A Taliban leader vowed in a video posted on the Internet on Wednesday that the insurgents would expand their fighting to the north of Afghanistan during the country's hard winter.
"God willing, ... the war will continue in the winter with the same intensity as now," Mullah Mansour Dadullah said on the video posted on an Islamist Web site. "Our operations are blazing across the southern provinces, and we shall reach the northern provinces in the same manner," said Mullah Mansour in Pashto on the video, which carried Arabic subtitles.
"We will fight and die in the winter as well as we have in the summer. In fact we will die even better in the winter!" he added.
Mullah Mansour took over as commander of Taliban forces in the southern province of Helmand in May from his brother, Mullah Dadullah, who was killed in a raid by British forces. Mainly British and U.S. forces have been engaged in almost daily battles with Taliban rebels in Helmand. Mullah Mansour said the Taliban also had contact with insurgents in Iraq. "We exchange information on planning attacks against the enemy, as well as on weapons that are developed on the battlefronts," the Taliban leader told an off-camera interviewer as he sat in what appeared to be a tent.
The video was produced by al Qaeda's media arm As-Sahab, which said it was made during a visit to the Taliban commander by al Qaeda's leader in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid. The recording carried the date of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ended in around mid-October.
Mansour denied the Taliban received aid from Iran. "This is a claim that the Americans make to justify their defeat to the world," he said.
Taliban have launched a spate of suicide bombings, after claims by Afghan, NATO and U.S.-led coalition forces to have subdued insurgents in an aggressive spring campaign against Taliban strongholds in the south and east.
#1
We really really need to import grizzlies and polar bears to the Afghan border (infiltration) mountainous areas. ,,, Along with cams to enjoy the views...
#3
Meh, go ahead. We got thermal underwear and get a bad case of the grumpy-ass when we have to go out in cold weather. Puts us in a killing mood, you might say.
#4
If your a journalist, editor or publisher, its always too hot or too cold. The only place it is neither is San Diego, Martinique and the Hamptons. To a soldier, a warrior, a master eliminator of problems it is not cold, it is not dreaded, it is not a furnace and it is not a restraint to killing his/her enemy. That is why our guys do look forward to the extreme elements because with our technology, training and materiels we are better equipped to deal with it than the taliban/paleos/AQ's and others are.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 12:42 Comments ||
Top||
#5
I have always thought the best hunting conditions where 20-25 degrees C, slight wind, clear sky and 2-4 inches of snow. Perfect!!
#6
We really really need to import grizzlies and polar bears to the Afghan border (infiltration) mountainous areas
IIUC, the population of polar bears has been multiplied fivefold since the early 20th century, so, yes, exportating that surplus would be the humane thing to do. Think about the seals!
#7
Be sure to wave at the nice thermal camera overhead.
Posted by: ed ||
11/01/2007 14:20 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Six comments and not one has raised the issue of what will happen this winter; what with the Dreaded Global Warming and all? Why the bad guys will look at it as just another day at the Jihad?
#11
1: We really really need to import grizzlies and polar bears to the Afghan border (infiltration) mountainous areas. ,,, Along with cams to enjoy the views...
How about all those cat eating Coyotes in the western states, suppliment with Cougars(Panthers, mountain cats, etc)free up our urban areas quite a bit, Timber wolves would be a nice addition.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
11/01/2007 17:08 Comments ||
Top||
#12
Afterthought, "Kizinti hunting preserve".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
11/01/2007 17:11 Comments ||
Top||
The United Nations African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation for Darfur (UNAMID) on Wednesday began operations at its El Fasher Headquarters in what the senior UN official there called a milestone for the strife-torn Sudanese region.
"It is a great day for the United Nations and the African Union, the day of UNAMID's launch, which was only an idea three months ago but now it is a profound reality," said Rodolphe Adada, the UN-AU joint special representative for Darfur. "I am pleased to say that with the cooperation of the government of Sudan, we are one more step closer to embark on our peacekeeping mandate for the people of Darfur," he declared.
But Adada cautioned that more support is needed, saying UNAMID is "facing a lack of pledges for specialised units in areas such as aviation and land transport that should be arriving in Darfur as part of the heavy support package" to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), which has been on the ground in Darfur since 2004.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
#2
Somewhere in the "White Guilt 101" indoctrination class in America's public school, someone sorta left out that the Euros didn't conduct massive slave raids deep into Africa to support the trans-Atlantic business. They waited at ports for other Africans to bring in the losers of the latest sorting out in the land beyond the coast for barter or trade for Euro goods. They seem to skip over that part that even goes on today. Doesn't help sell the guilt to reap power and money for nothing scam.
#4
Slavery within the religion of peace against black Africans? So, not only is there slavery but there is racism? I'm astounded. Not! Why anybody embraces this death culture is beyond me. Islam is the enemy of the West; culturally, ideologically, and any other way you can think of.
#5
One of the interesting things is that Osama owns (personally) one of the largest slave workforce in the world:
He owns a series of Hallal fruit and vegetable plantations called "Sacred Fruits". Each plantaion has hundreds of slaves as workers.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
11/01/2007 13:58 Comments ||
Top||
#6
procopius - the Portugese (and later Europeans) basically told the local kingdoms what they wanted, and the kingdoms then raided each other to get product for the Portugese. The Portugese in particular were knee deep in the politics of several african kingdoms. This is documented in Hugh Thomas on the slave trade (which ALSO documents Muslim involvement in the slave trade, BTW)
The Bush administration is seeking to delay Senate action on a bill authorizing states to divest assets in companies doing business with Sudan, a letter made public on Wednesday said.
Sudan has been a focus of grass-roots divestment activism for some time because of the conflict in its Darfur region, which has taken an estimated 200,000 lives since 2003. Twenty states have initiated some form of divestment from companies that do business with, or in Sudan, congressional aides said.
But the letter from the State Department to Senate leaders argues that the legislation, which attempted to provide a legal framework for such divestment, interferes with presidential foreign policy. Some state divestment laws have been challenged in the courts. The State Department said the legislation could set a "dangerous precedent" and make it "easier to pass similar legislation in other cases."
Activists denounced the State Department letter, saying it was another example of bureaucracy trumping action on Sudan. The Bush administration has focused its Sudan policy on sanctions and support for U.N. efforts to solve the crisis.
The Senate Banking Committee on Oct. 17 approved the divestment bill 21-0. Sponsored by Connecticut Democrat Chris Dodd, it would let states and local governments and private asset fund managers, if they choose, adopt measures to divest from companies involved in four key business sectors in Sudan. The act would also prohibit U.S. government contracts with companies involved in the four sectors -- oil, power production, mineral extraction and military equipment.
With bipartisan support, the bill had seemed headed for floor action soon. It was unclear what impact the objections from the State Department would have. The legislation would "weaken essential legal protections for investors," argued the Oct. 22 letter from Jeffrey Bergner, assistant secretary for legislative affairs at State. It also said the bill targeted companies of U.S. allies and diplomatic partners, shifting the focus away from the behavior of Sudan.
"The administration requests that the Senate defer further consideration of this legislation," the letter said.
"This letter directly repudiates what the president himself has said about urgently protecting the Darfuri people and increasing pressure on all responsible parties. Almost five years into the Darfur tragedy it seems that bureaucratic wrangling has consistently trumped urgent efforts to end the suffering and dying. We must do more now," said Allyn Brooks-LaSure, spokesman for the Save the Darfur Coalition.
The group says the Sudanese government uses up to 70 percent of its oil revenue, generated mainly through foreign direct investment, to give arms and supplies to the Janjaweed militia accused of the killings in Darfur.
Posted by: Seafarious ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
Britain's Law Lords cut the scope of the government's contentious system of holding terrorist suspects under partial house arrest Wednesday, but stopped short of branding the practice unlawful.
Reviewing cases of 10 suspects placed under the orders, including at least two who are on the run, Britain's highest court said the government must no longer hold suspects under 18-hour home curfews. But, in a blow to opponents of the system, the Lords ruled that shorter curfews were lawful.
Under the program, suspects who have not been charged with a criminal offense are released from custody but remain under police observation and can be electronically tagged, kept under curfew, denied the use of telephones or the Internet, and barred from meeting outsiders.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and ministers have acknowledged the control order system is imperfect and have pledged to examine alternatives.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Global Jihad
WASHINGTON - The United States lashed out Wednesday at North Koreas horrendous human rights record and said the international community must be blunt to make the hardline communist state change its ways. The strong words by Washington came as North Korea prepared to start disabling Thursday its nuclear facilities for the first time as part of a multilateral deal.
The human rights situation for North Koreans in North Korea and those who have fled (to China) has not improved markedly, it remains horrendous, said Mark Lagon, the State Departments director of the office to monitor and combat human trafficking. For those reasons, we cant be satisfied with how we in the international community are doing. Clearly we need to do more, he said at a congressional hearing on human trafficking in China.
If you want a prescription of what we should do from this point forward we must be frank and blunt with the North Korean authorities about their human rights record, which is abysmal, Lagon said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
The strong words by Washington came as North Korea prepared to start disabling Thursday its nuclear facilities for the first time
The beat cop in my neighborhood didn't seem to show much respect, even after telling him how I had "prepared to start" slowing down just before "accidentally" coasting through that four-way stop.
#1
Dr Haneef, who maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, was granted bail by Ms Payne over a terrorism related charge on the Monday morning partly, she said, because of the AFP's weak case against him.
Pope Benedict XVI is to meet King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia next week in the first talks between a Saudi monarch and a Pope.
The Vatican said the uprecedented meeting would take place at the Vatican on Tuesday. King Abdullah has been paying a visit to Britain as part of a European tour. The Pope has sought to promote Christian-Muslim dialogue, and last month October opened a three day inter faith conference at Naples which included Muslim representatives.
The Vatican does not have formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, and relations have been strained, with the Holy See demanding "reciprocity" in religious observance. While Muslims are free to practice their faith in the West Christians are not given the same rights in Saudi Arabia. Bibles and crosses are confiscated at the border.
From the Muslim point of view tensions were increased by the Pope himself last year after Benedict, speaking at Regensburg University in his native Bavaria, quoted from a Byzantine Emperor who had suggested Islam was inherently violent. He said he was misunderstood and later expressed his esteem for Muslims.
Last month the Pope met the Saudi Foreign Minister at Castalgandolfo, his summer residence outside Rome, to discuss the Middle East and the "defence of religious and moral values".
#3
This is a good sign. The King has asked for this audience not vice versa. Now what could be driving that? Think about it. What is it the King of Saudi Arabia needs from the head of the largest Christian religion in the world? Legitimacy? Confession, contriction and penance? A chance to compare notes on the Jooooos? Doubtful. I go for the legitimacy theory.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 12:46 Comments ||
Top||
#4
The Vatican does not have formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, and relations have been strained, with the Holy See demanding "reciprocity" in religious observance. While Muslims are free to practice their faith in the West Christians are not given the same rights in Saudi Arabia. Bibles and crosses are confiscated at the border.
Says it all re lack of Morals and hypocrisy of not just the Saudis but Muslims in general!!!!
Muslims fear losing members of their faith alot more than Christians do!!!!
I wonder why?????
Posted by: Paul ||
11/01/2007 13:31 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Trying to sweet talk Rome out of a counter campaign based upon reciprocity for all the Wahhabi mosques popping up in none muzzie lands? Think the king is smart enough to grasp this is an issue to unite the last remaining real Christians [not to be confused with the limp wristed liberation-neomarxist-liberal version of Christianity - ie Church of England]? Wonder how many Protestant would take vows if the Pope offered to lead the fight the pols [not to be confused with the Poles] refuse to? I don't think the king wants to find out.
#6
Pope didnt ask for this, but how could he deny it?
THe only thing he can do politically is nod and smile and speak platitudes until the damned heathen leaves.
FANTASY: If he can get a private moment, he needs to tell this Wahabbist promoting mook that A) We Catholics are done giving ground so he batter back off B) He needs to open his country and come into the 21st Century and stop promoiting terroism and fascism of Wahhabists C) That previous pope was right when he said Islam had added NOTHING to the world. And smile one of those cold German smiles while saying it. Sort of like Patton with the Russians at the end of the mover "Patton".
Well, no, he didn't actually *name* a date, just said that he plans to name a date. At any rate, thank you, Polska, and keep an eye on Vlad there in your rear view mirror.
Polish Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk said his future government would seek to end the nation's military mission in Iraq next year, according to an interview published Wednesday. Donald Tusk made pulling out of Iraq a top issue in his election campaign.
Poland, a staunch U.S. ally, sent combat troops to the 2003 war in Iraq and still has some 900 soldiers stationed in the southeast, despite public displeasure with the mission. Polish troops now primarily train Iraqi forces and renovate schools and hospitals. "We want to finish the mission in this form in 2008," Tusk was quoted as saying by the daily Polska. He did not elaborate.
Doesn't need to. The Poles have hung in there for us, and we should appreciate everything they've done. We'd like to get some of our boys out in '08 so we shouldn't begrudge the Poles. Thank you, Poland.
A survey released Wednesday by the CBOS institute found that 81 percent of Poles oppose the military mission in Iraq. The poll of 1,385 adults, conducted Oct. 10-14, gave a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
According to the interview published Wednesday, Tusk vowed to continue good relations with Washington, but did not say whether Poland would permit a proposed U.S. missile defense base on its territory. "We must know whether (the base) increases or diminishes Poland's security before making the final decision," Tusk was quoted as saying. "Thus far, the Polish government has not been able to answer these questions." Kaczynski has voiced strong support for accepting 10 interceptors as part of global missile shield. The U.S. also hopes to set up a radar base in Poland's southwestern neighbor, the Czech Republic, as part of the system. Polish and U.S. officials have held four rounds of bilateral talks, but have yet to reach a deal.
#1
According to the interview published Wednesday, Tusk vowed to continue good relations with Washington, but did not say whether Poland would permit a proposed U.S. missile defense base on its territory. "We must know whether (the base) increases or diminishes Poland's security before making the final decision," Tusk was quoted as saying.
New government, new negotiations, new contractors' list (thank you, thank you very much for your support!), same result.
With the presidential primaries only a few months away, Muslim terrorist leaders in the Middle East have stated in a new book they want Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office in 2008. "I hope Hillary is elected in order to have the occasion to carry out all the promises she is giving regarding Iraq," stated Ala Senakreh, West Bank chief of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group. Senakreh is just one of many terror leaders blaring about American politics in Aaron Klein's astonishing new book, "Schmoozing with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, Jihadists Reveal their Global Plans - to a Jew!"
Klein, an Orthodox Jew who has interviewed dozens of jihad leaders eyeball-to-eyeball throughout the Middle East as WorldNetDaily Jerusalem bureau chief, says he doesn't believe Americans should base their votes entirely on what the terrorists think, but "it's certainly telling that our enemies are rooting for the Democrats, particularly Hillary." As Klein said from Jerusalem, "The theme from all those interviewed in the book, about 35, and those I have talked with for my reporting the past few years, which adds many more, is the same: They favor Democrats and believe the liberal ideology is their road to victory."
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the declared "military wing" of Palestianian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization, was founded by Arafat. Together with the Islamic Jihad terror group, the Brigades took responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years and for hundreds of shootings and rocket attacks. Yet Abu Ayman, an Islamic Jihad leader in Jenin, said he is "emboldened" by Clinton's calls for an eventual withdrawl in Iraq. "It is clear that it is the resistance operations of the mujahideen that has brought about these calls for withdrawl," Abu Ayman boasted.
Some Palestinian terrorist leaders stated their support of Clinton stems in part from hopes she will apply some of her husband's policies regarding Palestine and even develop that policy," stated Brigades chiefton Senakreh. "President Clinton wanted to give the Palestinians 98 percent of the West Bank territories. I hope Hillary will move a step forward and will give the Palestinians all their rights. She has the chance to save the American nation and the American life."
Of the dozens of terrorist leaders interviewed in "Schoomzing" every one stated they hope a Democrat becomes president in 2008. Although some explained their endorsement of Clinton is not necessarily at the expense of other Democratic presidential candidates, whose policies are not as well known to them. Yet Ramadan Adassi, terror leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades in the Anskar refugee camp in the northern West Bank, said if Hillary "defied Israel" she would be "brought down like her husband," claiming White House intern Monica Lewinsky was an Israeli Mossad implant sent to destroy President Clinton's career after he pressured the Jewish state to evacuate territory to the Palestinians.
"All Americans must vote Democrat," insisted Jihad Jaara, an exiled Al Aqsa agent who commanded 2002's siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Since 1995, these terrorists' organizations have killed an estimated 162 and wounded 368 others in Isreal, according to Klein who interviewed some three dozen leading Muslim fanatics, including those quoted here. "I will not hesitate to blow you up," Islamic Jihad Abu Ahmed said after his and Klein's first meeting in an apartment complex at the end of an alley. "Meanwhile, and before I drive you to Hell in an operation, enjoy your tea and our hospitality."
One has to wonder if Clinton's softness on terrorism is the reason these violent butchers have such a soft spot for her. Clinton, after all, opposes the U.S. Terrorist Surveillance Program, calling it "a secret program that spies on Americans." She also voted against military tribunals for terror suspects, including al-Qaeda detainees, and continues to zig-zag on Iraq. In 2002, Clinton voted to authorize Operation Iraqi Freedom. In February 2005, she said "I don't think the timetable still remains problematic." A month later, on February 17, she then stated: "It's time to say the redeployment should start in 90 days, or we will revoke authorization for this war."
Raising even greater doubts about how seriously Clinton takes national security, her foreign affairs advisers include Bill Clinton's national-security chief, Sandy Berger, despite his guilty plea for stealing al-Qaeda related secrets from the National Archives, stuffing the documents down his socks, then shredding them at home with scissors. Clinton has also zig-zagged on Iran. Last February, she told the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee that "no option can be taken off the table" when confronting Tehran. However, she now declares she is "opposed to letting President Bush take any military action" against Iran without Congress' permission.
However, the terrorists' fondness for Hillary only magnifies their hatred for Giuliani. "If I had the occasion to meet him I would hurt him," said Ramadan Adassi, the West Bank Al Aqsa leader. "For the sake of the American people, Giuliani shouldn't be elected. His is a disgusting guy, and I think Americans must think very hard about their future and their soldiers who will be killed when they come to elect their leaders."
Countering these sentiments, Al Aqsa's Ala Senakreh said, "Giuliani doesn't deserve to live or even to be mentioned. He hates Palestinians and we hate him."
In 1995, Giuliani famously expelled Arafat from the United Nations 50th anniversary celebration at Lincoln Center. As Giuliani said then: "Arafat has never been held to answer for the murders he was implicated in." Last October, Giuliani told the Republican Jewish Coalition he knew from his own investigation of Arafat that he was a murderer and a terrorist. "This whole idea of holding him on a morally equivalent plane to the prime minister of Israel was a terrible, terrible mistake," Giuliani said.
Giuliani's harsh condemnation of Arafat was unusual for a politician in the mid-1990's, when the PLO leader was then being promoted as a moderate statesman after signing the 1993 Oslo Accords on the White House lawn with President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. As Giuliani has said, his antipathy toward Arafat went back to his days as a federal prosecutor when he investigated several terrorists attacks to which the PLO was linked, including the 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship.
Both Senakreh and Adassi were interviewed for "Schmoozing" several months ago, but have since been granted amnesty by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in a gesture to boost Abbas' Fatah organization against the rival Hamas terror group. Yet while the terrorists hatred for Giuliani is clearly evident, it is the former mayor and his Republican party that is "truly hated" around the world, according to Abu Hamed, chief of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern West Bank.
"Giuliani can hate Arafat and the Palestinians, but he knows that nobody is hated in the world more than his leadership, his party, his president, and his Zionist friends. All the polls in the world prove that his conservative wing of American and the Zionists are considered to be the most dangerous for the security of the world."
As the war on terrorism continues, Klein's book provides some chilling insight into the thoughts and beliefs of the leading fanatics who could very well have a role in shaping both our future and the next presidency. Although the bigger question might be, not the election, but what's around the corner? As Hamed stated, the Iraqi resistance is succeeding. "Hillary and the Democrats call for withdrawl, and her popularity shows that the resistance is winning and that the occupation is losing. We just hope that she will go until the end and change the American policy, which is based on oppressing poor and innocent people."
U.S. diplomats on Wednesday bitterly criticized plans to force them to go to Iraq, with one calling it a "potential death sentence" and another pleading for psychiatric treatment for those who return scarred.
YJCMTSU.
The comments surfaced in an emotional, hour-long town hall meeting after the State Department announced after normal office hours on Friday that "prime candidates" for service in Iraq may have to accept compulsory one-year tours or risk losing their jobs. Among other things, diplomats told State Department Director General Harry Thomas they resented the fact that the decision broke in the news media before it was cabled to U.S. diplomats around the world late Friday night.
About 250 people received notifications this week that they are in a pool who may be forced to go to Iraq to fill roughly 50 positions for which no qualified diplomats have volunteered to fill next summer. They could be sent to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone," which is very occasionally often hit by mortar fire, or to civilian-military provincial reconstruction teams that seek to nudge Iraq's 18 provinces toward greater government transparency, rule of law and other political milestones.
"I'm sorry but basically, that's a potential death sentence and you know it," said Jack Crotty, who was nearing retirement after more than three decades in the foreign service, including a stint as political adviser to NATO's southern command.
Potential death sentences are only acceptable for our soldiers, it seems; Mr. Crotty is too good to stand up for us.
Thomas, who heads human resources for the State Department and sent out the cable on the forced assignments last week, did not respond in detail to Crotty's comments beyond saying that they were full of inaccuracies. He also reminded the group that as U.S. diplomats they had agreed to work anywhere in the world, saying that some day U.S. diplomats would serve in Iran and North Korea countries with which the United States does not have diplomatic relations. "We cannot pick and choose where we go," he said. "We cannot shrink from our duty. We have all agreed to worldwide availability."
That should settle it. Even the Hildebeast would need to send diplomats to undesirable places; when called, you go.
Another official, Liz Campbell, said people in her office wanted to know why they were informed of the decision after the close of business on Friday and were "very disappointed" with the department that they learned of it in news reports. Thomas said he was sorry for how the news was released, saying it was "my fault" and reflected the need to consult top State Department officials and to vet everything thoroughly with lawyers.
I agree with the staff here. That was a low and snivelly thing to do. The employees ought to have had full notification before it went to the press.
No question of that. But I think the complainers would still be sounding off if they'd been told on the Monday the week before the press heard.
Rachel Schneller praised Thomas for taking what she called a hard decision to force people to serve in Iraq, saying she was pleased to have spent a year in Iraq herself. "It wasn't a tour without difficulties for me and it was a war zone and I came back wounded. I came back with a battle scar. I came back and was diagnosed almost immediately with post-traumatic stress disorder and I have been receiving treatment for that ever since," she said, her voice quavering. "I have to say that absolutely none of the treatment I have received for it came from the State Department. I asked for treatment from the State Department and I didn't get any of it from the State Department."
That should be fixed. They can line up next to our soldiers, who should also get the best care possible when they return home.
"But the treatment I have been getting has been excellent and the private sector is a wonderful thing," she said with a small laugh. "Now that you are looking at compulsory service in war zones ... we have a moral imperative as an agency to take care of the people who do take that step to serve their country in war zones ... when they come back."
#1
"We cannot pick and choose where we go," he said
Things must have surely changed, they've used a seniority system and been "picking and choosing" for decades. KBR, BAE, SAIC, CACI, BAH, and Blackwater have few problems in finding employees willing to deploy to the ITA, and oftentimes for salaries much lower than those at US State. Could it be the caliber of employee is the problem? Their true colors have surfaced? Canvasing for 500 to fill 50 is an admission of failure. Fire the first three phuechs that say "no" on the bloody spot! Don't even let them have lunch or clean out their desks. The rest will deploy or you can fire them as well. No employer in the private sector would put up with that type of rubbish. Why should the US taxpayer?
#5
This confirms everything I thought about the narcissistic striped pants draft dodgers at State and their sense of entitlement. They are the sort who sing "We are the World" and believe it.
#6
When they were rebuilding the last division, the 10th, at Fort Drum, the Army found a number of senior non-coms in a particular field reluctant to move to the great white north. That branch had previously had stagnation in the upper echelons of the rank structure. So, it used the opportunity to issue orders. It went through a dozen senior Ncos before one didn't submit his retirement papers. That one lasted six months before the CG called branch and said - now send me a real one. It is a good bureaucratic tool to clear out dead wood that the system otherwise makes extremely difficult to remove.
Maybe this is Condi's 'revenge is a dish served cold'. Her parting gift to the next administration.
#8
"I'm sorry but basically, that's a potential death sentence and you know it," said Jack Crotty, who was nearing retirement after more than three decades in the foreign service, including a stint as political adviser to NATO's southern command.
Well, Jack, there are just as many dangerous - "death sentance" - places in Naples as there are in Baghdad. But then this is State Department folks who need a pin-striped environment where you are rewarded for choosing a good wine for the Secretary's in country visit and dinner.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 13:07 Comments ||
Top||
#9
if you don't want to play, leave. reminds me of the various Reservists that did not believe you could actually be ordered into a war zone.
Send them to work on road crews somewhere in the deeps South. They can earn their GS-18 paychecks standing out in the middle of 90 degree asphalt holding a goddamn SLOW sign for an eight hour shift.
Then find some about-to-be-honorably-discharged Lance Corporal somewhere and ask him if he wants to be a diplomat for six months at four pay grades higher than he currently is.
As a bonus he probably knows more about the native population to begin with, _and_ probably isn't as much of a dickweed when dealing with it, since he hasn't been told his whole damn education and life how much smarter he is than everyone else.
THE Maldives has built South Asias most successful economy based on luxury tourism, but the atoll nation is now facing religious tensions as it undergoes a difficult transition to democracy.
The tranquillity of the paradise holiday destination was shattered in September when radicals set off a home-made bomb, wounding 12 foreign tourists. The attack was followed by a clash between troops and Taliban-style fundamentalists who want women to be totally covered, singing banned and no schooling for girls.
The government has hit back with restrictions to prevent militancy spreading in the moderate nation, home to 330,000 Muslims on 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered across the equator. We are going through a process of cultural change, an opening of our society, Tourism Minister Mahamood Shougee said in an interview.
But as much as we cant allow women to cover from head to toe, we cant allow half naked people on the roads. The problem of religious extremism has been seen as the result of either increased freedoms or opposition to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who has served six consecutive terms in office since 1978. Gayoom, 69, is now accusing his rivals of holding up his plan to implement sweeping democratic reforms. I want to be president to give effect to the reform agenda, Gayoom told AFP. This is my reform programme and I want to see it through. Education Minister Mohamed Nasheed believes the unrest is part of growing pains.
We are going to have a very rapid transformation and the systems are finding it difficult to cope, Nasheed admitted. People are not used to this freedom. As a result indiscipline has become an issue. Tourism and a highly successful tuna fishing industry has pushed per capita incomes to nearly 2,700 dollars, making the Maldivians the richest in South Asia.
However, the islanders have little by way of recreation although their beaches are among the best in the world. Every family is said to be affected by drug-related problem, and the islands have one of the highest divorce rates in the world. Nasheed, who is also acting as the state attorney general, says the country is still evolving legal systems and procedures to deal with economic, social and cultural issues.
Proving something beyond reasonable doubt is a new concept for us, Nasheed said. These concepts are new to us. We dont even know what bail is. It is a learning process for all of us. All of a sudden we have medical negligence cases, wrongful dismissal cases. But we dont have the proper laws. What we have is a condensed version of the penal code of India or Sri Lanka.
He said what other countries took years to develop, the tiny Maldives was trying to accomplish overnight. How can we have an independent judiciary when we are all related either by blood or through marriage, he said. Male, the tiny island capital of the Maldives, is home to 130,000 people - and virtually everyone knows each other.Where will Maldives be in another five years? I think the situation will get worse before it gets better, Nasheed said, adding that tensions were likely to escalate ahead of presidential polls next year.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
I've been in a lot of bad dives but never Maldives.
Suicide bombers might attack JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a private TV channel reported Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afghan Niazi as saying on Wednesday.
According to Aaj news, Niazi said Maulana Fazl was being criticised for supporting President General Pervez Musharraf while distancing himself from the Opposition. He said suicide attackers could target Rehmans political processions. He said he hoped that the Supreme Court would rule in President Musharrafs favour in the dual offices case since the parliament had elected him with a simple majority.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Ulema Islami
#1
Still wearing the Bath-towel of Death, I see...
Pakistanis show only weak support for using force against Islamic militants and overwhelmingly oppose allowing outside forces to combat Al Qaeda on Pakistani territory, a WorldPublicOpinion.org poll published in an article on October 31 found.
The poll concluded that just 44 percent of urban Pakistanis favoured sending the Pakistani army to the Northwestern Tribal Areas to pursue and capture Al Qaeda fighters. Only 48 percent would allow the Pakistan army to act against Taliban insurgents who have crossed over from Afghanistan. In both cases, about a third oppose such military action and a fifth decline to answer.
Foreign troops: Pakistanis reject overwhelmingly the idea of permitting foreign troops to attack Al Qaeda on Pakistani territory. Four out of five (80 percent) say their government should not allow American or other foreign troops to enter Pakistan to pursue and capture Al Qaeda fighters, the poll found. Three out of four (77 percent) oppose allowing foreign troops to attack Taliban insurgents based in Pakistan.
The results of the poll of 907 Pakistanis reveals that a majority of urban Pakistanis believe their governments decision to attack militants holding Lal Masjid in Islamabad was a mistake.
No confidence in leaders: Pakistanis show little confidence in the leaders who have dominated Pakistani politics for much of the last 20 years. Less than a third express support for either current president Pervez Musharraf or former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Since fleeing Afghanistan following the 2001 US-led invasion, Afghan Taliban insurgents and foreign militants from Al Qaeda have managed to regroup in north-western Pakistan, the article says.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[9 views]
Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
What would our ancestors have called people who were against use of force against Nazi Germany? Nazis?
On 9-11, Pakistan was under a US boycott. That can happen again.
Rumours about the possibility of martial law or imposition of an emergency and holding the Constitution in abeyance have once again gained currency in political circles with pundits predicting that the present setup may be wound up before or after the Supreme Courts (SC) decision on the constitutional petitions challenging the eligibility of General Pervez Musharraf to contest the presidential election.
Though the government has constantly rejected such reports, rumours refuse to die down because the current law and order situation and political uncertainty in the country following any adverse decision by the SC have once again fueled the rumour-machinery. This is also strengthened by Benazir Bhuttos expected visit to Dubai.
Political observers believe that it is now a matter of time before Gen Musharraf decides to resort to extra-constitutional steps for a brief period to avoid the difficulties facing him. It has been learnt that no final decision has yet been taken as discussions are continuing between those who are in favour of taking this step before the announcement of the court and those who want it taken only after the courts decision if it goes against him.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
Police said on Wednesday that Osama Bin Ladens Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban are likely linked to the suicide attack near President Pervez Musharrafs army office that killed seven people, AFP reported.
Tuesdays blast in the garrison town of Rawalpindi might also be a reaction to an ongoing government crackdown on militants in northwest Pakistan and a raid on the hardline Lal Masjid in July, the city police chief said.
Taliban and Al Qaeda elements are there. Most probably they could be instrumental in this attack, Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz said.
This could also have links with Lal Masjid, the situation in Swat and the tribal areas. We have strong suspicions on all three factors, Aziz said. We have launched a search of Afghan-dominated areas [in Rawalpindi and nearby Islamabad] and teams are monitoring their neighbourhoods, he added.
Aziz said police had found the disfigured head of the bomber, who is believed to be about 23 years old and who blew himself up when police stopped him at a checkpost guarding a high security area.
Staff report adds: A plastic surgeon has reconstructed the face of the bomber. Police also found three of his fingers and have sent them to the national registration office for identification, he said. Police were also carrying out DNA tests on the attackers remains.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[9 views]
Top|| File under: al-Qaeda
#1
Somebody needs to let these kaboomers know that they will get their virgins with the body they left life with. The reason they get 72 virgins is their body was in 72 pieces.
#1
This stems from the perception of defeat; and who created that perception of defeat, even while the fight was on, and mostly one-sided (though that Nation-building thing was/is based on pretty optimistic view of iraqis' capacity for democracy)? The Usual Suspects and their mass-media machinery.
I wonder, how any western country is to ever fight again a successful war (not just militarly, but as a whole)? There always were oppositions to wars, sometimes even very violent (Us civil war draft riots) or massive (US anti-WWI demonstrations), but they were crushed by an able power, and they didn't have the means to mold the opinions of millions.
Since the Indochina war, and in every conflict since then, there always was a part of the western public opinion that was not only opposed to the war, but actively on the other side, and that include the Enlightened Elites and the msm. With that, and until deep changes, I don't see any possible victory, with such a divide.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/01/2007 13:33 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Saddam bet on the MSM and the 'usual' suspects too. Look where it got him. Those outside don't understand that in our system there's a lot of posturing and ritual to the entire process. Not a whole lot different than when the Romans would consult the oracles before setting out on a course of action. It's cultural theater and show to a great extent. The 'signs' may be inauspicious, but that only means a delay in the game, not the final outcome. They're just waiting to find the sacred chicken with the clean liver. They will eventually. Unfortunately, those on the outside confuse the ritual with the actual and inevitable outcome. Check the record on the outcome, not the process. Then place your bets.
#6
I think its a mistake to conflate the situation in Yemen with that in Turkey. Whether the US remains an influence in the region or not, the recent status quo wrt the PKK is clearly intolerable to Turkey (and IIUC the death count far higher recently than the Israel death count from Pal terrorism).
#7
"Saddam bet on the MSM and the 'usual' suspects too. Look where it got him."
True. But he was betting against a very different America than the one that's evolved since his overthrow.
Whether Arab leaders' assumption that "the next two or three years will bring a American retreat from the Middle East and an unwillingness to assert American influence for our interests and those of our allies" turns out to be correct or not, who's to say; but you certainly can't fault them for making it based on what they can see of the political goings-on in our society. We've been projecting an appearance of weakness, fatigue, self-doubt and lack of resolve that must truly be causing our allies sleepless nights-- and our enemies limitless delight.
I fear our grandchildren will pay a horrible price-- maybe even with their lives-- for the Democratic Party's cynical, calculated decision to play politics with the war by sucking up to the extreme Left to get $$$$, votes and election volunteers. Certainly, a "precipitous decline in our influence" will be the very least of the problems they will inherit from this country's current fecklessness.
"I wonder, how any western country is to ever fight again a successful war (not just militarly, but as a whole)? [...] With that, and until deep changes, I don't see any possible victory, with such a divide."
Good question; I've been thinking a lot about it myself. Unfortunately, I think the answer is most likely that we will not win any future war, simply because we will not fight one. I don't think the American public has the fortitude for it anymore.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
11/01/2007 16:25 Comments ||
Top||
Reality sucks. But not as much as having to live in the unreality you created. This should be mandatory. As well as returning to perform duties on a regular basis just to maintain focus.
Calling it "a potential death sentence," several hundred diplomats expressed their resentment Wednesday over a new State Department policy that could force them to serve in Iraq or risk losing their jobs. Some at the hourlong town hall-style meeting questioned why they were not told of the policy change directly, learning about it instead from news organizations last week. Others pointed out the risks of such a rule, considering the dangers of a war zone, lack of security and regular rocket attacks on U.S. personnel.
One State Department worker complained she was not provided medical treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder after she voluntarily served in Iraq.
The session was marked by angry exchanges, according to an audio recording of the meeting held at the State Department. The sharpest comments came from Jack Croddy, a 36-year veteran of the Foreign Service. To loud applause from his fellow workers, he asked how the State Department could protect people in Baghdad or the Iraq countryside when "incoming is coming in every day. Rockets are hitting the Green Zone."
"It is one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there and volunteers," he said, "but it is another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment. And I'm sorry, but basically that is a potential death sentence and you know it. Who will raise our children if we are dead or wounded?" Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Jack
Last week's announcement said about 200 people would be informed this week they are "prime candidates" for assignment in Iraq, and those chosen would be notified later. Selection of personnel will be finished by Thanksgiving, said Harry Thomas, the Foreign Service's director general, who led the meeting.
Those chosen will be given 10 days to respond, according to last week's announcement. Unless they have a valid medical reason to refuse, those who decline to go could face dismissal, it said.
Thomas said he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are committed to what he called a fair, open and transparent process in filling the requirements for State Department employees in Iraq — at the Baghdad embassy and elsewhere in the country. Most of the 250 jobs to be filled in the next rotation over the coming months will go to volunteers, he said. But about 50 remain open.
The State Department has relied solely on volunteers to fill overseas jobs in recent decades. Forced assignments have not been used since the Vietnam War era.
"We cannot shrink from our duty. We have all agreed to worldwide availability," Thomas said.
From now on, everyone in the Foreign Service would be required to serve one out of three tours in "hardship posts," he said.
Thomas reacted angrily to criticism of how the new policy is being handled, saying, "Don't you or anyone else stand there and tell me I don't care about my colleagues. I find that insulting." Rice did not attend the meeting.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack addressed the issue at his regular midday briefing. "There are risks involved in going to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, other places around the world, and there are a lot of people who are making real sacrifices on behalf of their country — sacrifices being away from their family, taking certain risks with respect to their personal safety, just being in some of these places. "I understand that. The secretary understands that."
#1
Tough cookies. It should be implicit that working at foggy bottom means that you should get to see at least part of the world, not just fantasize about it.
#2
It is one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there and volunteers," he said, "but it is another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment.
If you want someone who will do what they are told to with out a lot of backtalk, send someone from the military. Perhaps we should transfer the full diplomatic function to the Army.
I also wish the cookie pushers would show as much gumption in defending the interests of the country with tyrants like Kim, Nutjob and Pencilneck. Hey, that's it, next time State has to tell its employees bad news, they should ask Kim to deliver it.
#5
IMHO one of the reasons Iraq became such a mess is that State refused to do ther work needed in Iraq. And State is istting on theri ass in Afghanistan as well.
#6
These folks are getting a fat dose or reality. The "death sentence" comment is outragous. The only two State Dept employees killed in Irag have been DS agents. More FSOs have died in car accidents near Dupont Circle than in Iraq. Look - there are 11000 FSO and they want 50 to go to. Being a math major, that's less than one-half of one percent. Suck it up, pack your gear, or walk.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy ||
11/01/2007 10:06 Comments ||
Top||
#7
The State department is worse that fucking worthless. Bunch of spineless, ivory tower, elitist snobs that want to cover their ass more than do actual work. Talk about an agency that needs burned down, dismantled and done over.
#9
Hopefully this is what Secretary Rice has really been working on -- the single battle she needs to win. Two hundred given ten days to say yea or retire in order to find fifty... or if not then the next two hundred, and the next... The State Department could be down to a hard-working nub within six months!
#11
Good way to thin out the State Department but,
One State Department worker complained she was not provided medical treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder after she voluntarily served in Iraq.
Not taking care of the worthwhile employees is complete f'd up!
#12
Now, once we are rid of the EEE's [Eastern Establishment Elitists] that have populated and polluted State for years, lets start recruiting our diplomats from U.or Nebraska, Iowa, Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, Weber State, BYU, et.al. Then I believe we will have a better chance of changing our diplomatic direction and avoiding the Stockholmization of our State department en mass.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 13:14 Comments ||
Top||
#13
Who will raise our children if we are dead or wounded?
Given that child creation takes 2 people, is there any reason why the second party couldn't step up?
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
11/01/2007 13:21 Comments ||
Top||
#14
Calling it "a potential death sentence," several hundred diplomats expressed their resentment Wednesday over a new State Department policy that could force them to serve in Iraq or risk losing their jobs.
Yet these same feckless desk jockeys have no compunctions about our soldiers getting killed trying to implement the flaccid ROE of State's initial "soft power" approach to Iraq. I hope to hell that trailing wife is right and this is an attempt to thin the ranks of so many chair-warming weenies. The DoS has become worse than useless in recent years. As I mentioned when this issue first cropped up, a tour of duty in Iraq should be mandatory for all career officers and staff. It's time these elite little snivelers got a healthy taste of the witch's brew they have concocted with their worthless MME (Muslim Middle East) policies.
Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there -
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum-tumming
Ev'rywhere.
So prepare, say a pray'r,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over
Over there.
New Iraq policy prompts angry words at the State Department..
LOL, this is so precious..
Here comfortably at Home the Foggy Bottom Gurus have had no shortage of rules and orders to follow on every subject, A-thru-Z, Over There in Iraq & A-stan, .
Well now a precious few 'Foggy Bottoms' will be Over There :) Hummm.. Now do any of youse guys recall hearing anything about a company named Blackwater? :)
BlackWater! You know that evil Company that uses a pro-active "Cowboy" tactics when protecting their clients!
IIRC I think I remember a few State Dept. officials Back Here Stateside bloviating and leaking details about the over protective Rogue Private Contractors overseas.
Yes they more or less implied that they were Bad & Evil Contractors....and Insensitive Too.
Perhaps these new draftees from State being assigned to Iraq don't need any armed personal for protection!
Heh after-all everyone knows GUNS Cause Violence Not people.
From the armchair then, We elites who have studies more than you and have more degrees than you are certain that the poor disenfranchised Jihadis in Iraq and A-stan will respect our folks if they go peacefully and unarmed!
Over There!!
/some folks at state are ok,...maybe ~:)
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
11/01/2007 22:51 Comments ||
Top||
(AKI) - While Turkish forces continue to attack Kurdish positions in northern Iraq, separatists have revealed that eight Turkish soldiers captured by rebels over a week ago are in 'good health'. A source from the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the soldiers, seized in an ambush that left 12 Turkish soldiers dead, were all well.
It was one of several recent attacks that provoked a fierce reaction in Turkey and led the parliament to approve a motion allowing the army to conduct cross border military attacks on Kurdish militants. "The prisoners are enjoying good health and in good spirits," the source told AKI. "They have sent letters to their families and the Turkish government to calm themselves and to express their surprise at the excellent treatment they are receiving from elements of the PKK."
The source, from the Qindil mountains in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, said: "The PKK leadership have told the eight prisoners that their lives were not under threat, they were guests of the party and no conditions would be imposed on their release, which would happen soon. He called on the International Red Cross to visit the prisoners "to confirm their condition and how much we are caring for them".
Meanwhile the Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and the regional president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, Massoud Barzani, were continuing joint efforts to free the prisoners.
A delegation from the parties of Kurdistan's advisory council has cancelled a meeting to discuss the border crisis. Qadir Aziz, a member of the council, led by Barzani, told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the atmosphere was not appropriate for a visit but they plan to join countries in the region for reconciliation talks to be held in Istanbul on Friday. Barzani has also expressed regret about what he considers Ankara's unwillingness to discuss the issue. He told Turkish media he wanted a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the US on Tuesday that future relations between the two countries would depend on 'urgent' action against Kurdish fighters. Erdogan is due to meet US president George Bush in Washington on Monday for talks to resolve the border crisis.
The Kurdistan Liberation Party has warned that any Turkish invasion of Kurdistan would have repercussions for Europe where there are many Turkish and Kurdish communities. Abdallah Nazanini, spokesman for the Leftist party, said: "The Kurdish community in Europe would not sit idle if Kurdistan was attacked and would express its opposition through protests and other methods."
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
Iraqi authorities have set up more checkpoints to restrict the movement of Kurdish rebel fighters and cut supply lines to their mountain hideouts, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Wednesday. Zebari also said Iraq was making intensive efforts to free eight Turkish soldiers captured by guerrillas from the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in fighting in southern Turkey. We are expecting to solve this matter, because these talks, which are going on through indirect parties, have reached an advanced level, he told a news conference in Baghdad with his visiting Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki. Iraq is under mounting pressure from Turkey to take action against the PKK, which has an estimated 3,000 fighters in remote bases in the mountains of northern Iraq.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused a top Iraqi Kurd leader of harbouring terrorists and said his cabinet would on Wednesday discuss economic sanctions against Iraqi Kurdistan.
Turkey has massed troops along its border with Iraq to back its threats to carry out military strikes on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) separatist rebel bases in northern Iraq. In an accompanying war of words, Erdogan and other Turkish leaders have been particularly outspoken in their criticism of Massud Barzani, head of the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq. What they Barzanis followers are doing there is quite simply harbouring a terrorist organisation, Erdogan said late Tuesday during a reception for Turkeys national day.
Erdogan said his cabinet would discuss possible economic sanctions against Iraqi Kurdistan at a meeting on Wednesday. Turkeys National Security Council, made up of military and political leaders, has recommended sanctions. The prime minister made it clear that Ankara would only negotiate through Baghdad, rather than talk directly with the Iraqi Kurd administration.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
The Arabs harbor terrorists, the Persians harbor terrorists - why should the Kurds be any different?
Two Hamas leaders in the West Bank on Wednesday distanced themselves from a Gaza counterpart who bragged that the group would eventually take over the West Bank.
Hamas seized control of Gaza by force in June, defeating the security forces loyal to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In response, Abbas ordered a clampdown on Hamas in the West Bank, arresting hundreds of activists, closing Hamas-linked charities and issuing an anti-money laundering decree meant to dry up donations to the group.
Hamas leaders in the West Bank have acknowledged that the group has been weakened by the campaign, and have said the movement decided not to confront Abbas' security services. However, earlier this week, a Hamas leader in Gaza, Nizar Rayan, told a rally of several thousand people that the group would one day pray in Abbas' West Bank headquarters, just as it had done in Gaza. Rayan also predicted that Abbas would be toppled. His remarks have infuriated Abbas' aides.
On Wednesday, two Hamas leaders in the West Bank, Faraj Rumaneh and Hussein Abu Quaik, called a news conference and distanced themselves from Rayan. Rumaneh said he wanted to express his "discomfort" with the statements. "We think they contradict Hamas policy, which calls for dialogue and national unity and reducing difference," he said.
Wednesday's statements appeared designed to help ease pressure on Hamas in the West Bank. Abbas has said he woud only resume contacts with the group if it apologized.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under: Hamas
Israel has the capability to destroy or damage Iran's nuclear program, a senior IDF officer has said. The officer spoke in Toronto on October 22 and his remarks were reported on the Canadian Jewish News Web site.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Of course they do. And our asking congress for extra money to outfit the B2 for a 30k piece of ordanance is just a curveball to the Iranians. They have no idea when, where or from who it will come but it will come and there is nothing they, the Russkies, the Red Chinese, Binny or Iamaidiot can do about it. That is the nub.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 13:18 Comments ||
Top||
Iran's prez, that is. But I wonder if some of these factors apply to us right now...
Iran's new central bank governor has warned the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over money supply growth, urging measures to prevent a further rise in inflation, the press reported Thursday. "The government, the private sector and anyone who cares about the nation's economy should prevent the increase of liquidity," said Tahmasb Mazaheri, quoted by most moderate Iranian newspapers. "It has an inflationary impact and it will lead to higher prices," said Mazaheri, who was appointed in September as part of a wide-ranging economic reshuffle by Ahmadinejad.
At the end of May 2007, the central bank said money supply had grown by a colossal year-on-year rate of 39.4 percent.
Mazaheri said money supply in Iran is currently running at the equivalent of 140 billion dollars, double the average for the year 2005-2006 which was 70 billion dollars. He complained that the central bank in the past had dipped into its reserves to offer credit lines to Iranian banks -- causing liquidity to rocket higher -- and in future would be stricter with allocating loans.
"The banks should not rely on the central bank when it comes to handing out credits since last year it caused the increase in the liquidity." Mazaheri also cautioned: "The decrease in the liquidity will not happen overnight."
The huge growth in money supply has added to fears over prices in the Islamic republic which have surged in recent weeks, especially for basic foodstuffs and services, hitting the poor hardest. Iran's year-on-year inflation is currently 15.8 percent, according to the central bank. However, many economists dispute this and Iranian parliamentary research has estimated that inflation this year will be 22.4 percent.
Many economists in Iran have accused Ahmadinejad of stoking inflation problems by ploughing windfall revenues from high oil prices into local infrastructure projects promised on provincial visits. But the government insists it is merely fulfilling Ahmadinejad's election promises of making ordinary people feel the benefits of oil wealth and has inflation under control.
#1
Maybe the MMs can take a bunch of the liquidity and put it in Swiss Banks or whatever they do with it. Then that will ease the concerns of the central bank's governor. My suggestion, FWIW.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/01/2007 20:53 Comments ||
Top||
Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora backed up comments by MP Saad Hariri in which he said he had evidence of Syrian plots to assassinate him and Siniora. "It is true. We have been informed about it," Siniora told reporters when asked about Hariri's remarks.
Siniora also stressed that his government is committed to the constitution and to timely presidential elections. "The government has always respected the constitution and it will continue to do so," Siniora told a joint press conference in Beirut with Saudi Ambassador Abel Aziz Khoja. In response to a question, Siniora emphasized that he never said he was against "amending" the constitution.
On the letter sent to the United Nations, Siniora said it was a "position paper" where the government outlined the latest developments concerning U.N. Resolution 1701, including the latest violations by Israel of Lebanon's sovereignty.
Khoja, in turn, said Saudi Arabia "will not bother with any stray comments made against Saudi Arabia from either the majority or the opposition camp." He stressed that the presidential election is an "internal Lebanese issue" and does not involve the kingdom. "I have great faith that the various Lebanese leaders are making progress and that the elections will take place peacefully," he said.
After talks with Siniora, Khoja headed for a meeting with Berri. The Saudi ambassador told reporters afterwards that Berri was "optimistic that the presidential election will take place on time." Khoja emphasized that Saudi Arabia has "no opinion on any of the candidates, and it is up to the Lebanese to agree on one candidate."
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
#1
Assad should be told that for each Lebanese assassination a palace goes poof!
Lebanese ruling majority leader Saad Hariri and Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun vowed Wednesday - after meeting for 3 hours in the French capital Paris - to work hard to reach a solution that would allow the election a president for Lebanon. 'We came here to solve a difficult problem and it seems all of the leaders are making an effort,' Aoun said from Paris.
Aoun denied Lebanese media reports that an agreement had been reached on president and prime minister, saying that there was a 'growing desire' to reach an agreement 'but such an issue is still under discussion.'
In answering a question about agreeing with Hariri on a presidential candidate, Aoun told reporters "the topic has not been discussed yet." A second round of talks is scheduled for later in the evening, Aoun told his Orange Television.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday dismissed as a sheer lie US charges that the Islamic republic was supplying arms and training to insurgents killing American troops in Iraq.
The idiotic policies of the United States in Iraq have led to the killing of its troops, state television quoted the all-powerful leader as saying. The US administration is faced with criticism from its own people over its wrong policies. It wrongly accuses Iran as it has no answers, he told thousands of student members of the hardline Basij militia in Tehran.
The United States accuses Iran of seeking to sabotage security in Iraq by supplying weapons, including rockets, armour-piercing explosives and mines that have killed American soldiers. Earlier this month, Washington adopted sanctions against Irans powerful Revolutionary Guards corps and its elite Quds force which US commanders accuse of arming and training Shiite militias that have attacked US troops in Iraq. Iran has always denied the charges and blames the US-led forces for the instability and violence in its western neighbour. It also wants the release of six Iranian officials detained by US forces in Iraq, who Washington accuses of being members of the Quds force on a covert mission to stir trouble in Iraq.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
Syria on Wednesday told the head of Lebanons anti-Syrian parliamentary majority to provide proof to back up his allegation that Damascus was plotting to assassinate him. A Syrian official said MP Saad Hariri should show the documents he claims to possess dealing with his allegations according to which there is a plot to assassinate him and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, the official news agency Sana said. The official also questioned why Saad Hariri has not presented this information before the local, Arab and international public, the agency reported. Hariri claimed that Syria was behand the killing.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/01/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
#1
"Oh, well, hold on a second while I pull that outta my ass!"
-- The Long Kiss Goodnight
A long paper on the different rates at which states win or lose against insurgencies, and vice versa. Horton is an Army COL who teaches at West Point. McCormick heads the department of Defense Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School and Harrison is with the Center on Terrorism and Irregular Warfare there.
While the last part of the paper is mathematical, the first part is of broader interest. An excerpt:
There have been almost 300 internal wars initiated since 1945. At this writing 250 of these have come and gone. The human and material costs of these conflicts have been incalculable, much greater than the combined costs of the inter-state wars fought over the same period. Despite the cost and frequency of internal wars, however, we still do not have a close understanding of how they are resolved. What research has been conducted on this subject has focused almost exclusively on the subject of negotiated outcomes.
Very little attention, by contrast, has addressed the complementary question of how organized internal conflicts end in the absence of a meaningful negotiated settlement, which is to say, how they are concluded on the battlefield. More than 80% of these wars, it turns out, were resolved by force. This stands in contrast to inter-state conflicts since 1945 which, according to one recent estimate, have had a better than 50% chance of ending in a negotiated compromise....
States and insurgent organizations decline and approach their respective breakpoints in very different ways.
States generally pass a tipping point and enter their end games and begin to decay at an accelerating rate.
Between the time the conflict enters this phase and the time the state disintegrates, the conflict speeds up.
While the measure of victory and defeat for the two sides in an insurgent conflict, we suggest, is the same, the empirical record reveals that states and insurgent organizations decline and approach their respective breakpoints in very different ways. States generally pass a tipping point and enter their end games and begin to decay at an accelerating rate. This is often an indicator that the final period of the struggle has begun. Between the time the conflict enters this phase and the time the state disintegrates, the conflict speeds up.
The result, as illustrated in Figure 1A, is a parabolic trajectory of decay that approaches and crosses the states breakpoint at a fairly high angle of attack. The end, in such cases, is typically decisive, sudden and often violent. Examples include the defeat and downfall of the Nationalist government in China (1949), the collapse of the Batista regime in Cuba (1959), the collapse of the Lon Nol regime in Cambodia (1975), the end of the Somoza government in Nicaragua (1979), the collapse of the Mengistu regime in Ethiopia (1991), and the downfall of the Siad Barre regime in Somalia (1991). Even when, in retrospect, it may be easy to see that the conflict was drawing to a rapid end, many witnesses to the event at the time did not see the point of collapse coming until it was upon them.
Insurgencies, by contrast, tend to decline historically at a decelerating rate.
Between the time the conflict enters its end game and the insurgency collapses, the conflict typically slows down.
Insurgencies, by contrast, tend to decline historically at a decelerating rate. While their rate of decline may initially be fairly steep, between the time the conflict enters its end game and the insurgency collapses, the conflict typically slows down.
The result, as illustrated in Figure 1B, is an asymptotic trajectory of decline that crosses the insurgents breakpoint at a low angle of attack. The size and associated operational tempo of the insurgency continues to deteriorate at a declining rate until the group finally reaches the point that it can no longer pose an organized military challenge.
Because most insurgencies fail, examples of these endgames are quite numerous, ranging from such well known cases as the Hukbalahop in the Philippines (1954), the so-called Mau Mau insurgency in British Kenya (1956), the Malaya National Liberation Army (1960), the Tupamaros in Uruguay (1972), the Polasario Front in Morocco (1989), and the Shining Path in Peru (1993), to such obscure cases as the North Kalimantan Liberation Army in Brunei (1962), and the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement in Ethiopia (2003). The end, in such cases, is almost always indecisive, in the sense that there is seldom a climactic engagement that marks the terminal point of the insurgency. The insurgency that comes in like a lion, as the saying goes, may go out like a lamb. Indeed, by the time the end comes, many observers will have assumed it has already come and gone.
The different way in which states and insurgencies fall apart is due to the basic information asymmetry that characterizes insurgent-counterinsurgent conflicts ....
#1
such well known cases as the Hukbalahop in the Philippines (1954), the so-called Mau Mau insurgency in British Kenya (1956), the Malaya National Liberation Army (1960), the Tupamaros in Uruguay (1972), the Polasario Front in Morocco (1989), and the Shining Path in Peru (1993), to such obscure cases as the North Kalimantan Liberation Army in Brunei (1962), and the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement in Ethiopia (2003)
And for gawd sake, let the record show to get a better acronym than MILF. I don't want historians a hundred years from now trying to figure it all out. The civilization could do without some grad student doing a paper at the Al Gore International University on why a squalid guerrilla war in the Philippines that was conducted upon the behest of older ladies. That's a fight conducted elsewhere.
#3
I understand why the poster considers the key result (80% resolved by military means) to be timely, and presumably controversial, and germain to the approach of this site. It would seem to stand in contrast to the conventional wisdom that states that insurgencies are only resolved by political settlement, and in particular that there is "no military solution in Iraq".
While I agree that the conventional wisdom is typically stated with no empirical evidence, Im not sure how compelling the implied takeaway from this paper is. Here are my concerns, questions, etc.
1. The conflicts in questions included BOTH ones where the insurgents won, and where they lost. The 80% appears to apply to the total. Surely the fact that insurgents often win through purely military means is of no particular help, and little interest, to the formulation of US (or Israeli, or Russian, etc) policy. What is of interest is what portion of the time when the insurgents LOSE is it military, versus political. I presume the answer is somewhere in the article.
2. My own personal gripe against the "theres no military solution" school is that it assumes a binary - a solution is EITHER political OR military. The Kagan-Kristol strategy for Iraq, and, IIUC, much USMC small wars doctrine, is based on the need for intergrated political and military strategies. It seems from the quoted section that the author accepts the binary distinction, though obviously going in a different direction with it.
3. At least with regard to the case of Iraq, it seems to me that a desirable outcome for the US can only be achieved by a combination of political and military means. While it is quite possible that a Shiite-Kurdish govt could (eventually) completely militarily defeat the Sunni insurgency, that outcome would be on the whole negative for the US for the following reasons A. The resulting state, largely dominated by uncompromising Shiites (including many Shiite fundamentalists) would likely be friendly to Iran b. It would be a poor democratic model (or any other sort of model) for the region c. It would be an embarassment to the US hearts and minds effort in the Sunni world D. It would take too long to accomplish By contrast, an outcome that involves substantial compromise with large portions of the Sunni Arab community (which does not, IMO,exclude an important military component of strategy)would be much more beneficial to the US in the larger WOT. Whether that latter outcome is still possible, I cannot say.
#4
What is of interest is what portion of the time when the insurgents LOSE is it military, versus political. I presume the answer is somewhere in the article.
Yes, it is. A germane quote:
d: A state loss is recorded when an insurgent group defeats or displaces the state.
e: An insurgent loss is recorded when an insurgent group is defeated or displaced by the state, i.e., it is no longer an effective fighting force. This is said to occur when the conflict it is engaged in falls below the 25 battle-death threshold.
f: A nominal settlement (state loss) is recorded when the insurgent group defeats or displaces the state (or occupier), assumes control of the government, and this win is codified in "negotiations" with the state. In this case, the insurgent group has won by force. Negotiations are a formality that do not result in a meaningful compromise between the political objectives of the state and the insurgency.
g: A nominal settlement (insurgent loss) is recorded when the regime defeats or displaces the insurgent group, retains control of the state, and this win is codified in "negotiations" with the insurgent group. In this case, the state has won by force.
h: A real negotiated settlement is recorded when both the insurgent group and the state negotiate a meaningful compromise to end the conflict, despite competing objectives.
In the data they examine, insurgents lost openly (militarily) 44.44% of the time vs. open state losses 7.67% of the time. Nominal settlements that were really insurgent losses occurred 11.54% of the time vs. nominal settlements that were state losses 6.84% of the time. True negotiated settlements occurred in only 20.09% of the conflicts.
The economy must not be as bad as we are being told. When times are tough economically, those Army jobs start to look a lot more attractive. (Especially with the reduced casualty rates we have been seeing lately.)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Army began its recruiting year Oct. 1 with fewer signed up for basic training than in any year since it became an all-volunteer service in 1973, a top general said Wednesday.
Gen. William S. Wallace, whose duties as commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command include management of recruiting, told reporters at the Pentagon that the historic dip will make it harder to achieve the full-year recruiting goalafter just barely reaching it in the year ended Sept. 30.
Posted by: Glenmore ||
11/01/2007 07:38 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
The Army began its recruiting year Oct. 1... after just barely reaching it in the year ended Sept. 30.
So the day after the recruiting year ended -- a year in which the goal was reached -- the numbers were lower than for the same day in previous years.
So what?
And "just barely" hitting your target means you hit your target, and that your forecast was correct.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
11/01/2007 8:32 Comments ||
Top||
#2
The old joke goes:
What do they call the fellow who graduates last in his class at med school?
#3
It means what it means in every sales organization. The recruiters didn't have a backlog of recruits they could enlist day 1. In fact they may have stuffed the channel with product that will come back when the Army finds out the true quality.
This is a victory for the MSM in its war against the Army. The bad news is that things in Iraq have turned around so much that even the MSM has to concede it. That should help enlistments this year. Unfortunately, the economy will probably help also. So it shouldn't look too bad next September.
#4
Saw a new office yesterday. Sign said "Armed Forces Career Office" rather than "Recruiting Office".
Strikes the right note I think. The area around the office has a lot of working class people including some very hard working Hispanic immigrant families. The coastal elite snobs notwithstanding, the military has long been a way for newcomers to gain useful skills and long term stable incomes for their families while contributing and integrating into the society.
#6
And the guys probably worked their ass off just up to the end of the previous fiscal year to close the books as successfully as they did. Guess what, they get 30 days a year leave. When do you think they're going to hobble together a couple weeks away from the office? Meanwhile Congress is squirming around with the DoD budget, so the incentive packages for recruits are not solid yet till the ink is on the paper. That implies an understanding of the military environment that is alien to a "AP Military Writer". Every thing they know about the military they learned from Hollyweird.
#7
Crap article. Our town has 2 kids who left for Ft. Sill (after Basic) this month. This town has quite a record of those serving/served for such a 'tiny town'.
#8
P2k's point is very valid. This is the case in virtually ALL Fed Gov't agencies/Dept's. October is your "down month" because you worked so hard to meet expectations in Sept (end of FY). Then you have several holidays, and virtually a ghost-town during Thanksgiving & Chritmas/New Year's. Work doesn't truly pick up until 2nd qtr. (Jan.-Mar.).
Posted by: BA ||
11/01/2007 11:48 Comments ||
Top||
#9
IIRC the reports during the last year were that the armed forces met targets for recruits each month. So what if the total number is down; if advances in weaponry are such that you can reduce the labor, then let it be. what a bunch of crap.
#11
Two points not quite mentioned in the post jump out at this little civilian housewife (I did not go to the link to read the original article). First of all, this appears to be only about the Army, not the other services, and not the Reserves. Second, if I recall correctly, re-enlistments were seriously above expectations throughout the past year, even amongst units on their third, fourth and fifth rotations into battle zones since 9/11. So between beating recruiting targets for the year and re-enlistments, our armed forces mustlikely currently have more troops than expected, separate from the large number of casualties vs. historic death rates. The trainers must be glad to have a bit of a break before starting the next round, given the increased targets for fiscal 2008.
#12
Beer and hookers would help. We're all out of boy scouts. Oh, and let them fight to win, that might boost interest. I don't blame the kids for not wanting to join a churchy, candie-ass army that they have been trying to put together for the last couple of years.
Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protest
A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.
The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.
U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court. Good. Let's keep it that way. It ensures that any contributions they receive will end up in good hands.
Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags." Looks like God hates you more.
A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries. What?! Congress passed a law that makes sense? How'd that sneak through?
But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman. Hopefully the first of many. One at a time . . . .
The church and three of its leaders — the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 — were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.
Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.
The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. So how does that "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" sign fit into this "defense", Phelps? Shouldn't you be praying for no more dead soldiers since it would indicate progress towards your distractions "ideals"?
Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion. Within reason, yes. You are without.
The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.
Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse.
Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers."
Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."
Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles.
Posted by: gorb ||
11/01/2007 02:27 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under: Global Jihad
#1
I hope this is just part I. Part II or III should involve either a RICO action against them, or a federal injunction, of the kind used to disassemble criminal gangs.
No free association with each other, no free speech to discuss it on broadcast, children put in foster care, prohibited from going near graveyards, loss of any exemptions or protections for being a "church", and any violations to be in front of a judge for contempt, not a jury trial.
An injunction can be more restrictive than putting them in prison.
#2
If they want to spout their hate on a street corner, fine. Free speech and all. But not at a funeral. That is the family's private time to mourn and say goodbye. You disrupt that for your own personal hate politics, you deserve a bullet between the eyes.
Or at least to have all your worldly goods taken from you.
Couldn't happen to a nicer group of assholes either.
#5
I don't know. I can think of quite a few people who would do a pay-per-view of a 'Big Brother' type show of them in prison. Proceeds to those afflicted by their malace; hosted by guests of Patriot Guard.
Mr. Snyder and family should receive a emblem, signed by everyone of conscience in Kansas, of St. Patrick for helping rid us of snakes we couldn't touch; God bless his son and may he rest in peace.
While true, I surely doubt that Mr. Phelps et al will "get the clue" about God's hatred of HATE (as well as homosexuality). Kinda like how the muzzies never get a clue of Allan's anger through tsunamis, earthquakes, etc.
On a personal note (as a Christian), I agree somewhat with his stance that maybe God is lifting His hand of protection from this land for such things as abortion and "gay rights". However, I also note, that as a general rule, DoD employees probably hate homo's as much or more than your average 'merican. It can ruin morale, inflict drama when it's not needed, etc. in a group of people who "need their head in the game" more than ANYONE else in the U.S. I loathe Phelps and crew, and I personally don't consider them Christians at all, just agenda-pushers, much like those they claim to hate (the gay rights agenda-pushers).
Posted by: BA ||
11/01/2007 11:36 Comments ||
Top||
#7
While I am happy on some level to see these obnoxious bastards take one in the nuts, I disagree with the idea of a law banning protests at funerals, and I disagree with the judgement on principle. The whole emotional distress thing is BS. You DO NOT have a freaking right to not have your feelings hurt. Your little Johnny Snowflake got a D in math? Sue the teacher/school for making him sad! Total BS. These Westboro jerks are the extreme end of this, and perhaps if there was some sort of extended and ongoing harassment a suit would be in order, but emotional distress (and invasion of privacy, really) from a protest at the funeral is total BS. I rank this up there with lawsuits against the KKK or Neo-Nazis -- yes, they are idiot racist jerks, but they have a right to say what they want, within the law. Freedom of Speech and the right to protest are more important than the feelings of grieving parents. Sorry.
I can't believe you think winning an $11M judgement for suing someone for being a jerk is a good thing.
#8
Gee Tsu, you end up with a Constitution as thick as a phone book or the EuroCon v1.0 trying to cover every instance of human behavior. Some things are not constitutionally mandated or protected cause they're mandated or protected by the culture. Lawyers will argue otherwise, but they have yet to deliver a system that is pure of injustice or negative unintended consequences themselves. Basic principles should apply - as my old man said - your right to swing your fist ends at my face.
The Westboro folks are the out of control kid down the street who takes misogynistic delight of harassing the dog tied to the tree in your neighbor's yard. One day, that rope is going to break. The dog will pay because the rest of us remained silent while the punk gets away with sociopathic behaviors. We wring our hands and rationalize, we just don't have the guts to deal with the heart of the issue - the punk. That's why we end up with a library of laws, cause we don't want to deal straight forward with the problem, so we continually paper it over and over and over.
If the Westboro folks were cognizant human beings they'd take this as a wake up call for when the next jury decides that the defendants will be 'not guilty' by reason of temporary mental derangement for their bodily harm.
#10
Why don't they go to San Francisco and the Castro district and do their protest? Why don't you see them waving signs during Gay Pride parades? Because they would not be tolerated - they would be pummelled. But for a soldier's funeral you have god fearing tolerant people who just shake their heads and roll their eyes. Good for you Mr. Snyder - whatever you get your deserve.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/01/2007 13:00 Comments ||
Top||
#11
Tsu either has not witnessed a phelps gathering or agrees with the tactics they use. This is not a walk down main street chanting slogans, fine expect a counterprotest like one would for any other controversial parade - this is in your face, aggrivated, and intentially trying to instigate violence and happens within the boundaries of private property; that is they don't stay on their side of the thin invisible line of rights - what say you about the rights of those attending who have to walk blocks to the funeral because the phelps people block off parking and egress the day before huh? What about their rights to assemble peacefully? What it is is a gauntlet of coreographed mayham complete with aggrevated and violent rhetoric flashing signs much worse than those reported in this case; that is stick figures bu!!F@c'n and crotch eating and such at events where children are going to museums or saying their last goodbyes to a loved and valued family member. Visual Assault and Public Indecency come to mind. Absolutely no comparison to little Johnny getting a bad grade so get your sh!t straight or STFU - I will take you to the well on this. I have chili to eat so tsu, wash off.
#14
Tsunami, it sounds like your position is that people at a funeral have no right to be left alone. Good thing you weren't on the jury. But then, you would have been one of those jury candidates that the plaintiff's lawyer would have excused.
Now consider that if one of the bereaved at that funeral had beaten the crap out of Phelps he might have a hard time getting the DA to prosecute the bereaved. And if the DA did prosecute he might have a hard time finding a jury that would convict.
Yeah, you have a right to free speech but if you have a habit of provoking people at funerals you might end up getting stomped. In that respect you could say the jury did Phelps a favor because sooner or later that is exactly what would have happened if he hadn't been stopped in a more peaceful and civilized manner.
And besides all that, how you compare the funeral of a young man who died serving his country to a school kid getting a D in math? That is a bad analogy.
Takes a deep breath after exercising all that restraint and goes back to work...
#15
Why don't they go to San Francisco and the Castro district and do their protest? Why don't you see them waving signs during Gay Pride parades? Because they would not be tolerated - they would be pummelled. But for a soldier's funeral you have god fearing tolerant people who just shake their heads and roll their eyes.
JiB nails it. Phelps and clan are the absolute worst sort of cowards. They go after the absolute most vulnerable victims when they are literally defenseless. It's like someone who hates Islam beating up a five year-old Shiite kid instead of taking on the local imam.
If Phelps were intellectually honest and had a shred of moral integrity, he'd go to San Francisco on gay pride day and try his luck. You'd need tweezers and a powerful microscope to recover the remains.
Protesting amongst those who are automatically restrained out of decorum and respect for the deceased is like challenging a double amputee to a fist fight. It is the easy way out and demonstrates an obscene degree of moral predation.
As P2k succinctly noted, I as well can only hope that this decision represents a "softening up" of the legal context required for a jury to acquit anyone who even pretends to "lose it" and turns any of these religious bigotsnot Christians by any meansinto a stain on the sidewalk.
#18
The court found that this was an intentional tort, so the judgment debt is non-dischargeable in bankruptcy.
I went over to DU expecting to see a bunch of them crying about the "KKKrushing of dissent in BushCo AmeriKKKa," but I was pleasantly surprised to see even they are cheering.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/01/2007 15:58 Comments ||
Top||
#19
Thank you Mike for the link to dunderground, never would have gone myself-dcon room is to the right ;) The cynics over there are just clueless when they speak of it being a lawyer/fallen soldier case. A lurker here at most, I generally snipe snarks and only weigh in on things I know about.
I grew up with these jackasses. My grade school teachers (nearly 20 years ago) would tell us "there will be some people there yelling things. Our teachers would say, "Look at your classmate in front of you and walk straight into the building." When I was in school on campus is when I saw such signs (listed above) for grade schoolers going into an art exhibit and that is when I realized what was really going on. P2K is right when stating this could have been taken care of a long time ago (damn the faculty for allowing them on campus contrary to the rules for student protests). It is not just a 'right wing' deal. It is not cliche to say that every vehicle sporting GLAD stickers invariably had a 'Phuck Phred' bumper sticker. There is a cadre of people dedicated to stopping the westboro madness and here it is. Unfortunately it took the death of a brave lad to come to this decision but it appears someone finally hit the snake on the head with a throwing knife, hopefully it sticks. Zen is right that these are cowardly antagonists in the worst way. They must have a minimal amount of publicity and police protection or they do not show up, and they always target functions where attendees can not or would not respond. Their technique is malicious - touch one and they sue and you bet, they are right in your face and outside of the official protest lines. Oh, but don't go in their marked protest territory or else...
Corks and tabs will be popped across Kansas tonight. As a very blue friend of mine in east Kansas so eloquently phrased his response, "Hell yeah! I read about this in the paper. That bastard and his whole disgusting family and suck my balls. I'm all about free speech, but what they do and have been doing for all these years is so unbelievably horrible that they should have theirs revoked.
#21
Campus PD with a couple of local, blue barricades, their own taped off section. They had to, I would go 20-1 odds on a matchup favoring local GLAD at half strength to phelps' group :) Plus phelps' crew would have cameras to capture assaults by the counters. Now it must be known that many of the phelps group are lawyers and (rumored) to bankroll on assault lawsuits. I know they didn't make it to the KNG 731 departure - Patriot Guard did.
Checked WeaselZipper, perhaps an answer to Christiano-Fascist Awareness? Also a lesson about lawfare used to silence; be sued into silence...any other midwesterners cair to comment on that?
#22
The court found that this was an intentional tort, so the judgment debt is non-dischargeable in bankruptcy.
That's huge good news, Mike. As lawyers, the Phelps' have a very public revenue stream. It'll be rather difficult for them to conceal any earnings from the court. These rectal cavities have finally taken the hit they should of received right after their attempt to erect a monument conmemmorating the death of Matthew Shepherd and his "entry into hell".
Just as with any other cowardly act of theirs, they did not seek to place the monument at the roadside location of Shepherd's foul murder but, instead, sought to erect it in Matthew's home town of Casper. Their sole intent was inflicting the greatest possible grief and suffering upon Shepherd's family and friends. These scumbags have no limits to the calculated depths they will stoop to in order that they inflict maximum pain upon their victims. They make a barn cat toying with a mouse look positively humane.
#23
swksvolFF, I don't think I'm unusual, and I NEVER held Kansas or the Baptist Church responsible for this cancer. Healthy cells mutate and become malignant, what can you say? Proximity doesn't equal agreement.
Frank
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/01/2007 20:47 Comments ||
Top||
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
A Taliban leader vowed in a video posted on the Internet on Wednesday that the insurgents would expand their fighting to the north of Afghanistan during the country's hard winter.
The United Nations African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation for Darfur (UNAMID) on Wednesday began operations at its El Fasher Headquarters in what the senior UN official there called a milestone for the strife-torn Sudanese region.
Britain's Law Lords cut the scope of the government's contentious system of holding terrorist suspects under partial house arrest Wednesday, but stopped short of branding the practice unlawful. 
U.S. diplomats on Wednesday bitterly criticized plans to force them to go to Iraq, with one calling it a "potential death sentence" and another pleading for psychiatric treatment for those who return scarred.
About 250 people received notifications this week that they are in a pool who may be forced to go to Iraq to fill roughly 50 positions for which no qualified diplomats have volunteered to fill next summer. They could be sent to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone," which is 
Suicide bombers might attack JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a private TV channel reported Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afghan Niazi as saying on Wednesday.
Police said on Wednesday that Osama Bin Ladens Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban are likely linked to the suicide attack near President Pervez Musharrafs army office that killed seven people, AFP reported.
(AKI) - While Turkish forces continue to attack Kurdish positions in northern Iraq, separatists have revealed that eight Turkish soldiers captured by rebels over a week ago are in 'good health'. A source from the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the soldiers, seized in an ambush that left 12 Turkish soldiers dead, were all well. 
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused a top Iraqi Kurd leader of harbouring terrorists and said his cabinet would on Wednesday discuss economic sanctions against Iraqi Kurdistan.
