The American Conservative magazine has a cover illustration on Rudy Giuliani that depicts him in fascist pose and costume: black shirt, bandolier, jutting Mussolini jaw.
In the past, garb like that shown on the mayor would have made the hearts of the editors of the American Conservative go pit-a-pit. . . . And yet oddly enough, this time the fascist posture is not offered by the American Conservative as an endorsement. Instead, author Michael Desch - a professor at Texas A&M best known till now for his work publicizing and defending the "Israel lobby" writings of Profs. Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer, wants the world to know ... well, let's let the man speak for himself. (several block quotes later)
. . . Giuliani is "the clear favorite of the party's top Jewish activists."
The author also criticizes Guliani for favoring democracy in the Middle East.
Yes, well obviously we cannot have that.
Have we really reached the point where a magazine that masquerades under the label of "conservative" thinks that the very worst possible allegation to throw against a president is that he has advisers who admire Israel and support democracy, that he knows his own mind, and that he is ready to defend the country against his enemies? If this is the American Conservative's idea of criticism, God save the Republican party from ever deserving its praise.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/22/2007 08:31 ||
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#1
Funny that only this week I've seen pictures of both Ron Paul and Buchanon with White Supremecists. Seems the Conservative movement is gonna have to clean house adn get these bad apples as far away as possible.
#3
can't remember who, but someone said PB's '92 Campaign Speech "sounded better in the original German" - heh. He's a populist isolationist jerk that never got above a small core group of support, yet MSNBC and others continue to parade him as a Republican and Conservative representative figure. I'd hope he'd retire and STFU or die
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/22/2007 10:46 Comments ||
Top||
#4
OldSpook, I disagree. There is nothing crypto about Buchanan.
#6
Cool it worked! I can now post from my blackberry via a proxy at my house!
I'm sitting outside Nordstroms guarding the bags I have been portering, and the herd here is huge. All I want for Christmas now is to get out of this mall wihtout losing it.
Speaking of fascists, I saw a Ron Paul demonstration today in a nearby town. Looking at the signs they were carrying, it seems that Paul has picked up all the old Lyndon LaRouche supporters.
I wished I had a big Lincoln with blacked out windows and I was wearing a black suit and sunglasses with a big Nikon and huge lens ... so I could have stopped the car and taken some pictures of them and set some of the little paranoid scum into a tizzy.
GULAB Khan was cursing the rickshaw-wallas as he struggled to squeeze his cab through a chaotic traffic jam on Peshawar Citys main highway. Where have all the traffic police disappeared? he asked, wiping off a stream of sweat rolling down his forehead on a sunny December afternoon. I looked out of the window, pretending to find the traffic cops, though my attention was caught by a monstrous billboard of a candidate for a National Assembly seat from Peshawar, wondering whether this was not a violation of the Election Commissions code of conduct.
Cabbies are universally known to be great conversationalists, but Gul Mohammad, a diminutive man in his late 40s, with a salt and pepper beard, was more of a chatter-box. Sensing what I was looking at, he quickly changed the subject. Saheb, he went on: I think this time round the fight is going to be between the ANP and PPP.
And what about the MMA, I asked rather demurringly. Nobody is going to vote for them this time. They were no different, he continued. They have turned out to be a bigger disappointment than all their predecessors.
Who did you vote for in the last election? I asked. The MMA, he said as he finally got through the traffic jam. But not this time, he quickly added.
Then he started railing against an MMA minister from his home constituency, who literally had nothing to own, but had in no time built a mansion with tiled floors and had come to own big expensive cars.
It was different in 2002. The Americans had invaded Afghanistan to smoke out Al Qaeda. In Pakistan, the military regime had literally given a free hand to the pro-establishment religious conglomerate, the Afghan Defence Council, to rally the people in the hope of generating enough heat on the streets in order to get the best possible deal from the United States. And while the Musharraf government went the whole hog to denigrate all mainstream political parties as corrupt, hounded by the National Accountability Bureau, an environment was created wherein the conservative right was made to look like the only clean lot available on the political horizon.
That was not all. There was confusion among the political parties rank and file. The establishment hobnobbed with some of them and deliberately kept them guessing as to the end-game, while the Afghan Defence Council was rather unwittingly allowed to turn itself into an electoral alliance, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, say some political analysts. That was the time when mainstream political parties were put under media trial and subjected to harsh repression. The establishment caused a split in some of these parties, including the PML, the PPP and the ANP, and then the MMA was riding the wave of a so-called anti-American sentiments, agreed Afrasiab Khattak, a former chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and presently the ANPs president for the NWFP.
The results of the 2002 elections were shocking for many a political analyst and for the mainstream political parties that received a terrible drubbing at the hands of the six-party religious alliance. Put together, the religious parties had had a steady vote bank, hovering around the 20 per cent mark till 1997. However, it nearly doubled in 2002, when the alliance got 46.73 per cent votes in the NWFP.
The ANP and the PML (N) were the main losers in the 2002 electoral battle against the MMA. The PPPs vote bank, however, has been shrinking and eroding in the NWFP since 1988 largely due to the absence of a strong leadership, political observers said.
Surprisingly; and contrary to a widely-held perception, the MMAs phenomenal success at the hustings was not entirely attributable to anti-US feelings in the NWFP; it was a factor, but not the factor. There was a degree of disillusionment with mainstream political parties and while their supporters did not come out to vote, the Jamaat-i-Islamis well-organised network brought out their voters in droves to make the difference.
A survey carried out by the federal government soon after the 2002 elections backed up this assessment. The majority view was they had voted for the religious alliance because they thought it would do a better job in terms of governance, would be corruption-free and would follow merit.
That perception however, seemed to have changed in the 2005 Local Bodies elections when the ANP and, to an extent, even the PPP regained some of the territory they had lost to the MMA. Political observers believe that there has been an appreciable change in the political scenario in the NWFP since 2002.
For one, the MMA image has suffered tremendously, mainly due to the incumbency factor and poor governance. Many people blame the MMA governments complacent and softly-softly approach towards the creeping Talibanisation that led to the near-collapse of the law and order situation in parts of the province.
The holier-than-thou image of the ruling MMA clique in the NWFP has also suffered as tongues began to wag owing to a visible improvement in their lifestyle. But perhaps, more than anything, the JUI (F)s tacit support to Musharraf to get himself re-elected from the now-defunct assemblies proved to be proverbial last nail in their coffin. Whatever little credibility the MMA had, it was no more.
The ensuing wrangling between the JUI (F) and the Jamaat-i-Islami exposed them further. This split would prove to be the last nail in their coffin. They dont need any accusers. They themselves have become approvers against each other, Mr Khattak remarked.
Some JI leaders, who were advocating quitting the MMA, were initially apprehensive that the JUI (F), being in control of the mosques and the pulpit, would launch a vicious campaign against them. That fear apparently has given way to optimism among JI activists following widespread public perception of Maulana Fazlur Rehmans dwindling popularity.
Also, unlike 2002, the more liberal and secular political parties, e.g. the PPP and ANP, believe they have done their homework and are better organised to take on the religious right. Security and law and order issues, however, loom large with increase in the number of suicide bombings and threats by militant groups in the tribal areas to subvert the elections. This may have a sobering effect on voters turnout. The election campaign has so far been lacklustre.
And no one knows it better than the former interior minister, Aftab Sherpao, who survived a suicide attack in his home town, Charsadda, in April. This is a daily challenge. But then we have to reach out to the masses and our supporters and God willing we will be able to win more seats than in 2002, Mr Sherpao said.
But while many political observers feel the MMAs good days are over, some government officials warn that the JUI (F) is down but not out completely. The silent majority is still with us, said JUI (F) candidate for NA-1, Peshawar-I and its information secretary, Abdul Jalil Jan. The JI may have withdrawn its candidates but its workers would vote for us, he claimed
There is a good reason behind that assertion. But for the caretaker government, the JUI (F) hand-picked bureaucratic setup remains unchanged. In all likelihood the general election would throw up a coalition government. But there is one point on which most political pundits agree: It wouldnt be the MMAs government.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/22/2007 00:00 ||
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The conflict in Iraq forms only part of a larger al-Qaeda plan. Before 2001, al-Qaeda devised a new strategy to fight the crusaders and Zionists what they call the far enemy. To achieve victory over the enemy, al-Qaeda deemed it necessary to engage the enemy on many fronts in the region away from its bases. 9/11 was the spark that would bring U.S. forces to al-Qaedas battlefield. According to jihadi forums, al-Qaedas global confrontation strategy comprises seven phases:
- The Awakening (2000-2003): This phase ended with the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The Salafi ideologues believe that the Islamic Umma (nation) has been dormant in the 19th and 20th centuries because all the strategies implemented by the Muslims for resurrection have failed. Therefore, al-Qaeda planned to strike a blow to the enemy to induce an uncalculated reaction. 9/11 was the bait that provoked the crusaders and lured them to attack the Muslim nation. - Eye Opening (2003-2006): By occupying Baghdad in April 2003, the Muslim nation awoke to the bitter realities of occupation. Al-Qaedas objective in this phase was to keep the U.S. forces engaged in a fight against al-Qaeda until 2006. Regardless of the results, the ability to maintain constant clashes with the enemy was considered a victory in itself. - Resurrection (2007-2010): In this phase, al-Qaeda will be capable of mobilizing jihadis productively, exploiting unrest in different hot areas to keep the U.S. forces occupied in a war of attrition that will weaken its resolve and pave the way to directly attack Jews in Palestine and elsewhere. - Recuperate and Attain Power (2010-2013): This phase will concentrate on overthrowing the infidel Muslim regimes by direct confrontation. The United States will be exhausted and unable to support all the infidel regimes in the region, hence, al-Qaeda will become more powerful and eligible to replace these regimes. - Declaration of an Islamic state (2013-2016): At this point, the Western grip on the region will loosen, paving the way for the establishment of an Islamic state that will regain control of the Muslim nation, rebuild it and utilize the nations wealth in creating an international deterrent to foreign intervention as well as expediting the demise of corrupt and tyrant regimes. - Massive Confrontation: 2016 will witness the onset of an all-out war between the forces of good and evil with, of course, final victory for the Islamic state. - Achieving Multiple Victories: Any victory achieved by al-Qaeda opens the door for more recruits to work with al-Qaeda in many different domains. Those who cannot join directly will establish their own centers based on similar radical Islamist theory and ideology. Al-Qaeda believes there is a direct proportion between multiple victories and repelling U.S. and Jewish aggressions [1].
Jihadis typically corroborate this scenario by citing verses from the Quran for every phase of the plan and believe that God will facilitate the victory of the Muslim nation.
#1
I'm not sure the resurrection phase is working out according to plan. The nutbars like to follow the strong horse and right now that doesn't appear to be Al Queda. I suspect/hope a tipping point is reached and they are branded as troublemakers who brought hell to the Islamic world with their hubris.
#2
Maybe this is true, maybe not. It could be a deception. Did they get this from a "reliable source" or means that would indicate its credibility, like pickpocketing it from UBL?
Why would maintaining the fight until 2006 assure them "victory" regardless of the outcome? What would this "victory" be?
This whole thing seems like way too short a time table for the way these folks usually think it seems to me.
Clever boys. Who needs the capability to project force when you can bait the bad guys into engaging you on your own home turf? W was right, the attack on the WTC was a declaration of war - of sorts.
It looks like AQ is planning on taking over entire countries and using those national-scale resources to continue their war. Resources like South Africa's weapons-grade uranium, etc.
They are talking about "Western grip", which suggest to me that they are assuming Europe will fold and the US will be too far away and politically unmotivated. Perhaps by a defeat in Iraq. Making W's approach right again. And something that his successor will have to follow. If his successor doesn't follow, they will have a difficult time arguing their case in front of the American people.
#4
Al-Qaeda ut Jihad was NEVER anything but a polarization movement, aimed at gaining converts for confrontation and war against both Western and Eastern Civilizations.
Are Islamofascists stronger now than on September 10, 2001? Even with al Qaeda setbacks in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, polarization has never been sharper; secularization is dead in the entire Muslim world. In the eighties, wives of Egyptian Cabinet Ministers wouldn't be caught dead in Islamic garb; now they are never seen without covering.
Elector democracy in islamania is only a smokescreen for Islamofascism. Our leaders are going to have to stop applying the "freedom" concept to every country whose leaders are elected. We didn't respect freedom of conscience for Nazis. It is infantile to respect same for people of color, whose leaders have conned western academics into believing that we worship the same god.
Al Qaeda is winning; the discerned plan is being fulfilled.
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.
GULAB Khan was cursing the rickshaw-wallas as he struggled to squeeze his cab through a chaotic traffic jam on Peshawar Citys main highway. Where have all the traffic police disappeared? he asked, wiping off a stream of sweat rolling down his forehead on a sunny December afternoon. I looked out of the window, pretending to find the traffic cops, though my attention was caught by a monstrous billboard of a candidate for a National Assembly seat from Peshawar, wondering whether this was not a violation of the Election Commissions code of conduct.
The holier-than-thou image of the ruling MMA clique in the NWFP has also suffered as tongues began to wag owing to a visible improvement in their lifestyle. But perhaps, more than anything, the JUI (F)s tacit support to Musharraf to get himself re-elected from the now-defunct assemblies proved to be proverbial last nail in their coffin. Whatever little credibility the MMA had, it was no more.
The conflict in Iraq forms only part of a larger al-Qaeda plan. Before 2001, al-Qaeda devised a new strategy to fight the crusaders and Zionists what they call the far enemy. To achieve victory over the enemy, al-Qaeda deemed it necessary to engage the enemy on many fronts in the region away from its bases. 9/11 was the spark that would bring U.S. forces to al-Qaedas battlefield. According to jihadi forums, al-Qaedas global confrontation strategy comprises seven phases:
