A provincial council in eastern Afghanistan went on strike for four days on Wednesday to protest operations by foreign forces, after allegations that soldiers killed a mullah. The protest in Nangarhar province came as other provincial tribal elders meeting in Kabul complained foreign soldiers were branding Afghan men with beards and turbans Taliban or Al Qaeda rebels and treating them as the enemy.
The 19-member Nangarhar council, similar to a provincial parliament, presented a resolution to reporters criticising the provincial government as weak and scared of foreign forces.
In protest at the continued house searches and arrests of mostly innocent people and disrespect to Afghan culture by foreign forces, we have stopped working for four days, said the council deputy, Mawlawi Abdul Aziz. He said the move was in response to the arrest overnight on Wednesday of five people in Jalalabad in a raid that also killed a local mullah.
Aziz said the raid was conducted by the NATO deployment helping Afghanistan try to defeat Taliban insurgents and their Al Qaeda allies. The International Security Assistance Force media centre in Kabul said it did not have information that its forces were involved, and the national police ministry could not immediately confirm the incident. Other international troops operate in Afghanistan, including undercover special forces.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
If 1 stiff Mueller gets you four hours off, then 6 must get you the an entire day? Now GET with the program!
#2
I'm beginning to think we're wrong to try to actually hold ground in these countries. Instead, we should destroy every bit of infrastructure, and keep hammering each time they try to rebuild. Turn the entire Middle East into a 7th century cesspit and let the arabs and other islamists stew in it, without a chance to escape. Of course, that would require stopping the russies and chicoms from coming in and taking over, which might be a tad difficult. We really need to have that moon base, complete with rock launchers.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/08/2007 14:13 Comments ||
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#3
A provincial council in eastern Afghanistan went on strike for four days...
Yeah, I'm sure these guys were real big in the heavy lifting department. I'm sure Nangarhar has ground to a halt...
(SomaliNet) Somalis interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi Wednesday has reshuffled some of his cabinet changing five ministers following allegations of negligence of their ministries. The move is part of governments efforts to exert its power throughout the war torn country of Somalia.
Mr. Ali Gedi issued a decree transferring ministerial posts. Among the changes was Interior minister Hussein Mohamed Aidid who was appointed to the ministry of housing while his position was given to Mohamoud Mohamed Gacmodhere. The information minister Ali Jama was appointed to the natural resources ministry. Madobe Nunow became the new minister of information.
The rearrangement came week after the transitional parliament based in Baidoa elected a new speaker, Sheik Aden Madobe to replace the former sacked speaker Sharif Hasan Sheik Aden after he was accused of brokering peace talks with the Islamists without the consent of the government. The government, backed by Ethiopian forces, tumbled the hardline Islamists late December, but is facing increasing opposition in the Somalia capital Mogadishu where armed militia have been attacking government-held positions.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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The Emir of Kuwait has implored Irans leadership to come to its senses and avoid plunging the region into a new conflict over its controversial nuclear programme. Ahead of his first official visit to Britain as Kuwaits head of state today, Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah raised fears that the Gulf could be dragged into a new confrontation unless Iran satisfied the world that it was not seeking to build an atomic bomb.
The President of Iran visited me here. We had a very frank talk. We told him that if nuclear energy will be used for peaceful purposes we will be first to welcome it, Sheikh Sabah told The Times at Bayan Palace in Kuwait City. But if it is the intention of his leadership to use this energy for military purposes, then we will be very unhappy. I hope they use their heads, that they will be reasonable, that wisdom will prevail. They must avoid this very dangerous stage which at present they are in and avoid the dangerous situation that might befall them, the 77-year-old ruler said.
"... if it is the intention of his leadership to use this energy for military purposes, then we will be very unhappy."
Asked about the threat of US or Israeli military action, the Emir replied: I hope that the confrontation will not happen, but everything is possible.
Sheikh Sabah revealed that the oil-rich Arab Gulf states were also planning to build their own reactor. It is true. We need nuclear facilities for peaceful usage. We will not be able to rely on oil to generate our electricity needs for ever. Therefore we are actively considering the nuclear option and we have commissioned a study to look into it. We are seeking one reactor that would serve the whole region.
Underlying the tensions with Iran is the fear among rulers of the Gulf states that a resurgent Tehran will attempt to extend its influence in the Arab world by inflaming its Shia Muslim brethren. Last week Sheikh Sabah used a speech marking his first anniversary in power to appeal to his countrymen to abandon differences. He gave warning of grave consequences for Kuwait if it failed to learn the lessons of neighbouring Iraq, where Sun-nis and Shias are locked in a sectarian civil war. Sheikh Sabah insisted that Kuwait, with a population of one-third Shia, would remain united.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
How's this for a situation Hillary would like to have resolved before she takes office? Would she not be grateful if Bush took care of it for her?
Raghad Hussein, accompanied by her son and daughter and several of Saddam's defense lawyers, was greeted with chants of "Revenge for Saddam!" and "Eternity to Saddam!" A convoy of cars carrying pictures of Saddam then drove them to a palace for a ceremony hosted by the chief of the state security forces, Yahia Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, a cousin of the Yemeni president.
With tears and sobs, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's elder daughter joined hundreds of Baathists in the Yemeni capital on Wednesday to mark the passage of 40 days of mourning his death. Raghad Hussein, accompanied by her son and daughter and several of Saddam's defense lawyers, was greeted with chants of "Revenge for Saddam!" and "Eternity to Saddam!" on arrival at the San'a airport. A convoy of cars carrying pictures of Saddam then drove them to a palace in downtown San'a for a ceremony hosted by the chief of the state security forces, Yahia Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, who is also a cousin of the Yemeni president.
Addressing the gathering, Raghad praised the insurgents in Iraq, saying that "as long as the resistance and the mujahedeen are fulfilling their duties in Iraq, the Iraqi people, without any doubt, will achieve victory."
"Saddam Hussein is the real hero and the pan-Arab leader. I am proud of him and proud of his great struggle and sacrifices," she said. Other speakers at the ceremony lashed out at the United States and Iran as well as Arab regimes they did not identify but labeled as U.S. collaborators in Iraq.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#7
Most family members cry when a loved one is executed for murder. They cry for what the lost father's life could have been, what promise it could have held, rather than whining for inconvenience of living in exile with stolen Iraqi money.
A man accused of planning to detonate a bomb on London's transport system often spoke about martyrdom and listened to the speeches of Osama bin Laden and other radical preachers, a witness told the Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday.
Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29, is one of six men accused of plotting to detonate explosives on four Underground trains and a bus, two weeks after four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in London in July 2005.
The witness - described as a former roommate of Ibrahim's - gave evidence from behind a screen to protect his identity and was identified by the alias Michael Bexhill. He said the suspect often watched extremist films, showing "martyrs" reading their wills and graphic footage of people dying.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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Russia is planning to buy new intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines and possibly aircraft carriers as part of an ambitious military programme, it emerged yesterday.
The defence minister, Sergei Ivanov, told parliament the military would have 17 new ballistic missiles this year - a hefty increase on the four deployed on average each year in recent times. The purchases are part of a weapons modernisation programme for 2007-2015 worth about 5 trillion roubles (£96.4bn).
The programme envisages the deployment of 34 new silo-based Topol-M missiles and another 50 mounted on mobile launchers. So far, Russia has deployed more than 40 silo-based Topol-Ms.
Russian defence spending has been rising steadily in recent years, buoyed by oil revenues and high energy prices. But the military effort is still puny compared with the US defence budget. The White House this week requested $481.4bn (£244.8bn) for the regular military budget in 2008 and $235bn on top of that for Afghanistan and Iraq.
So the Russian defense budget is puny compared to ours. What is theirs? The reporter doesn't tell you, but rest assured, it's puny. Sheesh.
Analysts questioned whether the big Russian rises of recent years would really improve the dire state the military has been in since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. "Nobody knows whether the dramatic increases will overcome Russia's military crisis, said Yuri Fedorov, an associate fellow at the London thinktank Chatham House. "The situation has not really improved because of the absence of real military reform, corruption and the war in Chechnya, which demonstrated that Russian land forces are in a desperate situation."
A rapid build-up of advanced weapons would also tax Russia's defence companies, which have received virtually no government orders for a decade. "Links to subcontractors have been broken, and the defence plants now need to rebuild them to produce weapons," the independent military analyst Alexander Golts said.
Mr Ivanov said the military now had enough money to intensify combat training. "Combat readiness of the army and the navy is currently the highest in the post-Soviet history," he said, adding that the task now was to "exceed Soviet-era levels".
Mr Ivanov said the military now had about 1.13 million servicemen compared with 1.34 million in 2001; by 2015 the military would have about 1 million servicemen. "We can't go below that," he warned.
#3
Jeez, I hope that the Russians are stupid enough to spend their defense rubles on unneeded carriers, instead of the necessary spare parts, armour, and CAS aircraft. Their last attempt at a full blown carrier was barely bigger than an Essex class ship that the US had in the 1950s. The Russians also have not mastered a true VSTOL jumpjet like the Harrier, nor do they have a proven carrier air superiority or attack aircraft in their inventory.
For the money they are wasting on the carrier experiments, they could fund spares production to bring all of their remaining T-62, T-72, T-80, and T-90 stocks back up to par; they could also fund the expansion of their light armour/wheeled APCs to all the motorized regiments; plus they could equip all their infantry units with the AN-94 and AK-103; and they could still have money left to upgrade some of their bases beyond Third World conditions.
Also a better place to spend money than on ICBMs is the Russian CAS fleet : spares for Su-25/Su-39 would be a much better investment than 17 new ICBMs.
#4
Yeah, the Russians want to spend money on their ICBMs, instead of upgrades on what it takes to fight tomorrow's wars. They seem to have the same mentality as their Iranian clients. They better not try the suicide boomer option, as they do not have the population for that mission, negative birthrate and all.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/08/2007 16:04 Comments ||
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#5
Hey, better they sink money into useless ICBMs than actually helping their armed forces with real weapons.
The Russians seem to have this obsession with ICBMs and strategic bombers. That's great and all, but it doesn't help one bit against the threats that Russia is facing today.
#6
This isn't a particularly big deal and has been in the works for a long time. RT-2UTTH - Topol-M SS-27 Work on the new Topol-M ICBM is lagging seriously behind the initial timetable. Defense state order financing for the next decade provides that by 2003 there will be on the order of 250-300 Topol-M missiles in service. A total of 1.5 trillion [old] rubles were included in the 1997 budget for the development of the Topol-M missile complex. The Russian Missile Troops are permitted to have 300 Topol RS-12M mobile missiles under the START II Treaty, and the RVSN must acquire two Topol-M regiments annually up to 2001, which will cost 3.7 billion new rubles. The Strategic Missile Force plans to deploy mobile Topol-M missile systems at the end of 2002 or early in 2003. A total of R700 billion would be required to place 450 Topol-M missiles in service by 2005 to maintain parity under START II. But the present 55 percent funding will permit production of at the very most 10-15 missiles at this facility each year year. As a result the Strategic Missile Troops would have a total of approximately 350-400 ICBM warheads, not the 800-900 which are permited within the framework of the START II Treaty. On 15 April 1998 Acting Prime Minister Sergey Kiriyenko approved a schedule of monthly budget appropriations for the Topol-M, which he noted would make up the core of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.
In December 1997 after four test launches, the first two Topol-M systems were put on alert for a trial period with the Taman Division at Tatischevo in the Saratov region. As of late July 1998 two more Topol-M launch sites were completed and were awaiting acceptance trials. Russia put a regiment of 10 Topol-M missiles on duty in 1998. By that time the Strategic Rocket Forces had carried out 6 successful test launches. A second regiment of another 10 missiles entered service in December 1999. A third regiment, of 10 Topol-M missiles will be deployed in 2000.
The Topol-M missile system is being commissioned in the Russian strategic nuclear forces' grouping regardless of whether heavy missiles are stood down from combat alert duty or not. It is intended that the Topol-M ICBM grouping will comprise an equal number of mobile and silo-launched missiles. Some 90 of the 360 launch silos vacated by the RS-20 ICBM's, which are being stood down from combat alert duty, need to be converted for the latter. Apart from Saratov Oblast the Topol-M systems will be deployed in Valday, the southern Urals, and the Altay.
The START II strategic arms reduction treaty, signed with the United States in 1993 but not yet ratified by Russia's parliament, calls for Russia to replace its SS-18 missiles, which have multiple warheads, with single warhead missiles such as the Topol-M. Although deployed with a single warhead, the Topol-M could be converted into a multiple-warhead missile, which was prohibited by the START II treaty. Topol-M could carry at least three and perhaps as many as six warheads. The Topol-M missiles could be transformed into missiles with multiple reentry vehicles [MIRV's], since their throw weight allows accommodating 3-4 warheads on a missile. The warheads could be taken from some of those ground-based and naval missiles which will be withdrawn from the order of battle in coming years. The Topol-M can carry a maneuverable warhead, which was tested in the summer of 1998. Topol-M also has a shorter engine-burn time, to minimize satellite detection on launch.
#9
One article does suggest that the reason for the new ICBMs is that fact that the old ones are just damned dangerous now : when one is testfired, it blows up in the silo. So the Russians may be trying to maintain a minimum level ICBM force - perhaps to warn off the Chinese.
However, the carriers are just pissing money down a rathole and the state of Russian military bases makes America's urban ghettos look appealing. Also, Chechnya has proven that the Russian Air Force is desperately short of CAS aircraft, munitions, and training.
All of those items are much better choices for funding, if the Russians truly wish to improve their military and not just reward their friends in the military-industrial complex - which actually exists in the CIS, unlike the fantasies of same in the West.
#10
Russia still reserves its right to launch a unilateral preemptive conventional strike(s) to protect its interests, plus Ivanov has said that it was a mistake for Russia to eliminate IRBMS = INF's.
SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- The United States may recognize goods produced at a joint industrial complex just north of the border as South Korean if there is a change in circumstances, the top U.S. diplomat here said Monday. In a one-hour meeting with Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said that while it is unrealistic to recognize the goods made in the border city of Kaesong as South Korean, there is room left to negotiate within the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, Unification Ministry officials said.
"Lee stressed that U.S. recognition of the goods produced in Kaesong as South Korean will contribute to bringing about a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Vershbow said 'if,' but he did not elaborate on what kind of change under what kind of circumstances," said a ministry official who was present at the meeting, but who asked to remain anonymous.
How about ensuring that the workers in Kaesong have the same rights as workers in South Korea, including pay, benefits, the right to unionize, the right to change jobs, and the right to file grievances?
So far, the U.S. has avoided placing the issue on the official agenda of the FTA negotiations, so Vershbow's remarks could be construed as a slight change in U.S. strategy toward forging a free trade deal with South Korea.
In spite of United Nations sanctions on the North following its nuclear weapon test in October, South Korea has kept two major cross-border joint projects afloat: an industrial complex in Kaesong just north of the border, and a tourism program at the North's scenic Mount Geumgang. In the industrial complex, South Korean businesses use cheap North Korean labor to produce goods. Twenty-one South Korean factories employ about 11,160 North Korean workers in Kaesong.
The six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, will reconvene in Beijing on Thursday.
Kaesong is a sham: it's where SKor conglomerates go to find really cheap labor. Much of the money paid in 'wages' goes into Poofy-Hair's bank accounts. The U.S. should stand firm against this until the SKors do some arm-twisting on the north.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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As protests are growing in the Arab world over the publication of satirical Prophet Muhammad published by a Danish editor, French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo which had re-published the drawings and added in-house few others, won in court over the French Muslim Council that had requested early this week a ban on the French satirical publication.
Despite worlds growing protests about drawings of the Prophet Muhammad released by Danish publishers, French satirical political newspaper Charlie Hebdo wins in court today Vs Muslim French Council which had requested a ban earlier this week. Controversial drawings were released last September in Denmark and never raised protests at the time. Iran officials announces the release of Holocaust Drawings contest by next week.
Courts decision is very much appreciated. "It is a good news for all us - those who defend the principle to the right to publish satire", says Philippe Val.
About Charlie Hebdo
Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical political weekly newspaper. Published every Wednesday and sometimes issues a few editions variably. Charlie Hebdo is respected as being non-conformist and liberal, and remains symbolic of the press having a certain freedom of tone, which is uncommon in France. Philippe Val is currently its editor in chief. Val has a strongly left-wing slant.
Editors of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo went to court on Wednesday for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that outraged Muslims worldwide.
Two influential groups the Paris Grand Mosque and the Union of Islamic Organisations of France are suing Charlie Hebdo for re-printing in February of last year cartoons that appeared in the Danish Jyllands-Posten.
Two influential groups the Paris Grand Mosque and the Union of Islamic Organisations of France are suing Charlie Hebdo for re-printing in February of last year cartoons that appeared in the Danish Jyllands-Posten. The weekly is also being sued for publishing a third drawing by French cartoonist Cabu.
The closely-watched case is seen as a test of the limits of freedom of expression in France.
In a show of solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, the leftist daily Liberation carried the cartoons that landed the weekly in court in its Wednesday edition.
In the land of Voltaire, we have the right to criticise religion, Liberation said in its editorial.
In the land of Voltaire, we have the right to criticise religion, Liberation said in its editorial. The weekly is to answer a complaint of publicly offending a group of persons on the basis of their religion during the hearings that are expected to last two days in a Paris criminal court.
Other than the French drawing, Charlie Hebdo re-printed two drawings that first appeared in the Danish newspaper in September 2005, triggering a wave of mass protests in the Muslim world.
The two plaintiffs argue that the cartoons draw an offensive link between Islam and terrorism, and are demanding 30,000 euros ($38,750) in damages.
The two plaintiffs argue that the cartoons draw an offensive link between Islam and terrorism, and are demanding 30,000 euros ($38,750) in damages. They also want Charlie Hebdo to publish the ruling if it comes down in their favour on the front page of the weekly. The decision to print the cartoons was part of a considered plan of provocation aimed against the Islamic community in its most intimate faith, born out of a simplistic Islamophobia as well as purely commercial interests, according to the plea before the court. Some 15 witnesses have been asked to make depositions on behalf of Charlie Hebdo, including exiled Bangledeshi writer Taslima Nasreen. A group of 50 intellectuals including many French Muslims published an open letter on Monday urging support for Charlie Hebdo, and describing the trial as a test case for free speech.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
The world has gone nuts.
I wonder if Hebdo could counter-sue on the Islam <==> terrorism link. But why should he need to?
#3
Not Guilty, Baillif arrest the Plaintifs for wasting the court's time. Hold them without bail, investigate them for Inciting to riot, Arson, Rioting, and Destruction of private property.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
02/08/2007 9:15 Comments ||
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#4
And Balif, whack their peepees!
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/08/2007 18:38 Comments ||
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#5
The two plaintiffs argue that the cartoons draw an offensive link between Islam and terrorism
Pretty inoffensive link between Islam and terrorism, compared to the real-world, real-time non-ink link we are "treated" to daily.
Gen. George Casey, the former U.S. commander in Iraq, is likely to be the Army's next chief of staff despite limited opposition in the Senate, most notably from Iraq war supporter Sen. John McCain, who has previously defended President Bush's right to make executive appointments. McCain voted against forwarding Casey's nomination to the Senate floor during the Senate Armed Services Committee vote on Tuesday and he said Wednesday that he will oppose the nomination when it goes up for a decision on Thursday.
One of Casey's most ardent critics in the Senate, McCain blames Casey for the "dire and deteriorating" situation in Iraq. At his confirmation hearing last week, the Arizona Republican and 2008 presidential candidate questioned Casey's judgment and blamed the general for strategic missteps resulting in "unprecedented levels of violence." He also called on Casey to "explain why your assessment of the situation in Iraq has differed so radically from that of most observers and why your predictions of future success have been so unrealistically rosy."
On the Senate floor Wednesday, McCain said Casey "more than anyone" has been the architect of U.S. strategy in Iraq, and during that time has presented false scenarios to Congress about progress of Iraqi security forces training and their ability to combat sectarian violence. McCain, who has long advocated boosting the number of U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, added that Bush's new surge plan might need more than the five brigades that the president committed in his strategy speech on Jan. 10. Nevertheless, McCain said, at his confirmation hearing, Casey continued to say that two brigades would suffice and would leave incoming commander, Gen. David Petraeus, with "flexibility."
For his part, Casey argued that he didn't ask for more troops when the security situation began to worsen because he did not want to bring "one more American soldier than necessary" into Iraq.
Despite the decision to oppose Casey, McCain has in the past said it's the president's decision to set up his commanders and appointees the way he wants. In 2005, McCain said Bush "has a right to put into place the team that he believes will serve him best." In a statement made at a May 26, 2005, confirmation hearing for John Bolton to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, McCain said that "one consequence of President Bushs re-election is that he has the right to appoint officials of his choice."
"When President Clinton was elected, I did not share the policy views of some of the officials he nominated, but I voted to confirm them," McCain said at the time. Asked about the contradiction, McCain told FOX News on Wednesday that his comments in defense of presidential appointments do not mean that he has abandoned the Senate's constitutional right to advise and consent.
"There's a reason not to [vote for Casey]," he said. "There is the advise and consent clause. Nothing said we have to be a rubber stamp," McCain said, echoing Democratic objections to many of Bush's past nominees.
#5
Aside from the Anti-McCain comments, is he right or wrong? I have to agree a bit.
For his part, Casey argued that he didn't ask for more troops when the security situation began to worsen because he did not want to bring "one more American soldier than necessary" into Iraq.
Obviously he didn't have what was necessary. The main priority should be getting the job done and kicking ass, not 1/2 assing it. What happens in the future when in the next conflict we really do need to get more men and resources onto the field and he's timid about it because of the political environment. If there is no one better then I'll rest my case but he just doesn't seem dynamic enough to me.
#6
I hate to agree with McCain. It makes me question myself. But upon review in the booth, I agree, promoting Casey is a mistake, if for no other reason than it is rewarding failure, or at least the absence of success. A statement like 'he did not want to bring "one more American soldier than necessary"' indicates someone more interested in politics than victory. That's not good in a chief of staff. I had hoped Rumy had flushed more of these non-warrior generals out of the service.
#7
How about trying to change the rules of engagement to allow our troops to kill the enemy instead of making a police action? You could have a million troops in there, but with the insane ROE, would you make better progress, other than give the enemy more targets?
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/08/2007 9:57 Comments ||
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#8
Sounds all very good in theory, but who's gonna allow changing the ROE?
If you can't do that, then I wouldn't just sit there with my hands in my pockets.
How many IEDs are planted in places that our troops already cleared out? What's the point when you giving back the area to the enemy in a few hours.
Yeah sure someone's gonna snipe at you when you have more troops on the ground, but if your with a small force your not going to have as much coordination you need to pinpoint them and keep the area secure.
I believe elite small killing forces are great for invasions but not for holding large areas.
Also there is the fatigue factor of having the same elite guys run all over town when more troops can relieve some of the stress.
#9
It sounded to me like President Bush allowed changing the ROE in January. Had the commander in Iraq argued more aggressively for the need, pacification would now be much further advanced. Methinks Senator McCain needs to remain in the Senate, where sometimes he can do much good by his posturing.
#10
Who was it that said that the bad general's best friend was Rummy? The talking head said that after Rummy left, then people would begin to focus on who was actually doing badly on the ground, rather than blaming it all on Rummy in D.C.
#12
Sometimes you see people promoted to a position where they cannot do any harm. Perhaps, McCain needs to consider the promotion from that viewpoint.
#13
McCain's silence on the underwar torture story speaks volumes to me about his character. An actual - honest to God torture victim in the Hanoi Hilton, I'll bet he prayed for pair of panties on his head and an embarrasing photograph when the vietnames guards were beating him bloody with a bamboo cane. As I recall from a Reader's Digest condensed version - one of his guards showed great compasion by letting him soak in water before pulling off his blood caked garments and tearing open the wounds.
John McCain said nothing about abu gharaib and proved to me he is simply a political beast now, and concerned only with what may grant him higher office.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
02/08/2007 12:16 Comments ||
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#15
This one is tough, McCain needs to retire, but then so does Kennedy and most of the old guard. I'm not a big fan of Casey either and as far as being able to do damage COS facilitates and is a provider, he won't be fighting any more wars. His ability to do damage is limited, at least they did not nominate Cody for the job!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
02/08/2007 14:26 Comments ||
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#16
Power Line had an interesting take on this - that Casey would primarily be responsible for recruiting, training, and logistics, and not much else as CS, and therefore would be relegated to an administrative role. I don't know how much to trust that judgment. As for McCain, I don't trust him to brush his teeth in the morning, much less with anything else, including a Senate seat. I would never vote for him as president. If the choice was between him and hillary, I'd vote for the libertarian candidate. He strikes me more as a snake-oil salesman than a weasel, but that's just me.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/08/2007 14:57 Comments ||
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An Army officer who investigated possible abuse at Guantanamo Bay after some guards purportedly bragged about beating detainees found no evidence they mistreated the prisoners -- although he did not interview any of the alleged victims, the U.S. military said Wednesday. Col. Richard Bassett, the chief investigator, recommended no disciplinary action against the Navy guards named by Marine Sgt. Heather Cerveny, who had said that during a conversation in September they described beating detainees as common practice.
"The evidence did not support any of the allegations of mistreatment or harassment"
In an affidavit filed to the Pentagon's inspector general, Cerveny -- a member of a detainee's legal defense team -- said a group of more than five men who identified themselves as guards had recounted hitting prisoners. The conversation allegedly took place at a bar inside the base. "The evidence did not support any of the allegations of mistreatment or harassment," the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in southeastern Cuba, said in a statement.
Investigators conducted 20 interviews with "suspects and witnesses," the Southern Command said. Bassett did not interview any detainees, said Jose Ruiz, a Miami-based command spokesman. "He talked to all the parties he felt he needed to get information about the allegations that were made," Ruiz said by telephone from Miami.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Read - in-cell/closed-door interrogations were filmed??? No surprise here.
#2
..said a group of more than five men who identified themselves as guards had recounted hitting prisoners. The conversation allegedly took place at a bar inside the base.
The defense lawyer was buying drinks and the "guards" wanted them to keep coming.
Posted by: Steve ||
02/08/2007 10:25 Comments ||
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#3
And it looks like Sgt. Cock Tease appears to have jammed herself up.
Following Bassett's recommendations, Stavridis said a "letter of counseling" should be sent to the female guard who allegedly initiated a "fictitious account" of detainee abuse. Bassett also accused Cerveny of filing a false statement during a brief meeting with her at the Marine base at Camp Pendleton, Calif., her boss, Marine Lt. Col. Colby Vokey, said last week.
#4
"He's buyin us beer??" Ya, Ya I beat um too!!! I drink Jack and Coke, thanks. Wanna hear a good one about the koran and the toilet?? How about turning the arrow to Mecca! ahahaha Nope never been to Cuba but I got some good lies! File this under bullshit war stories gone bad.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
02/08/2007 16:15 Comments ||
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In a Continuing Story.....
FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- The judge overseeing the court martial of an Army lieutenant who refused to deploy to Iraq declared a mistrial Wednesday, saying the soldier did not fully understand a document he signed admitting to elements of the charges.
Military judge Lt. Col. John Head announced the decision after 1st Lt. Ehren Watada said he never intended to admit he had a duty to go to Iraq with his fellow soldiers -- one element of the crime of missing troop movement. Head set a March 12 date for a new trial and dismissed the jurors.
Last month, Watada signed a 12-page stipulation of fact in which he acknowledged he did not go to Iraq with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, last June. He also acknowledged making public statements criticizing the Iraq war, which he believes to be illegal.
In exchange, prosecutors dropped two charges of conduct unbecoming an officer charges against him, and agreed to proceed to trial on the remaining charges: missing movement -- for his refusal to deploy last June -- and two other allegations of conduct unbecoming an officer for comments made about the case. I wonder of the two charges will be re-filed then.
Watada, 28, of Honolulu, was expected to testify in his own defense Wednesday until Head and attorneys met in a closed meeting for much of the morning.
In their opening statements Tuesday, prosecutors said Watada abandoned his soldiers and brought disgrace upon himself and the service by accusing the Army of war crimes and denouncing the Bush administration for conducting an illegal war founded on lies.
Watada could receive four years in prison and a dishonorable discharge if convicted of missing movement and conduct unbecoming an officer for his statements against the war.
Watada is the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq, said Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice in Washington, D.C.
After concluding the Iraq war was illegal, Watada asked to take a combat post in Afghanistan or elsewhere. The Army refused those requests, along with Watada's request that he be allowed to resign. Sorry - you can't pick and choose which conflict you get to play in.
Watada then made several public appearances to denounce the war. Thus the conduct charges....
Looks like Watada couldn't play along with his stipulations, or else he sorta forgot. Now it's all back on the table, and the prosecutor is going to nail him for everything.
#1
The accusations of war crimes should see him facing a treason trial.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
02/07/2007 20:17 Comments ||
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#2
both charges are to be refiled, IIUC. Eevrything's on the table, including his stipulated confession. Bye, and good lawyering, asshole
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/07/2007 20:47 Comments ||
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#3
Because much of the Army's evidence was laid out in the document, rejecting it would hurt its case, Head acknowledged. He granted the prosecutors' request for a mistrial, which Watada's lawyer opposed.
Interesting. It was the prosecution that asked for the mistrial.
#4
A flawed stipulation jeopardizes the prosecution's ability to make the charges stick, and Watada would have skated. So at this point, asking for a mistrial was a crappy but best available option.
Unfortunately, the longer it takes to convict him, the more the seditionists can prolong their agitprop campaign. Which, no doubt, was Watada's intention when he signed a stipulation he knew to be flawed.
#5
Which, no doubt, was Watada's intention when he signed a stipulation he knew to be flawed joined the military after the invasion of Iraq, planning on pulling this stunt all along.
Minor correction.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
02/08/2007 7:53 Comments ||
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#6
Roger, RC. I covered that yesterday. There's gotta be a way to charge him with far more than missing movement and conduct unbecoming.
Good news is, Head seems to be much more particular about the evidence, now that he's in a position to have his rulings reversed. A mistrial sucks, but it's better than an overturned conviction, and the agitprop windfall therefrom.
#9
From Thealet Hupeatle2938's link: In a weird bit of courtroom drama, both parties agreed with each other that Head was wrong. Seitz and Army prosecutor Capt. Scott Van Sweringen said they believed the case could move forward, that Watadas admission to the facts of the case did not prevent him from trying to convince the panel that he had not committed a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. At one point, an exasperated Van Sweringen told Head he was at a loss to make his point any clearer.
That certainly rams home Ms. exJAG's recollection of Head as not being overly competent.
#10
Not exactly, Mike. Before trial, the government and defense will agree to certain facts, to reduce the number of witnesses and save time. These are set out in a stipulation of fact ("stip"), which is typically drafted by the prosecutor.
The stip is then submitted to the judge, who has to be sure that the accused really intends to admit to these facts, in every point and detail. Here, an argument made by the defense alerted Head to the fact that Watada may not have intended to admit to certain facts.
Head is quoted as saying, you have to treat it essentially like a guilty plea because he admits to all the facts surrounding the offense." This strikes me as an overly cautious move by a new judge who is terrified of being reversed on appeal. Frequent reversals look bad on a judge's efficiency report (and I would imagine Head already has enough mediocre OERs).
Seems to me that the inconsistency merely puts that one limited point in dispute, shifting the burden back to the government to prove it. No need to toss everything out, so I can definitely understand why prosecutors are frustrated.
However, a mistrial is not necessarily to Watada's benefit. A re-trial will give prosecutors a chance to prefer additional charges and try for a harsher sentence. I am sure as heck hoping they use the additional time to develop evidence showing his malign intentions from the day he decided to go to OCS.
The defense's puffery about double jeopardy is a load of bull. You have to be acquitted for that to kick in, and a mistrial is not an acquittal. That sounds to me like a defense attorney who plans to spend many *billable* hours tossing out frivolous crapola to fuel the media spectacle.
#11
The Left has already made this a political trial in their eyes. A lawyer interviewed on Fox yesterday, dammit I have a hard time remembering names, Said, "He made a political descision and will suffer the political consequences". His descision to refuse orders was not political and the consequences are not political. When he is sentenced he will be heralded as a Political Prisoner of the Bush Regime.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/08/2007 11:54 Comments ||
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#12
Watada's defense team should be forced to prove that Bush lied, if that is his basis for believing that the war in Iraq is illegal.
That should nail the lid down on this case.
#13
On one of the Seattle paper's blogs today, the comment was made, that rather than go through all the legal gyrations and surrounding press while the retrial gets underway, that Whinetada simply be given a new set of orders to Iraq and see if he refuses, again. If he refuses, then he is nailed dead to rights, and if he accepts, he will probably encounter a 'work accident' in the field.
I think exJAGs comments the other day may still come to pass, that the Judge is in over his head.
he is really trying to cover all bases for the ineventable appeal for when this POS loses.
#14
USN, I hope I'm wrong. Years ago, I thought Head was a fuck-up, and even today he is not, shall we say, a rising star in the JAG Corps.
However, I'm not there, and can't know every detail he knows, so I'm trying to suspend judgment. At the same time, I'm doing a little research, and I am not liking what I'm finding. I'll keep y'all posted.
#15
Oh brother. For you masochists who like to read mumbo-jumbo, here's what the trial procedure regulation has to say:
1. The military judge should not accept a stipulation if there is any doubt of the accuseds or any other partys understanding of the nature and effect of the stipulation.
K, no problem.
2. If the military judge refuses to accept a stipulation, the parties should be granted a continuance to be able to gather proof on the issue.
K then, WTF??
3. "A mistrial may be declared as a matter of discretion when circumstances arising during
the proceedings make it manifestly necessary in the interest of justice. Examples of such
circumstances include: when court members are informed of inadmissible matters which are so prejudicial that a curative instruction would be inadequate; when the members themselves engage in prejudicial misconduct; or when the proceedings must be terminated because of some legal defect which cannot be cured.
"Mistrial is a drastic remedy and should be employed only when manifestly necessary to preserve the ends of justice.
Only in the extraordinary case in which the improper evidence is inflammatory or highly prejudicial to the extent that its impact cannot be erased reasonably from the minds of an ordinary person is there occasion for the judge to grant a
mistrial."
Jiminy Christmas. Head's decision may amount to abuse of discretion, which in turn could prevent a re-trial. More in a moment.
#16
Yep, Head fucked it up good. To my amazement, the defense may now have pretty good grounds to claim double jeopardy:
"A second trial will be barred after declaration of a mistrial on grounds of former jeopardy only when (1) the grant was an abuse of discretion and (2) without the consent of the defense."
"We were ready to move forward with Lieutenant Watadas testimony, Seitz said. We were happy with the panel. We were happy with cross-examination of the governments witnesses. We didnt want a mistrial."
Problem: If a cop in Anytown, USA, pulls over a suspect, he checks the person's ID remotely from the squad car. He's linked to databases filled with Who's Who in the world of crime, killing and mayhem. In Iraq, there is nothing like that. When our troops and the Iraqi army enter a town, village or street, what they know about the local bad guys is pretty much in their heads, at best.
Solution: Give our troops what our cops have. The Pentagon knows this. For reasons you can imagine, it hasn't happened.
This is a story of can-do in a no-can-do world, a story of how a Marine officer in Iraq, a small network-design company in California, a nonprofit troop-support group, a blogger and other undeterrable folk designed a handheld insurgent-identification device, built it, shipped it and deployed it in Anbar province. They did this in 30 days, from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15.
The reality: A program exists, the Automated Biometric Identification System: retina scans, facial matching and the like. This war is in year four, and the troops don't have it. Beyond Baghdad, the U.S. role has become less about killing insurgents than arresting the worst and isolating them from the population. Obviously it would help to have an electronic database of who the bad guys are, their friends, where they live, tribal affiliation--in short the insurgency's networks.
The Marine and Army officers who patrol Iraq's dangerous places know they need an identification system similar to cops back home. The troops now write down suspects' names and addresses. Some, like Marine Maj. Owen West in Anbar, have created their own spreadsheets and PowerPoint programs, or use digital cameras to input the details of suspected insurgents. But no Iraq-wide software architecture exists. That doesn't seem right. They were using a wonderful program to find all the playing card guys after the invasion. I wonder what happened to it?
Operating around the town of Khalidiya, north of Baghdad, Maj. West has been the leader of a team of nine U.S. soldiers advising an Iraqi brigade. This has been his second tour of duty in Iraq. When not fighting the Iraq war, he's an energy trader for Goldman Sachs in New York City.
It had become clear to him last fall that the Iraqi soldiers were becoming the area's cops. And that they needed modern police surveillance tools. To help the Iraqi army in Khalidiya do its job right, Maj. West needed that technology yesterday: He was scheduled to rotate back stateside in February--this month.
Since arriving in Iraq last year, Maj. West had worked with Spirit of America (SoA), the civilian troop-support group founded by Jim Hake. In early December, SoA's project director, Michele Redmond, asked Maj. West if there was any out-of-the-ordinary project they could help him with. And Maj. West described to them the basic concept for a mobile, handheld fingerprinting device which Iraqi soldiers would use to assemble an insurgent database. Mr. Hake said his organization would contribute $30,000 to build a prototype and get it to Khalidiya. In New York, Goldman Sachs contributed $14,000 to the project.
Go to the link to read all the inspirational details. But a key point: And so, a month from inception, Bill Roggio handed the electronic identification kit to Maj. West.
I really hope the manufacturer gets lots of business on the back of the this product.
"It's one night old and the town is abuzz," Major West said. "I think we have a chance to tip this city over now." A rumor quickly spread that the Iraqi army was implanting GPS chips in insurgents' thumbs.
Broadhead6, Besoeker, any other Rantburgers at or going to the tip of the spear, see if you can get your unit a couple of these. :-)
#1
One of the basic problems is the quality of the data. Garbage in - Garbage out.
For a long time they didn't record people's ages. Everyone born the same year was given the same birthdate. As I understand it, street names and street numbers do not exist in many areas. There has not been a census in Iraq in 20+ years.
In America you have a well documented baseline to catch your out-liars. In Iraq you don't (except occasionally at the very local level).
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/08/2007 20:03 Comments ||
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Rival Palestinian leaders signed an agreement in principle on a power-sharing government Thursday in Saudi-brokered talks in Mecca.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, of the mainstream Fatah movement, and Khaled Mashaal, leader of Hamas, signed the accord at a ceremony hosted by Saudi King Abdullah in a palace overlooking the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine.
The deal sets out the principles of the coalition government, including a promise that it will "respect" previous peace deals with Israel, delegates said. It also divvies up Cabinet posts in the new government.
"We have achieved progress in some points, and there are no points that can hinder reaching an agreement," he told a press conference. "We have a clear decision not to let the Mecca dialogue fail. We have no option: either to succeed or to succeed said Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad on Thursday afternoon."
On the second day of their marathon summit, Fatah and Hamas were still working on the second part of the agreement: to what degree a new government will recognize previous peace deals with Israel.
That issue is key to whether any government that emerges from the Mecca conference will be accepted by the United States and Israel. If they judge that Hamas has moderated enough as part of a new government, it could mean the lifting of the painful financial boycott of the Palestinian Authority government and a resumption of the peace process with Israel.
Maher Mekdad, a member of the Fatah delegation, said the two sides had reached an agreement on the division of ministries in a new Cabinet. The important post of interior minister, who controls most security services, will be an independent candidate proposed by Hamas and approved by Mahmoud Abbas Mekdad told the Associated Press.
The Hamas and Fatah delegations discussed the options until 3 a.m. Saudi time Thursday, and resumed midmorning in a palace overlooking the Kaaba.
The wording of the new government's line on the peace accords has become the No. 1 issue, delegates said Thursday. Hamas, which has long rejected Israel's existence, will not accept that the government "commit" itself to the accords, regarding that as tantamount to recognition of the Jewish state. But Hamas will endorse "respect" for the accords.
"We don't have a problem in accepting the wording 'respect' the agreements," said Nabil Amr, a spokesman for the Fatah delegation.
"We have informed the Saudis and our brothers in Hamas that we are ready to sign any phrasing accepted by the world for the sake of lifting the siege," he added.
A series of attacks on Hamas officials and activists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours is threatening to spoil the festive atmosphere at the Hamas-Fatah summit in Mecca, which began Wednesday with pledges by the two parties to do their utmost to reach an agreement on ending internecine fighting.
Meanwhile, sources close to Hamas told The Jerusalem Post that the movement's Syria-based leader, Khaled Mashaal, would demand during the summit that he be named deputy chairman of the PLO. a move like that should disallow any future negotiation with the PLO, since it is now in league with hamas
Such a move would pave the way for Hamas to join the PLO and turn Mashaal into the second most powerful leader after Abbas, who is also head of the PLO executive committee.
"Hamas is prepared to join the PLO on condition that Mashaal is appointed as Abbas's deputy," the sources said, noting that Hamas has long been demanding that the PLO and its institutions undergo major reforms and reconstruction.
MK Eldad: The Mughrabi Gate struggle is not over a bridge, but over the principle of Jewish presence.
Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad (National Union) says that if the State of Israel is not able to carry out safety maintenance work at the Western Wall plaza, "it means that we are on a dangerous path towards disappearing from the political map of the Middle East."
Speaking with Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, Eldad said, "The struggle is over the preservation of the only Temple Mount gate left out of Wakf [Muslim Authority] hands and in Jewish hands."
"The Arabs actually want the Mughrabi Gate passway to collapse," Eldad said, "so that they will be able to close the only gate that is under Jewish control. That will end the era of Jewish visitation rights to the Temple Mount. They have been waiting for this for a long time, and that's why they don't want us to refurbish it."
The bridge in question leads from the plaza leading to the Western Wall up to the Temple Mount, and is considered a safety hazard in its current condition. Israel's Antiquities Authority is carrying out archaeological works there in anticipation of its refurbishing. Arabs around the country have taken advantage of the situation to accuse of Israel of trying to destroy the Temple Mount complex, and have called for a response sharper than the previous intifadas.
"It's true," Eldad said, "that the original sin was when the Jewish People, immediately after the Six Day War in 1967, ceded its hold on the Temple Mount in an unholy alliance between the Chief Rabbinate and Moshe Dayan - each side for its own reasons - but now the danger is that the Arab sovereignty on the Temple Mount will spill over to the Western Wall plaza, and from there to other places."
Then-Defense Minister Dayan, just days after Israel's liberation of the Old City, informed the Muslims running the Temple Mount that they could continue to run the mosques there - and later went further by preventing Jewish prayer all over the Mount.
"It was evident that if we did not prevent Jews from praying in what was now a mosque compound," Dayan later wrote, "matters would get out of hand and lead to a religious clash... As an added precaution, I told the chief of staff to order the chief army chaplain to remove the branch office he had established in the building which adjoins the mosque compound."
Eldad said that the Arabs' objective is to acquire a "veto right" over what the State of Israel can do on its property, wherever the Arabs feel the area is a "sensitive and explosive holy Moslem site." He noted that the Arabs openly demand the rights of a national minority in a joint state. "Israel cannot allow itself to live under threats and blackmail every time it wants to do something necessary or in keeping with our national and historic rights."
#1
interestingly, even leftwing Haaretz in its editorial notes this aspect of the question (although they also suggest that along with condemning Arab attempts to change the status quo by protesting repairs to the overpass, one should at the same time condemn activities by folks like the Temple MOunt faithful that would challenge the status quo)
A group of prominent Israeli Arabs has called on Israel to stop defining itself as a Jewish state and become a consensual democracy for both Arabs and Jews, prompting consternation and debate across the country. I'm all for it, after Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia, etc. stop defining their countries as "islamic." the hypocrisy is astounding.
Their contention is part of The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel, a report published in December under the auspices of the Committee of Arab Mayors in Israel, which represents the countrys 1.3 million Arab citizens, about a fifth of the population. Some 40 well-known academics and activists took part.
They call on the state to recognize Israeli Arab citizens as an indigenous group with collective rights, saying Israel inherently discriminates against non-Jewish citizens in its symbols of state, some core laws, and budget and land allocations.
The authors propose a form of government, consensual democracy, akin to the Belgian model for Flemish- and French-speakers, involving proportional representation and power-sharing in a central government and autonomy for the Arab community in areas like education, culture and religious affairs.
The document does not deal with the question of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where an additional three million Palestinians live under Israeli occupation without Israeli citizenship. The aim of the declaration is to reshape the future of Israel itself.
#2
There are always people like Herr Mr. Dichter around, aren't there.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/08/2007 10:27 Comments ||
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#3
"....and a pony!"
Posted by: Steve ||
02/08/2007 10:28 Comments ||
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#4
Reminds me of that (arab) minorities rights she-activist who asked that France "denationalizes" its identity in a debate, that is that France stops refering to itself as an european, french country, with an History and an heritage.
The Borgs don't assimilate, you assimilate to the Borgs.
#5
"its symbols of state, some core laws, and budget and land allocations."
the sympathy is based on the issue of budget allocations, which are complex, and where there are some legitimate grievances. The lack of sympathy is for the attempt to pole vault from the question of budget allocations to the identity of the state and its symbols.
#6
I think a consensual democracy with equal opportunity and justice for all, whether Muslim, Jewish, Christian, atheist, or any other flavor would be an incredible step toward modeling peace in the Middle East. The American democratic republic alone ensures equal rights for everyone, but convincing the ultra-Orthodox Israel to relinquish their religious identity in exchange for a national one is another civil war simmering in the region. Continued polarization with nukes doesn't further anyone's interests, either. I find the debate very interesting.
#8
That's bloody nonsense, Danielle. Israel was founded by Jewish identity socialists as the culmination of a national liberation movement, not ultra-religious Jews, who still refuse to accept a Jewish nation not founded by the Messiah as part of the final in-gathering. Israel is a secular nation with secular laws equally binding on its citizens of all religions and none, not a Jewish version of Sharia. Functionally Israel is a Jewish nation much like the US is a Christian one, in that the majority are of one religion and the government shuts down for its key holidays. But unlike the US, Israel also allows religious minorites certain priviledges not afforded the majority, eg neither Arab Muslims nor Arab Christians are drafted into the Armed Forces, although there certainly are volunteers. The ultra-orthodox Jews are also exempt from the draft as it happens, but atheists and homosexuals are not.
Im glad you do, but as TW has pointed out, there's alot you need to learn about Israeli society and politics to make sense of it, as well as the complex relationship between national and religious identity in Judaism. I would suggest Howard Sachar for a good (but long) history of Israel. Otherwise there are a number of good websites. If youre really interested I would look for some.
#13
"the ultra-Orthodox Israel to relinquish their religious identity in exchange for a national one is another civil war simmering in the region."
Orthodox, in Judaism, means religious Jews who assert that Jewish law is binding and can usually not be changed. Ultra O are a subset of O who oppose any compromise between religion and modernity, and largely reject modern culture.
The founders of the Zionist movement were largely (esp in Eastern Eur) either Jews who were completly secular, whose identity was a matter of culture and community, and who accepted only the ethical aspects of the Jewish religion, or (in central eur) Jews whose religiositiy was neither intense nor Orthodox. Some support was given them by some of the Modern Orthodox (Orthodox Jews who do embrace modernity, as long as it doesnt conflict with Jewish law)
Even secular Jews saw a need for a state for the Jewish people, which they saw as a real historical entity, of which religion was only part of its culture.
When the state was founded, being Jewish for purposes of immigration (jews and their immediate relations are not subject to immigration restrictions, having an automatic right of return) the traditional Jewish def of who is a Jew was adopted - anyone with a jewish mother, or a convert to Judaism. Denying folks of Jewish descent those rights would have contradicted the function of the state, which was to allow Jews to return home after thousands of years in exile. To exclude converts might have been more consistent with the secularism of the founders, but would have alienated the Modern Orthodox, and even those centrist Jews who valued the tradition without actually being practicing Orthodox (im thinking more of traditionalist Jews than of affiliated Cons or Reform, of whom there were few in Israel at the time)
The quibbles about national and religios identity have been of limited practical application for most of Israels existence. Most Israeli arabs are NOT Hebrew speaking Israelis who happen to be of Muslim faith. They are Arabs by language, culture, and self identification, and any attempt to secularize Israeli identity, by saying that anyone who speaks Hebrew and identifies with Hebrew culture and society is a member of the majority group, while it would be very important to certain non-Jewish Russian immmigrants (who came in as relations of Jews) and to some fringe muslim groups like the Circassians, and might appease those in Europe for whom a hint of relgious identity is repulsive, would mean little or nothing to the vast majority of Israeli arabs.
#14
"the ultra-Orthodox Israel to relinquish their religious identity in exchange for a national one is another civil war simmering in the region."
Orthodox, in Judaism, means religious Jews who assert that Jewish law is binding and can usually not be changed. Ultra O are a subset of O who oppose any compromise between religion and modernity, and largely reject modern culture.
The founders of the Zionist movement were largely (esp in Eastern Eur) either Jews who were completly secular, whose identity was a matter of culture and community, and who accepted only the ethical aspects of the Jewish religion, or (in central eur) Jews whose religiositiy was neither intense nor Orthodox. Some support was given them by some of the Modern Orthodox (Orthodox Jews who do embrace modernity, as long as it doesnt conflict with Jewish law)
Even secular Jews saw a need for a state for the Jewish people, which they saw as a real historical entity, of which religion was only part of its culture.
When the state was founded, being Jewish for purposes of immigration (jews and their immediate relations are not subject to immigration restrictions, having an automatic right of return) the traditional Jewish def of who is a Jew was adopted - anyone with a jewish mother, or a convert to Judaism. Denying folks of Jewish descent those rights would have contradicted the function of the state, which was to allow Jews to return home after thousands of years in exile. To exclude converts might have been more consistent with the secularism of the founders, but would have alienated the Modern Orthodox, and even those centrist Jews who valued the tradition without actually being practicing Orthodox (im thinking more of traditionalist Jews than of affiliated Cons or Reform, of whom there were few in Israel at the time)
The quibbles about national and religios identity have been of limited practical application for most of Israels existence. Most Israeli arabs are NOT Hebrew speaking Israelis who happen to be of Muslim faith. They are Arabs by language, culture, and self identification, and any attempt to secularize Israeli identity, by saying that anyone who speaks Hebrew and identifies with Hebrew culture and society is a member of the majority group, while it would be very important to certain non-Jewish Russian immmigrants (who came in as relations of Jews) and to some fringe muslim groups like the Circassians, and might appease those in Europe for whom a hint of relgious identity is repulsive, would mean little or nothing to the vast majority of Israeli arabs.
#15
I, for one, am ready to shed part of Jewish Identity---the part that, so far, prevented Israel from dealing with Arabs in terms that they understand and respect.
#17
Functionally Israel is a Jewish nation much like the US is a Christian one, in that the majority are of one religion and the government shuts down for its key holidays.
I agree that in practice that's true. Unlike the US, however, Israel was overtly intended to be a Jewish homeland. Jews are immediately granted citizenship, regardless of country of birth. Orthodox Jews are afforded a special status (e.g., exemption from military service). So I think religion plays a more visible and central role in Israel than in the US, where the determination of citizenship and civic responsibilities do not vary across populations. Having said that, while religion plays such a role in Israel, it manifests itself significantly differently in Israel than in self-identified muslim countries.
#19
#16 It's not the amount, it's how (and where) the force is applied. To put it another way. IMO, reciprocity is the basis of morality. Hence, restricting yourself by applying civilized conventions to people who do not reciprocate in kind is immoral.
#20
"Orthodox Jews are afforded a special status (e.g., exemption from military service). "
sigh, once again Modern Orthodox Jews not only are NOT exempt from military service, they are among the Israelis who are MOST unhappy about the exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The Ultra-O were a population who had been living in the land before the beginnings of Zionist promoted immigration, who largely opposed the State, who were few in number, and who were largely not ideal candidates for the military anyway. Letting them study religious law in their yeshivas and be exempt from military service seemed like a reasonable idea in 1949. After all they were an anachronism, sure to die out as their young people were drawn to modern life, like so many children of Eastern Euro Jews who had left Ultra-Orthodoxy for modern life. Except it didnt happen that way, they didnt leave (mostly) and they DID have huge families. So now theres a huge population of ultra-O, and the number of young men who study in Yeshiva (since if they get jobs they cease to be exempt from military service) has become a serious drain on the state. and a matter of considerable controversy.
Like with MOST things discussed here, its never as simple as it seems.
#21
once again Modern Orthodox Jews not only are NOT exempt from military service
Yes I know. I was taking a shortcut, lumping all Orthodox together, to make my point -- but as you clearly point out, sometimes shortcuts don't get you where you want to go. Thanks for the clarification.
#22
Gosh, I can't believe that Arabs would want to even set foot in Israel, what with the jew-cooties and all that hemoglobin flavored matzoh. Could it be they have a secret agenda?
#23
Let's skip all the talk about Jewishness and cut right to the chase - this is an attempt by the arabs to destroy Israel from within. They know they can (and will) out-breed the Israelis. They know that if they can force these changes, they will become the dominant factor in Israel. They know that if they persist, they can change the very nature of Israel from within, from being a homeland for the Jews to being just another failed arab state. They need to be expelled.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/08/2007 15:32 Comments ||
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#24
I didn't mean to ignorantly offend anyone. I'm pro-Israel and watch the news with angst. I'm on RB to learn and I have already learned immensely. Thank you all. I've been watching all the Paleo infighting and was just surprised that debate was even beginning regarding the state of Israel. Recognition that it is a Jewish state in the first place is progress. Getting them to relocate outside the current borders is even better, where they can breed all they want, Old Patriot. I'd be just as happy to help them relocate to Jordan, solving the Arab Muslim problem in Israel once and for all, maybe as a sort of Christian goodwill mission trip. Jimmah's Habitat for Humanity can start by building homes. I just can't figure out how to convince them to go!
Forgiven, Danielle dear. We know you're one of the good guys. But it's a hot button issue, and you said almost all the wrong things.
Remember, these are Israeli Arabs -- full citizens -- not "Palestinians" like their cousins in the territories. Their ancestors chose to stay put when the "Palestinians" ran away in 1948. They've nothing to do with the Paleo infighting... or they shouldn't, anyway, although since the first intifada they've been presented with the idea that PA Palestinians are more authentic than they, paralleling the idea that ghetto/gangsta blacks are more authentic than (forgive the insult)"Oreo" middle class African Americans.
Finally, birth rates amongst both Israeli Arabs and Palestinians have fallen dramatically. That outbreeding thingy isn't going nearly as well as planned for them. If I recall correctly, Palestinians now tend toward 4-5 children per family vs. historical 8-9, and I think Israeli Arabs are at a similar level. However, while the descendents of the European Jews tend to have 1-2 children, the descendents of the Jews of the Middle East and Africa generally have larger families, and also marry younger.
#27
"Finally, birth rates amongst both Israeli Arabs and Palestinians have fallen dramatically."
not nearly as dramatically as elsewhere in the arab world, like Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia, but that doesnt stop people from fearing mass migrations to create Eurabia.
Actually IIUC the birthrates have come down faster in the West Bank than in Gaza, probably reflecting worse social conditions in Gaza. One more reason its in Israels interest to improve conditions for Pals.
Oh, and IIUC the birthrate for sephardic jews is now not signigificantly higher than for ashekenazic jews, though for both among the non-Ortho its settled abit above replacement (which is higher than for non-O ashkenazic jews outside Israel) The Jewish group with the highest birth rate is the Ultra O, which brings us full circle.
Upon attaining independence (1948), Israel passed the Law and Administration
Ordinance, which stipulated that the laws prevailing in the country prior to
statehood would remain in force insofar as they did not contradict the principles
embodied in the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel and would not
conflict with laws to be enacted by the Knesset. Thus, the legal system includes what
has remained of Ottoman law (in force until 1917), many British Mandate laws (1918-
48), which incorporate a large body of English common law, elements of Jewish
religious law and some aspects of other systems. However, the prevailing
characteristic of the legal system, which is still in the process of development, is
the large corpus of independent statutory and case law which has evolved since 1948.
The general approach follows the Western concept of the rule of law, the development
of which is entrusted to the democratically elected Knesset and an independent
judiciary.
In a palace overlooking Islam's holiest site, rival Palestinian leaders vowed Wednesday to work out a power-sharing agreement to avert a civil war, asking their followers to abide by a truce during the marathon talks crucial to the peace process with Israel. But threats of new revenge attacks arose in Gaza after the killing of a Hamas activist -- underlining the danger of an explosion of factional fighting if the talks in Mecca fail.
"We will not leave this holy place until we have agreed on everything good, with God's blessing," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said at an opening ceremony for the talks, sitting alongside his rival Khaled Mashaal, head of the militant group Hamas. "I tell our people to expect good news, and I hope this (meeting) will not be mere words in the air," Abbas said at the ceremony, which was aired live on television across the Mideast.
Mashaal turned to Abbas and said they both had to tell their supporters to respect a truce reached Sunday, to which Abbas nodded his agreement. "We want to give a message to the nation, and the world, to create a positive atmosphere for these talks," Mashaal said. "We came here to agree and we have no other option but to agree."
The talks were held in a palace overlooking the Kaaba, the cube-shaped shrine toward which all Muslims face when praying. Saudi television repeatedly moved from scenes of the ceremony to images of the Kaaba -- reflecting Saudi hopes that the venue will press the sides to resolve their differences.
Both sides sounded optimistic Wednesday night. Nabil Amr, a spokesman for Abbas, said he hoped to reach a deal on a coalition government within 48 hours. "We have finished the general talks and exchanges of views. Now we have started discussions over forming the Cabinet and its political program," he told the Associated Press. "The atmosphere is positive. I expect to reach a deal on sharing power -- we have no alternative but to reach a deal," said Mohammed Nazal, of the Hamas delegation. The talks were to continue through the night.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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A warning word to Soodies. Don't let them stay more than 5 days---cause on the 6th they'll declare that their ancestors lived in Mecca from time immemorial.
[MENL] -- For the first time, the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has threatened the media in the Gaza Strip. The Interior Ministry's Executive Force has announced a crackdown on media outlets that criticize the Hamas-led government. EF, which numbers 6,000 officers and engaged in the war against Fatah, said it would prosecute journalists, newspapers, radio and television stations deemed partial. "We will prosecute media that engages in lying and deception, and ignores the obvious realities," EF said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement came in wake of the bombing of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya satellite television in Gaza City on Jan. 22. An unknown Islamic group, Righteousness of the Swords, claimed responsibility.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
"We will prosecute media that engages in lying and deception, and ignores the obvious realities"
If only they would eh :)
Didnt think prosecute was a word over there ....
#2
Okay, so a group that the MSM adores says that media that engage in lying and deception, ignoring the obvious realities, should be prosecuted.
Works for me. Probably the only thing coming out of Hamas that I've ever agreed with.
However, given the reality distortion field that is generated by palestinian terrorists, I believe the media, in this case, is probably reporting the truth...
The Fatah-affiliated Aksa Martyrs Brigades threatened on Wednesday to attack synagogues if Israel continued its excavation near the Temple Mount ahead of the planned construction of a new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate.
"We shall have Dire Revenge!"
In a press release sent to newspapers, the group announced that all synagogues would become legitimate targets and that "the sanctity of the Al Aksa Mosque should not be less than that of the synagogues." The terror organization joined scores of other Islamic organizations in calling on the Palestinian people to hold processions and angry protests until the construction is stopped.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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LUCIANNE/FREEREPUBLIC > discovery of ancient cistern may prove that original Jewish Temple is located away from Dome of the Rock, i.e. building a new Temple should not *Cough* *cough* offend *cough* Muslims.
#3
After years of Muslims undermining the Temple Mount -- the better to destroy Jewish artifacts and build ammo dumps -- why aren't western reporters calling them on their hypocrisy?
Oh, yeah. That whole "dire revenge" thing. The reporters are wetting themselves in fear.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
02/08/2007 7:54 Comments ||
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A Raytheon Company Configuration 3 Patriot system, composed of a Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T), a Patriot launcher, engagement control station and Patriot radar, destroyed a surrogate cruise missile target to complete a perfect three-for-three mission set as part of a two-month evaluation at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
The GEM-T missile is a cost-effective, lethal interceptor designed to defeat Iranian, Chinese, and NorK sophisticated land-attack cruise missiles and a range of ballistic missile threats through applying technical enhancements and modifications to the Army's Patriot missile fleet. Rick Yuse, vice president, Integrated Air Defense at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "This is another positive step forward for the Configuration-3 Patriot system demonstrating its 'first time every time' dependability." How'd your latest weapon test go, Kim? Oh, yeah.
It's ronery.
Using a Configuration-3 missile system with its newly developed PDB-6 (post deployment build-6) system software, a government evaluation team successfully completed three missions that met all test objectives. The objectives included demonstrating the performance of the GEM-T missile improvement using PDB-6 software and demonstrating the system's capability to detect, track and intercept ballistic, theater ballistic missile and low- altitude cruise missile threats. Much PR fluffery at link. Are these kinds of articles OK? It's a release, but this is the kind of weapon very likely to be used in the WoT.
AoS: they're okay, short and sweet, as I think many of our readers are interested in the MDI.
Actually, they don;t say anything other than some PR-grade technical jargon and "it worked". Compare that to the fevered press releases the Iranians turn loose when they get a few speedboats running in the same direction and I think the Iranians get quietly nervous.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
02/08/2007 7:25 Comments ||
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Now if we send 10 batteries of these to Israel and Japan, what message would that send to Iran and the Norks?
Thailand's insurgency-wracked southern provinces are in danger of becoming a breeding ground for regional Islamic terrorism, Malaysia's foreign minister said Thursday. Syed Hamid Albar said terrorist groups could seek to build bases in Thailand's restive south, where more than 2,000 people have died since the insurgency flared up in January 2004.
He did not name the groups but analysts have said that operatives of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah could move into southern Thailand to take advantage of the unrest there. "There is always a danger if people are not happy, some terrorist groups may take advantage of it ... we must not allow any breeding ground for terrorism to exist or to be nurtured," he told reporters ahead of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's three-day visit to Thailand from Sunday.
Although the southern Thailand crisis has not flared into a regional problem, Syed Hamid said it is an "important factor in ensuring peace and security in the region."
"It may not have spilled over but ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) must look at certain security matters as one whole region," he said. "We can help Thailand so long as it does not interfere with their domestic affairs. It's up to Thailand," he said. "We hope that they will find a way that will not allow for any terrorist groups to take advantage of the instability or unhappiness."
Syed Hamid also noted that the new military-backed government is more open than the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra that was ousted in a September coup. Thaksin's high-handed attitude toward southern Thais has been blamed for fueling the fires of the insurgency. "I think Thailand now is more open ... they update us with their concerns, worries, so it is a more open government," Syed Hamid said.
He said Abdullah will hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Monday that will include security cooperation at the border and tackling the long-standing problem of dual citizenship of southern Thai Muslims, many of whom also hold Malaysian passports. He said Malaysia will see what it can do to assist Thailand, which has sought help to train religious teachers and education materials on a moderate Islam.
#1
Does anyone really believe the flow of jihadis is from Thailand to Malaysia? Or ever could be?
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
02/08/2007 7:56 Comments ||
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Malaysia fears hopes southern Thailand becoming terrorist breeding ground
There - fixed that for ya - no charge.
He said Malaysia will see what it can do to assist Thailand, which has sought help to train religious teachers and education materials on a moderate Islam.
To replace the non-muslim teachers they have been slaughtering of coarse.
IRAN says it has identified 100 spies working for the United States and Israel in border areas of the Islamic state.
"One hundred people who were directly working for the US and Israeli intelligence ... who were intending to collect political and military information were identified and are now in our intelligence net," Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.
The minister added that a number of Iranians who wanted to take part in spying courses abroad had also been arrested.
"We were able to identify and arrest all those who wanted to take part in espionage course abroad under the guise of taking part in educational courses," Mohseni Ejeie said, without elaborating.
Early last month, Iranian MP Ahmad Tavakoli said that Iran had arrested a spy working in Parliament's research centre who had been passing information on its nuclear program to outlawed armed opposition group, People's Mujahideen.
Iranian authorities claim that the US supports armed groups in the country's border provinces, whose population includes Kurd, Arab and Baluch ethnic minorities.
WASHINGTON U.S. and Western pressure on Iran is squeezing its economy, feeding the inflation and joblessness that have swelled under its controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Trade figures and other data have begun to reflect deepening economic isolation taking place as a result of U.S.-led efforts to penalize Tehran for what the United States alleges is the pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorist groups.
For example, Iran's imports from Germany fell 14% in the first eight months of 2006, the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce says. European Union countries account for 40% of Iran's imports, and Germany is Iran's largest European supplier, providing machinery, steel and electrical equipment, along with other goods. German government export credits, used to finance trade, also fell by a third last year and are expected to drop again this year, said Ulrich Sante, a spokesman at the German Embassy in Washington.
Unemployment was 11.5% in the year ending in March, 1.2% higher than the previous year, according to the Iran Statistical Center. Food prices rose by a third from March to August, the cost of housing went up 14%, and the cost of medical care increased more than 18%.
"People who want to pursue legitimate commerce with the West will see that the policies Ahmadinejad is pursuing are leading to isolation and painting a more bleak economic future for the country," said Stuart Levey, U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran in December after Tehran failed to suspend uranium enrichment. The sanctions block exports that can be used in Iran's nuclear and missile programs and freeze assets of officials linked to those programs.
Separately, the Bush administration has cut off two Iranian banks from access to the U.S. financial system and dollar-based transactions on grounds that terrorists and weapons programs used accounts at those banks.
Good, and we should do as much of that as we can get away with.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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Kudos to some good people in the Treasury and other departments for putting the squeeze on the Mad Mullahs and that big haired freak in North Korea. There's a lot more going on here than some milquetoast UN sanctions.
#2
Good work by the Treasury boys. They've done a bang-up job in the war so far, from everything I've heard.
Unfortunately, sanctions won't dissuade a fanatical leadership. Look at North Korea, their citizens are freezing to death and starving, and it didn't stop the government from going nuclear.
#3
Thanks to crushing regulation, taxation, and the euro, the EU's unemployment and inflation numbers are pretty close to the Iran's. I.e., Europe's self-appointed elites have voluntarily achieved against their own subjects what the US has had to actively pursue against an enemy state.
#4
I had the idea that real unemployment in the under-30 age group was around 50%, and that suicide and drug use are both at epidemic levels? With all Iran's business troubles, I find it very difficult to believe that net after inflation growth of the economy to be in the 5% range, more like China or India than even the US. I mean, even the EU appears to me to be better situated than Iran, and aren't they in the net 1% growth rate?
#5
Things are bad. The Tehran stock exchange is down about 30% in the past 2 years and their official currency rate has decline by about 10% during that time. By my caluclations all the stocks on the exchange come to a market cap of below $3 billion (about 10% of the market cap of CVS Drugs).
#8
1. Re NKor comparison. Iran govt does not have nearly the degree of control over society that Kimmie has over Nkor. Its an authoritarian society, not a totalitarian society. That makes it that much more vulnerable.
2. 5% growth. Remember when your labor market is growing fast, just creating enough jobs to keep the new workers marginally employed creates high growth figures. A third world country that DOESNT achieve high growth figures is in real trouble (and yes, there are quite a few of those) In any case, I suspect much of that growth is due to the increase in the price of oil, which still overwhelms any problems they are having in its production.
#9
LH got it. Iran's huge baby boom population has been entering the workforce for the past 10 years. Iran 2006 Population Pyramid
Posted by: ed ||
02/08/2007 11:13 Comments ||
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Liberal Hawk,
Unfortunately, the extra money is not going into job creation. The young are still unemployed and have the highest heroin addiction rates in the world.
Also high numbers of new job entrant does not cause high economic growth rates. It creates a NEED for high growth rates. If those rates are not forthcomming, you experience a drop in real per capita GNP (e.g. Saudi Aradia).
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/08/2007 12:05 Comments ||
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U.S. and Western pressure on Iran is squeezing its economy, feeding the inflation and joblessness that have swelled under its controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Any day now we'll see a lift-the-sanctions effort to "mitigate the suffering" of the Iranian people. I don't think tougher sanctions have a snowball's chance in Hades of getting implemented. I wonder how long before the mullahs start parading dead babies around for the MSM/UN crowd.
#13
actually to some degree a rise in the labor force DOES create economic growth, by forcing down wages, increasing availability of labor, making it easier to start profitible industry, either for exports, or import-substitution. You still need capital, to create good jobs, and thats an issue, to be sure.
KSA is rather different I think, since their labor force has fairly extragavant expectations of what reasonable employment looks like, or so ive been led to believe.
Syrian President Bashar Assad said "Syria would continue to support Hamas and Hizbullah," Israel Radio reported Thursday overnight. Assad spoke in a two-day convention of the Baath' Party. He mentioned "the legitimate right of these groups to continue the resistance, until we regain occupied land."
Sources in the convention quoted Assad as saying that peace throughout the Middle East would only come when Israel returned "stolen Arab land", including the Golan Heights. The Baath' convention precedes a referendum which is in effect the Syrian form of elections. Baath' sources expect the party, and Assad, to continue holding Syria's reins in the coming seven years.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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"Syria would continue to support Hamas and Hizbullah," "stolen Arab land", including the Golan Heights.
Brave rhetoric for someone who has had their asses kicked on the Golan time after time.
The paralyzing political crisis in Lebanon may block the creation of a court to try the suspected killers of former premier Rafik el Hariri despite an accord signed with the United Nations. The UN's accord, signed Tuesday, to set up the international tribunal still requires the approval of the country's divided parliament in line with the constitution.
The draft also has to be ratified by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, who sides with the opposition in rejecting the legitimacy of Siniora's parliament-backed government.
"There are few chances for the agreement to be ratified if the political crisis persists," international law professor Sami Salhab said. "Obviously, only a political solution to the crisis can help, otherwise the procedure will remain blocked," he said.
In November, the UN Security Council and the Siniora government approved the creation of the international tribunal that would try suspects in the February 2005 bomb attack in Beirut which killed Hariri and 22 others. But the move sparked the resignation of six pro-Syria ministers and turned into a full-blown crisis that has paralyzed the Siniora government.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/08/2007 00:00 ||
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A video by five students at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University depicting ski-masked "hostage-takers" speaking in cartoonish Middle Eastern accents has drawn condemnations from local Muslim leaders.
The university dismissed the students from their jobs as residence hall assistants in Brookville Hall, saying they had engaged in activity that violated their employment contract and that reflected "insensitivity." how insensitive to make fun of terrorists. who ever heard of such a thing! that's as bad as making fun of nazis in WWII.
In the video, which mocks those aired by real-life terrorists, five figures speak in exaggerated accents as they threaten their captive, a rubber duck dubbed "Pete," according to an account in the student newspaper that knowledgeable campus sources agreed was accurate. The subtext is understood to many on campus: The duck is the mascot for Brookville Hall. holding a rubber duck hostage. that's pretty funny!
While friends of those who created the film amphasized it was made in jest, Muslim leaders did not see the humor. They acknowledged students' right to freedom of speech, but said that right carries responsibility.
"I think it's not a prank," said Ghazi Khankan of Long Beach, a member of the board of the American Muslim Alliance, which he described as a regional and national group that advocates for Muslim participation in the political process. "Campuses are for enlightenment and for teaching us to get along, to respect each other, to know how to live together." so they must be equally upset with the "wipe Israel off the face of the map" and "Jews are pigs" comments by the muslim student association at UC Irvine, I suspect.
News of the video quickly went national. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., sent out Newsday's Web article about the incident in an e-mail blast. Said Ibrahim Hooper, council president: "It's something that needs to be addressed."
Habeeb Ahmed, president of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury, who said he was a C.W. Post alumnus, agreed. "People are testing the waters again and again, and the Muslim community is always at the receiving end."
Back on campus, provost Joseph Shenker, said the five students involved would continue to receive free housing and the meal plan -- but in exchange for working 10 hours per week in community service. even if it makes sense to remove them from their jobs as RA's, actually punishing them with community service is obscene
Student employees must "function as role models and as teachers for the other students," Shenker said yesterday. "We expect them to be instructing our students on being sensitive regarding all groups.
"I think the tape was an insult to the victims and families involved in hostage situations," he added. the REAL hostage tapes are an insult to islam -- but CAIR soesn't seem to notice
The college, which has about 8,500 undergraduate and graduate students, could not provide a breakdown of Muslim students on campus.
The video, which was posted on YouTube and Google -- then taken down -- came with a statement indicating that it was done "all purely as a joke of course."
Meanwhile, the five students, all seniors -- Robert Bennett, Bert Estrada, Dustin Frye, Jordan Marmara and Billy McDermott -- are to face a formal campus hearing, either later this week or sometime next week, Shenker said. He declined to speculate on what disciplinary action could result.
The students have hired civil rights attorney Frederick K. Brewington of Hempstead, who said he felt the college's actions were unfair.
The affair apparently also cost Brookville Hall's residence hall director, Kristin Kielczewski, her job. She did not respond to a message seeking comment.
McDermott, 21, of Ocean City, Md., said yesterday that Brewington had advised him and the other fired student resident assistants not to comment beyond saying, "We're getting our ducks in a row."
Danny Schrafel, the Pioneer student newspaper editor-in-chief, said the administration's actions have split the campus into two camps: People who believe the resident assistants were fired unjustly and those offended by the video.
Matthew Bartlett, 19, a freshman from Clifton N.J., who lives in Brookville Hall, called McDermott "a great guy.
"I'm pretty appalled by what they [the administrators] did because I don't think it's fair. It's our right as students to express ourselves. We're in college."
Frank Schlegel, 21, of Westhampton Beach, a senior in marketing, said he has had all five of the students as an R.A. during his nearly four years in Brookville Hall.
"I thought it was hysterical," said Schlegel, who said he had seen the video. "There's no way it can be seen as these guys are being racist. It was strictly made for entertainment. They're not troublemakers of any sort."
Michael Colon, of Westchester, 19, a freshman biology major, said he started a petition supporting the R.A.s on Monday. So far, he said, he has 80 signatures.
#1
..."the five students involved would continue to receive free housing and the meal plan -- but in exchange for working 10 hours per week in community service".
Community service will consist of cleaning the "muslim only" restrooms on campus. Or is this an entirely different college campus? I can't tell for sure.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
02/08/2007 17:04 Comments ||
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"McDermott, 21, of Ocean City, Md., said yesterday that Brewington had advised him and the other fired student resident assistants not to comment beyond saying, "We're getting our ducks in a row." "
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
(SomaliNet) Somalis interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi Wednesday has reshuffled some of his cabinet changing five ministers following allegations of negligence of their ministries. The move is part of governments efforts to exert its power throughout the war torn country of Somalia. 
With tears and sobs, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's elder daughter joined hundreds of Baathists in the Yemeni capital on Wednesday to mark the passage of 40 days of mourning his death. Raghad Hussein, accompanied by her son and daughter and several of Saddam's defense lawyers, was greeted with chants of "Revenge for Saddam!" and "Eternity to Saddam!" on arrival at the San'a airport. A convoy of cars carrying pictures of Saddam then drove them to a palace in downtown San'a for a ceremony hosted by the chief of the state security forces, Yahia Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, who is also a cousin of the Yemeni president. 
As protests are growing in the Arab world over the publication of satirical Prophet Muhammad published by a Danish editor, French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo which had re-published the drawings and added in-house few others, won in court over the French Muslim Council that had requested early this week a ban on the French satirical publication.
Editors of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo went to court on Wednesday for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that outraged Muslims worldwide.
Gen. George Casey, the former U.S. commander in Iraq, is likely to be the Army's next chief of staff despite limited opposition in the Senate, most notably from Iraq war supporter Sen. John McCain, who has previously defended President Bush's right to make executive appointments. McCain voted against forwarding Casey's nomination to the Senate floor during the Senate Armed Services Committee vote on Tuesday and he said Wednesday that he will oppose the nomination when it goes up for a decision on Thursday.
An Army officer who investigated possible abuse at Guantanamo Bay after some guards purportedly bragged about beating detainees found no evidence they mistreated the prisoners -- although he did not interview any of the alleged victims, the U.S. military said Wednesday. Col. Richard Bassett, the chief investigator, recommended no disciplinary action against the Navy guards named by Marine Sgt. Heather Cerveny, who had said that during a conversation in September they described beating detainees as common practice. 
A group of prominent Israeli Arabs has called on Israel to stop defining itself as a Jewish state and become a consensual democracy for both Arabs and Jews, prompting consternation and debate across the country.
In a palace overlooking Islam's holiest site, rival Palestinian leaders vowed Wednesday to work out a power-sharing agreement to avert a civil war, asking their followers to abide by a truce during the marathon talks crucial to the peace process with Israel. But threats of new revenge attacks arose in Gaza after the killing of a Hamas activist -- underlining the danger of an explosion of factional fighting if the talks in Mecca fail. 
WASHINGTON U.S. and Western pressure on Iran is squeezing its economy, feeding the inflation and joblessness that have swelled under its controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Trade figures and other data have begun to reflect deepening economic isolation taking place as a result of U.S.-led efforts to penalize Tehran for what the United States alleges is the pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorist groups.
