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Qurei Resigns Amid Shakeup
Today's Headlines
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Down Under
Habib recruited for LeT
Australian terrorist suspect Mamdouh Habib tried to recruit Sydney Muslims for an Islamic holy war, it was reported. Senior radical Islamic cleric Sheikh Mohommad Omran told the Weekend Australian newspaper that Habib attempted to recruit jihad fighters by writing their names on volunteer lists without their knowledge. "I heard he collected typhus names (in Sydney) for jihad," said Sheikh Omran, who heads the Melbourne-based fundamentalist Ahl Sunnah wal Jamaah Association. "He had a confrontation with the brothers when they found out he was putting their names down - they thought it was a petition for something, then he says `No, this is for who wants to go to jihad' and the brothers got angry."
"You want us to do what? Mahmoud, slap him!"
Sheikh Omran told the newspaper Habib was disturbed and would dress in Japanese-style ninja outfits. "He is a disturbed man and he has psychological problems ... he came in to my centre with a ninja (outfit) and a ninja hat," he reportedly said. The Australian government believes Habib trained with Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and al-Qaeda before he was arrested on October 5, 2001. The United States has announced he will face trial in a military commission after nearly three years in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
I think I see a "not guilty by reason of mental defect" coming here.
Sheikh Omran said Habib fell out with a hardline prayer group after using the name of the fundamentalist association to solicit $12,000 for Muslim rebels in Chechnya. Sheikh Omran said he told him to return the money. "We told (Habib) you don't take things into your own hands without cutting your elders in on the boodle consulting your elders," he said. "He got angry and after a while we stopped him coming to the centre and kept the money for ourselves." Sheikh Omran said he got a police order to stop Habib visiting a Lakemba prayer hall. Habib's lawyer, Stephen Hopper, denied claims his client was involved in the recruiting or jihad fundraising. "(Sheikh Omran) should know better than to make such allegations considering he has been accused himself," Mr Hopper said.
Trying to get a lighter sentence, maybe?
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:06:31 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Europe
'Al-Qaeda' warns Italy will burn
A STATEMENT posted on an Islamist website and said to be from Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network has threatened Italy with a 9/11-style bloodbath if Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi remains in power. "Either you junk the incompetent Berlusconi or we will really burn Italy," the statement said. "We are in Italy. None of you is safe. As long as you refuse the offer put forward by our sheikh (bin Laden), we are going to make good our threats. A bloodbath like that of September 11 (2001) awaits you."

The statement was referring to a July 15 deadline the al-Qaeda leader gave European governments to pull their troops out of Muslim countries. Italy still maintains troops in Iraq, where it has been a staunch supporter of the US-led invasion. The three-month ultimatum was issued in an April 15 audiotape that was later authenticated by the US Central Intelligence Agency. "This message is no mere threat," the latest statement warned. "We are capable of hitting the targets we choose with non-conventional weapons that will spark an enormous catastrophe ... Our next message will be what you see in you country, not an Internet message."

The statement was posted at http://www.ansarnet.ws/vb but its authenticity could not be verified today. It was signed in the name of the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which also claimed responsibility for the March 11 attacks in Madrid and the November 2003 bombings in Istanbul.
Posted by: tipper || 07/17/2004 12:55:12 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Now we'll see if the majority of Italians have courage, or if it's only a few.

If Italy gives in to Al-Q telling them who to elect, they might as well start slaughtering pigs, burning vineyards, pouring out wine, burning churches and getting measured for burkas right now. Avoid the rush a few years from now.

Oh, yeah - and turn the Vatican into a mosque, which will immediately be declared one of the holiest islamic shrines.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 07/17/2004 13:36 Comments || Top||

#2  But, but that makes no sense... Moore and Kerry told me that Al Queda wanted Bush to win because Bush was helping them beat us... I don't get it, if they want Bush to win then why are they trying to remove all of the political leaders that are allied with Bush?

I don't get it... could Moore and Kerry be lying to me?!? Say it ain't so!
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American || 07/17/2004 13:40 Comments || Top||

#3  Unfortunately, Berlusconi's Forza Italia party suffered heavy losses in the June European and local vote. Whether this new AQ threat will help Berlusconi or hurt him further with the Italian voters is hard to say.

Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 13:58 Comments || Top||

#4  Isn't it strange that AQ just skipped the part about pulling troops out of Iraq and went right for Berlusconi?
They're either getting very bold or very desperate.
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 14:57 Comments || Top||

#5  Whichever it is-- boldness or desperation-- they sure aren't puting a high premium on subtlety. Hopefully, that'll prove a blunder.
Posted by: Dave D. || 07/17/2004 15:00 Comments || Top||

#6  From Spain's pitiful example of obsequiousness they know that their best bet is to remove the leader as opposed to change a strong individuals inclinations. Berlusconi is no coward and AQ knows it... they only hope the Italian population proves to be cowardly.
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American || 07/17/2004 15:03 Comments || Top||

#7  I hope the Italians remember brave Fabrizio Quattrochi and reject this nonsense.
Posted by: tibor || 07/17/2004 15:43 Comments || Top||

#8  So do I, tibor. I pray that they have the depth of character to resist this cancer. Oriana Fallacci must be wigging out over the suspense of seeing what will happen to her beloved Italy.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 07/17/2004 18:39 Comments || Top||


End of Terror Truce Leaves Europeans Cold
Link fixed.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 02:30 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Bad link.
Posted by: Dave D. || 07/17/2004 6:25 Comments || Top||

#2  Append "html" to what the link gives you and you'll be able to see it.
Posted by: eLarson || 07/17/2004 9:55 Comments || Top||

#3  Here is a working link.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 07/17/2004 10:50 Comments || Top||

#4 
"There is no information that would require us to strengthen security measures," a spokesman of German Interior Minister Otto Schily (photo) said...security forces in the country were already on high alert.

Have they learned nothing of 9/11? They will only understand the nature of the beast AFTER a terrorist attack, apparently. You are looking at John Kerry's political Bobsy Twin.
Posted by: jules 2 || 07/17/2004 11:08 Comments || Top||

#5  Being on the defensive sucks. Reacting to terrorists means that you will inevitably be one step behind the terrorists at all times. This is so fundamental that one gets to wonder about the EU leadership. Will it take another good hit or two to wake them up? Or will they be Spainitized™ by a boom? I really wonder about this.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 07/17/2004 12:46 Comments || Top||

#6  It's after the 15th - have the French surrendered yet?
Posted by: A Jackson || 07/17/2004 13:30 Comments || Top||

#7  I just tired this link, and it does not function as it did last night. Sorry about that.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 15:41 Comments || Top||

#8  Reacting to terrorists means that you will inevitably be one step behind the terrorists at all times.

Or, put another way, innocent people must needlessly die first before action is taken against terrorist groups.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 07/17/2004 16:56 Comments || Top||

#9  Right friggin on B-A-R. And the LLL monkeys that advocate appeasement and inaction will not take responsibility for those innocents' deaths after they occur.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 07/17/2004 18:42 Comments || Top||

#10  I would suggest that the same is actually true of the US, as well - we're not exactly mainstream here on RB. We'll get hit again, I do not pretend to know how or where or how bad, but I have absolutely no doubt it will happen on a large enough scale to further split the "go get 'em" and "no profiling" crowds into "kill 'em all" and "buy 'em off".
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 19:30 Comments || Top||


Frankfurt Mosque Video Violent, Police Say
Frankfurt police confirmed that a video seized during a raid at a mosque is violent and glorifies war. Separately, authorities searched another Islamic group in Cologne on suspicion it was being used by extremists. "What is shown on the video is in our view inciting people," Liebeck said in a radio interview Thursday. "It shows how corpses are glorified and the Holy War exalted."

The video with degrading images surfaced following a raid in a Frankfurt mosque and Moroccan cultural center on Sunday. Police seized computers, videos and documents. The particular violent video was apparently the basis for the search. Liebeck said the video was bought by someone, who claimed he purchased it in the Al-Taqwa cultural center. "We heard about it and took that as the basis for our decision to conduct a raid," Liebeck said. The police spokesman stressed it was not illegal in Germany to own the video, but it is unlawful to disseminate such material.

The raid of the al Taqwa cultural center located near the main railway station in Frankfurt on Sunday involved around 120 policemen. Prosecutors said earlier that the raid occurred after a 9-year-old student told her teacher that she and other children were shown violent videos during their Islamic class. They called for a "holy war against non-believers," including one featuring a beheading, according to the student.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: tipper || 07/17/2004 12:25:55 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


US assessing terrorist threat against Italy
A posting on an al-Qaida-linked Web site Friday hinting of an "imminent" terrorist attack on Italy has raised serious concern in the U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism community, a senior U.S. official told NBC News. The Web site, an Internet forum called the Global Islamic Media Center, posted its third threat against Italy in less than two weeks, referring to expectations of an operation that would occur "imminently" in Italy. The two previous threats, posted July 3 and on Wednesday, called on Italians to oust Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a prominent U.S. ally who strongly supported the war in Iraq. The site has been used as a "de facto al-Qaida Web site where communications [from al-Qaida leaders] are posted," the U.S. official told NBC, speaking on condition of anonymity. In particular, the official noted, the Web site's moderator, who uses the nom de guerre Abu Banan, has ties to al-Qaida and has previously used the site to signal terrorist attacks by choosing particular messages for posting. U.S. intelligence monitors the site, which is published under various addresses, and Abu Banan's editing decisions, the official said. "He chooses. He is the editor, and he is the one with al-Qaida ties."

The recent posting raised special concern, U.S. officials said, because of an audio message released April 15 by al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, which offered a truce to European countries if they removed their troops from Muslim countries within 90 days. That deadline passed Thursday. Internet Haganah, an Israeli group that monitors terrorist Web sites, reported Friday that there were suggestions on Abu Basan's site and others that the target of a coming attack "may be Italy."

"Jihadists believed to be in Italy have been observed [on what is clearly the Global Islamic Media Center, although it is not named] very recently speaking about their expectations of an operation to occur imminently," Internet Haganah reported. "These jihadists are of North African ethnicity, which fits the profile of recent al-Qaida operatives in Europe. There has also been an increase in chatter expressing great expectations for an operation in Europe generally. The sum of all this information leads us to the conclusion that al-Qaida operatives may strike sooner rather than later, and of the possible targets in Europe, Italy would appear to be at the top of the list."
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:06:31 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In southern Italy jihadists would sometimes go virtually unnoticed. Whose to say the enemy will always utilize Arab-looking jihadees either? Females, paid killers, etc.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 0:56 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran sez it has arrested Iranian al-Qaeda backers
Oh goody, more "in custody" ...
Iran has arrested a number of Iranian supporters of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda group, the country's intelligence minister was quoted as saying by state television on Saturday. "Iran's intelligence apparatus has identified and arrested small Iranian deviate branches of the al Qaeda group," state television quoted minister Ali Yunesi as saying. It did not elaborate or specify how many were detained. Yunesi warned Iran would take a tough line against militants using Iran as a base. "Those who seek to misuse the safe situation in Iran will face serious consequences," he said. Iran says it has arrested and repatriated hundreds of al Qaeda suspects in the last two years. It also says it wants to try other al Qaeda suspects it has detained who come from countries viewed as unfriendly.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 2:42:40 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Lol! The New Improved Mad Mullahs!

These amazing little nuggets of Mad Mullah PR are just priceless!
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 20:41 Comments || Top||

#2  I dunno, .com. Somehow I doubt the credibility of this story. It's not as though the mullahs would arrest themselves, after all . . .
Posted by: The Doctor || 07/17/2004 21:16 Comments || Top||

#3  I'll believe it when they giftwrap 'em & hand 'em over.
Posted by: AzCat || 07/17/2004 21:22 Comments || Top||

#4  Well Holy Men cannot be held to account under the same laws as cannon fodder regular men because they are, uh, um, y'know, so Holy and everything. You tease me too much, infidel - everybody knows this is true. ;-)
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 21:28 Comments || Top||

#5  "Hey Ali?"

"Yeah Surhan, what?"

"Those guys over there, looks like out of towners."

"Yeah, big ol toothy grins and all. Surhan call the Minister of Faith while I check these guys out."
Posted by: Lucky || 07/17/2004 23:31 Comments || Top||


TIME Magazine to Report 9/11 Commision Finds Al Qaeda Ties to Iran
A senior U.S. official told TIME that the Commission has uncovered evidence suggesting that between eight and ten of the 14 "muscle" hijackers—that is, those involved in gaining control of the four 9/11 aircraft and subduing the crew and passengers—passed through Iran in the period from October 2000 to February 2001. Sources also tell TIME that Commission investigators found that Iran had a history of allowing al-Qaeda members to enter and exit Iran across the Afghan border.

This practice dated back to October 2000, with Iranian officials issuing specific instructions to their border guards—in some cases not to put stamps in the passports of al-Qaeda personnel—and otherwise not harass them and to facilitate their travel across the frontier. The report does not, however, offer evidence that Iran was aware of the plans for the 9/11 attacks. The senior official also told TIME that the report will note that Iranian officials approached the al-Qaeda leadership after the bombing of the USS Cole and proposed a collaborative relationship in future attacks on the U.S., but the offer was turned down by bin Laden because he did not want to alienate his supporters in Saudi Arabia.

The Iran-al Qaeda contacts were discovered and presented to the Commissioners near the end of the bipartisan panel's more than year-long investigation into the sources and origins of the 9/11 attacks. Much of the new information about Iran came from al-Qaeda detainees interrogated by the U.S. government, including captured Yemeni al-Qaeda operative Waleed Mohammed bin Attash, who organized the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole, and from as many as 100 separate electronic intelligence intercepts culled by analysts at the NSA. The findings were sent to the White House for review only this week. But Commission members have been hinting for weeks that their report would have some Iran surprises. As the 9/11 Commission's chairman, Thomas Kean, said in June, "We believe....that there were a lot more active contacts, frankly, with Iran and with Pakistan than there were with Iraq." If its true that the bi-partisan commision on 9/11 reports that there are in fact ties between the 9/11 hijackers and Iran then we could be at war again sooner than expected.
Don't inform the mullahs.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 5:17:13 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iran court told Canadian was tortured to death
Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi was tortured to death in Iranian custody, her tearful mother told a court on Saturday when the trial resumed of an intelligence agent accused of the killing. "There were burns on my daughter's chest, her fingers and toes and nose were broken ... she was tortured to death," Ezzat Kazemi told the court after a nine-month delay in proceedings.

The case has strained Iran's relations with Canada, prompting Ottawa to withdraw its ambassador this week, and has exposed deep rifts between President Mohammad Khatami's reformist government and the hardline judiciary. The intelligence agent, Mohammad Reza Aqdam, has denied a charge of what the court calls the semi-intentional murder of Kazemi, a 54-year-old of Iranian descent who was arrested outside Tehran's Evin prison last July for taking photographs. The charge, lesser than murder or manslaughter, carries a possible penalty of up to three years in jail and the payment of blood money to the victim's family.

The judiciary initially said Kazemi died of a stroke, but a government inquiry ordered by Khatami showed she received a heavy blow which split her skull, causing a brain haemorrhage. She died in hospital 10 days after lapsing into a coma. During more than 72 hours in Evin prison, Kazemi was interrogated separately by police, judiciary and Intelligence Ministry officials. "I have complaints against all of those involved in her arrest and murder," said Ezzat Kazemi, adding she wanted other people brought to justice in the case.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 4:35:11 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "They forced me and threatened me to accept to bury her here. Is this Islam?" Ezzat Kazemi told the court.

Yes, that Is Islam. Always has been. Islam != peace, Islam = submission. How many times this has to be repeated before people get it?

Thus spake Zarathustra.
Posted by: Zarathustra || 07/17/2004 17:09 Comments || Top||

#2  Yes, that is MuslimP-wrists way. acid in little Muslim girls' faces, torture unarmed journalists and truck drivers, crash planes full of unarmed innonocents into buildings filled with innocents, car bomb innoncent Muslim women and childern.

Brave Jihadists. Noble Jihadists.

If this is the work of "allah"...then "allah" is the Anti-Christ or Satan, or both.
Posted by: anymouse || 07/17/2004 19:21 Comments || Top||

#3  Well atleast they didn't put a dog leash on her neck or a jock strap over her head. Has CNN been all over this? Wonder what the Canadians are going to do - is there anything they can do?
Posted by: Robjack || 07/17/2004 19:37 Comments || Top||

#4  Wonder what the Canadians are going to do - is there anything they can do?
This incident did not get as much interest from the Liberals and CBC as the Arar story, the guy who was 'allegedly" tortured by Syria after the US re-patriated him there following "bad guy" heads up from the Cdn. intelligence community.

I think the reason Canada initially gave Iran a tsk, tsk/ slap on the wrist , toyed with kicking out the Iranian ambassador, whatever is because Iran is a valuable ME trade partner with Canada.
So the Canadian gov't didn't want to raise too much of a rucous and lose Iran's market.The photographer's son has kept this story alive so the Canadian gov't is being forced to play "stern" once again. I suspect Candians are pretty circumspect about the lady's murder and think this is par for the course for a ME country. Like what did this Iranian national expect going back to her hellhole birth country and start taking pictures of a prison? Duh???
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/middle_east/iran_relations-en.aspThe Canada-Iran commercial relationship is healthy. Iran is frequently Canada's largest export market in the North Africa-Middle East region, with two-way trade in excess of $700 million in 2000. Wheat comprises more than two thirds of our exports to Iran (or roughly $500 million), making Iran one of Canada's largest export markets for wheat globally. The Iranians welcome Canadian commercial interest in Iran (including in the important oil, gas and mining sectors) and would like to see more Iranian exports to Canada.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 20:18 Comments || Top||


Al-Qaeda management council active inside Iran
Next week's much anticipated final report by a bipartisan commission on the origins of the 9/11 attacks will contain new evidence of contacts between al-Qaeda and Iran—just weeks after the Administration has come under fire for overstating its claims of contacts between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

A senior U.S. official told TIME that the Commission has uncovered evidence suggesting that between eight and ten of the 14 "muscle" hijackers—that is, those involved in gaining control of the four 9/11 aircraft and subduing the crew and passengers—passed through Iran in the period from October 2000 to February 2001. Sources also tell TIME that Commission investigators found that Iran had a history of allowing al-Qaeda members to enter and exit Iran across the Afghan border. This practice dated back to October 2000, with Iranian officials issuing specific instructions to their border guards—in some cases not to put stamps in the passports of al-Qaeda personnel—and otherwise not harass them and to facilitate their travel across the frontier. The report does not, however, offer evidence that Iran was aware of the plans for the 9/11 attacks.

The senior official also told TIME that the report will note that Iranian officials approached the al-Qaeda leadership after the bombing of the USS Cole and proposed a collaborative relationship in future attacks on the U.S., but the offer was turned down by bin Laden because he did not want to alienate his supporters in Saudi Arabia.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:22:27 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This kind of news was all the buzz 5 months ago and then it fizzled out. When die-hard Shi'ites allow top Wahhabi killers to stay awhile, such as the leadership of al-Quid the mixture of these two elements cooperating on any level means both opposed Muslim sects know they are in equal danger of losing their little jihads.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:54 Comments || Top||

#2  May also mean that allan is just a tool for these toothy smil'n snakes.

Yep thats it!
Posted by: Lucky || 07/17/2004 2:07 Comments || Top||

#3  Assad has told the Iranians that it is "serious" business to be playing with the US over AQ...Bush told Victor Davis Hanson that"not through" with the war on terror...also consider that Armitage told Congress that "we owed" Hezbollah for the 1983 bombings of the Marine Barrack and the Embassy...finally consider that Iran is much riper for democracy rt now than Iraq and that this Administration has shown itself willing to start cleaning up the messes in the Mideast of the past 25yrs...Iraq was first but you got to beleive that Bush will NOT let the mullahs have the bomb and he's biding his time til after the election.
Posted by: Jason || 07/17/2004 12:16 Comments || Top||


The Iran Factor
In its report due next week, the September 11 commission will disclose new evidence suggesting Iranian government officials may have helped facilitate the terror attacks by providing Al Qaeda members with safe passage and "clean" passports as they traveled from Osama bin Laden's training camps in Afghanistan through Iran, NEWSWEEK has learned.

Citing a recently discovered December 2001 memo buried in the files of the National Security Agency, the commission report states that Iranian border inspectors were instructed not to place stamps in the passports of Al Qaeda fighters from Saudi Arabia who were traveling from bin Laden's camps through Iran, according to U.S. officials and commission sources familiar with the report. The commission report does not address which Al Qaeda members specifically benefited from the clean passport policy. It also emphasizes that the panel has found no evidence suggesting that Iranian government officials had advance knowledge of bin Laden's plans to attack the World Trade Towers and Pentagon on the morning of September 11, 2001. But, citing the NSA memo, the report discloses for the first time that eight to ten of the so-called "muscle hijackers" on September 11 are believed to have traveled through Iran between October 2000 and February 2001—the same period of time that Iranian border guards were facilitating the movement of extremist jihadis entering and exiting the Afghan training camps.

Those same hijackers, most of whom probably had no knowledge of the Sept. 11 mission themselves, began entering the United States in April 2001 with no stamps on their passports indicating their recent travel to Afghanistan and Iran-red flags that might have prompted heightened scrutiny from U.S. border inspectors.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:19:00 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Real good post Dan.

Iran is the number one target after the elections ...once Bush beats Kerry that is.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 0:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Your keyboard to God's polling station, Mark, but I keep following the polls, and I think GWB is in real trouble.
Posted by: Steve White || 07/17/2004 0:28 Comments || Top||

#3  I agree with you, #2. Latest CBS poll today[okay okay I know CBC is biased but it's hard to believe CBS can rig its poll results] show that Kerry is ahead by 5 points.

The average American is quickly losing patience with GWB lauding the fact that we "liberated" 26 million Iraqis and admitting, ooops, the CIA had bad intelligence about Iraq. If the 9/11 Commission's report in fact states that Iran was connected to the 9/11 attack, no one is going to be very pleased with GWB losing 900 GI's lives and spending X Billions of dollars chasing Saddam out of Iraq.

"Imminent gathering danger" is trumped by real and active evil that helped kill 3000 Americans on our soil. No, #1, I don't think middle America is going to jump at the idea of opening up yet a 3rd battle front. Middle America is going to say: "GWB, why didn't you get it right the first time? No second chances for you. Next batter up..."
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 0:45 Comments || Top||

#4  Steve.,I know what I typed was the best situation but if the Bobbsey Twins win, all of us ..I can't type it...nor even contemplate the adverse effects. A headache is coming on...ahhhh
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 0:50 Comments || Top||

#5  I share your pain, #3. More worrisome than Kerry and Edwards doing next to nothing about terror threats abroad, they will act like the good lawyers both of them are and rip the Patriot Act to shreds. Then they'll raise taxes on everyone earning $100,000 or more. Then they'll institute universal healthcare so all of us get mediocre health care services from Third World trained physicians[former taxi drivers]. Then they'll legalize 14 million illegal aliens and pass the Dream Act to give illegal aliens college scholarships. I see out country going down the tubes fast under the Bobbsey twins.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 1:01 Comments || Top||

#6  It's almost like one knows there is an earthquake or hurricane and one can't move for whatever reason.

This is incredible that some nations either do not fathom the very real threats from the death cultists or they have adopted the early days of 1939 school of thought. Even when the enemy slaughters commuters of public transit they appease, appease and appease some more, and maybe..... they will simply go away. The enemy is not at the gates he is inside waiting, lurking and watching every monumental blunder & reaction the non-Islamic world continues to display, as if almost deliberately attempting to follow the exact script of the dangerous history of double dealings which led up to the first days of World War Two.

To the leftist political Dem Party machine top hacks, they are only viewing the entire global situation as one they 'think' they can use to regain power. It's insane.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:20 Comments || Top||

#7  Has Kerry stated his position(s) at all about what he plans to do if he's elected--*shudder*--about both Iran and the NorKs?
(And Syria and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and...etc.)
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 1:24 Comments || Top||

#8  One issue that is greatly disturbing is they posting on radical 'protesters' web-sites in terms of the planned fifth column acts of out right treason these collaborators are plotting, if allowed, at both conventions.

This is ready made for the jihadic fanatics to walk right through the side door while these 'progressives' create deliberate national security diversions.

There used to be a term for this, and federal reciprocity, which was swift, setting off alarm bells to any & all duplicators of siding with the enemy during the war years. These are the war years of the early days of the 21st century.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:29 Comments || Top||

#9  Jen - The answer is their mantra - International / UN. Everything can be fixed if they do the multilateral two-step.
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 1:30 Comments || Top||

#10  Maybe this gives us an idea about how Kerry would deal with Iran and North korea, et al:
American power comes from respect, not weapons
Our leaders in WWII understood that America drew its power not only from the might of weapons, but also from the trust and respect of nations around the globe. There was a time, not so long ago, when the might of our alliances was a driving force in the survival and success of freedom-in two World Wars, in the long years of the Cold War-then from the Gulf War to Bosnia & Kosovo. America led instead of going it alone. We extended a hand, not a fist. We respected the world-and the world respected us.

Source: John Kerry speech on foreign policy, Seattle WA May 27, 2004
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 1:31 Comments || Top||

#11  Jen. There is one word .....NADA! The Kerry response to all current & future global threats.

We must not even entertain the possibility of that phoney gaining any sort of victory in Nov.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:34 Comments || Top||

#12  Rex . oy God help us !
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:35 Comments || Top||

#13  Sorry, rex but BS-ing about American power (all of which, I might point out, that sKerry cites was bolstered by American military superiority) isn't sufficient for me as a voter and a citizen.
sKerry must specifically state what he plans to do about the nuclear threats from both Axis of Evil powers as CiC.
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 1:37 Comments || Top||

#14  Jen, you may want specifics, but Joe Average voter wants to get by each day and pay his mortgage and watch his kids play soccer on the weekend. Joe Average likes hearing B.S. It's soothing. Joe Average does not want to hear specifics about fighting nuclear threats from the Axis of Evil. Joe Average couldn't find North Korea in a world atlas if his life depended on it. If Joe Average were at the head of the class, he'd think Iran was generally in the Middle East somewhere - if he was not so smart, he'd think Iran was where the Olympic Games are being held, or worse...the place that makes great Chardonnay wine.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 1:52 Comments || Top||

#15  Acutually Rex, you discribe Joe Below-Average. Don't be so sure about the ingnorant factor.
Posted by: Lucky || 07/17/2004 2:04 Comments || Top||

#16  2:1 odds on Iran being next; 3:1 odds on Syria
Posted by: Capt America || 07/17/2004 2:16 Comments || Top||

#17  I think we're spoiled by rantburg, #15. I don't think a lack of concern about world events is related to low IQ. What I meant to say is that Joe Average just wants to get by each day. Life is so stressful at the day-to-day level, many people don't want to take on additional "what if" worries.In fact, one of the reasons I post on rantburg is because people I know personally, who are very well educated and successful, have zero interest in discussing world politics.

So that's why I believe GWB may be in serious trouble if the 9/11 Commission report fingers Iran for giving support to the 9/11 terrorist attack. A real tangible terrorist attack on America is what Joe Average can relate to and get fired up and angry about... not an "imminent and gathering danger" in Iraq or N. Korea or Saudi Arabia. So Joe Average may get pissed at GWB for expending capital on a "potential" instead of a "for sure" because 9/11 is the only thing that has threatened his home.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 2:19 Comments || Top||

#18  "Recently discovered" eh?

Looks like Bush is on the ball. (No way he'll lose, either.)
Posted by: someone || 07/17/2004 4:49 Comments || Top||

#19  I really don't see what's new here. We've known there were AQ folks in Iran for a long time. And the connection to the Khobar Towers attack has been reported for years. What is new I guess, is that the media have found a way to spin it in terms of "GWB attacked the wrong country."
Posted by: virginian || 07/17/2004 7:27 Comments || Top||

#20  Errrr, the polls are somewhat decieving even the good ones because they tend to measure popular vote not electoral vote potential. Since the 2000 census and the Republican gains in the States redistricting has given Bush more electoral votes in the states that he took in 2000. One of the best predictors with less than a 1.5% margin of error I believe is:

http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/iem/markets/Pres04_VS.html

Kerry and his catamite could loose with 51% of the popular vote because they lost the electoral vote.
Posted by: toad || 07/17/2004 8:19 Comments || Top||

#21  Welll I am joe-average and most ppl I know want to know why Iran still standing and I live at the ass end of nowhere in the middle of the swamp.
Posted by: djohn66 || 07/17/2004 8:20 Comments || Top||

#22  rex,I don't care for you talking about the American people as "Joe Average" and characterizing them (us) as being simple-minded dolts who only care about meeting their most basic human needs.
The American people are smarter and more aware than you give them credit for.
And it's your type of "little people" thinking that is the DNC's mindset where they see themselves as the enlightened Ivy League intellectuals who are the only ones fit to make real decisions about running the country--
That is an oligarchy, my friend, and not a democratic republic!
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 8:25 Comments || Top||

#23  #10,Running Eagle is flat out wrong,it was not respect that won WW2,it was American Industrial might+the courage of the American soldier/sailor/marine.
What Jen said!
Posted by: raptor || 07/17/2004 8:44 Comments || Top||

#24  Rex, simply put, you are as disgustingly wrong in your opinion about the Joe Average as are the Democrats.

Just informal polls at my (Catholic) Church shows that people of faith (i.e. the largest single organized religion in the US) strongly favor Bush. And they see past the campaign rhetoric. The see a people becoming free in spite of Iran trying to destabilize them. They see an improving economy. THey see neighbors getting jobs that were not there a year ago.

And these are "just" track drivers, accountants, managers, phone company workers, arpenters, etc - your average mix of Catholics.

[I discount where I work - we in the intelligence community know Kerry for what he is and are overwhelmingly Bush supporters]

As for the polls, you are extremely ignorant if you go with the horserace poll without examining the underlying data and polling:

1) its the "VP Bounce" (soon to be followed by the "Convention Bounce" - at this time in 88 Dukakis was up by 15 on Bush-Sr).

2) Bush is actually regaining favorability on the question "Who is best able to handle the terrorist threats to the US?" Last poll I saw as of last week was Bush is back over the 50% mark, and kerry is in the low 40%.

3) Bush is approaching 50% favorability rating (job perfomance). No president witha favorability rating of over 45% at this point has ever failed to be re-elected.

4) The Republicans have yet to really start campaigning. They've run few ads, and have been relatively quite. Kerry has run tons of ads and will be soon getting hit with Federal camaign limits - which will slow him down. Bush does not hit those limits until the Repub convention. SO there's the gap into which, for a month, almsot 50 million dollars in pro-Bush and attack-Kerry (voting record, etc) ads will poured while Kerry is constrained.

Kerry has 75 million to spend between the convention and election. Bush reloads at the Rpub with his 75 million over 2 months instead of 3 that Kerry has. Add to that Moveon and SOros cannot run those "informational" adds within 3 weeks of the election - meaning the last 3 weeks will be easier for the Republicans to get their message out.

Do the math.
Posted by: OldSpook || 07/17/2004 10:49 Comments || Top||

#25  Ref #17-If your analysis of Joe Average is true, then we better think about a new information campaign on how placing ourselves in Iraq and Afghanistan puts us in a better position to to squeeze Iran.

I think we can reach Joe America if we take the right tack.
Posted by: jules 2 || 07/17/2004 10:56 Comments || Top||

#26  OldSpook makes good points, but I'm still concerned. GWB has taken a sustained assault on his personage, honor and trust factor the last couple of years thanks to the media, moveon.org, Michael "FatAss" Moore, etc., and it shows in the polls.

Further, the Electoral College vote today is NOT reassuring. I've got an Excel template that I use to track this (go figure, eh?), and Bush is in trouble. Key battleground states (PA, FL) are edging towards Kerry. If I dump the polls that tend to be extremist on either side and just go down the middle with the more reputable pollsters, Bush loses right now about 295 - 243.

OS is right about the 1988 election -- remember, that came about in part because Dukakis was one of the most inept campaigners in modern election history. As scary as Kerry is, he seems to have learned from that, and he's somewhat (marginally?) better on the trail. Plus the moveon.org types aren't going to let up, and that continued pounding adds up.

I'd like OldSpook to be right, and I certainly intend to punch the GWB chad in November. But GWB is in trouble. I hope he knows it.
Posted by: Steve White || 07/17/2004 11:51 Comments || Top||

#27  Newt Gingrich recently debated one of Kerry's legion of advisors, Richard Holbrooke, on the Today show. The transcript can be found here (I hope... it is a long URL).

After pressing Holbrooke on the North Korean question, Holbrooke finally says:
"I would continue the six power talks but make an all-out effort to put more pressure directly on North Korea."

In other words... pretty much the same thing that is happening now. Somehow Kerry would just "do it better". Yeah. Uh huh. Newt pressed him on how that would be accomplished, with Holbrooke dodging around and trying to get in a slam at Bush. Finally it came to this line from Gingrich:

"...Are you prepared to invade North Korea or is this just more rhetoric without any substantive action?"

Priceless! But Katie Couric stepped in and saved Holbrooke from having to formulate an answer.
Posted by: eLarson || 07/17/2004 12:00 Comments || Top||

#28  I don't think the "tack" you mention is the appropriate one, #25. I'm not sure how much interest the 9/11 report will garner from the general public. Lucky for us the 9/11 hearings on TV were pretty boring and extremely partisan. Maybe Joe Average Citizen has already written off the Commission and hopefully, its report. If I were Karl Rove, I'd play down the Iraq thingie-even good news about Iraq-the less said about Iraq, the better. Say what you will, OldSpook about church goers being happy about liberating 26 Million Iraqis, trust me, MOST AMERICANS DO NOT CARE-we have been there, done that, and in the end we discover that Third World countries, Arabs included, hate us. If Bush wants to say anything about Iraq, then he should showcase Kurdistan and talk about numbers of troops there[350] and how that is how he would like to have the rest of Iraq rely on troops-next to nothing. ie. The only good news Joe Average wants to hear about Iraq are plans about our troops GETTING OUT OF THERE, kapeesh?

I think GWB should concentrate on domestic matters like the economy, airport security, maybe even announce plans to add more border control folks to the pay roll, plans for tort reform to help Americans keep their doctors in practice to serve their medical needs. Bush should play up his implementation of education standards and maybe announce plans to offer scholarships to SMART kids in high school to go to college and specialize in science, medicine, and technology, as well as monies to fund gifted programs in public elementary schools. The gifted have been overlooked for years in public education because all the vote buying $ has gone to disadvantaged, struggling students.

GWB needs to define himself as being different from a liberal because that's who will vote for him, non-liberals. The more he comes across as a RINO, the greater risk he will lose conservative votes. GWB can forget about appealing to Hispanics & blacks & gays. The majority of those folks vote Democrat anyways. What Bush needs to do is energize his middle America conservative voters, who otherwise may stay home, because they are not seeing a conservative in Bush and his yaking about "liberating" 26 million Iraqis just confirms that perception. The grand strategy of spreading democracy to Arab countries to make America does not play well in Kansas City. That theory is associated with a Democrat's foreign policy not a Republican's.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 12:21 Comments || Top||

#29  rex, does DUH.com know you're over here?
Maybe I didn't make myself clear:
Stop with the "Joe Average!" Capisce?
And Bush is doing everything right; he shouldn't change a thing!
You are such a typical Liberal Dimocrat, totally failing to understand normal Americans in Flyover Country!
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 12:29 Comments || Top||

#30  Would anyone (everyone) be interested in sharing links to the best poll sites?

I've been following Rasmussen's Prez Track because they keep it fairly clean.

If you have something similar / better, plz post the link.

Thx.
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 12:48 Comments || Top||

#31  I like the Iowa Electronic Markets that Toad posted above in #20.

Have you looked at RealClearPolitics? They have a poll average on the front page.
Posted by: eLarson || 07/17/2004 13:09 Comments || Top||

#32  Rex's point:

GWB needs to define himself as being different from a liberal because that's who will vote for him, non-liberals. The more he comes across as a RINO, the greater risk he will lose conservative votes.

Is well taken. The average american wants his or her family safe, some stability in the standard of living, employment, community, etc etc. Responsible things like control of borders, a runaway Supreme Court, for example are not addressed by the Bush Administration. People like leadership, but in the case of the Bush Administration, the only thing that he got right so far is the WoT. People want leadership and demonstrated character and standing up for values, not politics run by the polls and hacks like Rove. When you are going for votes, perception is a major factor, and I regretfully say that Bush is perceived as weak and waffling in many issues that matter to middle class voters. Both parties absolutely disgust me in their greed and weakness. But how do you get the good ones to go for public office when the perception of being in office is that you have to be a scumbag and sell your soul to get there?
This is Bush's election to LOSE. His party is not helping him.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 07/17/2004 13:24 Comments || Top||

#33  eL - Lol! I've been to RCP 50 times to read the articles and never paid attention to the polls on the right. Oh brother, tunnel vision! Shit! Thx! :-}
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 13:28 Comments || Top||

#34  Maybe I didn't make myself clear:Stop with the "Joe Average!"
And you are...the Moderator...the Queen...God???

You are such a typical Liberal Dimocrat, totally failing to understand normal Americans in Flyover Country!
a. I am not a Democrat b. My parents were farmers. I was born in the Midwest. I think I know "fly over" country better than you.

Bush is doing everything right; he shouldn't change a thing
If this were so, GWB should be ahead of a mediocre candidate like Kerry by at least 10-15 points. GWB is behind in polls some weeks or barely holding his own in other weeks. The only reason Kerry has not wiped Bush off the map in polls is because Kerry is so unlikeable. This election was for GWB, the incumbent, to lose, and he's in danger of doing it. The last thing on earth I'd want is for a Democrat to win the WH, much less a left wing socialist like Kerry, and a slimeball personal injury lawyer like Edwards as his running mate.

You don't get it, Jen. You devote your life to worrying about global terror and think GWB is the man. You like the theory of spreading democracy around the world to fight global terror. But I got news for you. If GWB tried to 'splain that idea to America, he'd get wiped out in November.

Conservatives think "boom" is the best way to fight terror and liberals think ideology and education is a good way. Unfortunately, the left has a visceral hate for GWB, so as much as his Johnny Appleseed theory of military action might appeal to them, they will not vote for GWB no way, not ever. So GWB is back to courting and counting on conservatives to vote for him. Johnny Appleseed foreign policy is not going to win their votes. But domestic security, border control, standards in public education, moral values[being opposed to gay marriage], access to a variety of talented physicians and protection of their small business from frivolous lawsuits[tort reform] is what will energize conservatives to go out and vote. His foreign policy, in case you have not noticed, is the very thing that's having GWB's base think twice about him. So I say, play down foreign policy and play up values, direction for this country that is DIFFERENT from what the Democrats stand for.

Here's an article for you to ponder. Even the Democrats are seeing VALUES as GWB's strength and their weakness. That's the very thing he should yak about, not how many schools Mohammed has to choose from in Baghdad or what brands of jeans Afghan women are now able to wear in Kabul. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040717-9999-1n17faith.html
"Democrats seek to deliver message of faith, family values"
...There are politically strategic reasons for linking the Democratic message with religion and faith. Some experts say the "religion gap" is the fundamental divide in this year's election landscape, and that a person's religious commitment is a more significant indicator of voting behavior than education, income level or gender. According to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 63 percent of voters who attend religious services more than once a week say they will vote for Bush, who polls show has a particularly firm hold on evangelical Protestant voters. While Republicans might feel secure in their hold on religious voters, 4 million evangelicals stayed home during the 2000 election, nearly costing Bush the White House...
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 13:47 Comments || Top||

#35  Continuation of my #34 post...the following is what will energize voters to get out and vote for Bush. This position shows the difference between liberals/RINOS and conservatives. This shows leadership. This shows Bush in the best possible light and on an issue that he doesn't get tongued tied on. If GWB can stay away from empty Karl Rovian phrases like "evil doers" and "Islam is a religion of peace" and "brave Iraqi people", GWB will do himself a lot of good in November.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040717/ap_on_el_pr/bush&cid=694&ncid=716
... Drug use and violent crime among teenagers have decreased dramatically, while children raised in households with married parents are less likely to live in poverty, the president said Saturday in his weekly radio address. He cited a newly issued government report to claim progress. "My administration is acting to encourage teens to make healthy choices," Bush said...Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry are trying to define and dominate the debate on gay marriage, abortion, gun rights and other values issues. The sparring has emerged along with the economy and the war in Iraq as a critical issue in the close presidential campaign, with some polls showing Americans evenly split on which candidate shares their personal values. ...Bush highlighted his proposals to spend $23 million for drug testing in schools and $25 million to encourage schools to develop curricula promoting good character...The culture of America is changing from one that said, "if it feeds good, do it; and if you've got a problem, blame somebody else," Bush said, using language reminiscent of his recent campaign speeches. The values debate is seen as energizing Bush's strongest supporters, particularly in Republican-leaning rural America...






Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 14:32 Comments || Top||

#36  But domestic security, border control, standards in public education, moral values[being opposed to gay marriage], access to a variety of talented physicians and protection of their small business from frivolous lawsuits[tort reform] is what will energize conservatives to go out and vote.
Bush stands for all these things and has tried to promote them as President, in addition to being superb on foreign policy.
I don't know what you and AP are really bitching about, except that thanks to the Media, everyone's a pundit and feels they're obliged to tell Bush how to run the perfect campaign.
Kerry sucks on every issue--even when he takes both sides, as he usually does--whereas Bush has done a fine job in the past 4 years and deserves to be reelected!
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 14:53 Comments || Top||

#37  oh, and rex, word to the wise: The AP/Yahoo is no friend to Bush. Ever.
(They're only a hair's breadth better than al-Reuters)
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 15:10 Comments || Top||

#38  Who cares whether or not AP/Yahoo is a friend of GWB or not? How is that smug observation relevant to the discussion? Fyi, I quoted the AP/Yahoo article because it featured Bush campaigning on values. Am I supposed to wait until the Wash. Times or FOX News runs a story on Bush doing the same thing because they are "friendlier?"
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 15:20 Comments || Top||

#39  Quite simply, yes, rex.
Posted by: Jen || 07/17/2004 15:43 Comments || Top||

#40  I'm a certifiable peawit for even thinking of stepping into this, but here goes...
Jen, the point that Rex is trying to make is that, all other things being equal, Bush should be mopping the floor with a candidate as wooden, hauty, unphotogenic, elitist, inarticulate, droll, unapproachable, and generally creepy as Herman Forbes Munster. Instead, the situation is a dead heat at best.

His choice of words may be indelicate, but Rex's analysis of the electorate is spot-on. I lack statistics to back this up (anyone? anyone?), but my own anectodal analysis is overwhelmingly unanimous: for the vast majority of Americans, September 11 is ancient history, Iraq was a mistake, the Patriot Act is tyranny, terror alerts are either irritants or punch-lines, Tom Ridge is a Clutch Cargo lookalike, attacking Iran sounds like a great idea (for a Bruckheimer movie), and people like us have passed from being "hawks" and gone into the realm of "freaks" on par with Furries and Sailor Moon cosplayers.

If I'm wrong, then why can't a headcount of RB's regular posters fill a deck of cards (even with Murat, Antiwar, Gentle, etc.)? Why have all of us, at one point or another, expressed frustration over the fact that few people we know in the "real life" are even capable of discussing world affairs with us? When's the last time you uttered "Waziristan" or "al Aqsa" or "kufr" at work or your parents' place? Can you mention "Tater" or "Hek's bad boyz" or even "Arafish" to your neighbor?

Jen, everyone else, I'm sorry (I'm really, really sorry), but we're not mainstream, or else we wouldn't be here. Bush is hardly doomed, but if Bill O'Reilly is openly questioning the WMD causus bellum, then Bush is certainly in the tall grass. Whether that changes hinges on who has his ear. And there, again, Rex is right. If Bush is being told, "We've gotta reach out to the [insert lost-cause left-bastion demographic here] and quit looking so gosh-darned Republican," then he's roadkill.

If this gets sinktrapped, take care all.
Posted by: Another Dan || 07/17/2004 16:29 Comments || Top||

#41  AD - all good points. W however, depending on how he plays the next couple months, IMHO is in the catbird seat. Watch if Kedwards get a bump from their convention.... all other indicators: economy, Iraq, consumer confidence are riding up. The more people see and know Kerry, the less they like him. Check out poll reviews at Polipundit and Realclearpolitics...our friend Zhang Fei posts frequently at Poli. W could do wrong and who knows how an AQ attack would play, but he's in good shape right now. GOTV - get out the vote - is the big stick!
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 16:36 Comments || Top||

#42  Excellent content, #40, and very funny, too!

However, I disagree with you, #41, about Bush being in the "catbird seat." As was mentioned in an earlier post, the polls over the last few months belie your optimism about GWB retaining his incumbent's advantage.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Presidential_Tracking_Poll.htm
While it's true that Kerry is not an attractive person, the folks who will vote for Kerry do so because they hate Bush and not because they are "fooled" by Kerry the enigma and will suddenly see the light. For Bush to win, he needs to energize/inspire conservative voters who are getting a bit weary with domestic overspending, liberating Arabs in far off lands, and illegal aliens coming over the border by the truck load. Bush has got to win those disappointed constituents back to the fold. And he's got to persuade the 3% undecided[independents] that he is the better man to represent their values.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 17:03 Comments || Top||

#43  My favorite sites for election polling data...

The Hedgehog Report

Election Projection

The war drums are starting to beat faintly on Iran....
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American || 07/17/2004 19:17 Comments || Top||

#44  A few things to keep in mind about polls.

What people say to a pollster and what people do are 2 very different things (Dean learned that one the hard way).

Democrats make a lot of noise but they don't vote and the more left wing they are, the less likely they are to get off the couch on election day.

Many of these polls (NYTimes and CBS are famous for this) are extremely biased towards registered democrats. I've seen some where the number of democrats were 10% higher than the number of republicans polled.
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American || 07/17/2004 19:23 Comments || Top||

#45  Starting right after the close of polls on that tues. night in Novemeber....

The heavy 2nd Arm. Div. moved just weeks before from the Korean border will be warming up their heavy tanks and preparing to race to Tehran. In the air the stealth fighters (currently practicing in Korea) and the UACVs will be preforming their E-lint destruction dance. Hot on their tails will be B-2's with bunker busters heading for the nuke sites.... At terrain level the cruise missles will be winging their way from subs and ships...
Such will be election night no matter whom wins...
Posted by: 3dc || 07/17/2004 19:42 Comments || Top||

#46  rex? I take your dissent with pride, thx
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 20:27 Comments || Top||

#47  One thing about Rassmussen - he was off the last election, and this one so far as well in the same manner: his polls skew Democrat by +3to5% on average, especially in the national polls, and in large states.

Also, you need to make sure the polls are of "likely voters" and that they mirror the expected (historical) turnout for the demographic of the voter.

Rasmussen and others do "adjustments" based on private turnout models, which can skew the results. An example of this is the CBS poll that did NOT adjust the poll numbers based on likely turnout. They ran the straight numbers, despite their sample being 43+ % Democrat and less than 30% Republican (way off the national distribution, and even further off the usual turnout percentages).

Until you get a poll of "likely voters" with a solid turnout number and an unbiased sample, poll results are dubious tools af much anything other than trends (i.e. they are done the same way every time, so you can see movement to or from a given candidate).

And finally (on polls): These are phone polls. How many of you have caller ID? How many of you have anonymous call reject or don't answer the phone unless you recognize the caller? How many of you mainly use your cell phone and are not home or have completely done away with your "land line" for anything other than a modem line?

Middle class and midwesterners typically are not that easy to reach viaphone - and the "upper middle" on upward are even less likely to be polled (although they are even more likely to vote).

Now how many of the typical poor or lower class, bloc-voting urban Democrats (regardless of color) do the same? A lot less than the former bunch.

So "middle American" tends to be underrepresented in these pools, Upper-Class is virtually ignored, and lower-class/poor/urban are likely far too easily available and overrepresented.

If you want to see one of the better sites:

Dale's ECB is probably one of the most accurate as he uses a lot of poll sources (and righfully discards most of the Zogby internet polls) - although I do think he gives Rasmussen too much weight.

Right now that has Kerry winning the electoral college. But swing either Pennsylvania or Florida (bot5h very close states) over to Bush and Bush wins.
Posted by: OldSpook || 07/17/2004 20:56 Comments || Top||

#48  Given the circumstances, and the constant pounding in the media, and the drumbeat of tacit liberal attempts to tear Bush down every chance they get, (and the complete tossing away and not reporting ANY good news - from job reports to the successes in Iraq) its remarkable that Bush is not further behind.

The problem now has to be getting the Bush and Republicans in gear, nationally, before it becomes too late - they have to take some momentum now from Kerry and gain a little themselves. Time for some "interest group" attack ads. Kerry is very vulnerable to these. Especially since he "Voted for it before he voted against it" on a lot of issues, and his Abortion stand leaves him wide open to hipocracy charges (and will damage him in the south, midwest, and in Florida).

The one thing that discourages me is the inability of the party to field a good candiate without scraping: look at the mess in Illinois, and the potential mess in Colorado (both Republican senatorial seats). The fact that they dont even have a valid candidate in one and they had to grab Pete Coors in the other (insead of Owens - who would have been nearly unbeatable) speaks volumes that the national Republican Party has either become lazy or is seriously disorganized.

I will agree with Rex on this point: Bush had better start campaigning HARD very soon (instead of sitting back), or he will be playing catch up in critical areas far too late in the game, and the momentum Kerry will gain at the convention will carry the Dems through.

Bush needs to hammer home the "Liberal-Lawyer" nature of the Dem condidates, hammer Kerry's voting record (More liberal than Ted Kennedy!). Expose Kerry's absenteeism. Exposed Kerry's votes on all the systems that are keeping Americans alive in Iraq, and hammer home how he voted REPEATEDLY to cut *INTELLIGENCE* spending as late as 2000 - questioning the need for our agencies (and dredge up the nice quote about the CIA from Kerry's radical days).

Then hammer home how Bush's programs that improved the economy in spite of a multi-BILLION dollar attack on the US when we are already in a Recession left from the previous administration, how we have since then engaged terror on its home fields instead of the playfields of the USA, and how Freedom has expanded world-wide, citing Saddam in the dock, Qadaffi abandoning his arms program, how Afghanisatna now is looking forward to its first free elections since the Soviets invaded, and how Iraq will be the first fnation in the middle east in almsot half a century to change form a despotic dictatorship that terrorised its own people, invaded its neighbors, and threatened the entire region, to a representative government that is even now rebuilding its economy and learning the responsbilities and duties of a Democracy.

Come on Dubya, time to "Cowboy up and get moving".
Posted by: OldSpook || 07/17/2004 21:01 Comments || Top||

#49  Dale's ECB?
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 21:06 Comments || Top||


Terror Networks
Video of Paul Johnson's Decapitation Shown on Internet
Images of an American hostage being decapitated surfaced Saturday on an Internet site known for carrying the statements of Islamic militants. The gruesome videotape appeared three days after U.S. authorities announced the search for the body of Paul M. Johnson Jr. had been called off.

Still photographs of Johnson's beheading had been posted June 19 on some of the same militant Islamic forums that on Saturday provided links to the newly released video footage...The video, which ran almost two minutes and included images of tanks and destroyed homes apparently in Iraq, carried the title "The Voice of Jihad: Get the infidels out of the Arabian Peninsula." Voice of Jihad is the name of a periodical issued on the Internet twice monthly by the al-Qaida cell in Saudi Arabia, which claimed Johnson's killing. A man, his head wrapped in a red and white checkered headscarf and his face not visible, is seen using a knife to decapitate Johnson, who was lying face down on a mattress. The man held up Johnson's head for the camera then placed it on the body. One of the killers wiped blood off the knife on the orange jumpsuit Johnson was wearing...
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 3:40:26 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine
Summer Camp for Losers
From MEMRI:
MUHAMMAD ABU DAF, DEPUTY DEAN OF THE EDUCATION FACULTY AT THE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF GAZA, MAINTAINED THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT PALESTINIAN SUMMER CAMPS INSTILL DEEP-ROOTED NATIONAL AND POLITICAL VALUES SUCH AS LOVE OF JIHAD, LOVE OF AND SACRIFICE FOR THE HOMELAND, AND MARTYRDOM (SHEHADA). (AL-RESALA, GAZA, 7/15/04)
yup, just like Boy Scout Camp when I was a kid... except they taught us to hit what we shot at......
Posted by: Mercutio || 07/17/2004 3:51:13 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan/South Asia
3 dead in Waziristan violence
Three people were killed and four wounded in a shootout between troops and al Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan's tribal west near the Afghan border, officials and residents said on Saturday. The shootout began late on Friday after militants attacked a paramilitary fort with rockets and mortars in Khaisor, a village about 25 km (16 miles) northeast of Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal region. Military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan said security forces returned the fire but would not confirm any casualties. Residents said three civilians were killed and four were wounded in the cross-fire. Intelligence officials said the casualties were caused by the militants' fire. On Tuesday, two children died of wounds suffered in an attack by the militants in Shakai in the same region.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 2:46:46 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine
Arab 'Palestinian' PM Resigns Amid Shakeup
The Palestinian prime minister resigned Saturday in a sweeping leadership shakeup that also saw two senior officials replaced in Yasser Arafat's overhaul of his security forces — a key U.S. and Israeli demand for restarting the deadlocked peace process The changes followed a series of kidnappings in the Gaza Strip that signaled a breakdown of authority. "There is a crisis. There is a state of chaos in the security situation," Ahmed Qureia said after announcing his resignation as premier during a Cabinet meeting in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Queria told Palestinian officials he had resigned "because of a series of internal and external issues that developed in the recent period," according to a statement from his office. He specifically cited the deteriorating security situation in Gaza. Qureia sent his resignation letter to Arafat through an aide before the Cabinet meeting. The 74-year-old Palestinian leader, however, refused to accept it and scrawled a giant "X" over the paper with a pen, a Palestinian official said. Nevertheless, Qureia said he would not withdraw the resignation, according to Minister of Local Government Jamal Shobaki.

The Cabinet planned to reconvene Monday to continue deliberations. It was unclear what would happen if the stalemate continued. Qureia, who had held the job for 10 months, was unable to carry out deep reforms and root out corruption, with Arafat still holding the presidency and dominant power in the Palestinian territories. He also had been frustrated by lack of progress on restarting the peace process with Israel, say officials close to him. No Israeli-Palestinian summit was held during Qureia's time as prime minister. Officials said the Cabinet meeting grew stormy at times. The interior minister, who is in charge of police and apparently was not consulted about the changes in the security infrastructure, walked out midway.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 4:43:48 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  pass the popcorn and a mecca cola please?
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 16:55 Comments || Top||

#2  Lots of butter? Oh, we only sell Pepsi. :)
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 17:01 Comments || Top||

#3  I like the bitterness of a mecca cola
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 17:13 Comments || Top||

#4  I like the Dolby THX sound system!
Posted by: Scooter McGruder || 07/17/2004 17:55 Comments || Top||

#5  The changes followed a series of kidnappings in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) that signaled a breakdown of authority.

What breakdown of authority? Terrorists are, and have been, running the show, and the head terrorist Arafart is in charge. Nothing has changed.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 07/17/2004 20:31 Comments || Top||

#6  It’s forbidden to change one corrupt man for another," he said.

Who is doing the forbidding?


Posted by: trailing wife || 07/17/2004 21:34 Comments || Top||

#7  Silly Trailing Wife, don't you know it's Allah who does all the forbidding? Or so the imams claim . . .
Posted by: The Doctor || 07/17/2004 22:48 Comments || Top||

#8  What if corrupt men are all you've got?
Posted by: Fred || 07/17/2004 22:52 Comments || Top||


Iraq-Jordan
Iraq: Jordanian driver ambushed, killed, eyes gouged out by Islamic Heroes™
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 16:31 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  savages!
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 16:35 Comments || Top||

#2  Hmmmm Antiwar? Dipshit
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 16:37 Comments || Top||

#3  "The poor man. He was working for himself, just trying to make a living," said a policeman at the scene.

The coward terrorists target a working man like this instead of coming out into the open and fight.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 16:46 Comments || Top||

#4  These jihadists are no different than rabid dogs. You hunt them down and exterminate them...every last one of them.
Posted by: anymouse || 07/17/2004 19:12 Comments || Top||

#5  But these are Iraq's "Minutemen" - Mikey Moore says so. According to him, they are to be admired.

NOT IN THIS LIFETIME.

Maybe Mikey would like to explain to this man's family how it was all his fault for being in Iraq, and he probably deserved it. Oh, and of course, it's Bush's fault, too. (Isn't everything?)
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 07/17/2004 20:30 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine
'Nobody is going to live forever' Boy Bomber (photos in link)
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 16:20 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq-Jordan
Pro-Al Qaida insurgents take major Iraqi city
Al Qaida-based insurgents have taken control of a major city in Iraq. Iraqi sources and witnesses said Sunni insurgents aligned with Al Qaida-related groups have seized authority in Samara, about 125 kilometers north of Baghdad. They said that in early July Sunni insurgents came from cities throughout the Sunni Triangle with anti-aircraft artillery and missiles. The insurgents comprised members of the Tawhid and Jihad group led by Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi. The Iraqi sources said the Al Zarqawi insurgents were joined by operatives of Ansar Al Islam.

The Shiite News Agency reported that the Sunni insurgents have sought to destroy any trace of the post-Saddam rule in Samara, Middle East Newsline reported. The agency quoted sources as saying the insurgents have blown up the headquarters of the Iraqi National Movement Party led by Interior Minister Falah Naqib as well as the City Council and the headquarters of Kurdish Peshmerga forces. In all, the sources said, about 500 insurgents have seized control of Samara, which contains a large Sunni and Kurdish population. So far, they said, the U.S.-led coalition has not tried to enter the city and that the Iraqi National Guard has not attempted to fight the insurgents.

The insurgency groups have posted notices on buildings and mosques throughout Samara that warned residents to report any cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition. The notices issued a July 8 deadline for those cooperating with the coalition to repent. About 300 people in Samara were believed to be employees of the coalition. "They must declare their sincere repentance, perform the legal vow according to Islamic law, and issue a written pledge that they will not return to such acts in the grand mosque in the center of the city or in the Al Razaq mosque in eastern Samara," a group called the Mujahadeen Shura Council said in the leaflet.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 4:18:19 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Cleanup on aisle 10!!!!!!"
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 07/17/2004 16:57 Comments || Top||

#2  Actually, this report is a couple weeks old.
Posted by: Capt America || 07/17/2004 18:41 Comments || Top||


Allawi's clandestine route to stability
Iraq's new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, calls it his program of "outreach.'' Over the past several weeks, he says, he has been meeting secretly with supporters of the Iraqi resistance to offer them amnesty and a chance to participate in the political process of the new Iraq.

The risky clandestine meetings are the most intriguing of a series of stability efforts Allawi outlined in an interview here Tuesday. The conversation was his clearest public explanation yet of how he hopes to work with the internal opposition, and with neighboring governments such as Syria and Iran, to reduce the chaos plaguing his country.

Since becoming prime minister last month, Allawi has projected an image of a burly ex-Baathist who is tough enough to manage this unruly country. Among the dozen or so Iraqis I've queried about him, most expressed the hope that, as one man put it, "he's not going to be intimidated by anyone.''
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: tipper || 07/17/2004 12:44:01 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Allawi also disclosed that he had sent a letter to Iranian President Mohammad Khatami "asking him to help us and stand with us’’ and promising not to allow Iraq to be used as a base "to interfere with ... Iran.’’

Haahahahahaha, this guy can't be serious. If the Mad Mullahs of Iran were given a choice between Allawi and an Iraq under Iranian sway, Allawi will most certainly lose.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 07/17/2004 20:24 Comments || Top||


Caucasus
Battlefield (Jihad) Chechnya: numerous Videos
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 02:50 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It may take upwards of an hour to watch all this video, but it is well worth the time...Even the propaganda piece, Hunting is going on, (Internal title, Hunting Without Rules).

All of this will rock your consciousness on the war. My first reaction was to kill everyone over 10 years old in Chechnya, but this no doubt due to being both in and springing ambushes...so these clips obviously had more meaning for me.

And the Russians do seem to be trying that tactic unsuccessfully....Hummmmmm. In any case I'd like to thank Mark very much for posting this site.

It will certainly make you think...both as to the cost to the Russians and to the Chechnyans.

Be Good,
Posted by: Traveller || 07/17/2004 6:36 Comments || Top||

#2  Ooops, I just saw that there was a page 2. From watching Russian Helicopters being shot down, there rises the real question...just where are these Jihadi's getting what appears to be Stinger Missiles?
Posted by: Traveller || 07/17/2004 6:44 Comments || Top||

#3  "Stingers" are probably russian Strela, they get them where they find their other weapons, ie ex-soviet republics and corrupt russian army officers. Note that I have already seen some of these videos elsewhere, and is not planning on seeing them again, real gruesome. The sickening point is that theses beheading, throatslicing and execution is seen as good propaganda, and recruitment assets. Thinking that they are shown in mosquees and cultural centers around the world, including Europa, and that they =inspire= jihadist wannabes is truly disturbing.
Posted by: Anonymous5089 || 07/17/2004 8:50 Comments || Top||

#4  I don't know what to say. The jihadists may ultimately get more than they bargained for as Western civilization eventually says, "enough. Enough of rich Saudis financing death and destruction. Enough of western Muslims turning a blind eye to barabrism."

I dunno.
Posted by: anymouse || 07/17/2004 13:49 Comments || Top||

#5  Traveller I thought of posting one, maybe two videos and then said 'post them all in one link'. While reviewing some of the videos I thought of out troops in Iraq & Afghanistan. "where are these Jihadi's getting what appears to be Stinger Missiles?" or Strelas.
Black market!

The jihadees are shown for the true evil they are. Note one of the top jihadists was Saudi who is now dead, after inflicted death on so many others.

I hope everyone knows oil and natural gas is at the root of the Russians holding on this area, and the jihadist want control as well.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 15:40 Comments || Top||

#6  Oil? Well maybe, but sometimes I am of the depressing opinion that War is just what man does.

Oil, Islam, Christianity, Power or Economic Benifits are just excuses to do what we are best at....killing each other for this reason or that, (Understand I do not necessarily think that this is bad...just true...and something we should be honest about).

I'm glad that you posted all the videos. There were a bunch of, "Oh Shit," moments, watching Russian soldiers walk into this ambush or that one...you hold your breath eaven knowing what is coming.

I need to go over to Dan Darling's site to get some greater sense of how Chechnya is going...but the news today is not good.

In any case I've got to run to a meeting, but I truly appreciate you posting all of these videos.

Thanks Again
Posted by: Traveller || 07/17/2004 17:54 Comments || Top||


175 Ossetians ready to fight for Georgia against Kokoity
Kavkaz Center's sources in South Ossetia reported that several hundred units of Russian armored vehicles, 80 self-propelled artillery units and other ordnance were brought into Tskhinvali. 108 Armenians, 76 Abkhazians and 10 natives of Kabardino-Balkaria have joined the Tskhinavli army. Hundreds of Russian criminals from Russian prisons have been brought to Tskhinavli as well. First payment to the mercenaries was $ 3,500 US dollars. Ossetians are now moving to Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia on a mass scale. Entire families are leaving the city.

Artificial obstacles are now being set up in South Ossetia. Military positions are getting ready. At the same time Georgian central government in Tbilisi is concealing the real picture of the events. Over the past few days Ossetian and Russian gang formations have totally expelled Georgians from three villages. Residents of the rest four villages will be facing the same lot in the near future. But Tbilisi has been quiet about it. Some reports say that Georgian journalists have been banned from bringing up this subject. At the same time the reports coming from Tskhinvali are showing that local Ossetians are even more outraged with self-appointed (pro-Russian) president of South Ossetia Kokoity. Moreover, 175 Ossetians declared they are willing to assist and join the Georgian army in case war operations get started.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 02:39 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan/South Asia
'Al Qaeda men are still hiding in Karachi'
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 02:19 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Thank you for today's Statement of the Obvious™.
Posted by: Fred || 07/17/2004 20:48 Comments || Top||

#2  And there may be as many as "two dozen" to quote a story from a day or two ago... Lol!
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 20:52 Comments || Top||


Iraq-Jordan
Bomb fails to hit Iraqi minister
A BOMB exploded early today in the path of a convoy for Minister of Justice Malek Dohan al-Hassan in Baghdad, causing unknown casualties among his guards, witnesses and a police officer said. The explosion, initially thought to have been caused by a car bomb, was a powerful roadside device, members of his team said. The blast, which failed to hit the minister, occurred in the Adl district in the west of the capital, members of the protection team said.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 1:48:47 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In this update:
"Malik Dohan al-Hassan was unhurt but five bodyguards were killed. The attack hit the tail end of al-Hassan's convoy."
Posted by: .com || 07/17/2004 2:25 Comments || Top||


Caucasus
Caucasus Corpse Count
Russian forces clashed with rebels in several parts of Chechnya, leaving at least eight soldiers dead and 10 wounded in the past day, said an official in the Moscow-backed Chechen administration on Friday. Four of the deaths came in rebel attacks on Russian positions, which came under fire 18 times in the previous 24 hours, said the official who asked to remain anonymous. One servicemen was killed and four were wounded in an attack on a military vehicle. Another soldier was shot and killed not far from his barracks in Bamut, in Western Chechnya, said the official. Two military engineers were killed while trying to defuse a mine, he said. A Chechen policeman was killed in the capital, Grozny, according to the official, who gave no estimate of rebel casualties. Russian forces used aircraft and artillery against suspected rebel positions in southern Chechnya, and detained at least 150 people on suspicion of aiding the rebels, the official said.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:35:30 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This is spreading in the Caucasus region.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 0:53 Comments || Top||

#2  Mark...I am becoming more convinced this is a cancer. A malignancy that must be cut out...all the way to the roots.

"US akhbar!!!"
Posted by: anymouse || 07/17/2004 17:11 Comments || Top||

#3  its Saudi roots
Posted by: Frank G || 07/17/2004 17:16 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine
Two top Palestinian security chiefs resign
The civil war is cranking up. Popcorn, anyone?
Two top Palestinian security chiefs tendered their resignation to leader Yasser Arafat late Friday after three kidnappings took place in the Gaza Strip in the past 10 hours. Palestinian security sources said that Rashid Abu Shbak, chief of the Gaza Strip preventive security and Amin el-Hindi, chief ofthe Palestinian security intelligence services had resigned. "The situation has become intolerable after what happened in the day," said the officials in their resignation letter. Earlier in the day, three separate kidnapping incidents occurred in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian hard boyz militants abducted Gaza police chief Ghazi al-Jabali, Palestinian general security official Khaled Abu el-Olla, and four French citizens. The Gaza police chief and the four French were later released, but the security official was still being held.
"Mahmoud, you idiot! You don't kidnap Frenchmen!"
"Why not, Achmed? They're infidels!"
[slap] "They're the best friends we have! Let 'em go!"
Posted by: Steve White || 07/17/2004 12:23:12 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Is it really starting to implode?
Posted by: Lucky || 07/17/2004 1:40 Comments || Top||

#2  Popcorn!

From Haaretz flash:

"13:52 Palestinian legislators: PM Qureia has handed his resignation to Arafat, will insist it is accepted "
Posted by: Evert Visser in NL || 07/17/2004 7:12 Comments || Top||

#3  Dang!

"14:08 Erekat: Arafat has rejected PM Qureia`s resignation "
Posted by: Evert Visser in NL || 07/17/2004 7:14 Comments || Top||

#4  So what do you do if the AraFish doesn't accept your resignation?
1. Walk away and say FOAD to Yasser.
2. Make sure your will is in order and do #1.
3. Stay on the job and ask for a raise?
4. Steal the Red Folder™ from Arafat's desk and threaten to go to the press if he does not let you go.
5. Wish you were in Dixie?
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 07/17/2004 12:56 Comments || Top||

#5  This is just what the doctor ordered.

Note when the enemy can't murder its quota of Jews they turn on each other.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 16:37 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan/South Asia
Nachan offers more proof of al-Qaeda links
Saquib Nachan, prime accused in the Mulund bomb blast case, created a sensation in the POTA court yesterday by submitting a written application saying he had no faith in Judge A P Bhangale. He did not stop at that: he also told everyone present in court: "I have no faith I will get justice in this court." He thus raised doubts not only about the judge but about the court as well.
Brilliant legal strategy, Oliver Wendell Douchebag.
But all this wasn't just histrionics; it was part of a plan and a pattern. Investigators say Nachan was only following the al-Qaeda manual in letter and spirit. The manual states that "al-Qaeda members, if caught, need to make allegations against the state agencies". The manual, first obtained by the Mumbai police in December 2002 from the Pragma Soft office of another blast accused, Shaikh Muzamil">Shaikh Muzamil, in Aurangabad, lays down the code of conduct for al-Qaeda members.
It's a short manual.
On the other hand Muzamil works really well when constipation strikes...
According to investigators, Nachan has "religiously" followed its text all along, from the point of organising training camps, people 'against the enemy' to storing arms. The application in court yesterday, which is only the latest step according to the manual, took even Nachan's lawyer Mubin Solkar by surprise. Just as lawyers and prosecutors were getting ready for framing of charges in the blast case, Nachan whipped out a rod pulled out the application, which was also signed by 12 other accused. Advocate Solkar immediately withdrew from the case. "I was not aware of this application. I am an officer of the court and will not help anyone to prevent the court from following the due process of law," Solkar told court.
"Please don't kill me!"
"I wudn't gettin' paid much anyway, an' havin' dis guy as a client sure ain't gonna help my won-lost record."
Judge Bhangale, who was severely pissed off very upset at the developments, declared he would not hear any application filed by any accused in the Mulund blast case till August 16 and allowed Nachan and other accused to approach the Supreme Court to get the case transferred to another court. "If Nachan expects acquittal, he will not get that in any court. Recovery of arms and ammunition from the accused and their confessions have made the prosecution's case strong," a police officer said.
"... even though most of the witnesses are dead."
Public prosecutor S G Golkar said, "Judge Bhangale knows the entire case thoroughly. We have conducted the case before him from day one. That is the reason Nachan does not want the case before him."
"Hang 'em now, judge!"
The application filed by Nachan was also signed by 12 other accused, namely, Asib Mulla, Gulam Khotal, Mohammed Kamil, Farhaan Khot, Noor Mohammed Ansari, Anwar Ali Khan, Nadeem Paloba, Muzammil Ansari, Haroon Rashid Lohar, Rashid Ansari, Adnan Mulla and Mohammed Sayyed Siddiqui. Ateef Mulla, Dr Wahid Ansari and Arif Hussain Shaikh, however, did not sign it. Mulla and Ansari's bail pleas are pending before POTA court. They will now be heard only after August 16.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:10:44 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq-Jordan
Zarqawi planted 'sleeper cells'
British intelligence received reports ahead of the Iraq war saying Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi seeded Baghdad with "sleeper cells" to attack U.S.-led forces, and that he may have received chemical and biological weapons from northern Iraq. The report, released Wednesday as part of a review of British intelligence and based on information available just before the war, raises the question of why U.S. forces were not better prepared for a growing insurgency that has used tactics mentioned in the report, such as car bombs, to devastating effect. "There were manifold planning failures ... and this was just one of them," said Steven Simon, a senior analyst at the RAND Corp. think tank and co-author of The Age of Sacred Terror, a book about the rise of al-Qaida.

Bush administration officials have said that planning for the security of postwar Iraq has been mostly successful, but they also have acknowledged underestimating the strength of guerrilla forces. Al-Zarqawi's al-Qaida-linked terrorist network is one of the most dangerous groups fighting the U.S.-led forces in Iraq. Al-Zarqawi has threatened to kill Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and claimed responsibility for the beheading of American citizen Nicholas Berg. The report quotes British intelligence as saying that information from February 2003 — just before the war — "suggests that senior al-Qaida associate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has established sleeper cells in Baghdad, to be activated during a U.S. occupation of the city."

"These cells apparently intend to attack U.S. targets using car bombs and other weapons. (It is also possible that they have received CB materials from terrorists in the KAZ)," referring to chemical and biological materials and the Kurdish autonomous zone in northern Iraq.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 12:19:21 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  (It is also possible that they have received CB materials from terrorists in the KAZ)," referring to chemical and biological materials and the Kurdish autonomous zone in northern Iraq.
I hope this is supposition is false. Otherwise my faith in the Kurds would be demolished
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 0:27 Comments || Top||

#2  Rex, I think they're talking about Ansar-Al-Islam, which sort of straddled the KAZ and the Iranian border.
Posted by: Phil Fraering || 07/17/2004 0:42 Comments || Top||

#3  Thanks, #2, for restoring my faith. I was hoping that was the case but I needed another poster to confirm it.
Posted by: rex || 07/17/2004 0:47 Comments || Top||

#4  This general subject always reverts to Iran.
Posted by: Mark Espinola || 07/17/2004 0:58 Comments || Top||

#5  sleeper cells make me yawn
Posted by: Capt America || 07/17/2004 2:17 Comments || Top||

#6  Nice to hear from the RAND wingnut -- 20/20 hindsight earns these folks money?
Posted by: Capt America || 07/17/2004 2:18 Comments || Top||


Car bomb targets US convoy
A car bomb has exploded near a US convoy in Baghdad, wounding six people, as a senior Sunni cleric threatened a holy war against US forces in Iraq unless they leave. The car bomb, at least the third in as many days, was driven into the rear of the military convoy on Al-Baya'a highway before detonating, the army said. In the western city of Ramadi, senior Sunni cleric Sheikh Akram Ubayed Furaih used Friday prayers to call on worshippers to launch a holy war. "I ask US President (George W.) Bush to withdraw from Iraq or else Ramadi will become a graveyard for US soldiers," said the cleric, who spent three months in a prison after being arrested by the US military. "I call upon my brothers the Shiites and on all other religious groups to embark on a Jihad (holy war) against the US military to force them out of Iraq."
I think he just violated his parole.
Meanwhile, a senior US commander said Iraqi representatives will sit on a board reviewing the status of the estimated 5200 detainees held largely without trial by US-led forces. "We have asked the ministry of justice and the ministry of human rights and the multinational forces in Iraq to sit on a board that reviews the detainee cases for release," deputy commander for detainee operations in Iraq, Major General Geoffrey Miller said at Camp Bucca near the Iraqi border with Kuwait. "We believe it is prudent to have six members from the Iraqi government and three members from the multinational forces," Maj-Gen. Miller said.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:14:35 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "The car bomb, at least the third in as many days".

Hopefully these little "darkeners" will get more and more stretched as time goes on, and the enemy fails to do much. Last summer, there was confusion due to the media's squeezing every last possible reference to US casualties out of each incident, with individual reports and numbers being used across news cycles. You could hear about 3 killed on Monday, into Tuesday, maybe even Wednesday (if no "fresh" casualties were available) -- so you'd think by mid-week 9 soldiers were killed.

And when stretching to the point of double-counting won't do it, they just make it up. The other day, in a report on the first of the three car bombs mentioned here, I saw a line reminding -- it's almost like they're "reassuring" -- readers that even though there were no new US losses, a "high level of violence" continued across Iraq. Which I rather doubt is an accurate statement -- and if it were true, why didn't they at least list the attacks that had taken place recently?

Of course in the desired and unlikely case that US casualties continue to be low or even drop further, we all know what the coverage will be like then: there won't be any! (that is, unless some interim govt. official jaywalks, or a juicy anti-US quote can be dug up from a wahhabi nutcase imam of no consequence somewhere in Sunnistan)
Posted by: Verlaine || 07/17/2004 2:26 Comments || Top||

#2  Oh, and another thing.

Remember how every casualty figure or notice was accompanied for the last year by "since Pres. Bush declared an end to major combat operations"? Not that this was intended to ridicule Bush or anything.

Has anyone seen "since the transfer of sovereignty at the end of June" used this month? I haven't. Even though that's -- obviously -- a much more significant milestone (no, scratch that, it's an actual milestone, whereas Bush's comment was completely immaterial to the situation). But the sovereignty reference has at least two problems. First, of course, it refers to that troublesome transfer of sovereignty, which so far has not been accompanied by chaos or rebel success (no bad news = bad news). Second, some misguided news consumer out there might misinterpret the sovereignty thing as an indication of many inconvenient things, like Iraqis being in a fight against criminals and terrorists and loathsome saddamite wannabes.

"Quick, we need some standard language to insert that, uh, provides some reference point for the uh .... casualties, I mean news, we're hoping -- er, expecting -- but without taking the US side."
Posted by: Verlaine || 07/17/2004 2:38 Comments || Top||

#3  Verlaine: So true. I have noticed Iraq news has slacked off recently, indicating that there's less bad news to report. Also, with Iraqis fighting the insurgents, it's harder to sustain the myth that it's the evil "occupiers" who are prompting the attacks.
Posted by: virginian || 07/17/2004 7:16 Comments || Top||

#4  Excellent point Verlaine.
Posted by: jawa || 07/17/2004 7:42 Comments || Top||

#5  [Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]
Posted by: Anonymous1781 TROLL || 07/17/2004 7:50 Comments || Top||

#6  Ramadi is in the Marine sector. Should the Iraqi government request some assistance, I think Ramadi could be cleansed very quickly.
Posted by: RWV || 07/17/2004 20:33 Comments || Top||

#7  The evil "occupiers" are still in Iraq hiding in their bases and using un-trained Iraqi soldiers to defend them.
Posted by: Anonymous1781 || 07/17/2004 7:50 Comments || Top||


Insurgent attacks provoke crackdown
 After two days of violence including deadly car bombings and attacks on Iraqi officials and oil installations, Iraq's interim prime minister on Thursday announced the creation of a new security service to target insurgents. The new service, the KGB General Security Directorate, "will annihilate those terrorists groups, God willing," Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said during a news conference.

The violent insurgency that has wracked the country since the fall of Saddam's regime 15 months ago has continued since U.S. forces handed power over to Iraq's interim government. Since taking power, Allawi's government has made clear it intended to crack down on militants who have caused chaos with assassinations, bombings, sabotage and other attacks. The violence has hampered efforts to rebuild and recover after war and years of international sanctions.

The government has passed emergency laws giving Allawi the power to declare curfews and impose limited martial law to curb the violence and has repeatedly threatened the militants. The new security service appears to be another step in the fledgling government's efforts to tackle the violence. In remarks published in the al-Hayat newspaper, Allawi was quoted as saying Iraq has arrested operatives linked to al Qaeda and is seeing increasing coordination between the terror network and Iraqi insurgents loyal to ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:18:42 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan/South Asia
Yet another new peace deal for Waziristan
A tribal leader has suggested a new peace formula to cut off local tribal support for foreigners in South Waziristan Agency, saying that the government should pardon all wanted tribesmen to isolate aliens. "This will help Waziristan. This will help the government. It will help everyone if the government takes our proposal seriously," ...
There's one born every minute!
... Nisar Wazir, a nationalist young tribal leader with political leanings towards ANP told Daily Times on Friday on phone from Wana. He also made this suggestion during the meeting of the tribal jirga of Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen on Friday. However, the jirga failed to reach a decision about handing over the two wanted men to the government. The jirga was later adjourned to meet again today (Saturday). Mr Wazir belongs to what can be called an emerging group of educated young men within the jirga. They are described by some as the "infidel educated group".
Educated young fellows, y'say? Students, no doubt. What's the word for student? Ahhh... Yes. Talib.
But the government's response to Mr Wazir's proposal appeared to be lukewarm.
But they had such success with Nek Mohammad!

Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling || 07/17/2004 12:06:31 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:



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Two weeks of WOT
Sat 2004-07-17
  Qurei Resigns Amid Shakeup
Fri 2004-07-16
  Paleos kidnap Paleo Gaza Police Chief
Thu 2004-07-15
  Canada Recalls Ambassador to Iran
Wed 2004-07-14
  Mosul governor murdered
Tue 2004-07-13
  Binny Buddy Surrenders on Iran-Afghan Border
Mon 2004-07-12
  Tater gets sliced
Sun 2004-07-11
  Tel Aviv hit by rush-hour blast
Sat 2004-07-10
  Forbes (Russian edition) editor shot dead in Moscow street!
Fri 2004-07-09
  Al-Tawhid threatens to kill Bulgarian hostages
Thu 2004-07-08
  Missing Marine at U.S. Embassy in Beirut
Wed 2004-07-07
  5 dead in LTTE suicide bombing
Tue 2004-07-06
  Iraqi boomer kills six 14 at funeral
Mon 2004-07-05
  Hussein family funding the insurgency
Sun 2004-07-04
  6 hurt in Kabul work accident
Sat 2004-07-03
  Iraqi oil-for-food investigator bumped off

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