From the most respected name in major media, Weekly World News. (WWN sources are usually a bit sketchy, but at least they didn't present forged documents.)
"Best damn reporting on the planet." Tommy Lee Jones, Men in Black.
Evil North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Il has sunk to a new low of depravity:He's eaten his first human! Human-rights activists confirm that Australian aid worker Ned Brentwood, 33, was shot and killed on the orders of the demented despot -- then butchered and stewed by a team of gourmet chefs in Kim's palace in Pyongyang.
"Our sources say Kim was very intrigued by reports that widespread famine had caused some starving peasants in his country to resort to digging up recently deceased corpses and eating them," reveals Maria Sociarelli of the International Campaign Against Cruelty. "He was curious about what human flesh tasted like -- and to find out firsthand, he had his goons arrest Mr. Brentwood on trumped-up espionage charges and executed. "The remains were taken to the palace and cooked."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy ||
09/24/2004 3:34:14 AM ||
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Posted by: Fred ||
09/24/2004 3:12:08 PM ||
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#1
GFL, Vlad.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/24/2004 15:54 Comments ||
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. . . saying the media should not just be passive observers in the face of threats by militants.
When has the mainstream media ever been passive observers? They spend most of their time criticizing attempts to fight this war.
sheesh . . .
Posted by: GP ||
09/24/2004 15:59 Comments ||
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Western elections observers sharply criticized Russian broadcasters for a strong pro-Kremlin bias in this year's presidential election campaign and last year's parliamentary election.
"Russian TV today is not free. Instead of timely and objective information, they try to force us to report the official version, instead of free discussion _ propaganda...."
One wonders if the media in the US will see the extreme irony in these statements.
#4
GP - The MSM in America is not a passive observer but a willing participant in the war --- but on the terrorist's side - they are allies
Evidence:
MSM never uses the term 'terrorists' for people who deliberately target and murder civilians in order to instill terror
The inaccurate reporting of the school sige in Russia. A) claimed the Russian forces 'stormed' the school first B) refusal to report that a number of the children hostages were gang raped by their Islamic captors C) never refers to the terrorist as being all 'muslim' or Islamic D) see number 1 above.
The MSM is actively engaging in efforts to replace a strong president who is fighting the terrorists on their own ground with a weak U.N. weenie. See CBS as well as any episode of 'We Hate America' (formally 'Good Morning America'), 'Toadie' (formally Today), etc...
The MSM ongoing effort to subvert the will of the american public by protraying the Iraq effort as a 'Quagmire', 'another Vietnam', 'Miserable Failure', and 'We are ALL GONNA DIE!!!!' by concentrating solely on American deaths (the body bag count) or minor problems by a few malcontents (the Prison scandal for weeks to the exclusion of all else and worshipping at the feet of anyone who claims to be linked to Al-Q. All the while ignoring the 80% of Iraq which is running smoothly. Dont forget their decision to ignore the 100K - 1 Million Iraqis who protested againast terrorism last December. (While any fart by an Al-Q 'spokesmen' gets front page for weeks).
'Freedom of the Press' is both a very powerful right - and an awesome responsibility.
As Russia grapples with terrorism and instability in Chechnya, a powerful ruler-in-waiting is forcing President Vladimir Putin's hand: the 28-year-old son of a slain Chechen president who commands a feared militia and an oil-fueled business empire. Ramzan Kadyrov leads 2,000 to 4,000 well-armed troops, who battle rebels but operate independently of Moscow. And he has ties to businessmen involved in the widespread corruption that saps money sent from Moscow intended to reconstruct Chechnya after years of war — one reason he may not be keen on ending the conflict. It was widely speculated that Kadyrov, who has a boyish, chubby face and wears a trimmed beard, would succeed his father. But he said he wouldn't participate in the race because he didn't meet the minimum age of 30 for president set by the Chechen constitution. That doesn't mean his influence has waned in any way without his father in power. "It's impossible to do something important in Chechnya without consultations with Kadyrov," said Alexei Malashenko, an expert on Chechnya at the Carnegie Moscow Center.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/24/2004 2:58:11 PM ||
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A group of militants has been eliminated as a result of an ongoing raid in Kurchaloi district of Russia's southern republic of Chechnya. A day earlier the rebels entered the village of Alleroi, Ramzan Kadyrov, first deputy head of the pro-Moscow Chechen government and head of the presidential security guard service, told Interfax. The group was almost fully eliminated, he said. "Thanks to measures taken without delay our forces succeeded in ousting the rebels from Alleroi. They have suffered substantial casualties. Five bodies have already been discovered in the village and in the vicinity, but, according to operative reports, the number of eliminated rebels is much higher," Kadyrov told Interfax by phone, talking from Alleroi.
Special raids, carried out by federal troops, continued throughout Chechnya in the early hours of Friday. Those operations are aimed at apprehending and eliminating separatist leaders Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov, Ilya Shabalkin, a spokesman for anti-terror operations in the Northern Caucasus, told RIA-Novosti news agency. He confirmed Ramzan Kadyrov's report on the successful raid carried out in Kurchaloi. According to Shabalkin, four rebels were killed near the village of Mairtup and two — near Alleroi. All of them belonged to a rebel unit headed by Avdorkhanov and were personal bodyguards of Aslan Maskhadov. Another rebel group was discovered in Shali district. Federal forces attacked them with mortar fire. Later two rebels were killed in a clash with Russian commando troops. The identities of the dead rebels are being established, Shabalkin said.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
09/24/2004 12:30:35 PM ||
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#1
Russia should give all foreign-born Mullahs without Russian citizenship to leave the country in 72 hours. We would be wise to do the same.
Russia took its case for expanding the global war against terrorism to the United Nations, demanding the Security Council draw up a new list of terror suspects who would be subject to extradition. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country has denounced Western countries for granting asylum to Chechen leaders it has linked to violence, said there can be no double standards in defining terrorists. "Those who slaughtered children in Beslan and hijacked airplanes to attack America are creatures of the same breed," he said in a forceful speech to the U.N. General Assembly. "Harboring terrorists, their henchmen and sponsors undermines the unity and mutual trust of parties to the anti-terrorist front, serves as a justification for their actions and actually encourages them to commit similar crimes in other countries," he added.
Russia circulated a draft resolution stressing the need for the 15 member nations to "cooperate fully" in tracking down the perpetrators and organizers of terrorist attacks. The proposed text also asks the committee monitoring what governments are doing to fight terrorism to consider how to draw up a new list of "individuals, groups and entities involved in or associated with terrorist activities."
#6
Zen has the idea. Certain UN members, and their UN "embassy staff", are synonymous with terrorist watch list.
Thank you, BigEd. However much Rwanda should have been the telling event (not to mention their Lucullen menu for the World Hunger convention), Darfur was a final death knell for the UN's ostensible value to civilization. Their overt defense of terrorism, tacit anti-Semitism and outright refusal to confront genocide, even when it is thrust in their collective face, leave no doubt vis their moral bankruptcy. The UN needs to be dismantled and its more benign organs parted out for restaffing and reapplication elsewhere.
#7
The UNSC needs to have its feet held to the fire. Terrorists need to have no sanctuary. Also, the UNSC frauds need to be exposed for who they are. If the UNSC does not come through, then they lose their legitimacy and we can be rid of them.
Posted by: Alaska Paul in Bethel, AK ||
09/24/2004 19:11 Comments ||
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#8
If the UNSC does not come through, then they lose their legitimacy and we can be rid of them.
Not to be too contentious, AP, but when has the UNSC ever "come through?"
These featherbed f&%ks have been farting through silk for so long that the concept of actually promoting functional diplomacy is as foreign to them as declaring terrorism a crime against humanity.
Iran does not need nuclear weapons, said Russian President Vladimir Putin. What a smoke sreen Mr. KGB hides behind. There are scores of photographs of Putin with Iran's top mullah shaking hands over Russian support for Iran's nuke program.
"Possession of a nuclear bomb will not enhance Iran's security or regional security," Putting told the First World Congress of News Agencies in Moscow on Friday. "Will Iran use the bomb when it has one? The possession of a bomb would only change the regional situation dramatically," Putin said.
Using the bomb would change tyhe regional situation even more, Vlad.
"Iran will not join the nuclear club," he said. "Russia is prepared to reassure the world community that Iran does not have such plans," the president said. On the other hand, Iran must "meet the IAEA halfway," Putin said.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 8:13:04 AM ||
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#1
ssss..heh, heh. The beast Puty created is starting to look at him like he's dinner.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Just like in WWII, the Russians will join with us to fight our common threat - not out of love - but out of naked self-interest.
Islamo fascists are a cancer that needs to be excised or they will kill us all.
#2
with Jack Straw making noise about extradition reform, and Russia talking to Israel about security cooperation, and Putin saying the above, perhaps a grand bargain with Russia is in the cards?
#3
As I say, fellow 'mericans, Look East. NATO's useless to the real challenges facing us. Russia and India are far more valuable to us now than any W European nation, including the UK. I wish it weren't so, but that's how it is, and the sooner we realize it the higher the chance we can actually contain an Iran that inevitably will go nuclear.
Putin may be a thug, but we desperately need him to be on our side vs Iran-- much more than we need Tony or any other west European. We desperately need Russia's help, they desperately need ours. Such is the cold hard logic of strategic alliance.
#4
Thanks, Lex.. guess you won't be needing us in Basra then. Tit.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 9:46 Comments ||
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#5
Lex spoke for hemself, not the rest of us.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
09/24/2004 9:49 Comments ||
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Putin needs to back away from this KGB-lite bullsh*t he is engaged in. Stop f*cking with the press and get serious about why we need to win the war on terror.
#7
You're not in our gang any more cos we've got Russia, nah nah nah!
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 9:52 Comments ||
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Howard,
I wish that Tony and Straw were as steadfast vs Iran as their brave squaddies have been in Iraq.
Love Tony and appreciate all he's done but Phase II, the Iranian Phase, is here, and Tony's got the wrong approach. Jack Straw's ridiculous errand unto the wilderness of Teheran is undermining the cause of containing the mullahs, who pose a far bigger threat to us than anything or anyone in Basra. In fact much of the threat in the shi'a parts of Iraq is of Iranian origin.
If Tony would halt Straw's mischief and vigorously support us on containing Iran via force, I'd gladly change my tune on this. I see no prospect of that happening. Do you?
#9
Admittedly, talking to the Mullahs is like pissing into the wind. However, when you go in there you're going to need a few battalions of Scots and the Royal Flying Corps to tackle some of the nasty bits. Unless you'd trust the Russians to do a better job.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 10:02 Comments ||
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#10
Howard, would be ties with UK and Russia mutually exclusive? If Vlad is sincere, I see a mutual benefit, no matter how I turn it around. I am sure there would be a plenty to do in Iran that both parties can participate without stepping on each other's toes.
Re Jack Straw, whenever I see his face on teevee, an urge to teleport and beat him up silly overcomes me.
#11
when you go in there you're going to need a few battalions of Scots and the Royal Flying Corps to tackle some of the nasty bits
Could not agree more, and the Russian military is so corrupt, incompetent and demoralized as to be useless. I'm trying to point out here what our media elite idiots, our stuck in the cold war military leaders and our distracted pols are incapable of seeing: Putin holds nearly all the trumps re Iran. At the same time, Putin's own state is failing, which means Putin is Musharraf in whiteface, and his failing frontline state urgently requires as much attention and tough love, if you will, as we have devoted to Musharraf's regime.
#12
Howard UK, we do appreciate your help, but I'm hoping your folks won't have to "tackle some of the nasty bits." Israel did not have to invade Iraq after taking out Iraq's reactor, and I see no reason for us to invade Iran after Israel takes out Iran's nuclear and mullah facilities. What are the mullahs going to do? Threaten Israel's right to exist?
Posted by: Tom ||
09/24/2004 10:16 Comments ||
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#13
Tom, Osirak was a single site, all the goodies concentrated in one spot.
Iran is different. Stuff is dispersed all over place. So, it won't be such a piece of cake as was Osirak.
#14
Hell yes, having the Russians on side should be no bad thing - it's just Lex's 'everyone else can f*ck off now we've got the Russians and India(!?) to exert political pressure on our behalf' tone that vexed me. Grrr.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 10:23 Comments ||
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#15
vex? It doesn't make sense to me...There are Allies, and tehn tehre are allies. The US/UK/Aus axis is culturally close and historically the strongest. We need to maintain that in perpetuity for the democratic ideas inherent in all three gov'ts. That said, Straw is disgusting in his sucking up to the mullahs, who are playing him for time...
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/24/2004 10:30 Comments ||
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and tehn tehre are typos...preview is my friend....
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/24/2004 10:30 Comments ||
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#17
Amen, Farnk.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 10:36 Comments ||
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#18
Howard, Bulldog and their ilk are indeed true friends of the US. But what if Blair does not survive politically? If new elections are called and the Tories are too weak nationally to prevent Labor from winning, what are the chances that the next Labor PM (Browne?) will be as pro-US as Blair?
#24
IIUC Gordon Browne is just as pro-US as Tony. He may be more domestically focused and will spend less time in DC than Tony, but that may not be a bad thing.
Hell, Latham may be more pro-US than Vlad. Why is Latham anti-US? cause he wants to take Aussie troops out of Iraq? How many Russian troops are in Iraq? Aussie will still be active in the rest of the world.
#27
1. you assume that the only way to deal effectively with Iran is to get Russia to withold techs. While other courses have their disadvantages, Im not sure this is the only one.
2. You assume this would be effective. Im not sure Iran isnt capable of moving ahead on its own at this point. Im also not sure Russia is at all interested in cooperating.
In any case Im not sure that theres a direct tradeoff between a deal with Russia and our relationship with either Coalition of the Willing countries like UK or Australia, or Russias fellow weasels like France and Germany.
And there MAY be a tradeoff between a deal with Russia and what we're doing everywhere else, depending on what Russia wants. Russias interests potentially conflict with Turkeys, with our new Eastern European allies, with Pakistan, with Azerbaijan and Georgia, etc. Just as too close a relationship with India could complicate our relations with Pakistan.
This is not to say that we shouldnt strengthen our relations with India and Russia, and explore a grand bargain with Putin. But our old allies are far from valueless, and Russia is far from an ideal ally.
#28
Bulldog, Howard UK, we love you! And we need you too, Churchill's the man.
But let's get global here. Your PC and our PC aren't doing any favors to those of us who support the ideas of William Blackstone and William Jefferson.
Like WWII, we both need Russia. Oh sure, when all is said and done, Putin will still be sucking blood from his countrymen - but bloodsucking is better than what the Islamist's want to do, behead!
Let's stick together!! Don't let the PC nuts - no matter what nationality - drive those of us, who value the voice of the people, apart!
#31
Between this thread and a Niall Ferguson Spectator article, Britain First, I just posted, I am going to get a drink,
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
09/24/2004 13:44 Comments ||
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#32
William Blackstone and William Jefferson kewl! ah just knew ah'm still top of mind for y'all
Posted by: William Jefferson Clinton ||
09/24/2004 13:49 Comments ||
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#33
LH - I don't assume anything except that 1) Russia's criminalized, failing state makes its nukes especially vulnerable to theft and re-sale by FSB or Russian Army or mafiya or other rogue elements to Iran, and 2) Iran will in turn arm its AQ and other proxies for dirty nuke attacks on US targets.
No amount of Nunn-Lugar money or resources will solve problem #1. The likelihood of both #1 and #2 make it worth some horse-trading with Putin.
At Yalta, Churchill traded Poland and Bulgaria for Greece and (I think) Austria. Putin is a lot less virulent, and less powerful by far, than Stalin. We can deal with him.
And of course there's no trade-off btn support for Russia and support for real allies like UK and Australia; my point is that NATO sucks up an absurd amount of our bandwidth at a time when crafting a viable and beneficial security relationship Russia will demand huge amounts of time, planning, consultation and senior-level care and feeding.
#34
condis a russia expert, and Bush has been stroking Vlad since he (Bush) took office. I really dont see any shortage of attention to Russia.
NATO is still useful in Afghanistan, in Iraq where it is about to do training, and elsewhere. And France and Germany are important apart from NATO, as economic partners.
#35
Why has the Bush admin starved Nunn-Lugar (not sufficient but very necessary) for funding? When did Condi last go to Russia? Where where the investment guarantees that would have unleashed a flood of oil major investment into Russia years ago, investments that could have yielded production that could soon be coming online and pushing prices down?
I don't think they've done a bad job overall with Russia-- certainly not worse than Clinton-- but it's time to elevate our game now. The stakes are getting much higher, and we don't have much time left.
#36
Putin's own state is failing, which means Putin is Musharraf in whiteface, and his failing frontline state urgently requires as much attention and tough love, if you will, as we have devoted to Musharraf's regime.
North Korea imported 107,000kg of South Korean-originated sodium cyanide last year, acquiring a toxic chemical that can be used to make sarin nerve gas, South Korean officials said on Friday. South Korea worried that some of its 'strategic goods' - materials that can be used for military and terrorist purposes - have recently ended up in the hands of countries like North Korea and Libya, and said it was tightening control of exports of those items.
In the latest revelation, a South Korean company was found to have sold the sodium cyanide to a Chinese firm from June to September last year. The cargo was then shipped to North Korea, said the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy in a news release. The South Korean company shipped the chemical without an export permit. The company head was later prosecuted and sentenced to a suspended 1 1/2 years in jail for violating the country's trade law, the news release said. The ministry did not identify the names of the traders involved in the deal. Although it was unclear why the North wanted the chemical, the communist country does have a large stockpile of chemical and biological weapons, in addition to its nuclear weapons programmes, according to US and South Korean officials.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 8:29:17 AM ||
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As we've noted before, sodium cyanide has many, many valid industrial uses. Reference.
Posted by: Tom ||
09/24/2004 9:56 Comments ||
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#2
Absolutely True, Tom. Only in this case what you noted is irrelevent in terms of this regieme.
Posted by: Jim K ||
09/24/2004 12:36 Comments ||
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Why does "Hoist by their own petard" come to mind?
North Korea threatened on Thursday to turn Japan into a "nuclear sea of fire" if it comes under attack from the United States. "If the United States ignites a nuclear war, the US military bases in Japan would serve as a detonating fuse to turn Japan into a nuclear sea of fire," the North's ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a Korean-language article monitored by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. It was one of the most searing North Korean threats directed against Japan, Yonhap said. The Stalinist North has accused Tokyo of supporting what it sees as a US campaign to isolate it. In an English-language article published by Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency, Rodong accused the United States of converting Japan into "strategic vantage points" for a pre-emptive attack on North Korea.
#1
NO surprise here - the NorKors know and understand that CHINA will never NK to become an independent regional or international power that will compete with China's own ambition for East Asian hegemony! Whether China is against NK or on the side of the USA, no one in US Intel seriously believes China will allow the USA to defeat or destroy NK OR COMMUNISM IN NK! Any US-China shooting war gives China the oppor to mil take care of TAIWAN, SOUTH KOREA, AND ESPEC JAPAN, AND WESTERN DEMOCRACY IN ASIA, IN ONE LT STRATEGIC SWEEP, BE IT ONE NATION-ONE LIMITED WAR, OR SEVERAL AT ONCE - IF CHINA'S ULTIMATE GEOPOL OBJECTIVE IS TO HELP THE CLINTONS DESTABILIZE AMERICA FOR SOCIALISM AND EVENTUAL COMMUNISM, THE SLOWER SHE TAKES IT THE BETTER FOR HER MILITARY OPTIONS, ESPEC IF A CLINTON OR PRO-CLINTON.ANTI-AMERICAN AMERICAN DEMOCRAT IS IN THE WH! No Global Nuclear War = long, drawn out [bloody]conventional war, or war not worse than REGIONAL LIMITED NUCLEAR WAR, is likely preferred, and with a supporting Commie armed invasion of CANUSA/ALCAN as a matter of course!
#4
There is a widespread assumption among the media that the Chicoms could grab Taiwan with little effort. Indeed, it is also assumed that the Norks, with their disciplined million man armytm could similarly overrun South Korea without massive or even nuclear intervention by the United States.
Neither of these suppositions is anywhere near reality. South Korea has very strong forces of its own and, in fact, US forces are only a small part of the country's defense. The Nork's numerical advantage is not huge, but the RoK's qualitative advantage is. The Norks would be massacred if they tried to come south.
The same is true of any attempt by the Chicoms to cross the Formosa Strait and invade Taiwan. Nationalist (Taiwan) naval and air units have first rate equipment and training, and they have planned for just such an assault for over 50 years. The Nationalist army has been digging in and refining its plans for the same period and also has good equipment.
Taiwan has a dense and overlapping system of air, artillery, missile and naval units tailored precisely to meeting an amphibious assault.
The Chinese are still a long way from having the kind of capability needed to force such a beachhead, if indeed anyone in the world has it. An invasion would become the million-man swim.
Another widely discounted factor is the ability of the Nationalist forces to hit back at the mainland or, conceivably, at ChiCom interests in other parts of the world.
It is not impossible, for example, that a Taiwanese submarine could be stationed in the Atlantic, to pick off Commie merchant ships within sight of European ports.
Where would it refuel? For decades, the Taiwanese have cultivated various relationships in Latin America and, apparently in other little noticed parts of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa. They don't this without a reason.
Media talk of Chinese and Nork invincibility is reminiscent of their now-forgotten mythology about Saddam's battle-hardened million man army in 1990, or the more recent legend of the ten- foot-tall Afghan mountain-man, Slayer of Empires. I remember one mediot declaring in 1990 that the US could not intervene with ground forces against Iraq, because "we [the US] would be completely outclassed." I wish I could remember who this asshat was, I would personally go to his home and laugh in his face, and keep it up for days on end.
As for the mighty Pushtun Slayers of Empire, back in 2001 the media left's idiot-savant emeritus, Kennedy fossil John Kenneth Galbraith, declared that American soldiers "would be as befuddled [in Afghanistan] as they were in Vietnam."
Obviously Galbraith was as befuddled in '01 as he was during the Vietnam war, when he was a leading instigator of the academic community's cowardly sellout to the media-axis anti-war movement and its heathen "Counterculture."
Earlier, as JFK's ambassador to India, Galbraith was almost single-handedly responsible for Nehru's headlong leap into the arms of the Soviet Union. Today, 40 years later, Galbraith remains an object of scorn, and a near-iconic laughingstock, among Indian foreign relations specialists; for his arrogance, ignorance, and heedless condescension.
#5
Those subs don't have to go to the Atlantic, there's plenty of ChiCom shipping within refueling range. The Straits of Molluca are within easy range.
#8
The Stalinist North has accused Tokyo of supporting what it sees as a US campaign to isolate it
Since when did the Norks need any help being isolated? I thought that was the whole point of juche.
#9
I can envision a Japanese singer, singing, "I fell in to a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down and the flames burned higer, and it burns, burns, burns, that NoKo ring of fire, the ring of fire...Johnny (Ching) Cash
Posted by: Capt American ||
09/24/2004 21:07 Comments ||
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White pine-nut trees are growing thickly to form a forest in Raengjong-gol village, Rinsan County of North Hwanghae Province, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The forest has been formed from a white pine-nut tree, a new species of pine-nut tree found in a valley of the county ten years ago. The white pine-nut tree, considered to be a special variation in the plant kingdom, is drawing a great attention of the starving populace academic circles. The pine-nut tree is called Pinus koraiensis or Pinus-pent aphylla in the world. The white pine-nut tree grows only in Korea. It bears nuts covered by white rinds. The rind is thinner than that of other species. Much like the skin of certain Dear Leaders who shall remain nameless...
The nutmeat is 1.25 times and yield 1.5 times those of the latter. Researchers of the Institute of Forests of Economic Value under the Academy of Forestry and officials of the experiment station of oil-bearing trees have succeeded in spreading the tree by a method of budding saplings cultivated with white pine-nut seeds. It has been known that pine-nut trees bear fruits 15 years after plantation. But the new species can yield after 6 to 7 years. Measures have been taken to propagate the tree quickly across the country.
#2
Pine tree needles and the gummy sap are edible, too. (I've got a cookbook!) And I suppose the bark and wood might do service as a rough form of roughage, in extremis. Do we really expect these trees to make it to nut-yielding age in North Korea?
#3
nutmeat? I know a certain young lady be eating that the night....
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 6:42 Comments ||
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#4
Trailing Wife-
Pine tree needles and the gummy sap are edible, too. (I've got a cookbook!)
"To Serve Pine" - wasn't that a Twilight Zone episode?
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
09/24/2004 9:55 Comments ||
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#5
Mike -- "How To Serve Man," and after the spaceship took off, the NKoreans found a copy at the landing site. Must've taken them some years to translate, though *grin*
Terror mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who was free to travel to Australia on a tourist visa for almost a year after the September 11 attacks, also had one for the US. After entering the US, Khalid, also known as Mukhtar, planned to play his own role in the attacks by piloting an additional plane and killing all of the male passengers. The commission revealed that after killing the men, Khalid wanted to land the plane and make a statement denouncing US policy in the Middle East. He would then release the women and children passengers as part of the plan he never acted on.
A true humanitarian.
Salt of the earth, he wuz.
The Federal Government confirmed to The Australian this week that Khalid had also obtained an Australian visa, using one of his 24 aliases, before the September 11 attacks. The visa was only cancelled 11 months later, when authorities became aware of the latest aliases. The CIA has briefed the Howard Government on Khalid's plans. But Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said it was not in the public interest to know why Khalid - whom the US captured in 2003 - had tried to travel to Australia a month before the 2001 attacks in the US. Australian convicted terrorist Jack Roche has named Khalid as his al-Qaeda contact in Pakistan. Roche told a Perth court during his trial this year that he met Khalid in Karachi in March 2000 and later shared a meal with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. He and the al-Qaeda leaders talked about killing Americans and Israelis in Australia, including the Melbourne Jewish leader Joseph Gutnick. There is no suggestion that Roche planned to rendezvous with Khalid in the event he visited Australia.
I seem to recall the US State Department issued Mohammed Atta his student visa...a year after he took down the WTC. The visa issue will continue to plague all civilzed gov'ts for a very long time, particularly with regards to terrorists who change names more often than underwear.
Posted by: tipper ||
09/24/2004 12:07:43 AM ||
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The German military has pulled out of the U.S. Army's annual Land Combat Expo, protesting an opinion piece written by a controversial retired U.S. officer slated to be a guest speaker at next week's event. Retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a noted author and frequent lecturer in military circles, wrote an opinion piece blasting the Germans in the New York Post on Aug. 19. The column came in the wake of criticism from Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign team of President Bush's plan to reduce U.S. forces in Europe and Asia. "Not one presents a reasoned strategic argument for maintaining wasteful garrisons abroad. And not one admits that the Germans only care about losing the jobs we provide," wrote Peters. "Regarding the Democrats' claim that we'll lose influence in Europe, the obvious question is, 'What influence?'" Peters continued. "We're not stabbing our French and German 'allies' in the back. They stabbed us. And they'll do it again. Our troop posture in Europe doesn't give us influence over the Europeans — it gives the Europeans power over us."
Posted by: tipper ||
09/24/2004 11:16:21 AM ||
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#1
âIf they pull out because they canât stand one 800-word opinion piece in an American newspaper, how could we possibly expect them to stand by us in a violent crisis?â
#6
Good grief! We did too good a job after WWII, turning the Germans from a martial society to a PC, whiny, pussy society.
TGA, is there something else going on here? I know most Germans don't agree with our being Iraq, as is their right, but to have the military pull out of a joint exercise because of a newspaper column in English by a civilian is beyond belief, and, I would think, embarrassing.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/24/2004 13:17 Comments ||
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#7
As a parallel to Barbara's point -- you don't see OUR military pulling out in the face of millions (see the anti-war majority in Germany), only in the fact that the Poles are perfectly willing to take us in ...
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
09/24/2004 14:23 Comments ||
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#8
The irony of the german position being quoted by Colonel Kling(k) is too rich. Where is Sgt Schultz?
"Hogannnn ?!?"
Posted by: GP ||
09/24/2004 15:09 Comments ||
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#9
The Germans were to provide three tanks, two wheeled vehicles and about 30 soldiers as part of the German armyâs display at the expo.
Between this and their deployment to Afghanistan, they're probably a little maxed out at the moment. Just as well.
#10
Storm in a teacup, anyone? German members of the military training in the U.S. go along damn fine with their U.S. friends in uniform.
But I can see German soldiers reacting a bit pissed when they read things like that:
"The primary reason why German politicians want American troops to remain is that they've been fleecing us for a half century. Some flunky from the German Embassy may respond with bogus claims about how our presence is subsidized, but the truth is that American tax dollars go to lazy, arrogant, corrupt German employees who work on our bases and over whom we have little control. The Germans aren't worried about global security. They're worried about their dismal unemployment numbers."
Free speech? Fair enough. But free speech guarantees that you can say what you want, not that you can force others to listen to it. I have no idea what this brave Lt Col Peters would have to say on the occasion mentioned but I wouldn't invite him to the next US-German friendship meeting. Maybe that worried German colonel just wanted to avoid some gummibears flying in Mr Peter's direction?
Just a little reminder: The German taxpayer subsidizes the American presence in Germany with approx. 1,2 bn dollars a year (this is a Pentagon calculation), we don't treat your soldiers as second-class beings (as a matter of fact quite a few German women prefer to marry them every year) and if you are looking for people calling Bush a Nazi you better go to moveon.org.
I have said it so often, so once more. You are not in Germany anymore to protect Germany, you are there because it suits you strategically (the organization and strategic plannings of the Iraq war was mainly done in Germany). Those German people who receive U.S. dollars don't get them for free, they WORK for them. And if they didn't do a good job, they would get fired tomorrow, don't you think?
If you think the German contribution in Afghanistan and elsewhere is so meaningless, we can bring the troops home easily tomorrow and spend the money on those poor masses of newly unemployed by U.S. withdrawal from Germany. This plus 1,2 bn dollars a year do go quite a long way.
#13
I've been living in Germany the last 11 of 13 years working (soldier&civilian) for the US Army. Let me take this on a point by point basis. Actually the cup is half empty or half full depending on how you want to look at it.
"Having served in Germany for 10 years, I saw up close how German farmers filed outrageous claims for "maneuver damage,"
This practice did happen quite often. Moot point now that we no longer use massive vehicle movements for REFORGER exercises if they even have them anymore. One time a farmer came in all pissed off about the damage done to his farmland. When it was explained that troops wouldn't be in his area for 3 more days, he smiled and said "Well, I'll see you in 3 days.".
"German landlords rented sub-standard housing to our military families at inflated rates, then exploited the system to renovate slums our soldiers had "ruined."
(ARRRGGGHHH!!!) Much like death and taxes, this is a sure bet EVERY TIME. Oh, and the security deposit you can kiss goodbye from day 1. They have people work "black" (paid under the table)to repair or prep the house. The quality of both work and materials are shabby for the most part to maximize their profits. They also can recite your housing allowance by heart whether you're a soldier or civilian. They also know when you go you HAVE TO GO relatively quick. They also know how notoriously slow the German legal system is. In addition, they know you won't clear until they get their money. On a scale of 1-10 for being a rotten deal it rates about a 53.
German workers. Although there are many good ones that take pride in what they do. The bad ones, however, tend to be bad in the extreme. (Oh, the stories I could tell.)Like the old Army saying goes, "You can have 100 atta boys, but one "oh shit" and they're gone." It takes an act of God to fire the local nationals. They can have up to 7 months to file an appeal depending on length of their employment. Commanders usually rotate every year. New commander comes in and has no clue whats going on and the case gets dropped. Then 4-5 months later he/she realizes the worker is as useless as a screen door on a submarine and the cycle repeats. Unfortunately, the bad overshadow the good. They do get both US and German Holidays off, and can have unlimited sick leave (with a note from their doctor, after day 3 and this has been, on occasion, abused).
As for the rest, the Germans ARE still our allies. Just because Schroeder sold his soul to win the election doesn't mean Germany isn't our ally anymore. After Austrailia/UK come the Germans. If Stoiber had won the election things would have been ALOT different. They still wouldn't have sent troops but they would have done alot more. The Bundeswehr (German Army) is even TODAY still providing security for our families and military facilities in a very professional manner. I understand the urge to lash out at them, but they ARE NO FRANCE. To say that is to be intellectually dishonest. They are stil our friends. BTW, what asshat said they treat us like second class citizens here? That IS A BLATANT LIE! By a LARGE margin they embrace the US communities and not just for the dollars. 50 years of friendship can't be so easily broken over a few years of bad politics. (Yeah, I got a Frau too.)
That speaker SHOULD be taken off the list and the Germans should attend. We shouldn't be so thinned skinned about it. It's not a PC thing, it should be a respect thing. After all, if you were a American platoon sergeant, would you have you're soldiers go to a French Expo where they would be insulted. Come on, be real.
Italy's government tried to reassure an anguished nation yesterday that two women hostages in Iraq were probably still alive, saying an Islamic group's claim to have killed them was "unreliable". The government moved swiftly after a militant group calling itself the Jihad Organisation said in a statement it had killed the women because Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had not bowed to demands to withdraw Italian troops from Iraq. The Speaker of the lower house of parliament, Pierferdinando Casini, told MPs that the government believed the claims were "unreliable" and was treating them with "total suspicion". A government statement urged caution, saying there was "nothing to corroborate" the claims and adding that it could be an attempt to "use the media for terrorism".
With oil near $50 a barrel, the Bush administration said on Thursday it would negotiate with refineries that want to borrow oil from the federal emergency stockpile to offset supplies disrupted by Hurricane Ivan. The U.S. Energy Department is set to approve the loans once the details are worked out with the refineries, a congressional source briefed on the pending decision told Reuters. The oil would be loaned from the 670-million-barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to two refineries for two to three weeks, said the source. "I have authorized these negotiations in response to the physical disruption of offshore oil production and imports in the Gulf Region caused by Hurricane Ivan's destruction," Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said.
Abraham did not say how oil would be loaned or which refineries are seeking the crude. Results of the negotiations will be announced "in the near future," the department said. A separate government source told Reuters that one of the loans would be for 100,000 to 200,000 barrels, and the other for 1 million to 2 million barrels. U.S. oil prices briefly soared to $49 a barrel on Thursday at the New York Mercantile Exchange as traders said loans of that size would not be enough to replenish inventories. The November futures contract settled at $48.46 a barrel.
Much more at the link.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/24/2004 12:07:27 AM ||
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#1
Should have been drawn down weeks ago. What the hell else is the SPR for?
And get on with ANWR drilling and accelerate cooperation with Russia's oil producers, already
Yusuf Islam, the British singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, is taking legal action after he was refused entry into the US.
Mr Islam said the decision to deny him entry on grounds of national security was "very serious and wholly unfounded" and he wants an explanation.
His Washington-bound flight was diverted to Maine on Tuesday and he was told to leave the country by the FBI.
He said a legal process had been put in place to find out what had happened.
In a statement Mr Islam said: "Never would I believe that such a thing could happen in the 'land of the free' - unfortunately, it did.
"I was not given (and have still not been given) any explanation as to what it is I am accused of, or why I am now deemed an apparent security threat.
"I was simply told that the order had come from 'on high'.
"We have now initiated a legal process to try to find out exactly what is going on, and to take all necessary steps to undo the very serious, and wholly unfounded, injustice which I have suffered.
"I am a man of peace and denounce all forms of terrorism and injustice; it is simply outrageous for the US authorities to suggest otherwise."
Action was taken against the musician, who converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam in the 1970s, after US officials realised he was on a security "watch list".
As singer Cat Stevens he had a string of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including Moon Shadow, Wild World and Morning Has Broken.
He abandoned his music career in the late 1970s.
Posted by: tipper ||
09/24/2004 11:07:48 AM ||
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#1
"I got yer explanation right here, jihadi-boy..."
#3
Well first he will have to prove he has a right to enter the United States, Something he can't do. He has no right to do so and we can keep him out, just because.
So there is his answer "just because"
It is more like just because you gave money to Hamas though.
#4
Yusuf Islam, [...], is taking legal action after he was refused entry into the US.
Because everybody has a right to come to the US whenever they want. Right. God, I'm sick to death of the rest of the world acting like the US is community property.
#5
What is this "legal process" in which an alien demands an explanation. Israel kicked him out earlier, so he ought to be able understand the procedure without a "legal process".
Posted by: Tom ||
09/24/2004 11:28 Comments ||
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#6
Oooooh!
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 11:28 Comments ||
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#8
Are you sure that's not the lockbox that Al Gore would put him in?
Posted by: Tom ||
09/24/2004 11:38 Comments ||
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#9
Or maybe Cat's 1988 contribution to Hamas.
Posted by: Tom ||
09/24/2004 11:40 Comments ||
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#10
Do you, or do you not, still advocate the murder of Salman Rushdie? To parse, that is the killing, by any means, of the author of the book "The Satanic Verses", by the name of Salman Rushdie, which you have advocated in the past.
#14
If Cat was trying to enter the U.S. on the visa waiver program, he has no rights to challenge the decision of U.S. immigration officers.
I was told time ago that if you hold a valid visa you can challenge the decision of refusal although that might have changed.
In one of my expired passports there is a U.S. visa valid "indefinitely". Years ago the "indefinitely" was abolished and reduced to "ten years".
Eternity is shorter than you might expect... at least in the United States.
#15
Yusuf Islam formerly Cat Stevens formerly Stephen Demetri Georgio had an album out in the early 1970s titled âCatch [Throw the] Bull at Four.â As Shakespeareâs dialog goes in Hamlet:
HAMLET: Madam, how like you this play?
QUEEN GERTRUDE: The lady protests too much, methinks.
Probably one of our soldiers found Yusaf Islamâs name on a list in some cave in Afghanistan as somebody to tap for money or he recently donated to one of the charities tied to the jihadists.
Maybe Yusaf and Elton could do a benefit concert together in Iran or in the Sunni triangle in Iraq. They could sing Peace Train or Wild World.
Oh, I forgot he is one of the peaceful Muslins not one of the jihadists.
#19
I was told time ago that if you hold a valid visa you can challenge the decision of refusal although that might have changed.
Not my area of expertise but: This is very likely exactly correct but it's extremely important to note that the first level of legal authority to which one would be appealing would probably be an administrative agency whose decision would be based on their own internally promulgated administrative rules. Such a decision based on administrative rules would necessarily be subservient to federal laws enacted by Congress and of course the US Constitution.
IIRC it's a fairly well-settled point of Constitutional law that no non-citizen has a right to enter the US. Most courts will also allow the federal government fairly wide deference where matters of national security are involved. Thus while an administrative agency could issue an order allowing admission to an excluded person, if the federal government chose to push the matter it's highly unlikely that the administrative decision would stand.
As the election nears, U.S. officials say they are increasingly concerned al-Qaeda will attempt to mount a devastating attack aimed at disrupting the political process. Though they have no new information indicating a time, place or method of attack, government agencies are stepping up counterterrorism efforts.
In an unusual move, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Deputy Attorney General James Comey and other senior officials recently held a conference call with all 93 U.S. attorneys to reinforce that prosecutors and law enforcement officers must take every conceivable step to counter the threat, two senior law enforcement officials said. The FBI has begun assigning more people to counterterrorism investigations and agents are making more frequent checks with informers and key sources. The Drug Enforcement Administration has been directed to check for terrorism leads among its nationwide web of informants. Authorities also are increasing what they call "overt" surveillance of terrorism suspects — letting the suspects know they are being watched — and they may arrest some on relatively minor charges to get them off the street.
Abu Musab al Zarqawi continues to wage his war in Iraq. It's the number one destination for holy warriors, many of whom now come from the West. "Those terrorists will, sooner or later, mount operations both in Europe and in the United States," says CBS terrorism consultant Rohan Gunaratna. Police and intelligence agencies say Zarqawi's now powerful network extends from Iraq to Syria, Turkey, Chechnya and Europe, smuggling people through porous borders, using fake documents. As CBS News an organization with extensive experience with fake documents Correspondent Sheila MacVicar reports, it's a network that experts say will undoubtedly spread to the U.S. A bug planted by Italian police in a Milan mosque in 2001 caught al Zarqawi operative explaining how the network is expanding: "We need foreigners. We have Albanians, Swiss, English. The important thing is that they are very stupid and cultured." In Iraq, al Zarqawi is behind a wave of suicide bombings and kidnappings, but his group also has a deadly and practiced interest in poisons. Raids in London and Paris in 2002 turned up evidence Zarqawi cells were trying to make the poison Ricin, and planning to use cyanide. Intelligence analysts say this is a strategy Zarqawi could return to.
Zarqawi is a low-tech but clever thug.
Arrests in Germany and Italy revealed the core of his network in Europe and elsewhere: men he had been in prison with, men he trained with in camps in Afghanistan and now, men recruited and smuggled into Iraq. People who deal in fake passports, collect money and wait. "Today we see a new generation coming up in the ranks of militant Islamist terror," says Rolf Tophoven of the Institute for Terrorism Research and Security Policy. "These are young people, fanatical people."
It's a new generation with Zarqawi as one of its leaders. "We have had good effect against his network, we're going to keep it up and we are going to take it apart piece by piece," says Gen. John Abizaid But Zarqawi has been a moving target. He escaped Afghanistan, and so far, is surviving in Iraq. As he slipped into Iraq, he could slip out again and analysts warn, take his war to the cities of the West.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
09/24/2004 12:40:34 AM ||
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#1
Attention K-Mart Shoppers: This video report is loaded with contradition. Initially the narrative points out Zarqawi's travel network circa 2002 (while based in Iraq) with ricin attack attempts --in the West--notably London and Paris; then the narrative discusses how Zarqawi may "take his war to the West"
Conspicuously absent from the report (1) that Zarqawi was based in Iraq after leaving Afganistan but before the invasion, and (2) Zarqawi has been operating in the West all along.
Another obvious news report with a taint of propaganda a.k.a. Rather.
Posted by: Capt America ||
09/24/2004 1:51 Comments ||
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#2
Zarqawi is the new boogie man. I can't see his type of cell patiently infiltrating the US.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/24/2004 4:27 Comments ||
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#3
The combined U.S. intel team which assisted in uncovering Saddam should bag the Islamic serial killer, Zarqawi very soon, hopefully prior to this madman butchering any further hostages.
It would be of great benefit to take this murdering serial killer alive and force him to talk all the 'outside' assistance he has been receiving, in addition to other crucial intelligence concerning the jihadic terror network within Iraq.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 9:23 Comments ||
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#4
If he coulda he woulda. It's hard to believe his capabilities have improved since 9/12 or will improve in the future. He may get lucky once. But that will only spell more sufering for the ME, not the death of the Great Satan.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
09/24/2004 9:53 Comments ||
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#5
This is not what I would call a surprise. Anyone can carry out terrorist attacks. Murderers kill people every single day without cops being able to prevent these crimes. If Al Qaeda has people on the ground here, as is likely, a terrorist attack is only a matter of time. The problem for them is that another Al Qaeda attack on American soil will have a similar impact on the American psyche as 9/11. (9/11 was a tactical victory for Al Qaeda but a strategic disaster). It will increase popular support for crushing the terrorists wherever we can, including operations like leveling Fallujah and other cities in Iraq that remain rebellious. Where, then, are the terrorists going to induct and train their operatives? They may yet gamble on a positive outcome from an attack in America, but I think it's an even bigger gamble than 9/11, given the extent to which Muslim atrocities have turned the American people against the terrorists.
Posted by: Dan Rather ||
09/24/2004 10:22 Comments ||
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#7
ZF, that was the point I was ineptly trying to make to Aris yesterday. 9/11 was huge, spectacular, hit the US/NYC economy hard, but in the end did not terrorize Americans into changing government policy. 3/11 and other A.Q. attacks have been much smaller and not terribly spectacular, although the attack in Spain, at least, effected a change in government with subsequent removal of Spanish and other forces from Iraq. Looking at the stories posted on Rantburg, almost all attempts have been stymied before they got well started. And, there are almost daily reports of operatives at all levels being arrested or killed, fund sources blocked, and equipment stashes confiscated. And finally, as the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have demonstrated, when Americans get mad, they get even. One almost feels sorry for the poor terrorists -- if only they weren't actively evil!
Sudan - Durar Region Conflict
It may take up to two years to disarm the Arab militia in the Dufar region of western Sudan. 1.2 million people are displaced as a result of the fighting and over 50,000 have been killed in the last 19 months alone. The U.N. is calling Dufar the "world's worst humanitarian crisis", while the U.S. is calling it genocide. Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir is not responding to international pressure to end the conflict.
Afghanistan - Poppy crops increase
Afghans have planted more than 50, 000 more acres of poppies than the previous year, bringing the total up to 250,000 acres. The narcotics trade in the country is undermining the U.S effort to bring stability to the country.
Caribbean - Hurricane Jeanne threat grows
Hurricane Jeanne is predicted to strengthen and grow into a major hurricane before striking the Bahamas tomorrow and moving on to Florida. The Caribbean is still struggling from the results of a record hurricane season.
Nigeria - Fighting causes Shell to evacuate employees
Royal Dutch/Shell has evacuated it's employees from two plants in Nigeria after rebel forces have clashed with troops. Government officials are claiming that oil production will not be stopped, but last year 40% of production was halted during conflicts such as this one. Amnesty International estimates that up to 500 have been killed in the last 3 weeks.
Gaza - Mortar bomb kills woman
A Palestinian mortar bomb killed a woman in a Southern Gaza settlement, and the day before 3 Palestinian gunmen killed 3 Israeli soldiers guarding a settlement in the same area. Palestinian militants fire rockets and mortar rounds into Israeli settlements almost daily, but this is the first resulting death in almost 2 years.
Iraq - Six Egyptians and four Iraqis kidnapped
Gunmen kidnapped six Egyptians, and four Iraqi workers who were employed by an Iraqi cellular phone company called Iraqna Mobile Net . Two of the victims were kidnapped from their Bag dad office. On the same day a rocket hit a busy Bag dad street killing 4 Iraqis and wounding 14 others. Mortar rounds were fired at the Italian Embassy also, but this was before office hours, so there were no injuries. Fighting continues between insurgents and American forces throughout the country, the worst being in the Suni region North of Baghdad.
Brazil - U.N. sends nuclear inspectors to Brazil
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending a team of inspectors to Brazil after Brazil denied a IAEA member access to a uranium enrichment facility in February and March of this year. Brazil has one of the world's largest uranium reserves, and said that they were simply trying to protect trade secrets. The IAEA team is expected to arrive next month.
Lebanon - Israeli warplanes violate Lebanese airspace
For the last 3 days Israeli warplanes have been overflying Lebanese airspace, but without retaliation from Lebanese or Hezbollah gunners who control the region. Lebanon has filed complaints with the United Nations, accusing Israel of repeatedly violating their country's sovereignty.
#1
"There should be organized demonstrations against these acts," she said. "But there has also been violence against those who speak out, and that's why many people are afraid."
Muslims? Perpetrating violence?!
"Every honorable Iraqi approves of killing Americans and beheading them."
A virtual definition of Muslim honor, it seems.
But other Arab newspapers reported that an imam in Liverpool, England, home city of Mr. Bigley, had joined with a Christian leader there in appealing to the kidnappers to imitate Allah's "all merciful" quality and spare the remaining hostage's life.
Now there's a short-timer, if ever I heard of one.
I find Muslim outrage lacking over just about anything on earth unless it happens to involve even the most minor sort of transgression by any infidel with respect to their faith, women, religious observations, theological doctrine, support of terrorism, insistence upon theocratic ascendency, dietary restrictions, intention to annihilate Israel ... ab nausem
#3
The Muslim Council of Britain have sent a delegation to Baghdad to secure the release of the British hostage. I take back some of what I've said. However, I'm suspicious they don't want their mosques burnt down. Fair play as fair play goes.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/24/2004 17:19 Comments ||
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#4
However, I'm suspicious they don't want their mosques burnt down.
They should have begun with Finsbury Park, preferrably with Abu Hamza locked inside.
From the main street here, you can see the Manhattan skyline, off in the distance. The flags that sprouted after the Sept. 11 attacks still flap on lawns and flutter on poles outside well-tended homes. Looming above them is a concrete tower that houses a real estate firm, an office supplies company - and, investigators fear, an outpost of Al Qaeda. On the second floor, an Internet company called Fortress ITX unwittingly provided access until recently for an Arabic-language Web site where postings in recent weeks urged attacks against American and Israeli targets. "The Art of Kidnapping" was explained in electronic pamphlets, along with "Military Instructions to the Mujahedeen," and "War Inside the Cities."
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees proposed autonomy for the troubled Darfur region of Sudan — a solution the government has resisted but said Friday it would be willing to discuss anew in an effort to end the violence that has killed 50,000 people. Also, the U.S. State Department's representative for Sudan said it would take up to two years to disarm the Arab militia blamed for the violence and secure the region so 1.4 million displaced people could return home.
UNHCR chief Ruud Lubbers went as far as any international official has done previously in proposing solutions to the 19-month conflict, which has been described by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. "There has to be some clear partition of power in Darfur," Lubbers said in Chad, whose eastern territory borders Darfur. But he added that autonomy would not mean "the total giving away of Darfur" by Sudan's central government.
Leaders in Khartoum previously have refused the degree of self-autonomy demanded by the two Darfur rebel groups. However, a senior Sudanese official said Friday the government was open to talks on Lubbers' proposal. "What do they mean by an autonomous region? This is something to be discussed," Sudan's state minister for humanitarian affairs, Mohammed Youssef Abdullah, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/24/2004 3:07:20 PM ||
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Nigeria has just witnessed a number of attacks carried out by a radical Islamic group that has styled itself on Afghanistan's ousted Taliban regime. Around 40 members of the group raided two police stations in the northeast of the country early this week, killing four police and taking four hostages while shouting "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is great).
Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it?
So how seriously should we take the comparison with the Taliban? In this interview with Radio Netherlands, Professor Peter Lewis, an expert on Nigerian affairs with the Council on International Relations in Washington, says the Nigerian Taliban are a violent but marginal group. "In many instances, Islamist movements in Nigeria have adopted the name or the style of other Islamic movements around the world. Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zak Zaki, in the northern Nigerian town of Kaduna, has been called a Shi'ite, because he spent some time in Iraq, even though religiously, he is not a Shi'ite. So, this group calling themselves the Nigerian Taliban have adopted the name for provocative reasons, but there is no real evidence that they have any links with either the Taliban of Afghanistan or al-Qaeda."
Y'mean they're wannabe's? We'd never have guessed... Uhhh... I guess we already did. Go ahead.
"But I do think that it's true that radical groups in Nigeria can easily gain access to international news and information on the Internet and so forth, and they can get a pretty ready idea of the strategies, the tactics, the activities of like-minded groups around the world, and so there could be a copycat element there, yes."
Kind of like play acting, only with live ammunition and real corpses...
RN: "But, to what extent does their rise and their activity underline the emergence of revolutionary radical Islamic thinking in Nigeria."
"Well, revolutionary radical Islamic thinking has been around in Nigeria for a long time, but it's important to emphasise that it's been a very small and very marginal element, and that it's been present in a few cities. It rises periodically, and from time to time there are violent incidents, but it is not a major tendency or a fundamental threat to security or stability in Nigeria."
At least not yet. Nigeria's been on Islam's bloody border for awhile, with the bloodletting and the loopiness growing incrementally. The problem has been that Nigeria has a naturally high background noise of bloodletting and loopiness, so it's not as easily noticed...
"It certainly is a threat to security in the places where it erupts, but the first attacks by people who call themselves the Nigerian Taliban were last January and that involved around 200 people. The latest attacks that occurred in the last few days seem to have involved around 60 people. So, we're talking about up to 300 possible members of this type of group in a country of 130 million people. That gives you some perspective on the relative size of this group."
That's assuming that rough headcount reflects the actual numbers. How many are sitting at home, sharpening their knives and casting sidelong glances at their less-pure neighbors?
RN: "How about the local reasons for these attacks and for the activities of these Nigerian Taliban. The latest attacks are said to be in revenge for the suppression of an armed uprising in Yobe state earlier this yearâŠ"
"The local reasons are not hard to find. Nigeria is a good recruiting ground for Islamic radicals. It is approximately half Muslim. Most of those are poor, they have been poorly educated, they have been ruled by corrupt authoritarian governments for most of the past 40 years and employment opportunities are scarce. So, you have a large group of poorly educated, unemployed young men in the Muslim majority states of northern Nigeria and that is a ripe recruiting ground for radicals."
Widespread ignorance, a culture that accepts casual brutality, and a government that's noteworthy for its corruption. Makes for fertile ground for the growth of Islamism...
"However, most of the so-called radicals in the north have really tried to pursue their activities through peaceful protests, through establishing independent mosques and social services. And they have often spoken in an inflammatory way, but they have not typically tried to pursue their aims through armed violence. So, the Nigerian Taliban that we have seen in the last year or so is a relatively extraordinary group of people."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
09/24/2004 12:18:38 PM ||
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Israel's military has been pitted against the government in the debate over a response to Egypt's failure to halt the flow of weapons and operatives to the Palestinian insurgency. Officials said the dispute between the military and the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon erupted as Palestinian insurgency groups have tried to smuggle rockets and heavy weapons from the Sinai Peninsula to the Gaza Strip. They said that despite repeated Israeli and U.S. appeals, Egypt has failed to crack down on the weapons smuggling rings that operate in Cairo, El Arish and the divided city of Rafah.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon has advocated a tough approach to the Egyptian government, Middle East Newsline reported. Officials said Ya'alon and other generals want Sharon to warn the United States that Egypt's refusal to secure its eastern border could threaten regional stability and torpedo Israel's plan to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank. "The General Staff sees the flow of weapons from Egypt as a strategic danger that will eventually provide the Palestinians with everything they need to attack Israeli cities," a senior military source said. "If something is not done now, then it will get much worse and our relations with Egypt will become endangered."
On Wednesday, Israeli National Security Council director Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland was expected to discuss Egypt during a meeting with Bush administration officials in Washington. Officials said Eiland's talks were meant to focus on the government's withdrawal plan, including U.S. help to finance the resettlement of about 10,000 Israelis in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 12:29:30 PM ||
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#1
Sounds like Egypt is the Middle Eastern equivalent of Mexico, without the illegal alien problem.
#2
That is an interesting way to view it and a correct one.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 12:40 Comments ||
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#3
Some of the smuggling tunnels were discovered to come up within Egyptian Army bases. Israel blew smoke through some tunnels at one point, and watched to see where it came out.
America sure is getting a lot for that US$2 bil/year we pay Egypt for having signed that peace treaty with the Zionist Entity.
#4
Some of the smuggling tunnels were discovered to come up within Egyptian Army bases.
trailing wife, do you have a link for this? I've seen you post this before and I'd like to read up on the topic. If indeed this is true, Israel should just begin a bombing campaign against Egypt's bases in the Sinai. The Palestinians wouldn't even blink at handing over some of those SA-7s to al Qaeda so they could blow passenger jetliners out of the air elsewhere. Egypt desperately needs some political (or military) "parking lot therapy."
Cairo's exclusion order seen as routine vilification of Jewish state
Egypt has issued an order barring pop star Madonna from entering the country because she visited Israel.
"Vogue! Vogue! Strike a pose!"
Members of Egypt's parliament have demanded Madonna, who has not requested entry into Egypt or announced any plans to visit the country, be barred from entering Egyptian soil. The parliament directed Egyptian embassies abroad to deny any visa requests from Madonna.
That makes sense. Not a lot of sense, but sense...
The demand comes after Madonna, aka Esther, visited the Jewish state last week making daily headline news with midnight trips to a Jewish cemetery, a quick drive by past the Wailing Wall, and even the arrest of her security detail. The Material Girl praised Israel during her trip and urged people to visit the country.
"Yeah! They'll give you a visa, usually!"
Madonna said she was hesitant at first to tour the Holy Land, but upon her arrival, she said she realized "that it is no more dangerous to be here than it is to be in New York, and I would like to emphasize the fact that I feel very safe and very welcome. ... I'd like to say how happy I am to be back in Israel. I promise not to stay away for another ten years." The singer was last in Israel for a 1993 concert.
Refresh my memory: When was the last time a bus blew up in New York? But then, she didn't take the bus, did she?
Mort Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America, was not surprised by Egypt's decision, and called on the U.S. to speak out against Egypt's anti-Israel actions. "America has plenty of leverage with Egypt," Klein told WorldNetDaily. Egypt has received more than $50 billion in U.S. aid since singing a peace agreement with Israel in 1978, but the country routinely vilifies Israel in its media, has not stopped terrorists from building weapons smuggling tunnels into Palestinian territory, and has suspended formal relations with Israel.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 9:30:51 AM ||
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#1
Whatever.
Something I didn't get a chance to comment on last week: How on earth can somebody who calls herself "Madonna" claim to be Jewish? That's like the next Pope being named Pope Muhammed al-Islam I.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/24/2004 11:02 Comments ||
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#2
Jeez, no Madonna visit. What a loss for Egypt...
#3
Good marketing strategy--refresh the brand every 18 months or so.
In her next brand campaign the Artist formerly Known as Esther will appear as Fatima, Holy Warrioress fighting to save the Rain Forest and end of cruelty to animals.
Posted by: David Ogilvy ||
09/24/2004 11:10 Comments ||
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#4
I think she reinvented herself (yet again) after the trip into hinduism on some past album. She's now big into what "Jewish mysticism". TW or LH could comment more thouroughly on what that means then I can. I surmise she'll be into this until her next album then it will prolly be as David suggests. I'd wager on a more Xena warrior princess motif.
#8
Chris, Madonnna doesn't claim to be Jewish. She's just into studying Kabbalah (from which the word "cabal" derives), the Jewish mysticism that goes back to the early Middle Ages, I believe. The Jesuits picked up on the study at one point, too, and I don't imagine they ever thought of themselves as Jewish ;-)
As I understand it (LH? Pls fix what ain't right. Thx!)the basic premise of Kabbalah is that the universe was originally one whole and complete soul within God. Something shattered that completeness, and now each living thing has a tiny spark of the original. Each spark desires to be once again united with God, and this can be achieved through intense study of the Jewish Bible, applying various esoteric methods to tease out God's underlying message from the words themselves. Thus we get a special numerology for the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, out of body experiences for the most learned/holy practitioners, magic spells, foretelling the future, etc. I think it was the philosopher/poet/doctor Judah HaLevi in Moslem Spain who wrote that no man should be permitted to study Kabbalah until after he had married, reared children, and reached the age of 40, in order to ground him in this world against the seductions of mysticism.
To be honest, I don't see that Madonna has the mental tools to undertake such a study at any level beyond numerology and magic spells. But I admit to being a bit of a snob, and it is possible that I'm wrong about her.
#12
How on earth can somebody who calls herself "Madonna" claim to be Jewish?
No, no! When she's being "Jewish" - or Kabbalistic - she's not named Madonna. Her name is Esther. She was named Madonna when she was born, and she still uses it as her stage name. But when she's Tantric, she's Lingadevi. When she's a lesbian she goes by the name "Dirk." When she's feeling Anglican, she goes by Maudette, and when she's a Catholic she's Claretta. When she's naked and frisky, her name changes to Tits Bunny, but if she's naked and just taking a bath her name's Madeline...
HTH.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/24/2004 13:47 Comments ||
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#13
Remember, she's not actually studying the Kabbalah. She's "studying" some pop crap that was vaguely based on the Kabbalah.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
09/24/2004 13:52 Comments ||
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#14
Madonna was born and raised Catholic - even went through penguin torture. But doesn't it seem odd that Israel would want to be associated with her? She is LLL all the way through - although her mother-in-law in the UK is a big Tory. Geez, next thing you'll see is Sean Penn with his hand up Allawi back!
Posted by: Jack is Back ||
09/24/2004 13:53 Comments ||
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#15
Fred, I'm a big fan of Tits Bunny........good one.
#16
That's a bit strange: Egypt doesn't ban people who visit Israel from entering their territory (that's Syria or Iran). As a matter of fact you can freely cross the Israeli-Egyptian border as a foreigner.
Well whatever, in a few months Madonna probably discovers Buddhism or the African-Eskimo faith or whatever.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 16:39 Comments ||
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#18
I don't object to non-Jews who are either studying the Kabbalah or trying to determine if the Jewish faith is right for them, but it's not right to make a circus out of people's religious beliefs. Madonna chose to make herself into a clown complete with a 3 ring circus following her around, and for her to butt in when people are legitimately practicing their faith is downright wrong. She should have been tossed out on her ear.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/24/2004 20:25 Comments ||
Top||
#19
the basic premise of Kabbalah is that the universe was originally one whole and complete soul within God. Something shattered that completeness, and now each living thing has a tiny spark of the original. Each spark desires to be once again united with God, and this can be achieved through intense study of the Jewish Bible, applying various esoteric methods to tease out God's underlying message from the words themselves. Thus we get a special numerology for the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, out of body experiences for the most learned/holy practitioners, magic spells, foretelling the future, etc. I think it was the philosopher/poet/doctor Judah HaLevi in Moslem Spain who wrote that no man should be permitted to study Kabbalah until after he had married, reared children, and reached the age of 40, in order to ground him in this world against the seductions of mysticism.
To be honest, I don't see that Madonna has the mental tools to undertake such a study at any level beyond numerology and magic spells. But I admit to being a bit of a snob, and it is possible that I'm wrong about her.
Thats a pretty good intro. Not sure if it was Halevi, but thems pretty much the rules about prerequisites. Oh, and also a thorough grounding in and following of traditional Jewish religious texts. Cause their are aspects of the mysticism that can lead people astray.
But today we have lots of pop-kabbalah. Many followers are non-jews with little interest in the rest of Judaism.
As for her mental abilities, I dont know. Dont really follw here that closely, beyond listening to some songs. NOTE WELL - there are some Jews who have historically tried to popularize mysticism - notably the hasidim - the Lubavitch will eagerly teach mysticism to low IQ Jews - though not to gentiles, and they encourage Jews who study with them to learn the rest of Judaism.
I still give a hearty Mazel tov to Madonna for going to israel and defying PC anti-Israel opinion.
#20
the basic premise of Kabbalah is that the universe was originally one whole and complete soul within God. Something shattered that completeness, and now each living thing has a tiny spark of the original. Each spark desires to be once again united with God, and this can be achieved through intense study of the Jewish Bible, applying various esoteric methods to tease out God's underlying message from the words themselves. Thus we get a special numerology for the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, out of body experiences for the most learned/holy practitioners, magic spells, foretelling the future, etc. I think it was the philosopher/poet/doctor Judah HaLevi in Moslem Spain who wrote that no man should be permitted to study Kabbalah until after he had married, reared children, and reached the age of 40, in order to ground him in this world against the seductions of mysticism.
To be honest, I don't see that Madonna has the mental tools to undertake such a study at any level beyond numerology and magic spells. But I admit to being a bit of a snob, and it is possible that I'm wrong about her.
Thats a pretty good intro. Not sure if it was Halevi, but thems pretty much the rules about prerequisites. Oh, and also a thorough grounding in and following of traditional Jewish religious texts. Cause their are aspects of the mysticism that can lead people astray.
But today we have lots of pop-kabbalah. Many followers are non-jews with little interest in the rest of Judaism.
As for her mental abilities, I dont know. Dont really follw here that closely, beyond listening to some songs. NOTE WELL - there are some Jews who have historically tried to popularize mysticism - notably the hasidim - the Lubavitch will eagerly teach mysticism to low IQ Jews - though not to gentiles, and they encourage Jews who study with them to learn the rest of Judaism.
I still give a hearty Mazel tov to Madonna for going to israel and defying PC anti-Israel opinion.
Some Anglican leaders are recommending that the church withdraw investments from Israel to pressure the country to ease the 'draconian conditions' imposed on the Palestinians, a church official said on Thursday. Those recommending 'divestment', or taking capital out of the country, include church officials from the United States, Australia and New Zealand, said Ms Nancy Dinsmore, director of development for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Twenty-nine Anglican representatives toured Israel and the West Bank this week before drawing conclusions about the 4-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their recommendations will be made to a meeting next year in Wales of the Anglican Consultative Council, which has representatives from all 38 provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Ms Dinsmore said she did not know how much Anglican churches had invested in Israel. Many Palestinians and Arabs around the world support the idea of divestment, which was used against South Africa to help end apartheid. The tour exposed the representatives 'to the draconian conditions of the continuing occupation under which so many Palestinians live,' the group said on its website.
I guessed they missed the bus tour of the exploded pizza parlors, bus stops and discos in Israel.
The statement did not include a mention of divestment, since not all 29 leaders signing it support divestment as an option for their country's church, she said. Israeli officials were not available for comment on the church position. Ms Jenny Te Paa of New Zealand, who led the delegation, said the church had become increasingly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause recently, and the ruling council was likely to accept the idea of divestment. The group toured the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Palestinian church representatives. The group also met with an Israeli social activist and several Israeli Arabs, but no government officials.
I can just see Ms. Te Paa squirming with girlish delight over meeting Yasser.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/24/2004 8:32:43 AM ||
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#1
Now how did I know the Anglican "church" would be involved even before I clicked on the headline?
And yes, the scare quotes are around "church" on purpose.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/24/2004 8:44 Comments ||
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#2
I have no problem with this, especially since I consider divestment of the Anglican church offering plates to be the best response to this action.
#3
The Anglican church in UK and US has been on life support for years, this will be their death blow. Bravo! I attend a nondenominational church, and one good thing about that is knowing that part of my tithes ar NOT going to denominational headquarters where it will go to fund this kind of crap, pedophile priests, heretical Bishops, dues to the National Council of Churches and other assorted bullshit!
#10
To increase attendence, the Anglican church should incorporate and turn the churches into disco-pizzerias. I hear Palestinians are especially attracted to such venues.
Posted by: ed ||
09/24/2004 16:14 Comments ||
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#11
Te Paa? Wasn't she a Vulcan queen in the original Star Trek?
AN Iraqi scientist-turned-author says the most significant pieces of his country's dormant nuclear program were buried under a lotus tree in his backyard, untouched for more than a decade before the US-led invasion in 2003.
"Don't sit under the lotus apple tree
With anyone else but me ..."
But their existence, Mahdi Obeidi writes in a new book, is evidence that the international community should remain vigilant as other countries try to replicate Iraq's successes before the 1991 Gulf war to develop components necessary for a nuclear weapon.
Holmes! How do you do it?
In The Bomb in my Garden, Obeidi details fallen Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's furious, and then abandoned, quest for a nuclear bomb. "Although Saddam never had nuclear weapons at his disposal, the story of how close Iraq came to developing them should serve as a red flag to the international community," Obeidi writes with his co-author Kurt Pitzer.
Perhaps Jonathan should take note, you know, as a Peace Fellow and all.
U.S. marines have trained an elite force in the West African country of Niger to root out and kill al Qaeda-linked militants Washington fears may be roaming ungoverned swathes of the Sahara desert. They are the last West Africans to be trained as part of the U.S. Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorist Initiative (TSCTI), aimed at stopping militant groups gaining a foothold in a region which already provides 15 percent of U.S. oil supplies.
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.
