Hi there, !
Today Sun 09/07/2003 Sat 09/06/2003 Fri 09/05/2003 Thu 09/04/2003 Wed 09/03/2003 Tue 09/02/2003 Mon 09/01/2003 Archives
Rantburg
531698 articles and 1855974 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 35 articles and 240 comments as of 13:55.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area:                    
Army raids suspected rebel hide-out in Indian Kashmir - 7 Dead
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 1: WoT Operations
1 00:00 Barbara Skolaut [] 
4 00:00 Bomb-a-rama [1] 
3 00:00 Old Patriot [] 
11 00:00 Old Patriot [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
1 00:00 Super Hose [] 
2 00:00 raptor [] 
17 00:00 Yank [] 
16 00:00 Anonymous [] 
7 00:00 tu3031 [1] 
11 00:00 Zhang Fei [] 
11 00:00 Paul [] 
6 00:00 Paul [] 
11 00:00 Not Mike Moore [1] 
8 00:00 Ernest Brown [] 
1 00:00 Bomb-a-rama [] 
2 00:00 Frank G [] 
15 00:00 Not Mike Moore [] 
3 00:00 Ernest Brown [] 
14 00:00 tu3031 [] 
3 00:00 Frank G [] 
1 00:00 Carl in NH [] 
9 00:00 Super Hose [] 
2 00:00 Mitch H. [] 
3 00:00 Bomb-a-rama [] 
6 00:00 Old Patriot [1] 
7 00:00 ZoGg [] 
7 00:00 Super Hose [] 
11 00:00 Not Mike Moore [] 
1 00:00 .com [] 
21 00:00 Not Mike Moore [2] 
10 00:00 Not Mike Moore [] 
13 00:00 Anonymous [] 
2 00:00 Yank [] 
-Short Attention Span Theater-
What to watch tonight?
Decisions, decisions. Do I watch this:
The Nation’s Capitol kicks things off tonight with NFL Kickoff Live, a musical extravaganza featuring Britney Spears, followed by the Jets battling the Redskins. The festivities begin at 8 p.m. ET (ABC).
Or do I watch this:
Eight Democratic presidential candidates targeted the field’s new front-runner, as the fall campaign opened Thursday with the first major debate of the 2004 race. The 8 p.m. EDT (PBS) showdown on the University of New Mexico campus was a critical test for Dean, the former Vermont governor trying to maintain his momentum and convince wary party leaders he can defeat President Bush.
Good scheduling, guys. I guess Karl Rove got you the time slot.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 4:10:16 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Don't forget, Aerosmith is in said pregame filler 'extravaganza' too.

Karl Rove definitely wrote this schedule.
Posted by: Raj || 09/04/2003 16:17 Comments || Top||

#2  The Jets vs. The Redskins?

Any switchblades involved? No?

Oh, well...

MARIA!!...
Posted by: mojo || 09/04/2003 16:29 Comments || Top||

#3  bet the NFL game doesn't have any haughty french-looking guys who coincidently served in Viet Nam....so I'm on the pigskin like a fumble at the three yard line man
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 16:32 Comments || Top||

#4  Is Britney going to kiss another girl/old woman?? That's the deciding factor.
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 16:56 Comments || Top||

#5  Oh wow! The Jets are battling Britney Spears! Cool! Oh wait.... uh... never mind...
Posted by: GregJ || 09/04/2003 16:59 Comments || Top||

#6  Kim Jong Il's biography on A&E! 8pm that's what I'll be watching!!
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 16:59 Comments || Top||

#7  Is Britney bringing her breasts?
Posted by: Fred || 09/04/2003 17:06 Comments || Top||

#8  Well, right after Kimmy's biography A&E is showing Seven Days in September, a documentary cobbled together from footage taken from professional and amateur videographers on That Day. I'll be taping that.
Posted by: Angie Schultz || 09/04/2003 17:07 Comments || Top||

#9  Fellows and gals, Don't be so tough on the Fuutball competition. From reading the article I learned that Howard Dean is one of the democratic candidates for prez. Before that I didn't know any of their names.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 17:40 Comments || Top||

#10  Any chance of seeing Britney vs. Kimmie? I'd pay to see that!
Posted by: GregJ || 09/04/2003 18:38 Comments || Top||

#11  Ten bucks on Britney by two throws in the second quarter.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 18:48 Comments || Top||


From today's spam collection...
Dear
Dear who? You mean me?
PRAISE ALLAH, THE MOST BENEVOLENT.
I think you got the wrong address, lady...
I am Mrs Iyesa Ismiana, named person from Kuwait. I am married to Late Malam Usman Ismiana of blessed memory who worked with Kuwait embassy in Nigeria for nine years before he died in the year 2000. We were married for eleven years without a child.
Hey, that's too bad. Well, it was nice hearing form you...
He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days.
Sounds like poison to me...
Before his death we were both very devoted Muslims.
Yep. You got the wrong address...
Since his death I too have been battling with both cancer and fibroid problems.
Could it be the punishment of Allah?
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $30.5 Million (Thirty Million five hundred thousand U.S. Dollars) with an Africa security company that have sister company in asia/europe and america.
Boy, that was a dumbass thing to do. As soon as you do that, some Nigerian starts trying to move it out of the country...
Presently, this money is still with the security Company.
Bet it's not...
Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next three months due to cancer problem.
So when you stop sending me daily e-mails I'll know to buy some flowers?
Though what disturbs me most is my stroke sickness.
Yeah. That'll do it. Once that vein pops in the head, it's all over...
Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to either a moslem organisation or devoted muslim individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here-in.
And I'm that devoted Muslim individual, I'll bet...
I want this muslim organisation or individual to use this money in all sincererity to fund mosques, orphanages,widows and also propagating the word of ALLAH and to ensure that the society upholds the views and beliefs of the holy Quran.
"I'd like to buy arms and ammunition for all the deserving widows and orphans I can find, and fund a special jihad in my name..."
The holy Quran emphasized so much on ALLAH'S benevolence and this has encouraged me to take this bold step.
You mean the bold step of sending Nigerian spam?
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are new Christians converts and I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by people I call unbelievers.
Damn those unbelievers! They'd just piss it away on beer and holy pictures and amulets and stuff...
I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an unholy manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I know that after death I will be with ALLAH the most beneficient and the most merciful. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health and also the presence of my husband's relatives around me always.
Keeping an eye on you, are they? But they don't mind when you send out thousands of e-mails at a time, eh?
I don't want them to know about this development. With ALLAH all things are possible.
"As I sit here, hidden in my closet, composing spam..."
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the direct contact of my attorney here in Nigeria and order him to forward the contact details of the Security Company. I will also ask him to issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the original- beneficiary of this fund. I want you and the Muslim community where you reside to always pray for me.
"Please, God! Strike her and all Nigerian spammers dead!"
My happiness is that I lived a life of a true devoted muslim worthy of emulation. Whoever that wants to serve the ALLAH must serve him in truth and in fairness. Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a muslim organisation or a devoted muslim brother or sister for this same purpose.
So I should act now, before you find a sucker with bigger lips, the better for setting the hook, and less brainpower?
Until I hear from you, my dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders.
Hokay. Hold your breath. I'll get right on it.
May the almighty ALLAH continue to guide and protect you.
He did that by giving me a 3-digit IQ, unlike the people who actually buy this sort of thing...
Regards,

Mrs Iyesa Ismiana
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 09/04/2003 12:32 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  $30.5M. That could buy a lot of JDAMs and MOABs.
Posted by: Mike || 09/04/2003 12:43 Comments || Top||

#2  Lessee...just this week I have received essentially the same letter from Charles Taylor's personal arms merchant (decrying those pesky UN peacekeepers!!!) and and also the widow of a Nigerian "business executive" who died in the collapse of Tower 2. Surprisingly, my heartstrings remain unplucked. Insh'allah.
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 12:46 Comments || Top||

#3  Lucky, lucky, lucky... Me, I'm so insignificant I do not even receive spam at all. Makes me feel less of a man.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 13:17 Comments || Top||

#4  Who says folks in the Third World don't understand modernity? They certainly got marketing down pat.
Posted by: Hiryu || 09/04/2003 13:18 Comments || Top||

#5  Hmmmph. I must get yours. I got three copies of this one.
Posted by: Fred || 09/04/2003 13:19 Comments || Top||

#6  You people are nobody. I feel sorry for you.
I got a special, personal request from Jonas Savimbi's sister.
That's what happens when you're plugged in.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey || 09/04/2003 13:44 Comments || Top||

#7  I am still waiting for the money to fund the Anchorage Al-Aska mosque and reload center. However, I am losing my patience, and my congregation is down to one. Can't hold out much longer. She would not lie to me, would she?
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 13:55 Comments || Top||

#8  Just in case you wanna have some fun with Nigerian scammer baiting, check this website.
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 14:13 Comments || Top||

#9  Grand Mufti al-Aska Paul, I for one can't wait for the first call to battle stations prayers at the Anchorage al-Aska Mosque 'n' Martyrs R Us Mini Mart, peace be upon you...
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 14:29 Comments || Top||

#10  Well, seafarious, I was going to tow a banner with my plane announcing a rally and akbar fest at the mosque, but my friend borrowed the plane this morning and is presently looking at glaciers and dall sheep on the mountainsides.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 14:33 Comments || Top||

#11  any idea what gas prices you'll post? Trying to decide whether it's economical to drive there to fill up....
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 14:34 Comments || Top||

#12  ROTFLMAO. I just got almost the same e-mail this morning except that the lady was from Malasia, they had also lived in Africa, however, the amount was $60 million and the appeal was to Christians. (Christians must be harder to bribe.) MailWasher with SpamCop caught it and bounced it back.
Posted by: Gasse Katze || 09/04/2003 14:53 Comments || Top||

#13  my friend borrowed the plane this morning and is presently looking at glaciers and dall sheep on the mountainsides

Mmmm..you could have a halal of a great picnic with those Dall sheep...
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 15:00 Comments || Top||

#14  Frank---Gas prices are for regular gasoline derived from the finest Kuwaiti crude (blessings be upon its molecules) in Anchorage range from $1.62 (with blessings card) to $1.71 (infidel's price). Come on up!
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 15:02 Comments || Top||

#15  if you think about it... this one is pretty clever.. What groups do you thing would most likely have people dumb enough to fall for this stuff? The loony left and muslim/terrorist sympathizers! logic means nothing to these people... I wonder how many of them are biting the bait..
Posted by: Dcreeper || 09/04/2003 15:54 Comments || Top||

#16  Great sit-com idea--Mahmoud, leader of an al Qaeda sleeper cell blows all the Saudi money for a terrorist operation on one of these scams....he's got some 'splainin to do to the rest of the jihadis....
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 16:23 Comments || Top||

#17  I would love to see a large transfer of funds from Al Queda sympathizers into Nigerian Scam artists. The balance is perfect.

Richard Aubrey, by far the funnest post I've read today. Well done.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 17:27 Comments || Top||


Romanian Police Arrest 2nd Blaster Worm Suspect
Virtual Gitmo for you, pal!
Police in Romania have made a second arrest in the spread of the Blaster worm. They busted a 24-year-old former student in connection with a spread of the worm, which crippled computers around the world. A computer security company that helps police said that the person arrested, Dan Dumitru Ciobanu, is a graduate of the Technical University of Iasi in northeastern Romania. Police said he was involved with the spread of a modified and milder version of the Blaster worm. Last week, a high school student in Minneapolis was charged with letting loose a different variation of the Blaster worm. Authorities said Jeffrey Parson admitted during an interview with FBI and Secret Service agents that he tinkered with the original Blaster last month — converting it so that it would attack the Microsoft Web site.
Good, keep hunting these pricks down and publicize their capture, punishment - and make it harsh
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 12:06:13 PM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Virtual Gitmo for you, pal!"

Great idea! but less virtual, more actual. It could be called "Bitmo" and house virus-writers, spammers etc. I imagine something like a cross between Running Man and Tron.

Mmmm, canned spammer!
Posted by: Bulldog || 09/04/2003 12:43 Comments || Top||

#2  OK, Rantburgers, put your best shot forward: Where in the world would be the best place for spammers like these jerks? I suggest Rapa Ita, a small, uninhabited island near Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, 2400 airmiles from any other piece of real estate. Either post or email your recommendations. I'll get with Fred later, and see what we can do with whatever I receive.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 14:35 Comments || Top||

#3  Someplace warmer, I think. How about the Soufriere Hills Volcano, on Montserrat, West Indies. Erupting since 1995. We can get a big trebuchet and lob them into the crater one at a time and do a pay-per-view webcast of the event.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 15:03 Comments || Top||

#4  Two contenders:

1. Tikrit. "F**k Saddam" tattoos on forehead.

2. QQ47 (hold 'em in solitary until it's in range).
Posted by: Mark IV || 09/04/2003 15:09 Comments || Top||

#5  the trebuchet PPV piques my interest, but Gates would have to go too
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 16:51 Comments || Top||

#6  I dunno. I had a power surge the other night. Restarted one machine and XP was still there. Linux decided to do an inode inventory, then finally decided I don't have a network card in that machine. If I can't convince it tonight, it'll be another Win2K box by morning.
Posted by: Fred || 09/04/2003 17:10 Comments || Top||

#7  Having spent from 8AM until 9PM today with a crew cleaning this and WELCHIA off of 150 laptops, I'd say give him to me. Throw in the Minnesota Fat Boy, too. Tough to type when all your fingers are busted.
Posted by: tu3031 || 09/04/2003 22:59 Comments || Top||


The UN Fights Back!
A diplomatic confrontation between American authorities and much of the rest of the world intensified yesterday as senior officials at the United Nations insisted on their right to smoke in the organisation’s headquarters.
The horror!
Casting aside petty differences and forging new allegiances, UN ambassadors said they would ignore New York’s smoking ban, imposed five months ago and extended to the UN this week. A directive signed by Kofi Annan, the secretary-general, demanded that "no smoking shall be permitted in any of the UN premises at headquarters", in line with the anti-smoking jihad fixation of Michael Bloomberg, New York’s mayor. But at the UN building, Mr Annan and Mr Bloomberg faced rebellion. Despite warnings from UN officials that anyone caught puffing in the building would face "disciplinary action", smokers lit up and inhaled deeply. The Russian ambassador, Sergey Lavrov, seen marching to the delegates’ lounge for a smoke, said Mr Annan "doesn’t own this building".
Snicker.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 11:54:45 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  And these people want to run Iraq......
Posted by: GregJ || 09/04/2003 11:58 Comments || Top||

#2  Actually, it's Bloomburg and Annan that are out of step. The City of New York does not control the UN. Annan is just an ass in human form.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 11:59 Comments || Top||

#3  Although this is a good sign for the UN, I don't think it actually qualifies as championing freedom against a brutally repressive regime. Baby steps though, they'll get there.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 12:31 Comments || Top||

#4  Move the UN buildings to Europe where smoking is an artform.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 13:33 Comments || Top||

#5  Ironic, n'est-ce pas? The UN helped to get this 'secondary smoke' hysteria rolling through the WHO, under the stewardship of that Norwegian Gro What's-her-name. She was the former PM of Norway and the uber-nanny...Hillary Clinton in a nice sweater.

I live in NY and I can't smoke in a BAR now! Meanwhile, lefties go around decrying Bush as Hitler and they don't see this for the fascism it truly is...Typical I guess but we'll see what happens when the wind chill hits upstate this winter. Civil disobedience, anyone?
Posted by: JDB || 09/04/2003 14:18 Comments || Top||

#6  "If second hand smoke is so dangerous, and if nictotine is the most addictive substance in the world... then how is it that you never run into anyone addicted to second hand smoke?"
-Doug Stanhope.

Posted by: DeviantSaint || 09/04/2003 14:45 Comments || Top||

#7  Fuck, man; you don't talk to many bartenders or video arcade employees, do you? I know a guy who got hooked on secondhand smoke working nights at a video arcade next to a college campus.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 16:13 Comments || Top||

#8  I work in the night club industry as a sideline, and I've been doing it since I was a teenager (sound and lighting tech). I'm pretty familiar, and your friends story is pretty unbelievable as well as being the ONLY one I've ever heard of.

-DS
Posted by: DeviantSaint || 09/04/2003 16:24 Comments || Top||

#9  Uh-huh. You do realize that those that get addicted to second-hand will usually transition to first-hand as a way of getting a portable fix? In other words, just because you haven't made the connection doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Smoke much, yourself?
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 16:45 Comments || Top||

#10  Been living with a smoker for 38 years, and still don't smoke. I have some scar tissue on one lung, but that's from six bouts with pneumonia between six months and 24 years. Both parents smoked, lots of other people I grew up with. Never got the habit. Don't believe secondhand smoke is the cause of anything but annoyance, and that depends on the individual's willingness to ignore the annoyance or do something about it. The rest is all hot air.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 21:18 Comments || Top||

#11  I started smoking just recently. Fortunately, it didn't take long for the fire fighters to put me out. Whew!

Trust me, my day job isn't all that, I'll try
anything.

(No midgets on rollerskates or horses with disco lights need apply)
Posted by: Paul || 09/04/2003 22:18 Comments || Top||


Asteroid Impact in 2014 Ruled Out
EFL/FU:
Never mind.
Newly discovered asteroid 2003 QQ47 has received considerable media attention over the last few days because it had a small chance of colliding with the Earth in the year 2014 and was rated a "1" on the Torino impact hazard scale, which goes from 0 to 10. The odds of collision in 2014, as estimated by JPL’s Sentry impact monitoring system, peaked at 1 chance in 250,000, a result which was posted on our Impact Risk Page on Saturday, August 30. Impact events at the Torino Scale 1 level certainly merit careful monitoring by astronomers, but these events do not warrant public concern. In fact, each year several newly discovered asteroids reach Torino Scale 1 for a brief period after discovery; 2003 QQ47 is the fourth such case this year. As astronomers continue to monitor an asteroid and measure its position, more precise predictions can be made. On September 2, new measurements of QQ47’s position allowed us to narrow our prediction of its path in 2014, and thus we could rule out any Earth impact possibilities for 2014.
You can cancel your impact party.
In our Impact Risk Page for 2003 QQ47, the entry for the year 2014 has now disappeared, although a number of potential impact events remain for later years. We expect that these too will be ruled out in the coming days as astronomers continue to track the object and we refine our orbit predictions.
It’s the one they don’t see coming that’ll get us.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 9:48:43 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I guess I can unpack now...
Posted by: Fred || 09/04/2003 10:05 Comments || Top||

#2  I guess I can unpack now...

at least until Scary Death Asteroid™ (ver 2.1) makes the news
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:17 Comments || Top||

#3  What a bummer. I cashed out of Blue Cap stocks and had everything in liquid oxygen storage and Tang futures. Guess I'm good for breakfast drink though.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 12:35 Comments || Top||

#4  SH - that's nothing. I had my ex-wife's head removed and frozen like Ted Williams..and she wasn't even dead yet. If I don't post here for a while, well....
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 13:05 Comments || Top||

#5  "What a bummer. I cashed out of Blue Cap stocks and had everything in liquid oxygen storage and Tang futures. Guess I'm good for breakfast drink though."

OK, you got the breakfast drink angle covered, but what are you going to do with the tang?
Posted by: Phil Fraering || 09/04/2003 13:16 Comments || Top||

#6  I was going to cry alot this weekend in my mountain redoubt, but since the crisis is past, I guess that I will finish up these water and sewer studies that go to year 2023. Now that they are relevant and all again.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 14:01 Comments || Top||

#7  Will the guy who wanted to nuke Germany yesterday please stand up NOW?
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 14:18 Comments || Top||

#8  Hey, I never said anything like that! Besides, if that happened, how would I keep supplied with German mustard for my bratwurst?
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 14:40 Comments || Top||

#9  "I say we start a HUGE party about Summer 2013 and just keep it going until the big day. About a month prior we all sober up and start an all-out war against anybody who has ever said anything bad about the U.S. (starting with Canada). About a week prior we should launch a premptive nuclear strike on France, Germany, Syria, and the PRC.

Ok CyberSarge, hand me your stripes NOW, you have been condemned to 10 years of cleaning French showers.

Oh wait....
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 17:57 Comments || Top||

#10  asteroid? whew! I thought they said hemmoroid.....
Posted by: Frank Martin || 09/04/2003 18:02 Comments || Top||

#11  Frank Martin---it is just one of the many 'roids we have to deal with in our lives: hem-, thy-, aster-, pola-, ster-, and-
LOL!
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 19:23 Comments || Top||

#12  Not to forget the Murky Troid, who "is by far Throsby Creek's longest and most famous resident. Murky remembers how he and his friends would play amongst the mangroves and then frolic with the sharks in Throsby Creek. But the creek became polluted they had nowhere to play. :(
Even murkier is of course troid.org where murky islamic sheiks come out to play...
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 20:28 Comments || Top||

#13  start an all-out war against anybody who has ever said anything bad about the U.S. (starting with Canada).

Thank God I have Rantburg to warn me about these things!
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 20:42 Comments || Top||

#14  Oh, hell. I gotta sober up now?
Posted by: tu3031 || 09/04/2003 23:14 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
Afghan, U.S. Forces Seek Fleeing Taliban
EFL/FU:
Afghan and U.S. forces scoured gorges and rugged mountain peaks in southern Zabul for suspected Taliban fleeing fighting that left scores of insurgents dead, an Afghan commander said Thursday.
Got them on the run.
While Afghan officials claimed victory, the U.S. military said the battle in Zabul’s Dai Chopan district was not over.
We have different ideas on this concept, it’s a cultural thing.
Separately, at least 24 Pakistani military helicopters swooped in low over the tribal regions that border Afghanistan in a renewed hunt for fleeing al-Qaeda and Taliban, witnesses said Thursday.
Hummmm.
Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said several of the helicopters carried "foreign" forces, an apparent reference to U.S. forces.
Bringing U.S. troops in (80%) or taking al-Qaida out(20%)?
Probably Samoans.
The U.S. military earlier deployed an unknown number of special forces into Pakistan’s rugged tribal regions, but their whereabouts are kept secret and they keep a low profile, largely because of the deeply insane conservative nature of the region.
Inserting a blocking force from the Pak side of the border?
The Dai Chopan district in Afghanistan was the site of a nine-day offensive and some of the heaviest fighting since the ouster of the ruling Taliban in late 2001. "The operation is ongoing, we are still searching for the enemy. We are not completed in Dai Chopan," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Ralf Marino said Thursday at Bagram Air Base. The main Afghan commander in the area, Haji Saifullah Khan, said the guerrilla fighters who escaped the battlefield have scattered in small groups to safe havens in neighboring provinces. "It is not known so far whether Taliban leaders were among the dead," Khan said. "Many of the bodies were in bad shape."
"Euwww, gross!"
"Mahmoud! Is this Mullah Omar's nose?"
Afghan troops have found the bodies of at least 124 rebels since the joint offensive by Afghan government and U.S.-led forces began early last week, Zabul Intelligence Chief Khalil Hotak said. Five Afghan government troops were killed in the fighting. U.S. officials have put the confirmed death toll among the insurgents at just 37, but they have not updated that figure since Monday. Khan said the U.S. forces laid siege to mountain caves in Larzab and Sairo Ghar mountains of Zabul province and Afghan soldiers moved in when the fighting ended.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 9:08:36 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Paki helos doing SAR for their boys? Shoot the F&*kers down and blame it on the Taliban RPGs
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 9:23 Comments || Top||

#2  Frank - Are those Paki trust issues surfacing again? ;->
Posted by: .com || 09/04/2003 9:36 Comments || Top||

#3  Call me a cynic ;-)
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:18 Comments || Top||

#4  or USArmy Helios camoed as Paki helios just to confuse the innocent.

"Hey Asif, your ride is here...."
Posted by: john || 09/04/2003 10:46 Comments || Top||

#5 

The problem with this fight is the borders do not reflect the real makeup of the area. This is pretty much a ethnic fight, with Omar leading the Pushtuns.

Without the full support of the Pakastani's, we will be fighting this border war for along time.

Posted by: ZoGg || 09/04/2003 12:49 Comments || Top||

#6  I think it's time to mark the Pakistan/Afghanistan border. I recommend we do it with radioactive waste, with a pylon emplaced every 100 yards. Paint the pylon bright fluorescent orange/funky purple stripes. At night, the glow from the pylons will mark the border for all to see. In the daytime, the pile of border-runners dying of cancer and radiation sickness will mark the border.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 14:45 Comments || Top||

#7  ZoGg
We could do a throw back to the pre-Russian invasion days and torque-off the Pahkistani's by funding Pashtunistan rebels in the tribal areas. Kind of how Iraq, Iran and Turkey fund each others Khurd seperatist movements.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 15:03 Comments || Top||

#8 

I would go farther back to what the US did in Laos and Cambodia, simply follow the enemy to where ever he is and deny them sanctuary.

Borders should mean nothing in War. Didn't the US give notice that countries that harbor terrorist would be considered a enemy of the US?

Why hasn't this been applied to Pakistan, Syria and/or Iran. Can you say that they are not providing sanctuary?

It is sad that people will have to die because there is a imaginary line where you cannot pass, but your enemy can. This isn't a game, the reality on the ground is the border.

This goes against international law, but international law isn't designed to protect criminals and terrorist, or is it?

Posted by: ZoGg || 09/04/2003 16:40 Comments || Top||

#9  Show me this book of international laws. Our Supreme Court has started to reference it in their decisions.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:05 Comments || Top||


Taliban destabilisation continues
EFL
It would be tempting to say the Taliban is back, were the evidence not all too clear that it never went very far away. While the world’s attention has been fixed on Iraq, the other war has sparked back into life. Having nursed themselves back to health in Pakistan, Taliban forces are re-energized and determined to avenge their defeat. The Taliban’s old structures may still be largely intact; a Kabul-based security official says the "neo-Taliban" is guided by many of the same men who ran Afghanistan’s theocracy from 1996 through 2001, when it provided protection for Osama bin Laden and the terrorist camps of al-Qaeda. General Garni, military commander of Zabul, speculated last week that Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban’s one-eyed Commander of the Faithful, might be hiding in the province’s mountains with 800 men. The Taliban has deepened its alliance with warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and his fundamentalist, anti-Western Hizb-i-Islami Party, which remains potent in eastern Afghanistan. Hekmatyar used to have close ties to Iran, and Pakistani sympathizers of the Taliban say Tehran may be secretly bankrolling the rebels to tie down U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan would not be such a worry if Taliban fighters were not able to find a haven in Pakistan among fellow ethnic Pashtuns. With their beards trimmed and often without their trademark black turbans, they blend in easily. In the Pakistani town of Quetta, as in the border village of Chaman, pro-Taliban graffiti are common and copies of recordings made by Mullah Omar are available in the marketplace. In Afghanistan the blame for the Taliban’s revival is laid firmly at Islamabad’s door. Pakistani authorities have arrested roughly 500 suspected al-Qaeda members, but Karzai has charged that Pakistan shows little inclination to apprehend top-level Talibs. "If we had sincere and honest cooperation from Pakistan," declares a security official in Kabul, "there’d be no Taliban threat in Afghanistan."

Faisal Saleh Hayat, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, insists that "our focus is equally on al-Qaeda and on the Taliban." But despite public pronouncements of gratitude to Pakistan, the U.S.’s ally in the global war on terrorism, some U.S. officials are growing increasingly frustrated at Islamabad’s performance. Says a State Department official: "Even the Saudis are doing better than Pakistan in countering al-Qaeda. The only thing Pakistan does is skim 10% off the top of the al-Qaeda presence when we complain."

The margin decreases when it comes to the Taliban. A Pakistani intelligence operative stationed near Chaman says his orders are "not to harass or appease" the Taliban but to let them be. Pakistan’s border provinces are controlled by Jamiat e-Ulema Islam, an extremist Islamic party, and Afghan intelligence officials claim that provincial ministers in Baluchistan help the Talibs find safe houses. "We feel much safer now," a commander told TIME in Peshawar. In Quetta, a local cleric says Taliban commanders meet openly and regularly to plan raids into their former domain.
No suprise there, and the MMA ruled provinces wouldn’t have the guts to support the Talibs unless the military looks the other way.
Mullah Omar is believed to have spent the summer moving throughout southwestern Afghanistan. According to Taliban spokesman Mohammed Mukhtar Mujahid, Omar has formed a 10-man leadership council and assigned each lieutenant a region to destabilize. This guerrilla war cabinet includes Mullah Dadullah Akhund, a one-legged intelligence chief who in March ordered the execution of a Salvadorean Red Cross worker in Uruzgan province, and several top leaders. A Taliban field commander tells TIME that Taliban cells have been established and charged with specific responsibilities, such as bombings, preventing children from going to school or burning schools down, attacking government troops, assassinating progovernment mullahs, targeting foreigners and propaganda. Funding is believed to come from Pakistan, some Arab countries and al-Qaeda. Mullah Nek Mohammed, a Taliban commander captured in Spin Boldak, told his interrogators in June that he would have received $850 for detonating a bomb, double that if it killed a civilian, and $2,600 for taking a soldier’s life.
Killing civilians is all in a good days work
Posted by: Paul Moloney || 09/04/2003 2:03:05 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ... and where are they getting this money?
Fuck the Saudis.
Posted by: Dishman || 09/04/2003 7:03 Comments || Top||

#2  They probably get most of the money from the sale of Afghan heroin, routed through the ISI which controls a large part of the trade
Posted by: Paul Moloney || 09/04/2003 7:37 Comments || Top||

#3  The most interesting thing here is that instead of killing for Allah and dying for the 72 virgins, they are doing it for money (actually the promise of money, who knows if they would actually get it).
Posted by: mhw || 09/04/2003 7:58 Comments || Top||

#4  -- one-legged intelligence chief--

I have nothing against your right leg, but then again, neither do you.

Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 10:04 Comments || Top||

#5  -- one-legged intelligence chief--
goes with the one-eyed supreme commander; equal opportunity destroyers.
Posted by: john || 09/04/2003 10:52 Comments || Top||

#6  The most interesting thing here is that instead of killing for Allah and dying for the 72 virgins, they are doing it for money (actually the promise of money, who knows if they would actually get it).

That's right - they're basically guns-for-hire otherwise known as mercenaries. I suspect they get paid on time - the alternative is desertion or worse, defection to US forces, who also pay rewards for information.
Posted by: Zhang Fei || 09/04/2003 17:11 Comments || Top||

#7  In a country under Sharia Law you can also grow, process and distribute heroine, as long as you: 1. Only sell to the infidel
2. Only buy weapons with the proceeds
3. Don't charge any interest to the guy who launders the money.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:09 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Saudis seize missiles
Saudi authorities say they have seized a lorry-load of surface-to-air missiles destined for an unnamed terrorist group. The consignment was intercepted last month on a desert road near the port city of Jeddah. Police say the weapons - capable of being used to bring down aircraft - had been smuggled from Yemen. Last month, air travellers from the United States and Britain were alerted to the possibility of attack if they went to Saudi Arabia. The alerts came after intelligence reports were relayed to Washington and London by the Saudis of a specific threat to British airlines flying in or out of Riyadh international airport. And British Airways, one of the world’s biggest airlines, suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia until further notice. The airliner says it has had good co-operation from the Saudi authorities and hopes to resume flights soon.
Posted by: Paul Moloney || 09/04/2003 7:35:25 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Does anyone want to believe that what was sold under the table was tidily repossesed?
Posted by: Hiryu || 09/04/2003 10:02 Comments || Top||

#2  Once British Airways resumes flights, the missiles will escape from custody in a shootout with Saudi police
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:19 Comments || Top||

#3 

Yemen is to Arms as Mexico is to bull fighting, its ingrained into the society.

The Saudi's can't control there border with Yemen in the same way the US can't control its border with Mexico, stuff is gonna get through unless you build a giant wall.

Posted by: ZoGg || 09/04/2003 13:12 Comments || Top||

#4  As someone living in San Diego, I can only say: Hokay!
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 13:40 Comments || Top||

#5  Yemen can do whatever it likes within reason as long as no Statedepartment Yahoo decides that it is a good idea to refuel there.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 15:05 Comments || Top||

#6  The Saudi's can't control there border with Yemen in the same way the US can't control its border with Mexico,..

On the contrary, it's not that the U.S. can't control its border with Mexico, it's that it won't.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/04/2003 15:26 Comments || Top||

#7  On the contrary, it's not that the U.S. can't control its border with Mexico, it's that it won't. The same logic would work for the Saudi's then wouldn't it. Especially its northen border with Iraq.
Posted by: ZoGg || 09/04/2003 16:18 Comments || Top||


Europe
France, Germany skeptical of U.S. resolution
A U.S.-backed proposal to enlist U.N. help for the occupation of Iraq appears "rather far from the main objective" of restoring self-rule there, France and Germany said Thursday, and they called for the United Nations to take over responsibility for the country’s political reconstruction. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder discussed the U.S. proposal at a meeting in the German city of Dresden. Schroeder said his government has not yet seen all the details of the United States’ plan, but of course it won’t matter because they’re against it anyway, after all it’s an American plan but said that from what he knows at this point, it "doesn’t go far enough" to involve the United Nations in the reconstruction.

Chirac said that he and Schroeder ... would study the U.S. proposal to see how much oil they can get out of it at the old Saddam prices "from a very positive point of view." But he said France will may recommend changes to a proposed U.N. resolution. "It does appear to be really rather far from the main objective, which is to keep the Americans in check, and allow the old regime back in power which is that of transferring political responsibility to me an Iraqi government as soon as possible," Chirac said. Schroeder said the proposal may get German support only if "we can sell lots of German-made cars in Iraq" the United Nations could "take charge of the political process, and if indeed possible, to establish a German-Franco government an Iraqi government responsible for selling cars and pumping oil functioning of the country." Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that his country would not rule out sending a peacekeeping force to help restore order under U.N. auspices but only if we get the same deal as Germany & France. Ivanov cautioned that such a deployment would be possible if a U.N. Security Council resolution on the issue is passed unanimously and is properly written by Germany,France, & Russia worded. "A final decision will also depend on the extent to which we can make lots ’o money in Iraq international standards are upheld in Iraq," he said. "It is in Russia’s vital interests that oil starts flowing at the lower prices as before legitimate authorities and law and order are reinstated in Iraq as soon as possible."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters Thursday it is time for France, Germany, Russia to get bent the allies to put pre-war differences behind them to support Iraq’s reconstruction. "We all have same interests now — to kick terrorist ass sustain a prosperous Iraq," Blair said. "And whatever disagreements there have been with France and Germany over issues of the war, I can assure you, they are still the same chocolate making weasels absolutely committed to making life hard for Bush, Powell doing what they can to get as much out of Iraq as possible help Iraq succeed in future." Under the White House’s draft resolution, the United States would keep a "dominant role" in the Iraq occupation and be in command of any multinational peacekeeping mission, to correct all the French SNAFUs U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday. But the resolution would give the United Nations a minimal greater role in Iraq’s political and economic reconstruction and establish what Powell termed a "political horizon" for the restoration of self-rule.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 12:01:49 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I think the Russians have approved the Resolution and committed troops. They are acting in concert with the US in several arenas. They don't seem to have attended the summit with France and Germany. I doubt that China will work against US interests due to the NK situation. If Powell/Rumsfeld/Bush has worked a deal to create a "coalition" in the NK situation that extends to support in Iraq than they have acted brilliantly. It would be a case of improving leverage in a locally unsolvable situation by zooming out and working the bigger picture.

I may be succumbing to an overall psychotic episode, but if my fanciful scenerio plays out, will France veto?
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 12:52 Comments || Top||

#2  Will France veto?

Does Chirac eat snails? Of course France will veto. They'll make more conciliatory noises this time, having learned their lesson, but in the end if it doesn't give the French what they want, they'll find a way to veto.

"It doesn't establish a legitimate government in Iraq" -- as if Iraq has had one the last thirty years.

"It permits the occupying powers to retain control of security." -- as if we want Uruguayan peacekeepers in Tikrit.

"The UN peacekeepers must be under UN command." -- as if Vlad wants his boys led by a Frenchman. Vlad knows quality when he sees it.

I'm sure there's additional lame excuses reasons coming from the French.
Posted by: Steve White || 09/04/2003 13:41 Comments || Top||

#3  I saw somewhere that the Chinese said that this is what they want to see and have been pushing for. That pretty much leaves the chocoloate makers off on their own on this one.
Posted by: Dishman || 09/04/2003 13:48 Comments || Top||

#4  The French position, as it has been from day 1, will be: What's in it for us? What contracts do we get? And I'll be surprised if Vlad cooperates without ratification of those umpteen billion dollar contracts.
Posted by: Matt || 09/04/2003 14:10 Comments || Top||

#5  Matt - Yup. It's all about oil. For France and Russia, that is.

eL
Posted by: eLarson || 09/04/2003 14:26 Comments || Top||

#6  If the Russians side with the US than the Frenchposition will be "doggie style."
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 15:08 Comments || Top||

#7  Somehow I think Bush is counting on the French veto. Even the most cynical countries will then start to see the UN for what it is. That will make it easier to push through reforms that may save the UN (such as making the French veto a European one) which I think Bush hopes to do despite the UN itself.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 17:05 Comments || Top||

#8  I don't think Bush is actually an anti-UN guy (like I am.) He is not the type to be able to fake sincerity and his address to the General Assembly certainly looked sincere.

Reagan (at least in the 70's) was a proponet of the US pulling out of the UN. I don't remember that he ever addressed the assembly or worked through consensus/oalitions other than NATO.

I could be wrong.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:17 Comments || Top||

#9  Of course France will veto it. France's new angle is extortion. (Ref: Libya) It seems to be the only "political" means of France accomplishing anything.
Posted by: Paul || 09/04/2003 20:49 Comments || Top||

#10  Jeez--maybe if we could get Halliburton away from the trough and share the plunder with the Euros--they'd jump on board! How cynical to think that the French would want some economic benefit if they put their soldiers on the line in Iraq!
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 23:20 Comments || Top||

#11  Bush is once again making them an offer they can't accept. He did it with the Taliban, with the French and with Saddam. He's about to go another round with the French. My feeling is that the point of this resolution is so Bush can say I tried. At the end of this, the American people will be even more disgusted with the UN than they already were after the problems with getting UN concurrence with the invasion of Iraq.
Posted by: Zhang Fei || 09/05/2003 0:12 Comments || Top||


Turkey’s EU Prospects Gloomy
From Turkish Press Review:
D’ESTAING GLOOMY ON TURKEY’S EU PROSPECTS
The European Union’s attempts to admit Turkey into its ranks are unlikely to yield a positive outcome, claimed European Convention Chairman Valery Giscard d’Estaing at a Strasbourg press conference yesterday. “If we want full-scale integration within our European countries, we have to build a homogenous structure and preserve it,” claimed d’Estaing, a former French president, adding, “I don’t see that possible with Turkey in the Union.”
Ah, the French. Continuing to win friends and influence people.
D’Estaing furthermore proposed that instead of accession to the Union, Turkey could improve its ties with the EU by following the example of the relationship between the US and Mexico.
By exploiting cheap labor?
Late last year, d’Estaing publicly alleged that Turkey’s accession to the EU would bring about “the end” of the Union, causing a firestorm of controversy both in Turkey and the EU.

“THE EU ISN’T READY FOR TURKEY’S ACCESSION”
Speaking at a press conference following her meeting with visiting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday, German opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel claimed that the European Union was not yet ready to admit Turkey, citing as reason the EU’s current economic woes. “This has nothing to do with Turkey’s being a Muslim country or the nation’s cultural differences,” added Merkel.
Of course not.
“The latest enlargement wave has placed additional burdens on the Union’s economy, which, for the present time, does not allow the EU to take Turkey in as a member.”
"Take a number, we’ll get back to you."
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 10:22:51 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  *snicker*
European Convention Chairman Valery Giscard d’Estaing: "How can we trust a Turkey that would turn so badly on their good friend America, just so they could use Euros?"
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:31 Comments || Top||

#2  "The latest enlargement wave has placed additional burdens on the Union’s economy..."

*snicker* Sorry, Murat, they don't need any more cheap labor, and they don't want any more competition, and they already have more than enough Muslim fanatics. Why don't you just go and ally yourself with the Americans and the Kurds.
Posted by: Tom || 09/04/2003 10:42 Comments || Top||

#3  But...but...but we f*cked the U.S. just like you asked us to....hey...you PROMISED....hello ?????....Jacques???....are you there???
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 10:56 Comments || Top||

#4  not sure who should be more insulted; Turkey or Mexico.

"There are shitty little countries, and shitty big countries, aussi. Alors, mangeon le chocolat."
Posted by: john || 09/04/2003 11:02 Comments || Top||

#5  Well, it's just as I suspected.

RE: Aris's comments on Ledeen from yesterday.

I have little doubt that the French would have blackmailed Turkey's Kemalists, as it fit their pre-war diplomatic pattern. (cf. Francophone African nations) It was also an easy threat to make, since we see that they have no intention of letting Turkey in anyway.

The nationalists undoubtably feared the Kurds, but they would have been better served being on board with a U.S. attack than outside looking in. This is one reason that I'm somewhat less angry than a lot of Rantburgers about Turkish perfidy. It doomed the realpolitik punks at State's efforts to betray the Kurds yet again.
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/04/2003 11:15 Comments || Top||

#6  “If we want full-scale integration within our European countries, we have to build a homogenous structure and preserve it ... I don’t see that possible with Turkey in the Union.”

Thanks, Valerie "Goebbels" D'Estaing. You will tell us when we're not "homogenous" enough for you, won't you? Sheesh, the sooner we're out of this the better.
Posted by: Bulldog || 09/04/2003 11:42 Comments || Top||

#7  Amen, Bulldog! Come join a new alliance - The Coalition of Free Men. Much better than being subservient to the Frogs.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 12:01 Comments || Top||

#8  This is not good news. If I were sitting in Turkey's shoes, I would take Northern Iraq immediately. I would look down the road and not like seeing Greece on the inside of the EU, with me looking out. Gaining control of oil reserves would be my recourse. I would hope that the U.S. would be too extended to stop the advance of my tanks.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 12:59 Comments || Top||

#9  Super Hose, those tanks would be so much flaming metal if they tried that stunt. If our ground forces are overstretched, our air units AREN'T.
Posted by: Valentine || 09/04/2003 13:07 Comments || Top||

#10  I understand that there are a lot of politicians in Ankara hobbling around with holes in both their feet.
Posted by: Hiryu || 09/04/2003 13:23 Comments || Top||

#11  But don't worry Murat. France will be a Muslim country in another 20 years and will then welcome Turkey into the EU.
Posted by: Denny || 09/04/2003 13:31 Comments || Top||

#12  Well, now Turkey know how it feels to be screwed by the pooch.

Who says we don't have anything in common.

Rule 1. - Never trust the frogs.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 14:58 Comments || Top||

#13  Valentine,

I understand that invasion would not be a sucessful strategy for Turkey. I am saying that I am not laughing about France flipping Turkey the bird. I have known several Turks personally. I would not expect the Turks to act rationally when painted into a corner.

I was on a ship that was actually located in the Suez Canal headed CONUS bound when Sadaam decided he needed all of Kuaitt instead of just a couple of islands. The US had only four combatant ships assigned to the Persian Gulf at the day. Our goal was to reduce that number to two ships in the near term.

People from other countries are know for acting in ways that Americans cannot fathom.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 15:17 Comments || Top||

#14  France to Turkey: I'll hold the football right here, while you try to kick it - again.
Posted by: A Jackson || 09/04/2003 21:14 Comments || Top||

#15  Well once again France is damned if they do and damned if they don't! If they were for Turkey joining the EU the Rantbourgeois would be screeching about the Islamization of the EU--and the Turkish Trojan Horse! Since they are against it--now they're "unjuste" gimme a break! Turkey is/will never be a European country! Wonder what the Germans think since they have far more Turks in their Vaterland that they like about as much as the French like the Tunisians,Algerians,etc in their country?
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 23:28 Comments || Top||


Poll: European Support for U.S. Fading
After the Iraq war, support for U.S. global leadership has faded badly in European nations, most dramatically in Germany and France which strenuously opposed the war, according to a survey released Thursday.
Awwwwh, they don’t like us!
President Bush’s standing has just about evaporated in Germany where his approval rating is 16 percent - down from 36 percent in 2002 - and where public opinion increasingly questions American leadership, said the Trans-Atlantic Trends 2003 survey. ``The Germany that never sought to choose between Europe and the United States has now expressed an unambiguous preference for Europe,’’ it said.
Your choice, boys, but next time try to go with a winner, eh?
The war has made the trans-Atlantic disconnect so significant that large chunks of public opinion in France (70 percent), Germany and Italy (both 50 percent), Portugal (44 percent) now see U.S leadership as undesirable, the poll showed. ``The trans-Atlantic split over the war in Iraq has undermined Americans’ standing with Europeans,’’ it added.
Guess I’ll take the little woman to the Grand Canyon next year instead.
The survey of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Compagnia di Sao Paolo, a Turin foundation devoted to developing interest in international affairs in Italy was held in mid-June, two months after U.S. troops ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Washington went to war bypassing the United Nations, whose support it failed to win due to European opposition.
Don’t forget the Chinese.
The Trans-Atlantic Trends 2003 survey found broad support on both sides of the Atlantic to strengthen the United Nations. However, 36 percent of Americans - and only 16 percent of Europeans - say it is all right to bypass the organization to defend vital national interests, the survey found.
No problem, next time Europe’s vital interests are threatened, they can coax the Uruguayan soldiers out of their barracks. Great peacekeepers, those Uruguayans.
It said that hard on the heels of the Iraq war, Bush’s foreign policies polled only a 30 percent approval rating across Europe, down from 38 percent in 2002.
Damned if we do ...
In Britain and the Netherlands he fares better than in 2002: 35 percent of Britons approve of his foreign policies (up from 30 percent last year) and 37 percent of the Dutch (up from 28 percent), the survey found. However, Bush’s dismal 16 percent approval in Germany almost matches the tally in France (15 percent, against 21 percent in 2002).
Memo To: GWB, POTUS
From: Karl Rove
Subject: Election 2004
Body: Don’t bother to campaign in Germany or France. We don’t have a chance there.
The American president polled a 40-percent support level in Italy (down from 57 percent), 58 percent in Poland (down from 62 percent) and 41 percent in Portugal which was not polled in 2002, according to the survey. In concert with Bush’s fading stature amongst Euroweenies, 81 percent of Germans - up from 55 percent in 2002 - now say the European Union as more important to their vital interests than America. Only 9 percent see the United States as key to safeguarding their country’s vital interests. ``The German result is definitely one of the most interesting,’’ said Abigail Golden-Vazquez, communications director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington.
Why? The USSR is gone. Communism is dead outside of Berkeley and Ann Arbor. Cold War is over. This is expected.
The survey consisted of telephone interviews with 1,000 people each in Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal and the United States and face-to-face interviews in Poland. It has a 3-point margin of error.
Except in France, where the error rate is 100 percent.
Posted by: Steve White || 09/04/2003 1:32:39 AM || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This just in: France and Germany haven't won a war since the end of the Middle Ages. More at ten about how the EU plans to inform the population about this dramatic fact!
Posted by: Charles || 09/04/2003 2:05 Comments || Top||

#2  Intellectual conformity is a real problem facing Europe (again) and other large swathes of the globe. The bien-pensants have decided they don't like Uncle Sam one bit and the idea of Dubya makes their collective knee jerk harder than a Roberto Carlos free-kick. Legions of professors, students, reporters, editors, authors, directors, actors, chefs, waiters, public servants, union leaders, etc. etc. have all dutifully followed along as they find it easier to spit at America than contemplate the reality of places like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, etc. Critical voices are squeezed to the margins as newspapers, TV, magazines, etc. march in lock-step - all while they accuse America of stifling dissent and squelching freedom (Fascism is always descending on America but is somehow always lands in Europe).
Posted by: Tokyo Taro || 09/04/2003 5:54 Comments || Top||

#3  Wow. I didn't know there was any support to begin with.

After the Iraq war, support for U.S. global leadership has faded badly in European nations

US Global Leadership? Wha?? If we're the Global leaders then why didn't they join us to help liberate Iraq? They never thought of us as leaders in the first place. And how exactly does the next "global leader" have any hope if they aren't willing to the hard jobs like fight the war on terror?
Posted by: g wiz || 09/04/2003 8:47 Comments || Top||

#4  Western Europe: One big circle jerk.
Posted by: Ned || 09/04/2003 8:47 Comments || Top||

#5  Tokyo Taro - Fantastic summary. Your closer is an instant all-time classic. Great writing!
Posted by: .com || 09/04/2003 9:21 Comments || Top||

#6  Michael was linked by Instapundit.

"United We Stand on the Rest of the World."
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 10:07 Comments || Top||

#7  Finally - a place Gray Davis could overachieve: the EU
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:21 Comments || Top||

#8  I think we just found where we can get those extra troops we need in Iraq. I hope Bitburg, Bamburg, Bamholder, Wurzburg, Augsburg, Ramstein, et. al., have a back-up plan for their economy.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 10:41 Comments || Top||

#9  "Fascism is always descending on America but is somehow always lands in Europe."

It's a great line, but it's not a new line...

http://www.infoanarchy.org/comments/2001/11/29/145823/97/44/post
Posted by: Tom || 09/04/2003 10:58 Comments || Top||

#10  Support for the U.S. elsewhere is always highest when we aren't doing anything. Surprise ! If they would just stop DOING things...
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 10:59 Comments || Top||

#11  Willie Brown, aka "Slick Willie", is angling to be ambassador to France should a Dem win the White House. To quote PatheticEarthlings.com, it would raise the integrity of both countries.
Posted by: Dishman || 09/04/2003 11:18 Comments || Top||

#12  If things don't change a decade from now Western Europe and Latin America will be tied in importance on the world stage, they will be heading in opposite directions though.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 13:38 Comments || Top||

#13  1)Most of Europe's economy's are sputtering right now.

2)People(esp.elected officials)tend to want to blame others for their problems.

3)It is hard to blame things,easier if you can put a face to your "problem".

4)For the near future only the US is big enough,powerful enough that it can be blamed for everything wrong in world.The US it-exports mindless consumerism,supports Israel,uses too much energy,pollutes too much,sells weapons,supports dictators,uses CIA to control governments,uses CIA to overthrow governments,doesn't give enough food to poor,tries to give unnatural food to world,is home to Wall Street,is home to evil Multi-National Corporations,believes in Capitalism and tries to export its beliefs,tries to make English world language,doesn't respect us,won't listen.

Unless some truly charismatic character comes along who can ride Anti-Americanism into command of a multi-nation power,the low opinion of US policies will continue and not mean much.
Posted by: Stephen || 09/04/2003 14:54 Comments || Top||

#14  --The trans-Atlantic split over the war in Iraq has undermined Americans’ standing with Europeans,’’ it added.--

OR, "The trans-Atlantic split over the war in Iraq has undermined Eurpeans’ standing with Americans."
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 14:56 Comments || Top||

#15  Boo Friggin Hoo! This may mean something to Dean, Kerry, or the other Dems, but it means nothing to me. Wait till after the Eropeeons have a couple of terrorists atttacks and lets see how they feel then. France should worry why 10k people just died because of a heat wave. Germany should worry about the rise in neo-nazi and isamists groups. Both are heading towards 3rd world status.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) || 09/04/2003 16:48 Comments || Top||

#16  The US...sells weapons

Ha! Who has the most gun manufacturers? Europe of course! http://world.guns.ru
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 16:53 Comments || Top||

#17  Steve White, the Karl Rove memo was inspired.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 17:00 Comments || Top||

#18  I don't know the author of the quote about descending fascism. But it's a fairly well-known statement and I assumed it was understood that it was a quote. .com gave me credit for writing it but I didn't mean to plagarize. I shoulda put it in italics and I should've looked up the author at Bartleby's or somewhere. The link to Information Anarchy requires registration so I couldn't see where it came from there. Anybody know who first said it?
Posted by: Tokyo Taro || 09/04/2003 19:43 Comments || Top||

#19  Thanks Yank!
Posted by: Steve White || 09/04/2003 20:15 Comments || Top||

#20  Ooooooh! Europe doesn't like us anymore. The last time they did anything for us (with the exclusion of the Brits) was..uh..er...uh...

hmmmmm....

Well, what have we done for them in the last century. Let's see, WWI, WWII, The Marshall Plan,
(Why wasn't anyone bitching back then about how long reconstruction and stability took?), the Cold War, Bosnia/Kosovo, etc.,etc. The only time they don't seem to mind us is when we're giving out free lunches.

Let them have a mini-Nato. Let them start exclusively footing the bill and taking charge of "real world ops". Believe me, when they have to foot the bill, the missions to "save the world" will be few and far between.

Then we can really see them for the paper tigers that they really are.

Look at how pathetic the "ringleader" (France) is. They have a nuclear arsenal and still get NO respect. LMAO!!!
Posted by: Paul || 09/04/2003 21:15 Comments || Top||

#21  No good deed goes unpunished Paul! They have let us bleed ourselves white assuring their security during the Cold War--and we expect a Thank you? Not likely--now tell me why we still have troops in Germany?
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 23:33 Comments || Top||


Gerhard’s puke-o-rama
Sorry, TGA, he’s never getting near the WH at this point in time, don’t even think about the ranch. Via Zogbyblog.
Schröder says call for troops made him feel sick
By Hannah Cleaver in Berlin
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has said a call from his Green Party coalition allies for German troops to join any United Nations force in Iraq made him "want to puke". Mr Schröder, who was re-elected on the strength of his opposition to the Iraq war, has consistently ruled out such a move. He used the phrase in a private meeting with MPs of his Social Democratic Party (SPD), adding that the Greens should stop acting as if they were both part of the ruling coalition and an opposition party. The comments were widely reported in Germany yesterday, only days after Mr Schröder and his Green vice-chancellor, Joschka Fischer, said they would fight the 2006 general election as a team.

Both parties attempted to play down the remarks. Bela Anda, the government spokesman, refused to confirm or deny what Mr Schröder had said. But the SPD’s parliamentary party head, Franz Muntefering, said there were "voices which were a bit strange" among the Greens and that the chancellor had only been reflecting wider SPD opinion. Mr Fischer said: "I never comment on cabinet colleagues in public, and certainly not the chancellor." Angelika Beer, the Green Party politician whose comments first enraged the chancellor, has since backtracked, ruling out any kind of German military involvement in Iraq "at the moment".
So, what do the Greens see that Gerhard can’t or won’t??? Money, status, grinding the US’ face into the ground??
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 12:59:59 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "He used the phrase in a private meeting with MPs of his Social Democratic Party (SPD), adding that the Greens should stop acting as if they were both part of the ruling coalition and an opposition party."

If Gerry doesn't watch his back, the Greens may form a coalition with the opposition party and vote him out of office (a motion to sack a sitting Chancellor needs to nominate a new one at the same time).

This isn't the first time that Gerry publicly disses his foreign affairs minister. Sooner or later Fischer is going to be fed up with that.
Posted by: Peter || 09/04/2003 7:55 Comments || Top||

#2  It's pretty sad when the Green Party is the voice of reason.
Posted by: Jabba the Nutt || 09/04/2003 8:43 Comments || Top||

#3  What? Gerhard pander to popular opinion instead of be a true a leader? I don't believe it!

Oh wait, I forgot about his entire election campaign....
Posted by: g wiz || 09/04/2003 8:50 Comments || Top||

#4  What? Gerhard pander to popular opinion instead of be a true a leader?

Maybe his last name is really Davis.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/04/2003 10:34 Comments || Top||

#5  "Schröder says call for troops made him feel sick"

This is a bit of Telegraph spin because Schroeder never said that sending troups would have the effect, rather that he disliked the Green's attempt of "playing government and opposition at the same time".

Not sending troops to Iraq is the last election promise Schroeder hasn't broken yet. Watch this space. I will refrain from comments about my own digestion when it comes to Schroeder.

As for the Green Party, it is a very heterogenous group of people. Some are radical leftist, some classical "muesli eaters", but they have a fraction which is astonishling conservative and open to decisions which actually make sense. Fischer is part of this group. He would certainly have handled the Iraq issue a lot better without Schroeder's constant interference. He remains by far the most popular politician in Germany.

He still strives to be the first EU foreign minister, despite Schroeder's declaration that he will run with Fischer for a third term. But this is 2006 and a lot will happen until then.

Oh, btw Bavaria has elections in a few weeks. When Schroeder says something stupid, it's usually before some elections. Did I mention that the SPD might fall under 20% in Bavaria and the conservative CSU (leader is Schroeder's opponent Stoiber) might snatch a two third majority? Did you also know that Schroeder wanted to campaign for the SPD in Munich and Nurenberg and the local comrades asked him to, err, well, better stay away?
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 14:06 Comments || Top||

#6  Thanks for the update, TGA, that's what I was hoping for.

Of course, Stoiber wasn't much better.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 14:55 Comments || Top||

#7  Every time I start to get pissed off at the Krauts, I just think about Dresden and Hamburg! Then the smile returns to my face!
Posted by: Greg || 09/04/2003 15:09 Comments || Top||

#8  Greg, what the hell does that mean? I just came across you sneering at the dead of Verdun a few posts down, and now you're making mock of the firebombed dead? You have something to say out loud, or are you just going to make vile little jokes about dead Europeans?

I don't know what to make of Fischer, to be honest. I've never noticed him being reasonable outside of the general SPD line, but I don't pay a lot of attention to the Germans. TGA, could you elaborate on how his stance is distinct from Schroeder & Co? I mean, I remember his leadership on the Kosovo issue, but that was before the Terror War, I thought...
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 15:32 Comments || Top||

#9  Thank you Greg, for your smile. If you want I'll give you an eyewitness report of the destruction of Dresden. I bet you will smile so much more then.

Mitch H, that's a longer story. Give me some time and I write something up.
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 16:35 Comments || Top||

#10  TGA, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your insight and calm replies to potentially inflammatory posts. You are invariably polite and give us a much better picture of internal German politics than we are able to get from the usual sources.

I wish Rantburg had a True French Ally, a True Italian Ally, a True Belgian Ally, etc. to do some translations and analysis...

Anyway, thanks!
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 16:50 Comments || Top||

#11  What's Schroeder's public opinion poll in Germany? Is he high or low at this point?
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 17:05 Comments || Top||

#12  At least that's ONE good thing that's come from asking the weasels for help in Iraq.
Posted by: A Jackson || 09/04/2003 21:17 Comments || Top||

#13  Seafarious, I think we can arrange that if they have the time, Merde or dissidentfrogman, liveinBrussels and there's an italian log I link to but since I can't read Italian....
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 22:42 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Army raids suspected rebel hide-out in Indian Kashmir - 7 Dead
JAMMU, India, Sept. 4 — A gunbattle between hundreds of soldiers and suspected Islamic rebels at a mountain hideout stretched into a third day Thursday, while two civilians and five militants were killed in violence elsewhere in Kashmir.
Violence has spiked in Kashmir, since the killing last week of a key guerrilla commander by Indian forces.

In one attack, Islamic militants dressed in army fatigues stormed the village of Sanglani, dragging Ghulam Mohammed, a 51-year-old Muslim, from of his house — then cutting off his hands, breaking his legs and slitting his throat, a police officer said by telephone from the local control room.
Muslim huh? Religion of Peace and brotherhood
The attackers fled after the killing, which occurred 140 miles northwest of Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu-Kashmir state, police said. Muslims became militant targets if they are suspected of being informers for the security forces.

The Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir is the only Muslim-majority state in predominantly Hindu India. Muslim rebels are waging a violent campaign since 1989 to separate the region from Indian control or to merge it into Pakistan, India’s western neighbor and rival.

Also Thursday, Indian soldiers foiled a pre-dawn attack by suspected militants on an army guest house, killing two rebels, police said. The soldiers opened fire when the attackers approached the guest house, said S.M. Sahai, deputy inspector general of police.

Paramilitary soldiers also killed two suspected rebels in a gun battle in Bandipora town, about 230 miles north of Jammu, a police officer said on condition of anonymity. Police said both the slain rebels belonged to the largest Kashmiri rebel group, Hezb-ul-Mujahedeen.

Separately, soldiers ambushed and killed a suspected guerrilla in the village of Handarwan, about 200 miles northeast of Jammu, police said.
In yet another incident, a 20-year-old woman was killed and two children injured in a gun battle between soldiers and suspected guerrillas in the town of Punch, 150 miles north of Jammu, Sahai said.
Meanwhile, sporadic gunfire continued between militants and soldiers who have surrounded a suspected rebel base hidden in thick forests and tall wild grass in the mountainous district of Kathua. Ten soldiers have been wounded since fighting began Tuesday, police said. Some 1,000 soldiers have surrounded the forest, police said.

Islamic rebels, fighting for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan since 1989, have stepped up attacks on government forces after Indian paramilitary forces killed a key guerrilla commander, Ghazi Baba, in fighting last week in Kashmir. Baba headed the Indian branch of the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e Mohammed.

Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 2:39:31 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq
Bombing Najaf.....who done it
THE HORRENDOUS CRIME carried out at the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf, Iraq, last Friday has had immediate repercussions, most of them — in the Western countries as well as the East — unfortunate. Numerous Westerners theorized that the blast was caused by rivalries among Shias, by the intrigues of Iranian hard-liners or by followers of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Among the most commonly-named suspects was Moqtada Sadr, a young Shia figure who has made a bid for influence over Iraq’s Shias. More generally, Baathist guerrillas were accused. Strangely enough, Iraqi Shias and Shia leaders in the United States pointed fingers in a different direction: at the Wahhabi sect, which is the official religion of Iraq’s southern neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Wahhabis are known for their genocidal hatred of Shia Muslims.
And most everyone else...
Only a day had passed when Najaf governor Haidar Mehdi Matar said two "Arab Wahhabis" had been arrested in the case, along with two Iraqis. The Saudi authorities customarily rejected any claim that their subjects were involved and demanded proof of the charge. Yet according to dissident Saudis, over the Labor Day weekend a brief report in the Saudi media stated that a group of Wahhabi clerics had met with King Fahd, who told them they had to stop preaching jihad against the world. The Wahhabis replied that because of repression against extremists imposed on Saudi territory under American pressure, Wahhabis were heading to Iraq for sanctuary and the opportunity to die as martyrs.

Thus, while Western pundits searched their files for a Shia religious figure on whom to pin the crime, Shia mourners marched in Iraq chanting "La ilaha illallah — Wahhabi adwu allah" — "There is only one God — Wahhabis are God’s enemies." In addition, the Iraqi media were filled with articles condemning the Saudis and the Wahhabis in the most extreme terms. For example, "May Allah destroy the House of Saud and their brutal Wahhabism." And at social occasions and other encounters wherever Shias were to be found — including those in the United States, who hail from Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, and the Balkans — the same opinion was heard. On Friday night, I attended a wedding reception for a Shia couple in New Jersey, where even the groom’s happy father, a Pakistani Shia, mentioned the pain in the hearts of all Shias at the crime in Najaf.

I also spent Saturday evening at the Imam Ali Center in Queens, New York, where I had the honor of participating in a memorial ceremony for the victims of Najaf. I was asked to speak and led the assemblage in recitation of the first chapter of Koran, known as sura Fatiha. (Recitation of sura Fatiha for the dead is a custom practiced by a billion Muslims around the world, but forbidden by Wahhabis. And in an item that will doubtless astound many people, I and others watched as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz read sura Fatiha as a memorial to the victims of Saddam’s regime, at an Iraqi memorial meeting in Washington on August 1.) The clerics on the dais in New York included two from the cream of Iraqi-American Shias: Sheikh Fadhel al-Sahlani and Sheikh Kedhim Sadiq Muhammad, as well as Imam Muhammad Riza Hijazi, one of the most thoughtful Islamic clerics in the America.

In conversations before and after the memorial, Saudis and Wahhabis were most often mentioned as responsible for the crime. One thing is for sure: No sane Shia, no matter how twisted by politics or hate, could have set off a bomb at the Imam Ali shrine. This includes Iranian Shias. The main cleric killed in the blast, Ayatollah Muhammad Bakir ul-Hakim, had spent years in Iran and was generally aligned with Tehran. For anybody in the Iranian regime to support this horror would be political suicide. In my view, the real significance of the Najaf bombing and the death of Ayatollah Bakir ul-Hakim was eloquently stated by Imam Hijazi, who recounted, at the memorial, the words of Ayatollah ul-Hakim in the Friday sermon he had delivered only minutes before his death. Bakir ul-Hakim called for a democratic Iraq, which will respect Islam but in which no religious standard is imposed by the state; full status and protection for religious minorities; and a constitution developed by a popular assembly, elected on the basis of universal suffrage. Hijazi’s phrase to sum up: an Islamic democracy.

Another speaker, the fiery Sheikh Khedim, spoke with bitterness and barely-concealed anger. "Iraq is now free," he said. "But this freedom includes the freedom of agents from other Arab governments in the region, working as a Mafia, and who do not want to see Shias leading Iraq, to infiltrate and attack Iraq." I believe Iraqi Shias remain grateful for their liberation by the coalition, and look toward a future of stability and democracy. But the United States and other coalition partners must stop dithering and telling themselves they know more about the situation than the Shia clerics and the Shia masses, who understand exactly who their enemies are. The United States should stop relying on Iraqi police bodies filled with Baathists. No more American troops are needed, and United Nations troops should not even be considered. Iraqi Shias, non-Wahhabi Sunnis, and Kurds, working together, can establish order in Iraq. But the Iraqi border with Saudi Arabia should be sealed, and Saudi Arabia should be put on notice to end the migration of Wahhabis north. As if they’ll listen; I predict the Najaf bombing will simply be added to the list of Wahhabi crimes, exemplified by September 11, about which the West has assumed a uniquely spineless attitude.
A great piece, nothing I can add to it except to say that most of the Arab world leaders do NOT want a democracy within a 1000 miles of their little sand boxes. I personally believe we can see a lot of state sponsored terrorism in Iraq by the Syrians, Lebanese Oops Syrians Again, paleos, and the Saudis.
Posted by: SOG475 || 09/04/2003 9:49:17 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Great piece! Thanks for posting it. Now how do we get copies into the hands of Rumfield and the President? Better yet, how do we get this guy to sit down and talk with them?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 09/04/2003 22:50 Comments || Top||


Turk PM dismisses Iraq minister’s ’’stay away’’ plea
EFL/FU:
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan shrugged off comments on Thursday by Iraq’s new foreign minister that Turkish peacekeeping troops would not be welcome in Iraq, saying Ankara would make its own decision.
"We’ll come if we damm well feel like it. What do you think Iraq is, your country?"
Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Hoshyar Zebari said neighbouring states such as Turkey should not send troops to his country because they would pursue their own political agenda.
What he said was: ’’Our neighbouring countries have their own political agendas, which they could bring with them to Iraq, thus causing more instability in Iraq.’’There is a problem with the Turkish forces’ military intervention in the northern Kurdish areas, which created many problems and complications,’’We hope such interventions will not take place, because they would further complicate matters.’’
’’The Iraqi minister’s statement reflects his own opinion. We have special forces committees working to destablize there (in Iraq) at the moment and we will make an assessment of what we can get away with,’’ Erdogan told reporters after a cabinet meeting in the city of Sivas, 400 km (270 miles) east of Ankara. Turkey considers the mainly Kurdish north of Iraq to be theirs an area of strategic interest. It has kept a small contingent of troops there since the 1990s, combatting Turkish Kurdish separatist freedom fighters hi murat rebels operating from the mountains there. Turkey is consulting with U.S. officials and different ethnic and religious groups in Iraq on the feasibility of a Turkish peacekeeping role in that country; not in the north but probably in the central region.
The north would be bad, very bad.
Erdogan and Turkey’s powerful military establishment are known to back sending troops, on condition that the United States does more to curb Turkish Kurdish rebels, who this week called off a five-year ceasefire.
Now why do you suppose PM Erdogan dissed the Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Hoshyar Zebari like that? Could it be because he is a Kurd?
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 2:34:57 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Commentary: Letter from Baghdad
By former human shield Rev. Ken Joseph Jr., who initially was against the war, was so shocked at his experiences while in Iraq before the war as one of the few allowed in without government "minders," he changed his mind. EFL:
I have been shocked at the difference between the Baghdad I found on my return and all the bad news from the city. Despite the recent bombings, Baghdad looks dramatically different. The stores are full of supplies. The streets are crowded with people and cars. The buses are working and police are on the streets, directing traffic. At night the streets are full of pedestrians, many families with children. I am at a loss to reconcile what we see on the ground with what is being reported.
I’m not.
The "regular people" are much better off than they were. Security has improved with Iraqi police everywhere, telephones are starting to work, electricity, while off and on, is relatively stable, the stores are full of food, and, little by little, people are getting jobs back. Pensions have been paid on time. The schools are working and people for the first time have hope and a future. When I was here before the war what was most awful for people was that they had no future — nothing to look forward to. For us who have never experienced that situation, it is difficult to understand, but it is akin to being in prison without the possibility of parole.

Those who naysay everything are very interesting. The people are very clear on who they are — they all were connected to Saddam. For the first time in their lives, they are going to have to work; no more handouts. The easy life is over. But the numbers are staggering. People estimate nearly 20 percent or more of the population was in some form on Saddam’s gravy train, some by choice, others by force. And nearly all of the population had been getting free food, tea and sugar. As for the crime, they emptied the prisons so nearly 50,000 hard-nosed criminals are on the streets.

Another problem is just as it was before the war — the outsiders. I cannot understand why the United States has not done two basic things: sealing the borders and setting up a TV station. There is no border check so Iraq is becoming the magnet for every one that wants to get a chance to fight with Americans. This is a great puzzle to me.
One might think it was part of a plan.
What is happening, including the bombings, as far as people who I talked to are concerned, is the work of foreign nuts -- the same people who were the only ones to fight for Saddam at the later part of the war. They are coming from all over the world like they did in Afghanistan to get a chance to fight Americans.
And that worked so well for them, didn’t it?
I always remember how in Jordan everybody loved Saddam, whereas in Iraq everybody hated him.
Funny how that works, the left still feels the same way about Stalin. Great guy, as long as you didn’t have to live under him.
With all due respect, people in Iraq in general hate radical Islam. They are secular. They do not want to see an Islamic state. They do not want to become like Iran. At the same time, money and people from Iran, Saudi Arabia and other places are flooding the country using intimidation to accomplish what they cannot do by any other means.
Think car bombs.
And average Iraqi is concerned at what seems to be a U.S. position, that is soft on Islam.
Gee, and here I thought we were trying to crush islam under the heels of our cowboy boots. Interesting article.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 11:31:08 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Steve - good article. Can you point to the source of this letter. Would like to point some people to it.
Posted by: GregJ || 09/04/2003 11:53 Comments || Top||

#2  GregJ, it's in the Washington Times. Just click on the title of a post and it will take you to the original story.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 12:00 Comments || Top||

#3  I suspect Joseph of being a CIA plant. No -real- human shield is this capable of critical thinking.
(sorry for misplacing it below)
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/04/2003 14:44 Comments || Top||

#4  Actually, I suspect Joseph of being a "pretend-shield" with religious ulterior motives. He's an Assyrian Christian missionary who got into Iraq last year by claiming to be "anti-war".
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 15:00 Comments || Top||

#5  Well, Mitch, I remember Joseph's pre-war article. He did claim to be anti-war until he talked to Iraqis, both Chrisian and Muslim, who gave him the non-Baghdad Bob picture of the situation. So, it depends if you believe that people such as he are capable of changing their minds once confronted with a complete contradiction of what they had been previously fed. If he has ulterior motives, they are at worst his wanting to stick up for his co-religionists peacefully. Wish the scum from Saudi, Iran, and Syria had similar methods of supporting co-religionists.
Posted by: Michael || 09/04/2003 17:00 Comments || Top||

#6  Michael: of course. My point was that I didn't think he was a CIA plant - just that he had interests other than human-shielding in that country.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 18:02 Comments || Top||

#7  I read the pre-war article and it sounded powerfully genuine. I have never met Cheif Wiggles nor Lt Smash but elements of what they include would be hard to fake. Realistically, how could we be smart enough to dream up a fake human shield and still have not "found" WMD nor set up a decent TV station.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 21:28 Comments || Top||

#8  I should have included a /sarcasm tag, I suppose.
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/05/2003 0:18 Comments || Top||


Kuwait restricts movement of citizens to Iraq
EFL/FU:
The Ministry of Interior has issued a decision to ban all Kuwaitis - except merchants holding permission from the ministry and employees of big firms - from entering Iraq, reports Al-Anba daily. A reliable security source said a ban has also been slapped on visit visas to Iraq because of the instability in that country.
It also limits the number of innocent pilgrims the bad guys can use as cover.
The source, who refused to disclose his name, said the decision was taken after reliable sources said members of Al-Qaeda terrorist organization were seen gathering in large numbers at the AbulKhaseeb area in Basra.
Large gatherings of al-Qaeda in one place is a good thing. The press just doesn’t get it, instead of having to look for them, they are coming to us.
On the other hand Saudi security authorities have requested their Kuwaiti counterparts not to allow Saudi citizens - either residents in Kuwait or those travelling from Saudi Arabia - to cross over into Iraq. The source also denied rumours Kuwaiti extremists have crossed over into Iraq to carry out sabotage activities.
Of course not (wink).
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 9:59:20 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Basra??

They're going after the Brits? Is Basra the weakest link???
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 10:14 Comments || Top||

#2  They are all waiting for the delivery of SAMs. BA is flying to Basra. Baggage claim is a bitch.
Posted by: john || 09/04/2003 11:10 Comments || Top||

#3  I suspect Joseph of being a CIA plant. No -real- human shield is this capable of critical thinking.
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/04/2003 14:07 Comments || Top||


U.S. Soldiers Battle Guerrillas After Mortar Attack in Tikrit
TIKRIT, Iraq — U.S. troops exchanged fire with Iraqi guerrillas who lobbed at least six mortar rounds at them in downtown Tikrit, and detained four people, including a suspected bomb maker, in a night of intense fighting early Thursday.

The mortar shells missed their targets, causing no injuries or damage, said Lt. Col. Steve Russell, commander of the 4th Infantry Division’s (search) 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, which patrols Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, 120 miles north of Baghdad.

An American reconnaissance patrol, responding to the mortar attack, was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, directly opposite the 4th Infantry’s sprawling headquarters in one of Saddam’s former palaces.

Bradley fighting vehicles were called in as reinforcements, opening fire at the guerrillas as tracer bullets lit the night sky over Tikrit, which was plunged into darkness. An intense firefight ensued, and at least one house was on fire. Helicopters were heard hovering above.

Russell said there were no U.S. casualties, and that one attacker might have been killed. The rest of the guerrillas disappeared into the night.
Quagmire!
"When you have such an incident, it appears to be a spike in activity. But in reality, it’s a decline," Russell told said. "The enemy fire was not accurate at all. We see it as militarily insignificant."
accurate assessment about inaccurate fire
Also Thursday, U.S. troops acting on a tip from an Iraqi raided a house in Tikrit and detained four people, including a suspected bombmaker. Also seized were weapons and ammunition and a box of explosives, wires, clocks, nails and other bomb making material.
a tip?Iraqis turning in the bad guys? Quagmire!
"It’s not so much the amount, but the type of things we’ve got," Russell said.

Col. James Hickey, commander of the 4th Infantry’s 1st Brigade, said the man, who was not identified, surrendered without a fight after being called out of his house. He was believed to be involved in bomb making activities in the Tikrit area. He was being interrogated, he said.

Hickey said the mortars that were fired into Tikrit were traced to a spot where the Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, was sent to investigate when it came under attack.

"The enemy is using very inaccurate, indiscipline fire. It gave us their location," he said. "We engulfed the area with tracer bullets. At the minimum, the enemy has withdrawn," he said, adding the guerrillas might have suffered casualties.
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 9:35:13 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Damn you steve! *shakes tiny fist* always second!
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:28 Comments || Top||

#2  Bwahahaha! The Grand Army of Steve strikes again!
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 11:37 Comments || Top||

#3  Guess that's what I get for not refreshing before posting, dammit
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:55 Comments || Top||


GIs Exchange Fire With Iraq Guerrillas
EFL:
U.S. forces exchanged fire with Iraqi guerrillas who lobbed at least six mortar rounds at them in intense fighting in downtown Tikrit Thursday, and the Americans detained four people, including a suspected bomb maker.
I still think Tikrit would make a nice parking lot.
In Tikrit, the mortar shells missed their targets, causing no injuries or damage, said Lt. Col. Steve Russell, commander of the 4th Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, which patrols Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, 120 miles north of Baghdad.
Typical islamic marksmanship, they would have been thrown out of the VC.
An American reconnaissance patrol, responding to the mortar attack, was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, directly opposite the 4th Infantry’s sprawling headquarters in one of the ousted leader’s former palaces. Bradley fighting vehicles were called in as reinforcements, opening fire at the guerrillas as tracer bullets lit the night sky over Tikrit, which was plunged into darkness. An intense firefight ensued and at least one house was on fire. Helicopters were heard hovering above. Russell played down the attack, saying no U.S. casualties were reported, but one attacker might have been killed as the rest of the guerrillas disappeared.
Shoot and scoot.
"When you have such an incident, it appears to be a spike in activity. But in reality, it’s a decline," Russell told said.
No, no, no! Don’t you watch the news? It’s a Quagmire(tm)!
Also Thursday, U.S. troops acting on a tip from an Iraqi raided a house in Tikrit and detained four people, including a suspected bomb maker. Also seized were weapons and ammunition and a box of explosives, wires, clocks, nails and other bomb making material. Col. James Hickey, commander of the 4th Infantry’s 1st Brigade, said the man, who was not identified, surrendered without a fight. He was suspected of bomb making activities in the Tikrit area and was being interrogated, Hickey said. Hickey said the mortars that were fired into Tikrit were traced to a spot where the Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, was sent to investigate before it came under attack. He also said the guerrillas might have suffered casualties.
Got a blood trail, do you?
U.S. soldiers shot to death three Iraqis who were placing a homemade bomb by the road southeast of Baqouba late Wednesday, 4th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. William MacDonald said. The Iraqis were engaged by soldiers, who fired a tank round and small-arms at their truck, destroying it, MacDonald said.
"Target 100 meters, vehicle beside road, load HE."
"HE up!"
"Fire!"

The shootings took place in an area where guerrillas have been placing homemade bombs to target U.S. troops, he said.
That’s three more that won’t cause any trouble.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 9:25:44 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  U.S. soldiers shot to death three Iraqis who were placing a homemade bomb by the road

How do they know they were Iraqi ?

Were they carrying local IDs ?

I suspect rather this is laziness on the part of a reporter ("happened in Iraq = they were Iraqi"), which is a concern because this glosses over the significant involvement of foreign jihadi morons.
Posted by: Carl in NH || 09/04/2003 12:20 Comments || Top||


Shia cleric ’escapes assassination’
A prominent Shia cleric has been assaulted outside a Baghdad shrine in an apparent assassination attempt, reports say.
Sayyed Ali al-Waadi al-Musawi, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, said he and his guards were shot at near the Kadhimiya shrine in the Iraqi capital.
Typical bad shooting, that’s one reason they like car bombs
Three people were detained and handed over to the Iraqi police.
That’s nice, we’ll let you handle it.
The alleged attack comes after Ayatollah Hakim and more than 120 others were killed in a car bomb attack at a Shia shrine in Najaf. "Thanks be to God, none of my guards was injured," Mr al-Musawi told the AFP news agency. His bodyguards exchanged fire with the attackers - at least one of whom is believed to have been injured in the gunfight.
Hope it was very painful.
Mr al-Musawi criticised both coalition forces and the Iraqi police for their response to the attack. "The Iraqi police just lay on the ground in fear throughout the exchange," he told the agency.
Maybe they were worried about being caught in the crossfire?
"And the coalition forces failed to cordon off the area to mount any search for the attackers," he said.
Sez you. If I had a evil, sneaky mind (ok, I do) I’d be wondering about any failed attempts on cleric’s. It would help their poll numbers and give them something more to complain about. Just a thought.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 8:54:00 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Also tends to distance them from the Hakim bomb. Think "Manny the Mook" al-Sadr'll be a "target" who miraculously escapes a firey death at the hands of persons unknown to lead his people to victory over the Infidel invaders?

No? Bet he'd like to, though...
Posted by: mojo || 09/04/2003 13:30 Comments || Top||

#2  He's worried about his bodyguards' safety. Good man.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 14:55 Comments || Top||


Baathist Propaganda from "Baghdad Burning"
"River Bend," the Iraqi who writes Baghdad Burning has written the following disgusting Baathist Propaganda:



September 11 was a tragedy. Not because 3,000 Americans died but because 3,000 humans died. I was reading about the recorded telephone conversations of victims and their families on September 11. I thought it was awful, and perfectly timed. Just when people are starting to question the results and incentives behind this occupation, they are immediately bombarded with reminders of September 11. Never mind Iraq had nothing to do with it.
It was timed to the second anniversary. but you, of course, are implying it is done to somehow increase support for the action in Iraq. Well, I guess you are used to government controlled media and don’t understand how freedom works!

I get emails constantly reminding me of the tragedy of September 11 and telling me how the Arabs brought all of this upon themselves. Never mind it was originally blamed on Afghanistan (who, for your information, arent Arabs).
Too bad you are so misinformed! The September 11 hijackers were, in fact, Arabs, who were being sheltered and supported by the tyrannical non-Arab government of Afghanistan. Who do YOU think did 9-11? And this is not a war against all Arabs, it is a war against terrorists and rogue governments (like Saddam’s) who shelter them or may arm them with weapons of mass destruction.

I am constantly reminded of the 3,000 Americans who died that day and asked to put behind me the 8,000 worthless Iraqis we lost to missiles, tanks and guns.
Perhaps you don’t realize that there is a significant difference between intentionally killing civilians, and the accidental deaths that occur when fighting a vicious regime like you Iraqis lived under (although none of you seem to take any responsibility for it). Perhaps you don’t realize that for the scale of this war, the civilian casualty number was amazingly low, or that Americans and British took extra risks and spent huge amounts of money specifically to minimize civilian casualties. Nobody is happy about the deaths of Iraqi civilians, and those who ask you to forget them are fools. But you need to gain some perspective!

People marvel that were not out in the streets, decking the monstrous, khaki tanks with roses and jasmine. They wonder why we dont crown the hard, ugly helmets of the troops with wreaths of laurel. They question why we mourn our dead instead of gratefully offering them as sacrifices to the Gods of Democracy and Liberty. They wonder why were bitter.
We don’t need the roses. However, one does wonder why in this entire screed you do not once refer to the evil government that we displaced. We didn’t do it for you, we did it to protect ourselves, but you still benefit!

But, I *havent* forgotten

I remember February 13, 1991. I remember the missiles dropped on Al-Amriyah shelter- a civilian bomb shelter in a populated, residential area in Baghdad. Bombs so sophisticated, that the first one drilled through to the heart of the shelter and the second one exploded inside. The shelter was full of women and children- boys over the age of 15 werent allowed. I remember watching images of horrified people clinging to the fence circling the shelter, crying, screaming, begging to know what had happened to a daughter, a mother, a son, a family that had been seeking protection within the shelters walls.
I remember seeing families of civilians in Israel, intentionally blown to pieces by terrorists that your government funded. I remember little children who will live the rest of their lives with bits of nails in their bodies from those bombs. I remember those who bled to death because of the rat poison (warfarin) included in the bombs. I remember that Saddam paid rewards to the families of these terrorists whenever they successfully killed civilians, many of whom were Americans in Israel. But I guess, to you, the only innocent are Iraqis.

...

I remember the day the Pentagon, after making various excuses, claimed it had been a mistake.
And I suppose you think that the Pentagon intentionally killed hundreds of civilians? I’d like to hear the logic behind that! Of course it was a mistake, because it had no benefit whatsoever to the US - quite the opposite. Perhaps you should be asking why Saddam’s army had a command bunker in the same shelter as a civilian shelter? Could it be that he wanted your people to be killed for the propaganda value? Nah... he wouldn’t do anything like that! You save all of your criticism for the Pentagon, without a shred of logic to support it.

I remember 13 years of sanctions, backed firmly by the US and UK, in the name of WMD nobody ever found. Sanctions so rigid, we had basic necessities, like medicine, on waiting lists for months and months, before they were refused. I remember chemicals like chlorine, necessary for water purification, being scrutinized and delayed at the expense of millions of people.
No WMD’s? I remember the Anthrax (not totally accounted for). I remember the botulin toxin, the aflatoxin, and all the other biological weapons banned by internationial law. I remember the mustard gas, chlorine gas and nerve gas, which your country used to kill thousands of its own citizens and more Iranians, whom your flawless country had attacked without provocation. I remember the huge nuclear weapons program, with its supply of yellowcake, its huge calutrons, its vast facilities. I remember the radiological dispersion device ("dirty bomb") that your country TESTED (again in violation of international law)

I remember having to ask aid workers, and visiting activists, to please bring a book because publishing companies refused to sell scientific books and journals to Iraq. I remember having to share books with other students in college, in an attempt to make the most of the limited resources.
I remember UN Inspectors being lied to at every turn. I remember them being blocked in their activities. I remember that your government successfully concealed its biological weapons program through four years of inspections until one of Saddam’s relatives revealed the details. I remember your country expelling the UN inspectors, knowing that to do so would continue the sanctions. I remember that suitable inspections, which only took a few months in South Africa, would have resulted in the lifting of the sanctions. Can you explain why your country would not allow such inspections?

I remember wasted, little bodies in huge hospital beds- dying of hunger and of disease; diseases that could easily be treated with medications that were forbidden. I remember parents with drawn faces peering anxiously into doctors eyes, searching for a miracle.
I remember your leader, whom you have failed to blame for anything, building over 40 opulent palaces during this time. I remember that medications were not forbidden, but not affordable because Saddam kept the money for himself and his cronies, and intentionally allowed children to die for the propaganda value. It obviously worked in your case. Didn’t you notice all the construction of the palaces while you were there? How could you miss it? How often were you a guest?

I remember the depleted uranium. How many have heard of depleted uranium? Those are household words to Iraqi people. The depleted uranium weapons used in 1991 (and possibly this time too) have resulted in a damaged environment and an astronomical rise in the cancer rate in Iraq. I remember seeing babies born with a single eye, 3 legs or no face- a result of DU poisoning.
I know that depleted uranium is no risk. I know that there are many studies that have been done to show that. I know that babies are born all the time with deformities, and there is no scientific way to establish any particular cause, especially DU. You can check here for details on DU’s lack of health risk, or here for other scientific information on radiation - something you clearly need to learn!

I remember dozens of dead in the no fly zones, bombed by British and American planes claiming to protect the north and south of Iraq. I remember the mother, living on the outskirts of Mosul, who lost her husband and 5 kids when an American plane bombed the father and his sons in the middle of a field of peaceful, grazing sheep.
Obviously, we declared the no fly zone so that we could bomb shepherds at will. It’s one of our favorite things. We have no better use for our money than to buy expensive weapons so our fighter pilots can bomb whatever innocents they can find!

What are we to make of this? Do you think that Americans bomb families just for fun? Could it have been an accident? Could you have been lied to by your previous regime? I remember the Kurds who are very happy because those aircraft protected them from Saddam, who had previously been slaughtering and gassing them.


And we are to believe that this is all being done for the sake of the people.
No, the battle of Iraq was to protect the world from Iraq’s dangerous regime, its weapons of mass destruction, and its support of terrorism, a regime which the people of Iraq did not remove themselves. We are glad that you now have the freedom to express your thoughts as a result of our effort, but we didn’t send out people to die to save your sorry rear end! The war (of which Iraq is just a part) is an attempt to protect the world against terrorism magnified by weapons of mass destruction.

A friend of E.s, who lives in Amiriyah, was telling us about an American soldier he had been talking to in the area. Es friend pointed to the shelter and told him of the atrocity committed in 1991. The soldier turned with the words, Dont blame me- I was only 9! And I was only 11.

American long-term memory is exclusive to American traumas. The rest of the world should simply put the past behind, move forward, be pragmatic and get over it.
Those of us who were a bit older were horrified and saddened by the attack on the shelter, although we remember the difference between an atrocity (as practiced frequently by your leader) and accidents, which are an inevitable part of war. Keep in mind that many of our casualties in that war were inflicted on our own forces by our own forces. War is difficult, something you clearly do not understand.

Someone asked me whether it was true that the Iraqi people were dancing in the streets of Baghdad when the World Trade Center fell. Of course its not true. I was watching the tv screen in disbelief- looking at the reactions of the horrified people. I wasnt dancing because the terrified faces on the screen, could have been the same faces in front of the Amiriyah shelter on February 13 its strange how horror obliterates ethnic differences- all faces look the same when they are witnessing the death of loved ones.
Maybe Iraqis didn’t dance in the street. I don’t know. I do remember that Arabs danced in the street in a number of countries.


What did YOU do while your government was allowing children to die by stealing the aid for its private hospitals and using the nation’s income to build palaces for Saddam and his cronies? Don’t you feel any guilt?
Posted by: John Moore (Useful Fools blog) || 09/04/2003 1:48:47 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I remember the missiles dropped on Al-Amriyah shelter- a civilian bomb shelter in a populated, residential area in Baghdad.

That was the "civilian shelter" with the forest of radio antennas and convoys of staff cars, right? The one that worked so well as a propaganda coup for Saddam that he ordered all command centers to do double duty as civilian shelters?

I wonder what this guy did for a living while Saddam was in control.
Posted by: Robert Crawford || 09/04/2003 8:35 Comments || Top||

#2  Riverbend's a woman.
Posted by: Sharon in NYC || 09/04/2003 9:23 Comments || Top||

#3  My apologies to her, then: I wonder what she did for a living while Saddam was in power.
Posted by: Robert Crawford || 09/04/2003 9:36 Comments || Top||

#4  deep knee bends for Baathists, apparently
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:34 Comments || Top||

#5  Some sort of internet thing. As we learned with Salam, who the hell do you think had internet access in Saddam's regime?
Posted by: someone || 09/04/2003 10:53 Comments || Top||

#6  I've been reading her for awhile. She was born in Iraq to Iraqi parents (I think she's about 27 now), moved overseas to a western country and then moved back to Iraq. What connections does a family have to have in order to enjoy such freedom of movement? She doesn't say. She was a software developer. When we nailed Qusay and Uday, she dripped with contempt that we needed all that firepower just to get 4 guys holed up in a house. I've been watching closely but have yet to see her contempt for what she sees as the idiocy of U.S. troops tempered for the Iraqis did in Kuwait. And "someone", what's the deal with Salam - I was out of touch for the end of April and all of May and I've wondered if anyone figured out what the deal with him is.
Posted by: grayp || 09/04/2003 11:10 Comments || Top||

#7  grayp - while Salam and Riverbend had western conversation and humor down, the only way they could have such freedom of access, travel is because of close ties to regime higher-ups. Salam's family was fairly well off by Iraqi standards, and that doesn't happen by accident.
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:20 Comments || Top||

#8  With albiet a quick perusal of her blog though, I found it interesting that no comments can be made on HER site! This attribute is, I suppose, useful for the propogandist--why dilute your message with messy and potentially factual discourse from the opposition? Hmm...do you suppose she'll respond to reason posted to her email link?
Posted by: TiltingWindmill || 09/04/2003 12:06 Comments || Top||

#9  I don't generally pay attention to Riverbend. She's constitutionally incapable of seeing the other side, which makes her of limited interest in my opinion. Salam can see the back of his own head - it makes him interesting and illuminating even when he says stupid shit.

My theory on Riverbend is that she was either an internet censor or ISP spy under the old regime. She makes a big deal out of being out of a job at her old ISP and blames it on Islamist sexism. Of course, "they don't have any use for Ba'athist censors any more" just doesn't have that same sympathetic ring, does it? The Islamic sexism of the new regime doesn't seem to be vile enough to keep her out of the cafes, does it?

Pax's family is apparently part of the old financial apparatus, given what he's said. Well-off and certainly not brave insurgents, but not al-Tikriti thugs or Party higher-ups. The sort of folks that do well by being useful, without being particularly political.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 14:52 Comments || Top||

#10  John Moore, brilliant fisking.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 17:20 Comments || Top||

#11  So why are you giving this take a bath Baathist whore space on here--screw the haridan--file her under Islamic Ann Coulter--but hopefully a more feminine/less dykish one
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 23:58 Comments || Top||


U.S. Offers to Share Iraq Role With U.N.
Oh, bother. EFL.
Shifting tactics and reaching out for help, the Bush administration offered on Wednesday to share with the United Nations the long-dominant U.S. role in Iraq’s postwar reconstruction. Secretary of State Colin Powell described the effort as ``essentially putting the Security Council in the game,’’ and European governments reacted favorably to the revised U.S. approach. A new U.N. resolution proposed by the United States recognizes ``that international support for restoration of conditions of stability and security is essential to the well-being of the people of Iraq.’’
That’s always been true.
France, which led opposition to the war on Iraq, said the new resolution should ensure that political power will be transferred quickly to an internationally recognized Iraqi government to help restore peace. ``The question is how to win the peace — and how to have the situation stabilized,’’ France’s U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said in New York. ``So we will see the resolution with this in mind.’’
Well for openers, it has to keep TotalFinaElf out of Iraq!
Under the resolution, American commanders would remain in charge of peacekeeping operations in Iraq, but there, too, ``we are asking the international community to join us even more than they have in the past,’’ Powell said. In turning to the United Nations, the administration was modifying its strategy for postwar Iraq. But Powell said a U.N. resolution ``is all part of the president’s strategy of making sure that this is an international operation.’’ The resolution may be ready for submission to the Security Council next week, he said as he telephoned foreign ministers. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte circulated a draft to other U.N. ambassadors in New York, and Powell said initial reactions were positive. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, on his way to the Mideast, said countries that donate troops and money in Iraq would have a voice in both civil and military operations there. ``To the extent countries step up with troops and support and money, they have a seat at the table,’’ Rumsfeld said. ``They have the opportunity to work with us and the Iraqis.’’
Diplospeak for "ante up"! The grand plan becomes clear: if the Euros don’t contribute, they’ll no longer have a basis to complain.
The resolution envisions a substantial infusion of international aid to defray costs now largely borne by U.S. taxpayers. At the same time, the administration is preparing a new budget request for $60 billion to $70 billion for reconstruction and the military operation of Iraq — nearly double what Congress was expecting, The Washington Post reports.
Only the dimwitted in Congress (okay, that’s a solid majority) thought this was going to be done on the cheap.
In Brussels, the United States and other donors pushed ahead with plans to channel billions of dollars in reconstruction aid to Iraq through an international fund independent of the U.S.-led administration in Baghdad.
That sounds suspiciously like an oil-for-nooky program...
The new U.S. resolution, a draft of which was obtained by The Associated Press, would:
- Transform the U.S.-led coalition force into a U.N.-authorized multinational one under a unified command to help maintain ``security and stability in Iraq’’ and urge the 191 U.N.-member states to contribute troops.
UN "command", US commander, US/UK call the shots. That works.
- Call on U.N.-member states to help train and equip an Iraqi police force.
Germans, Spanish, Poles, etc. all to the good.
- Invite the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council to cooperate with the United Nations and U.S. officials in Baghdad to produce ``a timetable and program for the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and for the holding of democratic elections.’’
As long as it’s from the ground up and not the top down, and as long as the nutters can’t introduce Sharia, fine.
- Ask the U.N. representative in Iraq to facilitate a ``national dialogue and consensus building’’ to promote the political transition and help organize elections.
A job description only a UN weenie could love! Wonder what the per diem is?
- Ask all U.N.-member states and regional and international organizations to ``accelerate the provision of substantial financial contributions’’ for Iraq’s reconstruction.
Ante up or shut up!
- Endorse the Iraqi Governing Council ``as the principal body of the Iraqi interim administration’’ and back its efforts ``to mobilize the people of Iraq.’’
I like that, gets the UN to endorse what Bremer has done. Hard to deny them a UN seat if this goes through.
- Call on countries in the region ``to prevent the transit of terrorists, arms for terrorists, and financing that would support terrorists.’’
Especially from the south.
The administration has been under pressure from European and other governments, as well as from members of Congress, to share responsibility on Iraq. The pressure has increased as U.S. casualties have mounted and jihaid casualties have soared. Powell said the decision to seek a U.N. resolution was not related to casualties. ``It is related to the evolutionary process that we have always had in mind to eventually restoring sovereignty back to the Iraqi people,’’ he said. On Tuesday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who had adamantly opposed the U.S.-led war to depose President Saddam Hussein, stressed ``the necessity of giving the United Nations a significantly greater role in the political process in Iraq.’’
Yeah, sure, whatever, are you in or are you out? Chips go to the middle of the table.
The British Foreign Office said Britain had always seen the United Nations as playing a vital role in Iraq. On Capitol Hill, Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, ``We should be willing to agree to a reasonable sharing of decision-making with respect to the physical and political reconstruction of Iraq.’’ By contrast, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was skeptical of ``this notion on the part of some of my colleagues that all we need to do is to get greater international support, including the U.N.’’
For some people, international support is an end in itself, not to be jeopardized by actually doing something...
Powell said one of the two key goals of the resolution was to invite the Iraqi governing council to submit a program and timetable for political evolution with a constitution and free elections. The second goal was to have the Security Council authorize a multinational force to which other nations might contribute troops. U.N. authorization is perceived by the administration as a way to induce India, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and other countries to send troops. Some nations, such as India, ``felt like they needed additional authority from the U.N. to be able to participate,’’ White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Just what we need, Pak and Indian troops side-by-side. Criminy, next thing ya know the ISI will be asked to provide intel support.
Posted by: Steve White || 09/04/2003 1:02:19 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  $60-70 Bill??

No prob, dump viagra care for boomers. Ask not what your country can do for you.....

More than enough left over to pay down the deficit and upgrade the electrical grid.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 1:21 Comments || Top||

#2  Is this Bush 2's equivalent to Bush 1's breaking his 'no new taxes' promise?

Just last week Powell admitted the bankruptcy of his 'Roadmap to Peace' by calling on Arafat to stop the violence, when Arafat is behind the violence. Now Powell is giving up Iraq after the US liberated it and handing a massive victory to Bush's enemies, foreign and domestic.

This is nuts. Why are they doing it?
Posted by: Jabba the Nutt || 09/04/2003 8:52 Comments || Top||

#3  Why ? Why now ? Because France understands after four months that the U.S. will never cede authority to the U.N. The dream that Iraq will despise the U.S. forever and force them out is fading.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 11:08 Comments || Top||

#4  I haven't figured out this move either. Politics to appease the U.S. voters who wanted U.N. involvement? Soften the budget blow? Free troops to rest up for the next post-election offensive? Put another nail in the U.N. coffin? All of the above?
Posted by: Tom || 09/04/2003 11:13 Comments || Top||

#5  No worries, France and Germany have already rejected it.
Posted by: Dishman || 09/04/2003 11:19 Comments || Top||

#6  Facing the threat and reality of islamist terror should be a shared responsibility as no one country is exempt. Ask Rhiyad. Ask the UN. We all have to step up to the table. And the flypaper has been a pretty focusing strategy. "They're all there boys! Go get em!"

And the sooner we get the US out of Iraq, the sooner we can suceesfully deal with Iran, Syria, Korea....
Posted by: john || 09/04/2003 11:30 Comments || Top||

#7  "I haven't figured out this move either"

according to this AM's wapo it went like this. Powell and the Brits have wanted this for a while, but as long as Rummy had the generals behind him, they couldnt move. After the UN bombing, State floated the idea in public - you may recall something from Armitage - then the generals (definitely Peter Pace Vice chair of JCS) and possibly Abuzaid (CINC Centcom) contacted Powell directly. Myers (chair JCS - top uniformed guy in the US military) signed on, and Powell went to the White House, citing backing from all the generals. Condi - noting failure to get more troops (even Turks) without a UN res, an imminent problem with the rotation schedule, mounting political presssure, and the situation on the ground, said yes.

An unnamed senior defense source said Feith (Undersec Def for Policy and a leading neocon) was opposed, but Feith told WaPo he'd supported the idea for weeks.

Situation Normal, all f**ked up.

So the main question now is how far the horsetrading goes.
Posted by: liberalhawk || 09/04/2003 13:22 Comments || Top||

#8  Saw Richard Holbrooke on Charlie Rose last night. Said all we are asking for is UN approval to set up an East Timor, Bosnia, even Korea-like arrangement where C and C is in the hands of one power (US) and UN helps out, but stays out of the way. We would still be calling the shots (no pun intended). What he said jibes with what I read here, Steve.
Posted by: Michael || 09/04/2003 17:09 Comments || Top||

#9  Michael, thanks for that. I didn't see the interview but wish I had.
Posted by: Steve White || 09/04/2003 20:24 Comments || Top||

#10  "Hi Kofi--this here is Colin." "Ya there?" "I just got off the phone with Mammy Condi and she sez we wuz just kiddin' about not wantin yo' help!" "I know we was ignunt and war mongerin'--but ya see we gots us an election comin' up ovah heah and would 'sho 'preciate yo help!"
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/05/2003 0:07 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Thai FM: Suu Kyi not on hunger strike - always been thin
Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was not on hunger strike as the United States government claimed, said Thai Foreign Minister Surakiat Sathirathai on Thursday.
"She normally goes days, weeks, months without eating"
The US State Department on Tuesday said Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), was on hunger strike in protest of her detention of three months by the Myanmar government, which cited protection of the opposition leader as the reason for the arrest. Surakiat also said the Thai government supported the national reconciliation plan announced on Saturday by Myanmar’s new prime minister Khin Nyunt. During his first public speech since appointment, Khin Nyunt announced a seven-point roadmap for democracy, saying that his country would resume the long-suspended national convention but giving no time frame.
Oh Criminy! Another Roadmap®!¡¡
He said his country would draft a new state constitution based on the detailed principles laid down by the convention. The draft constitution would undergo referendum and a new general election would be held on a "free and fair" basis, he said,adding that the parliament would be convened by representatives elected in the election and a new government would be formed through the parliament.
"Unless we lose, of course..."
However, Khin Nyunt did not mention whether Suu Kyi, under detention since May 30, would be allowed to take part in any future government. Neither did he disclose when Suu Kyi would be released.
"Soon, she’ll be able to slip between the bars of her cell, securing her release... assuming she can still walk"
Malaysia, the current chair of the ASEAN, was also ready to help the Myanmar government out of the current political stalemate, Surakiat also said.
Sarcasm aside - this is one courageous lady, and the world needs to lean on Burma’s generals
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:43:17 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Hmmmm whatup with the ¡¡¡¡? Wasn't there on the Xinhuanet page I cut, pasted from...
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:58 Comments || Top||

#2  "No one expects the Xinhuanet ¡¡¡¡"!
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 12:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Those crafty Chinese have invaded your test editor!
Posted by: mojo || 09/04/2003 13:35 Comments || Top||

#4  thks Fred!
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 13:40 Comments || Top||

#5  Aung San Suu Kyi is one courageous, educated, high powered lady. Check her biography here. She walks the walk, and has been in the thick of it since 1988, before it became trendy and publicized.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 17:36 Comments || Top||

#6  If you must know the truth... Sally Struthers was arrested for shoplifting 3 aisles of food at the local market for her lunch.

The cops inadvertantly put her in a cell next to Suu Kyi and Sally's been thieving Suu Kyi's food ever since.
Posted by: Paul || 09/04/2003 22:11 Comments || Top||


Bali suspect attacks West’s leaders
EFL/FU:
A key suspect in the Bali bomb attacks told an Indonesian court on Thursday that he was only a "small fry terrorist". Mukhlas, also known as Ali Gufron, said there were many "big fish" still at large, such as US President George Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Taking his lead from the Malaysian VP’s speech yesterday.
That was the Indonesian VP...
Mukhlas used his defence plea to launch an attack on Western leaders, saying: "If these terrorists are allowed to continue having their way, they will drop their nuclear bombs... in the near future."
Only if we get hit first.
During Thursday’s court session, Mukhlas accused Western powers of causing damage in Afghanistan and Iraq, and said they were also prepared to target Syria and Jordan in their continuing "war on terrorism".
Other than Jordan, who has been helping us, yes.
Mukhlas has been charged with plotting, organising and carrying out terror crimes in relation to the Bali attacks.
He’ll be counting muzzle blasts soon.
Unless he gets a vice-presidential pardon...
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 8:41:44 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'd like to see him be a "small fry terrorist"
(or over an open flame....)
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:43 Comments || Top||

#2  Stuff the little parrot into a gunny sack, weigh it down with a couple of big rocks, and drop it in the ocean. Maybe he'll get lucky and be shark food.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 10:54 Comments || Top||

#3  Better yet, take that sack down to a croc-infested Australian location and toss it into the water and watch the ensuing carnage.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/04/2003 14:34 Comments || Top||


Middle East
Paleos ask for A**kicking: IDF soldier killed by Fatah in Jenin ambush
JPost - Reg Req’d
An IDF soldier was shot dead Thursday by Palestinian gunman from the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction, near the West Bank city of Jenin.

The soldier was later identified as 20-year-old Sergeant Gabriel Uziel from Givat Ze’ev. He was laid to rest Thursday evening at the Mt. Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem.

Family and friends remembered his warm nature and friendship while they mourned him bitterly.

In the early morning attack, Palestinian gunmen ambushed a group of IDF soldiers patrolling the West Bank city.

A doctor summonsed to the site pronounced the soldier dead shortly after he was shot.

IDF forces deployed at the site are searching for the perpetrators.

Israel Radio reported earlier in the day that both the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades of Yasser Arafat’s Fatah, and the Islamic Jihad’s ’Al-Quds Brigades’ claimed responsibility.

Also Thursday an IDF officer was lightly injured in a shooting attack at the Girit outpost near the border with Egypt in the Gaza Strip.

In recent days there has been an increase in shooting attacks between Palestinian terrorists and IDF forces operating in the north Samaria area, where they have arrested wanted Palestinians involved in terrorist activities.

The officer was treated at the site and was then taken to Soroka hospital in Be’er Sheva.

Earlier in the day, an IDF unit from the Golani brigades arrested an Islamic Jihad terrorist Thursday morning in Jenin during counter-terror operations in the West Bank city. According to reports, the terrorist was in the closing stages of carrying out a suicide bombing in Israel. An exchange of gunfire occurred during the arrest.

An IDF force arrested a Hamas terrorist in Nablus on the West Bank on Thursday morning. Security officials said the terrorist, Muhammad Utman, 20, was planning to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel within the next few days.

The security establishment has registered 37 terror attack warnings per day.

Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 6:53:06 PM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I hope that the IDF keeps the gloves off and continues hammering terrorist leaders. Also, if a car gets hit by a hellfire, keep the place hot so nobody can get around the car, so it sits for a while in the sun for everyone to see.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 19:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Iraq-stomping should have reduced miltant cash flow into the area. Lighting up Beka with the MOAB may be the necessary step.

I would try to hack the vine with a machete rather than just pick the ripe fruit.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 21:34 Comments || Top||

#3  guess we can blame this death on Saddam loyalists, arent they responsible for everything that is wrong this days. I thought i heard Bush say that the route to peace in Palestine-Israel goes through Baghdad, guess not. It is land for peace or peace for land not bombs over Baghdad for peace in Israel. 2years from now we will still be witnessing suicide bombing and then no one is gonna blame it on alleged Saddam loyalists.
Posted by: steveerossa || 09/05/2003 0:01 Comments || Top||

#4  guess we can blame this death on Saddam loyalists, ..

Try the Bush administration. Coercing, expecting, admonishing Israel to refrain from totally crushing Arafat and his terrorist cohorts is what has contributed to the current situation.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/05/2003 0:35 Comments || Top||


Home Front
FBI: Seattle Phone Outage Intentional
A fiber optic cable failure that caused a five-hour telephone outage affecting nearly 60,000 Qwest customers here and other phone customers elsewhere in Whatcom County was intentionally caused, the police chief said Wednesday. Police and the FBI were investigating. "We don’t know what the motive was," Police Chief Randy Carroll said. "We know it was a caused event, and that’s to say that it was intentional."

At FBI regional headquarters in Seattle, spokesman Ray Lauer would say only, "It’s a pending investigation. Beyond that we can’t comment." Scattered outages were reported by Verizon land-line and cell-phone customers outside Bellingham in Whatcom County. The problem was caused by the failure of a fiber optic line in Stanwood, about 60 miles to the south in Snohomish County, Qwest spokesman Michael Dunne said. Company personnel were trying to determine why the cable failed. Service was restored by early Wednesday afternoon.

A system of cables along the Interstate-5 corridor links Bellingham’s long-distance lines to a switch in Seattle. "What occurred was that Bellingham was toll- and 911-isolated," Dunne said. "So the vast majority of Qwest customers in Bellingham could not call outside their local calling area. They could call their neighbors but they could not call Seattle, for example, or 911." Police officers were asked to report for duty and police vehicles were stationed at major intersections. Firefighters across the county were asked to relay emergency needs to county dispatchers. There were at least two calls to dispatch that originated from citizens going to fire halls for help, county emergency officials told The Bellingham Herald.

Service in the rest of the county was intermittent, said Melissa Barran, spokesperson for Verizon, which provides much of the phone service to Whatcom County customers outside of Bellingham. Some phone users outside Bellingham were able to make calls out of the area. Many calls did not go through because of the volume of local calls being made, Dunne said. Cellular phone service was disrupted throughout Whatcom County as well as the San Juan Islands, said Georgia Taylor, a Verizon Wireless spokesperson. Most of neighboring Skagit County continued to receive service, however. Fiber optic phone lines in Snohomish County were severed in September 2001 as well. The impact of that outage - the line was cut twice in two days - was limited to Whatcom County, and created phone blackouts that underscored the vulnerability of the county’s 911-dispatch system.
Is this the ultimate ’Denial of Service’ attack? Cut the fiber connections to Microsoft?
Posted by: Frank Martin || 09/04/2003 6:47:48 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  A single fiber optic line went down, and this was the result? Where's the redundancy?
Posted by: Ray || 09/04/2003 19:22 Comments || Top||

#2  I think a local Sheik had his tribesmen cut the cable to show what happens when they don't get their protection money.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:21 Comments || Top||

#3  Sounds a lot like the Earth Liberation Front. This is their kind of MO, do something that causes a ton of minor irritants, to get people stirred up. The previous cuts were supposedly their handiwork. Could also be someone pulling a copycat act, as well. People that restrict 911 access like this should be charged with murder if anyone dies because they couldn't get medical or fire response. My personal desire would be to chain 'em to a sequoia, about 70 feet up, in the dead of night, with a piece or two of duct tape over their mouth, so they can feel the helplessness they caused others.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 21:34 Comments || Top||


East Asia
Taiwan holds massive wargames amid warnings of future Chinese threat
Photos and slideshow at link
Taiwan staged its biggest ever live-fire military wargames here, firing sophisticated missiles and mobilizing high-tech weaponry in a mock "invasion" by rival China.
Remember - even if they help with NK (unforseen yet) - the bastards downed one of our planes in int’l waters and is NOT our friend
The exercise, staged in the northeastern Ilan county and codenamed "Han Kuang 19" (Han Glory), was aimed at fully illustrating the defense capability of Taiwan’s armed forces, the defense ministry said on Thursday.
demonstrating for the ChiCom’s benefit
"The all-out defense forces in Ilan area are deployed to simulate the People’s Liberation Army’s tactics and operational schemes of cross-Strait operations," it said of the drill, which was televised live nationwide. Military officials said nearly all the modern weaponry Taiwan owns, including 44 jet fighters, was mobilized in the 110-minute drill, which involved 6,000 soldiers and was presided over by President Chen Shui-bian. China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare independence or indefinitely postpone reunification with the mainland.
More modern than the Chicoms, and we need to keep it that way
"The Chinese communists have actively expanded their military strength in recent years, striving to develop the projection capabilities of their navy and air force ... accordingly posing a serious threat to our national security," Chen said. He warned that, should a war break out, the People’s Liberation Army would use high-tech weaponry and launch blitzes to paralyze Taiwan’s military commands, bunkers and major government establishments. The military found two spy ships near the site of the maneuver, one each from China and Japan, forcing it to abandon plans to fire a French-made Mica long-range air-to-air missile from a Mirage fighter. "The enemy have been trying everything they can to collect the electronic factors of our weaponry," Army General Hu Chen-pu told reporters. "We should not expose the crucial information... It was for this reason, we had to cancel the firing of Mica missile."
The Frenchies, on the other hand, will probably sell them a few for themselves, and probably any Taiwanese-specific data they have...
The Pentagon said in a report released last month that China’s most immediate threat to Taiwan was a force of 450 short-range ballistic missiles in the Nanjing Military Region across the Taiwan Strait from Taipei. Beijing is annually positioning 75 more short-range missiles across from Taiwan.
In their own way they're as fond of making faces as the NKors...
The army kicked off the drill by firing two Hawk surface-to-air missiles in response to a simulated attack by a fleet of enemy aircraft. The missiles destroyed a droned airplane. One Standard surface-to-air missile was launched from a naval warship, while a fleet of jet fighters, including French-made Mirage 2000-5s, US-made F-16s, and locally made Indigenous Defensive Fighters, scrambled to intercept the imaginary invaders, firing air-to-air missiles. A fleet of F-16s launched laser beam-guided bombs and rockets to attack mock Chinese amphibious forces, while Super Cobra attack helicopters demonstrated their high maneuverability as they fired Hellfire missiles. Taiwan’s military used the occasion to unveil a locally designed 170-tonne "stealth" missile boat which fired a Hsiungfeng II ship-to-ship missile, designed with a range of 150 kilometers (90 miles).
Coool
Analysts said the boat, designed to reduce the reflection of radar waves, may be able to "passively" receive intelligence collected by other Taiwan warships, enabling the fleet to launch missile blitzes against enemy warships without exposing their location. Each missile boat will be armed with four Hsiungfeng II missiles. The navy plans to build 30 such missile boats under the "Kuanghwa Six Project". Taiwan’s defense ministry warned last week that China would be capable of mounting a successful attack on Taiwan after 2008 if the island did not strengthen its defensive capabilities.
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 1:38:27 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I would not want to be conducting an opposed amphibious landing on Taiwan with the Chinese Navy backing me up.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:11 Comments || Top||


Korea
Tunneling for a Brew
Two South Koreans have been detained on suspicion of digging a tunnel to smuggle more than $1.5 million worth of beer and wine out of a U.S. military base in central Seoul, customs officials said on Thursday. They said the two men opened a cafe — called the "U-Turn Espresso Coffee Shop" — as a front. A tunnel led from there to a cargo container inside the base 20 yards away. "An anonymous caller notified police of the smuggling ring operations two months ago, and the two leaders were detained on Monday," customs spokesman Cho Min-ho told Reuters. He said the suspects removed 58,000 boxes of beer and 4,000 cases of wine worth about $1.7 million. The alcohol was sold on the black market.
Of course.
"No American soldiers were found to be involved in the operations yet," said Ji Gwang-ho, an official at the South Korean Customs Service, by telephone.
Most likely the inside contact will be a local national civilian working for the BX or Services Division.
Cho said the tunnel had been built with a slight incline and equipped with rollers so the boxes of drink could be easily removed.
Not bad, but doesn’t come close to the Phillipines. Back in the day, before the volcano blew and we left, they were building a new base exchange. During construction of the building, an inspector discovered a tunnel installed by the contractor from the warehouse area to the outside.
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 12:53:44 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Nice inventory control....
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 13:02 Comments || Top||

#2  That's a whole lotta booze.
Posted by: raptor || 09/04/2003 16:50 Comments || Top||


International
Fouad Ajami: "The Falseness of Anti-Americanism"
Long analysis in the current issue of Foreign Policy. Some key points:
“America is everywhere," Italian novelist Ignazio Silone once observed. It is in Karachi and Paris, in Jakarta and Brussels. An idea of it, a fantasy of it, hovers over distant lands. And everywhere there is also an obligatory anti-Americanism, a cover and an apology for the spell the United States casts over distant peoples and places. In the burning grounds of the Muslim world and on its periphery, U.S. embassies and their fate in recent years bear witness to a duality of the United States as Satan and redeemer. The embassies targeted by the masters of terror and by the diehards are besieged by visa-seekers dreaming of the golden, seductive country. If only the crowd in Tehran offering its tired rhythmic chant "marg bar amrika" ("death to America") really meant it! It is of visas and green cards and houses with lawns and of the glamorous world of Los Angeles, far away from the mullahs and their cultural tyranny, that the crowd really dreams. The frenzy with which radical Islamists battle against deportation orders from U.S. soil — dreading the prospect of returning to Amman and Beirut and Cairo — reveals the lie of anti-Americanism that blows through Muslim lands.

Of late, pollsters have come bearing news and numbers of anti-Americanism the world over. The reports are one dimensional and filled with panic. This past June, the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press published a survey of public opinion in 20 countries and the Palestinian territories that indicated a growing animus toward the United States. In the same month, the BBC came forth with a similar survey that included 10 countries and the United States. On the surface of it, anti-Americanism is a river overflowing its banks. In Indonesia, the United States is deemed more dangerous than al Qaeda. In Jordan, Russia, South Korea, and Brazil, the United States is thought to be more dangerous than Iran, the "rogue state" of the mullahs.

There is no need to go so far away from home only to count the cats in Zanzibar. These responses to the United States are neither surprising nor profound. The pollsters, and those who have been brandishing their findings, see in these results some verdict on the United States itself—and on the performance abroad of the Bush presidency—but the findings could be read as a crude, admittedly limited, measure of the foul temper in some unsettled places. The pollsters have flaunted spreadsheets to legitimize a popular legend: It is not Americans that people abroad hate, but the United States! Yet it was Americans who fell to terrorism on September 11, 2001, and it is of Americans and their deeds, and the kind of social and political order they maintain, that sordid tales are told in Karachi and Athens and Cairo and Paris. You can’t profess kindness toward Americans while attributing the darkest of motives to their homeland.

The introduction of the Pew report sets the tone for the entire study. The war in Iraq, it argues,"has widened the rift between Americans and Western Europeans" and "further inflamed the Muslim world." The implications are clear: The United States was better off before Bush’s "unilateralism." The United States, in its hubris, summoned up this anti-Americanism. Those are the political usages of this new survey. But these sentiments have long prevailed in Jordan, Egypt, and France. During the 1990s, no one said good things about the United States in Egypt. It was then that the Islamist children of Egypt took to the road, to Hamburg and Kandahar, to hatch a horrific conspiracy against the United States. And it was in the 1990s, during the fabled stock market run, when the prophets of globalization preached the triumph of the U.S. economic model over the protected versions of the market in places such as France, when anti-Americanism became the uncontested ideology of French public life. Americans were barbarous, a threat to French cuisine and their beloved language. U.S. pension funds were acquiring their assets and Wall Street speculators were raiding their savings. The United States incarcerated far too many people and executed too many criminals. All these views thrived during a decade when Americans are now told they were loved and uncontested on foreign shores.

Much has been made of the sympathy that the French expressed for the United States immediately after the September 11 attacks, as embodied by the famous editorial of Le Monde’s publisher Jean-Marie Colombani, "Nous Sommes Tous Américains" ("We are all Americans"). And much has been made of the speed with which the United States presumably squandered that sympathy in the months that followed. But even Colombani’s column, written on so searing a day, was not the unalloyed message of sympathy suggested by the title. Even on that very day, Colombani wrote of the United States reaping the whirlwind of its "cynicism"; he recycled the hackneyed charge that Osama bin Laden had been created and nurtured by U.S. intelligence agencies.

Colombani quickly retracted what little sympathy he had expressed when, in December of 2001, he was back with an open letter to "our American friends" and soon thereafter with a short book, Tous Américains? le monde aprÚs le 11 septembre 2001 ("All Americans? The World After September 11, 2001"). By now the sympathy had drained, and the tone was one of belligerent judgment and disapproval. There was nothing to admire in Colombani’s United States, which had run roughshod in the world and had been indifferent to the rule of law. Colombani described the U.S. republic as a fundamentalist Christian enterprise, its magistrates too deeply attached to the death penalty, its police cruel to its black population. A republic of this sort could not in good conscience undertake a campaign against Islamism. One can’t, Colombani writes, battle the Taliban while trying to introduce prayers in one’s own schools; one can’t strive to reform Saudi Arabia while refusing to teach Darwinism in the schools of the Bible Belt; and one can’t denounce the demands of the sharia (Islamic law) while refusing to outlaw the death penalty. Doubtless, he adds, the United States can’t do battle with the Taliban before doing battle against the bigotry that ravages the depths of the United States itself. The United States had not squandered Colombani’s sympathy; he never had that sympathy in the first place.

Today, the United States carries the disturbance of the modern to older places— to the east and to the intermediate zones in Europe. There is energy in the United States, and there is force. And there is resistance and resentment— and emulation— in older places affixed on the delicate balancing act of a younger United States not yet content to make its peace with traditional pains and limitations and tyrannies. That sensitive French interpreter of his country, Dominique Moïsi, recently told of a simple countryman of his who was wistful when Saddam Hussein’s statue fell on April 9 in Baghdad’s Firdos Square. France opposed this war, but this Frenchman expressed a sense of diminishment that his country had sat out this stirring story of political liberation. A society like France with a revolutionary history should have had a hand in toppling the tyranny in Baghdad, but it didn’t. Instead, a cable attached to a U.S. tank had pulled down the statue, to the delirium of the crowd. The new history being made was a distinctly American (and British) creation. It was soldiers from Burlington, Vermont, and Linden, New Jersey, and Bon Aqua, Tennessee—I single out those towns because they are the hometowns of three soldiers who were killed in the Iraq war—who raced through the desert making this new history and paying for it.

The United States need not worry about hearts and minds in foreign lands. If Germans wish to use anti-Americanism to absolve themselves and their parents of the great crimes of World War II, they will do it regardless of what the United States says and does. If Muslims truly believe that their long winter of decline is the fault of the United States, no campaign of public diplomacy shall deliver them from that incoherence. In the age of Pax Americana, it is written, fated, or maktoob (as the Arabs would say) that the plotters and preachers shall rail against the United States—in whole sentences of good American slang.
There’s a lot more, and you really should read the whole thing. I’d be particularly interested in hearing from our regular visitors from overseas in the comments area. Aris, Murat, JFM, TGA: over to you, guys!
Posted by: Mike || 09/04/2003 12:24:16 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I already cited the bit about Greece the other day. (g)
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/04/2003 13:04 Comments || Top||

#2  Let me be clear. At times I have been pissed
enough about some derogratory comments on the French by people who had never opened a history book in their lives. Pissed enough to counterattack (before you speak about "cheese eating surrenderiung monkeys" think in your draft dodgers during Vietnam because you had suffered a mere fifty thousand dead and compatre them to the 400,000 dead at Verdun for a population who was five times lower). But I happen to love America, I love its ideals and what I see of its citizens through blogging. It is my deep regret to be stuck on the wrong side of the Atlantic and of being too old to reestablish myself in the right one, become a US citizen, cheer the Denver Broncos and vote for the Republican candidate. But whatever my loath of Chirac and what France has become and despite being an ethnic Spanish not French I don't accept people spitting on the graves of the Verdun soldiers just because they have a grief with their grand-grand-children.
Posted by: JFM || 09/04/2003 13:04 Comments || Top||

#3  The soldiers at Verdun were killed by their own government, not the Germans. The French and Germans have been killing each other for centuries!
Posted by: Greg || 09/04/2003 13:51 Comments || Top||

#4  JFM,

In my mind, the "cheese eating surrender monkeys" refers to your political elite, which has a vicious and perennial habit of betraying France's braver defenders. Jeanne d'Arc is a paradigmatic example.
Posted by: Ernest Brown || 09/04/2003 13:57 Comments || Top||

#5  JFM:

I certainly do my share of Chirac- and de Villepin-bashing here and there, but you are right about the bravery of the French army at Verdun, and you'll not hear a contrary word from me (or most of the regulars here) on that point. I'd agree with Ernest--what problems France has are the fault of its governing elite, not a reflection on the bravery or decency of its people.

That said, we'd be happy to have you in north-central Ohio if you feel like a change of scenery.
Posted by: Mike || 09/04/2003 15:15 Comments || Top||

#6  Greg, might I quote George Pickett, who replied to a correspondent asking him who he thought was responsible for the defeat at Gettysburg: "I always thought the Yankees might have had something to do with it."

Please don't shit on the dead of Verdun by pulling out that old, obscene Marxist canard that they were mystified class-traitors betrayed into meaningless deaths. I have my problems with the French in most cases, but Verdun is a monstrous, awesome monument to a nation's self-defense.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 15:15 Comments || Top||

#7  I also do my share of French bashing.... but...
"The French defenders at Lille impressed the Germans so much that they were allowed to march into captivity with bayonets fixed and full honors. The battle at Lille was a rearguard action which aided the evacuation from Dunkirk." Link with an interesting picture.
Posted by: Rafael || 09/04/2003 17:20 Comments || Top||

#8  Mike

My rant was out of place but I saw red when I saw my name associated with those of Aris and Murat.

I regret not being able to clearly detail the situation in France because today it far too late.
Mail me in private if you want a detailed report.
However the French people don't know about ELF's contracts with Saddam, they don't know about the state rapers, they don't know about the plastic shreders, they probably don't know about the mass graves and not about that one with children and toys, they neraly missed the liberation of Baghdad: the FR3 TV station showed TEN seconds of people rejoicing and a LENGTHY interview of a guy who wasn't happy (who could have been a Saddamist plant), apocaliptoic rants about lootings and scenes of hospitals.

Do you want to know what is the French press worth? When the Pope came to Paris, there were 100,000 Catholics who joined hands in a circle around Paris. And there were 80, eighty, counterdemonstrators. The public radio didn't interview anyone of the 100,000, they only interviewed one of the eighty catskinners. This was not a problem of radio obeying government. The governemnt was rigt wing and the PM a practicant catholic. It was a problem of journalist feeling he had the right to use the radio, a radio funded by the tax payer, for advancing HIS political beliefs, when his mission was supposed to inform. And of course he got away with it in the nae of freedom of expression. (BTW: In 1981, a numeber of Trostskites infiltrated the socilist party and the state-owned media, then once they were in place those media were declared "independent", and specially, indepent of elected governemnt.
Posted by: JFM || 09/04/2003 17:54 Comments || Top||

#9  Rafael

The French at Lille were commanded by General Juin.
Juin was the guy who came with the plan allowing to break the deadlock at Cassino. Unlike your average 1940 French general he was a good one and that ever makes soldiers to become braver. BTW De Gaulle and Juin were not precisely friends. In part because they were together at St-Cyr (Franc's officer school) and Juin came largely ahead. :-)
Posted by: JFM || 09/04/2003 18:02 Comments || Top||

#10  JFM..
That paints a rather grim picture of France.
They honestly don't know?
Then again, from what I've heard, Beigbeder doesn't think of himself as being anti-American.
Posted by: Dishman || 09/04/2003 18:59 Comments || Top||

#11  There are a few things I don't agree with: The most important being the very notion of "Anti-Americanism" equally applied to death-to-america-yelling turbans, blasé french intellectuals and German (leftist politicians). Maybe I just have a different idea about what Anti-Americanism means: Hating of everything America stands for and applying this hate down to the American people. This is certainly true for the islamofascist crowd, this may (to a certain degree apply to some (read some) arrogant French intellectuals. A few Germans of the extreme left might also think so. But most of what Americans see as European "Anti-Americanism" is in fact a sceptical (and yes, sometimes arrogant) look at US-politics, especially of Republican administrations (although I don't remember Carter being too popular here, Clinton was).

I still insist that the Schröder election campaign was not Anti-American: Schröder did not try to grab votes from people who hate or loathe America, he tried to grab them from people who didn't want to see German soldiers involved in a war in Iraq. Schröder has certainly criticised Bush policies (Kyoto, ICC, Iraq), but he has never said a despising word about America and her people. Some Schroeder comrades (mostly very leftist) have voiced unacceptable opinions (the Bush-Hitler remark standing out), but this didn't get Schröder votes, this made him lose some.

Yes you will find arrogant quotes about America and Americans, but this is not a pervasive thing. Watch Geman TV, especially the ads, read your German Telekom bill (using words like "call by call" and "preselection", impossible in France). Nobody burns down McDonalds, most Germans still rave about their last trip to NY, Florida or California.

Ah, the pollsters: You can get anything out of people. Take away the Iraq issue and ask Germans whether they generally like Americans and a wide majority will say, yes I do. America is the German's third preferred country for emigration (after Australia and Spain).

But a forced choice between Europe and America is not an option: After the Soviet threat is gone and Germany in the center of Europe, with 80 pc of its trade going to EU countries, Germany cannot chose America over Europe. Canada chosing Europe over the U.S. would be equally foolish.

The problem is that we kept the transatlantic structures of the Cold War, but we're dealing with a new world, with new threats and new challenges. The fallout between European countries and the U.S. has a lot to do with the fact that we haven't yet redefined the role of NATO. America cannot just lead and Europe follow. The power and importance of nations is not only defined by military strength. The U.S. could defeat most nations in a few week, but they can't control them that easily.

We need visions for the 21st century. And in the "Project for the New American Century" Europeans might feel a little left out...
And when we discuss European Anti-Americanism, we might have to discuss American Anti-Europeanism as well. The denigratory remarks about the French (and to a lesser extent German) character entirely funneled by the political stances of their respective leaders is worse than anything I have read in European blogs and heard in European opinions about Americans. That includes Rantburg (but LGF is certainly "harder" in that respect). A little French (or German) bashing might be fun, but it should not get out of control.

The chocolate producing euroweenies (Swiss and Austrian protests ignored) thank for your attention.
Posted by: True German Ally || 09/04/2003 20:13 Comments || Top||

#12  Everyone do their best to improve their own country. The only anti-Americans that truly bother me are the Americans that dispect our own country to the extent of cheapening the honest sacrifices of Americans that actually loved our country.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:40 Comments || Top||

#13  TGA:

Well said, as always.
Posted by: Mike || 09/04/2003 21:55 Comments || Top||

#14  TGA >> I couldn't agree with you more.

I've always believed that the "Anti-US" notion was more "Anti-Bush." Over time, however, the Europeans (just like the Democrats) are just waiting and drooling for a US blunder or major setback. What has "really" gone bad in Iraq? Compared to how things could have been. I think the progress has been very good under the circumstances.

I also think the Europeans are just plain envious that the US gets all of the spotlight and has the corner on military technology. Quite frankly, in the last 15 years we've been blessed with the outcomes we've had. Alot of bad things could have gone down in all of the operations that we've had in those last 15 years.

Europe is just now waking up to the fact, that while the US spent billions of dollars for Europe's defense (and saved European countries billions as well), that they have failed to keep up. In Kosovo, the US was giving them hell because their aircraft had such inferior commsec and weapon packages.

We can rant and rave all we want. The fact is, in the end, we still need each other. Not just for the military, but for intelligence and counter-terrorism ops. I have all, but lost faith in the US intel machine. Reading Bob Baer's book "See No Evil: A CIA operative's perspective" (Not exact title) In it I can fully believe what he says. Anyone that's served in the military has seen the increase in political (chickensh@t) ticket punchers and the decline in the warriors that always (thankfully) arise in times of crisis.

Sidenote: The warriors tend to lead combat troops. The sh@itbags/has beens/political ticket punchers tend to become "military analysts."
Posted by: Paul || 09/04/2003 21:59 Comments || Top||

#15  JFM - I don't know how old you are, but unless you've got a foot in the grave, think seriously about coming on over here. I can highly recommend central Virginia - Richmond, to be precise - great weather (we actually have 4 seasons, the summers are usually hot, winters not too cold) and an hour's drive to the beach or mountains, 2 hours to D.C. You will need a car, though - public transportation isn't usually subsidized by the government in the U.S., so we don't have as much of it, particularly between cities. But it's a great place to live. Think about how you could get here (legally) and come on over - we'd love to have you.

P.S. E-mail me if you decide to come, even for a visit. I'd be glad to show you around, and teach you the correct way to use "you all" ("y'all"). :-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 09/04/2003 22:45 Comments || Top||

#16  TGA, --The denigratory remarks about the French (and to a lesser extent German) character entirely funneled by the political stances of their respective leaders is worse than anything I have read in European blogs and heard in European opinions about Americans.--

Visit the Independent forum via Delphi. You'll get an eyefull.

And visit merdeinfrance and dissident frogman. The cartoons and ink are just despicable.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 22:52 Comments || Top||


Home Front
Thinking About Iraq in the Minnesota Wilderness
Source is The McGill Report, via e-mail...
Grand Marais, MN — On the shores of Emerald Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, 60 miles north of Grand Marais along the Gunflint Trail, I sat around a campfire with my two best buddies of four decades, eating batter-fried walleye and sipping grape Gatorade. We talked about the war in Iraq.
He's going to do the contrast thing — a fairly creaky literary device that juxtaposes two unrelated situations to the detriment of one or the other...
It was strange to be imagining that hot, dusty, and wounded Arab land, still so shrouded in violence and grief, while we sat safely in the quiet depths of pristine Minnesota nature.
But there could be people sitting in yurts in Mongolia who're thinking casually about Iraq, too. Someone at this very moment could be standing in a Berlin department store, eying a Siemens toaster, and thinking about the contrast with Iraq. For that matter, why limit oneself temporally? At some point someone stood in a house in a prosperous, (relatively) civilized Baghdad around 1100 A.D. and wondered if his descendants would have it as good as he. And in Baghdad today someone is standing near a rubble pile and wondering if his descendants will have a better life than today's Baghdadis.
The call of loons filled the air with mournful echoes. Was the war in Iraq a good idea or bad idea? We all agreed that things aren't going especially well in post-war Iraq, but on balance, did we think it a good thing the United States had ousted Saddam from power?
It'd be nice to hear real loons instead of the ones who periodically throng the streets, but I'll leave that to the literarily inclined. Good thing, bad thing or orange — none of these apply to the war in Iraq. It was or wasn't good, bad or orange — but it was necessary. It's a battle in the War on Terror, which is a war for the preservation of our civilization. Iraq represented a weak point in the Arab structure in the Middle East. If we hadn't gone to war in Iraq it would have been necessary to attack somewhere else — to put the West on the offensive against the Islamists. Afghansitan sheltered al-Qaeda, gave al-Qaeda aid and comfort, but al-Qaeda is an Arab phenomenon, not a Pashtun phenomenon. It was necessary to carry the war to the Arab world to get into the internals of the Terror Machine. Syria would have done as well. Jordan's not a target. Soddy Arabia is the ultimate objective, but occupying Mecca and Medina would have raised horrific political complications. Egypt and points west are peripheral, as is Yemen, and the Gulf States are fledgling civilized countries.
My friend Chris, a neurologist at the University of Minnesota, said Americans don't have enough information about what's going on in Iraq to make a good decision about leaving or staying. The media just isn't giving us enough information, he said, and the reports they do offer often aren't the truth, only sensationalism packaged to sell like entertainment.
I agree with Chris. The military obviously isn't releasing a lot of information, especially on the enemy — body counts, points of origin, ratios of foreign killers to domestic Baathists, for instance. There are a lot of political agendas being pushed and not an awful lot of reporters just letting their readers know what life is like in Iraq. There's not an awful lot of flavor to the fare being served up...
Still, Chris said, it's clear enough that we've gotten ourselves into a quagmire in Iraq, so pulling out is by far the most sensible thing.
Chris sound like he reads the Boston Globe. If you realize your information is bad, can you justify running away?
The sun slowly fell and the western sky burned a deep, glowing pink at the horizon.
"Maudette! The sun fell!"
"Dammit, Horace! I told you to put a new hook up there! The old one just wore out!"
A black crow flapped and cawed. Mosquitoes buzzed. My friend Rick, a Rochester lawyer, fired back. "Chris, you are expecting the media to give you all the information you need to make a decision. But we'll never have all the information we want.
Much of our information we get only in outline, and you have to pay close attention to tell what's politix and what's fact. Keeping track of the enemy's order of battle becomes a full-time job, and making sense of isolated engagements with no idea of the overall campaign is confusing. He's right. There's no such thing as perfect information...
"We need to make decisions before that.
Most decisions are made based on imperfect data...
"I find myself looking inward and asking 'How would I feel if I were an average Iraqi person? In that case, how would I feel? What would I want?'"
And there's the mistake. We spend almost as much time looking inward as we do sitting in the national bathroom, exploring our sexuality. I don't care how you feel! You don't care how I feel! What really, truly, actually counts in today's touchy-feely, "I'm okay, you're okay" world is not how people feel, it's what they do. If Rick's a lawyer, nobody cares whether he feels benevolent, whether he's a first-class greedhead, or if he's bilious. They care that he can settle their tax bill with the IRS for 30 cents on the dollar. If he can't do that because his lady love left him for another woman, they'll find another lawyer who can. Nobody cares that Chris the Doctor feels really, really sad because his puppy got run over by a bus. They expect Chris the Doctor to administer five stitches to the wound little Chucky got on his forehead playing football with the brats down the street. Likewise, I could care less how Masood Azhar feels. What I care about is the fact that he heads a jihadi organization that's been responsible for killing thousands — literally thousands — of people, each of whom had his or her own feelings, including the little babies in the number.
The bottom line for Rick is that Iraqis now have a freedom to make their own future that they didn't have before. They no longer fear execution of their entire families on the basis of mere rumors that they didn't like Saddam. "If I were an Iraqi, I'd be overjoyed that Saddam was gone," Rick said. "I'd feel that as bad as things might be now, I had new opportunities."
So would I, insofar as my feelings on the subject matter, which is zilch. But Iraqi prosperity and security are a side benefit of deposing dictators and killing terrorists.
A fish jumped in the lake, making a loud "plop!" and leaving only ripples by the time we looked. The sweet scent of fried fish mixed with sharp piney smells in the air. As for myself, I believe in Rick's simple formula, to "look within." We can't learn every language in the world, and each one of us, realistically, can't travel to many places to search out the truth. Surely the Boundary Waters wilderness teaches the wisdom of Rick's path.
No, it doesn't. It sounds like a nice place to go on vacation, except for the mosquitos. But even though I agree with Rick's conclusion, I don't agree with Rick's path. There's a place for looking inward, and that place can be vacation. There's also a place for looking outward, at the rest of the world. There's a place for assessing threats and estimating the capabilities and intentions of adversaries. There's a place for taking action once the situation's been assessed. There's a place for goodness and mercy and there's a place for ruthlessness and even cruelty. All that means there's a place for judgment and reason, both objective and subjective.
Loons and bald eagles, not Fox and CNN, are the authorities in our wilderness. Our imaginations must do the distant travel. The three of us joked throughout the trip about "being in the now."
I think they're nattering in touchy-feelyspeak, but I'm not sure. I don't speak the current psychobabble dialect...
For six days our eyes saw calm wilderness lakes, rugged rocks and perfect nature, while inside we saw Baghdad. We heard and saw the fireworks of shock and awe. We saw children lying in hospital beds.
Don't forget the children being released from jail. Don't forget the mass graves. Don't forget the 100 percent vote in favor of Sammy. Don't forget the UN headquarters being car bombed. Don't forget Uday and Qusay, dead in a shootout, stuffed and mounted. Don't forget the people trying to pull down the ubiquitous statues of Sammy. Don't forget the Silkworm missile that Sammy's troops fired at the mall in Kuwait. Don't forget the intricacies of the power struggle among the Shias. And don't forget for a moment the endless cries of "jihad!"...
What I want to ask is what lessons the treasure of our northern wilderness, a treasure of the entire world, might hold for the peace of the entire world? What responsibility, if any, do we have to seek and to share those lessons? "Harmony of knowledge, will, and feeling toward the earth is wisdom, for it has to do with living at peace with other forms of life," wrote the Minnesota conservationist and writer, Sigurd F. Olson, after one wilderness trip. "Since the beginning of civilization, harmony with nature has been almost disregarded, though it has been recognized by a few great minds as the only solution to the problem of finding peace and contentment."
Harmony with nature is good. Harmony with nature is enjoyable. It has nothing to do with international politix, UN resolutions, the movement of men and materiel to depose dictators and international conspiracies. September 11th, 2001, was a beautiful day for us on the east coast. The temperature was in the low 70s, the sky was clear and almost cloudless. It's possible that Barbara Olsen felt like taking the day off and going fishing instead of getting on a plane that someone else slammed into the Pentagon. They didn't care that it was a beautiful day to go fishing.
On the first day of our trip, a giant snapping turtle, floating like an astronaut in two feet of crystalline water, poked his nose above the waterline to peer a few moments at the three of us. A wise old soul, we decided. The persistence of our violent inner visions of war shocked us. All through the trip the loons cried their strange rising whoops and declining sighs, their calls that pierce the heart so directly and so hauntingly, their laughing shrieks and grieving cries of perfect nature.
I suppose it's a good thing that the awareness of war remains with us even when we go on vacation to what sounds like a lovely place. But I don't think we learned anything on vacation. I hope we caught lots of fish.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 09/04/2003 11:41 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Let PETA know about their "fishin' and thinkin' trip". That'll bring the horrors of war and dictatorship to their doorstep. What an inflated piece of crap
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:48 Comments || Top||

#2  That 70's "I'm okay, you're okay" crap - my old roomate in college used to say to potential dates who brought it up - "I'm okay, you're f*#ked!". And what group of real men would go on a fishing trip without beer?
Posted by: Mike S || 09/04/2003 11:55 Comments || Top||

#3  Don't forget the mosquito-, loon-, and fish-filled marsh that Sammy drained so that he could punish and kill the Marsh Arabs...
Posted by: seafarious || 09/04/2003 12:06 Comments || Top||

#4  We spend almost as much time looking inward as we do sitting in the national bathroom, exploring our sexuality.

Fred, that is one of the all-time great lines.

As for the article---pheww---I detect the lingering stench of the 1960s. Did I miss it, or was there an encounter with a passing Ojibwa shaman who told them the secret of life?

The problem with looking inward and figuring out how you feel is that not everybody feels like you do or operates by your principles. You may value peace above all else, but halfway across the world there's a man who does not value earthly peace as much as eternal glory. You're not going to come to an accommodation with that guy.

I know most of the rest of you learned that sort of thing where I did, in junior high, but apparently some people don't.
Posted by: Angie Schultz || 09/04/2003 12:52 Comments || Top||

#5  Visualize getting a job, pal...
Posted by: mojo || 09/04/2003 13:31 Comments || Top||

#6  You know, I'm almost positive that this little think-piece is a rip-off ("homage") of a Hemmingway short story I had to read for some class or another. Except Hemmingway was a lot more subtle about comparing his war with fishing in Minnesota lake country.
Posted by: Mitch H. || 09/04/2003 15:26 Comments || Top||

#7  Wonder what the writer would be thinking and contrasting with if he was in the wilderness with an erupting volcano. Hang around the woods for a while with choking, raining volcanic ash and see if you feel good. Nature is not "feel good" benevolant to all. The world is not loons, baby ducks, and plopping fish all living in perfect harmony getting a coke.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 15:43 Comments || Top||

#8  For that matter, if they were doing the very same thing -- sitting around a lake fishing and passing gas -- 30 miles north of the northern end of your route in late January, things wouldn't be quite so pleasant...

Jack London, call your agent.
Posted by: Fred || 09/04/2003 17:13 Comments || Top||

#9  I wonder how the fish were biting the day that Todd Bemer and his buddies got told over their cell-phones that this hi-jack wasn't the Cubans taking the plane to Havana.

Maybe his friend Chris, a neurologist at the University of Minnesota, called and said that important things were going on the world.

The a black crow flapped and cawed. Mosquitoes buzzed. He decided to catch some more fish because he was a new American as far removed from Nathan Hale, Thomas Paine and any other patriot who gave a shit.

His friend Rick, a Rochester lawyer, fired back. "Bob, Nicholodean isn't covering the attack. You can still watch Sponge Bob."

From a lake in New France, MN.
Posted by: Super Hose || 09/04/2003 20:34 Comments || Top||

#10  Sounds like they ran outta beer...
Posted by: tu3031 || 09/04/2003 23:30 Comments || Top||

#11  OK--who posted some "dude's" Journalism 101 paper from U of Minn on here to be mean?
Posted by: Not Mike Moore || 09/04/2003 23:38 Comments || Top||


Middle East
Abbas rejects use of force
Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas ruled out Thursday resorting to force against hardline groups to stop them launching attacks on Israel as Hamas said it had resumed talks with his government. "We do not deal with the opposition in a militaristic manner but through dialogue," Abbas told a key meeting of the Palestinian Legislative Council. "We have sent ministers, MPs and leading individuals to explain to them what we face if we make the wrong moves. They listened and co-operated," he said.
"They didn’t shoot my messengers".
Israel has accused the Palestinian Authority of not doing enough to rein in hardline groups. Abbas cut ties with Hamas and Islamic Jihad after they both claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem blast.
"cut ties" meaning he only sees them at unofficial parties.
Senior Hamas figure Ismail Haniya told AFP that talks had taken place between officials from the group and Palestinian ministers on Thursday, without giving their names. "We need a strategy of dialogue to protect the Palestinian people and their territories," said Haniya. "The problems between Abu Mazen (Abbas) and Arafat do not concern us."
"We give the orders, not them".
Hamas political leader Abdulaziz Rantissi said he supported a resumption of dialogue with the Abbas government which was severed by the Jerusalam bomb.
"It’s the Jooooo’s fault. If they hadn’t put that bus there, it wouldn’t have exploded".
"Abu Mazen (Abbas) took the decision to stop talking to us," he told AFP. "We support dialogue."
"Talk hasn’t stopped us before, why should we worry about it now?"
Posted by: Steve || 09/04/2003 10:42:43 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas ruled out Thursday resorting to force against hardline groups to stop them launching attacks on Israel as Hamas said it had resumed talks with his government. "We do not deal with the opposition in a militaristic manner but through dialogue," Abbas told a key meeting of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Just another confirmation of the Palestinian penchant for not honoring their part of an agreement.

"Abu Mazen (Abbas) took the decision to stop talking to us," he told AFP. "We support dialogue."

This is the ploy of ol' Ho Chi Minh himself during the Vietnam War - "talk talk, fight fight". All this talking does nothing to advance the prospect of peace in that area.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/04/2003 14:32 Comments || Top||


Home Front
American Comunists League Unspun
Did you see in the news last week where the A C L U doesn’t want any crosses on Federal Property?
Well, Duh!
Posted by: raptor || 09/04/2003 10:35:11 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I've gotten the photo from four or five people. I agree. But you do have a few typos in your headline. The true meaning of the ACLU acronym is "Anti-Christian Lawyers' Union" The best thing we could do for these dumbsh$$$ is to stop funding them, stop hiring them, stop treating them with anything but the contempt they so richly deserve, and most of all, stop listening to anything they have to say.

There is one behavior that is very good at responding to idiotarians like the ACLU - shunning. I think the ACLU should be shunned in every area they stick their long, sharp, smelly noses into. Let us completely and totally ignore the ACLU and its minions, supporters, and enablers. It may take awhile, but eventually we'll weaken, perhaps even kill the filthy beast.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 11:26 Comments || Top||

#2  Wait til CAIR and the ACLU find the star of david on some of the tombstones..it'll really hit the fan...got the pic on a couple emails as well
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:45 Comments || Top||


Middle East
Abbas seeks stronger Palestinian mandate
EFL
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has challenged his parliament to back him — or face his resignation. In a speech to MPs, who are reviewing his first 100 days in office, Mr Abbas publicly admitted rifts with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat — and said they must be corrected. "Either provide the possibility of strong support for carrying out [the mandate] or you can take it back," he said, while stopping short of demanding a formal vote of confidence. However, a number of MPs have filed an application for a no-confidence vote but it is not clear whether it will be admitted.
Throw him out. It will represent Yasser personally peeing on Bush's leg. Bush gave them a chance last year. He told them what they needed to do. Yasser's determined not to do it.
Mr Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, called on the United States to lift its boycott of Mr Arafat - "the elected, legitimate, constitutional and historical president of the Palestinian people".
No. And the election's an example of "one man, one vote, one time." There was supposed to be another election this years, but the Paleos never got around to it. Too busy exploding.
Mr Arafat was not present at the meeting — he remains isolated in his Ramallah headquarters. But his supporters forced the prime minister to enter the parliament building through a back door. Some tried to force their way into the building. Masked men carrying swords and clubs spray-painted a slogan on the wall, "We want Abu Mazen’s government to fall" and signed: the Al-Aqsa Brigades — linked to Mr Arafat’s Fatah movement. Echoing a similar line by Mr Arafat, the prime minister blamed Israel for the collapse of the ceasefire declared by Palestinian militants at the end of June.
He didn't blame the masked men carrying swords and clubs and spray cans, because they, ummm... uhhh... well...
But he urged Palestinians not to give in to the "spiral of action and reaction" and not to take unilateral action that would undermine Palestinian national unity and further isolate their case. The PA government’s efforts to control militant groups which launch attacks on Israel have so far been largely confined to playing with themselves measures such as freezing the bank accounts of Islamic charities with alleged links to Hamas. Mr Arafat largely still controls the PA’s security services. And Mr Abbas wants greater control of the Palestinian security forces to be able to tackle armed groups responsible for suicide attacks against Israelis. That, says the BBC’s James Reynolds in Jerusalem, is holding up the international peace plan known as the roadmap.
Beeb reporter pointing a finger of blame at Arafat? Will wonders never cease?!
Get that finger out of this story! You don't know where it's been!
Mr Abbas appointed Saeb Erekat as chief Palestinian negotiator in talks on the roadmap. But in a further reminder that Mr Abbas has failed to rein in Palestinian militants, an Israeli was shot dead in the West Bank on Thursday morning.
"Maw! I'm gonna go out and pot me a few Jews!"
"Okay, Mahmoud. You gonna be home in time for lunch?"
The Israeli was shot near the West Bank town of Jenin and died en route to hospital. Haaretz said the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad had admitted carrying out the attack. Mahmoud Abbas was appointed prime minister after the United States refused to deal with Mr Arafat, describing him as a leader "tainted by terrorism". On Sunday, US envoy John Wolf reportedly warned Palestinian officials that Washington would "not allow the fall of the Abbas government".
Posted by: Bulldog || 09/04/2003 8:38:40 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  If Abbas gets more power and still does nothing about Hamas, etc. then what?
Posted by: mhw || 09/04/2003 9:33 Comments || Top||

#2  He's Fatah, I would expect that, as in yesterdays post, he'd let the Israelis clean Hamas's clock for him
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 10:38 Comments || Top||

#3  Mr Abbas appointed Saeb Erekat as chief Palestinian negotiator in talks on the roadmap.

Erekat is just another Arafat lackey, complete with hot air supply. This is yet another signal that nothing has changed, and nothing will change anytime soon.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 09/04/2003 10:40 Comments || Top||

#4  Fortunately, there are no talks on the roadmap...just Hamas heads rolling. Erekat's worse than a hack, he's a POS
Posted by: Frank G || 09/04/2003 11:28 Comments || Top||

#5  On Sunday, US envoy John Wolf reportedly warned Palestinian officials that Washington would "not allow the fall of the Abbas government".

And what, pray tell, in the hell does that mean? The Abbas govt is still the Arafat fish tank govt. So what is new? We still have a dirty fish tank to clean.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 09/04/2003 17:27 Comments || Top||

#6  Sometimes, AP, it's better to flush the entire crop down the toilet and start over. That may be what Israel needs to do. That requires beheading not only Fatah, but Hamas, Al-Aksa, Hezbollah, and anybody else that raises their noggin one inch above the ground. This is something that's best done soonest, not later.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 09/04/2003 21:41 Comments || Top||


Home Front
First ‘bionic soldier’ takes one step at a time
By Michael E. Dukes
September 3, 2003

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 3, 2003)-- Changes in body armor have reduced the number of American service members dying on the battlefield for about a decade — although it still happens, a majority of combat wounds military doctors treat involve the extremities.

While participating in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan last year, Staff Sgt. Michael McNaughton, took a step that would change his life forever. While walking through an area at Bagram Air Base believed to be cleared and safe, McNaughton, a 31-year-old National Guardsman from the Louisiana’s 769th Engineer Battalion, stepped on a land mine.

The blast took off his right foot, tore into his right leg in several places, took a chunk out of his left calf and blew off a couple of fingers on his right hand.

With extensive damage to his right leg and significant debris in the wounds, doctors had to amputate the combat engineer’s destroyed limb just above his knee.

After he spent several months in a hospital bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington McNaughton’s doctors believed it was ready to take the healing process to the next level and fit him with a conventional prosthetic leg.

McNaughton worked with physical therapy specialists for several hours each day. “I pretty much had to learn how to walk again,” he said. He spent most of his therapy time learning to put weight on the prosthetic and walking.

“I thought I would put the leg on and go. But there is a lot more to it" he said. He knew he needed the therapy, but at times it seemed like he was fighting a losing battle. "The first time I tried to walk with a cane it felt like I could just walk, but unfortunately you can’t do that. It’s definitely frustrating. I just wanted to pick the leg up and throw it.”

A few months later, Walter Reed prosthetist Joseph Miller offered McNaughton an option that would make walking and returning to a normal life much easier — a microprocessor controlled knee called a C-Leg.

Unlike a traditional prosthetic leg requiring an amputee to swing it with each step, the C-Leg has hydraulic pneumatic controls enabling amputee the closest possible approximation to their natural walk, Miller said.

The $43,000 bionic leg, complete with microprocessor knee and force-sensing pylon -- metal support rod between the knee and the prosthetic foot -- reads feedback data 50 times per second and evaluates it to determine the appropriate movement for the computer aided leg.

The C-Leg takes much less energy when McNaughton walks.

“Sometimes it’s hard to explain, because you have to be an amputee to know the difference. But [the C-Leg] is so much smoother. It tries to imitate exactly what the left leg is doing,” McNaughton said. “I can take more natural steps. With this one you can go down ramps a lot easier. With the [conventional prosthetic] you have to go down sideways.”

McNaughton feels that while it is true he faces challenges in the road ahead, he is no less of a person since the amputation. He said he has the same hopes and dreams as anybody else and he looks forward to returning to a normal life — something he believes will be much easier with the C-Leg.

It’s our job to help out guys like Staff Sgt.McNaughton as much as we can.
Posted by: Penguin || 09/04/2003 1:48:28 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  SSgt McNaughton does, indeed, deserve the best we can give him - and I'm impressed with the tech. From his remarks, it has come a long way for the better.
Posted by: .com || 09/04/2003 9:25 Comments || Top||


Korea
Roh’s Approval Rating at 30 Percent
Meet Korea’s own Gray Davis...
President Roh Moo-hyun’s approval ratings are down to 30.4 percent, according to a telephone poll taken Saturday by the Chosun Ilbo and Korea Gallup of 1,097 adults. According to the results, 53.1 percent of the respondents said Roh’s performance was "unsatisfactory," and 30.4 percent said it was "satisfactory." Of the rest, 9.9 percent said Roh’s performance so far was "average" and 6.7 percent declined to answer. The president’s approval rating is down from 59.6 percent on April 29 and 40.2 percent on May 31. In other areas, 67.7 percent of the respondents said the direction in which the nation’s political, economic, social, and defense issues was "unsatisfactory." Only 12.9 percent said they were headed in the right way. The survey had a 95 percent confidence level and a margin of error of ±3 percent.
Posted by: g wiz || 09/04/2003 12:52:01 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Lucianne links to an article that Nestle's pulled their Seoul office out and is investigating the possibility of closing it's business there. Militant union.
Posted by: Anonymous || 09/04/2003 1:01 Comments || Top||

#2  If I'm reading the numbers correctly George W. Bush polls the same with the French (30% or more accurately 70% against) that Roh does in his own country. That's gotta hurt.
Posted by: Yank || 09/04/2003 16:55 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
35[untagged]

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


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.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2003-09-04
  Army raids suspected rebel hide-out in Indian Kashmir - 7 Dead
Wed 2003-09-03
  Caucasus train boom kills four
Tue 2003-09-02
  Car boom at Baghdad cop shop
Mon 2003-09-01
  Two more Hamas snuffied zapped in Gaza
Sun 2003-08-31
  Five Paks held in Thailand for terrorist links
Sat 2003-08-30
  Two more Hamas snuffies zapped
Fri 2003-08-29
  Hakim boomed in Najaf
Thu 2003-08-28
  Ashkelon hit by Palestinian Kassam missile
Wed 2003-08-27
  Coalition Daisy Cuts Talibase?
Tue 2003-08-26
  Israel Rockets Gaza City Targets
Mon 2003-08-25
  Bombay boom kills at least 42
Sun 2003-08-24
  IAF bangs four Hamas bigs
Sat 2003-08-23
  Paleos urge Israel to join new hudna
Fri 2003-08-22
  Paleos slam Sderot with Kassams, mortars
Thu 2003-08-21
  Shanab departs gene pool

Better than the average link...



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.
34.200.219.10
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
(0)    (0)    (0)    (0)    (0)