Swazilandâs absolute monarch has singled out women wearing trousers as the cause of the worldâs ills in a state radio sermon that also condemns human rights as an "abomination before God".
"The Bible says curse be unto a woman who wears pants, and those who wear their husbandâs clothes. That is why the world is in such a state today," King Mswati said.The Times of Swaziland reports the monarch, who reigns supreme in the landlocked country of 1 million where opposition parties are banned, went on to criticise the human rights movement. "What rights? God created people, and He gave them their roles in society," the King said. "You cannot change what God has created. This is an abomination before God."
Women on the streets of capital Mbabane are not impressed. "The king says I am the cause of the worldâs problems because of my outfit," said Thobâsile Dlamini. "Never mind terrorism, government corruption, poverty and disease, itâs me and my pants. I reject that."
King Mswati is Africaâs last absolute monarch. He is currently married to nine wives, with a wedding pending for wife number 10, and has chosen an additional fiancee after reviewing videos of topless maidens performing a traditional Reed Dance ceremony.
Israeli forces, uncovering a tunnel used by Palestinian militants for a deadly attack on the Gaza Strip boundary, razed at least 120 Palestinian-owned shops nearby, witnesses say. They said two army bulldozers backed by four tanks ploughed through a cluster of buildings leading up to Erez, a heavily fortified Israeli industrial zone on the Gaza-Israel boundary, after giving shopowners a summary notice to evacuate. An Israeli army spokesman said the stores had concealed a 60 metre (180 foot) tunnel discovered under Erez, which employs some 3,000 Gaza workers.
On Thursday, two gunmen from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group inside Palestinian President Yasser Arafatâs Fatah faction, sneaked into Erez and killed a soldier before being shot dead by security personnel. A Brigades statement said the two militants had accessed the site via the tunnel. Word of Fridayâs demolitions quickly spread through the impoverished Gaza Strip, which has been hard hit by Israeli crackdowns. Dozens of Palestinian youths threw stones at the Israeli forces, and troops fired in the air to disperse them, witnesses said. One boy was wounded by Israeli fire, medics said. "This was all I had with which to support my family. What shall I do now?" a Palestinian shopkeeper said, surveying the ruin. There was no immediate assessment of the full cost of the damages. no comment from me tonight on this, just sadness at the cycle of violence
#1
the cycle of violence??? Thanks for the moral equivalence RKB. Israel is actively processing the removal of all settlements and Israelis in Gaza. What arethe Paleos doing? Actively arming and killing Jooooos whenever and wherever possible. They're lucky I'm not Israeli PM.
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 20:36 Comments ||
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#2
Where's those crazy American girls when you need them? Oh, yeah. Dead.
#3
St. Pancake achieved martyrdom, others thought about it, decided that she was a dumb martyr, realized that it was a dead end, and in the end, gave the ole D-9 the respect it deserved.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/27/2004 21:15 Comments ||
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#4
"This was all I had with which to support my family. What shall I do now?"
I think Thaksin has a point.
Thailandâs Prime Minister, a key American ally in the war on terror, blasted the United States yesterday as a âuseless friendâ after a State Department report criticised his governmentâs human rights record. âI am very upset and annoyed by the report,â said Mr Thaksin Shinawatra, when asked by reporters for his response to the US departmentâs annual report on the state of human rights. Released on Thursday, the report noted that Thailandâs record had âworsenedâ last year, with regard to extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. It cited the killing of drug suspects during confrontations with police after the Prime Minister declared a war on narcotics.
Mr Thaksin yesterday criticised the departmentâs research methods and said that he was personally hurt by what the US had done. âWhat kind of friends are they? They are friends who damage the reputation of their friends every year. What would they do if Thailand issued the same report annually? These kind of friends are useless friends,â he said.
The Thai government yesterday summoned US Ambassador Darryl Johnson to the Foreign Ministry to receive a formal protest note. Thailand said Washington should avoid future mistakes or risk harming bilateral ties. It also insisted that the US correct what it said were inaccuracies in the report, including the number of extrajudicial killings. The State Departmentâs findings cited news reports that more than 2,000 alleged drug suspects had been killed between February and April last year. âThe government failed to investigate and prosecute vigorously those who committed such abuses, contributing to a climate of impunity,â it added. Mr Thaksin said it was inappropriate to base the findings simply on local media reports. âMany of the killings were the work of big drug bosses who feared they could be implicated after their men were arrested.â According to Thai government statistics, of 1,383 narcotics-related deaths during that period, only 42 people were shot by the police, mostly in self-defence.
Thailand has steadily strengthened its ties with Washington since the Sept 11 terror attacks, ties that were further bolstered last year after it sent troops to war-torn Iraq. In December, US President George W. Bush designated Thailand a major US non-Nato ally. Thailand does have a major drug problem and the criminality that goes along with it. Iâve looked into this and while doubtless there were extra-judical killings, reports of thousands killed by the police are an invention of the media.
#2
My first impression is that this is our good old renegade State Dept doing a little foreign policy adjustment.
And, regardless of whether the report itself wasn't cooked a bit, the very public release of it is undermining and destructive. These guys caught Hambali. They were productive.
Asia. Face. Thais. Land of Smiles. No Public Criticism. Ever. Both ways.
Anyone who's been there for more than a 72-hour drunk knows. State asshats, if they wanted to torpedo Thai help in WoT and give Dubya a black eye, would do something like this and then play innocent and do the wink, wink, nudge, nudge routine with each other.
I'm sure there will more to follow and we'll see where this originated. Somebody needs lead shoes and a swimming trip.
#3
This is typical State Department Dog S--t. They need a short leash with a choke collar. They can do more unfixable damage in one statement than anyone. Here is the index for the 2003 Dept. of State Human Rights reports. And here is the report for Thailand.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/27/2004 21:24 Comments ||
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#4
I looked at the linked report. What's wrong with it? It looks reasonable and well-informed to me.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 23:51 Comments ||
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Afghan leader Karzai said on 26 February that people "would be surprised" if he disclosed the number of approaches his government receives from former members of the Taliban "on a daily basis," "The New York Times," reported on 27 February. "All those Taliban who are not involved with Al-Qaeda or terrorism, or who have not committed terrorism in Afghanistan or elsewhere in the world, are free to return to their country and live a normal life," Karzai added.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 7:03:13 PM ||
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#1
Tell them to stay out there. Should be getting pretty hot, pretty soon.
Byron York writing on NRO. EFL:
Why does Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.) talk incessantly about Vietnam?
Obviously, it has given him a great political advantage in past campaigns and he hopes it will do the same in his race for the White House. But there might be another reason. Perhaps more than any other presidential candidate in recent memory, Kerry seems to be living in another time, playing a movie of Vietnam over and over in his mind. In fact, he is often playing an actual movie of Vietnam over and over on his television. Consider this scene from a remarkable profile of Kerry published in the Boston Globe in October 1996, when Kerry was in a tough reelection battle: Kerry told reporter Charles Sennott the oft-repeated story of the February 1969 firefight in which Kerry attacked the Viet Cong who ambushed his Swift boat. Kerry won the Silver Star, as well as a Purple Heart, for his efforts. But the story wasnât just the firefight itself. It was also Kerryâs reaction to it. The future senator was so "focused on his future ambitions," Sennott reported, that not long after the fight, he bought a Super-8 movie camera, returned to the scene, and reenacted the skirmish on film. Tell me again how he had no political ambitions back in the day?
During their interview, Kerry played the tape for Sennott.
"Iâll show you where they shot from. See? Thatâs the hole covered up with reeds," Kerry said as he ran the tape in slow motion. Kerry told Sennott that his decision to reenact the fight on film was no big deal â "just something I did, no great meaning to it." But itâs clear that the old movie is a huge deal. "Through hours of watching the films in the den of his newly renovated Beacon Hill mansion, it becomes apparent that these are memories and footage he returns to often," Sennott wrote. Almost obsessive.
"Kerry jumps repeatedly from the couch to adjust the Sony large screen TV in his home entertainment center, making sure the picture is clear, the color correct. He fast forwards, rewinds and freeze frames the footage. His running commentary â vivid, sometimes touching, sometimes self-serving â never misses a beat." Ok, very obsessive.
In John Kerryâs home-entertainment center, itâs always 1969. Heâd like everyone to forget what he was doing beginning in 1970. Unfortunately for him, weâve got video of those years as well.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 3:16:39 PM ||
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#1
The original groundhog man!
Posted by: john ||
02/27/2004 16:03 Comments ||
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#2
Reminds me of the atypical middle aged man who keeps recounting to his buddies how he 'caught the winning pass in the big game back in high school'....
#4
Reminds me of the atypical middle aged man who keeps recounting to his buddies how he 'caught the winning pass in the big game back in high school'....
That would be Al Bundy. Thing is, Al Bundy is infinitely more interesting.
The Bush administration has launched an ambitious bid to promote democracy in the "greater Middle East" that will adapt a model used to press for freedoms in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Senior White House and State Department officials have begun talks with key European allies about a master plan to be put forward this summer at summits of the Group of Eight nations, NATO allies and the European Union, U.S. officials say. With international backing, the United States then hopes to win commitments of action from Middle Eastern and South Asian countries. you unilateral hegemonists, you! for shame!
"Itâs a sweeping change in the way we approach the Middle East," said a senior State Department official. "We hope to roll out some of the principles for reform in talks with the Europeans over the next few weeks, with specific ideas of how to support them."
Details are still being crafted. But the initiative, scheduled to be announced at the G-8 summit hosted by President Bush at Sea Island, Ga., in June, would call for Arab and South Asian governments to adopt major political reforms, be held accountable on human rights -- particularly womenâs empowerment -- and introduce economic reforms, U.S. and European officials said.
As incentives for the targeted countries to cooperate, Western nations would offer to expand political engagement, increase aid, facilitate membership in the World Trade Organization and foster security arrangements, possibly some equivalent of the Partnership for Peace with former Eastern Bloc countries.
Vice President Cheney first hinted at the initiative last month in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. "Our forward strategy for freedom commits us to support those who work and sacrifice for reform across the greater Middle East," he said. "We call upon our democratic friends and allies everywhere, and in Europe in particular, to join us in this effort."
The U.S. approach is loosely modeled on the 1975 Helsinki accords signed by 35 nations, including the United States, the Soviet Union and almost all European countries.
The pact was designed to recognize disputed post-World War II borders and establish a mechanism for settling other disagreements. But human rights and fundamental freedoms became key parts of the treaty, giving the West leverage to promote and protect dissident groups in the Soviet bloc and urge greater freedoms for its residents.
Many experts now regard Helsinki as one of the most influential international pacts signed after World War II, and conservatives say it sped the demise of Eastern Bloc communism.
"There is a belief that [Helsinki] contributed to bringing Europe together and played a significant role in tearing down the Soviet Union," a State Department official said. "In the same way, this idea would tear down the attractiveness of [Islamic] extremism."
Unlike Helsinki, however, the administrationâs "Greater Middle East Initiative" seeks to avoid creating committees and structures to strictly monitor progress and issue report cards, U.S. officials say. It also seeks to avoid appearing to dictate to the Islamic world.
"The idea is not to come out with proposals that say, âThis is how the West thinks you guys should live,â " a senior administration official said. "This canât be seen as telling these guys what to do. That wonât work. heâs right. weâve made our point in the form of 115,000 troops in Iraq It is instead about saying, âWe hear voices in the greater Middle East region who want democracy and reform, and here are the things we can do to support them.â "
At each of the three summits in June, the United States would like allies to agree on principles of political, economic and security change -- many outlined by the Arabs themselves in two U.N. Development Program reports no fair, taking us at our word!!!-- and ways to enact reforms. The G-8, NATO and U.S.-European Union would each focus on the issues most relevant to its goals. The review process would then be built into subsequent annual summits of the three alliances, U.S. officials say.
"The key to all of this is to get the [Muslim] countries in question to feel ownership in this process," a Danish diplomat said. The Danish and Canadian governments have done serious work on the issue and are coming up with their own draft proposals, U.S. and European officials say.
The administrationâs general goal is to put meat on the bones of Bushâs call for political change throughout the Islamic world, outlined in two speeches last fall at the National Endowment for Democracy and in London, U.S. officials say.
The administration had originally pledged that ousting Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and creating a Palestinian state would serve as catalysts for democracy. But now that the Arab-Israeli peace process is deadlocked and Iraqâs political transition is in trouble, the United States is effectively leapfrogging both to generate political change in the region, U.S. and European officials say.
The Greater Middle East Initiative "projects the administration as looking beyond immediate trouble spots to institutionalize a policy of change for the region," said Shibley Telhami, a Brookings Institution fellow who consulted with the administration on the proposal.
European governments generally support the idea, but they have varying degrees of skepticism about whether a Helsinki-like approach will work in the Middle East, U.S. and European officials say. Key allies are concerned that any initiative will be vulnerable because of sharp differences between the Middle East and the former East Bloc. Moreover, Arab countries may find political change difficult, and are more likely to be susceptible to Islamic movements, as long as the Arab-Israeli conflict goes unresolved.
U.S. officials counter that the initiative is not a substitute. "We think progress on it will help the peace process, although some of the Europeans are not convinced," said the senior State Department official.
"We also expect to hear warnings of Islam emerging stronger in the region if countries democratize," he added. "But we recognize the danger of too rapid democratization. We want to see steady progress over a period of time -- and we want to build in checks in the system."
The European Union is also cautious because of its long-standing dialogue with Arab nations on the Mediterranean, which has had some success in reforming education and health systems but marginal impact on politics. more to the point, theyâre afraid the US will have influence and theyâll lose their chance to dominate economic ties with the region
"We welcome the goal, but we want to see how the Americans plan to get there," a European envoy said. "Weâve been trying for a while, and efforts at modernization donât easily seep through to politics."
A well-placed U.S. official said European allies are concerned about "being tarred with the U.S. brush if they cooperate" and fear the U.S. initiative would become a "black hole that would suck everything else into it." But he said the United States is trying to reassure them that "thereâs work enough for everyone."
Since late last year, the administration engaged in an increasing flurry of discussions with both European and Islamic governments. This month, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell discussed the initiative with the new NATO chief as well as the French and Turkish foreign ministers. Assistant Secretary of State Beth Jones held talks with European Union envoys in Dublin, where the U.S.-European Union summit will be held in June, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice has briefed other European officials, U.S. sources say.
The concept of promoting a "Middle East Helsinki" has long been discussed in U.S. and European think tanks, but the administrationâs idea has received a huge boost in recent weeks. Yesterday, Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, gave a speech in Munich calling on NATO to establish a partnership plan that would help Middle East militaries with tasks such as peacekeeping, counterterrorism, military reform and civilian control of the military.
Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), a Democratic presidential candidate, said last month that as president he would establish a Helsinki-type organization in the Middle East that would "assist with civil society and political party development, monitor elections and manage crises."
#1
When looking to boost an area in terms of its economy, export capitalism and western liberal (old connotation) ideals.
Should they one day become fierce competitors with us, we can always export current 'liberal' (new connotation; socialism) ideas to slow them back down.
Comparing Dubya's initiatives - the evolving Bush Doctrine - to the pathetic pittances put forward by others is very illuminating. He (obviously in conjunction with his team - led by chainney) keep impressing me with true boldness, honest innovation, and well-considered disregard for conventional wisdom - the sad case of blinded-by-fear leading blinded-by-past. He keeps making me proud to be an American, unburdened by the Eeewww historical rear-view mirror / cast in amber mentality. I guess he'll drag the Eeewww and the apologist kiss-ass liberal press, kicking and screaming into the future - whether they like it or not. Hegemony, indeed!
Yo, intellectual elitists, this is the sort of progress (remember what that is?) you should have been debating in public forums for the last 25-30 years - ready to move forward when each obstacle (i.e. communism) falls.
I "feel" your pain - all that light after living in near-total darkness - and I think I can hear it, too!
WASHINGTON -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and U.S. President George W. Bush say their differences over the war in Iraq are in the past. The fish started to smell badly, was better to bury it.
The two leaders sat side-by-side in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday, smiling and appearing relaxed as they took questions from reporters. You didnât expect they would be punching each other in public?
Bush proclaimed that "relations are good" between the two countries despite bitterness over Iraq. Whatâs "headache" in French again?
"We have differences -- in the past," Bush said. "But thereâs nothing wrong with friends having differences. Weâre both committed to putting the differences behind us and moving forward." Must have read my comment yesterday :-)
Schroeder, who was fiercely opposed to the war, declared his first White House visit in two years a success. That was easy because just being there must be a success.
"We talked not about the past," Schroeder said. "We both agreed that we have to talk about the present and the future now." A German politician replied to a pestering journalist: "Why should I care about the bullshit I said yesterday?"
Neither leader mentioned a brewing dispute over the U.S. dollarâs weakness against the euro. A bit of a red herring: Bury a problem by raising another that both can then be willing to solve... costs Bush nothing to say that he favors a strong dollar... in the end the markets decide.
In a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations in Chicago on Thursday, Schroeder warned that world trade could be harmed by further shifts in the exchange rate. He meant "German trade" of course.
"Major imbalances in the global economy and fluctuations in exchange rates give us cause for serious concerns," he said. I remember times when Germany survived a dollar that had plunged to DM 1,37 (⬠0,70). Today the dollar is at ⬠0,81... so chill.
[...]
Before leaving for Washington, Schroeder told CNN that tension between the two countries no longer existed. "There is nothing to patch up, because we have a good working atmosphere like people who know that they have to represent their countries and know there are sometimes different points of view, must have," Schroeder said. There is something to patch up, fences to mend and Schroeder to be confined to the dustbin of history. Work in progress.
Last year a bitter divide opened between the two nations, halting communication between Bush and Schroeder for months at a time. Not between the U.S. and Germany though, because not everyone was as stupid as Schroeder. Cooperation never really suffered at mid-level, and those people do the important work.
Then two months ago the thorny issue was raised of who would win lucrative primary contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq. Germany is not on that list because of its opposition to the war. Subject to change I guess.
Schroeder said he expects to discuss ways Germany can help in Iraq, but his refusal to send troops there still stands. Ok, I guess there are many ways to help, just start yet! (Some more free beer for troops for starters?
Analysts say the relationship between Germany and the United States is changing fundamentally. Jeffrey Gedmin, of the Aspen Institute, said: "With the end of the Cold War and September 11, both sides for different reasons and similar reasons have been renegotiating the relationship. "It is not all or nothing, itâs not âwe donât need you any more and you donât need us any more,â it is âwe need you sometimes in different ways for different things.â For many Germans who grew up after World War II, the United States was Germanyâs best friend. Now, because of the conflict in the Gulf, a psychological disengagement is seemingly taking place." The Aspen Institute is an organization I fully support.
CNNâs Stephanie Halasz said: "The U.S. perception of Germany appears to be improving, perhaps because the war is now over." A Gallup poll this month says only 26 percent of Americans view Germany unfavorably, down from 44 percent last year. Was that before or after some good bottles of Bavarian beer?
Posted by: True German Ally ||
02/27/2004 2:25:11 PM ||
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#1
Lol! Your in-line comments leave little remaining snarkiness! Since I don't drink, however, you guys (those who do appreciate the good stuff) can keep the beer!
This is a win-win for the US & Germany, regardless of the office-holders. As you pointed out, it was Shroeder (and I'd add Fisher, though you seem to like him, sorry!) who manipulated the issues for political gain - I would guess that there are few difference between the avg German and the avg American. As was pointed out by Greenspan yesterday, with no political downside I must add, Social Security will bite the US due to the Baby Boomer Bubble... so we both have entitlement issues. That said, I wouldn't trade places with Germany, though! The days and years ahead will make the differences there far more stark - and it will be much harder to solve Germany's. Good luck with that one!
#2
I don't "like" Fischer but he's done a better job than Schroeder. He does believe in good transatlantic relations. He wasn't happy about Schroeder's radical stance in the Iraq issue (Fischer would never have opposed the war openly, he would have found a way not to obstruct it and send a few doctors and ambulances instead of troops). It was Schroeder's ignorance in foreign policy issues that could be exploited by the French (Mitterand or Chirac could never have pulled this off with Kohl) and because Schroeder gave Fischer no diplomatic wiggle space this led to the fall out.
Fischer was one of the staunchest defenders of the U.S. decision to go into Afghanistan (wasn't easy to convince his Green party then). And if you listen to what Fischer said at the Munich Security Conference of 2004, it will remind you very much of that "Greater Plan for the Middle East" that the U.S. is proposing.
Yes I think Americans and Germans share way to much common ground to be divided by stupid politicians.
Anyway, that visit benefitted both: Bush can show that he didn't alienate one of America's most important allies (and the 3rd biggest economic power in the world), and Schroeder will return and tell his party: See, I didn't give away my principles.
Bottom line: The French want to be rivals of the U.S. (and drag the EU into it), the Germans will prefer to be partners. In the end, German realism will carry the day. And lets face it, the French know this. That explains the gloomyness in Paris.
#3
Hmmm... Interesting info on Fisher. I'm very slow to accept him, primarily due to his past, but also his Green Party politics - to me they're loonies of the same, if not even more virulent, ilk as in the US.
I'll google for Fischer's comments and see if I can find an English translation. Thx!
I completely agree with your observations regards the future relationship between Germany and the US - and Phrawnce's situation. I hope you guys drop Shroeder in the next round! We have a great future together, IMHO. And if Prez Putty will stop pandering to his own ego, who knows what the US & Germany could accomplish with the Russians and their Siberian resources? I keep waiting for this obviously advantageous marriage of interests and assets to occur...
Re: Phrawnce - That last round of staged anti-US rhetoric, thinly and disingenuously disguised as outrage over US anti-Phrench rhetoric, cemented their position in the cellar of US interests for years to come. The Phrench public had better get a grip on reality soon - before they have a complete meltdown - economically, socially, politically -- sheesh! What's NOT at risk in their current self-administered coup de grace?
The Greens have come along way in 20 years. Ok the leftist faction still exists but hell... even the CDU has made first moves on them.
Fischer has always been the staunchest "realo" of the Greens. In foreign policy they (sometimes) have views far more acceptable than those of the SPD (ok, not the lefties of course).
#5
Hmmm. There is much here to consider - it'll take time to absorb and understand precisely where he falls in the continuum of responding to the threat of the jihadis. I already see more caution than I can accept. Perhaps if he'd spent a year or two on the ground in Saudi...
Heh, this will be good. I'll shoe-horn some comments about it to you in a future post - staying on-topic in RB rates as suspicious behavior, anyway! Thanks!
#7
Poloticians - gotta love and hate em!!!
IMHO afterliving 7 years in Germany- Most Germans
are closer to American reaction to the Politicos than the news portrays. Germans as a whole know that Saddamneeded to go - just that their wimp Schroeder doesn't have the balls for it. The phrench can just piss off- let Fisher make some decisions and get Germany doing as the German public decides, notthe politico whipping dogs.
German public knows what needsto be done, just need to correctthe wrong choice in a Schroeder
election and replace him with someone with a backbone - kind of like the refreshing replacement ofClinton with Bush!
#2
Just one hubcap? Where did they put the other three?
"But Pierre, I said kneecap, not hubcap!"
Posted by: john ||
02/27/2004 16:07 Comments ||
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doesn't anyone else remember the old "moon" hubcaps? I bet it was one of those.....
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 19:47 Comments ||
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#4
I had "baby moons" on a '51 Ford sedan - 239 flathead - then we cut it down in auto shop into a rail dune buggy. 'Twas awesome! Uh, does that count? ;-)
Itâs time for an update on the British art world, which, as far as I can tell, exists mainly to provide me with material. As regular readers of this column are aware, British art institutions have taken to paying large sums of money for works of art that can only be described as extremely innovative (I am using ââinnovativeââ in the sense of ââstupidââ). Here are two examples that Iâve written about:
⢠An artist named Martin Creed won the prestigious Turner Prize, plus 20,000 pounds (about $30,000), for a work called The Lights Going On and Off, which consisted of a vacant room in which the lights went on and off.
⢠The prestigious Tate Gallery paid 22,300 pounds (about $35,000) of British taxpayersâ money for a sealed can containing the excrement of a deceased artist.
Itâs hard to imagine art getting any more innovative, but I am pleased to report that the British art community is doing its darnedest. According to a London Times story sent in by alert reader Ronald Thurston, the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation has awarded one of the biggest art prizes in Britain -- 30,000 pounds (about $47,000) -- to an artist named Ceal Floyer, for a work of art consisting of: a garbage bag.
Really. The work is titled Rubbish Bag, and to judge from the photograph in the Times, it is a standard black plastic garbage bag, just like the ones you put your garbage in, except of course that you have to pay people to haul your garbage bags away, whereas Ms. Floyer got $47,000 for hers. There is a compelling reason for this: Ms. Floyerâs bag is empty. Thatâs what makes it artistic. Ms. Floyer is quoted by the Times as follows: ââItâs not a bag of rubbish, itâs a rubbish bag. The medium is clearly portrayed: It says it is a bag, air, and a twisted top.ââ
Got that? Itâs NOT a bag of rubbish: Itâs a rubbish bag! If THATâS not $47,000 worth of innovation, then I donât know what is.
#4
AllahHateMe, the names muck4d00, 8lame 8ush, Th!nkHesFunny, halfempty, halffull, M3sn00ty, Immune2Irony, N3w Guy, AFewM4rblesL3ft, and 4sylum 3scapee are all names from this lampoon of D'micratic Underground.
#13
Lol! You guys aren't supposed to be laughing at me and whacking me - you're supposed to put YOUR speculations out there for ridicule! Lazy [mumble mumble]...
;-)
Paramilitary forces in Nimnim, western Upper Nile, deliberately attacked eight aid workers working in the area last week, according to the UN. The early morning attack on 20 February was specifically directed at the aid workers' temporary compound outside the village of Nimnim, where they had been staying for three days distributing food and other relief items, said a statement issued by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator. The relief workers came under rifle, machine-gun, rocket-propelled-grenade and mortar fire from "unidentified militia forces" for 20 minutes, before the workers fled from the scene on foot.
The gunfire was directed at the aid workers' enclosure, avoiding the local village, and targeted the relief workers even as they were fleeing. Meanwhile, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/ Army (SPLM/A) forces, which nominally control the area, counterattacked. According to regional analysts, those involved in the attack may have originally been aligned to James Leah Dui, a militia commander who had had forces based around Nimnim until he defected to the SPAM/A in January 2004.
The SPLM/A has been engaging in concerted efforts to realign itself with the country's plethora of government-backed militia forces, resulting in some recent successes such as the redetection to the movement of Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon and Lam Akol Ajawin, both of whom defected in 1991. But territorial control and rivalry, ethnic tensions, competition for the spoils of war and distrust of the Dinka-dominated SPLM/A mean that many forces, or individuals within forces, are not willing to realign themselves. Many militia fighters are also unhappy at not being included in the ongoing peace talks in Kenya between the SPLM/A and the government. The result is a large number of armed and disgruntled militias in Sudan with shifting and opportunistic allegiances to different factions and leaders, say regional analysts.
Since the 1980s, the Sudanese government has used militias, which it arms and supports logistically, for various purposes, such as clearing and controlling oil-rich areas, and sowing dissent within the SPLM/A in a divide-and-rule tactic. There are about 25 government-aligned militias in southern Sudan, which are centralised under the Sudanese army, whose intelligence wing oversees operational matters. They are usually based close to garrison towns, recruited locally and are personality- and ethnicity-driven. Most of them operate under the umbrella of the South Sudan Defence Forces.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 13:56 ||
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Two factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation (MILF) clashed in Maguindanao on Monday reportedly because of differences over ongoing peace negotiations with the government, the military said yesterday.
This'd be that "extremist faction" that we keep hearing about ...
Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero, AFP public information chief, said the hostilities were started by an MILF faction, led by one Commander Talio Silongan, which is opposed to negotiations.
If that's the case, then Silongan would be the likely man to talk to about the JI presence in Mindanao. What's Eid Kabalu have to say about all this?
Lucero said the clash between the 40-man group of Silongan and the pro-peace talks group led by Commander Gerry Dangian Mastura left one wounded, Wahad Guimadel, on the Mastura side.
I thought that MILF had a chairman and a semi-official ruling council - where do they stand on all of this?
There were an undetermined number of casualties on the side of Silongan, the military said.
Nice to know he got the worst of it ...
Silongan, who carries the alias Badrudin and heads the 104th Brigade of the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, has been linked by the military to terrorist attacks.
Imagine that!
"The MILF faction that is against the ongoing peace talks is being blamed for coddling members of the Jemaah Islamiah and Pentagon Gang in Central Mindanao," Lucero said.
No surprise there. I'd also bet that Silongan's the contact with the northern commies as well. Check his bank accounts for Saudi cash and you won't be disappointed.
Silongan's group is also blamed for last December's kidnapping of Cotabato City businessman Norman Sia, for whom the kidnappers are demanding a P10 million ransom.
Not exactly the kind of thing that "freedom fighters" are supposed to engage in, is it? My guess is that Silongan's gunnies are still holding the guy.
An MILF spokesman, meanwhile, accused the United States of meddling in the negotiations.
Of course! It has nothing to do with MILF's penchant for killing people ...
"If the United States classifies the MILF as a terrorist organization, then so be it. It is their own lookout not ours. We have not killed any American or attacked US interests," Eid Kabalu said.
"We do, however, harbor and train the people who do ..."
US charge d' affaires Joseph Mussomeli said the MILF should conclude an agreement with the Arroyo government soon or risk being included in its list of foreign terrorist organizations.
Where they should have been from Day 1. If they want to go legit and start disarming, then they can get off it the same way the IRA did.
Kabalu said the MILF is not a terrorist organization. "We are a legitimate organization with a legitimate cause. The MILF and the Bangsamoro people can live without the Americans," he said.
Do keep in mind, Eid, that the reverse is also true. Particularly in the case of the former ...
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 13:48 ||
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Esbulat Akbulatov, 36, a gunman from a detachment subordinate to the Chechen notorious ringleader Shamil Basayev, has been arrested by security agents in the Volga city of Astrakhan, a source at the regional police headquarters told Tass on Thursday.
That'd make him part of Khamzat's Special Purpose Islamic Regiment. Now that Khamzat's toes up, his subordinates appear to be dropping like flies.
Akbulatov was put on federal wanted list in August 1999 for active participation in the armed attack on the villages of the Botlikh district of the Russian North Caucasus republic of Daghestan.
Dagestan is probably one of the best object lessons as to what happens when al-Qaeda gets its way. The Chechens won their de facto independence during the first war against Russia, but al-Qaeda and Saudi funding turned the place into a terrorist haven. And no soon is Chechnya recovering from the first war than do Basayev and Khattab decide to invade the nearest Russian republic. There's a lot that can be said for or against Chechen independence, but you can't have talks with people who plan to take over the Caucasus whether its inhabitants want it or not.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 13:35 ||
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The French prosecutorâs office confirms that it is investigating money transfers of about $11 million into two French bank accounts held by the wife of Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat. The judicial investigation was launched last October when a French money-laundering watchdog agency noticed monthly payments of about one million euros ($1.2 million) from Switzerland into Suha Arafatâs French accounts. Nice job if you can get it.
Mrs. Arafat, who married the Palestinian leader in 1992, lives in Paris with their daughter and her mother, and she rarely visits the PA self-rule areas. Waiting for Yasser to kick the bucket, smart girl.
"The investigation is just in its very beginning phase," said vice district attorney Maryvonne Caillibotte. "Mrs. Arafat has not yet been questioned." Unconfirmed reports say Mrs. Arafat lives an extravagant lifestyle in the luxury Bristol Hotel, where she occupies an entire floor and receives a $100,000 monthly stipend from the PA. I guess that pays the rent and utilities. The $1.2m must be for pain and suffering, weâve all seen Yasser.
The PA envoy in France did not return a request for an interview or information on contacting Mrs. Arafat. Busy moving his accounts to a offshore bank.
Arafat and the PA have frequently been accused of corruption and, as a result, have seen decreases in foreign aid in recent years. Several Palestinian aid organizations here declined to comment about the allegations against the PA leaderâs wife, saying it was a private matter and still under investigation. Donât want Yasser to get angry and throw stuff at them.
Pascal Fenaux, a journalist specializing in Israel and the PA areas for a weekly French newspaper, said reluctance to comments was not surprising because of the solidarity Palestinians feel they have to show in the face of criticism.
"It is not well regarded to discuss how President Arafat runs the Palestinian administration," said Fenaux. "What is surprising, though, is that Suha Arafat leads an unusual lifestyle for someone who doesnât have a specific government position and whose whole status is to be the wife of the president of the Palestinian Authority." She lives the textbook lifestyle of the wife of a corrupt third world dictator. France is full of them, they probably all get together for lunch.
In an interview with the London-based newspaper Al Hayat, Mrs. Arafat accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of spreading rumors about money-laundering to distract media attention away from corruption allegations against him. "Itâs the joooâs spreading lies about me!"
If French investigators find evidence of illicit activity by Mrs. Arafat, the case will be handed to an investigating judge who will formulate charges. The French investigation comes at the same time as the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF) is also looking into allegations that some of the European Unionâs 350 million euro ($436 million) a year budgetary aid package to the PA may have been misappropriated. Most likely both investigations are tied together at some point. Pieces of the same puzzle, it remains to be seen if they want to put them together.
OLAF spokesman Alessandro Buttice said the investigation was continuing. "At this point, we have no proof that there has been any misappropriation of EU aid toward any other purpose." Buttice said he expected the investigation to go on at least through March. The fact there was no proof yet only meant the probe had yet to find any evidence, he added.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 1:32:59 PM ||
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#1
"she rarely visits the PA self-rule areas"
Yasser has no son. She has no desire to breed another bun in the oven for him, I'll bet....eewwwwwwwww! my eyes! That was a nasty visual.
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 13:54 Comments ||
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#2
The European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF's) partner agency's acronym is LENA.
#3
Do you wash Euros in hot, warm, or cold? And should you use regular bleach, or color-safe?
Posted by: Mike ||
02/27/2004 14:10 Comments ||
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#4
"At this point, we have no proof that there has been any misappropriation of EU aid toward any other purpose."
Take a tour of PA controlled areas. Nuff said.
Posted by: Charles ||
02/27/2004 14:58 Comments ||
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#5
So if OLAF, LENA, or whoever finds out the corruption and moneylaundering connection with Suha and the 'Fish, are they going to demand all the money back and prosecute, or are they going to issue statements and let this whole case blow away slowly. It seems that they never did anything for the "Oil for Palaces" scandal, so why should we expect any action here?
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/27/2004 15:15 Comments ||
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#6
The $1.2m must be for pain and suffering, weâve all seen Yasser.
We all seen Sura too.... the 1.2Megabucks is probably to keep her in Paris....
While all attention is focused on Osama bin Laden and his cohorts allegedly cornered in western Pakistan, in India there is an equal amount of interest in the one man who is wanted just as desperately - Dawood Ibrahim.
Reports quoting intelligence sources and independently confirmed by home ministry officials say that India's most wanted criminal - thought to be hiding in Pakistan - is facing the heat at the instance of none less than Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf. The reports say that Dawood's personal security guards, derived from the cream of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, have been removed. Ibrahim is now said to be on the run, and some reports say that he has shaved his mustache and is contemplating plastic surgery to take on a new identity and passport.
If Pakistan's pulled Dawood's security detail, then he may well be nabbed or killed soon. My guess would be the latter, since he knows way too much about what all Pakistan's military-intel boys been involved in.
Following last week's foreign-secretary-level India-Pakistan talks, which ended with a clear time-frame and a positive roadmap for future dialogue, this crackdown on Dawood is music to India's ears. Such is the keenness in India that Pakistan nab Dawood that officials say that this one step by the Pakistan establishment could propel Indo-Pak relations to levels that have never been witnessed since the time of partition in 1947, during which the two countries have fought three wars and one near-war at Kargil in 1999.
That would be nice, since then there'd be no need for Pakistan to retain the services of the jihadi groups. I also think that it's extremely over-optimistic.
The hunt for Dawood is taking place following Pakistan's realization that flushing out terrorists and jihadi elements has become a necessity for its own survival.
Looks like the assassination attempts may have been Perv's version of the road to Damascus after all ...
But what might be more than a coincidence is that Pakistan's sudden willingness to flush out Dawood comes amid reports in the Indian media that a timely tip-off by the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) helped foil a third assassination plot against Musharraf. Two abortive attempts have been reported in the past few months. There is, however, no doubt in anyone's mind that Dawood is indisputably the number one criminal wanted by India, and what has rankled is that he has for long used Pakistan as a base.
"If Dawood is nabbed, it will be the biggest step Pakistan undertakes to curb cross-border terrorism on the eastern side of the border," said an official with the Foreign Ministry. India Defense Minister George Fernandes has already hinted that India has some information about the Pakistan army dismantling terror camps and infiltration along the India-Pakistan border.
That'd be really good news, if true. Shutting down the jihadi infrastructure in Pakland is probably best done on an incremental level starting with the nastiest. But then again, if India and Pakistan come to an understanding on Kashmir there'd be no real need for Pakistan to have all those jihadis. This is also a good lesson for those nations that want to get out of the terror business, if anybody's paying attention. Prince Nayef?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 13:21 ||
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#1
I am very interested in learning the reasons behind this. Can be a good step, unfortunately I am not as optimistic as yourself dan considering the kashmir isn't exatly what I would call minor :P
Six residents of Chechnya's Assinovskaya village were killed and seven others wounded when the GAZ-53 truck in which they were travelling hit a landmine, a source with the headquarters of the Russian Combined Federal Forces in the North Caucasus reported on Thursday. "The explosion happened at about 4:30 p.m. Moscow time on Wednesday. The locals were returning home to Assinovskaya, which is in the Achkhoi-Martan district, after collecting ramson money," the source said. The truck's driver suffered a concussion. The incident occurred when the truck was leaving a forest near the village. Law enforcement agencies are searching for those responsible for the blast.
God knows there's enough crime in Chechnya these days, some of it Russian, some of it native. But how did they know that the bus was carrying ransom money if the bus blew up?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 13:06 ||
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Pakistani forces have moved into targeted areas of the countryâs long border with Afghanistan, after satellite telephone intercepts indicated that members of al-Qaida were hiding there, security officials told the Associated Press on Friday.
It's been an open secret that they've been hiding there for several years, I very much doubt anybody needed a phone intercept to prove it.
Though officials insist there was no indication that Osama bin Laden was involved in the conversations, which took place last year, participants discussed a man called âShaikhâ â which is believed to be a code name for the al-Qaida leader.
Sheikh means "elder" and appears to be the term for any sufficiently high-ranking member of al-Qaeda in their lingo. I'd be skeptical that it's definitely OBL, they normally call him "Abu Abdallah" or "the Emir."
The operation was based in part on information gleaned from satellite telephone intercepts from the United States and local intelligence data, the security officials said on condition of anonymity.
Looks like the NSA has been busy ...
âSome people who were speaking in Arabic have been heard saying Shaikh is in good health,â one security official told the AP.
A condition soon to be remedied ...
It was not immediately clear when the United States shared its data with Pakistan.
My guess from the Wana raid is that the answer is yes.
U.S., Pakistani and Afghan officials have long suspected that bin Laden has been hiding out in the remote border region. There has been no confirmation or any hard evidence of his whereabouts in more than two years.
Leading some of us to conclude that he's toes up. I'm skeptical, mainly because I always like to have a body in these cases.
Though the troops have been in the tribal regions for more than two years, the security officials say they are being adjusted to suit fresh intelligence data. It was not immediately clear precisely where the forces were placed â or how many were involved.
âWe are not close to capturing Osama, but all efforts and operations are directed at finding clues about his whereabouts,â a senior government official told AP. âIt is a tiring and long process.â
Kinda like scraping all the gunk off your shoes ...
Pakistan has so far confirmed only the operation near Wana, but officials told AP they are also âquietly operatingâ in other âmarked areas.â Bin Laden remains the ultimate target.
âWe are after him, because his capture will help eliminate terror threat in the region,â one official told AP.
We'll see. I tend to think that this is a lot bigger than just one man. All the same, my guess is that his capture or death would be a major blow to the terror machine.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 12:56 ||
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Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 12:20:25 PM ||
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#1
Unfortunately dicrimination and profiling against Muslims is alive and well and many lives have bee ruined as a consequence. Thankfully this wrong was fixed, but the damage has been done.
#2
z2so4: Thankfully this wrong was fixed, but the damage has been done.
Actually, the point is that the damage hasn't been done. Terrorist attacks have been prevented by identifying Muslims who are security risks and removing them from positions related to national security. z2so4 naturally believes that Muslims should not be investigated without ironclad proof - but the fact is that the investigations are carried out precisely in order to get that proof. Just as it would be useless to search for Mafia hoods among the black community, it would equally be useless to probe Hindu employees while searching for Muslim terror backers.
#3
No one, and I mean no one, beyond the individuals involved has clue one about whether the right thing has been done here - or not. This is classic bureaucratic he said / she said / conflicting claims. There is no way for US to know, for certain. I am automatically disinclined to believe Abdel-Hafiz without knowing every inch of his background. And where the security of our nation is concerned, that's enough for me to say this has not been settled satisfactorily.
You don't like profiling? Why? PC-ism? Or are you an Arab? Or a Muslim? All of the preceeding? I LOVE profiling - because it's a damned good place to start and all of the evidence available proves it works in that regard, whether that's palatable to anyone or not.
Grrrr.
Look around the world and locate where there's conflict and violence... what do you find? Is Islam in there as a core issue in about 75% or more? Well Fucking Duh! Profile accordingly and tell the pissy pussies to fuck off.
z2so4 - misspelled H2SO4, didya? Pfeh.
[rant]
The FBI is a gifuckinganticbureaucracy that needs mucking out, flushed of the dead wood and stupidity and good-ol-boy network, and streamlining into a flatter organization. There are huge numbers of pure job whores (ala Civil Service Turf Queens), particularly in the upper management of the FBI -- when it needs to be an organization full of level-headed dedicated apolitical public-service professionals who cast a jaundiced and suspicious eye on anyone and everyone who may be a threat to US citizens. Period.
Not to worry - the Field Agents, relatively new on the job and still bearing the stamp of the Academy, are usually still professional hard-working dedicated people, so there's a pool of promotable talent... the problem is that they must not be promoted into ranks where then will then be "taught" to become political animals - the bane of every large org.
The duplicitous character, a major and natural component installed by Arab societies, is not to be ignored. The question of Abdel-Hafiz's innocence or guilt is probably moot - some of both would be natural for an Arab. Where was he raised? That would be my first question, and then work it out from there whether he could be trusted, again. His supervisor, who converted to Islam, would automatically be fired if I was running the show. That decision would make everything about his judgment to be ultra-suspicious - if not outright proof that he's brain-dead. What a loser.
The failure of the Fibbies to recruit Arabic-speakers who are NOT Arabs, per previous revelations and news stories seen here on RB, is a massive fuck-up. Such decisions probably came from admins who listened to people like Abdel-Hafiz - and his moron supervisor. Where was their common sense? Who was writing policy - and did they know dick about Arabs or their mission statement? I doubt it very very seriously.
Muck out the stalls. Make a roster of every Fibbie in the HQ, from Supervisor on up. Repeat in every field office. Add those who were born and / or raised in the countries where we are fighting terrorism. These people are to be replaced from the ranks below - over a span of time in a schedule of promotion based upon PEER REVIEW. No input from previous supervisory personnel should be employed unless it contains suspicions of traitorous activity. Replaced supervisory personnel may, repeat may, be reconsidered for employment - but the vetting process to become eligible is to be done by another agency, one with an adversarial relationship with the FBI, such as the CIA or NSA or DIA. This will help ensure that few, if any, of the real morons regain access to sensitive information and definitely have to re-earn their spurs.
Annual or bi-annual vetting of Agents, to keep your job, is to be done via a peer review - not by supervisory personnel. Supervisory personnel will be reviewed both by peer review and by performance scoring from the level they supervise - i.e. Agents will score their supervisor - and either source can be grounds for dismissal if a second peer review (different supervisory personnel from different depts.) agrees. So supervised Agents can call into question a supervisor's performance, but not directly force dismissal. In this case it takes 2 successful peer reviews to keep the job. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
Arabic-speakers are obviously needed. Sources for recruiting should be countries with adversarial (or worse) relationships with Islamic countries, in general, and Arabia in particular. Good agents and those they depend upon for language skills should be natively suspicious and thus inclined to err on the side of caution. OBVIOUSLY, Jewish and Israeli-Americans make FAR better sense as potential recruits than Muslim and Arab-Americans -- I hate this hyphenated BS, but I'm using it for clarity. You HAVE to be cautious and inclined toward suspicious: it's the nation's security at stake. Fucking Duh.
[/rant]
But I have no strong feelings about it, of course. Have a nice day. Or else. :-)
#4
"z2so4 naturally believes that Muslims should not be investigated without ironclad proof "
Actually I suspect there to be a bit of profiling when national security is involved. When looking at al-Q most of it's members are Arab and all are Muslim so it is only logical to assume to be more careful when dealing with a arab that has had visa's for both saudi and afghanistan. That being said this guy seemed to have a record of nothing more than helping the cause and being damn good at it. Seems more like the case of paranoid co-worker than anything else (we have all experienced this once or twice with the annoying twat in the office). It is when people are fired for only being Arab, or Muslim that is when the problem comes.
We all know that profiling a security blanket, because there are enough people in the al-Q organization that could pass by as joe sixpack by sking color or pretending to not be Muslim (chechyens come to mind).
"z2so4 - misspelled H2SO4, didya? Pfeh"
nope...
The rest is a jumbled incoherent mess that is more raw emotion than anything thing of substance so I won't bother responding.
#5
Lol! So, changing posting nyms caught up with you, eh z2so4? Pfeh.
You're a classic, though rare in these parts. It's always interesting to encounter the calmer-than-calm pseudo-super-reasonable apologist. Welcome to RB.
Re: the rant - you did notice the tags, right? I was having some fun, plus scratching an itch about the twit Fibbie management, plus trolling. You dismiss it in toto as "raw emotion" - so either you're a very lazy poster or just unable to deal with detail and specifics to the degree I took it - intentionally. The tags were put there to see if I'd get a bite from you - someone who's not really as smooth as their posts first appear. You bit.
Doesn't really matter who or what you are on paper. What matters is that you're playing a game: selling semi-plausible BS under the cover of "I'm so calm I'm in a coma", therefore reasonable. Right.
Re: profiling Arabs. The visas will only be found in the passports of innocents or rookies. Pros have false identities - or multiple valid passports - which won't have suspicious stamps. I know. You see, the US State Dept, despite its many failings and being riddled with "twats" is aware of some necessities. I worked in Saudi and had 2 concurrent US passports - so I could always present the acceptable one without any boogey-man stamps, such as a visit to Israel should that please me, to Saudi Immigration. Visa stamps are red herrings and every Immigration officer with a brain knows it - the authenticity and issuing country of the passport is far more important.
Your use of "twat" and several syntax errors indicate a non-native English speaker. Given your posts today, I'll take you for a trolling apologist for the asshat interests. Don't like it? Don't care? Me neither.
As for there being enough people in AlQ who could pass for "joe sixpak" - that's quite unlikely, except among very low-level convert cannon fodder. And converts are a very big red flag. Who, pray tell, with 2 neurons to rub together and wasn't mentally ill would willingly convert to the RoP? Heh, I would fire Supervisor Rattigan so fast his ass would be in another county by the time the door closed behind him. But that's just me - didn't even occur to you to mention it.
#6
It wasn't meant to be anonymous, I was just at a work computer. Nice to know you have my profile down tho. I didn't bother replying because it wan't worth my time. Try again when you have something intelligent to say.
#7
.com, you forgot to say that only registered Republicans should be allowed in the FBI.
In fact, in order to make absolutely sure, only registered Republicans should be allowed in the country -- the rest of them must be deported or imprisoned, their choice.
#8
I thought Aris might have a good riposte to ZF or .com, but I guess not this time.
I do rather worry about terrorists sneaking in because they are not what many perceive to be the 'average Islamist'. Worse, I think it is possible that someday an American citizen may commit an act of mass terror for militant Islam. Either a TrueBeliever (Tim McVeigh-ish) or some self-absorbed Nihlist, fed a lifetime of Hate America First.
Posted by: Les Nessman ||
02/27/2004 21:56 Comments ||
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In comments that went unreported by the mainstream press, the former first lady told the Brookings Institution on Wednesday that since Saddamâs removal from power, Iraqâs post war governing councils had engaged in "pullbacks in the rights [women] were given under Saddam Hussein." ...the trains ran on time...
"They went to school; they participated in the professions, they participated in the government and business and, as long as they stayed out of [Saddamâs] way, they had considerable freedom of movement," Clinton insisted. Say, how did Sammyâs son treat women?
"Now, what we see happening in Iraq is the governing council attempting to shift large parts of civl law into religious jurisdiction," Sen. Clinton explained, saying the loss of Saddamâs guarantees amounted to a "horrific mistake" for women.
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
02/27/2004 11:55:01 AM ||
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#1
apparently Hill's projecting for her husband. I mean, when they say "no", they really mean "yes, as long I can participate in government and business, and have considerable freedom of movement". There really is no such thing as rape, just ask Juanita Broaderrick
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 12:06 Comments ||
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#2
Although only the insane will argue that Sadaam was a good guy, or that his son did not rape women, the fact remains the over all state of women at the moment is worse there. Especially with the proposal (which has thankfully been droped) to allow individual sections of Iraq to govern itself.
That is not to say things will not get better for women, but at the moment there are more potential problems then before.
#3
Things sure are dynamic. I have a lady friend in Baghdad who is working now for the first time in 3 years. She is a college educated journalist, but could not work because Saddham's son's body guards were stalking her for the harem, and she went into hiding. So, at least until some of the Sharia stuff goes into effect (like in Afghanistn where they kicked girls outta school) I still think they are in a better spot than before.
#4
Well right now the sharia movement is coming in at full force, and there is also great increase in lawlessness going on around there. My Gf's sister does not go out there anymore without several male family members because of the amount of times there have been attempted attacks on her since war.
However things such as the new centers for women's rights are a step in the right direction. Unfortunately in Afghanistan due to the society I am not as optimistic. As RAWA continues to complain about the state of affiars there.
#5
either the women will demand their rights and a cultural revolution will occur, or not.. we could try to force things, but then z2so4 will bitch about us being horrible dictators that are trying to force the poor arabs to be westeners.. feh
My point was to show that what Hillary pointed out did have some truth to it (I am not naive enough to say it was not without her own spin). Not everything with a different opinion is automatically false.
#7
Oh yes, the women had some great guarantees under Saddam. Guaranteed to have their husbands rot in his jails, their sons sent of to die in his wars, their daughters to be raped by his thugs. Oh, and lets not forget about the guarantee for Kurdish women to be gassed en masse along with their families. Sorry z2so4 but your argument does not fly. Some truth is not the whole truth....it's the same as saying if it takes one day to dig a hole, then it takes half a day to dig half a hole. It does't work that way. The country as whole, including the women, is far better off with Saddam gone.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
02/27/2004 13:36 Comments ||
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#8
z2so4:
The problem that most of us here have with the Clintons is that they NEVER say anything that doesn't have some sort of self-serving political spin on it. The fact that any given statement made by one or the other of them may (or may not) have a grain of truth to it does little to change that. This isn't your fault, but when you deal with the Clinton family put your waders on: the hypocrisy is going to be waist deep.
And, to be honest, most Rantsburgians spend a lot of time being mad. These clowns are part of the reason why!
#9
Regardless of Hillary's treachery, she is right to put pressure on the council guys. Next thing I want her to say is how Bremer is just a pussy for not standing up to this asshat Sistani.
#10
I'm far from a Hillary fan, but she has actually been better on Iraq than most democrats. And I agree with ne1469: I think her point here was to add pressure and resistance against those Shia who want Iraq to become a Sharia state, Islam enshrined in the constitution, etc. That would be the worst possible outcome, and there are plenty of forces working toward that end.
#11
Rex my point is that over the situation was not as bad for Women. That is independent of what Hussien did to people, which were not sex based crimes for the most part. Women did work, and crime against women were lower. I am not saying Hussien was better, but rather pointing out that things could be improved for women.
I am not a Hillary supporter, a democrat, or a US citizen for that part. I just find it odd that one would let partisian resentment superceed the issue.
The issue being that general lawlessness and lack of appropriate planning has made it more difficult of women.
Thanks for letting me know secret master. I don't know, I can't see anger leading to any sort of rational conclusions. *shrugs*
#12
Z2so4: Secret Master is right...we tend to be a surly bunch (but we've got an excuse ; ] ) Here's my point: surrendering one's freedom for security is not an answer. That's a core belief for any right thinking American regardless of politics. Women worked under Saddam - as virtual slaves to a dictatorship. Crime was lower, because personal freedom was non-existent. It's a universal truth that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Iraqi men and women must now shoulder that responsibility and that's a good thing.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
02/27/2004 15:00 Comments ||
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#13
Were women better of under Saddam? Well, they're lives were laid out for them, true. But did they have freedom? That depends on your point of view. This topic could be twisted and argued in so many ways it gives me a headache. However, Hillary is being despicable. She's saying that we shouldn't have gone into Iraq because the women are suffering now. That Bush has caused the problems for women in Iraq. She didn't out right say it, but she's suggesting it in undertones.
Posted by: Charles ||
02/27/2004 15:05 Comments ||
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#14
Hi Hillary - here's some rope and here's a shovel; knock yourself out.
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 15:40 Comments ||
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#15
Only someone who had not experienced living in a dictatorship could say women had it better under Saddam. Certainly you and your family might get raped, your children dragged off and shot, but you don't have fears that someone might force you to wear a vale. Now that's terrible. The US has had nearly a year and Iraq hasn't joined the G8 yet, something is wrong. Haliburton! Haliburton!
#16
Crime was lower, because personal freedom was non-existent.
It's not just because "personal freedom was non-existent," it's is also because Saddam emptied the prisons of criminals before the US took over. He wasn't letting out the real political opposition (he'd killed those guys), he was letting out murderers and rapists . . .
#17
"Only someone who had not experienced living in a dictatorship could say women had it better under Saddam. "
So which dictatorship have you lived under to come forth with such an informed opinion? I mean, when the women them selves are saying conditions are worse maybe someone should listen. I am not trying to argue the reasons for there being less law or blaming it all on the US. I am just pointing out at this point in time things are not as good for women there.
Rebels took over a key crossroads town and edged closer to the capital while supporters of embattled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide mounted defenses on Friday against a bloody rebellion that threatened to topple Haitiâs government. The stage was set for a showdown between the ragtag band of former soldiers and gang members trying to unseat Aristide and the diminutive former priest and onetime populist hero of Haitian democracy backed by an ill-trained, 4,000-member police force and a horde of armed gang members from the slums. The police have been seen ditching their uniforms and wearing civilian clothes. They ainât gonna fight.
A group of rebels called the "Assaillants" (Attackers) from Haitiâs Central Plateau took control of the town of Mirebalais overnight, freeing prisoners from the local jail, a former legislator and radio reports said. Mirebalais is about 30 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince and sits at a junction with access to the capital, the rebel stronghold in the north, the coastal town of Saint Marc and the border with the Dominican Republic, where rebel leaders lived in recent years. Thatâs the last major town on the road to the capital.
Haitian National Police also dispatched officers to Les Cayes, Haitiâs third-largest city, to quell an apparent uprising, a police official said. Les Cayes is southwest of the capital, an indication the rebellion in the north was spreading. Success breeds success.
Rebel leader Guy Philippe, a former police chief accused of plotting coups who returned from exile in the Dominican Republic to lead the rebellion, said his men had surrounded Port-au-Prince and are awaiting orders to attack. Philippe has said he wants to celebrate his 36th birthday on Sunday in the capital. I think heâll make it.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 11:41:47 AM ||
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Hat tip LGF. EFL.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police stormed the square outside the al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islamâs holiest sites, to confront stone-throwing Palestinians on Friday amid heightened tensions over Israelâs West Bank barrier. "We need our Holocaust II!"
The clash at the shrine, often a flashpoint, coincided with another spate of protests in the West Bank against the barrier, now under World Court review for cutting into occupied territory that Palestinians want for a state. Like the World Court will be able to enforce a demand that the Israelis commit genosuicide?
Police spokesman Gil Kleiman said officers had fired rubber bullets and tossed stun grenades after hundreds of Muslim worshippers "started rioting" at the end of Friday prayers within the shrine, which Muslims call al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews revere as the Temple Mount. Temple Mount it is then.
He said police had mobilized to stop Palestinians in the sanctuary -- which covers a plateau in the Old City -- trying to stone worshippers standing below the compound at the Western Wall, which buttresses the hillside and is the most sacred site of Jewish prayer. Palestinians said police acted without provocation during the 30-minute clash. There was a mass shriek of pain as lips fell off.
"Hundreds of Muslims threw rocks and rioted," Kleiman said. He said the police had repelled Palestinians trying to approach the edge of the hilltop compound, but that only two stones fell onto the Western Wall plaza, hitting no one. "There was no provocation for such an Israeli attack," Adnan Husseini, director of the Islamic Waqf, which oversees the compound, told Reuters. "This is despicable and unacceptable." Then his harp broke a string.
Four Palestinian demonstrators and three police officers were lightly injured. A Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000 after Ariel Sharon, Israelâs opposition leader at the time and now prime minister, visited the compound, which is at the heart of the Israeli-Arab conflict. Israel regained seized East Jerusalem which belongs to Israel anyway, including the Old City, in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally.
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/27/2004 11:32:21 AM ||
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#1
If the Israelis behaved as the Paleo liars say they do, there would be no Al-Aqsa, no paleo stone throwers left alive, and the whole west bank would be a large-scale kibbutz
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 11:38 Comments ||
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Also mentioned at LGF (though not exact words):
Al-Aqsa mosque is one of Islam's holiest sites.
But what is the Temple Mount? What is it's relevance to Juadaism?
Reuters? AP? UPI? (crickets chirping...)
Posted by: Daniel King ||
02/27/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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#3
jeesh..maybe I should pull out the ol' Revelations to see what might happen next.
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 11:55 Comments ||
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#4
Why not just get it over with and bulldoze the whole Temple Mount clean? An all out shooting war would finally finish this thing with the interlopers who call themselves Palestinian.
Yasser Arafat called a senior member of his Fatah movement a "traitor" and threw a microphone at him during a debate on security reforms, an official who attended the late-night session said Friday. Guess theyâre keeping guns and sharp objects away from him.
At a meeting late Thursday, Arafat was angered when Nasser Yousef - a veteran Fatah member - questioned the unification and efficiency of Palestinian security bodies, an official, who attended the meeting, said, according to The AP. Sounds like a reasonable question.
"You traitor, spy, shut your mouth, you have no right to talk," Arafat was quoted as shouting to Yousef before hurling a microphone at him. Yousef chucked a pen at the veteran Palestinian leader before other members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council intervened and calmed down the two. "Now, now, calm down, Yasser. Here, have a drink of water. Ahmed, get the Chairmenâs medication, please."
The 126-member Revolutionary Council, Fatahâs second highest body, began a three-day conference Wednesday. Sigh, what a target rich meeting.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 11:29:57 AM ||
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#1
"You traitor, spy, shut your mouth, you have no right to talk,"
that isa not a good way debate by calling names and evry one has right to say there oponion.
#2
Could this have anything to do with the previous story?
Posted by: Mr. Davis ||
02/27/2004 11:37 Comments ||
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#3
why can't we ever get video of these comics? Bet ol' Yasshole was a lip-quivering drooling mess...sounds like the banking/financial crackdown's building some stress
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 11:41 Comments ||
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It might be my vindictive side but I can't wait until these bastards really start tearing at each other. It should be more entertaining than a pit bull fight.
#8
" Yousef has picked up a chair and, OH! Yasser took out his teeth and rammed them into Yousef's crotch! "
" Damn JR, I didn't even know Yasser still had teeth! "
Posted by: Charles ||
02/27/2004 15:17 Comments ||
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#9
Oh Allah, allow a misguided JDAM to land on their nobel heads. Ohpleasepleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleaseplease!
#10
I can't wait for one of these Paleoboomers to walk into the toilet when Arafish is on the bowl and blow him to Hell.
Posted by: Tibor ||
02/27/2004 18:22 Comments ||
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#11
These guys are feeling the pinch of the money, or lack thereof. Keep the squeeze on funds, keep the wall a-goin, and the arafish aquarium is gonna dry up and turn into a dusty terrarium. This is the beginning of the end for the PA and all their "independent" terrorist buddies. Nobel Peace Prize Committee: what do you think now of your little champion? Are you proud of your little terrorist embezzler? Pfeh.
The Arafish subscribes to the Principles of Chilcoot Charlie, who sez: We cheat the other guy and pass the savings on to you!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/27/2004 21:39 Comments ||
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Sources in the Arab League said that it suffers a severe financial crisis because its 21 member states are late in paying their annual contributions which toll 100 million dollars. The sources indicated that by the end of the current month, only 5% of the contributions set for 2004, while only 49% of the contributions of 2003 were honored of an annual budget estimated at 35 million dollars. The lowest rate of contributions since 1990. Short of bucks, are you?
The AL was obliged to withdraw 3 million from its financial reserves estimated at 5.6 million to cover its current spending. Similar sources said that the secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa has not received his monthly salary estimated at USD 10,000 since 3 months. One of Moussaâs aides, Nour Eddine Hashed said that 240 projects for carrying out activities were abrogated in 2003 because of a deficiency in the budget. Break out the nano-violins.
The administrative and financial committee at the AL called in a meeting chaired by Saudi Arabia on the member states to pay their contributions for 2004 before the end of the first quarter of the year and also to repay its debt. "Pay up or...or, er, weâll do, something."
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 11:02:30 AM ||
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#1
It must be hard to collect dues when your membership is composed entirely of kleptocracies. "Hmm. Should I donate to the Arab League and contribute to some bureaucrat's Swiss bank account or should I contribute to my Swiss bank account." I'll bet it's a tough decision every time.
(Somewhat EFL)
In January 1982, President Ronald Reagan approved a CIA plan to sabotage the economy of the Soviet Union through covert transfers of technology that contained hidden malfunctions, including software that later triggered a huge explosion in a Siberian natural gas pipeline, according to a new memoir by a Reagan White House official. (snip)
At the time, the United States was attempting to block Western Europe from importing Soviet natural gas. There were also signs that the Soviets were trying to steal a wide variety of Western technology. Then, a KGB insider revealed the specific shopping list and the CIA slipped the flawed software to the Soviets in a way they would not detect it.
"In order to disrupt the Soviet gas supply, its hard currency earnings from the West, and the internal Russian economy, the pipeline software that was to run the pumps, turbines, and valves was programmed to go haywire, after a decent interval, to reset pump speeds and valve settings to produce pressures far beyond those acceptable to pipeline joints and welds," Reed writes.
"The result was the most monumental non-nuclear explosion and fire ever seen from space," (cool boom)he recalls, adding that U.S. satellites picked up the explosion. Reed said in an interview that the blast occurred in the summer of 1982.
"While there were no physical casualties from the pipeline explosion, there was significant damage to the Soviet economy," he writes. "Its ultimate bankruptcy, not a bloody battle or nuclear exchange, is what brought the Cold War to an end. In time the Soviets came to understand that they had been stealing bogus technology, but now what were they to do? By implication, every cell of the Soviet leviathan might be infected. They had no way of knowing which equipment was sound, which was bogus. All was suspect, which was the intended endgame for the entire operation."(Bwahahahaha)
Reed said he obtained CIA approval to publish details about the operation. The CIA learned of the full extent of the KGBâs pursuit of Western technology in an intelligence operation known as the Farewell Dossier. Portions of the operation have been disclosed earlier, including in a 1996 paper in Studies in Intelligence, a CIA journal. (snip)
According to the Weiss article and Reedâs book, the Soviet authorities in 1970 set up a new KGB section, known as Directorate T, to plumb Western research and development for badly needed technology. Directorate Tâs operating arm to steal the technology was known as Line X. Its spies were often sprinkled throughout Soviet delegations(Big surprise) to the United States; on one visit to a Boeing plant, "a Soviet guest applied adhesive to his shoes to obtain metal samples,"(The devioush plot was discovered after the tourguide asked the group to follow him and the "guest"failed to complie)Weiss recalled in his article.
Then, at a July 1981 economic summit in Ottawa, President Francois Mitterrand of France told Reagan that French intelligence had obtained the services of an agent they dubbed "Farewell,"(Now there is a codename that inspires confidence) Col. Vladimir Vetrov, a 53-year-old engineer who was assigned to evaluate the intelligence collected by Directorate T. (SNIP)
"Reading the material caused my worst nightmares to come true," Weiss recalled. The documents showed the Soviets had stolen valuable data on radar, computers, machine tools and semiconductors, he wrote. "Our science was supporting their national defense."
The Farewell Dossier included a shopping list of future Soviet priorities. In January 1982, Weiss said he proposed to Casey a program to slip the Soviets technology that would work for a while, then fail. Reed said the CIA "would add âextra ingredientsâ to the software and hardware on the KGBâs shopping list."
"Reagan received the plan enthusiastically," Reed writes. "Casey was given a go." According to Weiss, "American industry helped in the preparation of items to be âmarketedâ to Line X."
When the pipeline exploded, Reed writes, the first reports caused concern in the U.S. military and at the White House. "NORAD feared a missile liftoff from a place where no rockets were known to be based," he said, referring to North American Air Defense Command. "Or perhaps it was the detonation of a small nuclear device." However, satellites did not pick up any telltale signs of a nuclear explosion.
"Before these conflicting indicators could turn into an international crisis," he added, "Gus Weiss came down the hall to tell his fellow NSC staffers not to worry." (final snip)
However, Vetrovâs espionage was discovered by the KGB, and he was executed in 1983. Link
Posted by: Evert Visser ||
02/27/2004 10:36:38 AM ||
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#6
we can alway hope that Khan was doing something similar :-)
Maybe when they light one off, it will be nothing more than red/white/blue fireworks that makes an American flag.
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 16:02 Comments ||
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#7
The pipeline explosion reminding people of the Cardinal of the Kremlin is probably because it was stolen directly from the book. If it sounds too good (and cute) to be true, it probably isn't.
#8
I was thinking more of the Vela incident, when the sleepy US nuke snoopers had their hormones and sensors stand up and salute. Prolly just urban legion.
Pakistani forces have moved into targeted areas of the countryâs long border with Afghanistan, after satellite telephone intercepts indicated that some members of al-Qaida were hiding there, security officials told The Associated Press on Friday. Good boys, keep using those phones.
Though officials insist there was no indication that Osama bin Laden was involved in the conversations, which took place last year, participants discussed a man called "Shaikh" - which is believed to be a code name for the al-Qaida leader. Hello! Do they call anyone else by that name?
The operation was based in part on information gleaned from satellite telephone intercepts from the United States and local intelligence data, the security officials said on condition of anonymity. "Some people who were speaking in Arabic have been heard saying Shaikh is in good health," one security official told the AP. Last we heard, Binny wouldnât let a sat phone near him. However, some of his followers seem pretty chatty, could be a indicator, could be a ruse. Have to wait and see.
It was not immediately clear when the United States shared its data with Pakistan. If they are chasing them, it should be close to real time.
U.S., Pakistani and Afghan officials have long suspected that bin Laden has been hiding out in the remote border region. There has been no confirmation or any hard evidence of his whereabouts in more than two years. Or of him being alive.
American counterterrorism experts were meeting with their counterparts in Pakistanâs capital of Islamabad to discuss combatting terrorism, said Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Rauf Chaudhry. The delegation will visit Pakistan for two days.
The border operations came even before a sweep in the town of Wana, about 190 miles west of the capital, Islamabad. The Wana operation ended earlier this week with the arrest of 25 suspects, though there was no indication that any senior al-Qaida leader was among them. Still checking IDâs.
Some of the suspects arrested were foreigners, though most appeared to be local tribesmen who live in a region that is home to inhabitants linked by language and culture to Afghan Pashtuns, the ethnic group that was the Talibanâs power base. Cannon fodder.
Pakistan officials insisted that security forces were chasing any clue from the suspects. Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed did not comment on any deployment, but said the rapid reaction forces were always on alert. "They are ready to take any action," he said. So is Mahmoud the Weasel.
Though the troops have been in the tribal regions for more than two years, the security officials say they are being adjusted to suit fresh intelligence data. It was not immediately clear precisely where the forces were placed - or how many were involved. "We are not close to capturing Osama, but all efforts and operations are directed at finding clues about his whereabouts," a senior government official told AP. "It is a tiring and long process." Only have to get lucky once.
The tribal regions have a centuries-old history of autonomy, but Pakistani forces have been slowly beefing up their presence since the Sept. 11 attacks. That presence has increased even more in recent months. Pakistan has so far confirmed only the operation near Wana, but officials told AP they are also "quietly operating" in other "marked areas." Bin Laden remains the ultimate target. "We are after him, because his capture will help eliminate terror threat in the region," one official told AP. Not completly, but it will help.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 10:14:59 AM ||
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Could be frustration from lack of alternatives. I hear phone service in eastern Afghanistan is even worse than Verizon. New service installation delays of 200 years or so.
Posted by: Mr. Davis ||
02/27/2004 11:44 Comments ||
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(2004-02-27) -- During last nightâs Democrat presidential debate, Sen. John Forbes Kerry tried to connect with his "base" by declaring that homosexual couples are the solution to the nationâs abortion problem.
"You donât see a lot of gay abortion clinics," said Mr. Kerry. "Same-sex couples almost never have unwanted pregnancies. If every man and woman in America would commit to a homosexual relationship with another man or woman, respectively, then we could virtually wipe out abortion in a generation."
Mr. Kerry said he opposes President Bushâs effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a monogamous, heterosexual relationship.
"Same-sex marriage is an issue for states to decide," he said, "and state legislators have plenty of time to decide such things because, since the U.S. Supreme Courtâs Roe v. Wade ruling, states donât have to waste time debating abortion."
Presidential rival John Edwards agreed, but said that he would be the better candidate to debate Mr. Bush on the homosexual abortion solution since, unlike Mr. Kerry, Mr. Edwards opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/27/2004 10:14:55 AM ||
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#1
chainey daugter will never had an abortion. she probly voting for kerry.
#5
I think Gay Marriage needs to be put on hold until the following are worked out:
Grounds for Gay Divorce, such as what constitutes mental cruelty. ("You look like the sort of man who would f*** a man in the a** and not have the common decency to offer him a reach-around!")
Criteria for Gay Annullment - Specifically what counts as consummation. Okay... maybe not too specific. Really.
#6
"homosexual couples are the solution to the nationâs abortion problem"
Is Kerry a blithering idiot or just an idiot!
Gay couples acure for abortion- maybe abortion would have been the cure for politicos withouta brain!Anyone whois in love hasthe right to a free life- those who try to force them into "norms" need alittle more self-reflection. Why is the holier than you attitude running rampant in these polticial vegetables- just for headlines? Sounds like this boy needs to listen to people more than putting a foot in his mouth! He sounded like he might have a clue before this drivel! AtleastBush has a backbone! I say abolish all political paties and primeries - just run for the man and his real beliefs- no pressures of certain political parties- let's hear what the MAN wants to accomlpish! Screw the politics!
I say the UN should look into a "dictatorâs profits tax" Fidel Castro is worth $195 million, according to Forbes magazine, which included the Cuban president in its annual compilation of the worldâs richest people. Although Castro was not one of the 587 people on the Forbes billionaires list, he was included in a special box for kings and governing classes. The weekly financial magazineâs description of the communist leader and the sources of his wealth was less than flattering. "The fatigues-fitted Cuban leader has lorded over an impoverished nation of 11 million people for the last 45 years," said the Forbes website. "El Lider is believed to have several lavish homes throughout Cuba. He travels exclusively in a convoy of black Mercedes-Benzes. Deals struck with European companies - such as the reported $US50 million ($A65 million) sale of Havana Club rum to French liquor company Pernod Ricard in 1993 - line Castroâs coffers with some $US20 million ($A26 million) a year. Those French, so sophisticated! So driven by pure principles!
"Concerns about his health persist," Forbes said of Castro. "He has reportedly named brother Raul as his successor." and keeps looking north nervously of late ...
Posted by: rkb ||
02/27/2004 10:07:19 AM ||
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He has reportedly named brother Raul as his successor. Thats been my call for a while. Its family values communist style - keep it (i.e. the kleptocratic dictatorship) in the family.
Nice timing...heh heh
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX FRI FEB 27, 2004 09:39:45 ET XXXXX
NUMBER ONE: KERRY RANKED âMOST LIBERALâ IN SENATE ROLL CALL VOTES, TOPS KENNEDY, CLINTON
NATIONAL JOURNAL on Friday claimed Democrat frontrunner John Kerry has the "most liberal" voting record in the Senate.
The results of Senate vote ratings show that Kerry was the most liberal senator in 2003, with a composite liberal score of 96.5 -- far ahead of such Democrat stalwarts as Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.
NATIONAL JOURNALâs scores, which have been compiled each year since 1981, are based on lawmakersâ votes in three areas: economic policy, social policy, and foreign policy.
"To be sure, Kerryâs ranking as the No. 1 Senate liberal in 2003 -- and his earning of similar honors three times during his first term, from 1985 to 1990 -- will probably have opposition researchers licking their chops," NATIONAL JOURNAL reports.
Developing...
[The ratings system was first devised in 1981 under the direction of William Schneider, a political analyst and commentator at CNN, and a contributing editor to National Journal, who continues to guide the calculation process. Data processing and statistical analysis were performed by Information Technology Services of the Brookings Institution. A panel of National Journal editors and reporters initially compiled a list of 140 key congressional roll-call votes for 2003 -- 63 votes for the Senate and 77 for the House -- and classified them as relating to economic, social, or foreign policy. Roll-call data was drawn from the Congressional Record.]
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 10:01:46 AM ||
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#1
This must really give his camp a case of heartburn...
I have a saying which I think applies: You can't wait for good timing - that's an oxymoron!
Rep. Anthony Weiner, a frequent critic of United States policy toward Saudi Arabia, said Thursday that the Middle East countryâs new visa policy outlined on a tourist Web site should be quickly condemned by American officials. The Web site, promoting a new Saudi program to offer tourist visas to encourage more foreign visitors, lists four groups not entitled to tourist visas, including "Jewish People." Truth in advertising
The Saudi government has traditionally only issued travel visas for employment, Hajj pilgrimages, jihad funding and other visits with official sanction.
In addition to Jews, the Web site by the Supreme Commission for Tourism also says it will refuse visas to anyone with an Israeli passport or a passport that has an Israeli stamp. "Cuz theyâre icky"
"It is very difficult to see the Saudis as anything other than a backward country with backward ideals and this reaffirms that," said Weiner. We knew that, but itâs nice to hear him say it.
"I think the administration should take a hard look at this Web site and decide whether a country that has these policies should be considered our ally." I prefer "Future Target".
Weiner said the U.S. should close its doors to Saudis until they "clarify" their immigration policy. I think they were very clear about it.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 9:58:16 AM ||
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#1
Nie Immer Wieder
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 10:54 Comments ||
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#2
well...it's sort of a moral victory because they called Jews "people" instead of the official Islamic party line-Dogs and Monkeys...
#6
They will never be able to shake their culture of blind hate and arrogant duplicity. It will disappear from the planet someday because technology has improved communications to the point where keeping it hidden - and showing the PR-crafted face - is impossible. I won't miss it, or them.
#8
they did not seem to mind too much when Jewish American soldiers were in there country defending there kingdom. About 5 years ago my parents took a long cruise through the mideast and their were certain countries that they could not enter because they had an entry stamp from Israel in their American passport. The cruise company had actually sent a letter to all of its customers priorto the cruise "suggesting" anyone who had previously visited Israel and ha dit stamped in their passports get a new one before the cruise. my parents refused wrote a letter to the cruise company president suggesting they not visit those ports where they owuldnt be allowed entry, of course this didnt happen but the company Curnard I beleive did give them some kind of financial reinbursment for the ocuntries they were not able to enter.
Posted by: scott ||
02/27/2004 20:33 Comments ||
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#9
"so how is Israel the only identified "racist" country in the Middle East?!?!?"
There are some cultures Japan for another as well as Israel which are "homogeneous" just by their cultures and religions. Racism is a different matter and shouldn't be confused with the homgenity of a people.
Israel has reportedly asked Egypt to take control of part of the Gaza Strip in the event of an Israeli withdrawal. The idea was discussed when Israeli intelligence officials visited Cairo earlier this month, Israeli security sources were quoted as saying. Under the plan, Egyptian forces would replace Israeli troops in a narrow corridor between the town of Rafah in Gaza and the Egyptian border. Israel has said it is considering pulling out of most of the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops have frequently clashed with Palestinians attempting to smuggle weapons and explosives into Gaza from Egypt by tunnelling under the Israel-controlled perimeter, known as the Philadelphia Corridor. The Philadelphia Corridor? No wonder there is so much seething and rage, theyâre Eagles fans with explosives!
Israel is concerned that the Islamic militant group Hamas will take over in Gaza if Israel withdraws, making the flow of illicit arms impossible to control. And this is different from today, how?
Egypt is also reportedly worried that the spread of Hamasâ power in Gaza will influence Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt and destabilise Hosni Mubarakâs government. Hummm
Former Israeli Defence Minster Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Egypt had promised to prevent arms smuggling to Gaza if Israel pulled out, Israel radio reported. Yeah, sure.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will dismantle most of the 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and redeploy troops if peace talks with the Palestinians ultimately fail. A time frame for a withdrawal has not been made public. The prospect of an Egyptian security role in Gaza will be discussed when Mr Sharonâs bureau chief, Dov Weisglass, visits the White House next week, the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported. The corridor, several hundred metres wide, was retained by Israel when most of Gaza was turned over to the Palestinian Authority under peace accords in the 1990s. The town of Rafah was split between Israel and Egypt after the two sides signed the Camp David peace treaty in 1978. Interesting.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 9:49:04 AM ||
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The Philadelphia Corridor? No wonder there is so much seething and rage, theyâre Eagles fans with explosives!
ROTFLMAO!
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/27/2004 9:51 Comments ||
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"Egypt is also reportedly worried that the spread of Hamasâ power in Gaza will influence Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt and destabilise Hosni Mubarakâs government."
Let's see how long it takes before the truncheons come out.
Posted by: Daniel King ||
02/27/2004 11:17 Comments ||
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#4
Great. Let Egypt deal with an organization dedicated to murder by any means possible. Good riddance. My only concern is whether there will be factions within the Egyptian military that are sympathetic to Hamas.
#6
What I don't get is why Israel cares. Hamas could be knee deep in weapons after the IDF pulls out, it doesn't matter if they can't get the weapons in close proximity to Jews. Let them blow each other up in Gaza.
#7
Ruprecht is right! Once Israel has disengaged and locked the gate they will us the guns and bombs on each other.
The Left is getting distinctly nervous about large scale paleo on plaeo atrocities. It will blow their it all the fault of the Jooos argument out of the water.
Shoko Asahara, the leader of a Japanese doomsday cult which gassed the Tokyo subway in 1995, has been sentenced to death for ordering the attack. The sarin strike killed 12 people and injured thousands more. It shocked Japan and shed light on the fanatical Aum Shinrikyo group, which was obsessed with chemical and biological weapons. Eleven other Aum members have received death sentences, though none have been executed pending appeals. I donât believe very many people win these apeals in Japan.
I think the conviction rate is something like 90% over there. Either way, it's long past time that Asahara was toes up.
Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, stood passively and said nothing as he was found guilty of all 13 charges of murder and attempted murder. It is still not clear exactly why Asahara ordered the Tokyo attack. The group mixed Buddhist, Hindu and Christian tenets and believed some kind of Armageddon was imminent. The group had also begun to feel threatened by the police at the time of the subway strike and some analysts believe it was in part designed to delay and confuse the authorities. Aum is still operating, albeit under the new name of Aleph and with a supposedly benign new remit. However, the Japanese police still monitor it closely and believe it is still dangerous. Should be shut down totally, Japanese may be allowing it to stay open in order to monitor the membership.
The other problem is that if they get shut down they go underground, which is not something you amongst folks who know how to make chemical weapons. Right now they claim not to be dangerous, so the coppers tolerate their whackiness but the moment that they start getting nutty again, like the Russian batch in 2001 that wanted to spring their Grand Guru loose, you shut 'em down.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 9:37:03 AM ||
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Looks like things are going to get mighty toasty for this guy in a few years.
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
02/27/2004 9:49 Comments ||
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#2
I await the world's outrage that a civilized country should still have a death penalty. I'm sure Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon will quickly appear and take the benighted country to task. Oh, wait! That's Japan! I thought we were discussing the U.S.
#3
The CNN version of this story also states that Japan has a 99-percent conviction rate. That sentence alone doesn't explain much, so I'm wondering if anyone here familiar with Japan's court system could elaborate? Specifically, are Japanese prosecutors really that good, or do they dismiss most charges and cases until they find an easy, clear cut case? Are they able to present more evidence than an American prosecutor might (if it were obtained illegally or without a warrant)?
That stat is way open to interpretation without any supporting stats. I'm worried that there's a lot of innocent people in Japan behind bars, or alternately that only the criminally stupid get caught and prosecuted successfully, while any criminal with a smattering of intelligence walks.
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 10:36 Comments ||
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Somekind of Armageddon Hmmm.... yep. Pretty good name for a band.
#5
explain to shoko that sometimes when a big boy like that gets the gallows, the head comes clean off....heh heh
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 11:04 Comments ||
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Specifically, are Japanese prosecutors really that good, or do they dismiss most charges and cases until they find an easy, clear cut case?
They don't arrest people and press charges until they have a slam dunk case. If they try someone and fail to get a convection they'd loose face. I was in Japen for three years and that's what my Japanese friends told me. They also are big supporters of the death sentence, they still believe in personal responsibility for your actions.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 11:10 Comments ||
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#7
Ah... The ever present saving of face. That explains a lot. Thanks, Steve!
Hmm... Don't know if I like that or not. Seems like there's a slim chance in such a system of convicting someone who's innocent, but unless you have a heap of evidence a lot of criminals will walk. It's more incentive to make sure there are no witnesses!
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 11:40 Comments ||
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#8
is this the same nut group who had a research base in the Oz outback and apparently the nutters were fuckin about trying to make 'tesla' weapons! Scary.
#9
Dar, also, they rely pretty heavily on confessions (don't ask me how they get the confessions, I am not sure), so it is harder to lawyer them off the hook, such as by raising questions about the evidence.
Posted by: Carl in N.H ||
02/27/2004 13:13 Comments ||
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Jon, yes, you are right. IIRC, they tested their poisons on animals in Australia, kind of like al-Qaeda was doing in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Carl in N.H ||
02/27/2004 13:14 Comments ||
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don't ask me how they get the confessions, I am not sure
Carl, the police "question" suspects for days without a break. Break them down, shame them into it, ask them to do it to save their families honor. Plus they know everything about them, if you walk around Japan you'll notice small police sub-stations all over the place. Each one has a listing of every person living in the area with details on everyone in the family. This tradition goes way back in Japanese history and continues to expand with technology. The law allowing police to eavesdrop on telephone calls and access e-mail messages was introduced in 2000. In 2002, Japan adopted a computerized ID system giving citizens 11-digit numbers linked to a database containing their personal information. They have installed security cameras on the streets that send pictures back to the police stations. In Japan, Big Brother-san is watching.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 13:50 Comments ||
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Sounds like a littel gas needs to go to this guy!
Eye for an Eye and all that! Maybe some of these terrorists will think twice if we do what they did to their helpless victims!
Afghan troops captured five suspected Taliban during a "clean-up" operation in the countryâs southern Zabul province, Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said today. Maulvi Mohammed Omar, Zabulâs deputy governor, told the agency the arrests were made during recent raids in Meezana district. "We recovered ten Kalashinkovs from the possession of a Taliban fighter who was trying to escape in a fetching head-to-toe scarf," he said. Omar said the five suspects have been sent to southern Kandahar province for interrogation. Let the beatings commence!
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 9:12:11 AM ||
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I LIKE it that these are AFGHAN troops in action. Yeah, go boys!!
from the Financial Times. Economics isnât everything but it underlies a lot of what we track here on Rantburg ...
The currency capers continued this week with some international big hitters highlighting the effects of the dollarâs weakness on some of the worldâs biggest economies. But itâs not just the euro and the pound rising -- positive figures from around the globe this week showed the green shoots of recovery are growing taller.
Bitte Bush
The dollarâs weakness is becoming so painful for Europe that Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, said he would raise the issue with George W. Bush, the US president. Mr Schröder told the Financial Times the euro-dollar exchange rate was "not satisfactory". He stopped short of calling for any joint intervention to stabilise it, but said Europe and the US shared a "common responsibility" for the world economy.
Nightmare on Kaiserstrasse
This came after a report that the European Central Bank was ready to cut interest rates and co-operate with the Bank of Japan to stem the rise in the euro, the European Central Bank is about to blink in its staring contest with Bush & the Fed which led to fresh selling of the single currency. Strategists said the report, which coincided with talk of possible US rate rises, gave the market "a hell of a fright".
Japanese intervention gets thumbs up
The currency debate received some additional firepower when Horst Kohler, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said Japan was right to intervene massively in the foreign exchange markets. In remarks that are likely to intensify debate on Tokyoâs unprecedented and controversial levels of foreign exchange intervention, Mr Kohler said: "It is pragmatic and helps stabilise the financial system and battle deflation." Last year, Japan spent about $185bn - about twice its trade surplus and three times the previous record - to prop up the dollar and arrest the yenâs appreciation. In effect, Japan has been disgorging massive profits they reaped in the 80s. Financial cycles can be decades long and often, the current leadership really isnât responsible for either the good or the bad of the moment.
Britain moves up a gear
The global recovery became further entrenched this week when revisions showed British GDP grew by 2.3 per cent last year, not 2.1 per cent as previously estimated. Buoyant consumer spending propelled growth in the worldâs fourth largest economy to the highest level in three years and beyond the governmentâs expectations. The gathering momentum made the Treasuryâs 3-3.5 per cent growth forecast for this year - widely suspected of being too optimistic - more achievable.
Asian expansion
Among the raft of good news from Asia this week, it emerged that the IMF was revising its forecast for Hong Kongâs 2004 GDP growth in view of the improving global economy, increased spending by tourists from mainland China China will be one of the most important players in the 21st century, economically and otherwise and a recovery in consumer confidence.
Although the new forecast will not be announced until April, the IMFâs upbeat assessment mirrors growing optimism about Hong Kongâs economy. The present forecast, made in December, is for growth of 4.5-5 per cent.
Meanwhile Chinaâs booming economy helped push Japanâs trade surplus up almost five-fold last month compared with January 2003, underscoring the role of strong regional growth in boosting Japanâs economic recovery. Japanâs strong export growth is powering a broadening economic pick-up by stimulating business investment, as consumer spending has also begun to improve. In the past quarter this helped lift Japanâs annualised GDP growth rate to 7 per cent.
And Malaysiaâs gross domestic product expanded by 5.2 per cent last year, making it the third fastest growing economy in south-east Asia after Thailand and Vietnam. The growth rate exceeded a government forecast of 4.5 per cent but was in line with market expectations. It was the economyâs best performance since 2000.
Greenspan turns up the volume
But in the US, Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve, ratcheted up his warning about rising budget deficits in the US, saying that substantial cuts in future spending must be planned soon. heâs right about that. The situation now is not the same as during the Reagan years & itâs a major mistake to think that things will play out the same with our deficits as they did with his In congressional testimony, Mr Greenspan said reforms that cut spending on Social Security and Medicare were needed. Referring to a recent study by the non-partisan Congressional budget office, the Fed chairman said: "The budget scenarios considered by the CBO in its December assessment of the long-term budget outlook offer a vivid and sobering illustration of the challenges we face." His warning about deficits and his suggestion of cutting programmes such as Social Security and Medicare have been used by Democrats and Republicans.
Globalisation discontent
An urgent rethink of globalisation is needed if the world is not to risk sliding into further insecurity and conflict, said the 26-member World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, set up by the International Labour Organisation in 2001. Globalisation had created wealth for a privileged few but many others had suffered growing exclusion and deprivation, it said. "There are deep-seated and persistent imbalances in the current workings of the global economy, which are ethically unacceptable and politically unsustainable. Wealth is being created, but too many countries and people are not sharing in its benefits." The imbalances arenât new, but shared awareness in the age of the Internet is, which changes the cultural equation dramatically. So too is the nature of trade between regions, with finished goods rather than commodities coming from poorer nations now.Caught by commodities
Further underlining the gap between the worldâs rich and poor, a United Nations study this week said most African countries are boxed into a commodity trap that condemns them to poverty and indebtedness. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) said sub-Saharan Africaâs dependence on commodities whose prices are in long-term decline had impeded savings and investment, set back development and led to persistently high levels of debt. It called for new international commodity initiatives to set the continent on a sustainable growth path. The problem, of course, is that sub-Saharan Africa is stuck at the commodities stage and will be for a long time. The infrastructure, education and political frameworks just arenât in place to bring in industry, nor have the Africans moved(in many cases) beyond tribal culture to a more urban and law-based model.
It wonât add up
Finally, in a rare burst of cheerleading for mathematicians, a British government-sponsored inquiry this week warned of dire economic consequences if a shortage in maths experts continues.
Secondary school exams offer employers and universities no guarantee of mathematical ability, Professor Adrian Smith said,adding that businesses in need of qualified employees could not trust school exam grades as a measure of maths attainment.
Maths graduates, who are in short supply across the economy, should be paid higher salaries to choose a teaching career, he suggested, and undergraduate mathematicians could be employed in schools to supplement the specialists. Weâve lost a generation here in the US too .... when I was hiring techies, I was appalled at the number of people who lacked basic math and science skills. We are behind and slipping rapidly - if we donât get serious about insisting our kids be educated in these topics, weâd better start boning up on Mandarin language courses. The attitude among Chinese-based groups is that math can be learned by anyone who does the work. They expect skills and they get them. Same attitude at West Point, by the way - EVERY cadet must take at a minimum a sequence of courses in one of the engineering areas. Noone is let off the hook because "math is hard".
Posted by: rkb ||
02/27/2004 9:07:25 AM ||
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Love the title!
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 9:54 Comments ||
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#2
Great and informative article, but there are no trains in it!
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 10:59 Comments ||
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#3
No, but we are talking about the engine of growth and making sure the international economy doesn't go off the rails.
Not a model article, I confess - the wrong gauge for this crowd. [smile]
#4
rkb--Do you know if Hong Kong's economy is being handled individually from mainland China's? Also, is Hong Kong's economy under the same restrictions as China's, or are they still able to keep the looser rules in place before the unification?
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 11:12 Comments ||
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#5
Frank currency exchanges
Frank, have you been undermining the world economy again?
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 11:17 Comments ||
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#6
Yeah, I worry so much about my trade imbalance with the supermarket, too. Why, I keep buyin' stuff from them, but they never seems to reciprocate...
#7
I do believe the IMF measures Hong Kong's economy as separate from the mainland.
I'm not sure to what degree Beijing has imposed its own controls on HK. It seems to be the case that even on the mainland they allow some de facto differences, whatever the formal laws say.
#8
rkb said: The attitude among Chinese-based groups is that math can be learned by anyone who does the work. They expect skills and they get them. Same attitude at West Point, by the way - EVERY cadet must take at a minimum a sequence of courses in one of the engineering areas. Noone is let off the hook because "math is hard".
Very good point rkb. Having suffered through the Thayer System, I appreciate it even more. What the Chinese and USMA have are discipline. Society at large can't make every little Josh and Brittney take trig in high school because we'd make Josh miss weight training for football, and Brittney miss dance class. Their parents would raise hell. Undisciplines parents, undisciplined kids. The Chinese parents don't give a rat's ass whether their kids are popular. They just want them to be successful. The faculty at USMA doesn't care if you get 4 hours of sleep, six nights a week, they just want you to be an extremely well rounded Army officer and to be able to handle stress.
I read once that the reason that Rome and the British Empire fell was that they stopped building and started arbitraging. It was far more attractive to extract value than to create value and the extracters were by far the more richly rewarded. You don't have to re-create Sparta or Prussia, but you do have to incentivize builders as well as arbitragers and you have to have the discipline as a society to ensure that the arbitragers are educated enough to understand what the hell the builders do. End rant.
I'll go farther - the jobs situation in the US is mainly a structural problem due to the fact that in the 90s we reaped much of the easiest commercial potential of technologies originally developed in the 60s - 80s (many of them originally developed for defense and space systems). In addition, most of the boomers got at least some math and science in school and they were central to that commercialization process.
Today we have new emerging technologies, but they aren't fully mature for easy commercialization yet except for some in the homeland security area, some biotech engineering and soon, nanotech. And, worse, where are the engineers to take this forward? US students avoided math and science courses in droves as soon as the "more student centered" curricula emerged in the 70s. So we have a huge group of younger workers without the necessary education (not just skills) and the boomers still needing to work while the gut jobs like network admin get replaced by smart software or sent overseas to be done remotely.
Sorry, guys ... I was about to go off on a favorite rant. [smile]
11A5S is right about West Point, though - my students learn a lot more than they assumed they could, because they're not allowed to stay if they don't work at every required course (and a great deal of their degree is required courses). If they do work, they get all sorts of support and help to succeed.
In January 1982, President Ronald Reagan approved a CIA plan to sabotage the economy of the Soviet Union through covert transfers of technology that contained hidden malfunctions, including software that later triggered a huge explosion in a Siberian natural gas pipeline, according to a new memoir by a Reagan White House official.
Big article... read the rest... very interesting
Posted by: ----------<<<<- ||
02/27/2004 9:06:27 AM ||
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username: cypherpunks password cypherpunks usually works for most 'register' sites.
#3
Am I the only one who recalls the Leftists (and I am ashamed to admit including my own brother who is a fairly high profile American university professor) running around saying 'Reagan is stupid' 'Reagan is stupid'.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
#4
phil_b, a liberal would never have give the soviets faulty equipment. He would ensured they got the real thing! Current example: PRC space program! How can a country that can't produce modern avionics launch space vehicles? Clinton knows the answer.
#5
Word from my "liberal" family members: "horrible that the US would have done something so nasty and underhanded. Think of the environmental damage done by that natural gas explosion!"
#7
It never ceases to amuse me that Lefties actually believe that a stupid person can become President of the United States. Personally, I think our worst presidents in recent years were Clinton and Carter, but I wouldn't assume either one to be stupid. Lots of other derogatory adjectives, but not "stupid."
Posted by: Tom ||
02/27/2004 20:56 Comments ||
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Africa as a whole will be an important focus this decade ... Libyan oil isnât a new factor, but active US engagement across the board in Africa could be ....
The US on Thursday said it would let US oil companies reopen negotiations with the Libyan government over potentially lucrative oil leases that have been off- limits since Washington imposed sanctions on the government of Muammer Gadaffi in 1986.
The concession was among measures announced by the White House on Thursday to reward Libya for deciding to renounce weapons of mass destruction and compensate the victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Libya will get investment and access to our markets, and oil is just the start ....
The US said it would lift all restrictions on Americans travelling to Libya, allowing visits for the first time in 23 years, and would invite Tripoli to re-establish partial diplomatic relations by sending permanent representatives to Washington.
"While more remains to be done, Libyaâs actions have been serious, credible and consistent with Colonel Gadaffiâs public declaration that Libya seeks to play a role in âbuilding a new world free from [weapons of mass destruction] and from all forms of terrorismâ ", the White House said.
Testifying before the Senate foreign relations committee, William Burns, secretary of state for near eastern affairs, said on Thursday he remained concerned about Libyaâs continued involvement in African countries, particularly the regimes in Zimbabwe and Liberia. Yup. gonna need a short leash for a while
"US Libyan relations can only be rebuilt if we develop confidence in the Libyan regimeâs commitment to repudiate its past support for terrorism. We are still concerned about problems in Liberia and Zimbabwe."
The White House announcement was delayed from Monday after Shukri Ghanem, Libyaâs prime minister, said in a BBC interview his country had agreed to the Lockerbie settlement only to "buy peace".
But on Wednesday Libya said it stood by its letter to the UN last August, which stated that it "accepts responsibility for the actions of its officials" in bringing down PanAm Flight 103.
Four US oil companies - Occidental Petroleum and a coalition comprising ConocoPhillips, Marathon and Amerada Hess - hold oil leases in Libya
Posted by: rkb ||
02/27/2004 8:54:48 AM ||
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Must have allowed MO to get his learner's permit.
Gadaffi's at an age where people want to mentor and to have a legacy. He's said for a while now that he'd like his to be as a leader in Africa (the whole pan-Arab thing having turned out less than useful and anyway, not all Libyans are Arab).
We OTOH know we'll be engaged with Africa a lot this coming decade.
#8
Cleaning up our "allies" mess again, and I'm getting tired of it.
The mess has been around for fifty-odd years, was pretty much self contained, and could be ignored. Now that nearly anyone can access technology, the mess has become a dangerous one.
EFL & Bandwidth
Pakistani military and paramilitary troops arrested at least 20 people, including foreigners, in an operation conducted Tuesday against suspected Al Qaeda members and their tribal hosts in the hilly terrain near the border with Afghanistan. The security forces, armed with automatic weapons and aided by gunship helicopters, conducted search and raid operations in South Waziristan, a tribal region that is a notorious haven for Al Qaeda and Taliban remnants. Men and women were detained in the six-hour operation, which also netted weapons, audiocassettes, and passports.
I think that this is the third time they've rounded up 20 folks, so either al-Qaeda in Wana travel in groups of 20 or it's the same bunch. The part about audiotapes is interesting though, should be nice to learn what's on them.
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
02/27/2004 8:31:20 AM ||
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20 = 19 + 1; and remember the speculation about the "20th hijacker". It could be that al'Qaeda has always been organized into 20-member cells. Or, possibly, their "action" cells have 20 members and administrative cells are smaller.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
02/27/2004 10:21 Comments ||
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#3
I don't know... I think they are talking about the same group. Hope I'm wrong though. I wish the newspapers would clarify.
You know how these folks love special treatment Hat tip: Misha I
This is just my personal take on the matter. This doeanât appear to be a "top fifty dinner guests from hell" list, something based on humor. It appears to be an enemies list, and the text is strongly anit-semetic.
Am I overreacting to this?
Posted by: badanov ||
02/27/2004 8:29:45 AM ||
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I do not think you are overreacting. At least judging from the title: Why won't anyone say they are Jewish?
"Found one more! Dang these pesky fellas are everywhere. Robert Novak. Yes, I know it is hard to believe. But take a good hard look at him and then notice the unfortunate bulldog hyperaggressive obnoxious jerk behavior which is unfortunately exemplifies one of the worst Jewish steretypes: "the obnoxious, belligerent, arrogant, loud-mouthed, rude, fight-picking, amoral, greedy, callous" Jew caricatured throughout history - Mr. Novak to a tee. :( Free Palestine Information Agency)"
#3
Michael Totten has an EXCELLENT response to this a**hole. And no, you're not overreacting - by "outing" a subset of the neocons (which he doesn't quite define) as Jews, he's saying they have an agenda that is separate and apart from the American Agenda. A Jewish agenda. Or an Israeli agenda. He's saying they are some sort of cabal - the "Jewish Conspiracy." Such is the idiocracy.
#4
The gist of the article is that these people support Israel's right to exist because they're Jooooos. It's obvious the author opposes same. I, a lapsed Catholic, support Israel because their democratic society reflects my values a helluva lot more than the Paleo death cult: a stinking hellhole of corruption, mafia killings, forced immersion in hate propaganda, and ululating bitches on 9-11. That day sealed my hate for the Paleo regime forever. Give them nothing but the blank side of a wall to paint their hate on
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 9:32 Comments ||
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Y'know, now that you mention it - John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Terry McAuliffe... do you suppose that there is some sinister Irish Conspiracy going down?
#6
Normally I wouldn't give a dam about the religion or ethnicity of people espousing a particular position. The issue is whether I agreed or disagree with the position, but the strong implication here is that because they are jews then the neocon position is essentially fraudulent and merely a disguise for support of Israel. Its the old chestnut of a jewish conspiracy.
I happen to strongly support the neocon position and this is an unjustified and fraudulent attack on both Jews and the neocon platform.
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 12:11 Comments ||
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I think all the claims that the Bush administration was used by the neo-conspiracy are kinda funny - ironical even. Bush was not used by them, he used them - and now he is almost finished with them.
#11
Funny about Robert Novak, I didn't know Jews celebrated Ash Wed. He went through a broadcast
with a big smear of ash on his forehead a year
or so ago on Ash Wed. I guess he's just being
clever and trying to throw people off his scent.
EFL & Bandwidth!
Yesterdayâs news was welcomed by American businesses that had stakes in Libyaâs oil industry before the trade embargo was imposed. "U.S. companies with pre-sanctions holdings in Libya will be authorized as of today to negotiate the terms of their re-entry into operations in Libya, subject to the requirement of a further U.S. approval for implementation of any agreements if sanctions have not otherwise been lifted," the White House said. It invited Libya to open an interest section in Washington â a much smaller version of an embassy. It also said it "will continue to augment" the U.S. interest section in Tripoli "to reflect the increasing depth of our bilateral relationship."
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
02/27/2004 7:52:06 AM ||
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One night last week a group of radical Islamists stole into the remote Darel valley and blew up the three-room schoolhouse and tried to burn down four other schools in the area.
"I was given a warning by the mullahs and the mujahideen, âToday we destroy your school. Tomorrow we will destroy your home,â " said Abdul Gafar, 27, the schoolâs teacher. No one was injured in the attack but it was the first of its kind in Pakistan. Over the course of the next five days four more primary schools were blown up or set alight, two in the nearby town of Chilas.
Four of the damaged schools were for girls and five were for boys. All of them were funded by the World Bank and run by a Pakistani non-governmental organisation called the Social Action Programme.The message of the attacks was clear: the education of girls and foreign-funded schools would not be tolerated. For either boys or girls! Allah forbid they thing or learn something outside the Koran.
Saeed Ahmed Khan, the areaâs senior official, said: "It is a place where the law cannot be easily enforced. Religious extremist groups are reacting because they oppose women being educated and have lost ground since these schools opened. Admission to religious schools has dropped." Finally, a good sign. My persumption is that all parents love their children, girls and boys alike, and, given the chance would send their children to the best schools possible...hence destroy all schools but the madrassas.
The Darel valley is hidden among the vast ramparts of the Hindu Kush in Pakistanâs Northern Areas.It was where the frontiers of the British Indian, Czarist Russian and Imperial Chinese empires met in the 19th century. In colonial times the residence of the Assistant Political Agent at Chilas was known as "the Journeyâs End", as the British officer posted there had to travel for months by sea, road, horse-back and eventually on foot to reach his outpost.The valley is accessible only through a narrow, dark defile through which the government has recently blasted a rudimentary track. I know I should have edited this out also...but it is such a nice visual description, I just had to leave it in...lol
Today police block outsiders from visiting for reasons of "law and order". It is the "Valley of the Beards" as almost all men wear full, mullah-style whiskers and carry weapons."The Kalashnikov culture is strong there. They will be looking for reprisals for the men who have been arrested destroying the schools," said the Chilas district commissioner, Qimat Jan.
Last year the Chilas offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were attacked and damaged. The year before the UNDP offices in Darel and the neighbouring valley of Tangir were burnt down.
Home to 36,000 people, the area is a fecund trove of walnut and apricot trees and green patches of wheat. Darel is divided : a majority want to educate their sons and daughters and embrace outside help while a minority oppose progress and "kafir" (infidel) ways. But the minority has guns and the "Will to Murder their Neighbors." Guess which side wins.
"They want to send us back to the past and stop progress. They say the schools are brainwashing the people and warn that outsiders will take over the valley," said Mr Gafar."One of my brothers is a mullah and he is the schoolâs biggest supporter.
"It is only a handful of mullahs and mujahideen who oppose it. They issued threats while it was being built and we asked for a watchman but there were no funds."
"Women going to pray at 5am saw smoke billowing from the school house and everyone got up and doused the flames with buckets of water," said Riaz Ahmed, a school teacher. Think what this sight, their school burning in the distance, must do inside a young girlâs head. Will she ever forget this lesson? Is another generation of Pakistani children already being lost?
Posted by: Traveller ||
02/27/2004 6:50:02 AM ||
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It is only a handful of mullahs and mujahideen who oppose it.
In Moslem societies a few bullies decide everything.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 8:53 Comments ||
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EFL
Last year the Ministry of Planning issued a report on the number of unmarried women in Saudi Arabia â an alarming 1. 5 million. Dr. Abdullah Al-Fawzan, a sociologist at King Saud University, later produced a study about hazards to the Saudi families, in which he cited unmarried women. He also listed a number of reasons for this.
One of these reasons, he said, was that the mindset or prejudices of people in the Kingdom have not changed over the years. Heâs not just making this up.
He said that as people moved from a rural to a metropolitan environment over the decades, this should have meant a concomitant change in customs and social norms â including how girls get married â but that has not happened. In the past, a girlâs family had to wait for a suitable man to come forward with his family and propose. Because towns and villages were small and most people knew one another, tying the knot was not a problem. [âŠ.] Now in big cities, where residents number in their millions and few people even know their next-door neighbors, it is common for a Saudi woman to continue to be single into her late twenties hoping and waiting for fate to come knocking on her door. [âŠ.] It remains a social taboo for a woman to propose to a man, or even for the father of a single girl to mention that he has a daughter to the parents of an eligible bachelor. The Magic Kingdom needs a Sadie Hawkins Day.
The enormous cost of marriage is another reason why many women remain single. Last year, Arab News published a report that the average cost of tying the knot for a Saudi man is SR165,000. Expenses include dowry, the cost for wedding parties for men and women, rent, furniture, gold and jewelry, home appliances, and so forth. If the first paycheck for most Saudi college graduates is SR4,000 in the government sector, how long will it take for them to save up to get married, even if they save half their salary? [âŠ]
Priorities of Saudi women have also changed. In the past, a Saudi girl was brought up to think that her first priority in life was marriage. That came first and everything else followed. Now, due to the economic and social changes in our society, a Saudi girlâs first priority is finishing her studies. Her second priority would be to find a job. And only her third priority would be marriage.
Bearing in mind that most Saudi men prefer brides between the ages of 16 and 25, that means that it is mostly likely that when a girl graduates from college, if no one comes forward to ask for her hand during her college years or soon after, she is most likely to become a spinster because she will seem old in the eyes of most Saudi men. Of course there are other factors contributing to the growing number of unmarried women, not least among them that tribal laws dictate that a woman cannot get married to a man who is not a member of her tribe. [âŠ.] Meanwhile Saudi men continue to look for brides abroad. Itâs a whole lot cheaper.
Posted by: GK ||
02/27/2004 5:22:23 AM ||
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It remains a social taboo ... for the father of a single girl to mention that he has a daughter
When Allah created the universe, one of his main ideas was that a man should not mention that he has a daughter.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 8:28 Comments ||
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Some societies are just too stupid to survive...
Posted by: john ||
02/27/2004 10:53 Comments ||
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#4
This would be an excellent time to start a mail order bride business...Seriously! First, many Saudi women are good looking, and I'm sure that they don't mind washing dishes. Second, the more women not in the Land of Saud translates into less children born in the Land of Saud....Think of it as a demographic implosion, much like that of the EU. Third, once Saudi women learn of the freedom in the Western World a snowball effect might occur culturally.
Posted by: Sean ||
02/27/2004 11:03 Comments ||
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#5
Sean, you must not have been in the military. It doesn't take long for "concerned" American women to clue a newly minted "war bride" into the real deal in the US. I'd say dishwashing would last about six months.
#6
Redneck, Cool, there was something recently about The Saudi chicks going gay, probs because the guys are humping the camels and each other. You could order two dishwashers that love each other and enjoy for 6 months, whilst integrating them. ;)
#7
I worked with a young Saudi woman (where you work within Aramco determines if you have any contact with femalians!!!) who had all the potential in the world. The society had done a job on her and she was so shy about speaking up it was painful to watch. I felt like her father and defended her when her male Saudi peers denigrated her skills and smirked at every suggestion she made.
She "lucked out" (not really) and, due to family connections, was offered a job assignment in the US - which pissed the males off mightily. Interestingly, after 9/11, these asshats were no longer eager to go to the US. I can't imagine why...
One thing is certain, she will never return to Saudi -- those family connections allowed her to get the most prized thing in the world for a femalian Saudi: a solo passport. So if you live in the [mumble-mumble] area and are under 35, I know a drop-dead winner Saudi femalian... ;-)
#11
Guilty as charged! To be honest, I haven't a clue (and I did try, honest!) who could be substituted - I've never considered anyone to be her / their equal - proving I'm blinded by my age and very insensitive!
Suggestions? I know they won't include a Saudi femalian!
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The revelations about the international nuclear trading of the Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan have rekindled a debate inside the American intelligence community over an unresolved but crucial strategic question from the last decade: did Pakistan conduct a secret nuclear weapons test in partnership with North Korea? Startling clues were detected after underground tests that Pakistan carried out in May 1998, when it proved to the world that its own efforts to build nuclear weapons had succeeded. According to former and current American intelligence officials, an American military jet sent to sample the air after the final test in the wastelands of the Baluchistan desert picked up traces of plutonium. That surprised experts at the Los Alamos national laboratory, because Pakistan said openly that all of its bombs were fueled by highly enriched uranium, produced at Dr. Khanâs laboratories. Among the possible explanations hotly debated after the tests was that North Korea â perhaps in return for the help from Dr. Khan â might have given Pakistan some of its precious supply of plutonium to conduct a joint test of an atomic weapon.
The debate over the 1998 tests was never settled and fell into obscurity, until Dr. Khan confessed last month that he had spread nuclear skills and equipment to North Korea, as well as Libya and Iran, over more than a decade. Now the old argument has been reignited in the United Statesâ national laboratories, and it gained new urgency in light of multilateral talks this week in Beijing to persuade North Korea to halt and dismantle its nuclear weapons programs. If experts confirm that the 1998 tests involved both Pakistan and North Korea, it would strongly suggest that North Korea can not only produce plutonium but build a weapon, the "nuclear deterrent force" it claimed to possess before the talks. The Central Intelligence Agency has been urgently preparing a report this week on what North Korea may have gained from Dr. Khanâs nuclear dealings, American officials said, to supply new evidence to American negotiators in the Beijing talks.
North Korea has never tested a weapon on its own territory, leading many to wonder whether it can make working bombs. That is why the mystery of the last Pakistani test, on May 30, 1998, is tantalizing. Of several tests Pakistan conducted then, the last one differed from those that preceded it in other ways besides the plutonium traces it produced. It was 60 miles away from the first test site. The shaft leading to the bomb was dug vertically rather than horizontally, experts said, a lower cost method. The detonation was also smaller. Pakistani officials said they had used a "miniaturized" device, but gave no other details. By all accounts, Dr. Khan was closely involved with that final test. The next day, asked by a reporter about rumors that Pakistan had once tested a weapon in China, Dr. Khan snapped, "No country allows another country to explode a weapon." But at the Los Alamos laboratory, some experts believed that might have been exactly what happened. Pakistan, most analysts believed, had insufficient material and experience to make a plutonium bomb. "It could only have come from one of two places: China or North Korea," said one senior intelligence official involved in the debate. "And it seemed like China had nothing to gain," he said, from providing plutonium to Pakistan.
Robert J. Einhorn, a nuclear intelligence official in the State Department at the time, noted that Pakistan and North Korea had common interests. "The Pakistanis had already purchased long-range missiles from North Korea," he recalled. But he said it was "speculation" that North Korea supplied plutonium for the test. "Itâs conceivable that Pakistani testing was providing data that was benefit to the North Koreans, but hard evidence doesnât exist on it," he said. Eventually the debate faded, until Dr. Khanâs admissions. A retired Pakistani military officer said this week North Korean technicians worked at Dr. Khanâs lab in 1998. But he said the collaboration was on missiles, and he never suspected Dr. Khan of nuclear proliferation. Today, skeptics ask why North Korea would have wanted to test a bomb in Pakistan in 1998 when it was thought to have only a limited supply of plutonium. "It doesnât seem logical," a federal nuclear analyst said. Another said some evidence suggested the plutonium was older than the North Korean program. However, a third analyst urged new analyses. American agents could gather material from the top of the Pakistani test shaft to settle the question of whether it really vented plutonium, he suggested.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
02/27/2004 4:54:16 AM ||
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Oops.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
02/27/2004 4:54 Comments ||
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So, that answers that question. The NORKs have tested an implosion device.
More on the reorganisation of the Kashmir Jihad posted yesterday
In a two-pronged change of strategy, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has shifted several militant training camps from Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) to Pakistani territory, and is re-organising the command structure of militant organisations it uses for terrorist strikes in India. Under pressure to stop cross-border terrorism into India, ISI has now moved several of the training camps from PoK since these had come to the notice of the international community. But some of the camps have been retained for use by foreign mercenaries as Islamabad uses the excuse that it has no control over them, informed sources said here. Interrogation of a number of Pakistani militants captured by the Indian authorities, reveals that about 2300 militants from five camps in Muzaffarabad areas have just been moved to two camps at Taxila and Haripur in Islamabad-Peshawar area. There was a throwaway remark in the latest edition of Pakâs Friday Times that some of the Jihadis in one of the training camps were killed in an earthquake earlier this month.
There's that whole signs and portents thing again ...
These tactical changes have been accompanied by moves to restructure the United Jehad Council (UJC), an umberella group of 13 militant outfits, to enable ISI to have a tighter control over its running. Smaller outfits which have been irritants for ISI are being merged which will reduce the number of their representation in UJC from 13 to five. The ISI has asked Al-Barq, Teherek-e-Jehad, Islamic Front, 313 brigade and the Kashmiri component of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen to merge and form Kashmir Liberation Organisation. However, there were differences on the name between Kashmiri militant leaders and ISI and the new name suggested by Kashmiris was Kashmir Freedom Force which would be led by Farooq Qureshi of Al Barq, the report said. Apparently they went with the latter.
Well, "Kashmir Freedom Force" is certainly a better name than some of the ones that they were floating around yesterday ...
Similarly Muslim Janbaz Force, Al Jehad force, Al Fateh force, Hizbullah and Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen were being merged to form Kashmir Resistance Force and would be led by Ghulam Rasool Shah alias General Abdullah, it said. Interestingly Tehrek-ul-Mujahideen, which did not agree to merge as per the wishes of ISI, has been asked to fend for itself and it is reported that the outfit was getting close to Lashker-e-Taiba for training and Ahl-e-Hadis (Wahabi) organisations in Pakistan for financial support, the report said. The Lashkar likely has enough financial resources to sponsor their own Jihadi groups, but it doesnât seem wise to let them...
Yeah, but I thought that the ISI was laying off the LeT for now. They also seem to be becoming the new "legitimate" face of the International Front with al-Qaeda's leadership underground.
The ISI has roped in its trusted lieutenant Sheikh Jamil-ur-Rehman in the UJC so that it could have a complete control over the amalgam. Meanwhile, amidst fears of war looming large over it in mid-2002 and growing international pressure, ISI was quick enough to shift militant camps from PoK to other places in the country with strict restrictions on the movements of Kashmiri militants. According to the report, the militants of various outfits except Hizbul Mujahideen, were shifted to a closed factory on Haripur-Taxila road in Punjab province, the report said. It said that the factory had been taken over by the Pakistan government on rent and handed over to ISI. There were about 500 militants in this camp which included Al-Barq (70 militants), Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen (65), Tehrek-e-Jehad (70), Islamic Front (25), Teherek-ul-Mujahideen (60), Muslim Janbaz Force, Al-Jehad and Al-Fateh (150 combined strength), Hizbullah (15), Al Umar (25), Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islamia (50) and JKLF (55). Assuming the intell is acurate, RAW must have heavily infiltrated these groups to have such specific numbers.
There were reports a little while back suggesting that Pakistan was feeding India intel on at least the Hizb ul-Mujahideen. Then again, RAW does have a reputation for being very good in this regard.
About of 2300 Hizbul Muajhideen cadres had been kept in Taxila camp and Haripur camps around Islamabad. The loyalists of Abdul Majid Dar were shifted to Boi camp located at a place atop a hill on the confluence of river kaghan and river Jehlum on Muzzafarabad-Mansehra road in Pakistan. Another set of 300 to 400 militants had been lodged in Gari Habibullah camp and Tarbela Gazi Camp in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
The report said that after May this year, when the militants were shifted to these camps in Pakistan, ISI imposed restrictions on the free movement of militants. "They are not allowed to move out and those visiting them have to reach the camps in the night and leave before sun rise," it said and added that the Kashmiri boys in the camps were so fed up with the restrictions and uncertainity of the life that they were desperate to return to their homes.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
02/27/2004 2:23:29 AM ||
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I just realised that this is a pretty old article, although it's strange that the reorganisation mentioned in this report a year ago has only just come to fruition.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
02/27/2004 2:56 Comments ||
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TEHRAN â The momentous (maybe to the Press) takeover of Iranâs parliament by hard-liners in Fridayâs elections means a new era for the country, and likely the end to the Islamic republicâs seven-year experiment in softening its harsh domestic and international policies. Were they a buncha softies before this? Gosh! And I missed it!
Although hard-liners have returned to prominent positions of power, their options are limited, analysts here say, by Iranâs new social, economic and geopolitical realities. These include a restless, underemployed generation of young people intolerant of religious social controls and a lively civic culture filled with unofficial associations and groups. Did they ever leave positions of power? What is this reporter smoking? Mebbe there are 2 Irans...
The population is savvy, and has access to the Internet and satellite television. Other realities include an ailing economy in need of foreign investment and a ubiquitous U.S. military intolerant of Iranâs nuclear ambitions. ...more... Up on the tightrope, things can get a little dicey. Iâm pulling for gravity. Much more at the link.
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 2:19:47 AM ||
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#1
"Did they ever leave positions of power? What is this reporter smoking? Mebbe there are 2 Irans..."
They did, they were conceding in lots of areas as the younger population wanted more reform. It was only after the axis of evil speech that they started gaining influence again as it struck nationalist pride within the young ones.
#5
Sorry, mojo, but they did quite a bit of high-wire work, too. Karl was known for his "Sky Walks" between buildings - and that's how he died in 1978, at age 73.
My grandfather was a Shriner and participated in the Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus as one of the Keystone Cops when the circus came each year. It was the highlight of my youth and I'd go with him every night it was in town. I met many of the performers (Emmett Kelley, Karl Wallenda, etc.) and helped wherever they would let me... usually stuff like trying to drag big hay bales where needed, heh. This period of nirvana ended when I was 10 so, sadly, I was too young to fully appreciate the incredibly beautiful and athletic women! '-)
#6
Even David Ignatius, who is normally not quite a fool, in the this AM's WaPo said that the mullahs had gained power with the election.
Seems americans are just too used to counting votes - ok, less reformists in parliament, more hardliners, that means the hardliners get committee chairmanships, more staff, first dibs on bribes from the sugar lobby, ....
Thats not the way it works in Iran folks. Yeah, the reformist govt had authority over the civilian bureuacracy (but not the military, security forces or judiciary) but they could only implement new POLICIES with the approval of the mullahs councils. To the extent there was softening of "petty sharia" (the islamic equivalent of "petty apartheid") it was done because the mullahs thought it a good idea, to preserve the regime. The only thing the reformists could really do with parliament was embarrass the mullahs, by passing reformist laws for the councils to veto. The embarrasment grew to the point where the pseudo democratic fig leaf wasnt worth the pain to the mullahs. So they gave up the fig leaf. This isnt a gain, its a loss - though Khatami, as chief fig leaf purveyor, also loses.
It only turns into a gain if they can maintain control over the population - even then it only confirms the mullahs already existing power. Its up to the Iranian people now.
#7
It's not just Americans who count the votes, it's Europeans, well the people voted so they're democratic. I then must point out Stalin, Castro, and at the time Saddam are also "elected" doesn't mean democratically.
LONDON (AP) - British maritime historians said Thursday they may have located the Beagle, the ship that took Charles Darwin on the voyages of discovery and where he began formulating his theory of natural selection. Using radar technology, historians found what they believe is the 90-foot Beagle, 18 feet beneath the mud of marshes in Essex county, east of London. "We can see the outline of a dock for the ship and can make out wood and metal, which is highly suggestive that there is indeed something substantial down there, most probably the bottom of the Beagle," said Robert Prescott, leader of a team from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, which has spent four years investigating the site.
Researchers used a census listing crewmenâs families living on the Beagle as well as old maps to help trace the vessel to an area of the marsh near Potton Island. The Beagle, a 10-gun naval fighting ship, was launched at the Woolwich Royal Dockyard on the River Thames in 1820. After a few yearsâ service, it was refitted as a science vessel. From 1831 to 1835, Darwin traveled aboard the Beagle to Patagonia and the Galapagos Islands, where he made extensive studies of the flora and fauna. The Beagle was later used as a coast guard vessel around Southend in Essex, but its 235-ton bulk annoyed local oystermen and it was sold to the Navy and towed to the nearby backwater where researchers say it now lies.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2004 2:04:30 AM ||
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The Beagle, was a 10-gun naval fighting ship! Now it is a huge aircraft carrier.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The new president of Georgia said Thursday he is ready to negotiate full autonomy for the separatist Abkhazia region to end the decade-long conflict. President Mikhail Saakashvili told the Security Council he was "ready to guarantee the highest possible degree of autonomy to Abhkazia within the Georgian state" or to discuss other options such as a federal system during U.N.-led talks known as the Geneva process. "They can federate with Alabama, no problem!"
Any solution, he stressed, would have to keep Georgia intact. The new president has made the resolution of internal disputes a key goal. Why? They donât like you. You donât like them. Why the show?
Some 16,000 people were killed in the war over Abkhazia and 300,000, mostly ethnic Georgians, were forced to flee their homes. The refugees make up a vocal pressure group. Abductions and attacks are still a way of life there common. Speaking later at the Council on Foreign Relations, Saakashvili warned that the conflict in Abkhazia could worsen. "This kind of conflict will degenerate into one big, uglier, bad conflict. I mean, a really bloody one. So what we really need to do, we need to move," he said. Another Chechyna?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2004 2:00:57 AM ||
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WASHINGTON - President Bush and other Republicans are rallying around Vice President Dick Cheney as they seek to quash rumors that Bush might ultimately replace Cheney on his re-election ticket. Some pundits believe that if Bush is struggling in the polls a few months from now as the 2004 campaign moves into high gear, he might boost his chances for re-election by picking a running mate other than Cheney. Helping to spur an already active Washington rumor mill was the Feb. 14 cover story in the National Journal which depicted a stern-faced Cheney standing next Bush. "Just the ticket?" queried the headline. "Does having Dick Cheney as his running mate help or hurt George W. Bush in 2004?" ...more...
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 1:58:15 AM ||
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#3
I've never understood this attitude and both parties have it. I can't imagine there are many Republicans who want to dump Cheney 'cuz they don't like him. He was a major selling point going in as VP since people regarded him as highly competent, indeed he was expected to be W's babysitter, but that political moment has passed and W will stand or fall as Prez on his own. The consideration here is the long-term fate of the party, and keeping Cheney is not as important as grooming Rice (or Frist, or whoever) for 2008 or 2012. It's not as if he was being asked to fall on his sword - Cheney can retire in luxury or hang around and consult - he's had a great run, but he's gone as far as he's going to go. Giving Dole the nod just because he'd been around forever and it was his turn was a disaster, resulting from the fact that the party hadn't groomed anybody to seriously challenge Clinton.
(BTW, I didn't vote for W, or Clinton, or Dole, so I don't have a dog in this fight, I just don't understand the failure of the party leaders on both sides to think long-term.)
Posted by: Colin MacDougall ||
02/27/2004 12:09 Comments ||
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#4
this is not surprise as chainey in charge anyway. bush is just chainey puppet now and thats sad cuz i think bush is probly very good leader but for chainey. bush show his nice deep down inside by helping workers that lost they green card and free iraqis and afgans. he also leave no child behind and want to invest in alaska. this remind me of star wars. dark vader was the front man you always see in every movie and get all the bad rap for everything. all the time it was the empiror who was calling all the shot and just like chainey he was always hiding and order dark to do mean things and even order dark to destroy a planet. you dont see him till the last movie with the little ewoks. they are not endangered. it wasnt till the empiror was gone that darks good side come out and dark came out of the mind control chainey i mean empiror have on him. by then it is to late for dark but maybe can still save bush by some twist in fate. bush best chance is have joe leaverman as his vp but that wont happen till chainey menace is over and that will not be easy cause chainey is part robot with electronics in his body. leaverman fight terror without oil on his mind and brings democrats to bush side and one hell of a smart man. if that happens i will vote the bush/leaverman ticket. did you know a terrist once said chainey his friend! i thought not! oh and tell allahateme this has nothing to do with palasnians either.
#12
Colin is right. I really like Cheney. He needs to stay in the camp. A new VP might be a good move. The bad part is how it would be spinned. The thing is though, when it comes time for the big VP debate (the most important thing a VP does these days) Cheney kicks ass.
#13
Muck, that is one of the funniest posts I've read here at RB. Fortunately no coffee or other bev's being consumed while reading. Laptop is secure/dry. You write like the Chinese landlady of a company I worked for in San Francisco. Great stuff...chainey bad he robot he no good...
Posted by: remote man ||
02/27/2004 15:09 Comments ||
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#14
I think that muck4do is some disciple of Frank J yanking our chains. Hence the handle (from muckidoo) and the references to robots, Star Wars, etc. He's pretty funny.
#16
mucky - that was great. Come out and tell us who you really are so we can give you credit for it!
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 15:47 Comments ||
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#17
I wouldn't have a problem with Dick taking a break.Ialways worry about his ticker, and wonder why he wouldn't want to go onto the rubber chicken curcuit... not like his power would be diminished, he is still on the kitchen cabinet anyway.
Assuming we have a second term president, why wouldn't we want to groom some new blood? Unless W picked a boob like his Dad, I could see were we could use a candidate to to counter the Hildebeast...
#18
OK, I'm a Bush supporter in general, and think his CEO-type management style has played out well in the WOT. But here's a serious question: One of the jobs of the CEO is to prepare his successor. Who is GWB's successor in 2008? Not saying that person needs to be in Veep slot, but that developing him (or her) should be a major goal of the 2nd term. None of the most visible team members - Rummy, Condi, Powell - seem to have any real political organizational base or experience. For that matter, neither does 'Chainney'. If that isn't changed, the successor by default will likely be McCain.
#19
Capsu78 - I believe that Geo41's Veep, little Danny Quayle, receives far too little credit for his unsuccessful re-election bid. Truly, this was Geo41's dumbest decision. ;-)
Capsu78 / Nero - I think you guys are right - and chainney's clunky ticker is an ideal excuse to address the problem, IMHO.
Everyone? Is keeping chainney in the Veep slot (when he has a place forever, as Nero points out, in Dubya's kitchen cabinet) smarter than a change? I've heard 2 2004 tickets which appealed with Rice and Giuliani in the VP slot... More?
And who, if this change doesn't take place, looks ripe for 2008?
#21
Keeping Cheney as VP is stupid. I like the guy but he won't be President in 2008, he has too much baggage (Haliburton! Haliburton!) and he has a bad heart. If he stays on the ticket he ads little and he removes the Republicans chance of having the incumbant advantage.
I like both Rice and Giuliani but think Bush will stick with Cheney out of loyalty. Rice may bring in women and African American voters. Giuliani might make NY a Republican state for a change.
Of course in 2008 the war on terror might be over to the point that even President Kusinich couldn't ruin things so maybe I'm looking too far ahead.
#22
For my 2 cents I would think a Bush/Powell ticket would decamp some of those wayward vets who think Kerry is a real hero. Powell is a fantastic leader and knows what he wants and how to get it done. As for Kerry in keeping with minorities as VP Jane Fonda woul be perfect. She can foster further Anti-American causes under her leader (Kerry's/Heinz) auspice.
LONDON (AP) - Seven Britons who were imprisoned in Saudi Arabia over a pair of bombings said Thursday they were tortured by their Saudi captors. The Soodies really donât like alk runners!
The men, who were granted amnesty and freed last year, described being beaten on the soles of their feet, pounded with an ax and deprived of sleep. "The pain was excruciating to the point where dying was preferable to living," said Alexander Mitchell, 48, of Glasgow, Scotland. "It was the fact that I was innocent and my prayers and that the truth would get out that kept me going."
Saudi authorities have denied the allegations of torture. The Saudi government says the men were kept in air conditioned cells, were well fed and were allowed to exercise in-between beatings. "Nothing but the best for patsies we charge to cover up dissent in our country!"
The men are seeking to clear their names of the charge that they were linked to two bombings in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, that killed a Briton and injured four others in late 2000. Some of the men appeared on Saudi television and admitted carrying out the bombings as part of a dispute between gangs dealing in alcohol, confessions they now say were forced. "I confess! I did it! Stop hitting me!"
Geoffrey Bindman, a lawyer for three of the former detainees, urged the British government to acknowledge the menâs innocence and their torture. The Foreign Office said it could not make judgments about individualsâ guilt or innocence but that it was concerned that the judicial proceedings against the men relied only on their confessions. The department said it had expressed those concerns and its concerns about the menâs treatment to the Saudi government. Anybody in the Foreign Office bother to photo these fellowsâ feet when they returned home? X-rays?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2004 1:56:20 AM ||
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The men are seeking to clear their names of the charge and then sue the pants off the Saudi government. And never was there a more deserving litigant.
#2
IIRC there is a method of proving their feet have been repeatedly beaten. Yet another case of modern Western technology breaking the lies of the cretinous ME!
Citing the failure of the U.S. Congress to repeal tax laws deemed illegal last year by the World Trade Organization, the European Union says it will begin imposing retaliatory sanctions next week. But the EU has held out the hope that a resolution could still be reached. The European Commission adopted the proposal Thursday at its weekly meeting. The countermeasures are to be imposed gradually, beginning March 1, the group said in a statement posted on its Web site. "The commissionâs proposal is in line with the WTO authorization, granted earlier this year, to apply countermeasures of up to $4 billion following the failure of the U.S. to comply with the WTO rulings," it said. ...more...
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 1:54:41 AM ||
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I must be missing something, The story doesn't mention what the initial WTO ruling was or what tax laws are the Eunuchs talking about.
A little help?
#2
I believe it is over some anti-dumping law that was passed in 1916 and has never been used against any EU firm. No blood, no foul? I guess not for the EU.
#4
You know, I'm really fed up with the f*cking Eurotrash. Haven't they learned that they really don't want to piss us off? I mean look what happened when Phrawnce pissed us off? Can you say 20% (some places/markets higher) decline in sales of french products. Do those scum sucking euroweenies need another grassroots boycott of european wares? I'm all for it. But I won't give up my guiness. And I generally don't include Great Britian when I say 'Europe' anyways.
#6
Yeah Hyper it is small, but I read that they were going to target particular industries based in states that might be close in the next election. How many times do their actions revolve around countering Bush rather making good policy? Geesh EU, get over it already. They will have to deal with him for another 5 years.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - An imprisoned Saddam Hussein is in good health, the commander of U.S. forces said Thursday without offering further details on the former Iraqi leaderâs confinement. "Health is good, no issues," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said. "Heâs in good health." And letâs keep him that way, too. I want him in perfect health the day the Iraqi government puts a rope around his neck.
Romans knew how to do this. A generalâs triumph (parade to honor him at home after a big victory) always had a lot of pagaentry. Among the various things paraded about was the captured general. He was always well-fed, well-dressed, etc., so that the Roman citizenry could see that their boy defeated a worthy opponent. Just what we want with Saddam; let the Arab world see him at his trial and then his hanging.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2004 1:51:14 AM ||
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#1
Request: I'd enjoy watching 4 kiawa choppers pulling apart Saddam's limbs in seperate directions, over a crowd of chanting Shiites! Or how about above Sunnis in Tikrit? Oh yeah!
#2
Heck, why not turn the helos into the world's largest food processor. If you slice him thin enough, everyone can get a souvenir.
Posted by: ed ||
02/27/2004 2:57 Comments ||
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#3
A rope also should be put on the neck of president Bush the senior, and is associates for creating and assisting and encouraging Saddam and also on Bush the moron for bluntly lying to is own country just to reach economical and financial gains that only is manipulators and handlers can benefit from
#4
Ummm... what the heck are you smoking Eleano? Are you trying to compare Saddam's murder and rape and torture, to Bush? Do you really think this will result in anything other than folks around you hiding the sharp objects?
Posted by: Ben ||
02/27/2004 5:09 Comments ||
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#6
Ben Bush lied to you vote for someone else next election please. If you vote for Bush God knows what he will do like start a war for example. Before you say anything I am not pro Saddam just fair and rational
#8
You are a twisted little person,Anti!
I do not recall Bush using Sarin on anybody,if you are"fair and rational"where are the Bush's mass graves.
For someone who is"fair and rational"you have very little to say about BNP(French Bank)hanging on to Saddams"Oil for Palace's"money with a death grip.
You know I do not seem to recall you complaining about justice for the victoms of Saddam and Co. rape rooms.
#10
One other thing, Eleano: Ya think your clientele would understand your neo-marxist rantings here, dude? Maybe a career change would be in order so you can serve the 'people' at Burger King, which given your recent statements is more your speed.
Come on, Eleano. Give us more from Karl's playbook.
Note: I think tattling would be tacky, personally. Just trying to rattle this guy's cage some.
#12
More stunning new arguments and clarity from the left.
1. Bush lied.
2. For Haliburton & oil
Thanks Eleano. Bush blew a couple hundred billion and thousands of lives because he couldn't get oil or Haliburton contracts any other way. How could I have missed that, it's so obvious. Good thinking.
#15
As a person, I believe in the golden rule, I also believe everyone should have a chance and those who have a good heart should prosper.
There is a war going on and nukes getting around, obviously you narrow argument of political and financial corruption stem from your hidden belief system that every authority is the enemy, yet you can't see that there is real evil behavior from the leaders outside the US, iran, north korea, even russia. They want what is now ours, it's a game of who controls the most resources.
The same goes for dictators and islamic spiritial leaders who have alot of innocent people brainwashed. These islamist/arabs don't understand your narrow innocent aspect of the world, they've been lied to and in fear all there life and consider all Americans to be part of SATANs army, the only good thing they hear is the promise of paridise dying in battle!
I understand your fear of a powerful president, but Bush isn't Hitler, and militant islam/arabs are in our FACE, nobody needs to make them a scapegoat like the Jews, they're already ACTIVE and what Bush did IRAQ was TOUGH LOVE for everyone. Try to lay off the moveon.org, talkleft.com, slate.com will ya!?
i dunno... Dead Aragorn was one of the highlights of Two Towers for me -- maybe nice pretty display of Dead Saddam in a particularly obscenely ostentation room of one of his palaces might look good on the nightly news...
WASHINGTON â Richard Perle, a Pentagon adviser known for his hawkish views on Iraq, has resigned his membership on the Defense Policy Board, which counsels the secretary of defense on policy issues. In his resignation letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dated Feb. 18 and released Thursday, Perle said he quit because he did not want his controversial views "to be attributed to you or the president at any time, and especially not during a presidential campaign." "This is particularly true now since I have just published a book that calls for far-reaching reform of government departments responsible for combating terrorism," he wrote. "Many of the ideas in that book are controversial and I wish to be free to argue for them without those views or my arguments getting caught up in the campaign." ...more...
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 1:49:28 AM ||
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#1
The wall is a little weaker, Mr. Perle. Good luck.
#2
I think the Defense Policy Board is just a slop trough for distributing government money to political croneys. Eliminate the Board entirely and use the money for something useful.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 8:37 Comments ||
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#3
I believe the Defense Policy Board members serve as unpaid volunteers.
#4
Good call, GKarp, but the Board does cost money.
Members will serve without compensation but will be reimbursed for travel and other necessary expenses of Defense Policy Board business as approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. The Defense Policy Boardâs annual support costs are estimated to be $710,000 to include
salaries for 2 full-time professional staff, 1 full-time administrative assistant, consultants
as required, travel expenses, and miscellaneous fees and administrative costs.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 18:21 Comments ||
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#5
I caught a little of his press conference today. I never knew that it was his resignation. I like his reason though. Kick ass and take names(name names bro). Cause I think your a patriot.
Somebody has several screws loose. The usual suspects are involved... starting with the idiot reporters.
There has been buzz for some time that maverick Republican Senator John McCain might just jump ship and join the Democrats in 2004 as their vice presidential candidate. Back in July 2001, NewsMax Magazine featured Hillary and McCain as a possible ticket. The NewsMax story was even noted by Tim Russert on Meet the Press. Once again, the talk is not idle. Oh really?
The New York Postâs Deborah Orin reported Thursday that the Democratic dream candidate for vice president on a John Kerry ticket is a Republican - Vietnam War superhero John McCain. The candid McCain brings credibility with swing voters. And Kerry is fond of citing McCain on his stump pages. As the Post reports: "Kerryâs four months in Vietnam combat are central to his campaign bio. Imagine if he could add McCainâs 5 1/2 years as a hero POW in the Hanoi Hilton.â Donk Dreaminâ... up in smoke.
But McCain recently squelched such talk, at least for now: "Do you think the Democrats would want a pro-life, free-trading fiscal conservative? Theyâd be smoking something pretty strong, stronger than they usually do. I will not leave the Republican Party." Reality kicks in... *poof*
If Hillary wonât join Kerry, who will? Thereâs Edwards, but he may not bring any electoral votes to the ticket. The Post details another favorite: "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson clearly yearns for the job (ignore his denials) and his Latino roots could be an asset - but he helped Monica Lewinskyâs job search and his record as Bill Clintonâs U.N. ambassador and energy secretary would invite scrutiny." I think I smell something... Hmmm... Does desperation smell like hash or O tar balls? Anyone? Find that bong, yet?
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 1:41:28 AM ||
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#1
Invite scrutiny?
I seem to recall during his stint as ES, some dem congressman said he'd never be Prince Al's running mate after the Los Alamos disters.
#3
Ohhh-- it will really be sweet, if McCain will just really let loose on Kerry and this Vietnam battle Kerry seems to want to fight again!
Hummm --- wonder what all Kerry can acheive, as President, in another history-making 4 months?
Posted by: Just Me ||
02/27/2004 1:47 Comments ||
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#4
My DREAM democrat party convention: VP candidate McCain delivers his convention speech in primetime calling Hanoi John a coward for turning tail and running from Vietnam after completing four months of a 12-month tour. Then reminds everyone Hanoi John's charge US military personnel were WAR CRIMINALS was used by the NVA torturers to attempt to extract confessions to WAR CRIMES from McCain and other POWs.
#5
I respect Kerry's service but have to question his judgment. I know a lot of 'Nam combat vets who are none too thrilled w/his post war politics. I won't vote for him because I think he waffles way too much. As for the 4 month service thing w/3 ph's and not missing any combat time, I'd have to reserve judgment until I had more concrete facts about it.
#6
Theyâd be smoking something pretty strong, stronger than they usually do. I will not leave the Republican Party."
That is the most hilarious line I've read all day!! God bless John McCain. Dem's should have listened to me - I told them weeks ago there was no way that McCain would back a man who stabs POW's in the back - unless he had gone completely senile - which, clearly he has not!!
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 11:41 Comments ||
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#7
Unless the republican party leaves him.
Besides, he's heading up a new commission. And he'll be good at it. They're keeping him busy.
#9
the dems ran twice with pro-abortion rights free trading fiscal conservative named Clinton. and won both times.
McCain wont go Dem. As Lieberman wont go GOP. I still think a Lieberman-McCain ticket is the dream team of US politics. Would have to be third party though. Probably wont happen.
But the Dems stupidity in dissing Joe, is only matched by the GOP stupidity in picking Dubya over McCain. To give the GOP credit, McCain did better in their primaries in 2000 than Joe did in Dem primaries in 2004.
#10
LH - I don't care about the party - and liked Lieberman alot. Given what he's actually done in the Big Chair do you really mean the Dubya vs McCain matchup was a mistake? I don't see McCain as having the stones to do all of what Dubya has done. Part of Dubya's appeal to me is his relativly short time as an officeholder - and this means there's less of the "it can't be done" / "ooooh, a third-rail!" conventional wisdom mentality. Bumblebees can't fly, but they don't know that, so...
Qatar has arrested two Russian secret agents and charged them in the killing of an exiled Chechen leader there, prompting a sharply worded rebuke from Russia on Thursday that accused Qatari authorities of violating international law.
Ah yes, the hallowed institution of international law ...
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry denied any Russian involvement in the death of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, the former president of the Chechen republic, who was killed Feb. 13 when a bomb destroyed his car in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
And rather conveniently killed after his jackboots had just boomed Moscow. Think there might be a connection?
The statement called the arrests "a provocation" and was the first public acknowledgment that two men arrested by the authorities in Doha last week were not only Russian citizens but members of the secret services.
Tap, tap, tap, my surprise meter still isn't broken ...
"They were legally assigned to the Russian Embassy in Qatar, conducting analytical work in connection with countering international terrorism, without violating local legislation in any way," the acting foreign minister, Igor S. Ivanov, said in the statement.
I think that a lot of nations employ those types of people. They call them "spies."
The arrests â which Mr. Ivanov said involved "weapons and brute force" â threatened to worsen relations that had long been strained by Mr. Yandarbiyev's presence in Qatar. They also provided a rare window into the clandestine world of Russia's secret services and their efforts to choke off international support for Chechen separatists.
Anyone else find it somewhat surreal all the efforts the Qatari interior ministry is going to to track down whoever boomed Yandarbiyev and yet they can't ever seem to bust Binny's delivery men?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 01:26 ||
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Let's see, killed him on the 13th, bagged a week later. I would have left the country earlier, but then, that's me.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
02/27/2004 1:49 Comments ||
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"Anyone else find it somewhat surreal all the efforts the Qatari interior ministry is going to to track down whoever boomed Yandarbiyev and yet they can't ever seem to bust Binny's delivery men?"
It's possible that Russians in Qatar stick out better than Arabs in Qatar...
The tiny little bias queen with an ego worthy of Godzilla...
Syrupy âTodayâ hostess Katie Couric has pitched NBC into a âstorm watchâ with vicious infighting that threatens the success of the entire network. A Page One story in this weekâs issue of the respected Broadcasting & Cable magazine features a most unflattering photo of Couric with the blazing headline âStorm Watch at Today.â The magazine confirms what insiders have been revealing for months: Ratings for âToday,â NBCâs most profitable program, are stagnating, outpaced by growth at ABCâs "Good Morning America" and CBSâs once-moribund "The Early Show," not to mention the booming popularity of FNCâs "Fox and Friends" on cable. Couric, the Peackock networkâs princess, is blaming everyone but herself. One NBC insider told B&C, âThe fear is that whatâs happening at Today is the beginning of all the wheels coming off.â And these are big wheels. The magazine says âthe stakes are hugeâ because "Today" generates almost $500 million in revenue for NBC News, the divisionâs fattest cash cow. ...more...
Posted by: .com ||
02/27/2004 1:25:16 AM ||
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#1
Well -- let me just get a shorter skirt and host Leno's show once more.... and this "stagnating" will become a part of ancient history
#2
Katty Couric? Is she the middle-aged chyck who dresses and grooms and gets made-up like a late 19th century 12-year-old Russian prostitute; and sports an expression on her face giving her the appearance she is swallowing PUKE when she is tasked with interviewing a US military officer stationed in Iraq, a Christian or a Republican?
#5
That's the one Garrison, they still say she's "perky" but I think that anything that was perky on her now is probably droopy. She did get a colonoscopy on air, and suprisingly they didn't find anyone's foot up there.
There is something about a middle-aged woman trying to act nubile that is offensive somehow. Others on this thread have tried to put their finger on it... prostitute, corpse-like, droopy. Just age with dignity and grace. There are plenty of women entertainers that seem to get it. From everything I've seen of Couric, she's too dumb to figure it out.
#11
11A5S - :) I agree - no one could be sexier than Sophia Loren (the ultimate Mother Earth symbol, IMHO) or Catherine Deneuve, both of whom personify your very apt description. You hit it on the head!
Couric is a toxic bitch, IMHO - I'll leave why to therapists and wymyn to define!
#12
KC's biggest problem is that she is boring, predictable and her interviews are biased. Other than that, she has a great show.
It would just break my little heart if NBC kept her and flushed themselves down the tv toilet.
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 15:54 Comments ||
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#13
I don't care what happens with her. I saw one interview with an American General (the name escapes me now) but that cunt needed a good slap on her worthless butt after that interview. It was shameful. But to be expected from those who don't respect our military and what they do for our nation. Apparently she doesn't know the word patriotism.
Kerry has requested that Bush send Bob Graham to Haiti, to solve the situation... According to Kerry, Bob knows the situation.... Yea...... too good.... hereâs Tiborâs response
#1 Bob Grahamâs diary:
2/27/04 - 7:15-35 am - Woke up, urinated, showered and brushed and flossed teeth.
7:35-55 am - Ate breakfast (bran flakes, OJ and english muffin)
7:55-8 am - Moved bowels (darn that bran works fast!)
8-8:10 am - President Bush called (at my good friend John Kerryâs request) and asked if I would serve as his special envoy to Haiti. Despite the fact that I previously suggested that he be impeached, I accepted his offer because I think itâs the right thing to do. He suggested that I meet with an NSC staffer and the Central and Latin American rep. from State Monday at 7:30 am. I agree to do so, even though Monday is Sausage and Egg McMuffin day. Perhaps I will eat two on Tuesday.
8:10-15 am - Another BM. Is it nerves over going to Haiti or the bran?
8:15-30 am - Spoke to my good friend John Kerry to tell him of President Bushâs call. I had to cut the call short during his congratulations for another BM. What do they put in those bran flakes anyway?
8:30-9:00 - On the bowl. Good thing I brought my copy of Vanity Fair in with me. Graydon Carter sure is angry at President Bush.
9-9:45 am - Spoke to staffers to let them know about my appointment. Asked Mary to work with State on travel and security arrangements.
9:45-10 am - Watched my good friend John Kerry on CNN. That Paula Zahn is a tough interviewer, but my good friend John Kerry handled her well. Paula is easy on the eyes, too. I shouldnât have written that.
10-10:10 am - Another G** D*** BM! Took some Pepto Bismol. The shade of pink is sickening, but somehow mesmerizing. I wonder what color it is in my stomach.
10:10-11 am - Nap time. More later.
(To be continued)
Posted by: Just Me ||
02/27/2004 1:23:57 AM ||
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#1
Hahaha....Let John pilot his Cessna to Haiti, strap a parachute to the obsessive compulsive lunatic, and toss Graham out the plane upwind of the sound of the guns. With luck, the neo-JFK will do a JFK Jr. at sunset on his flight back to the USA.
A Pakistani military operation meant to capture Taliban and Al Qaeda fugitives has forced some suspects to seek refuge across the border in Afghanistan, intelligence officials said on Thursday.
Running likes rats, are they? Wonderful ...
With the cross-border movement, Pakistan achieved one of the primary goals of its operation this week in its lawless border regions - prompting the fugitives to be driven into territory where US and Afghan troops operate, security officials said while speaking on condition of anonymity.
Now if they can only exercise these same policies in Azad Kashmir everything'll be just fine ...
The three senior intelligence and government officials gave no indication of what prompted them to be so certain of their assessment and didnât offer any specific intelligence to back up their claims.
âThe goal was to force them to leave our areas - or to capture them,â one senior security official said. âWe were successful.â
I'll believe that when Binny and Ayman's sharing a cell with Saddam. Till then, let's just say things look successful right now and leave it at that.
Investigators have been questioning 25 suspects, including four foreigners, captured in Tuesdayâs operation near Wana, about 300 kilometres west of Islamabad. There was no indication that any senior Al Qaeda leader was among the four. The remaining suspects appear to be local tribesmen.
So if Ayman's spawn was bagged, he wasn't with this crowd.
The security officials cautioned, however, that some fugitives might still be hiding in the Pakistani areas bordering Afghanistan, where the inhabitants are linked by language and culture to Afghan Pashtuns, the ethnic group that was the Talibanâs power base.
âSome foreigners may still be hiding there,â said Gen Shaukat Sultan, the spokesman for the Pakistani army. âWe will eliminate them.â
Go get 'em. Then do the same in Azad Kashmir. The nasties there are part of Binny's International Front, whether or not they got the al-Qaeda decoder ring is immaterial. As long as those folks and their camps stay in business, Pakistan remains complicit in any folks they happen to kill.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 01:19 ||
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#1
Anyone else visualize them as a carny game? You know, shoot one and it reverses? First we go this way, then we go that way.....
#2
neither a fucking american sodier nor an impotent pakistan sodier can get near sheikh ossama,so stop lieing to the people.if you can catch him go ahead,but i think you better stop what you are doing becouse if you want lesbians,you can get them in england.
-Anon, wow, such language. Yes, the fucking American Soldier, so incompetent, never done a thing right ever. Gimme a break, matter of time before Binny's dead or captured (if he's not already dead). As for the rest of your rant about lesbos in the UK - ya lost me on that but I'm sure it makes sense to you.
#7
If they are ever caught don't make a carny game out of them. Put them in an electric chair and turn it to "trickle charge".
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/27/2004 8:36 Comments ||
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#8
Anon1, I tend to believe that as well. There's a high ranking officer I know who was in Afghanistan, said they watched an intel backbriefing w/a video of a hellfire slamming into an Al Q meeting place on Pak border. Also said there was a "tall guy" in the vid whom they had been trailing on a tip off. Most likely believed to be Binny. If anyone's ever seen a hellfire and what it can do to 5 peope within 10 meters of each other, be hard to know if that was Binny or find anything that's left of him.
Politically, unless we could snatch his ass alive, prolly does more harm to us to have him as a martyr. On the same token, if he died in Pakiland of his kidney ailments, doubt Al Q would want anyone to know for fear of losing steam and status. I'd bet they'd want to keep the legend of the boogie man in people's heads on both sides of the fight as long as possible.
Anyways, that's the scoop I got.
#9
Hey you guys, we'd better stop what we're doing. WTF ?
Jar's got the question: is it better to announce we killed him, or leave it as "whatever happened to Osama"? I think the public Saddam/Uday display sends a better message. Ain't that right, Anon?
#10
The fact that Anonny up there is scared of the lesbian-hungry Americans and limp-dick Pakistani soldiers tells me we're getting close to somebody good.
#12
Anonymous, we're going to turn your precious Osama into sheikh n bake, and there's not a damn thing you or the rest of your devil worshipping brothers can do about it.
#15
How come all the lesbian sheiks are in England? Why can't we have some over here? Give Stern some real stories to tell.
Posted by: john ||
02/27/2004 10:50 Comments ||
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#16
muck5doo? ver 2.0????
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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#17
A Pakistani military operation meant to capture Taliban and Al Qaeda fugitives has forced some suspects to seek refuge across the border in Afghanistan, intelligence officials said on Thursday.
Ever the optimist - I have a slightly different take on this: Pop the popcorn and get ready for sweeps week. BYOB (bring your own broom). AQ already released their "preview" audio tapes advertising the upcoming event. Get ready for this action round up callled ....Riding Herd on the Jiherd.
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 11:53 Comments ||
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#20
looks like Muck4,5,6doodoo has tipped his anonymous hat. Woops! Difficult to keep typing in new screen names all the time and keep them straight...no??
Was that just an accidental typo MuckforDufus? Or have you upgraded from Anonymous2U to Muck4doo to Muck5doo??
What next, I'mSixck?
Posted by: B ||
02/27/2004 12:22 Comments ||
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#21
neither are me and that anonymus person sounds like asshole.
#23
I am SO confused!!! ***gently patting forehead with dampened hankie and swooning onto the sofa***
Are these the genuine, for real RB trolls? Or only faux-trolls, created for our delectation and amusement? Live, memorex or what? Can we get a schedule for regular trollage--- my nerves won't stand it, otherwise.
Posted by: SLO Jim ||
02/27/2004 13:22 Comments ||
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#26
We knew right off the muck5doo was an imposter because he can spell correctly, owns a shift key, can conjegate verbs and uses pronouns properly.
Other than that he may have passed for the doo mucker 4.
#31
"neither a fucking american sodier".
I take exception to that phrase. It's a dishonorable thing to say of men and women who are as we speak risking their lives for thier country. I can think of plenty of words that would describe one who said that but I think the best one is "coward".
The Indonesian intelligence`s discovery of an Al Qaeda terrorist group in the country should be seriously followed up because so long as there are anti-US sentiments, terrorist activities would continue, a political observer said here Thursday. They need a political observer to tell them this? You'd think Bali would've been enough of a wake-up call for them ...
"Being hunted by intelligence and security officers, the terrorists will lay face-down security officers in the field say the terrorist movement is stronger and that we have to be in full alert and should not be indifferent to the finding," he added. Not too sure about "stronger." Most of the local Indonesian al-Qaeda is JI and they've been hit pretty hard since Bali. They have a lot of cannon fodder from conflicts like Aceh and the Moluccas, but the core leadership seems to have basically gone underground for now.
Despite the finding of an Al Qaeda terrorist group in Indonesia, Hermasaid aside from firearms, almost all explosive materials being used to make bombs can be easily obtained in Indonesia, and the recent discovery of similar materials in Kalimantan and Poso, Central Sulawesi, is a clear indication that there is a terrorist ring in Indonesia. There have been reports of al-Qaeda training camps operating out of Sulawesi for some time now, plus those festivities back in October. Anybody bothered to follow up on those reports?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
02/27/2004 01:11 ||
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Timothy J. McVeigh went to his grave in June 2001 insisting that no widespread conspiracy was behind the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, but also predicting that some people would continue to believe that a larger conspiracy existed. "For those die-hard conspiracy theorists who will refuse to believe this, I turn the tables and say: Show me where I needed anyone else," McVeigh wrote in a letter to The Buffalo News a few weeks before his execution. "Financing? Logistics? Specialized tech skills? . . . Show me where I needed a dark, mysterious "Mr. X.â " .... During more than 70 hours of interviews for the book "American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing," McVeigh anticipated and discussed several of the issues that arose in this weekâs AP story:
* He said he was aware of allegations about his involvement with a bank robbery gang but denied them.
* He admitted that, in the days before the bombing, he contacted two white supremacist groups, hoping they might help him find a hide-out after the bombing. McVeigh said he never got any help from the groups.
* He predicted that David Paul Hammer, another death row inmate, would write a book about him but said it would be full of lies.
The latest conspiracy allegations caused concern in Oklahoma City, where 168 people were killed and more than 500 injured in the bombing, and in Pendleton, where the convicted bomberâs father, retired factory worker William McVeigh, still lives. McVeigh said he believes his son told the truth in interviews for American Terrorist. The book, detailing Timothy McVeighâs claim that he planned and carried out the bombing with help from former Army buddy Terry L. Nichols, was published two months before the bomber was executed. Asked about the newest conspiracy theory, the elder McVeigh said: "I donât believe any of that. I think itâs false." ....
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 12:34:54 AM ||
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Where did he learn to build a bomb like that? One that was successful on the first try...
#2
Building bombs isn't that hard. There's plenty of open source material on it, plus he was in the Army along with McVeigh. I believe I read some where they tested a small bomb in a remote location as a test, that's what I would have done. After that, it's just a matter of mixing the fertilizer with the correct amount of diesel fuel into 55 gallon drums, all of which are easily available in farm country. I don't know that they didn't have help, it's just that there is no reason to think that they could not have done it without outside help.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/27/2004 14:07 Comments ||
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#3
"he was in the Army"
"open source material"
that's what's been said. it just doesn't seem to jibe with the reality that i enjoy.
they must have been REALLY good at following directions and flying under radars. but i guess you only have to get lucky once...
I wrote this. Part 1.Part 2.Part 3.
On February 26, 1993, Ramzi Yousef carried out the bombing of the World Trade Center and then flew to Karachi, Pakistan. My account of his subsequent activities is taken primarily from a couple of books. One is Maria Ressaâs Seeds of Terror: An Eyewitness Account of Al-Qaedaâs Newest Center of Operations in Southeast Asia, published in 2003. Ressa is CNNâs lead investigative reporter in Asia. The other book is Zachary Abuzaâs Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror, also published in 2003.
In Karachi in July 1993, Yousef introduced his high-school classmate Abdul Hakim Murad, an airline pilot, to his uncle Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who was Yousefâs uncle and Al Qaedaâs military chief. In early August 1994, these three met again in Karachi, this time also with Wali Khan Amin Shah, who at that time was living in Manila, Philippines, where he was organizing a cell for Al Qaeda.
Soon after that meeting, Yousef took Murad to a secret facility in Lahore, Pakistan, where he spent 18 days teaching Murad how to make explosive devices that could be smuggled onto passenger airlines. During approximately that same period, Mohammed and Shah traveled to Manila.
After the explosives instruction in Lahore, Murad returned to his home in Dubai, to wait for further instructions. Meanwhile, Yousef traveled to Basilan, a Moslem region in the southern Philippines, where he similarly attempted to teach members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to make such explosives. Yousef eventually found those students to be too uneducated for the instruction. He therefore left them in September and moved to Manila to set up a bomb-making workshop there. The main task was still to develop bombs that could be smuggled onto passenger airliners.
As a cover for their activities, Yousef and Shah formed a shell company, the Bermuda Trading Company, that primarily purchased chemicals that they would use to manufacture bombs. (Abuza, page 104)
Meanwhile in the United States, Nichols and McVeigh purchased large quantities of ammonium nitrate for their planned bomb on September 30 and October 18 and purchased a large quantity of nitromethane on October 21 (Bad Company, page 161).
In September, Philippine police arrested six ASG members, who during interrogation provided several leads toward several individuals in Manila. One such suspect was Tareq Kaved Rana, a Pakistani. (Abuza, page 102). The police increased surveillance of him and other suspects in and near Manila. Because of indications that a plot was developing to assassinate the Pope during a visit beginning on January 15, Philippine Presidential Security Group (PSG) became closely involved in this surveillance. (All information about the PSG is from Ressaâs book.)
In late November, Yousef, Mohammed and Shah traveled to Cebu City to test some of the bombs that Yousef had made in his workshop. At the end of November, they exploded one bomb in the generator room of a shopping mall, and on December 1 they exploded a second bomb in a movie theater near the mall. These two tests demonstrated to the experimenters that the bomb itself did work. (Terry Nichols had arrived in Cebu City on November 23.)
The three men then returned to Manila, where they began to verify their ability to smuggle the explosive materials onto airplanes. They poured the explosive liquids into bottles for contact-lens solution, and they taped the metal components to the soles of their feet. Mohammed demonstrated the effectiveness of this method on a flight from Manila to Seoul, Korea, while Yousef did so on a flight from Hong Kong to Taipai, Taiwan.
On December 11, Yousef then exploded a bomb on a passenger airliner. On a flight from Manila to Cebu City, he assembled the bomb in the airplaneâs bathroom and then planted the bomb under his seat. He got off the airplane in Cebu City. As the airplane continued to Tokyo, the bomb exploded, killing the new passenger in that seat, injuring several other passengers, and damaging the airplane, which nevertheless managed to make an emergency landing in Okinawa.
Sometime that same December, a mysterious fire destroyed Ranaâs home. Based on its surveillance of Rana, the PSG believed that the home had been regularly visited and occupied by Yousef and his associates, who caused the fire by accidentally exploding a bomb inside the home.
A few days later, Yousef called Murad in Dubai and convinced him to move to Manila. At that time Murad was in the midst of an effort to become a professional airline pilot, so he was reluctant to move. He eventually agreed, however, and arrived in Manila on December 26. The PSG received reports in December that terrorists would travel from the Middle East to the Philippines that month for the purpose of assassinating the Pope.
Murad moved in with Yousef in Apartment #603 in the Dona Josefa Apartments, a six-floor building. At that time, Yousef intended to use Murad to organize three attacks using airplanes as the weapons. The first attack would be to crash a crop-dusting airplane into the Popeâs motorcade. The second attack would be to crash a small plane filled with explosives into the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The third attack would be to hijack a passenger airplane and to crash it into some important building in the United States.
Murad was already planning a trip to the United States, but he was arrested by the Philippine police on January 6. Already the next day he told his interrogators about the three attack plans. In general, Murad said, he intended to kill â and to teach others to kill â Americans while in the United States. (Terry Nichols flew back to the United States on about January 18.)
Murad was eventually extradited to the United States on April 12, 1995, exactly one week before the Oklahoma City bombing. To be continued.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
02/27/2004 12:27:52 AM ||
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U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown,a Marxist, apologized Thursday for remarks she made a day earlier when she said Hispanics and whites "all look alike to me." Brown made the statement during a Wednesday briefing on Haiti with Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega , a Mexican-American, and the Florida congressional delegation. During the meeting, attended by about 30 people, Brown sat across the table from Noriega and launched an attack on President Bushâs policy on Haiti. She said Republican leaders were "racist" in their policies toward the Caribbean nation, which is almost entirely black, and called the presidentâs representatives "a bunch of white men." It takes one to know one.
"I sincerely did not mean to offend Secretary Noriega or anyone in the room. Rather, my comments, as they relate to âwhite men,â were aimed at the policies of the Bush administration as they pertain to Haiti, which I do consider to be racist," Brown said in a statement on Thursday. Brown added that she was offended that the meeting on the crisis in Haiti, led by administration officials, "turned into a diatribe rebuking the Haitian government and the Haitian people. I was personally insulted by the anti-Marxist anti-Haiti sentiment brought to the table by the State Department and by Republican members of Congress in attendance," she said. Brown also wrote a letter to Noriega, in which she half way apologized again "if what I said was construed as a personal affront." "The State Department delegation that came to meet with us did not include any females or people of color. Given the racial makeup of the people of Haiti, who are 95 percent of African descent, I felt the delegation and the delegationâs position were callous and out of touch with the needs (cultural and otherwise) of the Haitian people," she wrote. The people of color remark means Brown didnât consider any of the delegation dark enough. Which in itself is a racist comment.
After the dressing down, which sent a hush over the hour-long meeting, Noriega responded that he would relay her comments to Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, both high-level African-American members of the Bush administration.
Posted by: GK ||
02/27/2004 12:20:45 AM ||
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#1
Nice try, Corrine... NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! Try from the well of the Senate. With coverage from CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and FNC. During the 7pm Family Hour!... Then take your act on the road. Over to the Oval Office and OEB!
Posted by: Jack Deth ||
02/27/2004 0:49 Comments ||
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#2
after her comments at the meeting--rapresentative brown--jumped on the table and stated she was going to do the bugaloo by any means necessary if you long nose narrow lip punks don't give the dusky marxist priest of thuglandia his props.
Posted by: SON OF TOLUI ||
02/27/2004 1:07 Comments ||
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#4
Nah -- no apology here... Sorry, I don't think my mother would have accepted this apology, when, at the age of six, I hit another kid in the head with a brick! "Sorry Scotty."
She knew I wasn't sincere.... Scotty was a bully! And I am a girl!
Go get her, Condi!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Just Me ||
02/27/2004 1:39 Comments ||
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#5
This is what passes for a Donk apology. Get used to it, you'll be seeing it alot.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2004 1:46 Comments ||
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#6
The entire Congressional BlackGUARD Caucus is comprised of some of the planet's more virulently hostile and uncivil afro-fascists. The CBC along with the NAACP are the Democrat Party's neo-KLAN -- the Klan with a Tan. This Klan is incredibly dangerous as its members are exempt from even the lowest standard of common decency for their words and deeds.
#7
I don't know how some black people, can speak for the entire black race, about the entire white or other race? Aren't we all just humans trying to find happiness, heh, my advice let it go, Corrine!
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
02/27/2004 2:53 Comments ||
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#9
What exactly is the non-racist policy toward Haiti? Pretend that its a very special and important country? Pretend that we have a clue about what to do about the current crisis and whose side we should take in the current civil war? We've already tried that and it hasn't seemed to have done any good. Do we need to go in and prop up corrupt and ineffectual (and unpopular?) Arisitide again? Seems we shouldn't interfere.
Speaking of racism, it's a dirty secret of the African-American community that there are high-levels of animostiy and discrimination toward Carribean and African immigrants, including Haitians, Rep. Brown's posturing notwithstanding.
Posted by: Tokyo Taro ||
02/27/2004 4:22 Comments ||
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#10
We should intervene in Haiti? Again? That's naked imperialism!
#15
It just occurred to me that the white liberals funding her may also be getting squeamish. (An interesting little fact about black politicians - of either party - is that they get their funding mostly from white contributors). Blasts like this are not going to ingratiate Brown with her backers.
#16
damn shame that the Democrat party leaders and faithful can't get the conservative media to pick up on their outrage and cries for her resignation
[/sarcasm]
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2004 10:33 Comments ||
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#17
As a white male, I am incensed by Brown's behavior! Isn't she aware that racism and discrimination are policies only white men can engage in? She has infringed on our monopoly and I have been disenfranchised! Somebody call Jesse Jackson!
Posted by: Dar ||
02/27/2004 10:42 Comments ||
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#18
Hey, does anyone remember when intervening in Iraq was racist, as in Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, or "1, 2, 3, 4, we don't want your racist war"? Now, not intervening in Haiti is racist. Funny how that works.
#21
Yeah, sorry I offended the Mexican guy. But the white guy's still suck. Unless they're gay.
Is that okay? Am I off the hook now?
Posted by: Corrine Brown ||
02/27/2004 12:56 Comments ||
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#22
#21 How could we not let such a charming person off the hook after that heartfelt, sincere apology.
One further thing you could do for us is explain why Haiti is 95% black(African-Hispaniolan). Doesn't have anything to do with a racist constitution that stood for almost 200 years would it? I don't see anything in the 1987 constitution that prohibits race discrimination in Haiti. Your EXPERT opinion would be appreciated.
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