Comments ||
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#3
And even if Hollywood films with anti-American themes have some detrimental effect, she said the number of patriotic, apolitical and high-quality films exported surely outweigh any negative effect.
Like the remake of "Herbie the Love Bug" and "The Dukes of Hazzard"?
#11
Good lord -- in Germany, at least, Michael Moore made magazine covers, his books and movies sell out and go into extra runs, and I get to hear about all his stupid little theories. The same in England. And the man has been lauded in Hollywood for his work. My Polish au pair firmly believed that Hollywood 90210 represented the real America, and used to ask me why the characters did things. Darned right they're actively undermining the world's opinion on this country, and they lie when they say otherwise. But of course, they believe that the image they're spreading is true... or truthy, anyway.
#12
During its run, "Baywatch" enjoyed greater global distribution than even "Jeopardy." 'Nuff said.
"Hollywood has manufactured a new 'American Way' that doesn't fit with either truth or justice," he said.
[snip]
Hollywood is, above all, a business that shouldn't be criticized for attending to the "bottom line," he said.
Only if you agree that the almighty dollar is job one. The almighty dollar has little, if anything, to do with "truth and justice". Please note I referred to the "almighty dollar" and not an "honest buck". As is becoming obvious, a lot of this world is willing to embrace one at the cost of the other.
#13
Actually, this has been a concern for thoughtful Hollywood types (all three or four of them!) for decades. I remember reading an article in TV Guide about the time I was in college, over how the image of the US as represented by the TV shows we exported presented such a distorting lens of us to the world. Michael Medved has been banging on about this since publishing Hollywood vs America. I even ran into a bit of this personally when my daughter was about 12, and we were preparing to return to the US from overseas, where we had lived since she was about 2 and a half. All she knew of the US was what she had seen on AFRTS, and believe me, she was not very keen, based on that.
All most of the world knows of Americans is what they see on their TV and movie screens. It ain't real flattering, folks. Which is why I am savagely amused by all those Hollywood creeps who get up and moan about how violent, irrational and crass Americans appear to be. Gee, wonder where everyone got that notion?
#14
Not only to the World but to other areas of the US. The Beverly Hillbillies depicted Southerners as stupid, ignorant people. I had to dispell these steriotypes in New England as late as 92.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/21/2006 20:03 Comments ||
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#15
surprising again is the overall % of jews in teh industry and they continue to turn out jew-hating apologia for arabs, or replace arab villians in books/scripts with non-descript neo-nazis or serbs...
self-loathing OK, patriotism? no
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 20:39 Comments ||
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#17
Will say again that America is not even officially SOcialist or Communist or under OWG yet, and the Commies = Chicoms have already claimed or set aside 1/2 of CONUS-NORAM, and plan to POLITELY BUT NECESSARILY EXTERMINATE 2/3's or 200Milyuuhn of Amer's population. 2/3 - 3/4 of the world's population also has to be politely but necesarily exterminated be it for Socialism andor the Enviro. THE LEFT IS THAT CERTAIN - DOING SO WILL FORCE THE GIANT SUN TO SURRENDER, CAUSE ASTEROIDS-COMETS TO UNILATERALLY CHANGE THEIR COURSE, + SO THAT HOLLYWOOD, NOT ROCKET/SPACE SCIENTISTS, OR MINE WORKERS, WILL DEV THE STARSHIP TECHS REQUIRED TO SAVE OUR SPECIES, JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY MADE A MISTAKE DUE TO INSUFFIC GOVT GRANT MONIES. God or Universes, Suns or Aliens,etc. all must surrender to the Actors Guild.
A Muslim group is asking U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode Jr., R-Va., to apologize after he told constituents that more Muslims will follow Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, D-Minn., to Congress if strict immigration laws aren't passed. "The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration, there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran," Goode wrote.
The letter was written to constituents who contacted Goode after Ellison said he planned to bring his Quran, the Muslim holy book, when he takes the oath of office Jan. 4. In his letter, Goode wrote: "When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way."
Goode, who was first elected to Congress in 1996, said he wants to "stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country."
Corey Saylor, national legislative director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Goode's "Islamophobic remarks send a message of intolerance that is unworthy of anyone elected to public office." CAIR officials noted that Ellison traces his family roots in the United States back to 1742.
Linwood Duncan, Goode's press secretary, said Goode won't apologize. "He stands by the letter," Duncan said.
#5
This guy is one of our own. All House members have email. Get online and give this guy the support he so richly deserves. We must have the Congress critters wake up to start making changes.
#6
"The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration, there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran," Goode wrote.
Holey Moley! Primative but still the 1st return volley from Congress. Ima call this a big deal.
#8
Of course CAIR didn't waste time squealing about "Islamophobia" and went straight for the race card:
"Representative Goode's Islamophobic remarks send a message of intolerance that is unworthy of anyone elected to public office," CAIR's national legislative director, Corey Saylor, said Tuesday night. "There can be no reasonable defense for such bigotry."
This is one of the few wakeup calls America is going to get before the next 9-11. I hope people are listening. Islam has no redeeming values and the reformation required to make it of any use are so unlikely to occur that patience over such matters is simply not warranted.
We have enemies within our borders and must begin to act upon that fact.
#11
Interesting issue. Since he's not a Christian, swearing on the Bible don't mean squat. Since he's a Muslim, swearing on the Koran don't mean squat (Taqqiya). Mebbe that's why we have separation of church and state?
#13
We will not be receiving emails again until Thursday January 4, 2007 at 9:00AM. If you need to contact Congressman Goode, you may fax him at 540-484-1459 or call 540-484-1254. These messages will be checked throughout this time period.
Drat! His email box is shut down. Whether it's for the holidays or from overload is something we'll just have to guess at. The zip code to use is 22901.
#14
Since he's not a Christian, swearing on the Bible don't mean squat. Since he's a Muslim, swearing on the Koran don't mean squat (Taqqiya). Mebbe that's why we have separation of church and state?
Yew betcha! Mebbe now y'all understand why I am so vociferous about having the strongest possible separation of church and state. It protects us from exactly this sort of bullshit.
The Koran is a treasonous document. It advocates sedition and the overthrow of our legal system so that it can be replaced by Islamic sharia. I hope someone in our Congress has the courage to stand up and point this out. The Koran should not be permitted for swearing by as it confers permission to lie about anything.
Ban the burqa and niqab. Ban halal slaughtering. End Islam's protected status as a religion. Stop all migration from Muslim majority countries. Do this and we might have the chance to avert a national catastrophe. Otherwise we are headed straight towards a genuinely rough patch of sledding.
scroll to his name, etc & it will get you in contact w/him via email. You won't get a fast response but his people will definitely get your email in real time.
The senator-elect confirms an icy incident with president but maintains he's willing to work with him.
WASHINGTON -- Virginia Sen.-elect Jim Webb said President Bush is a "failed president" who should use his last two years in office to repair America's image abroad by ending the Iraq war through intensive diplomacy.
In an interview Tuesday with the Daily Press, Virginia's newly elected Democratic senator made clear his antipathy toward Bush and his determination to help set a new course in Iraq.
#4
Someone should remind Webb that there are 100 senators, but only 1 President. Webb is going to be very unhappy as he finds that the only thing he is able to influence may be a few earmarks to send pork back to Virginia and he may not even be very good at that. He is a nonentity who has had his 15 minutes by being an ass and insulting his betters.
#5
I expressed sentiments similar to JDB in #2 to my junior senator-elect here. I was civil, of course. The shortest answer, I suggested, would've been to say, "He's fine Mr. President. Thank you for asking."
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/21/2006 10:24 Comments ||
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#6
I hear you Bobby. I think this Webb fella has a yankee troll-heart. No civility. He looks funny in the picture because of the steroids, crazed ear-hair is the next clue. Nice tie tho.
#7
If he doesn't wish wish to answer questions about his son in a political context, then why did he wear and carry about his son's combat boots while on the campaign trail?
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 11:16 Comments ||
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#8
The incident underscored Webb's reputation as a fiercely independent operator who will not easily be constrained by Washington standards of decorum or party orthodoxy.
Contemporary Democrats have standards of decorum? Who knew?
#11
Webb, to anyone that knew him in his SecNavy days, was, is and likely always will be an asshole. Its his fundamental personality. That's why he will be a one termer. He managed to piss off the entire Reagan DoD in 6 months. Give him 6 YEARS to grind people's nerves, and even his own party will hate him.
His book "Born Fighting" was great, but he keeps tying to live it. Jimbo, as we said growing up down there in coal country (where you claim roots despite growing up far to the west of it), F**k you and the horse you rode in on.
#12
"Born Fighting" was not great. It was too long by half, it completely distorted the reality of slavery in the pre-civil war south, it absolved poor southern whites of any role post civil war racism and segregation and it dismissed the roles of any other ethnic groups in the revolutionary war and the development of democracy in America.
My mother gave me the book because of her Scots/Irish background. It was self serving BS.
#14
Please leave the horse out of it. It can't help whatever horse's ass rides it.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/21/2006 17:13 Comments ||
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#15
Please leave the horse out of it. It can't help whatever horse's ass rides it.
Deacon, you quoted the MAN again! LOL!
Posted by: M Twain ||
12/21/2006 22:30 Comments ||
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#16
The incident underscored Webb's reputation as a fiercely independent operator who will not easily be constrained by Washington standards of decorum or party orthodoxy
No, that said VA elected an egomaniacal ungrateful asshole, believeing his own clippings.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 22:58 Comments ||
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(CNSNews.com) - Gun-toting members of the Mexican military are crossing regularly into U.S. territory, where they are partnering with drug cartels and criminal gangs to protect sophisticated smuggling operations, according to Texas sheriffs and lawmakers.
Some of the Mexican infiltrators are suspected to have been trained by the U.S. military.
U.S. Border Patrol agents and local law enforcement officials operating along the southwestern border have come under attack from the Mexican side in recent months, with automatic gunfire frequently erupting, Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) told Cybercast News Service.
Mexican military units and drug cartels have access to weaponry and communications equipment far more advanced than resources made available to U.S. officials on the state and federal level, Culberson said. "The U.S. Border Patrol is telling its agents to just lay low and report on what they see," he said. "They are instructed to determine the size of the [Mexican military] unit, the number of personnel, the direction of travel."
The U.S. ambassador to Mexico has sent diplomatic notes to the Mexican government complaining about incursions into U.S. territory by "individuals dressed in military uniforms," according to a congressional report. Culberson plans to meet with the Mexican ambassador to discuss border issues early in the new year.
More than 200 incursions by the Mexican military of the U.S. southern border have been documented since the late 1990s, Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) said in an interview. "Our federal government denied it occurred until the Texas sheriffs took photos," he said. "There is no nation in the world that would allow this invasion to occur except for the United States."
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#1
This is nothing new, except trained Mexican Army units have been documented as operating in US territory. The Texas sheriffs along border have been complaining loudly for last two years. Now they've started video taping these incursions and passing them out. No more denials by Homeland Security. Just what in hell is going on? Some of these Mex Humvees have 60 cal machine guns mounted. These sheriffs ought to be allowed to call in air support by Apaches gunships. Put some at Bliss, Huachuca, Laredo and, Brownsville for rapid response. A few encounters from the air and the Mexicans would never try it again. What is going on with this current government ? Who the hell do they represent ?
#3
One good Iraq-trained sniper could take down a whole unit, and quickly. Try explaining why 10 *dead* Mexican soldiers are in the US is a LOT harder than explaining why 10 soldiers came and went.
10 shots. Lots of photos. Luceee, you gotta lot of 'splainin' to do.
#5
Moose, don't assume that hasnt been considered by some serious non-management governmental people, but well outside of any governmental channels. There are still people that woudl do that were the risk/reward balance more favorable. The current administration and senior politiicans of both political parties are more concerned with supplying low-wage illegals and kissing up to the hispanic vote than they are with effectively enforcing border security.
The minutemen are just the beginning if things do not change.
#6
I can vouch that this has been reported locally for years, and that the people who actually, like, live along the border are getting majorly, royally pissed.
On the other hand, I have been doing research for my next novel (soon to join my first, in the great pool of appeals to literary agents and publishers!) which will be set in Texas, and I hafta tell ya, the Texas-Mexico border has been very fluid, and very violent for... ummm... the past 160+ years or so? In many ways, this is a return to the historic status quo.
#9
There's a whole squadron of A-10's in Tucson. They should make them run training flights along the border. Their new FLIR pods for the upgrade could be proved out right there and ready to rip in Iraq. Very goood idea.
#10
The major reason that both parties in Washington bury these stories is that if the American public becomes truly aware of this problem, the political pressure to actually secure the border becomes unbearable. Right now, the Washington politicos can play games and take baby steps, because the general public is not aware of this Mexican armed invasion. Once it becomes a general consciousness issue in the public, all pretenses towards "virtual fencing" and "amnesty" evaporate. Instead, what will be demanded is a true formal border between nations : 20 foot high with 10 foot deep into the ground cyclone fencing in 3 distinct layers, guard towers with armed troops with ROEs demanding shoot on sight, armed patrols on the between the fences roads, and aggressive air patrols in the border air space with fighters.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
12/21/2006 21:20 Comments ||
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#12
That's what I don't understand about both political parties regarding the Mexican border. What does continuing ignoring of the problem gain them politically? The Legals here that I talk to are as outraged as the rest of us. It's certainly not the Unions blocking border enforcement. WTF is going on?
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/21/2006 21:22 Comments ||
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#13
For the Democrats, race-based politics for the Latino skin-color politicians, hoping for the 20 million "amnesty" voters. For the Republicans, the supply of cheap illegals for major corporate campaign donors. However, there is significant bleedover on the two side concerning the rationales.
For example, Tyson Chicken was a big contributor to the Clintons; and the Republican Party in Cali has consistently backpedaled on all illegal enforcement, for political gain.
#14
Why can't some American Citizens with military training whack some of these f*ckers and leave their corpses where they fall? In fact, why don't some of these Sheriff's organize a little surprise and do the deed themselves?
Maybe run an ambush or three. Hell, I'm pretty handy with rifle, I'd lend a hand. And I'll bring my own ammo, and pay my own expenses.
#15
grow up, Mick. This is an actual problem, with real consequences, demanding real proposals. Jeebus
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 22:19 Comments ||
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#16
grow up, Mick. This is an actual problem, with real consequences, demanding real proposals. Jeebus
You're right Frank, it is a real problem, and I'm serious. What I said/asked has been more than intimated if not outright said by others. Why wouldn't it be a real proposal.
The Gubmint is ignoring it, so, how about a little citizen action. After all, it looks like that is what it will take. Or, the Sheriff's can go armed for bear. Just do some patrols and be prepared, when the Mexicans overplay their hand, drop the hammer on them.
Seriously, Frank, how bloody long are we supposed to just sit and watch our government do everything they can to pretend there isn't a problem? Huh? At this point I have moved beyond giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 200 times...well, sh*t. It's been said before, and I'll say it again: the problems in this country are not going to be fixed at the ballot box or in the courts. It has gone way past that at this point. Draw your own conclusions. Most of the regulars here know what it is going to take, here, and in the world at large, quite a few of them though just don't want to accept that. Hell, two years ago I would never have considered going Roman on the Islamists, or advocating their complete extermination. Now, I do. Same for the Mexican soldiers freelancing on our soil. Soon all of us are going to have to cowboy up, most likely we won't be given a choice.
#17
Peace and merry Christmas to you as well, I harbor no ill well for your intent. In San Diego, where I have lived all my 47 years, the border has NEVER had issues with the Mexican Army coming across. This MAY occur in TX, I don't deny, inasmuch as I simply don't know...but where there's a fence (i.e.: San Diego east to Tecate, et al) this has never occurred. Not saying there's not the possibility. Inasmuch as you or others want to get here and take potshots.... I think not. I'd rather you stay where you are. Thx
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 23:03 Comments ||
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#18
My understanding is the incursions occur in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. If you've never had problems there, I'm happy for you.
I've no desire to come and take pot shots in your patch, plenty to shoot at here. I suppose my frustration with our governments willful refusal to enforce the laws uniformly, and abide by their oath of office has me a tad cranky. Go figure.
President Bush told a news conference on Wednesday that he was considering an expansion of the US army and Marines in Iraq for the long struggle against radicals and extremists.
He also said that Iraq must stand up, step up and lead for victory to be achieved. He declared that the US military stays in the fight for a long period of time, adding, Im not predicting any particular threat, but I am predicting that its going to take a while for the ideology of liberty to finally triumph over the ideology of hate.
Having told the Washington Post in an interview published on Wednesday that America was not winning in Iraq, he reverted to his more familiar victory mode by stating, I believe that were going to win. I believe that. And by the way, if I didnt think that, I wouldnt have our troops there. He said the Iraqis would need to stand up and lead as it was their responsibility to govern their country. Its their responsibility to do the hard work necessary to secure Baghdad. And we want to help them.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Made my mom exclaim "Thats right-good for you" during his confab.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) asked the government on Wednesday to explain why a Pakistani citizen, suspected of having links with Al Qaeda, had been handed over to the United States, a lawyer said. Pakistan has arrested and handed over about 700 foreign Al Qaeda suspects to US authorities after the September 11 attacks on the US. But the government says no Pakistanis have been handed over to US authorities.
The suspect, Majid Khan, was arrested in Karachi in March 2003 and later sent to the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, said lawyer Nisar Mujahid, who represents Khans wife. Mujahid said US authorities suspected Khan of having links with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks. The SHC, considering a petition filed by Khans wife, ordered authorities to explain why he had been handed over to foreign authorities. The court has asked the government to respond by January 11 and also explain what measures were being taken to bring him back, Mujahid said. He said Khans family heard from him for the first time since 2003 in November, when he sent a greeting card from Guantanamo for Eid-ul-Fitr via the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A senior government security official confirmed that Khan was in Guantanamo Bay but said it was still the governments position that it had not handed over any Pakistanis to the US.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
We SHOULD send him back - a piece a month until he's all there. They can do the reassembly.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/21/2006 16:03 Comments ||
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Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has said that Pakistans tribal areas need to be brought under a system of laws and representation to empower people of these areas, and allow them to be independent of Afghan-Arab fighters who dominate their society.
In an interview with the German daily Junge Welt, Ms Bhutto talked about issues related to the Taliban, tribal areas and the Charter of Democracy and her plans to return to Pakistan. She said that it should be recognised that the Taliban went to war with the world under a military dictatorship in Pakistan in 2001. She said that until military dictatorship in Pakistan ended, the environment that nourishes the Taliban and their sympathisers will continue to grow in strength.
She asked Islamabad to work closely with Kabul to stop infiltrations into Afghanistan. A resurrection of their (Taliban) regime in Kabul will covertly bring back Al Qaeda, and the world will be back to square one, she said.
Ms Bhutto said that Islamabad also needed to reform its security apparatus and end the duality of control that currently existed and bring them under the control of parliament and the prime minister. The Pakistani foreign minister recently said in Kabul he was not denying that people were coming to Afghanistan from across the border, she said, adding that this statement proved that the military dictatorship was unable to establish the writ of the government in Pakistan. Ms Bhutto said that on the other hand, a political government was able to establish its writ in the tribal areas towards the end of the 1980s, when narcotics lords ran mafias similar to those of the Taliban.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
So why didn't Ms. Bhutto do so when she was in charge?
#4
Because though she couldn't/wouldn't do it either, it still is a handy way to bash her political opponents?
Posted by: James ||
12/21/2006 12:39 Comments ||
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#5
She is as full of shit as the next one...all hat and no cattle. She was a corrupt a-hole as PM. Didn't do spit to improve the country. Talk is utterly cheap. She doesn't have the spine nor the support to do squat about the tribal areas. Only repeated B52/B1/B2 strikes have that power.
Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri on Wednesday called for an end to criticism of the country from Afghanistan, and urged greater cooperation, coordination and intelligence sharing between Pakistan and Afghanistan to end illegal cross-border movement. In an interview with Al-Arabiya news channel, Kasuri said, We admit that the situation is difficult in Afghanistan and on the Pak-Afghan border, but this calls for greater cooperation, coordination and trust, not public insults and accusations, he said.
It is essential that we maintain a level of trust and do not trade allegations publicly because that is a very important ingredient in trust building ... it is very simple if somebody attacks verbally a response is very easy all we have to do is wag our tongues, but it causes damage. Pakistan attaches too much importance to its relations with Afghanistan to indulge in verbal vitriol, he added. Kasuri said Pakistan had maintained its cool, and I dont think any purpose will be served by our retaliating in a similar manner. The Pakistani government has shown a lot of patience.
The foreign minister also reiterated his governments proposal to fence, mine and monitor the Pak-Afghan border. Ironically, we face resistance to our suggestion of strengthening checks on cross-border movement, he said.
He said Pakistan had 97 check posts along the Pak-Afghan border, while there were only 23 or 24 posts on the other side. The foreign minister called for an increase in the number of posts on the other side. They dont have Taliban, militant or suicide bomber written on their heads. How do we distinguish ... they all look alike. We are trying to introduce some sort of electronic cards to keep a record of their identities and control movement, he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Well stop funding/training and helping the Taliban then!!!!
Aging planes, budget shortages, and ground casualties are a sharp reversal from the success of air power in Kosovo.
WASHINGTON Fresh from its successes in Kosovo in 1999 and its initial Afghanistan campaign in 2002, the US Air Force was riding high on the notion that air power could transform warfare. But the war in Iraq has changed that.
Now the service's planes are wearing out. It is so short of cash that it plans hefty cuts in personnel. And its combat mission has changed so that, for perhaps the first time in Air Force history, hostile fire has killed more of its ground personnel than its pilots and airmen.
This reversal of fortune has been sharp, defense analysts say.
"At the beginning of the Bush administration, not only did it look like air power could win wars, but there was a new crop of policymakers ready to embrace that message," says Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute, an Arlington, Va., think tank with close ties to top military officers. Now, "I'm hard-pressed to think of a time when the Air Force has faced more problems."
Air Force officials acknowledge the difficulties but point to the experience that they've gained.
"The Air Force is better because of these wars," says Gen. T. Michael "Buzz" Moseley, the service's chief of staff, in an interview. "The Air Force is a war-fighting institution. What we do for this country is fly and fight. You have the most combat-experienced Air Force you've had since World War II."
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#3
Actually, this is just the "Blue Sky Warriors" approach coming back to bite the AF in the ass. For years, the AF has fought every program to make them truly capable of Close Air Support, including trying to retire the A-10 as soon as they got it in inventory. Now that the most likely enemy for the US for the next decade or so is the terrorist/insurgent/gang type, the AF has nothing to bring to the table. Plus, the AF had not trained its personnel for rational self-defense for years - no rifle range time, no infantry tactics, and barely anything for the air field security units as far as equipment, ammo, or training.
Now, they are having to fast-track things that should have been done for the past 2 decades, and they are crying about it. Also, lots of the planes that they wanted for the "Grand Air War" are NOT needed anymore, especially since the Soviets/Russians have closed so many production and research lines. And since the Chinese are a good 2-3 decades away from being able to challenge the Japanese AF, let alone the US AF.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who heads a militia feared by Iraq's Sunnis, is considering a one-month unilateral cease-fire and may push his followers to rejoin the political process after a three-week boycott, officials close to him said Wednesday.
The issue is expected to come up at a meeting Thursday in the holy city of Najaf between al-Sadr and a delegation representing the seven Shiite groups that form the largest bloc in Iraq's parliament, the Shiite officials said on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the talks.
In perhaps an even more important session, the delegation will also sit down with the country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Officials from several factions confirmed the planned trip to Najaf.
The visit is intended to allow the Shiite bloc, the United Iraqi Alliance, to work out some of Iraq's biggest political obstacles in front of al-Sistani, and to pressure al-Sadr to rein in his fighters and rejoin politics or face isolation, participants said.
Until the walkout, al-Sadr's faction had been an integral part of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's governing coalition. Cabinet ministers and legislators who belong to al-Sadr's movement called the boycott after al-Maliki met with President Bush in Jordan three weeks ago. Al-Sadr's militia and its offshoots have been increasingly blamed for sectarian attacks.
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#1
When "holy men" are calling the fight, it's a holy war no matter what the diplo speak is. How very barbarian. No wonder we haven't a clue as to how to stop them. So low on the pole that we can't even begin to engage reason. Hopeless people.
#2
That Moqtada Sadr can even presume to be able to consider imposing a ceasefire shows that he is directly responsible for the violence. That alone should serve as his death sentence. So long as the Iraqi government cannot realize this, they are part of the problem and nothing akin to a solution.
#3
How about the US proposes a one-month reprieve on the termination of Tater's useless existance? Following the end of the reprieve, either he and all of his militia forces are out of the country or disarmed and have agreed to abide by the law (not Sharia) or the gloves come off and anyone identifying himself/herself as a part of Tater's Mahdi Army becomes a target for bagging & tagging - Tater first.
BAGHDAD -- In the quest to create a new Iraq, two powerful clerics compete for domination, one from within the government, the other from its shadows.
Both wear the black turban signifying their descent from the prophet Muhammad. (So much for that Genepool) They have fought each other since the days their fathers vied to lead Iraq's majority Shiites. They hold no official positions, but their parties each control 30 seats in the parliament. And they both lead militias that are widely alleged to run death squads.
But in the view of the Bush administration, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim is a moderate and Moqtada al-Sadr is an extremist. As the U.S. president faces mounting pressure to reshape his Iraq policy, administration officials say they are pursuing a Hakim-led moderate coalition of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurdish parties in order to isolate extremists, in particular Sadr.
Hakim, who once verbally attacked U.S. policy, now senses a political opportunity and is softening his stance toward the Americans. Sadr's position is hardening. Young and aggressive, he has suspended his participation in Iraq's government and is intensifying his demands for U.S. troops to leave the country.
Their rivalry is rising as the moderating influence of Iraq's most revered Shiite figure, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, is fading on the streets of Baghdad and is being replaced by allegiance to militant clerics such as Sadr, according to Iraqi officials and analysts.
They question whether Hakim can counter Sadr's growing street power without worsening the chaos. As President Bush ponders limited alternatives in forging a new approach in Iraq, some wonder whether the United States is overestimating Hakim's ability.
The U.S. embrace of Hakim "will deepen their rivalry," said Mahmoud Othman, an independent Kurdish legislator. "And it will deepen the rifts between the United States and the Sadrists."
Across Baghdad, as the fourth year of war nears an end, many Iraqis are asking one question: Can their prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite politician backed by Sadr, balance U.S. demands to distance himself from the cleric and move their country forward?
Competing Strategies
In Karrada, a mostly Shiite Baghdad neighborhood of large, tan houses owned by educated professionals and bureaucrats, the trim-bearded Hakim smiles from a large billboard in front of his headquarters.
The son of an ayatollah, Hakim wears the long, black robes of an Islamic scholar. He spent years in exile in Iran, where his political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was founded as an armed opposition group to President Saddam Hussein, who brutally oppressed Shiites.
Less than a mile away in a bustling, working-class section of Karrada, in a poster hanging in a grimy sidewalk restaurant, the thick-bearded Sadr weeps.
The son of Iraq's most respected populist cleric, who was assassinated by Hussein's government in 1999, Sadr remained in Iraq during the repression. He has stayed faithful to his father's vision, deriving his power from the seminary and the followers he has mobilized from Iraq's streets.
#3
This idiot has to be working for our side. There is NO WAY someone that STUPID could graduate college! If Saddam picked him to be his legal rep Saddam deserves what he gets! I'm surprised he did'nt say the sky was falling!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
12/21/2006 10:37 Comments ||
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#4
If I understand correctly, Saddam has to be executed by April 28 or not at all, as Iraqi law prohibits execution of those over 70. They may have to make a choice of execute or keep trying him for all the different crimes. How will the victim groups whose cases have not reached trial yet feel?
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 11:20 Comments ||
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#6
Dear Ramsey -
No one named 'President Saddam Hussein' is in our custody in Iraq. We do have some dweeb named just plain Saddam Hussein al-Tikrit, and a jury of his peers has found him Unbelievably Guilty in a trial that was pretty damned fair for that part of the world. What they do to him is up to them.
But I'll tell ya what - since you're so sure this guy really is innocent, why don't you stand up on a soapbox in Baghdad or Kurdistan and make your case?
Bite me, Traitor Boy.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/21/2006 12:11 Comments ||
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#7
Why does Ramsey have a passport? Isn't their some way we can remove the "US Citizen" label from Ramsey Clark?
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 20:56 Comments ||
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#8
Glenmore, I do not believe there is any Iraqi law regarding age-limits for capital sentences. I oughta know, as I was extremely familiar with the trials and the whole situation during my time there, but I can't recall with precision. There were also questions a while back about international age-limits on death sentences, but that of course is irrelevant in that the procedural aspects of the IHT and most of its sentencing are governed by Iraqi law, which includes the death sentence.
This episode recalls the many instances of Sunni communities demanding that American soldiers accompany Iraqi units into their areas, or resolve disputes with the government as a sort of external arbitrator. The hated occupiers - but please please please don't leave, and don't let our countryment near us without some of your soldiers present.
For all the reports of violence in Iraq, most Iraqis feel safe. That's because, 78 percent of the violence (as measured by armed attacks), take place in Baghdad, Anbar province (west of Baghdad), and the smaller Salah ad Din and Diyala provinces. These four areas contain 37 percent of the population. In the rest of Iraq, containing 63 percent of the population, opinion surveys indicate that 90 percent of the people feel safe. Rest at link.
Posted by: ed ||
12/21/2006 09:10 ||
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I wonder how much it would be if you subtracted the Kurds?
BAGHDAD - General John Abizaid, commander of US forces in the Middle East, said Wednesday he plans to retire from the military in the first half of 2007 but brushed off suggestions he is leaving under pressure. After 50 months here I think it is okay to think about retiring, he told reporters in Baghdad. No decision anybody makes in a position like this is ever totally their decision, but I think the time is right and it has nothing to do with dissatisfaction, he added.
Asked about reports suggesting his departure was precipitous, Abizaid said he had planned to retire in the spring of 2007. According to the Abizaid family, this would not be a precipitous decision, he said.
Good luck and Godspeed, General, you've done well.
Abizaid, 55, took over command of the US Central Command from General Tommy Franks after the March 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
Democratic Senator Bill Nelson lamented Abizaids departure, calling him the one person that I have felt like was shooting straight when he would come in front of our Senate Armed Services Committee. I just hope that that does not portend anything other than hes tired and hes ready to retire, he said. But hes the one person that I had the faith in to know that if his judgment was this, you could rely on that judgment.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in favour of announcing a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, but was brainwashed out of it by President George W Bush, Iraqs vice president said on Tuesday.
Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi told New Yorks Council on Foreign Relations that when he spoke with Blair about three months ago, the British leader was supportive of his appeal for the United States and Britain to say when they would withdraw. I had just convinced him, Hashemi said. He promised he was going to discuss the subject with President Bush, but at the end of the day, its quite unfortunate, that your president (made) some sort of brainwashing of Mr Blair. But Hashemi also said any withdrawal of troops should be conditional on US training of Iraqs security forces.
Blair, who visited Baghdad on Sunday, defended on Tuesday his nations close US alliance in response to an influential British think tanks report that found the relationship has damaged Britains credibility in the Middle East.
Hashemi, in comments to Reuters after his Council on Foreign Relations address, said that Blair had been open-minded about announcing a troop pullout. He promised me to take this message to Mr Bush, in fact, and he said Im going to support that, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
..Bush is supposedly the dumbest bag of hammers ever to sit in the White House, but he brainwashed Her Majesty's First Minister.
Man, my brain hurts.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/21/2006 8:32 Comments ||
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#2
So who is smarter, the brainwasher or the brainwashee?
Posted by: ed ||
12/21/2006 8:58 Comments ||
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#3
Seems to me that Mr. Blair lately has shown more twists and turns than a Barry County, Michigan back road.....Whatever happened to the old 'Stand Up Tony' the Brits used to have? Did he have a nut-ectomy????
#4
Labour is getting ready to kick Tony out of office, so he is doing the old bob-and-weave to try to stay in. All politics is local, even when it involves the survival of the civilized world.
AMMAN - The Amman-based Arab Bank on Wednesday denied reports that the Palestinian ruling Hamas group had deposited 35 million dollars at one of its branches in Egypt. Hamas has no accounts at any of the Arab Bank branches, be they inside or outside the Palestinian territories, the Arab Bank said in a statement.
"Please don't sanction us!"
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was permitted by the Israeli authorities to return to the Gaza Strip after a regional tour on Friday on the condition that he left behind 35 million dollars of donations he collected during his trip.
Israelis should have insisted that they hold the money for him.
According to Arab media, the amount was deposited earlier this week at one of the Arab Bank branches in Egypt. The Arab Bank operates in a transparent manner and abides by the rules of the respective central banks and supervision bodies, the statement said.
"Honest, we'd never handle dirty money!"
The Arab Bank, one of the Arab worlds largest establishments, managed to evade two lawsuits that were filed against its branches in New York two years ago by relatives of people who were killed in suicide bombings carried out by Hamas activists in Israel. The bank then denied charges that it acted as a channel for laundering and transferring donations to the hard-line movement.
"Why don't you believe us?"
With this in the background, Jordanian and other Arab Banks so far refused to transfer funds to any of the Palestinian factions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to avoid sanctions by the United States and other countries which halted aid to the Palestinian Authority after a Hamas-led administration took up responsibilities in March.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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Warning that Israel may face a "Syrian intifada," a high-ranking officer in Northern Command has told The Jerusalem Post that villages recently built by Syria along the border are planned to be used as "death traps" for IDF troops in Hizbullah-inspired attacks.
Since this summer's war in Lebanon, Syria, the officer revealed, has invested large amounts of money in replicating Hizbullah military tactics, particularly in establishing additional commando units and fortifying its short- and long-range missile array.
The idea is to draw Israel into an asymmetric war, the officer said, like the warfare the IDF encounters in combat against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as against Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Over the past two years, Syria has built a number of villages along the border with Israel, some inhabited and some not. At first, the IDF was not sure of their purpose. But now, following the war, the officer said, it was understood.
"Syria drew motivation from Hizbullah's surprise success this summer," the high-ranking officer said. "They now want to copy that type of guerrilla warfare."
While for years it was assumed that Israel had a major edge against Syria's military with regard to a conventional war - tank versus tank, jet versus jet - in an urban setting, the Syrian military would be able, the officer said, to wreak havoc against IDF infantry and armored units like Hizbullah did.
According to the officer, Syria has drawn three major lessons from the war and has begun to implement them. The first is that rockets - 4,000 struck northern Israel during the 33-days of fighting - can paralyze the home front. The second is that antitank missiles can penetrate the Merkava tank and force infantry units to abandon armored personnel carriers and trek into enemy territory by foot. And the third is that in villages and cities the Israeli Air Force's abilities are limited and IDF ground forces can be defeated.
During the war, the IDF fell into several deadly ambushes in southern Lebanese villages; one in Bint Jbail killed eight soldiers from Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade.
The Syrian military, the officer said, was conducting urban warfare exercises in preparation for the possibility of a war with Israel. The IDF has also dramatically increased its training regiments and has, at all times, between two-to-three brigades training in the Golan Heights.
Lacking clear intelligence regarding Syrian intelligence, the officer said that the Northern Command's "working assumption" was that there was a possibility of war and there was a need to prepare accordingly.
While defense officials have crisscrossed in recent weeks concerning the sincerity of Syrian President Bashar Assad's offer of peace, the top officer said that, according to "all the signs," Syria was preparing for war with Israel. The Syrian military has beefed-up forces along the Golan Heights and Israel has done the same. In the Hermon, for instance, the IDF has doubled the number of troops.
#1
So you napalm the villages and move past them. What's the big deal?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/21/2006 19:58 Comments ||
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#2
napalm, artillery the remainder, bulldoze the rubble and remaining fodder and move on - why would Israel care? They don't want more of Syrians, just less of Syrian activity. Best way to achieve that? Demolish Damascus and the leadership. Second best? Less Syrians.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 20:42 Comments ||
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#3
Asymmetrical warfare doesn't work between nation states. This might work against an Israeli occupation after Damascus falls, but it certainly won't help Assad. However, if Israel simply destroys Syria and lets the IAF occasionally bounce the rubble, this is all for naught.
#4
The Syrians are obviously hoping Olmert will be in charge when the Israelis crush the Assad regime : that way, Olmert will sabotage any and all functional military moves by the IDF. That is the only way these "deathtraps" will do anything more than slightly slow down the Merkavas as they head up the highway to Damascus.
#6
ME Radicalist version of the Commie "War/Battle/
Local Zone" active defense strategy, via ASSASSINS MACE. Prob is Assad isn't a hardline Radicalist like Moud, and Syria-Iran [hopefully] don't have NUCLEARIZED-NBC TACTICAL/BATTLEFIELD ARTILLERY YET. By 2008-2009, IRAN is expected to have both [INDIGENOUS?] NUKE WARHEADS + EFFECTIVE MISSLE DELIVERY SYSTEMS.
#7
Flat out artillery barrages along a front seldom work, even going back to WWI.
The typical tactic that would be used for this would be to have light cavalry from the main body make several penetration points, through which the main body flows. Then some APCs, or the like, are used to police up the front positions, or villages, from the rear, as the main body continues forward against any second eschelon the enemy has waiting.
This prevents the villages from being used as points to attack the flank or to cut off supply lines to the main body.
#9
moose: I was in no way advocating artillery barrages as the sole answer... just an arrow in the quiver.... however, it is a way to say: "pencilneck won't protect you now!" :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/21/2006 22:31 Comments ||
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#10
Is there an epidemic of brain-death? Israeli troops flattened the 3 major Hezbollah terror centers, including South Beirut. The IDF used WW2 "encirclement" techniques where the so-called "death traps" existed. I recall that the IDF suffered less than 50 combat deaths in face to face warfare.
Unfortunately, Israeli domestic politics, where the opposition is expected to criticize the ruling party, served up rhetoric material for the enemy.
Lol. Sunni vs. Shia. 1400 years of the kids fighting in the backseat. Lol. After Israel, the Black Hats prolly have "plans" for some choice Sunni targets... The funniest part is that what's significant to them, wouldn't mean squat to us. Applying Western logic is our fatal weakness regards Islam.
Lebanon's top Sunni cleric Thursday condemned what he described as Iran's "blatant intervention" in Lebanese affairs and urged an end to foreign pressure on his country.
"I tell you honestly that Khamenei's comments claiming that Lebanon will be the defeat point of the United States are a blatant case of intervention in Lebanese affairs," Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani told reporters in Cairo.
The cleric, who met Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on his second day in Cairo, was referring to comments made a month ago in which Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei predicted Lebanon would "be the defeat point for Israel and America."
The Shiite regime's top cleric made the remark during a visit to Tehran by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, head of the Shiite Amal movement.
Lebanon has been bitterly divided since Shiite ministers resigned from the Saniora government last month, sparking anti-government demonstrations spearheaded by Hizbullah against the prime minister.
"How would Iran react if an Arab country proclaimed that Tehran would witness the defeat of such and such a superpower?", asked Qabbani, who has defended the embattled government led by Premier Fouad Saniora. "Lebanon and its people should be left alone, free of any foreign pressure," he said.
On Wednesday, Qabbani warned that the downfall of the government would lead to chaos and sectarian strife. "There will be no other government in Lebanon and Lebanon will descend into chaos and sectarian strife if the Saniora government falls," Qabbani told reporters in Cairo after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
"The international tribunal must take its course and judge the people accused in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri because it is an unprecedented crime," he said. "What is currently happening in Lebanon is a way to prevent this tribunal from carrying out its duties," he warned.(AFP-Naharnet)
#1
Unfortunately, there is a recipe for disaster here. While one coalition side is terrified of war, the other side is far less so; and worst of all, the Iranians are willing for the Lebanese Shiites to fight to the last drop of their blood, for Iranian aims. And the same with the Syrians.
#2
With the convergence of two things, the oil money and the lethality of weapons, Islam is about to 'splode. I still favor Dave D's and flyover's stop-gap solution: the complete quarantine of Islam from the West... and yes, that includes throwing out every single one of them who doesn't swear absolute fealty - with death for those who prove to be practicing taqiyya. As for any who are known as imams, that option is withdrawn, deport them.
#3
Don't hold back. Lay down a fatwa on Khamenei's head, dork face. Wouldn't that be like putting out a hit on a mafioso don ? Let's get it on. We want bloood !
#5
1, Theyve ALREADY taken out choice sunni targets, notably Hariri.
2. This isnt about issues we dont understand, its about power. It just happens that in the muslim world for hundreds of years power was associated with religion, unlike us where its only sometimes been about religion, and often about race or membership in various aristocracies.
#7
the complete quarantine of Islam from the West... and yes, that includes throwing out every single one of them who doesn't swear absolute fealty - with death for those who prove to be practicing taqiyya. As for any who are known as imams, that option is withdrawn, deport them.
Qur'antine, heh! End of story. Use fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to identify those who practice taqqiya and deport every single relative of theirs. There must also be massive military retaliation against any Islamic country that attempts to violate the blockade. We also must intervene to wreck any Islamic attempts to build nuclear weapons. Either we take some sort of comprehensive measures right away or end up with a holocaust later.
#9
So which side of the quarantine wall does Israel end up on?
In this scenario, I would envision Israel being an Eastern-most Mediterranean port with a barrier walling them and Jerusalem off from all surrounding countries. Any attacks upon Israel would result in massive retaliation from whatever coalition had the courage to impose this Qur'antine.
Irans oil minister on Wednesday admitted that Tehran was having trouble financing oil projects, in a rare acknowledgment of the economic cost of its nuclear dispute.
Currently, overseas banks and financiers have decreased their co-operation, Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh told the oil ministry news agency, Shana.
The statement underlined the impact of de facto financial sanctions on the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries second biggest oil producer. As the controversy over Irans nuclear programme has escalated, the US has applied pressure on European banks and financial institutions to curb dealings with Tehran.
The fact that the UN Security Council could soon impose the first even if mild sanctions against Iran has compounded the political uncertainty and risks of doing business with Tehran. Iranian officials insist there is international interest in investing in Irans oil industry and European executives play down any impact on companies seeking deals in Iran.
The National Iranian Oil Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinas CNOOC to develop the North Pars gas field. The memorandum, if it turns into a final deal, would bring $16bn worth of Chinese investments for the initial part of any deal, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday.
But western officials hope the financial squeezes effect on the oil industry, the backbone of Irans economy, will help raise domestic pressure for a change of policy and persuade the regime to heed international calls for a suspension of its uranium enrichment programme.
Irans oil production capacity, at 4.3m barrels per day, is set to reach 5m bpd, according to the countrys latest five-year plan, which closes in 2009. This would involve $16bn of investment in the sector. But the International Energy Agency reckons that Irans longer term plans to lift oil production to 6.8m bpd by 2030 would require nearly $80bn in investment, with expansion plans for the gas industry requiring an extra $85bn.
Theres a growing awareness that de facto sanctions are beginning to hurt and everyone understands the future of the economy depends on the development of oil and gas, said a western diplomat. Banks are not lending, partly because of US pressure, but the banks are also drawing their own conclusions.
Mr Vaziri-Hamaneh said projects would be financed from the Oil Stabilisation Fund, which accumulates oil windfalls to promote the private sector and save for periods of low oil prices.
#6
I do recall many sites saying Iranian oil production has already peaked & is on its way down, permanently, unless they discover vast new supplies, which is highly unlikely, no matter what is invested. Their trouble financing new projects is at least partly due to sensible investors declining to waste their money on unlikely prospects, as well as projected sanctions. Iran is headed toward both an oil production and demographic decline or collapse in the next 2 generations.
For background purposes: Dr Ali Morteza Samsam Bakhtiari is a retired Iranian oil industry expert. He had this to say about Iranian oil reserves and production:
"It goes without saying that when assaying Middle Eastern oil reserves, one should tread carefully. Because, on the one hand, oil reserves' estimation is both a science and an art; and on the other hand, seen from the point of view of most Middle Eastern countries, oil reserves are more political than geological. Thus, nonscientific views come to prime over science and further enhance the various types of shades that have led to an overall opaque situation in the Middle East."..."As for Iran, the usually accepted official 132 billion barrels is almost 100 billion barrels over any realistic assay. If the higher figure was for real, its oil industry would not be struggling day in and day out to keep output at between 3.0-3.5 million barrels per day (inclusive of Persian Gulf offshore)"
#7
IRNA.com > UNSC RESOLUTION INCAPABLE OF WORKING + [MOUD] NO ONE HEEDS THE DICTATES OF THE SUPERPOWERS [yoohoo, PUTIN, also means you] + CHINA-IRAN TIES BENEFIC FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE.
The conventional wisdom is that CHINA needs oil from Iran, NOT THE OPPOSITE. Iff Baktiari and other Perts are correct, China like Russia is only shooting herself in the foot.
Pic courtesy of Atlas Shrugs.
Some interesting stuff in here, but a Mullahcracy run by a Thug prolly means these people will be crushed -- literally -- yet, again.
TEHRAN, Dec. 20 As protests broke out last week at a prestigious university here, cutting short a speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Babak Zamanian could only watch from afar. He was on crutches, having been clubbed by supporters of the president and had his foot run over by a motorcycle during a less publicized student demonstration a few days earlier.
But the significance of the confrontation was easy to grasp, even from a distance, said Mr. Zamanian, a leader of a student political group.
The Iranian student movement, which planned the 1979 seizure of the United States Embassy from the same university, Amir Kabir, is reawakening from the slumber of recent years and may even be spearheading a widespread resistance against Mr. Ahmadinejad. This time the catalysts were academic and personal freedom.
It is not that simple to break up a presidents speech, said Alireza Siassirad, a former student political organizer, explaining that an event of that magnitude takes meticulous planning. I think what happened at Amir Kabir is a very important and a dangerous sign. Students are definitely becoming active again.
The protest, punctuated by shouts of Death to the dictator, was the first widely publicized outcry against Mr. Ahmadinejad, one that was reflected Friday in local elections, where voters turned out in droves to vote for his opponents.
Continued on Page 49
#1
well there was a big flap about the students rising about a year ago. no deal - too many gov't heavys and pro-Mahmoud militia types. Country is about split down the middle with the guns all on the gov't side. Don't bet on a change without an outside push to even the odds.
NICOSIA Iran has reported it has 1,400 uranium mines in the country, only a few of which have been tapped. Well, if they're untapped, then they're, like, ore deposits, not really mines, where people, y'know, mine stuff.
The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said 1,400 mines were available for the extraction of uranium. The organization said the mines were located in central Iran and would be used to produce yellowcake for the nation's uranium enrichment program. Iranian Atomic Energy Organization? The IAEO? Lol. Hokay.
The mines are scattered in one-third of Iranian territory particularly in the central areas of Saghand, south of Bandar Abbas, Khashouri, Narigan and Zarigan," IAEO (U, and sometimes Y) deputy director Hossein Faqihian said. South of Bandar Abbas? Uh, that's be the Strait of Hormuz. You mean southEAST, moron, lol.
In a Dec. 18 nuclear technology conference in Mashhad, Faqihian said Iran has been developing only a few of the available mines. He said the uranium would be converted into yellowcake for eventual production of fuel for nuclear reactors.
Yellowcake is milled uranium oxide, the first step toward enriched uranium. In the second step, the yellowcake is converted into uranium hexafluoride. "We need power plants and mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle as indispensable requirements for producing nuclear fuel," Faqihian said. "But the initial step is to have a sufficient supply of uranium to produce yellowcake. The intial process is being carried out in Bandar Abbas [in southern Hormuzgan province] and in Ardekan [in central Yazd]." Yes, we have the coordinates.
Faqihian said the conversion of yellowcake was taking place at the uranium conversion facility in Isfahan. He said Iran was one of 10 countries in the world capable of enriching uranium. Heh. "one of 10", eh? Methinks he (true of everyone in the MM nightmare) has Short Dick Syndrome. Nukes B Muzzy Viagra.
#1
FREEREPUBLIC > REGIMECHANGEIRAN > Iran is actively suppor FOUR wars in ME states. Also, HAARETZ> Israel claims 00's of local Muslim militiamen have left for Iran for training. Meanwhile, PRAVDA/OTHER - NORTH KOREA PLANS SECOND NUKE TEST.
WASHINGTON - The United States said Wednesday it supported Syrian opposition groups rivalling President Bashar Al Assad, but said such support was overt, and not a secret bid to undermine his government. New scrutiny of tense US-Syria relations came after Time magazine ran an exclusive report on its website, based on a classified document it said showed the Bush administration was mulling an effort to fund opposition to Assad.
Good old MSM strikes again, publishing a classified document about our activities. Strange, they didn't do this when a Democrat was president ...
It said some critics charge such an initiative would amount to a covert action to influence a foreign government, and so leave the White House legally bound to inform Congress.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States supported Syrian civil society groups, in line with its global bid to foster democracy around the world. Any activities the State Department are involved in are overt, theyre funded through our Middle East initiatives, and theyre for all to see, he said. There are public reports on these things. We talk to the Congress about them.
Waiting for Pat Leahy or Charlie Shumer to open up in 5 .. 4 .. 3 ..
Time said that one proposal being considered was an election monitoring program that would need to be concealed to be effective. The report said the US effort was particularly targeting legislative elections in Syria due in March.
A White House official, who requested anonymity, said election monitoring was an important component of any free election, and the US supports the training of monitors.
Which we did in places like Ukraine, Peru and Georgia. It's an effective program and another arrow in our quiver against thugs and jihadis. Makes you wonder what Time has against it.
The official did not say specifically if the United States was planning such an effort in Syria, but added : it is currently not possible for the Syrian people, much less international experts, to freely monitor elections inside Syria in order to make sure that they are conducted according to internationally recognized standards.
The Syrian government should permit the freedom of movement, speech, and association of those in Syria who want to monitor the upcoming elections in 2007, the official said. We are very open about the fact that the Presidents Freedom Agenda makes democratic development in the Middle East a priority for US foreign policy.This includes assisting people in the region who want to participate in free and fair elections that meet international standards.
Time said the election monitoring scheme could involve Internet accessible materials available for printing and disseminating throughout Syria and neighbouring countries.
Rather hard for that to be covert, isn't it? Seems like it's right out in the open.
The proposal also called for voter education campaigns and public opinion polling and a surreptitious effort to provide support for at least on Syrian politician, the magazine said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Will say again that the GOP could have won 2006 in Congress iff only the Amer voter has seen or heard evidence of demo regime change taking place in Iran = North Korea, etc Rogues.
WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush on Wednesday rejected new talks on Iraq with Iran or Syria and, in a direct challenge to Tehran, said Iranians can do better than President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
And better than Khatami, and better than Rafsanjani ...
My message to the Iranian people is: You can do better than to have somebody try to rewrite history. You can do better than somebody who hasnt strengthened your economy, Bush said in a year-end press conference. And you can do better than having somebody whos trying to develop a nuclear weapon that the world believes you shouldnt have. Theres a better way forward, said the US president.
He should be doing this frequently. He should be on Radio Free Iran (and we should have a Radio Free Iran). He should talking directly to the Iranian people just like Ronald Reagan talked directly to the people of eastern Europe.
Bush said Washington was working hard to get a UN Security Council resolution punishing Iran for refusing to halt sensitive nuclear work that the West charges feeds efforts to develop atomic weapons, and reiterated that Tehran must freeze such activities if it wants talks with the United States. We made perfectly clear to them what it takes to come to the table. And that is a suspension of their enrichment program, said the president.
Washington has taken heart from Iranian elections for municipal councils and a powerful religious assembly that saw Ahmadinejad loyalists suffer setbacks at the hands of more moderate candidates in a number of key races, including for seats on the Tehran city council. And Bush seized on a recent Ahmadinejad-hosted conference on the Holocaust that featured several speakers who deny the mass slaughter of Jews during World War II.
I was amazed that once again there was this conference about the Holocaust that heralded a really backward view of the history of the world. And all that said to me was is that the leader in Iran is willing to say things that really hurts his country and further isolates the Iranian people, said Bush.
The Iranian people have got a leader who constantly sends messages to the world that Iran is out of step with the majority of thinkers, that Iran is willing to become isolated, to the detriment of the people, said Bush.
That's diplospeak for, "he's nuts."
The US president also dismissed calls for more talks with Syria, which Washington accuses of letting extremists into Iraq and undermining Lebanons fragile democracy by funding and training the militant Hezbollah group. Weve suggested to them that they no longer allow Saddamists to send money and arms across their border into Iraq to fuel some of the violence that we see, he said. Theyre not unreasonable requests.
Bush praised Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora for showing a lot of tenacity and toughness in the face of enormous pressure from Syria, as well as Hezbollah, which is funded by Iran.
What I would suggest: that, if they are interested in better relations with the United States, that they take some concrete, positive steps that promote peace, as opposed to instability, said Bush.
That's diplospeak for, "Assad is lying."
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Some Muslim Netters are lamenting that Dubya-GOP lost the Congress in 2006 just as car bombs, believed by them to be targeted agz Moud, began exploding in the streets of Tehran.
#2
Washington has taken heart from Iranian elections for municipal councils and a powerful religious assembly that saw Ahmadinejad loyalists suffer setbacks at the hands of more moderate candidates in a number of key races, including for seats on the Tehran city council.
More moderate means they won't talk like apocalyptic nutbags while they're working on their plans to destroy the Great and Little Satans™.
(Reuters) - Following are highlights of an eight-page draft resolution imposing sanctions on Iran that was distributed to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. Britain, France and Germany, who drafted the measure, are scheduling a vote on Friday.
-- Invokes Chapter 7, Article 41 of the U.N. Charter which makes enforcement mandatory but excludes military action. Which means it's toothless.
-- Decides all nations must ban items, materials, goods and technology that could contribute to Iran's "enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water related activities, or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems," such as ballistic missiles. The ban applies to exports and imports. Which will not be enforced by those nations who are mercantile whores.
-- Individual nations can use their own judgment in barring dual-use items if they contribute to Iran's prohibited nuclear work, but need to verify the "end-use and end-use location" and inform the Security Council's sanctions committee. Ibid.
-- Equipment for light-water reactors is not included, nor is low-enriched uranium in assembled nuclear fuel elements. This exempts an $800 million light-water reactor Russia is building for Iran at Bushehr, Russia, a mercantile whore's whore.
-- A mandatory travel ban is eliminated. The draft now calls on states to notify a Security Council sanctions panel should any individuals or envoys of groups on a list attached [to] the draft cross their borders. Big Deal.
-- Urges nations to "prevent specialized teaching or training" of Iranian nationals in areas that could advance banned nuclear work. How, um, urgent.
-- Freezes funds and financial assets owned or controlled by entities or persons associated with Iran's nuclear or missile programs, according to a list in the resolution. But the sanctions panel can delete or add any names. Will not be enforced if the business done under the table exceeds the freezable funds.
-- Those targeted for travel and an assets freeze are 11 organizations and 12 individuals. They include Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and firms dealing with its centrifuge programs, heavy-water reactor at Arak and pilot uranium enrichment plant at Natanz. Yawn.
-- Individuals named include the vice president for research and development at Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, officials associated with the Arak and Natanz plants and the rector of Malek Ashtar University of Defense Technology. Another yawn. Time for a nap.
-- Sanctions can be suspended if the director-general of International Atomic Energy Agency, determines Iran has suspended its enrichment work, including research and development, so negotiations can resume. The first IAEA report is due within 60 days after the resolution is adopted. Yah shure. Trust the faithful "watchdoggie", Elbaradi.
-- Sanctions can be lifted if the IAEA determines Iran has complied fully with relevant Security Council resolutions and requirements from the IAEA Board of Governors. Ibid.
-- If Iran refuses, the council can consider "further appropriate measures" under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. And talk it to death again, ending in yet another half-measure... Meanwhile, it's full steam ahead for the Nutjob Nuke Pgm. Until it's stopped or the most Muzzier-Than-Thou bunch of Sharia Wackos in the world gain hegemony over half the world's oil assets.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday predicted that Britain, Israel and the United States would eventually disappear from the world like the Egyptian pharaohs. The oppressive powers will disappear while the Iranian people will stay. Any power that is close to God will survive while the powers who are far from God will disappear like the pharaohs, he said, according to Iranian news agencies.
Today, it is the United States, Britain and the Zionist regime which are doomed to disappear as they have moved far away from the teachings of God, he said in a speech in the western town of Javanroud, adding, It is a divine promise. Ahmadinejads comments were the latest salvo by the deeply religious president against the West and Israel. He has repeatedly predicted that Israel is doomed to disappear. The remarks come amid mounting efforts by UN Security Council powers to agree on a resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Among other thingys, what Moud is saying is that America's and Israel's enemies have PATIENCE, since by history the Pharoahs did NOT disappear over-nite. Unless he's seen God's hand writing MENE, MENE, TEKEL, AFARSIM on an ancient Babylonian, NOT Egyptian, wall.
#5
This world isn't big enough for the four of us.
Posted by: ed ||
12/21/2006 9:38 Comments ||
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#6
Well, I don't know....
The Pharaohs ruled for what about 3 millenia?
The US is a couple hudred years old, Britain about 900, Israel about 60......hmmmmm, okay that means we don't have to worry for about 2000 years.
Al Qaedas second in command Ayman al-Zawahri vowed in a videotape aired on Wednesday that the terror group would not stop attacks on US soil as long as the US strikes Muslims on their land. If we are hit in our countries, we will not stop striking you in your country, Zawahri said in the video aired by Al-Jazeera television. Zawahri also said he believed the US would ultimately have to talk with the real forces in the Islamic world to extricate itself from Iraq and Afghanistan. He said President Bush was deceiving Americans by telling them he was going after terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep them away from the US. He said only jihad could liberate Palestine.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Zawahri also said he believed the US would ultimately have to talk with the real forces in the Islamic world to extricate itself from Iraq and Afghanistan.
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.
A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their US superiors never ordered them to fire. The French military, however, said that the incidents never happened and the report was erroneous information.
Britain announced on Tuesday that it was preparing to make mandatory the recording of biometric details fingerprinting and photographing of the 700,000 foreigners a year living in the United Kingdom, suggesting that Britain is effectively trying to close its borders to foreigners, The Guardian reported. While British residents will likely be obliged to carry the identity (ID) cards from 2011, foreigners visiting the country will be required to carry them from 2008. The Guardian also reported that the government was establishing 150 screening centres worldwide in the next 18 months to record biometric data from visitors from 169 countries outside Europe. This means that from 2008, everyone from the 169 countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) the 25 European Union (EU) members plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway who intends to work, study or stay in Britain for a period of more than six months, must first provide biometric data as part of their pre-departure travel requirements. 
The senator-elect confirms an icy incident with president but maintains he's willing to work with him.
(CNSNews.com) - Gun-toting members of the Mexican military are crossing regularly into U.S. territory, where they are partnering with drug cartels and criminal gangs to protect sophisticated smuggling operations, according to Texas sheriffs and lawmakers.
Mexican military units and drug cartels have access to weaponry and communications equipment far more advanced than resources made available to U.S. officials on the state and federal level, Culberson said. "The U.S. Border Patrol is telling its agents to just lay low and report on what they see," he said. "They are instructed to determine the size of the [Mexican military] unit, the number of personnel, the direction of travel."
President Bush told a news conference on Wednesday that he was considering an expansion of the US army and Marines in Iraq for the long struggle against radicals and extremists. 
The Sindh High Court (SHC) asked the government on Wednesday to explain why a Pakistani citizen, suspected of having links with Al Qaeda, had been handed over to the United States, a lawyer said. Pakistan has arrested and handed over about 700 foreign Al Qaeda suspects to US authorities after the September 11 attacks on the US. But the government says no Pakistanis have been handed over to US authorities. 
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has said that Pakistans tribal areas need to be brought under a system of laws and representation to empower people of these areas, and allow them to be independent of Afghan-Arab fighters who dominate their society. 
Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri on Wednesday called for an end to criticism of the country from Afghanistan, and urged greater cooperation, coordination and intelligence sharing between Pakistan and Afghanistan to end illegal cross-border movement. In an interview with Al-Arabiya news channel, Kasuri said, We admit that the situation is difficult in Afghanistan and on the Pak-Afghan border, but this calls for greater cooperation, coordination and trust, not public insults and accusations, he said. 
Aging planes, budget shortages, and ground casualties are a sharp reversal from the success of air power in Kosovo.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who heads a militia feared by Iraq's Sunnis, is considering a one-month unilateral cease-fire and may push his followers to rejoin the political process after a three-week boycott, officials close to him said Wednesday. 
The visit is intended to allow the Shiite bloc, the United Iraqi Alliance, to work out some of Iraq's biggest political obstacles in front of al-Sistani, and to pressure al-Sadr to rein in his fighters and rejoin politics or face isolation, participants said.
BAGHDAD -- In the quest to create a new Iraq, two powerful clerics compete for domination, one from within the government, the other from its shadows.
The son of an ayatollah, Hakim wears the long, black robes of an Islamic scholar. He spent years in exile in Iran, where his political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was founded as an armed opposition group to President Saddam Hussein, who brutally oppressed Shiites.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in favour of announcing a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, but was brainwashed out of it by President George W Bush, Iraqs vice president said on Tuesday. 
AMMAN - The Amman-based Arab Bank on Wednesday denied reports that the Palestinian ruling Hamas group had deposited 35 million dollars at one of its branches in Egypt. Hamas has no accounts at any of the Arab Bank branches, be they inside or outside the Palestinian territories, the Arab Bank said in a statement.
NICOSIA Iran has reported it has 1,400 uranium mines in the country, only a few of which have been tapped.
(Reuters) - Following are highlights of an eight-page draft resolution imposing sanctions on Iran that was distributed to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. Britain, France and Germany, who drafted the measure, are scheduling a vote on Friday.
Al Qaedas second in command Ayman al-Zawahri vowed in a videotape aired on Wednesday that the terror group would not stop attacks on US soil as long as the US strikes Muslims on their land. If we are hit in our countries, we will not stop striking you in your country, Zawahri said in the video aired by Al-Jazeera television. Zawahri also said he believed the US would ultimately have to talk with the real forces in the Islamic world to extricate itself from Iraq and Afghanistan. He said President Bush was deceiving Americans by telling them he was going after terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep them away from the US. He said only jihad could liberate Palestine.
