[DAWN] The denouement is unknown. Some hope that Khan and Qadri will tire and go home eventually. Surely, even the mightiest cannot indefinitely sustain the unsustainable.
Except that doesn't factor in the nothing-to-lose part: Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight... and Tahirul Qadri
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] THESE are not the times for politics -- this has been the PPP slogan of late. The refrain takes on an entirely new meaning now that the vow to not do politics is accompanied by the PPP co-chairman's presence among people affected by the floods. The pledge for political restraint was not entirely unwarranted. The political situation in the wake of Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree... 's war on the system demanded sobriety. The question asked, however, was whether the PPP was going too far with its support for the prime minister -- to a point where it posed a danger to itself. The PPP leadership was staying away from the ground, especially in Punjab, which was bad politics. With Bilawal Baby Bhutto Zardari ...Pak dynastic politician, son of Benazir Bhutto and grandon of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. As far as is known, Bilawal has no particular talents other than being pretty and being able to memorize political slogans, but he had the good luck to be born into the right family and he hasn't been assassinated yet... venturing into the flood-hit areas of Punjab together with his visits to parts of Sindh, it is an attempt at better politics. The PPP politicians in Punjab have been long waiting for their leader to show up. The party is faced with a serious revival challenge in the province and its support has fallen drastically. It has in recent times been accused of failing to make even a basic effort at exploring any space emerging out of the tussle between the PTI and PML-N. So eerie has been the PPP's dormancy that some well-known party names in Punjab have been asked when they planned to switch to other available choices. Those among them who want to be with the PPP in its tough hour in the province would be happy that Mr Bhutto Zardari has at last found the lost map to their neighbourhood. All they can hope now is that the tour by their leader of Chiniot, Lahore and Multan is followed by more such visits and a sustained campaign aimed at kind of a reinvention of the PPP. For now it is only a ripple, not a splash
Mr Bhutto Zardari's presence in Punjab is essential to any renewal plan the party must follow, but his challenge in Sindh, where his party is in power, is of a different nature. He must reorganise and sympathise and show solidarity in Punjab; in Sindh he must do all these things and then must provide governance as well. He has to find ways to project himself as an heir who cannot just stir emotions but who can also improvise and use the system to deliver efficiently. The rule has not changed: His delivery in Sindh will help his drive in Punjab.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2014 00:00 ||
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[Ynet] One can understand journalists who work in Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,'s service when they are coerced to do so; it's a little difficult to understand the repeated mistakes of 'rights groups' who operate free of coercion.
How many Paleostinian were killed in Operation Protective Edge? The Paleostinians say more than 2,000. And how many of them were civilians? During the course of the war, various organizations tried to create the impression that some 70 percent of the fatalities were civilians. This is the figure that appeared, for example, in a letter from human rights ...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... groups to Israel's attorney general.
Similar claims involving inflated numbers of civilian deaths appeared in the wake of Operation Cast Lead too -- before Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hamad came along and clarified that 700 of the 1,200-1,300 fatalities were Hamas personnel.
And then this week, it was none other than Paleostinian Authority President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial... himself, as reported by Paleostinian Media Watch, who stated that 861 of the fatalities in Protective Edge were Fatah members, while just 50 were from Hamas. The squabble itself between Fatah and Hamas over who the fatalities belong to is of minor significance; the total number, of more than 900, carries much more weight.
It took a long while for the truth to come to light after Cast Lead. It was quicker this time. The conclusion is the same: Relying on sources that are dependent on Hamas is tantamount to propaganda and lies in the service of the organization. Time and again, the Israel Defense Forces publishes far more credible figures. One can understand journalists who work in the service of Hamas when they are coerced to do so; it's a little difficult to understand the repeated mistakes of "rights groups" who operate free of coercion.
#1
The numbers are cooked for propaganda purposes as they were when we were fighting in Iraq. That said, the problems are similar to those in the U.S.; border problems, illegal immigrants, crime, security and costs.
[Iran Press TV] Press TV has conducted an interview with Stew Webb, a columnist from Veterans Today, from Kansas City, to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Could you shed some light on this high-level meeting of the UN Security Council on how they're going to combat the problem of Death Eaters in ISIS Takfiri
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
They need to sign this guy up to write for the Onion...
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
09/21/2014 0:29 Comments ||
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#2
There's a battle going on inside the US government right now of good versus this evil.
Should read "inside and outside".... but he nearly has it right.
#4
More of "It's Bush's and the evil Darth Vader Cheney's fault. And the Jews too." Must be for Iranian consumption. Few believe such nonsense here--maybe the Occupy Wallstreeters, and some in Colorado who are taking full advantage of the legalized pot.
#8
FYi: Sierra Vista is home to Ft. Huachuca which in turn is home to U.S. Army Intelligence Center. Much earlier it was the home base for the famous "Buffalo Soldiers". As the crow flies it lies close to the Mexican border - however nearest Port of Entry is either Douglas Az./Agua Prieta, Sonora to the east or Nogales, Az/Nogales, Sonora to the west. Both are about a ninety minute ride from the fort. BTW: Nogales means Walnuts in English, while Agua Prieta means dirty/dark water.
#10
and close to Tombstone and Kartchner Caverns. I liked Sierra Vista when I visited #1 son at Ft Huachuca
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/21/2014 14:55 Comments ||
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#11
I'm a bit skeptical about parts of this--but not that there couldn't be an ISIS group based in Arizona. The border is porous and Obummer has invited everyone via his EO to just come on in. It would be easy.
Not at all. Either he is a wannabe fascist or a pampered fool.
Those are not mutually exclusive choices, particularly these days...
People seem to have a harder time building friendships across class lines. As society becomes more unequal and segmented, invitations come to people on the basis of their job status. Middle-aged people have particular problems nurturing friendships and building new ones. They are so busy with work and kids that friendship gets squeezed out.
So, in the fantasy world in which I have $500 million, I'd try to set up places that would cultivate friendships.
We already have that, it's called "Disneyworld". It even makes money which is more than your fantasy world would do...
I know a lot of people who have been involved in fellowship programs. They made friends that ended up utterly transforming their lives. I'd try to take those sorts of networking programs and make them less career oriented and more profound. Well, David, you can try your local sports bar on a Monday night...
I simply must introduce him to my friends among the lay Dominican monks. Fellowship, utterly transformed, retreats, across class lines... of course, one must profess to be a practicing Catholic, and the ones I know are all ferociously intelligent, but surely our Mr. Brooks could fake all that for long enough.
Not a chance, the Dominicans would see through him in seconds...
To do that, you have to get people out of their normal hunting grounds where their guard is up. You also probably want to give them challenging activities to do together. Nothing inspires friendship like selflessness and cooperation in moments of difficulty. You also want to give them moments when they can share confidences, about big ideas and small worries. Translation: Places complete with steroid thugs with search wands
So I envision a string of adult camps or retreat centers (my oldest friendships were formed at summer camp, so I think in those terms).
(Darling, you were twelve. Things are different when one is twelve. Also, all the kids you knew had parents who could afford the expense of summer camp, which means the other kids may have been from far away, but they were in the same demographic as your family.)
Groups of 20 or 30 would be brought together from all social and demographic groups, and secluded for two weeks. And you can use trucks, paint 'em black and call them something sinister: I know: Black Marias!
What happens to the job and the kids while one is enjoying all that "me time"? There's a reason your Pops kept working while you were at the summer camp of your chilhood.
Job? What job? In this fantasy world Pops is unemployed, on the dole, and waiting for ObamaCare to take care of his broken heart...
They'd prepare and clean up all their meals together, and eating the meals would go on for a while. In the morning, they would read about and discuss big topics. Translation: yet another "common sense" discussion, which mysteriously winds up a leftist lecture.
Pining after the bull sessions of his callow college years and the summer camp of his boyhood? The poor man must be having a dreadful time in the adult world despite his apparent success.
The 'read and discuss big topics' sounds like an self-criticism session at a corrective labor camp, where the biggest mistake you could possibly make as a kulak is to open your mouth...
In the afternoons, they'd play sports, take hikes and build something complicated together.
Like mining coal or felling trees in the Kolyma...
At night, there'd be a bar and music.
Tell you what, Mr. Brooks: you recreate one of those resorts in the Adirondacks that were so popular with Jewish families from New York City from the Thirties to the Sixties, and see if you can make a going business of it. Surely Mr. Soros and the Ford Foundation would be happy to contribute to your little exercise in guided development for the masses. And if they sponsored a children's camp next door, all worries about the kiddies would be put to rest. Whether the jobs would still be there after a two week sabbatical is a question for another day.
#1
In the afternoons, they'd play sports, take hikes and build something complicated together.
Set up a security perimeter. Enforce noise and light discipline. Clean weapons, cross-level ammo, redistribute food, care for the wounded, children, and elderly. Continue to move away from population centers and low lying areas.
#2
Whoa whoa whoa is Brooks suggesting non like mined people gather together? But how will the IRS and Big GIVERnment be able to know who the bad guys are? Let me guess the two like mined people who will pay for the forced friendship building: taxpayer via big GIVERnment and the Hoi Poloi.
I will agree on one point. The wealthy upper class cronies and the lower class living off the GIVERnment do have a vested interested to get to know each other.
#4
from the same tool that thinks good leadership comes from sharply creased pants
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/21/2014 8:50 Comments ||
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#5
You want to mingle? Cut all the power lines into your major urban areas, blow the Interstate and rail bridges leading into the same areas (see - Katrina). In a couple of days, you'll have a lot of mingling.
#9
Every Wednesday night at our church we sponsor a 'free' dinner to any and all. The rich and poor, homed and homeless, rub elbows and break bread together. David should join a church. In fact, the Hoi Polloi in Washington should all join a church.
Posted by: Total War ||
09/21/2014 11:50 Comments ||
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#11
Rather ironic, considering that most of Mr. Brooks' denizens at the NYT had an active role in demolishing society (then assisting in replacing those demolished social mores with laws - but I digress.) The same NYTers, by the way, who now either live in gated communities outside NYC, or in condos with doormen and security systems.
#12
You also probably want to give them challenging activities to do together...You also want to give them moments when they can share confidences, about big ideas and small worries.
#13
Angie, the only people Brooks sees at work are exactly like him. They're all out of the office by the time the cleaning crew is allowed in.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/21/2014 19:03 Comments ||
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#14
If the NYT's editorial staff, including Brooks, hadn't made a decades-long career out of calling for dictatorship in the US, it would be particularly revealing that their token "conservative" is calling for government regulation of our social lives.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/21/2014 19:35 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Transporting the participants to the camps in railroad freight cars would help bring people together, too! We could call them re-education camps because everyone would learn so much fun, new stuff. I hear the self-criticism sessions will be killer.
Paging Naftali Frenkel. Mr Frenkel please pick up the white courtesy phone.
#16
Hello, Muddah! Hello, Fadduh!
Here I am at Camp Nirvana.
Posted by: Anice Nim ||
09/21/2014 21:29 Comments ||
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#17
Perhaps I am misinformed, it was my impression that the Jewish famlies from NYC vacationed in the Catskills and the Christian families from NYC in the Adirondacks. Well, decades ago, anyhow.
#18
He'd hobnob, if he had his druthers,
With rednecks and wetbacks and... others.
Upon his recovery,
He'd share his discovery,
"Oh mumsy, all men are Brooks' brothers!"
#19
I worry lest Brooks' concentration
On camps doesn't spur conversation:
"Though it's clear you're sincere,
Still I fear we have here
A failure of communication!"
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.
[DAWN] THESE are not the times for politics -- this has been the PPP slogan of late. The refrain takes on an entirely new meaning now that the vow to not do politics is accompanied by the PPP co-chairman's presence among people affected by the floods. The pledge for political restraint was not entirely unwarranted. The political situation in the wake of 
[Iran Press TV] Press TV has conducted an interview with 
