Easier to criticize us than anyone else. Amnesty International criticized the U.S. military on Monday for failing to announce the results of a criminal investigation into the deaths of two Afghans at a prison inside Bagram air base a year ago. The two men died about a week apart while in U.S. custody at the base north of Kabul, the Afghan capital, and official autopsies concluded their deaths were homicides. The U.S. Army then announced a separate criminal investigation, but no reports on its progress or conclusions have been made public, Amnesty said. The deceased were Mullah Habibullah, about 30 years old, who died on Dec. 3, 2002, and a 22-year-old Afghan taxi driver, Dilawar, who died on Dec. 10, 2002. The U.S. autopsy reports found "blunt force injuries" in both cases. "When apparent homicides occur in secret prisons, and promised investigations show no results, the countryâs cherished values of humane treatment and respect for the law are dishonored," William F. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said in a written statement. "The failure to account for the prisonersâ deaths indicates a chilling disregard for the value of human life." He managed to say this without referencing the Talibanâs regard for human life.
Asked about the Amnesty report before its release, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty said in Bagram on Saturday, "I accept that people under custody died here. I deny that they were mistreated." Hilferty said more than 100 detainees are kept there now, adding: "If we find the detainees are not anti-coalition and anti-Afghanistan, we let them go." Amnesty said that interviews of former Bagram prisoners that were conducted by the human rights group and by journalists have shown that detainees were subjected to ill treatment that may constitute torture, including blindfolding, prolonged forced kneeling, sleep deprivation and the cruel use of shackles. Thatâs not torture. Ask the North Vietnamese about torture.
The alleged abuses took place at an interrogation section on the second floor of the Bagram detention facility, it said. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Thingy Cross are reportedly denied access to the area when they visit other parts of the facility, Amnesty said. "Why canât we go in there?"
"Because you didnât say the magic word."
"May we PLEASE go in there?"
"Thatâs not the magic word. Sorry!"
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 1:17:36 AM ||
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"When apparent homicides occur in secret prisons, and promised investigations show no results, the countryâs cherished values of humane treatment and respect for the law are dishonored,"
First off, these 'victims' wouldn't be in their if not for the lack of respect for the law. Secondly, it's not a secret prison if YOU FREAGIN KNOW WHERE IT IS! Duh!
detainees were subjected to ill treatment that may constitute torture, including blindfolding, prolonged forced kneeling, sleep deprivation and the cruel use of shackles.
All four of those are mainstream traditions in Islam. Is AP sure they didn't report this from Iran? Maybe they should of used GPS instead of Taliban tour-guides.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 1:35 Comments ||
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#2
How many people died under Taliban rule? Where was Amnesty International then?
#7
Any AI criticism of the Paleo lynchings of "collaborators" without trials? What about Cuban prisons? Arab honor killings? Do that as prominently as this, then I'd take them seriously, until then STFU
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 10:12 Comments ||
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#8
For what it's worth, this is a reply I made on this subject, on a newsgroup, a few weeks ago.
Excuse the language.
> Recent reports outlined how the camp is being
> prepared for military tribunals (Soviet style
> Star Chambers) and executions.
> After the Kangaroo courts, Gitmo will be > >transformed into a death camp. Prisoners are > > already tortured, and two have been beaten to > death at the feeder camp, Bagram.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > And you know that, how?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > all over the news idiot - last december.
> > Can you post information from the news all over the net that there are
> > supposedly claimed by you that death camps are being set up.
>
> Prisoners are already bashed to death. [See Bagram story]
> and the US officer in charge of Gitmo and other Gulags,
> Major-General Geoffrey Miller, has discussed the plans
> for executions there.
>
> "Searched Groups for Bagram deaths. Results 1 - 10 of about 933."
>
> Searched Groups for Geoffrey Miller "Death Camps". Results 1 - 10 of about
> 46
>
>
> Here's a short extract from the BBC report:
>
>
> " BBC: Two men have died mysteriously within their first
> few days of being in US custody at Bagram.
> Their death, certified by an American military
> pathologist not as natural or accidental, but as homicide.
> We went to the village of Deerak, a day's drive from Kabul,
> to meet the family of one of these men called
> Dilawar. He was taken to Bagram in December.
> He only survived a few days. He was 22.
> He worked as a farmer and also drove a taxi,
> and he was arrested after a rocket attack on a big
> American base nearby. ...
> Dilawar has left a widow and a young child.
> The family had just one small photograph of him.
>
> Besides that, they had the detailed death certificate
> which they'd been given when Dilawar's body was
> returned to them. They'd never properly understood
> what this document meant. They hadn't known how
> Dilawar had died.
>
> It says that Dilawar died by blunt force injuries,
> in other words that he was hit by something blunt, blunt
> force injuries. It was homicide. He was killed.
>
> The certificate said Dilawar had a pre-existing
> heart condition but the family knew nothing of this.
> He died within his first few days of being brought to Bagram.
> That meant that the Red Cross never had any access
> to him during his detention in American custody.
>
> BBC: It's a fact, isn't it Colonel Davis, that
> two men have died in US custody here at Bagram with the
> cause of death having been determined by an American
> pathologist as being homicide?
>
> Colonel RODNEY DAVIS
> Coalition Joint Task Force, Afghanistan: That's true.
>
> WHITE: What comment would you like to make on that?
>
> DAVIS: That's true, and that probably bears evidence of the very
> point
> I'm trying to make. I think we have a history
> of providing for full disclosure. America and
> its coalition partners aren't known for holding information.
> We tend to share the good, the bad and the ugly,
> and we've fessed up, if you will, to a few mishaps we've
> had here since we've engaged in the war on terrorism.
>
> WHITE: The US authorities have been conducting a
> criminal investigation into the deaths at Bagram for
> over 6 months without any outcome so far."
>
You poor deluded moron, fagnuts.
Don't they teach comprehension at that lunatic asylum, that you are
associated with ( notice I didn't say work) and which is often laughingly
referred to as a University.
See if you can comprehend this, you simpering hysteric.
"Chris Kelly, a spokesman for the institute, said yesterday that their
pathologists were involved in all cases on military bases where there were
unusual or suspicious deaths. He was not aware of any other homicides of
prisoners held since September 11. He said that the definition of homicide
was "death resulting from the intentional or grossly reckless behaviour of
another person or persons" but could also encompass "self-defence or
justifiable killings".
The death certificates for the men have four boxes on them giving choices of
"natural, accident, suicide, homicide". The Pentagon said yesterday that the
choice of "homicide" did not necessarily mean that the dead person had been
unlawfully killed. There was no box which would indicate that a pathologist
was uncertain how a person had died."
So we shall start at the beginning.
Now we know that he was an Afghani, so therefore a Taliban nutter, and not
Al Qaeda, which was made up mainly of foreigners, like Hicks,
These Taliban are as fanatic as they come, as everyone knows. And as they
boasted "they want to die more, than their enemy want to live" The Allies
including the Aussies, who were fighting against the Taliban, are imbued
with the spirit of multiculturalism. We want to celebrate the diversity, and
embrace their different, but just as morally equivalent point of view.
So to give them an idea of what their 72 year old virgin ( I did mention,
that that's why they want to die? No!, well we must not be judgemental, and
we must celebrate their views) we the Allies , in an effort to share in
their delight at their coming sexual encounter, sent along "Daisy" to give
them a foretaste of what death is about. Now Daisy, usually referred to as
"Daisy Cutter" has a kill radius of 1/2 a mile, so we can help scores of the
believers achieve their goal.
Now as to why Dilawar was still alive, after all the help we gave him with
Daisy, I haven't got all the details.
Perhaps he was at the edge of the radius, or in a pretty solid building, at
the time Daisy visited?
Anyhow the Americans were helping him with his complaint, that he only
suffered blunt force injuries, from Daisys visit, and not his longed for
trip to Paradise, when he expired. Sadly neither the US or nor Dilawar, knew
that Allah ( Praise be to His Name) had given him a coronary disease as
well. Maybe he did something terrible, and Allah didn't want him to have one
of his scarce 72 year old virgins.Who can know the mind of Allah? ( Praise
be to Him). So the pathologist being your typical Kufr, and an ignorant
third degree human as well ( she was a woman after all) wasn't able to think
outside the box, or four boxes, in this case.
Was it natural?
No she said
Was it accidental?
No she said.
Was it suicide? (Don't these ignorant Kufrs know there is no such thing as
suicide, when fighting for Allah?)
No she said.
So that left only one box for that defiled kufr to fill in.
Homicide, she said. It's the only box left.
The stupid Kufr. When will the infidels learn not to let women near anything
that requires thought.
Keep them pregnant and barefoot, as we of the One True Faith, Islam, say.
How dare the Xian slag, say it was homicide. Dilawar wasn't playing with his
diddle, he was engaged in Holy War, for the sake of Allah (praise be his
Name)
Did he not endure blunt force injuries from Daisy, which would have sent any
other Mujahadeen to his 72 year old virgin a long time before.
Now, is helping our Islamofascist brothers in their spiritual quest to
achieve martyrdom, to be classified as Homicide?
We should hold mass demonstrations in front on the UN to demand that US
military pathologists be trained in the finer points of Islamism, and that
an insult to the true faith like this, never happens again.
Prince Abdul Rahman, deputy minister of defense and aviation, has said âforeign handsâ are behind the Riyadh bombings that left scores of Saudis and expatriates dead.
"It couldn't have been Soddies! Soddies wouldn't do something like that! Would they?"
He called on the armed forces to be ready to defend the country against foreign interference with all the force at their disposal. Prince Abdul Rahman was addressing armed forces units in Sharoura in southern Saudi Arabia as part of a nationwide tour to convey to soldiers the Eid Al-Fitr greetings from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, and Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation. The prince said the Kingdom would continue to apply the Shariah and said foreign countries stood behind ârecent events,â in an apparent reference to the Nov. 8 bombings in Riyadh, adding that it would be regrettable if it were proven that they were friends of the Kingdom. Now the money quote.
âSaudi Arabia is among the countries being targeted by those who donât want to see the Kingdom apply Islamic law. The divine system and the man-made system should not be equated. They (foreign hands) want to make us accept man-made laws and follow what others want us to do. Being one of you, I find myself obliged to tell you that plots are being hatched against you, including the recent criminal acts. Canât be your home-grown islamic fundi wackos, nope, has to be a insidous foreign plot.
âThere are some countries that stand behind these acts. I know that none of you will accept this. They seek to divide you into parties and groups that fight each other and so fulfill the wishes of outsiders. This will not happen because you all reject it,â he was quoted by the Saudi Press Agency as telling officers and soldiers at the base. Prince Abdul Rahman said no one who truly believed in God would accept the rule of foreigners. âWe thank Almighty God that the rulers and people of this country have never been subjected to foreign rule, either covertly or overtly or through some authority claiming to be advocates of Arab nationalism or Islam.â "This is my families country, and nobody is more islamic than us!"
He said those behind the recent criminal acts in the country would not succeed. âThey want to harm this country because they donât tolerate anyone who truly believes in God and applies divine laws." Funny, I thought al-Queda bombed Saudi because they didnât think you were holy enough.
"But no matter what they do and regardless of the bombings and killings, they will not prevail because we will all stand firm in the face of these attempts. You in the armed forces and your colleagues in the security forces will continue to do the missions you have been entrusted with, and you should always be fully prepared to defend your country,â the prince added. "Cuz if you donât do your job, my ass is toast"
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 2:30:03 PM ||
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Don't you hate it when people are so lame that they can't name names. He hides his retoric as though it was Canada or maybe even the US (some countries). But it's Iran.
#4
Admit it Abdul Rehman your own home grown fanatics are out of control. At least you are getting a taste of your own medicine. So please forget the jew conspiracy theorey and take care of your home.
Posted by: Muslim ||
12/01/2003 16:12 Comments ||
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#5
I figure it wes a vield accusation at the U.S.
"They (foreign hands) want to make us accept man-made laws and follow what others want us to do."
Saudi Arabiaâs King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz has offered a greater legislative role for the Shoura council in Saudi Arabia, at a time when the Kingdom is proceeding forward with political reforms demanded by Saudis and westerners. This sounds more like a step back to me.
A royal decree issued on late Saturday evening provides for transferring authority from the government to members of the Shoura council, which is a non- elected parliament, whose members are appointed by the king. See: Rubber Stamp, Toadies
The decree also facilitates to the council the ability to enact new laws. The latest changes to the Shoura council allow proposing new amendments and laws, without seeking permission from the king. Well, since the council is handpicked by the King.......
It also means that when differences erupts between the government and the Shoura council over any case, the government will submit it first to the council for commenting instead of sending it directly for the king for a decision. The wise council of viziers will handle these problems for the king, after all, thatâs why they have the turbans.
Members in the council, however, denied these steps to have had come in responce to the acts of violence al-Qaida organization is accused of committing to topple the ruling family. They said this comes in the course of the gradual operation of political reform. I guess it depends on what you consider "reform".
The Shoura council which is composed of 120 members and has a consultative role. However, it had become more effective in the last decade. Members of the council said that the government has accepted most of its recommendations. Funny how that works.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 11:35:54 AM ||
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They're being incremental at the moment. As described, it's approximately like what the Kuwaiti shura was a decade or 15 years ago.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/01/2003 11:54 Comments ||
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#2
"There's gonna be changes!" screamed the King, "BIG changes!"
"That might not be so popular, your Majesty..." murmured Raschid. "No, not popular at all."
"Well, line up the sitting ducks!" retorted the enraged monarch, "Let THEM get shot at! What the hell do I pay you for?"
Saudi Arabia said on Monday two Saudi nationals carried out the November 9 suicide bombing of a residential compound in Riyadh which killed at least 18 people. An Interior Ministry statement said the bombers, identified by DNA testing, were Ali bin Hamed al-Maabadi al-Harbi and Nasser bin Abdullah bin Nasser al-Sayyari. Both were wanted by authorities on security charges, it said. The statement read on state television gave the first detailed official account of the attack. It said the attackers drove up to the compound gates in a car, throwing hand grenades and shooting at the guards. Then a jeep, painted with the insignia of security forces and loaded with explosives, entered the compound. "Then it was blown up in a suicide operation," the statement said, adding the jeep had been rigged with 300 kg of explosives. Authorities also discovered a rest stop nearby which was used to prepare for the attack and where the car was painted. "Investigators have found out who is behind this operation and measures are still being taken," the statement added. "Security forces are still chasing the perpetrators and God willing they will be found and brought to justice." I see a lot of chasing and not a lot of catching. And nobody has gone to the block yet.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 9:51:33 AM ||
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The joke: foxes guarding the henhouse. What a joke Saudi Arabia is. Only it's not funny. It's just pathetic.
[just dreaming aloud]
On some future troop rotation from Iraq, as they get geared up up and doing it right, should be a particularly short cycle group with a particular skillset, heavy on the Spec Ops side. These people would be staged to Bahrain for apparent rotation out... but instead, they take the key points in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. They would be rather quickly reinforced with some heavy armor with strong air support assets. The ports, refineries, North-South coastal pipelines, and other facilities would be taken, such as Dhahran Air Base. Then the cordon should be pushed inland to a depth of approx 30-40km. And kept. For-fucking-ever.
The funny thing about most "movements" is that they require so much cash. Makes one wonder how many are "true believers" and how many are mercs. I'd say that, once the cash is cut off and it was apparent that no more would be forthcoming, even with many billions in the bank, that the funding pipelines for the asshats like AlQ would substantially dry up in 90-120 days.
Saudi Arabia owes hundred of billions in loans. No more would be forthcoming. When faced with the fact that the gig is up, the largesse of the "Princes" which fund the jihadis would disappear rather quickly. They're not stupid, just insane by Western standards.
The Black Hats, busy lining their own nests in an effort to become as disgustingly wealthy as the despised Sunni Royals, wouldn't take up the slack. These guys expect phreakin' receipts from their Hezbollah gunmen. And, of course, they would get their own rotation...
Same game. This time we hold the military points and the nuke facilities. The "pro-West" public can have their country back. We destroy the nuke shit - they don't need it. They prosper selling oil - in our new cartel. The Black Hats are either killed or relegated to twiddling religious bits, sans ALL power, as it should be. Plenty of gas for their Toyotas, but no military power to use against others.
Pakistan implodes - no cash for jihad or madrassahs or other Izzoid idiocy.
Syria sues for peace - or whatever. Who cares? No cash = no organzied anything. Let 'em rot or kill them all.
Sudan gets turned into glass. Sorry, boyz, not enough boots to occupy you.
We take Libya with a small rotation. Lybian sweet is the best stuff on the planet. We keep Muammar's kid for a pet. Kill the old man.
Think Russia will object? When we can raise oil spot market prices to anyone we wish by 3x or 4x? Fat fucking chance. Foreign hard currency is what he wants - and he'd get it. If he didn't reform his piece of shit country and level out those empires within, we'd destroy his game - which is declining already due to lack of investment in his oil industry infrastructure - just like Iraq. If he cooperates, they'd truly prosper. Putty would put on knee pads for his next visit to Crawford - or be strung up from a Moscow lamppost by his own.
Think Eeewww would have a fit? Yeah, so what's new? Such is life, eh?
Rinse. Repeat.
If we are going to be cursed and hated and reviled for being imperialists and all of the other demonstrably untrue things with which we have been charged ever since our rise from obscurity post-WW-I, we might as well get the goddamned benefits that accrue to such dastardly entities. The hysterical thing to me is that these people who scream at us constantly and make absurd charges are precisely the people who WOULD do those things if THEY had the power of the US.
#3
If they turn up that easily, why don't you snag them when they're plotting the damned thing; you know when its a con-spir-a-cy? Oops, sorry, didn't mean to use that term, there are no c-words in Suadrabia. Was never in gestapo, grand mufti never meet with gesatapo. No no
Posted by: jon lemming ||
12/01/2003 17:11 Comments ||
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EFL & Sh*ts & Giggles. Re-run from yesterday, for those who don't read on the weekends...
Saudi Arabia, known for harsh criminal penalties such as beheadings, is trying a gentler approach to get information from some al-Qaida captives. Saudi interrogators often bring clerics and a Quran to their prison interviews to establish a religious fervor connection, a technique that has proved successful in eliciting violence information from terrorist suspects and reorienting them to less violent religious beliefs. Hmm...
The tactic, similar to the way cult deprogrammers work in the United States, has impressed American counterparts enough that Saudi intelligence was permitted to use some of the principles on their citizens being held at the U.S. detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Saudi officials said. The technique and missing fingers is being credited in part for the extraordinary public renouncement of violence by two former militant Saudi clerics, Nasser al-Fahd and Ali al-Khudair. They went on state-owned television in the past few weeks to recant their religious edicts promoting violence. "We see this as an important development, one that is getting the attention it needs to get inside Saudi Arabia," U.S. embassy spokesman Carol Kalin said in a telephone interview from Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The religious reorientation is markedly different from some hard-core interrogation tactics that can use sleep deprivation, alternate rewards and punishment and other methods to elicit information. They almost sound civilized.
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
12/01/2003 6:09:24 AM ||
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I guess anything's worth trying - but the Koran also says it's OK to lie their butts off to infidels until it's safe to reveal their true beliefs. And Muslims who don't agree with them on proselytization methods (that apparently involve mass murder) can be classified as infidels.
#2
The Koranb approach can make wonders on Jihais. Tajke the BIG annotated edition on thick paper and with heavy covers (preferrently reinforced with metal). Then thump the Jihadi on the head with the Koran until he speaks.
A Briton held in Guantanamo Bay has claimed that he took part in an al-Qaâida plot to attack the House of Commons with anthrax in an attempt to kill Tony Blair. Something sounds familiar about this - I canât quite put my finger on it...
Australia urged the international community on Monday not to be intimidated by Zimbabweâs President Robert Mugabe after he threatened to quit the Commonwealth if membership threatened his African countryâs sovereignty. Go ahead, Bob, make my day.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the 54-nation Commonwealth last year after Mugabe was accused of rigging his own re-election. He has not been invited to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Abuja in Nigeria from December 5-8. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the situation in Zimbabwe was deteriorating and Mugabe had done nothing to encourage the group of mainly former British colonies to lift the suspension. Not unless you count being a lunatic among them ...
ââI hope that the international community will join with Australia and not be intimidated in any way by the taunts or the policies of President Mugabe,ââ Downer told parliament. At the weekend, Mugabe suggested Zimbabwe could quit the Commonwealth if the country had to give up its sovereignty to be readmitted. The Zimbabwe issue has dominated preparations for the Commonwealth summit and threatened to split the group along racial lines.
If it splits that easy, it's probably not worth having...
Mugabe accuses what he calls the ââwhiteââ section of the group — led by Australia and Britain — of pursuing a vendetta because of the governmentâs seizure of white-owned farms. Downer praised Nigeria for not inviting Mugabe despite several other African members trying to include him. Australia has said it will support the re-admission of Pakistan — which was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1999 after a military coup put General Pervez Musharraf in power — because a general election in 2002 had restored democracy. Umm ... yeah. Right.
Of a sort...
However lifting Pakistanâs suspension is opposed by some countries, including India.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 1:05:48 AM ||
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Mugabe accuses what he calls the ââwhiteââ section of the group -- led by Australia and Britain -- of pursuing a vendetta because of the governmentâs seizure of white-owned farms.
Gee, ya think, Bob? Then, show those awful white folks a thing or two. Cut some checks to compensate for the seizure of those farms. Show them you have a little class.
#2
When making a threat, Bob should insure that the threat entails an actual downside for the threatened should they not comply with his demand.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 4:29 Comments ||
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#3
Why the *hell* we have shitholes like Zimbabwe and Pakistan in the Commonwealth is beyond me. Who needs 'em - those kind of countries are just leeches on the British people.
Oh sorry, colonial past creeping up on me there - must remember to feel guilty for events that happened 100+ years before I was born...
How much longer has Bob got ya think? I raised a glass to Idi's demise, the Hussein spawn and would love to make it a threesome before the years out.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
12/01/2003 16:33 Comments ||
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After a European Union poll found that nearly 60% of Europeans consider Israel the greatest threat to world peace, the British Broadcasting Corp. on November 26, asked if anti-Semitism is really increasing. âThere was outrage and shock over the recent EU poll,â observed Robert Wistrich, director of Jerusalemâs Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of anti-Semitism. Many Israelis consider mainstream labeling of âIsrael as a Nazi stateâ a sort of anti-Semitism.
The "Vidal Sassoon Center" for anything makes me expect to step into something inconsequential. But apparently the money makes it go, not the hair-bending...
But the BBC gave the final word to Viennaâs Edward Serotta. The increasingly âshrillâ debate often âpaints the entire European continent as a cesspool of hatred for Jews,â griped the Central Europe Center for Research and Documentation director. âOne prominent Jewish leader recently said the climate was just like 1933 - this is absolutely absurd.â "Of course itâs absurd! Itâs more like 1938!"
Oh really? Serotta made this bizarre claim precisely a week after two Paris Jews were brutally murdered and disfiguredâbecause they were Jewish. A minor tabloid, Le Parisien, reported the grisly events. But not a single major French newspaperâLe Monde, Figaro or Liberationâpicked up the story, according to an interview with the DJâs mother, distributed by Rosenpress in Revue-Politique.com. The police warned one victimâs family not to call the crime anti-Semitic. "Letâs call a spade a club, shall we?" Sebastian Sellam, 23, was a popular disc jockey at a hot Parisian night club called Queen. At about 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday November 19, the young man known as DJ Lam C (a reverse play on his surname) left the apartment he shared with his parents in a modest building in of Parisâ 10th arrondissement near la Place Colonel Fabien, heading to work as usual. In the underground parking lot, a Muslim neighbor slit Sellamâs throat twice, according to the Rosenpress interview. His face was completely mutilated with a fork. Even his eyes were gouged out. Following the crime, Rosenpress correspondent Alain Azria reported, Sellamâs mother said the Muslim perpetrator mounted the stairs, his hands still bloody, and announced his crime. âI have killed my Jew. I will go to heaven,â he reportedly said.
When can you leave?
The alleged murdererâs family was well known for rabid anti-Semitism, Mrs. Sellam reportedly told Rosenpress, a point confirmed to the news agency by the victimâs brother. Within the previous year, Sellamâs mother reportedly said, the family found a dead rooster outside their apartment door with its throat slit, and their Mezzuza was ripped from their door post. Leaving dead roosters is reportedly a traditional warning of impending murder.
Initial reports in small news outlets naturally terrified and confused the French Jewish community. Intense anti-Semitism has been building there for more than a decade, according to Nidra Poller, an American expatriate living in Paris for several decades. Anti-Semitic crimes frequently go unreported in the major press, she said, suppressed by French authorities, victims fearing retribution, and news agencies themselves. Jewish community members thus most often learn of attacks as they did during previous centuries in North African and Eastern European ghettoesâby word of mouth. In 2001, a rabbi in Pollerâs neighborhood was kidnapped and held hostage in a car for two hours. Another religious Jew was kidnapped in similar fashion, Poller reported. A Jewish woman and her husband, whom she had just picked up at a local hospital, were abused and threatened with murder for several hours by a Muslim taxi driver, she said. The charged, anti-Semitic atmosphere in France naturally engenders panic each time a Jewish community member suffers an attack. Crimes typically include harassment, kidnapping, assault, rock-throwing, arson and other abuse, Poller said. Victims usually report the incidents to officials, families and friends. Stories thus spread like wildfire, terrifying people, she noted. Just as frequently, authorities refuse to investigate. Reports are then followed by official and other denialsâstoking the communityâs fear. People donât know what to believe, Poller said.
How would you know it was anti-Christian if a church was burned? How would you know it was anti-Muslim if a mosque was burned? Most of us would start from that assumption and then drop if it something refuted it — most of us who shave with Occam's razor, that is...
Sellamâs murder was handled in much the same way, she said, although 2,000 mourners attended the popular young disc jockeyâs funeral. Le Parisien, according to Poller the only print newspaper to report the crime, noted that Sellam was Jewish and his alleged murderer Muslim, but explained the crime as an outburst of jealousy by a lifelong friend. âSebastian was successful and his murderer was unsuccessful and jealous.â Loud sounds like harp strings breaking, followed by cries of "Merde!" followed.
Something considerably darker than professional jealousy must be at work when a murderer completely mutilates his victimâs face with a fork and gouges out his eyes or stabs a 53-year-old mother 27 times in the chest and neck.
That's not a jealousy killing. That's a hatred killing. Kinda like a hate crime, only motivated by hatred...
Meanwhile, in Germany, neo-Nazis were arrested in September for planning an arson attack on a Munich synagogue to commemorate Hitlerâs November 9 Kristallnacht of 1938, in which thousands of Jewish homes and shops were destroyed, hundreds murdered and thousands arrested and sent to concentration camps. "Heil Haman!" Right. And two grisly ritual murders last week in Paris, France were not anti-Semitic.
#1
The US should make a public offer of refuge to French Jews. France and the EU would work themselves into a knot trying to spin that one.
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 15:08 Comments ||
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French Jews need to take the gloves off. Once there is retaliation then you'll see the big papers pick up the story. Lines will be drawn and shit can hit the fan. But maybe being French they are inclined to turn the other cheek. Remember "never again".
#3
Capt. Joe -- Absolutely. We should make an open offer of asylum/immigration to all European Jews. We should also halt immigration from Arab countries, at least temporarily, pointing to the European experience as the reason.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 15:43 Comments ||
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#4
I'm shocked by the acts, but not by their apparent cover-up by big media (really didn't heard of it, even on continous news channels; perhaps on parisian regional news reports?). Antisemitism is surging since 3 yrs, but the problem has been timidly acknowledged only since a few weeks. This is only going to worsen, and the jews are the proverbial canary in the coal mine.
OT : some of you may bitch about how biased CNN and the likes are, but, believe me I watch CNN with relief. Censorship is not the problem, mindset is. French media are owned by big-business, are overtly deferrent to politicians, overhelmingly left-leaning (72% IIRC), most of their cadre are formed in formating schools (and many "celebrities" are ex-trotskysts, very chic). They are basically an integral part of an isolated, self-reproducing "aristocracy" (France's true ennemy is its elite), a mouthpiece for the powerstructure and its choices (appeasment toward islam, containment of the US power, pro-arab/anti-israeli foreign policy, thirdworldism, EU integration, collectivism,... and generally, enforcing the statu quo at all costs), period.
#8
A link about France's troubles. You know you want to read it. Apparently written in french, and translated into basic english, so it's not great reading, and it's VERY didactical (I love the lil' drawings). Still, it explains a lot about that country.
http://www.freeworldacademy.com/globalleader/france.htm
Thousands of French diplomats from Rome to Riyadh staged an unprecedented strike on Monday over budget cuts they say make a mockery of President Jacques Chiracâs bid to boost French influence abroad. Embassy and consular services were reduced to a minimum in the one-day protest over cutbacks which unions say have hit diplomatsâ allowances abroad and even led to paper shortages in some missions and Foreign Ministry offices. "The French approach is that you can solve world problems through diplomacy. If that is so, then give us the resources," said Yvan Sergeff, of public sector trade union USMAE. "(We) do not understand how President Jacques Chirac and the government proclaim grand ambitions for France internationally even as the human and financial means of this ministry are constantly shrinking," USMAE and five other unions said. USMAE said 126 of Franceâs 154 embassies — a diplomatic network second in spread only to that of the United States — were affected. The Foreign Ministry said most missions had been affected. In Washington, the French embassy was closed to non-urgent business. "We are only open for emergencies. Call back tomorrow," said an employee who answered the telephone there. EFL
#1
Guess they cut out the four hour paid lunches and brothel travel allowances.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
12/01/2003 13:07 Comments ||
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Ex-Baathists will have to wait to get their new passports? Oh, the humanity!
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 13:29 Comments ||
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#3
Is de villepin on strike or is she considered management? At least we will have a break from the incessant French diplomatic offences er offensives.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/01/2003 13:44 Comments ||
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#4
"(We) do not understand how President Jacques Chirac and the government proclaim grand ambitions for France even as..."
Uh, guys, that would be because Chirac is just woofing. Glad I could clear that up for you. Call if you see any new aircraft carriers coming off the ways.
Posted by: Matt ||
12/01/2003 14:06 Comments ||
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#5
*sigh*
Why can't the US State Department go on strike?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 14:16 Comments ||
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#6
Sorry RC, but the State Department only listen's to their Saudi overlords.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 14:30 Comments ||
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Funny : Some of the protesters's complaints are about Jacques Chirac's wife Bernadette spending an *awful* lot of money to stay in a roman luxury hotel, along with 50 followers, when she came to the Vatican for the Pope's anniversary, instead of going to one of the four palaces France possesses in the area. Her husband is also famous for living over-expensively when abroad, all this on credits from the ministry.
Jacques has a problem with money, you understand...
These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkeyâs press on December 01, 2003. BOMBER IN HSBC BANK ATTACK IDENTIFIED AS KUNCAK
It was revealed that Ilyas Kuncak, 47, had conducted the suicide attack on the HSBC bank headquarters in Istanbul on November 20, 2003. Before leaving his house for the gory attack, Kuncak told his wife and children that he would pay a visit to holy sites of the Islam in Saudi Arabia. Thatâs very holy of him.
SYRIA REPATRIATES 22 SUSPECTS IN ISTANBUL BOMBINGS
Following quadruple suicide attacks in Istanbul in which 57 people were killed and more than 700 others were wounded, the Directorate General of Security revealed that Azat ("Asshat")Ekinci, who gave the orders for the gory attacks, and his supporters, fled to Syria. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul took action and held talks with Syrian officials. Syria has displayed an exemplary cooperation with Turkey against terrorism for the first time. It repatriated Hilmi Tugluoglu, who is believed to have linked to Ekinci, his wife and 20 other people suspected of involvement in suicide attacks. More on the same subject.
I imagine Gul's conversation with the Syrians started out "What the fudge is this?" and went downhill from there...
OPERATION IN SYRIA
Gendarme forces launched an operation and 22 people who helped Azad Ekinci, the head of attacks in Istanbul, were captured in Syria and brought to Turkey. National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Security Directorate General and Gendarme Headquarters made a joint study after the decision of National Security Council (NSC). Security Directorate General told Gendarme Headquarters that Aykut Ekinci, Gurcan Bac, Abdulbakir Karakus, Hilmi Tugluoglu, Leyla Tugluoglu and Burhan Kus, who were linked with suicide attacks in Istanbul, escaped abroad. Gendarme forces determined that suspects were in Syria and they were captured in Syria with an operation and brought to Turkey. Joint Syrian/Turkish snatch job?
That's what it sounds like — if the Syrians were involved at all. Gul musta been hopping when he bespoke the Damascenes...
ONAL FREED Hasan Onal, a Turkish engineer working on a U.S.-funded road project in Afghanistan, have been freed by Taliban about a month later. When he arrived at the Turkish Embassy in Afghan capital Kabul, Onal expressed his great gladness. Onal and his Afghan driver were abducted at gunpoint on October 30 while travelling in the Shah Joy district of Zabul province on the main highway linking the capital Kabul with the southern province of Kandahar. Humm, did the check clear?
FOURTH SUICIDE BOMBER NAMED AS ILYAS KUNCAK
The assailants who launched attacks in Istanbul were all identified. Police had earlier identified the suicide bombers of attacks on synagogues in Sisli and Beyoglu districts and British Consulate General. The attack on HSBC Bank in Levent district was launched by Ilyas Kuncak. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler held a press conference at Istanbulâs Ataturk Airport yesterday and revealed the identity of last suicide bomber. He said that DNA samples of Kuncak and his relatives covered each other, adding that interrogation of Kuncakâs wife and children were continuing.
One thing the Turks do have down is the moustachios and truncheons routine. Y'gotta hand it to them...
TURKEY LEFT ALONE
Political results of the quadruple suicide attacks in Istanbul have led Turkey to be exposed to an unfair exclusion by many countries and international organizations. Britain has begun implementing a visa restriction against Turkish citizens. The Council of Europe has limited its activities. Spain, Australia and Denmark have called on their citizens not to visit Turkey. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annanâs Special Envoy for Human Rights Jilaniâs scheduled visit to Turkey was postponed. Still want to join the EU?
BAYKAL: ââTHE GOVERNMENT HAS EXCUSEDââ Republican Peopleâs Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal has said, ââTurkish politicians should act carefully against some certain formations having terrorist potential. It is extremely risky to excuse them. Unfortunately, the government has excused them with its attitudes. The government has excused them by refraining from putting forward their terrorist characteristics.ââ
And on the same subject: BAYKAL: NAME OF TERRORISM IS HEZBOLLAH
Republican Peopleâs Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the government was excusing terrorism with its attitude. He added that the name of terrorism was Hezbollah, but the government could not name it. Used Hezbollah against the Kurds, and now that relationship comes back to bite them. Somewhat like our using the Afghan fighters against the Russians and having some of them turn into Taliban. Not quite the same, but you know people will make that connection.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 10:22:26 AM ||
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Update from Turkish Press with names:
The Gendarme Forces Command has stated, ââHilmi Tugluoglu, who is believed to have linked to Azad Ekinci, a key suspect in Istanbul bombings, his wife and 20 other suspects were handed over by Syria to Turkey.ââ Releasing a statement late on Sunday, the Gendarme Forces Command noted, ââthe Directorate General of Security informed our command that some people who have been allegedly involved in bombings on Jewish and British targets in Istanbul on November 15 and 20, 2003 in which 57 people were killed and 712 others were wounded, fled Turkey following the suicide attacks.ââ
That's the bad part about pulling major operations like that. The clean-up can be pretty effective, unless you pull it in Kenya...
ââAs a result of works of gendarme intelligence units, it was revealed that Aykut Ekinci, Gurcan Bac, Abdulkadir Karakus, Burhan Kus, Hilmi Tugluoglu and his wife Leyla Tugluoglu were in Syria. An immediate contact was set up with Syria by the Gendarme Forces Command, which is charged with coordinating the security and cooperation issues between the two countries under the Adana Agreement,ââ it said. ââSyria has repatriated Hilmi Tugluoglu, who is believed to have linked to Azat Ekinci, a key suspect in Istanbul bombings, his wife and 20 other people suspected of involvement in quadruple suicide attacks,ââ it said. The Turkish Gendarme has been working overtime.
The statement added that the suspects had been interrogated at the Provincial Gendarme Command in southern province of Hatay. Sounds painful.
Earlier, Ekinci was named as a key accomplice in the bombings. He is believed to have provided the pickup trucks containing the bombs which were used in suicide attacks on Istanbulâs two main synagogues. Still waiting for a on the scene report from Murat.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 10:02:08 AM ||
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#1
Kind of blows the concept of believable deniability when the armed border with Kurdish Iraq leaves only the Syrian border as a refuge.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 17:43 Comments ||
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As Turkey reels from last monthâs suicide bombings in Istanbulâwhich killed 61 and seemed to open a new front in the war on terrorismâTurkish police are homing in on several obscure Islamic militant groups, notably Turkish Hizballah, a senior police official tells Time. Security analysts say Hizballah, not to be confused with the radical Lebanese organization that shares its name, is a loose association of some 20,000 extremists based in Bingol, an impoverished province bordering Iraq. Turkish officials say three of the four suicide bombers, and many of their accomplices, called Bingol home. Bingol appears to be the Turkish version of Fallujah or Assir province these days; the local version of Peshawar.
20 thousand sounds like a really high number for a terror organization. A small army, yes; a terror organization, no...
If Turkish authorities are right, Hizballah may be among the latest groups to have joined al-Qaedaâs roster of terrorist associates.
That'd probably make it the largest terror organization in the world. That number's got to include the entire structure, to include all the potential the cannon fodder, their wives and kiddies. And maybe their dogs...
A decentralized organization, al-Qaeda has traditionally outsourced its global operations to local groups, which is partly why it poses such a challenge to the worldâs terrorist hunters. Turkish analysts say many of the 21 suspected militants charged so far in the bombings trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan before 2001âand perhaps with Ansar al-Islam, an al-Qaeda-linked group that was based in the Kurdish areas of northern Iraq before the U.S. invasion.
That part I can believe. That's what Ansar was there for...
Mehmet Farac, an expert on Turkeyâs Islamic militants, says Hizballah may have linked up with al-Qaeda planners over the past year to regain ground it lost after its leader, Huseyin Velioglu, was killed in a police shoot-out in 2000. "Mutual interest is key to this partnership," says Farac. "Al-Qaeda wants to hit U.S., British and Israeli interests; Hizballah wants to prove it is back." Thatâs certainly possible, though some reports are saying that the Turkish Hezbollah and the Raiders were training with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Chechnya, suggesting that the connections may go back a little further than just a year ago. The Ansar al-Islam connection fits even stronger with the role of Zarqawi as the pivot man and helps to explain all of those Turkish alerts after the Ansar fled to Iran like the brave jihadis they were ...
Hizballahâs involvement could prove embarrassing to Turkeyâs security forces, which once cultivated the group as a proxy militia in their 15-year war against Kurdish separatists. That old association probably accounts for the astonishing speed with which police rounded up their suspects. "These men were known to (the police)," says Emin Sirin, a former minister in Turkeyâs Parliament. "They are no strangers." The difference is that this time the Turks seem to know what to do with their homegrown crazies now that theyâve turned violent. If Musharraf would exercise similar prudence in Pakistan, Kashmir might be well on its way to a negotiated settlement by now ...
The Indons were just as speedy rounding up the Bali boomers, and the Soddies were quick to gun down or capture the turbans who stuck their heads up before and after the May bombings, and the Euros did some serious cleaning up after 9-11. Even the Paks did the same with al-Aalmi in the wake of the consulate and Sheraton bombings in Karachi. Each of these operations expends a round in the organizational weapon. That's probably why the attacks come in clumps, followed by a month or two of relative quiet, as the Bad Guys build the structure for the next round of hits.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:44:39 AM ||
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#1
AQ's best friend, Iran. It makes sense that Iran radicalized Hiz-beelzibub through Ansar'. I think AQ is a catch-all name. Boogie men.
A Turkish man who allegedly played a central role in a suicide truck bombing attack on an Istanbul synagogue has confessed to having ties with the al-Qaeda terrorist network, Turkish newspapers reported yesterday.
"Oooch! Ouch! Hey! Stop that! I confess! Let go of that thing!"
The man, whom police said was captured last week while trying to slip into Iran, has been charged with trying to overthrow Turkeyâs "constitutional order" - a crime equivalent to treason. He is accused of having given the order to carry out the November 15 truck bombing of the Beth Israel synagogue - one of four suicide attacks in Istanbul that killed 61 people. Police have not identified the man, but nearly all major Turkish newspapers said the man was Yusuf Polat. The leading daily Milliyet and other newspapers said Polat had confessed to belonging to a 10-man cell that he said was an extension of the al-Qaeda network. A subsidiary, donât ya know?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:39:32 AM ||
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#1
Sounds like Al-Quaeda was brought up in Palestine. Don't go kill the Jews yourself, but send out your kids to do it for you.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 1:24 Comments ||
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#2
Murat? Hello? You still out there?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 7:57 Comments ||
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#3
Update from WP: On Saturday, a Turkish court charged a man, identified by Turkish newspapers and television networks as Yusuf Polat, in connection with the bombing of one of the synagogues in Istanbul. Polat was captured trying to flee into Iran at a border crossing, police said. Polat, who police brought in handcuffs to the damaged Beth Israel synagogue on Saturday, allegedly told police that he had scouted the synagogue for the most vulnerable point of attack, according to accounts in several Turkish newspapers. Polat allegedly told police that he and the two bombers "are followers of Osama bin Laden," the daily newspaper Cumhurriyet reported.
Polat, after deciding the bomb-laden truck could reach the rear entrance of Beth Israel more easily than the front entrance, reportedly called the truck's driver, Mesut Cabuk, and said, "You can come now: May your campaign for Islam be blessed," the daily newspaper Hurriyet reported.
The newspaper said police traced Polat using Cabuk's prepaid cell phone card found in the debris of the bombing.
Turkish CSI seems to be doing a outstanding job.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 10:43 Comments ||
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#4
More from al-Bawaba: A Turkish suspect who allegedly ordered the start of a suicide truck bombing attack against an Istanbul synagogue has confessed to having ties with the Osama Ben Laden's Al-Qaeda network, Turkish newspapers reported Sunday. Hurriyet daily on Sunday identified as Yousuf Pollat as the man allegedly behind the November 15 bombing, one of two suicide attacks on synagogues in the city on the same day, that left 24 people dead and hundreds wounded. The suspect, whom police said was captured last week while trying to slip into Iran, has been charged with trying to overthrow Turkey's "constitutional order" - a crime equivalent to treason that is punishable by life in prison. He is accused of having given the order to carry out the November 15 truck bombing of the Beth Israel synagogue - one of four suicide attacks in Istanbul that killed 61 people, police said. Radikal newspaper said Pollat was born in 1974 in Turkey's southeastern province of Malatya. The leading Milliyet daily and other newspapers said Pollat had confessed to belonging to a 10-man cell that he said was an extension of the al-Qaeda network. Police also had evidence that the attacks had received support domestically and from abroad, Milliyet reported. According to Sabah newspaper, several members of the cell, including several of the suicide bombers, had met while training in Afghanistan. Citing Pollat's confession, Sabah reported that the man suspected of being the suicide bomber at the HSBC bank in Istanbul, started planning the attack in June because of "the occupation of Iraq" and because "Muslims were suffering." He was identified as Habib Aktas. He was wanted by Turkish authorities since 1995 due to his connections with the Turkish Hizbullah group.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 10:50 Comments ||
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#5
"Murat? Hello? You still out there?"
Mocking those dead from terrorism seems to have lost its luster now for Wild Dumrul, who has invoked his moral cowardice to run away, yet again.
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
12/01/2003 15:09 Comments ||
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#6
Once in Iran, a new identity, forged papers and a new mission.
In a demoralizing message to U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq, visiting U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton told them that Americans back home were growing increasingly skeptical of President Bushâs decision to send them into battle. Describing two meetings with GIs over turkey dinners in Baghdad, Clinton, D-N.Y., told reporters later that soldiers wanted to know "how the people at home feel about what we are doing." Clinton said she told the troops, "Americans are wholeheartedly proud of what you are doing, but there are many questions at home about the [Bush] administrationâs policies."
"Many of them are from my staff and speech writers, of course..."
She suggested that the U.S. could eventually lose the war in Iraq. "We have to exert all of our efforts militarily, but the outcome is not assured."
No, it's not. Not with a significant portion of the political class and the press willing to sell out.
Despite her sour pronouncements, the former first lady insisted that the soldiers were just as glad to see her as they were President Bush, whose surprise visit less than 24 hours earlier was greeted with standing ovations.
"Oboy! It's Hillary! Lucky us!"
"Itâs a positive for the commander in chief to visit troops in the field," Clinton told reporters, adding, "the troops [also] seemed to appreciate seeing myself."
That would be "seeing me" if herself was being grammatical...
Speaking from a secure location just over the Kuwaiti border, Clinton launched one verbal salvo after another at the White House. She argued that Bush officials had been "obsessed" with getting Saddam Hussein and said the perception blinded them to the difficulties of deposing his regime.
Or maybe they just assumed they'd deal with the difficulties because the job had to be done...
"The Pentagon tried to make do with as few troops as possible, as light a footprint as they could get away with," Clinton said. "Now weâre playing catchup. ... Unfortunately, I donât think they fully appreciated the conditions we would encounter." The top Democrat reprised her charge that the White House is being less than candid when it comes to apprising the American people of the costs of the war. "The obstacles and problems here are much greater than the administration usually admits to," she said. "Everybody has to be honest."
How nice of the Junior Shrew from New York to go over and tell the troops âHey, everyone back homes thinks this is all a mistake.â I cannot begin to describe the HATRED I now have for Shrillary. The (so called) purpose of her trip was to visit troops from her home state and to find facts. Seems to me that she went there with an agenda and wanted a forum to vent. And she veted on the troops? I canât imagine some Soldier asking âGee Senator, what are the folks saying back home about us?â If you believe that, I have some land I want to sell you in Florida and a bridge in Brooklyn. Shame on her for making political speeches in a foreign country. To quote a famous Senator: âif this isnât treason, then itâs the first cousin of treason.â
#3
Despite her sour pronouncements, the former first lady insisted that the soldiers were just as glad to see her as they were President Bush, whose surprise visit less than 24 hours earlier was greeted with standing ovations. "Itâs a positive for the commander in chief to visit troops in the field," Clinton told reporters, adding, "the troops [also] seemed to appreciate seeing myself."
The President visited with the troops in Iraq for Thanksgiving. The troops loved it and it did the President good too. There was absolutely no advance notice except to a select handful of people in Iraq. The Thanksgiving visit by POTUS was the right thing to do.
Almost as surprising, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) visited Baghdad on Friday. In fact I ran into her here at the CPA. She seemed disappointed at the cool reception she got at the CPA mess hall for lunch. Most just stared silently. A few left. I imagine she was expecting a rush of well wishers: "Look. It's Hillary!" Sorry, Hillary but no, it ain't gonna happen here. Given Hillary's constant trashing of the Administration's policies and the work being done in Iraq, her advance people get a flunking grade on setting up a lunch to be with the "troops" and other Americans in the CPA mess hall. That was not the right thing for Hillary do to.
(Bet you don't see nearly as much press coverage of her lunch in Baghdad.)
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 15:09 Comments ||
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#4
Clinton: "Everybody has to be honest."
What response can the soldiers make to this without coming up hard against Article 88 ("Contempt toward officials") issues? "Lady, you're full of crap!" would seem to be a bit of a problem when directed at a Senator...
#6
I saw some footage of HILLARY "over there" and was struck at how perfect her hair was and no shots of that pear shaped ass. From the waist down I mean, as she is a pear shaped ass.
#8
What I don't understand is why the hell she went. The Clintons are a lot of things but stupid they're not, nor are they poltically deaf. I don't get it. Put off message by the President's trip?
#9
What I don't understand is why the hell she went.
Pure posturing. This way her people can slap pics of her in 'combat' (trying valiantly not to sneer at the troops) on her election website. Doesn't matter that she loathes the military and especially the troops, as long as she can get the photo op.
#11
Being on the Senate Armed Services and not visiting the troops in the field might look bad for her. That's all it is... A photo op with the troops also helps her (she thinks) to win the veep spot in 2004 which is part of the latest Hillary scheme, folks (Veep in 2004, POTUS in 2008,2012)!
#13
Not to raise a dissenting voice, but...isn't what Hillery said true? It sounds to me that she wants, as do I, a larger military footprint in Iraq. (It seems that that fired Army Chief of Staff Shinseki Was correct in his mandpower assessment).
It also seems to me that a large part of this precieved problem with Hillery is Newsmax spin.
When Hillary says:
"We have to exert all of our efforts militarily, but the outcome is not assured."
I am not sure why anyone would object to the above statement. I do however agree that all of this is not a morale boost.
And yet, why shouldn't the troops be told the truth? I am curious if there isn't a kind of dumbing down in American Political Rhetoric seeping into the body politic.
Serious pro-war people, (myself included) are have serious problems with some of the post-war reconstruction and managment issues.
I see nothing wrong with Hillery saying what is obviously true.
#14
Hitlary is absolutely on target: Support for the War on Terror and the battlefieds in Iraq and Afghanistan is declining, rapidly. However, she forgot to mention the demographic she used to determine this, which was the nine dummy-dwarves running for the Democratic nomination. There, the support for the war has dropped from a minus-twelve percent back in January of the year to a whopping minus-seventy-four percent, as the United States continues to make progress. When asked why, spokesman Joe Moron, working for the Dean camp, said "We have to oppose the war. The war makes George Bush look good. We HAVE to force the US to turn the war effort over to the United Nations, so they can foul it up in their usual manner. Then we can blame Bush for getting us into the war, and not being able to win it. It's a win-win situation for us."
When asked if their attitude might prove costly to the United States in the long run, Moron replied, "Who cares, as long as it gets us back in the White House?"
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 17:49 Comments ||
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You know, Old Patriot, I don't pay much attention to the Dummy 9, so it is difficult for me to assess their impact and influence on public opinion.
I certainly could be wrong in this, but I assume most people are like me, pretty well informed, we know that things are not going as well as we might like...and then there are things that make me absolutely crazy...meaning the proposed new Afghan Constitution that calls for an Islamic Republic in Afghanistan.
I know that it is subject to re-write...but as an former military man myself, I will find it very difficult to forgive Mr. Bush if this comes to pass. (and there seems to be some danger of this happening in Iraq also).
American bood and treasure spent for this outcome? No, I'm sorry, but I doubt if I could get past this...it is just too terrible to contemplate.
#16
I would like to add my voice to the reasonable and logical conversation one finds so eloquently expressed by fellow Rantburgers.
Mrs. Clinton,
FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU
You give comfort and aid to the enemy when you stand on foreign soil and spew your selfishly calculating bile.
#17
Traveller, I think what OP and CyberSarge are trying to express to you and others what the grunts must have felt like on the receiving end of her speech. She either wasn't talking to the soldiers or her mindset makes her unable to address soldiers in a combat zone effectively. Speaking negatively about the "administration" to soldiers in nuanced political speak is akin to having a math teacher stand up at a pep rally and lecture on the values of Eclidean Geometry.
One of the reasons that the military folks like GW and his wife is that they are genuine people. It is not hard for me to imagine both of them at a ship's picnic serving hot dogs. Bill Clinton, Al Sharpton or Dean could pull it off as well. Hillary, Kerry or Al Gore would be hopelessly out of place in that scenario.
Shipman,
Hillary's trip turned into an event that gave many people the sensation of fingernails running down the blackboard. I think this comes mostly when it stands in contrast to Bush's trip. Her trip flopped because Bush also made a trip, but would it have if he had stayed home?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 19:54 Comments ||
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#18
Traveller, I think your missing something. The outcome is most surely assured. As a matter of fact the main mission was/is complete. The ouster of saddam. Nation building, is incomplete and what that looks like is unknown. Partitioned, civil war, what have you.
HILLARY is trying to divide the red vs blue. You've got a liberal bias working very diligently to make Bush look bad. If you think that winning the WoT means creating a whole new Iraq/Afg in our image think again. Libs will just go into the "sending or money overseas and not taking care of our own at home" routine. No, winning this war means going directly at countries that sponsor and harbor terroist. To the extent that we can and when we can. And it's not more grunts that's needed. It's more special forces types that can work with the popular people to rid the place of bad guys. Iraqis don't like bad guys either.
HILLARY would crassly have us send tons of troops there and have them become a liability for Bush. she'll just bitch and moan with no blood on her hans while she goes on preaching to the choir.Those troops are needed for the leap frog, whatever that may be. BUT IRAQ IS NOT THE END GAME in the WoT. It was a campaign.
#19
Her trip was an unqualified fustercluck. From the moment this administration took action in Afghanistan up to present, the Donks have been braying with indignation....and now Shrillary says we should apply all our military options. That's rich. The only option the Demoncrats have come up with is to turn everything over to the UN, tuck tale and run. Not one of the the Dwarves, including Ol' Pear Bottom has offered a single serious alternative course of action. Whoever came up with this idea did not think it through.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
12/01/2003 20:22 Comments ||
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#20
Speaking of Democrat candidates. I was without a computer for the weekend at my parents house for Turkey Day, but they had the December issue of Atlantic Monthly which featured excerps from Tour of Duty John Kerry in Vietnam. It iced my opinion of the guy. The article is worth a read by any who care to vote in elections.
What made me think of it in this context is a description from Kerry's letters of a this type of visit to frontline troops by Adm Zumwalt and Gen Abrams. From Kerry's descrition, the meeting was less than motivating to the audience.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 21:13 Comments ||
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#21
Weeeeeeelllll...I kind of thought that any praise for Hillary would get some blood flowing here.
I must say that my Secretary and myself just laughed big time at Hyper's spirited riprost. All those "Fuck You,"s and the ending Fuck you Very Much...still has me laughing.
As to the Grunt's eye view...they grouse at anything and everything,(it is their Solemn Right as Soldiers...and truth be told, the picture of Bush hugging the black female soldier, no one else in that crowd looked particularily happy either).
A Soldiers stock in trade, after all, is death and potentially dying. It is their Raison d'Etre, and at times it is a distressing and depressing business.
In any case, because I don't want to comment on politics, all I was saying and am saying is that, from a Military standpoint, I tend to agree with what Hillary had to say.
But Goodness, she IS a polarizing figure isn't she...lol
A Canadian terror suspect whose whereabouts had been in question following his release by U.S. authorities is back home, according to reports. Abdul Rahman Khadr is believed to have arrived in Canada early Sunday.
No doubt the citizens of Yellowknife are thronging the streets with joy...
Khadr, 20, was reportedly given a special permit to return home after walking into the Canadian Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia last week.
"I'm here. Gimme a ticket back to Kaffirland..."
A consular official accompanied Khadr, a Canadian citizen, on his trip to Toronto.
"Yessir! Right this way, sir! Wouldja like me to hold your turban, sir?"
Khadr was held without charges at the American base at Guantanamo Bay as a terrorist suspect and was secretly released last month.
"Get the hell out, Koran boy!"
He was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan nearly two years ago on suspicion of being an al Qaeda fighter. Khadr reportedly said that after he was released by U.S. authorities, they refused to take him to Canada and instead dropped him in Afghanistan. He had no Canadian [passport] or money.
"Whaddya mean, you don't want to go back to Afghanistan? We thought you liked Afghanistan. Y'got a nice shipping container to live in, a turban, and lotsa fellows named Mahmoud to hang around with."
He said he borrowed money from friends and went to the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan looking for help, but they turned him away because he had no way to identify himself.
"Do we know you? Have we been introduced?"
Khadr then went to Iran and Turkey before arriving late last week in Bosnia.
How'd he get there? Thumbed a ride?
His family insisted Khadr had been trying to get back to Canada, but Ottawa said there was no truth to claims heâd been turned away by Canadian officials in Pakistan and Turkey.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 1:10:57 AM ||
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#1
No money, no ID....Afghanistan to Pakistan, to Iran, to Turkey, to Bosnia, to Canada. His thumb must be a little sore.
Posted by: john ||
12/01/2003 11:19 Comments ||
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#2
So we put him back where we found him. If he had a Canadian Passport when we snarfed him up, we would've given it back to him.
Now, since he's back in maple-cured baconland, he could be in New York next week. Great.
#3
Speaking of Yellowknife, they should send all the jihadis up there. You aren't that interested in terrorism if you are freezing to death.
Naw, make it Ellesmere Island (80% north). There is a canadian base (CFB Alert) up there and it is 2000 miles walk to the nearest town if they escape. Way better than Gitmo. They would beg to go back to gitmo after that.
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 12:39 Comments ||
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#4
capt joe---been flying my plane around ellesmere island from Resolute one summer. It is quite bleak even at that time. Too bad that the Danes are not in with us tight. There is an old base called Nord on the northern tip of Greenland that makes Alert look like a worker's paradise, heh heh. BTW, Yellowknife is a neat town in summer, but winters are not so friendly.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/01/2003 14:17 Comments ||
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#5
Well, Nord must be something else. I was at Alert in January and that is a friggin' hell of a place to live if you are outside. Might as well live on Mars (if there was air to breath).
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 21:01 Comments ||
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There is a new generation of terrorism out there, and unfortunately, its footprints lead to Pakistan.
Where's the old one's lead? Same place.
Until yesterday it was a lonely Indian voice that cried in the wilderness about the complicity of Pakistan in international terrorism.
India and Rantburg, I guess. And a few others...
But in the recent proliferation of terror, from Turkey to Australia, two striking trends are becoming clear. Global terror is no longer in the hands of the "centralised" system of Osama bin Ladenâs Al-Qaida. The new wave is characterised by a different, more localised dynamic.
Subcontracting...
Second, most of these outfits spanning the globe have a Pakistan content, using the pillars of its jehad factory-the mosque network, the hawala network and its all-powerful, all-pervasive military-intelligence complex-to provide weapons, training and infrastructure.
Pak muscle is cheap, mostly pretty stupid, mostly vicious, and easily replaced...
"The threat from the ISI is higher ... it is more dangerous than Al-Qaida which is a non-governmental organisation supported by some governments. But the isi is itself a government body," Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said recently. Says Ajai Sahni of the Delhi-based Institute of Conflict Management: "There has hardly been any major terrorist incident in the world recently that does not have a Pakistani angle."
Whaddya mean, "recently"? The last 15 years?
On November 21, 10 Pakistanis were arrested in Latvia. Police feared they had come to organise a terrorist attack against an Israeli basketball team. A Pakistani passport found at the site of the November 15 blast in an Istanbul synagogue connects bombers to Pakistan. Canada is closing in on dozens of jehadis trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Police are currently searching for a key Canadian jehadi, Ahmed Said Al Khadr, one of bin Ladenâs closest aides. The Chinese Communist Party secretary of Xinjiang region has said that Uighur militants were getting help from Pakistan. Terrorist Hambaliâs brother Gungun Rusman Gunawan was held in Pakistan. He organised funds, training for him. In November, 13 Malaysian students and four Indonesians were found to be studying in jehadi madarsas in Karachi. Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is investigating 15 students being trained in madarsas in Pakistan. The Hamid Karzai Government says Pakistan is helping the Taliban regroup.
Let's not forget Ramzi Yousef and the WTC bombings.
From starting out as a wholly owned subsidiary of the ISI to stage terrorist attacks against India, the LeT is fast becoming the global successor to Al-Qaida, establishing a footprint that could soon be beyond the control of the Pakistani authorities.
It's already there, if it wants to be. Hafiz Saeed makes a loose cannon look stable and secure...
Indian security agencies say they have recently found evidence of LeT cells operating in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In fact, LeT operatives have also been infused into underworld don Dawood Ibrahimâs network, which means they can use his contacts in the Middle East and Europe for explosives and munitions supply, as well as his safe houses in India to make things easier for the ISI. Many of the small terrorist outfits in India come under the loose control of the Lashkar, which is said to have around 20,000 hardcore Jihadis in Pakistan, making it the largest Jihadi outfit in the world.
THE LASHKAR-E-TOIBA WAS INSTRUMENTAL in Pakistanâs state-sponsored cross-border terrorism in India and worked under the direct supervision of the ISI. But now it is spreading its wings and fast moving beyond the control of Pakistani authorities. LeTâs links with Dawood Ibrahim have not escaped the USâ attention. Indian security sources believe that some 300 Islamist militants have slipped into Iraq through Saudi Arabia and that groups like the LeT have acted as facilitators. They point to a recent speech by LeT leader Hafiz Saeed in which he made the US the prime target of jehadi activity in Iraq. Stern agrees. "The LeT seems to be moving out. One theory, of course, is that the LeT is going to play a role similar to what Al-Qaida once played-inspiring and funding terrorist operations around the world... Still, it is shocking to see LeT showing up in the Gulf states as well as in Australia." The LeT is able to expand much more than other Pak Jihadi groups, because it is a Salafi group, while the others like Jaish are Deobandis, which is a sect that doesnât really exist outside of Afghanistan/Pakistan/India. The LeT is also the only major Jihadi group that wasnât banned during the recent crackdown in Pakistan.
This growing perception is troubling Musharraf, who admitted at an iftar party in Islamabad last week that the world was "doubting Pakistanâs sincerity" in tackling terrorism.
Who us? What gave you that idea?
But the strongest criticism has come from the US, which, despite the public praise heaped on Pakistan, has sent some strong signals recently. The blows came in swift succession. US Ambassador to Pakistan Nancy Powell openly criticised Musharraf for failing to take action against banned terrorist groups.
... as he's repeatedly said he was going to do, in fact said he was doing.
Second, the US listing of Dawood as a global terrorist indicates that the Americans are aware of the donâs role as the coordinator for the LeT and Al-Qaida, using the isi-sponsored underworld network. Third, and perhaps most damning, is the recent declassification of US documents which declare that "bin Ladenâs Al-Qaida network was able to expand under the safe sanctuary extended by the Taliban following Pakistanâs directives". Bin Ladenâs camp in Zahawa on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, US documents say, was built by Pakistani contractors funded by the ISI, which was the real host of the facility. The trainers at many of the Pakistani training camps were actually retired members of the Pakistani special forces, of SSG. Besides which, there always has been, and to this day still are, many more Jihadi training camps in Pakistan than there were in Afghanistan. Most estimates put the number of Jihadis in Pakistan at up to 200,000.
Out of a population of ~135 million. The active military is 550,000 men.
What appears to be inevitable is an overhaul of international policy (read US) on Pakistan. Says Walter Anderson of Johns Hopkins University: "There is something of a dilemma there. The question is, how hard can they press Musharraf?"
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
12/01/2003 3:30:32 AM ||
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Someday. Musharraf will ultimately be faced with his final choice...placate the radicals or cut his ties to the West. A true horns of dilemma. Especially as the pressure builds for the West (+India) to exterminate the cockroaches in his own kitchen
#2
Heh, think Musharraf's one of those guys who, after fucking us over numerous times, we give 'em a "special" phone number and tell em, "Don't use this except in the direst emergency!" Then when they call, a recorded voice answers and sez, "We're sorry, but this service has been discontinued. Please hold... Your call is being transferred to the UN. Have a nice day."
#3
Sooner or later, the United States is going to have to do something about Pakistan. Sooner would be better. Unfortunately, we still have a squeamish Congress that doesn't want this nation to "appear to be a bully". It's going to take another serious attack on our soil to get rid of the deadwood. Unfortunately, it's more and more likely to happen, and within the next 18 months. I just wrote to my brother, offering to trade him my shotgun for a nice .38 or .45 pistol. I strongly suggest all Rantburgers also arm themselves before the slippery brown stuff starts happening.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 16:11 Comments ||
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Lol. Well, the yankees always find passports in the most odd places. They found the passport of a 911 hijacker somewhere close to the tower when every else burned to ground zero. And a Pakistani passport now found outside the syngogue. I mean a retarded storywriter could come up with a better story. Yankees need to do better planning. Their asset Osama Bin Laden and his lot, after all, have been raised and trained by the CIA using the American Taxpayers' money. When assets are ditched like this, making a 180 degree U turn on policies, they make people like Osama crazy. And i guess the yankees have a bad whining habit too. Yankees have killed millions after WW-II. Hey, it's less than 3000 that got perished in WTC. Not that I am with Al-Qaeda, but till this time the Yankees have killed more than 10x this number in Afghanistan and Iraq, the majority being civilan. I don't see the US around in the next 50 years IMHO.
An explosion at a fruit market in Kashmirâs main city has killed at least six people and wounded 37 others, some of them seriously.
Kashmirâs Inspector General of Police K Rajendran said: "The bomb was planted in a car and parked near the gate of the fruit market. Six people have been killed and 37 wounded in the blast."
The fruit market near the Batamaloo district of Srinagar, the Muslim-majority regionâs main city, is located on Kashmirâs major highway.
Kashmirâs frontline militant group Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the explosion.
A spokesman of the rebel group called newspaper offices in Srinagar and said they also set off explosions in the Pulwama and Doda areas of south Kashmir.
"We inflicted heavy casualties on the Indian security forces," the spokesman said.
Scores of men and women were wailing at the scene of the car-bombing, which was littered with blood-soaked footwear of the dead or injured.
"There was a big bang, and after a second, I saw people lying in a pool of blood. Beyond that, I donât know what happened. I opened my eyes in the hospital," said Mohammad Aslam, a fruit vendor, nursing his wounds.
The South Asian rivals have fought three wars since 1947, two of them over Kashmir, and nearly went to war again last year after a late 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that India blamed on Pakistan-based rebels.
New Delhi and Islamabad have recently restored full diplomatic relations and cross-border bus links but India has linked fresh talks on improving ties to an end to attacks by the separatists.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:55:04 AM ||
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CNN.Com
JONES: My mission and my platoonâs mission was to actually escort the Iraqi currency exchange into two different banks in Samarra. ...
We escorted them in. As soon as we got to that location, we started receiving direct fire via small arms, AK-47s. My guys from both the east and the west bank started returning fire back to the point of origin and neutralizing any targets theyâd actually seen.
During the course of the firefight, we started receiving not only small-arms [fire]. We had incoming and direct fire from mortars. We also had RPGs coming through here just hitting us all around.
As far as my thoughts during that, it was -- it was an extremely scary time. I remember I talked to my wife yesterday morning. Iâve got a 10-month-old son. Heâll be 10 months old on the fourth of February, the fourth of December, excuse me. And she told me, she said, âDonât do anything stupid. Donât put yourself in any harmâs way or anything like that. Just be extremely careful.â
And I reckoned during the course of that fight, we were -- I kept thinking about my wife and my son. And I kept communicating with my team that I had with me and I was looking at the rest of the squad that was there and making sure they were doing their job. They were all well. They were doing an excellent job as far as returning fire and everything. And I, you know, was saying a little bit of prayer while I was in the middle of it. I was talking to the man upstairs, saying, âGod, please keep us safe,â and putting some rounds down the range. ...
OâBRIEN: Give me a sense of how long this firefight lasted and what kind of firepower U.S. troops used to return fire.
JONES: [M]y understanding is it was only supposed to take us about 30 minutes in the actual Iraqi currency exchange, to drop off the money. And I estimated that about an hour and a half, two hours, is what I would just estimate. The firepower that the U.S. had, as far as we had some tanks out there. We had some Bradleys. I had an MP squad with me and I had another one at the other bank. We were using 40-millimeter machine guns. We were also using our regular M-4 rifles and 249 SAWs plus some 50-caliber machine guns.
OâBRIEN: Tell me a little bit about any civilians. I heard and read that there was a barricade blocking off the streets. Did it seem to you that there were no civilians around? Did that seem surprising to you?
JONES: Well, what they attempted to do -- and we donât know if itâs actually civilians. I called them all terrorists. If theyâre blocking the streets or if theyâre attempting to block the streets, then obviously theyâre not a civilian. Theyâre some sort of combatant. Theyâre helping out the terrorist projects with that. Iâm a true believer of that. These guys were trying to throw vehicles in the way, taxi cabs, a couple of white pickup trucks and everything, to actually block the roads as we tried to egress out with the convoy.
We did have to -- we did have to ram some vehicles out of the way to get our people out, to get our people out of there safely and securely. But civilians in the area, you know somethingâs going to happen as soon as you get in there and all the civilians basically clear out of the way. So if you go into a street or part of the city thatâs normally busy and thereâs nobody around, youâd better get your guns up and ready to go.
OâBRIEN: Before I let you go -- I know you said you spoke to your wife yesterday. Youâve got a 10-month-old son. While weâve got you up on the satellite, anything you want to say to them?
JONES: Yes. Mercedes, Nicholas, theyâre -- theyâre my heart and my soul right now. What Iâm doing over here, Iâm doing to protect the freedom and the future freedom of my son. And, you know, theyâre my driving force behind everything that I do.
#2
If theyâre blocking the streets or if theyâre attempting to block the streets, then obviously theyâre not a civilian.
THANK YOU! Good lord, somebody who knows what the deal is. These alleged 'civilians' were trying to block the convoy? That sure sounds like they were trying to kill U.S. troops. And the sarge is right- that means THEY ARE NO LONGER CIVILIANS! Props to this guy.
This guy better watch out, though. Doing the right thing like this could mean the 4th ID JAG is going to come after you.
#3
I'm thinking how valuable it would be to install dashboard minicams on some of these vehicles (similar to the ones the police use) so that we'd have videotape evidence to counter Al-Jizz's propaganda. A couple seconds of video of these guys moving the cars into position would be worth a thousand interviews with CNN and their ilk.
#4
Good idea,Snell.I've been wondering when some enterprising,young,unknown journalist was going to realize that getting a couple film clips of action while riding around with the troops will make his/her carreer.
EFL U.S.: New Iraqi currency a lure for attacks
Iraqi insurgents are targeting U.S.-led coalition convoys carrying new Iraqi currency, Pentagon officials said Monday, a day after two such convoys were ambushed... Do you suppose they are getting short of it?
If the money with Sammy's picture on it's no good anymore, that leaves them with sacks of play money to pay their hitmen. Kinda devalues the old Sammy dinarius, doesn't it?
These are the hardest targets to attack, given that money shipments are always well-protected, even stateside. For them to hit money shipments, these guys have to be pretty desperate.
#3
LOL. They thought they were fighting the 4th ID, but they were really fighting the Federal Reserve. Don't dink with America if you don't understand money.
#4
Once the old currency's out of circulation, the terrs are going to be left with whatever US cash they have. I suspect that's reserved for the higher-ups to escape, though.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 16:21 Comments ||
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#5
Watching the CNN coverage of the inevitable PR counter-attack (only 8 killed, only civilians hurt/killed, a kindergarten damaged, no fedayeen, no Ba'athists to be seen), I heard the attacks were launched near banks that presumably were the delivery points for the convoys.
This raises a question: would the smarter strategy be to withdraw from the trouble spots in the Triangle, cut them off with roadblocks, let them feel the pain of being left off the reconstruction train as it starts to move, and if that yields nothing then just leave the final reckoning to Iraqi forces as they become available?
US officer to Samarra town council: "if you can't help us keep the place safe enough to deliver the new money, I guess you'll just have to do without the new money. Oh -- you say that would be a terrible hardship, as your old dinars would be worthless? Hmmm, I guess you have a situation on your hands. We're standing by to take out or imprison anyone you'd like to tell us about. Otherwise, good luck with that money problem, and also with the Kurdish/Shi'a forces likely to be visiting you starting next spring. Oh, one last thing -- all males 15 and older will now need photo ID and interviews to pass the perimeter we're setting up outside town. Have a nice day!"
Seems clear that Iraqis in the Triangle have made their bad choices already -- I question investing a single additional American life in a strategy of persuasion. It might be better odds to turn up the heat and possibly precipitate a messy resolution now, while we're strong and still have the occupier's status, than leave this seemingly unavoidable crack-up until later, when a fragile new Iraqi government has nominally regained sovereignty.
Perhaps we could even experiment with this strategy on one town, see how it goes? Crazy or impractical? Maybe -- but risking American lives so that the good folks of Samarra have new dinar notes deserves a second look.
#6
would the smarter strategy be to... cut them off with roadblocks, let them feel the pain of being left off the reconstruction train...
Probably. Once in a while show up in the 'hood with M1A1s to kick some ass, do some reconnaissance, set some traps, and pull back. Reward good behaviour. The problem is, how do you confine the bad guys to their own little neighbourhoods.
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/01/2003 21:19 Comments ||
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It was Saddam Husseinâs last weapons deal â and it did not go exactly as he and his generals had imagined. For two years before the American invasion of Iraq, Mr. Husseinâs sons, generals and front companies were engaged in lengthy negotiations with North Korea, according to computer files discovered by international inspectors and the accounts of Bush administration officials. I was wondering when those files would start to show up.The officials now say they believe that those negotiations â mostly conducted in neighboring Syria, apparently with the knowledge of the Syrian government â were not merely to buy a few North Korean missiles. Instead, the goal was to obtain a full production line to manufacture, under an Iraqi flag, the North Korean missile system, which would be capable of hitting American allies and bases around the region, according to the Bush administration officials. As war with the United States approached, though, the Iraqi files show that Mr. Hussein discovered what American officials say they have known for nearly a decade now: that Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader, is less than a fully reliable negotiating partner. Really, could have fooled me
In return for a $10 million down payment, Mr. Hussein appears to have gotten nothing. Bwahahaha!
The trail that investigators have uncovered, partly from reading computer hard drives found in Baghdad and partly from interviews with captured members of Mr. Husseinâs inner circle, shows that a month before the American invasion, Iraqi officials traveled to Syria to demand that North Korea refund $1.9 million because it had failed to meet deadlines for delivering its first shipment of goods. North Korea deflected the request, telling Mr. Husseinâs representatives, in the words of one investigator, that "things were too hot" to begin delivering missile technology through Syria. "Just wait until things cool off, weâll get back to you"
The transaction provides an interesting glimpse into the last days of the Hussein government, and what administration officials say were Iraqâs desires for a long-term business deal for missiles and a missile production plant. Bush administration officials have seized on the attempted purchase of the missiles, known as the Rodong, and a missile assembly line to buttress their case that Mr. Hussein was violating United Nations resolutions, which clearly prohibited missiles of the range of the Rodong.
It also establishes that Syria was a major arms-trading bazaar for the Hussein government, in this case hiding an Iraqi effort to obtain missiles, they say. Investigators say Syria had probably offered its ports and territory as the surreptitious transit route for the North Korea-Iraq missile deal, although it remains unclear what demands the government in Damascus might have made in return. Cash and a few missiles, Iâll wager.
Further, according to United States government officials and international investigators, the Iraqi official who brokered the deal, Munir Awad, is now in Syria, apparently living under government protection. Middle men are very expendable.
If it served as a middleman in this deal, as the documents suggest, Syria was acting in violation of Security Council resolutions even as it served on the Council and voted with the United States on the most important resolution before the war. Playing both sides against the middle.
In an interview in Damascus on Sunday with The New York Times, Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, was asked about the deal described in the Iraqi computer files and said, "This is the first time I have heard this story." "Lies, all lies!"
He said Mr. Hussein "was never able to trust Syria, and he never tried and we never tried to make any relation between him and any other country because he did not trust us in the first place." For all its complaints about arms smuggling across the Syrian-Iraq border, Mr. Assad said, the United States had never cited specific cases, adding, "I told the Americans if you have any evidence that there is smuggling of weapons into Iraq, please let us know." Ok, we have. Now what?
International inspectors note that the missile deal gone bad appears to be the most serious violation that has been found so far. American officials said the failed missile deal was brokered by an Iraqi firm called Al Bashair Trading Company, also spelled Al Bashir in some documents, which has been identified by American investigators as having had past involvement in arms trade for Iraq conducted with Yugoslavia.
The company reported directly to the Iraqi military command, investigators said, and had close ties to one of Mr. Husseinâs sons, Qusay, who was killed in a battle with American troops in July. The negotiations with the North Koreans were conducted by Munir Awad, the senior officer of Al Bashair, American and international investigators said. "Munir Awad is one of three men who personally oversaw the most sensitive transfers of money from Al Bashair to other front companies and governments and worked directly for Qusay Hussein," said one American official. "Awad is believed to be in Syria under the protection of the Syrian government." If heâs not already dead, he soon will be. He knows too much.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 9:36:02 AM ||
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Kimmie's a pro. Wait till the Iranians find out that explosive lens don't use glass.
During the past 24 hours, the 82nd Airborne Division and subordinate units have conducted 16 raids and cleared three weapons caches. Soldiers also conducted 176 patrols, including six joint patrols with the Iraqi Border Guard and Iraqi Police. During these operations 25 enemy personnel were captured.
In 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Divisionâs area of responsibility, elements discovered a cache near Iskandariyah. The cache contained 1606 mortar rounds of various sizes as well as three mortar base plates and one mortar tube. Also found were bomb making materials, along with a number of RPG rounds and other forms of ammunition.
3rd ACR continued Operation Rifles Blitz. Elements conducted 14 raids in Ubaydi â capturing 25 personnel. Each mission incorporated both the Iraqi Police and recent ICDC graduates during execution.
At Trebil on the Jordanian border, 113 personnel were refused entry because they had no passports or documentation.
Civil affairs teams with 3rd Brigade met with Al Karmah city officials today to discuss renovation of their courthouse. They prepared a statement of work for the project and have allocated $60,000 to complete the repairs. The renovation will allow the city to better accommodate the increasing number of court cases resulting from better police techniques. Civil affairs personnel also held a meeting with the Habbaniyah and Khalidiyah community leaders to assess the security posture in the area. Our forces emphasized that cooperation was key to moving forward and that our support would remain limited until the security situation improved. The Civil Affairs team reminded all present that the Iraqis must take responsibility for improving the security situation. Teams in Hit met with local officials to discuss the opening of a police sub-station in a rural area outside town named Dulab. The plan calls for approximately 50 officers and, at the request of the Hit police chief, the renovation of a former Baâath party building for use as a police station there. They are also being provided with winter uniforms at a cost of $40,000.
SAMARRA, Iraq â 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse soldiers repelled multiple ambush attempts on two separate logistic support convoys in the afternoon of Nov. 30, killing 46, wounding at least 18 and capturing eight in the city of Samarra. Many of the dead attackers were found wearing Fedayeen uniforms.
Five soldiers were wounded; two sustained minor injuries and will return to duty. None were life threatening, although three soldiers did require addition treatment and were evacuated to a nearby medical facility. A civilian in the convoy was also wounded and was evacuated to the same location.
Both convoys were moving into Samarra when they were attacked with improvised explosive devices, small arms, mortars and rocket propelled grenades. The attackers attempted to block one of the convoysâ way with a makeshift barricade. The barricade was immediately breached.
The logistic support convoys were moving to two separate locations in Samarra. The coordinated simultaneous attacks occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. One attack occurred on the east side of the city and one on the west. Soldiers fought the attackers at numerous locations in both ambushes. The exchanges lasted for many minutes as the convoy vehicles moved through the city.
At each location soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor and military police returned fire with small arms, 120mm tank rounds and 25mm cannon fire from Bradley Fighting Vehicles. In all of the clashes Coalition firepower overwhelmed the attackers, resulting in significant enemy losses.
The attackers fired rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the convoys from the rooftops of buildings and from alleyways. Three of the buildings the attackers used for cover during the ambush were destroyed by Coalition fire.
At approximately 2:25 p.m., in a separate attack, in another section of Samarra, 244th Engineer soldiers were traveling in a convoy when four men using automatic weapons, riding in a black BMW, ambushed them. The soldiers returned fire, wounding all four. The attackers were eventually captured.
The soldiers searched the vehicle and discovered three AK-47 assault rifles and two rocket propelled grenade launchers.
TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers killed 46 Iraqis and captured eight trying to carry out a series of attempted ambushes on U.S. convoys in the central Iraqi city of Samarra on Sunday, a U.S. military spokesman said.
"The fourth infantry division repelled multiple ambush attacks," Lieutenant Colonel William MacDonald told reporters.
At least 18 attackers, five U.S. soldiers and a civilian traveling with the troops were wounded during the ambushes.
"The attacks were coordinated in locations very close to each other," he said, adding that the ambushes were made on separate U.S. convoys using mortars, grenades and small arms fire. Three buildings, from whose roofs the attackers fired, were destroyed.
"The attackers attempted to block one of the convoyâs way with a makeshift barricade," MacDonald said, citing three main attack points around Samarra, north of Baghdad.
"In all of the clashes coalition firepower overwhelmed the attackers resulting in significant enemy losses," he said. "If you attempt to attack one of our convoys weâre going to use our firepower to stop that attack."
Some of the attackers wore the attire of Fedayeen, a militia formed by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein before U.S.-led forces toppled him earlier this year.
The Fedayeen are among the former Saddam loyalists blamed by Washington for coordinating a rising insurgency against Iraqâs U.S. occupiers.
"This is the largest (ambush) for our task force since weâve been in the area," MacDonald said.
He declined to say whether the coordinated ambushes were linked to attacks on civilian foreign nationals in the Tikrit- Samarra area in the last two days.
Samarra and Tikrit, where the 4th infantry division is based, are located in the center of Iraq where most attacks on foreign forces and Iraqis cooperating with them have been concentrated.
Posted by: joe ||
12/01/2003 9:16 Comments ||
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An ambush on US troops in Iraq's city of Samarra was an attempt to seize new Iraqi banknotes, the US military say. "It was a co-ordinated attack... on a convoy... delivering a significant amount of Iraqi currency," US Colonel Fredrick Rudesheim told reporters. The number of Iraqis killed by US forces in Sunday's fighting had risen to 54 from 46, the US military says. Residents of the central Iraqi city disputed those figures, saying at most eight or nine people died. US spokesman Lieutenant Colonel William MacDonald said that US forces had fought back with tank fire when they were attacked three times by militants wearing uniforms of the pro-Saddam Fedayeen fighters.
American forces destroyed three buildings being used by insurgents, he said. "We're sending a clear message that anyone who attempts to attack our convoys will pay the price," the spokesman said. Samarra is within the so-called "Sunni triangle" north of Baghdad - the heartland of Saddam Hussein loyalists.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 9:19 Comments ||
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#4
Does anyone else think this might have been a setup, QBoat type activity?
It seems like we had a huge amount of firepower immediately available. Almost like we expected the attack.
#5
? It seems like we had a huge amount of firepower immediately available. Almost like we expected the attack.
Told you that embedding Al-Jizz reporters in our units would pay off.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 11:18 Comments ||
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I'd be willing to bet that the fedhayeen are riddled with double agents . . . and that many of the EPWs have turned stool pigeon . . . and that those al Jazeera reporters are are selling them down the river to the CIA.
Or not . . . or two out of three . . . or the cell phones are tapped . . . or something.
Or maybe that's all a disinformation campaign.
Have a good night's sleep, jihadis.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/01/2003 11:24 Comments ||
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Just got the Nightline email update, and they're going to focus on this incident tonight. Unfortunately, they appear to have activated the "Questions have been raised..." macro in their scripting software.
#8
Announcing the number of dead enemy combatants is a fairly new turn, isn't it? For the longest time it wasn't talked about. Does anyone recall when that changed?
thank you very much Mr.Jeff Javris (aka buzzmachine)""The Iraqis I know today are intelligent, insightful, freedom-loving, reasonable, grateful to be rid of their opressor, and grateful for whatever will help them get their lives and their nation on the right track. The Iraqis I know are webloggers with names: Zeyad, Omar, Ays, Alaa, and Nabil."
(they all link to each other and Fred has Zeyad on his hotlink list)
You and your people are very kind, we appreciate that and we will continue blogging and our voice will be heard and reach to everyone telling him that we are liberated now..we are not afraid from anything... we will rebuild our country...Iraq will arise.
Thank you again.
Posted by: mhw ||
12/01/2003 8:24:30 AM ||
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One name conspicuously absent from that list is our little "cherubic" friend now reporting from London.
Posted by: Dar ||
12/01/2003 9:08 Comments ||
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from Debka, FWIW.
US ground forces commander in Iraq, Lt.-Gen. Ricardo Sanchez suffered the misfortune of mistimed optimism. Saturday, November 29, he told a news briefing that the number of Iraqi attacks had dropped by 30 percent in November. No sooner had he spoken then a succession of five deadly ambushes left 12 non-Americans, one American civilian and two 3rd Armored Division troops dead between Saturday and Sunday morning.
3rd Armored Division? When did they get there?
Seven were members of an 8-member Spanish Intelligence team on the road from Najaf to Baghdad, two Japanese diplomats who had just left Tikrit after attending a reconstruction aid conference, two Korean electricians in the same region, one American civilian and one Colombian contractor near Balad. The American fatalities were claimed by a rocket-propelled grenade attack on their convoy near the Iraqi-Syrian border town of Husaybah. Weâve been intercepting a lot of wanna-bes trying to cross that border.
In just a few hours, Novemberâs death toll in Iraq shot up to 115, the highest since May. Still, Gen. Sanchez was technically correct. November saw 30pc less attacks by Iraqi insurgents and their foreign helpers. On the other hand, it was the bloodiest in terms of coalition casualties - up 35pc â meaning enemy assaults were fewer but more effective. DEBKAfileâs military sources reveal that of the two hours, 32 minutes President George W. Bush spent in Baghdad on his surprise Thanksgiving trip last Thursday, November 27, he visited the troops for one hour. Away from the cameras, he was closeted very privately for another hour with US and military commanders in Iraq and the remaining half hour with four members of the interim Iraq Governing Council. This was another major reason for the trip, I suspect.
Given the news of the 30pc decline in guerilla attacks in November, Bush was also handed four intelligence assessments recording shifts in the Iraqi-US balance. They are revealed here for the first time by DEBKAfileâs military sources:
1. Iraqi guerrilla commanders find it much harder to execute their original hit-and-run tactics against large American military convoys which are now much better defended, often with air cover. Small convoys, lone vehicles and soft targets are easier prey. Contrast this with Vietnam ...
2. US forces are now capturing Iraqi and foreign fighters in large numbers. In recent weeks, more than 1,100 have been killed or captured in US military raids, draining off around one-fifth of the total estimated pro-Saddam strength of 5,000 fighting men. This is significant, if true - again, contrast this with the situation in Vietnam.
3. Iraqi insurgent forces used the just-ended Ramadan month to regroup and review strategy and are now striving for two objectives: a) creating a sympathetic base among the general population to support combatants; The attack in Samarra backfired I suspect - no Al-J video of valiant and successful fedayeen to rally support & intimidate the population with, this time. b) relocating their flashpoint center out of the Sunni Triangle - where the US 4th Division has gained familiarity with the territory and the forces fighting there - to the Kurdish and Shiite regions of the north and center-south.
The US President also heard that pro-Saddam tacticians found it necessary to reorient their confrontation with US forces because they are worried by the progress made in the two outer regions towards firm local government institutions and systems, unlike the battle-torn Sunni area north of Baghdad. They fear Washington might turn away from a unified Iraq and opt for a three-state solution. The Kurdish and the Shiite states would end up with Iraqâs oil riches. The US would dump the Sunni state and redeploy in defensive array in the other two.
This fear was exacerbated by an article that Saddam Hussein and his men, who though on the run, must have heard about.
âDivide Iraq into Three States â Sunnis, Shiites and Kurdsâ is the title of the article appearing in The New York Times article of November 26, the day before Thanksgiving. It was written by Leslie Gelb, president emeritus of the influential Council of Foreign Relations, and looks like a trial balloon by the Bush administration to see how the concept of partition goes down with American, Arab and European opinion. Or, it was an effort to shape Administration policy.
4. Saddam Husseinâs supporters are also worried about developments unfolding in two key regions of the country:I like it when they worry ... Mosul: Former Iraqi defense minister Gen. Sultan Hashem, who is reported to have played ball with the Americans since well before the invasion, has obeyed the promptings of US administrator Paul Bremer and gone back to his Tai tribe â a large and important group that is spread out in territory ranging from Mosul in the east to the Iraqi-Syrian border in the west. Sections of important oil pipelines run through these lands. The Tai and other tribes in this area are not on good terms with the Sunni tribes of the Tikrit-Falluja region, the backbone of Saddamâs following. It is hoped that ex-general Hashem will help US efforts to stabilize this key strategic region. According to DEBKAfileâs military sources, other Sunni tribes have also been conscripted by means of substantial cash incentives and promises of more to come for security maintenance of the oil pipe network running through their lands.
South and Shiite Region: The US administration has managed to rein in the most unstable Shiite element, the fiery young Seyed Moqtada Sadr, the boss of the Shiite quarters of Baghdad who spearheaded the opposition to Shiite leaders cooperating with the Americans. Bremer has cultivated friendly relations with the two most eminent Shiite leaders, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani and Mohsein al-Hakim, the Shiite representative on the interim Governing Council. Both have acquired an interest in keeping the American civilian and military presence in the country for as long as possible.Good work, if true.
While the US President was encouraged by the progress report he received during his brief stay at Baghdad airport, as soon as he left, Saddamâs guerrilla forces redoubled their offensive. Two days later, on Saturday, November 29, they singled out targets near the Iraqi-Syrian border and around the Shiite holy city of Najef, as well as the Sunni Triangle, to demonstrate the lengthened extent of their reach. On the last day of November, US forces struck a counter-blow to even the score. Men of a 4th infantry division convoy armed with heavy tanks and helicopters confronted Saddamâs guerrillas ready to mount an ambush in Samara. They killed 46 guerrillas and captured eight, losing five American wounded. Reports are now that 54 were killed.
Posted by: rkb ||
12/01/2003 8:22:55 AM ||
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This...by an article that Saddam Hussein.. must have heard about.
âDivide Iraq into Three States..â the article appearing in The New York Times.. November 26,
----------------------
So before the war, The NY Times got its news from Saddam and now its the other way around.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 12:04 Comments ||
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#3
Ah, Steve, the Bush Illumanti/Zionist cabel only wanted you to think it had been deactivated. In reality it has been kept hidden and supplied with black helicopters for over a decade until it was inhumanely unleashed on a cowering Iraqi populous in order to obtain the oil and frustrate legitimate Iranian and Turkish security concerns.
#4
Typo, I'm sure. Should be 3ID, which would make sense, since they took part in the opening salvos of the current war. Besides, it's DEBKA - who has a history of making mistakes in their haste to publish.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 17:17 Comments ||
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#5
3rd AD was inactivated in 1992.
I think the 3rd AD is still extant. You may be thinking of the 2nd AD.
American forces have captured three members of Osama bin Ladenâs terrorist network in northern Iraq, a U.S. military commander told The Associated Press on Sunday. If confirmed, it would be the first disclosed detention of al-Qaida militants in Iraq. About 10 members of Ansar al-Islam also have been arrested by U.S. troops in the past seven months, said Col. Joe Anderson, commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Asked if troops had captured members of al-Qaida, Anderson - whose brigade controls Mosul - replied: ``Three, two weeks ago.ââ In Mosul, eh? Didnât we just have a spate of attacks around there?
Anderson said he believed the captured al-Qaida men were Iraqi nationals, who had been transferred to Baghdad for further interrogation. ``We take them, we process them through a detention facility .... and if all the facts wind up they go to Baghdad and once they go south thatâs the last I ever want to hear from them,ââ he told AP in an interview. In recent months, U.S. forces in central Iraq have detained a handful of people suspected of ties to al-Qaida, but American intelligence officials described them as mostly cannon fodder low-level operatives with unclear purposes in the country. On Saturday, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said that although the United States suspects members of the network have taken part in attacks on coalition and civilian targets in Iraq, there is no conclusive evidence of its involvement. ``We still havenât conclusively established an al-Qaida operative in this country,ââ Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez told reporters in Baghdad. Looks like we have now.
Sanchez is probably talking about the controllers. Any "al-Qaeda" guys they catch will be at least middle management. I suspect that by now all of the cannon fodder and runners belong to local groups and that al-Qaeda itself is very tiny. And located in Iran.
Anderson said an array of anti-U.S. groups operate in northern Iraq. ``There are cells of different types here that we keep reading through and capturing,ââ he said. ``You know, weâve got the former regime loyalists, the Baath Party type groups, the Fedayeen groups, we have the AI (Ansar al-Islam), we have the AQ (al-Qaida) we have the Wahhabis. Now the questions is how big and how many there are.ââ And how quickly we can deplete them.
Most of the "wahhabis" are the starry-eyed turbans who've run off to fight the infidels from wherever, I'd guess, pledging themselves to Binny. They're in it for the glory and the 72 virgins.
I suspect the 72 virgins they get are on the same order as the glory they receive. They depart the gene pool and ascend into paradise, only to discover that they have to walk down to the street corner to collect their virgins. The "maidens" are hefty women, many of them bleached blondes, with heavy makeup disguising the crows' feet around their doe eyes. They have lipstick on their teeth and some have tatoos reading "Herb - 1944." There are holes in their fishnet stockings and their dainty slippers are run down at the heels. They have lipstick on their teeth, and names like Flo or Sadie or Mabel. And their virginity is... ummm... doubtful.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 1:09:14 AM ||
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Thanks for that ... stunning ... visual, Fred. It'll take me at least a week to get it out of my head.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 11:22 Comments ||
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#2
I'll still be laughing a week from now! The only things wrong with it is Fred's depiction of the names (they should all be Asian names, and none of the girls should be over 4'10" in their platform shoes - shades of Saigon, 1971; or the dark-skinned Spanish doves that filled Panama City and catered to the sailors going through the Canal) and the half-inch of pancake make-up!
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 17:59 Comments ||
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US troops in the Iraqi town of Samarra have admitted to perpetrating a bloodbath, with one occupation spokesman confirming nearly four dozen people were killed.
And God knows how many puppies, kittens, and baby ducks...
Lieutenant Colonel Bill MacDonald told journalists on Sunday that all the 46 were killed when troops fought off multiple attacks on military convoys. But local residents said US troops killed innocent bystanders when they opened fire on anything that moved around midday.
"Yar! Kill anything that moves! Ferguson! You missed that puppy, dammit!"
Workers at a nearby pharmaceutical plant said at least two colleagues were killed and many wounded as they walked out of the factory gates at the end of their shift, downed by a US tank shooting randomly in all directions. At 13:45, just as staff at the State Enterprise for the Manufacture of Drugs and medical Equipment finished their shift, a second tank arrived and opened up with machine guns, employees said.
"Quitting time, guys!"
One French journalist also reports seeing blood spattered on the ground and bullet holes in the sentry box to the left of the white factory gates. US-led occupation forces and residents alike spoke of multiple attacks in the central Iraqi city that was once home to Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam Hussein's deputy and the alleged paymaster of many attacks against occupation forces. MacDonald said US troops also destroyed three buildings used in the attacks and notably fired tank shells against the attackers, who were allegedly wearing the black uniforms of former government Fidayin fighters.
Keeps their street clothes from getting all dusty in the plant, y'see...
Five US troops and a civilian in their convoy were also wounded, two of them lightly, according to the spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division which patrols the town regularly. MacDonald said two convoys were driving into Samarra when they were attacked. "The attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the convoy from rooftops of buildings and from the alleyways," said MacDonald, adding that mortars and improvised bombs also were used against the US soldiers.
No dopubt they were throwing phramaceuticals, too...
"At each location, soldiers from the 1st Battalion 66th Armour and military police returned fire with small arms, 120mm tank rounds and 25mm cannon fired from Bradley vehicles," the spokesman said. In a third attack, another US military convoy came under small arms fire attack from four men travelling in a car. The soldiers returned fire wounding all four and capturing them, said MacDonald, speaking to journalists at the division's headquarters in Tikrit.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/01/2003 00:37 ||
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Hmmm, if they were all 'innocents', then who was squeezing off those RPGs and dropping mortar rounds in there? Those CHEMICAL WARFARE LAB TECHS peaceful pharmaceutical company employees must have been celebrating the end of ramadan with some fireworks. Yes, of course. That's it.
#2
One French journalist also reports seeing blood spattered on the ground
What is funny is the attackers do not have one of their 'snuff videos' to prove their claims.
Workers at a nearby pharmaceutical plant said at least two colleagues were killed and many wounded as they walked out of the factory gates at the end of their shift, downed by a US tank shooting randomly in all directions.
Have the writer no idea of how a tank crew operates their vehicle? It takes a lot of communications to even fire a machine gun, and it is extremely unlikely, given the tendency of socialists there and abroad to jerk off over every bullet fired, that a vehicle commander could have ordered random firing of any weapon.
But I guess you gotta give the Al Communistjirra some credit. At least they didn't accuse anyone of targeting civilians. The charge of random firing lends strong credence to the US version rather than what Ay-rabs are saying
#3
I am very disappointed in the quality of Al Jizz's art department.Where are the "photographs" of US troops wearing SHOOT EM ALL AND LET ALLAH SORT EM OUT t-shirts standing over bodies of children?I'd say Saddam's not getting his money's worth.
Posted by: Stephen ||
12/01/2003 1:35 Comments ||
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#4
And just WHO staged an ambush in a civilian area?
Wasn't our guys.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 8:00 Comments ||
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#5
Given that they are french journalists embedded with the fedayeen. How come there aren't any dead french journalists among them. Our guys must be better at sorting
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 8:06 Comments ||
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#6
WOW! I didn't know we had a special Army Company that just âfired randomly at civilians.â Oh ho I often wanted to let loose with the full-auto capability of the M-16 (pre 3-shot version) when I was on guard duty. And these Iwacki ?civilians? say that this convoy got to open up with 50 cals, rockets, and tank fire? SIGN ME UP! Not that I like to fire on civilians, but if they fire at us we get to fire back (thems the rules). I also like the classic Army tactic of targeting Kindergartens and Hospitals. This is a sound military strategy! Unlike the car bombs that the Jihadists employ, we have accurate weapons so ONLY schools and hospitals will be damaged. They should give the commander on the ground some sort of medal for coming up with this tactic and maybe they will teach it at the Staff War College soon.
#7
"Asked to comment on al Jazeera's version of events, a Pentagon spokseman said, 'We don't particularly care what they report, seeing as how they're our best source of intel on enemy movements and intentions. Yep, anytime there's an al-Jizz camera crew out with a fedhayeen unit, we get real time GPS coordinates and . . . uh, what was that, General? . . . Oh, uh, gee, all that was supposed to be a secret. Oooops. My bad. Sorry.'"
Posted by: Mike ||
12/01/2003 12:41 Comments ||
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Indonesian militants from the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network are likely to be training Filipino guerrillas in mountainous areas in Mindanao with money allegedly supplied by al-Qaeda, Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita said yesterday. Ermita, quoting military intelligence reports, said the Indonesians were said to be somewhere in the Lanao provinces, and near areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the countryâs largest separatist force negotiating peace with the government. "We are closely monitoring these reports because the JI has not ceased training terrorists," Ermita told reporters. "They are looking for an opportunity to sow terror."
The 31 Indonesians could be the remnants of a group of Indonesian JI terrorists who infiltrated Mindanao as early as 1999 with the help of bomb expert Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, who was killed by Philippine troops in October, Ermita said. He said more information was being gathered on the group, but warned the MILF against providing sanctuary or associating with the Indonesians. "We are reminding the MILF not to give sanctuary... and hope they will turn them over to government so we can account for these foreign terrorists," Ermita said, adding that the Indonesians could have received funds from terrorist cells abroad. Ermita said the foreign terrorists were concentrated in MILF-held territories around Mt. Karanaw in Lanao del Norte and the terrorist-named Mt. Vietnam in Lanao del Sur. He said that the group also recruits locals to train them in bomb-making and other terrorist skills.
According to Ermita, intelligence reports indicated that training activities of the group are being supervised by the JI but funded by the al-Qaeda, the international terrorist network that shells out $50,000 monthly for the Philippine-based insurgents. Before his death, Al-Ghozi had told Philippine prosecutors that he and JI operations chief Hambali also helped carry out a string of bombings in Metro Manila in 2000. Al-Ghozi was killed on Oct. 12, three months after escaping from a Manila jail, while Hambali is now in US custody.
Ermita urged the public to remain on alert for any attacks that may take place during the holidays in this Roman Catholic country. Speaking at the 140th birth anniversary of the Great Plebeian Andres Bonifacio at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City, the defense chief said the terror group is just waiting for the right time to strike. "Even if two or three of the 31 operatives will strike, this will already create a great disturbance, that is why we are continuously monitoring these JI in Mindanao," he said. He declined to name the terrorists, except to say intelligence was gathering more information and that training cells were composed of 12 members each, mostly Indonesians. The MILF has continued to deny giving training to the JI and other foreign-based terrorists, or vice versa. The 12,500-strong MILF has been waging a 25-year separatist insurgency in Mindanao. It has signed a truce with Manila and peace talks brokered by Malaysia are expected to resume soon.
In Zamboanga City, the military said it is verifying the alleged training camps of a JI faction on Jolo island. There have been persistent reports in the Western press that the JI has also set up training camps with the terrorist band Abu Sayyaf. Brig. Gen. Gabriel Habacon of Task Force Comet, a Sulu-based military unit hunting down the Abu Sayyaf, said what they have discovered so far are training camps of the bandit group. "I did not see any trace of JI in my area of responsibility. As of now the camps that are existing in Jolo mainland are of the Abu Sayyaf," Habacon said. "Whether the so-called JI is in Jolo is still subject for our confirmation." But former hostages who were able to escape early this year from their Abu Sayyaf captors confirmed the presence of whom they believed to be Javanese after staying with the bandits for more than a year in captivity. The military could not confirm or deny if these Javanese are JI members. Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafy Janjalani, prior to his escape to Sultan Kudarat, was also monitored to have slipped to Sulu in the company of two Yemenis.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 9:55:18 AM ||
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An Indonesian appeals court cleared militant leader Abu Bakar Bashir of treason and reduced his sentence from four years to three, court officials said Monday. The court upheld Bashirâs conviction on lesser charges of forging identity documents.
Bashir was convicted in September of treason in a plot to overthrow Indonesiaâs secular government but cleared of charges of being the leader of the al-Qaida linked Southeast Asia terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. The decision was widely criticized by foreign governments who maintain that Bashir is the spiritual head of the group. A senior court official and Bashir defense attorney Achmad Michdan said Monday that an appeals court had thrown out the treason conviction. Michdan added that his team was not satisfied with the decision and wanted all charges dropped. He said he would appeal to the Supreme Court.
Keeping Bashir in jail for three years for forging identity papers was unfair, he said. "There is political pressure from America, Australia and Singapore,ââ he said. "The law has proved that Abu Bakar Bashir is innocent.ââ The decision to reduce the sentence and reverse the treason conviction was made last month by the Jakarta High Court but only revealed on Monday. A court official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the court cleared Bashir of treason because there was not enough evidence to support the charge.
Bashir, 65, was arrested shortly after the Bali attack amid intense pressure on Indonesia to crack down on extremism. He has always maintained that he was not involved in terrorism. He was not charged with involvement in either the Bali or Marriott attacks. Bashir runs a religious boarding school in Central Java. Many of its graduates are wanted by Indonesian police on suspicion of terror attacks.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 9:53:19 AM ||
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How do you express your frustration, no, rage at something like this.
This mongrel is the spiritual leader of a group which is responsible for the death of 202, including 88 Australian, innocent victims in Bali.
There will have to be extra judicial justice handed out to mongrels who can circumvent justice in corrupt countries.
I can't see any other way.
#2
Since he's supposedly imprisoned, yet holds what amounts to press conferences and gives interviews, this strikes me as merely reducing the duration of his mild inconvenience. Some of his statements since his "trial" border on sedition, but if they can't can his ass for conspiring to assassinate the current President, then what's a little sedition?
In that extra-judicial vein you mentioned, tipper...
This is the kind of guy they had in mind when the CIA & KGB made their gentlemen's agreement regards "wet" operations. I think this would be a good way to spend $20K-$30K with an independent contractor. I wonder if Max Von Sydow would like to reprise his "Joubert" character from "3 Days Of The Condor" for the hit...
Lawyers representing radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir were up in arms Monday as two key issues in the clericâs struggle aganist the state came to a head. While they waited for official notification of the good news â that an appeals court had cleared their client of treason â their frustration at Baasyirâs continued detention turned into threats of further legal action.
I think, rather, the Indonesian government is doing what it can within the laws of the country to keep this guy where he belongs. Compare this to busting the mob in the US -- even though you know someone is dirty, it may take some time to build the proper case to lock them up and throw away the key . . .
The Philippine defense secretary says Jemaah Islamiyah militants have been training Muslim insurgents in the southern Philippines with money reportedly supplied by al-Qaida. Dear God, Iâm shocked! Wonder how many more graduates theyâve managed to churn out while keeping this whole issue bottled up by Manila politics? Eduardo Ermita cited intelligence reports in saying guerrillas of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front are being trained to make bombs by members of the Southeast Asia militant Islamic network. Ah, so thatâs why MILF wonât ditch JI - without them thereâd be nobody to train the next generation of terrorists ...
According to one intelligence report, the al-Qaida terrorist organization recently gave a Jemaah Islamiyah handler 15-thousand dollars for the training. Ermita says the terrorist training areas are known to be strongholds of the MILF -- the separatist group that has been negotiating peace with the government. Ermita says he doesnât want to accuse the MILF leadership of bad faith, but urged them not to tolerate cooperation between their local commanders and Jemaah Islamiyah. Eid Kabalu, call your office ...
Personally, I'd go ahead and accuse them of bad faith... Oh. Wait. We already have.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:53:30 AM ||
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Stronger measures may be necessary to compel United Nations member states to assist in the fight against international terrorism, the UNâs al-Qaeda monitoring committee says. The committeeâs latest report notes that the al-Qaeda ideology has continued to spread, raising the spectre of further terrorist attacks. The message from this latest report is that the UNâs tools for monitoring al-Qaeda may need strengthening. Up until now the monitoring committee has relied on UN member states to volunteer information about how they are limiting the activities of al-Qaeda and associated groups - information about controls on the flow of money, arms and individuals across international borders. But fewer than half of all member states are co-operating and even the quality of the information provided by those states is being questioned, the UN says.
How many of the other half are incompetent and how many are on the other side?
The report says that while great importance has been attached to limiting the movement of al-Qaeda operatives between countries, so far not a single UN member state has presented any evidence of the arrest or detention of such people at border crossings. The report says that without a tougher and more comprehensive resolution that obliges states to provide the information requested, the role of the UN in the fight against international terrorism risks being laughed at marginalised.
#1
ROTFF&LMFAO!!!! Those crazy nuts at the UN! What a comedic bunch of transmetrosexuals! Is this a Scrappleface article?
The report says that without a tougher and more comprehensive resolution...
...we will taunt you a second time...
...that obliges states to provide the information requested, the role of the UN in the fight against international terrorism risks being marginalised (sic).
Marginalized from the margin means you're off the page.
The UN puts the "un" in unbelievableunderhandeduntrustworthy UNSANE!
#2
Oh, goodie. Just what the world has been breathlessly waiting for: a "tougher and more comprehensive resolution" against Al-Qaeda.
What a joke these people are...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/01/2003 18:35 Comments ||
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#3
[Scribbled notes on report cover page]
A nuclear or other type of WMD in NY will take out the UN building and its occupants. Send this report back for revision. It needs to have heavier conclusions and recommendations. Good 6th grade try, but it won't fit the real world. Better get the new one on my desk in a week. Will review it again and see if it meets the needs of the American people and her allies.
--GWB
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/01/2003 19:43 Comments ||
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#4
The headline explains it all - UN urges tough action on al-Qaeda.
"Without a much tougher and more comprehensive resolution... little or no progress will be achieved with regard to the sanctions regime imposed on Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaeda, the Taleban, their associates and associated entities," the report said.
Yessiree folks, another resolution - a tougher one, at that - will do the trick! That should get those slackers to comply. Yessiree...
#5
Here's what's sad about the UN: The combined (vast) majority of member nations at the UN fall into one of two camps: 1)Those that don't give a damn if the USA is hit (again) by AQ; and 2) Those that relish the thought of the USA being hit (again) by AQ.
Posted by: Mark ||
12/01/2003 21:38 Comments ||
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From a longer article in the Seattle Times: Abderrazak Mahdjoub, an Algerian arrested in Hamburg, Germany, also was an alleged associate of Hamburg-based al-Qaida cell that plotted the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Authorities think that Mahdjoub, 29, and at least two other former associates of the Sept. 11 hijackers were deployed in Europe and the Middle East by the network of Abu Musab Zarqawi, a senior figure in al-Qaida. His trail leads from postwar Iraq to this monthâs suicide bombings in Turkey and foiled plots around Europe. And yet the folks over at al-Guardian are still repeating the meme that Zarqawi isnât part of al-Qaeda, jeez people ...
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:50:10 AM ||
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Saudi Columnist: âWe Have Bred Monsters ... We Are the Problem and Not Americaâ
On November 30, 2003, Dr. Muhammad Talal Al-Rasheed, columnist for the English language daily The Saudi Gazette, wrote an article titled " Senseless Violence, Senseless Death." The article is in reaction to the murder of Saudi Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rasheed of Hail by âIslamistsâ in Algeria. The following are excerpts from the article: [1]
"âŠA few days back Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rasheed of Hail was murdered in Algeria while on a camping trip. He was 40 years old and his son, Nawaf, 13 years old, was with him. At the time of this writing, we only know that the father was killed, while the son s condition is to be verified.
"It is easy to get on one s soap box and pontificate; to tell humanity that we suffer from terrorism too. That is too easy though; and perhaps too intellectually cowardly. Talal was a well-known poet in Saudi Arabia. He comes from a family that ruled Arabia long enough to be recorded in history. He was and will always be a beacon of Art, whatever that word means.
"Those who killed him are those who want the word silenced. The young man left it open whether he was with this or that, but he was adamant to tell all and sundry that to be is to talk and exchange. I grieve, I must admit, and am beyond reason because of the trauma of it all, but I do maintain a semblance of reason to see where all of this is leading.
"We have bred monsters. We alone are responsible for it. I have written as much before my personal tragedy and will continue to do so for as long as it takes. We are the problem and not America or the penguins of the North Pole or those who live in caves in Afghanistan. We are it, and those who cannot see this are the ones to blame.
"Castrated as we are, we look to America. Why? Because they went into Iraq and made a difference. Better or worse is another point. Once America has demonstrated its willingness to do something, the moral imperative is that it should not stop at the first station along the road. The majority of us are sick and tired of this carnage and President Bush, wrong on just about everything else, is right on this one. Does he have the (courage) to finish the job? I wonder.
"I don t think this will be published in the Arab News, as it should be. If not, I understand their point of view and their perpetual selectiveness. But one thing is sure, we are here to stay even if it takes giving our best to the madness of religion and the wrong of fanaticism. Nothing, but nothing, is worth the life of an innocent... may the Americans add Talal to their list of loved ones lost to the same indiscriminate madness that took 3,000 on a certain day in September."
#1
Yeah, he's right... this will never be printed in arabic newspapers. What they print in english and what they print in arabic are 2 completely different things.
I'm not so sure of this...One that it will not be printed in Arabic, or even if not, that then this doesn't matter.
Is is in a Saudi newspaper...and I am seeing more and more of these kinds of sentiment in writing. I think that this is good.
I grant you that the pace of chance in Arab opinion is far too slow for my inpatient heart, but think about this...even just two years ago they were completely in denial, and nothing like this would see the light of day, even in an English language newspaper.
I concede that you can find ten bad spewings of Arab hate for every article like this one.
But thanks for posting this, Tipper...there isn't much good news out there...this is a start.
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Traveller, I've been noticing a change in tone too... I actually talked about it on my blog recently. But I'm not sure if this is actually a change in arab public opinion or if it's just the Saudi government's reaction to terrorism hitting the homeland. Also, if it's not printed in Arabic then it's just PR for American approval... The vast majority of Arabs will never read it unless it's in arabic.
#4
DPA's final assessment rings true - it's pretty much PR. In the meantime, large sums of money continue to flow out of SA to fund terrorist operations and to promote extreme Wahhabism here at home. Sorry Traveller, but I cannot share in your rosy assessment based on what even you admit is a paucity of such views in SA.... a situation which is true for almost all of the Middle East.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
12/02/2003 2:01 Comments ||
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The lone woman among a group of American Muslims who tried to ally themselves with the Taliban was sentenced Monday to three years in prison. October Martinique Lewis, 26, was convicted of wiring money to her husband and a group of men who tried to cross into Afghanistan in 2001 to aid the Taliban in their fight against U.S. soldiers. "My heart never internalized a hurt so bad that tears are insufficient to explain how it feels to be called a terrorist by my fellow Americans," said Lewis, whose traditional Muslim garb covered all but her face. "Even so, I refuse to be bitter. Love and peace remain unyielding in my heart."
Toward anyone we know? Or just generalized, unspecific, insubstantial...?
U.S. Attorney Charles Gorder said the sentence reflected Lewisâ cooperation in the case, and would also send a message that, "it is not appropriate to send funds to people engaged in illegal acts."
If you don't give them money, they'll have to get jobs...
Last week, Lewisâ former husband, Jeffrey Leon Battle, and another of the men, were sentenced to 18 years in prison for conspiracy to levy war against the United States.
Counting muzzle blasts would have been appropriate. But we don't use words like "treason" anymore. They might offend somebody...
Four other men accused of conspiring to travel to Afghanistan have pleaded guilty, and a fifth, accused ringleader Habis Abdulla al Saoub, 37, was killed in a shootout in Pakistan, according to the U.S. government. The group only made it as far as China and never entered Afghanistan. Incompetent yes, but still terrorists. I hate to say this, but I think this group was shortchanged in the smarts department. The PRC does NOT like Muslims, especially JIHADISTS. Did they think that they would just drive on over to Afghanistan and no one would know about the money transfers? They might as well have held a sign up that proclaimed âJihadists at Work.â Also did you see this womanâs picture? WOOF! She NEEDS a burka! Goodnight my little jihadis/jihadas, we will see you in 15-20 years.
I think we need a seperate category for bloggers.
Hat tip LGF.
Astounding, ignorant, malevolent and morally bankrupt oputpouring from ex-US President Jimmy Carter at the Geneva âaccordsâ stunt today. Apparently, global terror is all the fault of America and Israel. No mention of the little matter of 9/11. No mention of the Palestinian terror which alone is responsible for Israelâs military activity. Instead, Carter blames the victims and excuses mass murder! In other news, a Myst fan bought Uru.
The manâs remarks, as reported, are scarcely credible from someone who once led the free world, even as a rubbish President. Viz: âBushâs inordinate support for Israel allows the Palestinians to sufferâ. Whatâs Bushâs âinordinate support for Israelâ got to do with the human bombs, the incitement to Jew-hatred, the rejection by the Arabs of offer after offer of a state for the Palestinians? The Palestinians are suffering because a) they have been used as pawns for decades by the Arab states waging annihilatory war against Israel by proxy and b) because they are now engaged in or supporting a terrorist war against Israel. Yet to Carter, it is not the Israelis who are suffering, but their attackers! Carter is self-deceived.
Carter âcalled repeatedly for the return of Palestinian refugees to the territories, beyond what is called for in the Geneva Initiativeâ. So he wants the destruction of the Jewish state altogether.
âSettlements prevent the return of the refugees who led (sic) their homes after the 1948 and 1967 warsâ. Eh? How do the settlements, which have been built since 1967, prevent anyone âreturningâ to anywhere? And why should people who claim to be refugees but whose claim is shaky, to put it mildly, be allowed to muscle in on a state they have attacked for more than half a century? Or does Carter think this a just reward for mass murder? Heâs an asshat.
âCarter said the main flaw of the US-brokered road map is its step-by-step approach, which he said has allowed Israel to stop its advance by building "an enormous barrier wall" and with "the colonialization of Gaza." â But the advance of the road map was stopped by the Palestiniansâ refusal to observe the very first of these steps, namely the dismantling of the infrasructure of terror, and the fact that the whole premise on which the exercise was founded, the disappearance of Arafat from the scene, was destroyed by the fact that Arafat is still calling the shots (literally).
Is this man Carter just terminally stupid, or evil? Both.
Geneva was demonstrably unnecessary. There was a perfectly good peace proposal on offer at Camp David, which was rejected by the Palestinians in favour of mass murder. Geneva was always a stunt, designed merely to sow division within Israel and its supporters as these quotes from Palestinian Geneva participants make clear:
âWhat Palestinians do agree about is the utility of the exercise: "One of the goals of the Geneva Accord is to create a rift in the Israeli street and a crack in the Sharon government," said Qadura Fares, an Accord architect who is going [to todayâs Swiss launch]. "Our aim was to create divisions inside Israel and block the growth of the right-wing in Israel," said Hatem Abdel Kader, an Accord negotiator who is staying homeâ. Admitting the true agenda of divide and slaughter
Geneva was a manipulative farce from the start. Today it morphed into a legitimation of terror. âPalestinian General Zuheir Manasra defended both Palestinian uprisings as legitimate struggles for Palestinian independence...Both Palestinian and Israeli speakers criticized the government of Israel. Neither criticized the Palestinian leadershipâ. "Heil Haman!"
Lord Levy was there too, reading out pious platitudes from Tony Blair. Did he or anyone at this disgusting charade point out the little matter of Palestinian annihilatory aggression -- or did they all unite in morally inverted agreement that the Jews were once again the cause of their own destruction? Hey Dhimmi Carter! ..|..
LAMU ISLAND, Kenya â Personnel from Combined Joint Task Force â Horn of Africa joined Kenyans in celebrating the opening of the recently renovated girlsâ school here in a ribbon cutting ceremony November 28. The $20,000 renovation project at the Lamu Girls Secondary School improved the quality of life for the 15 teachers and 360 students attending and living at the school by providing water for cooking, drinking and hygiene. According to Headmistress, Mary K. Mwakuwa, this project has gone a long way to improve conditions at the school. âIn the last three weeks, I would like to report, we have had plenty of water for food. We have been able to wash our own laundry, and we have been able to progress in our studies without taking time to go looking for water,â Mwakuwa explained.
The project, paid for by CJTF-HOA, built an underground water tank with a capacity for 10,000 liters of water and an elevated concrete tower for placement of four water tanks. âWater is very important,â said Cornell Tuva, district education officer. âWe have so many times, especially during the dry season, that there is a problem with water here at Lamu Girls. Now that problem is over.â The project also included installing four plastic water tanks with combined capacity of 30,000 liters, an electric water pump, pipes and valves as well as refurbishing the dorm bathrooms. âThis being a girls school, we know the need for water for them to keep themselves clean,â Mwakuwa said. She said, prior to the project, this was a concern and a problem. âBefore our children would have to go days without washing,â Tuva explained. âBut now, I am sure they can take baths three times a day.â
Following a meeting with the headmistress and a tour of the school facilities, the task force Deputy Commander, Brig. Gen. Willard C. Broadwater, and the headmistress cut a ribbon symbolizing completion of the new renovations. âThe girls will be sleeping in very comfortable and clean conditions this year because of the help of the American military,â Mwakuwa said. âWe wish to thank them so much.â After cutting the ribbon, Brig. Gen. Broadwater joined the Lamu District Commissioner, James K. Mwaura in unveiling a plaque dedicating the improvements made to the school. The students then held a special dance performance in celebration of the improvements and to thank the task force for its assistance. âI dance today because I know that from now on I wonât have to go around asking my neighbors to give me water,â Mwaura said during a speech after the dance performance. âMy dancers will be very healthy, my dancers will be very clean, and I believe that this dance will also be healthy.â
The result of this project was the best gift given to the students of Lamu Girls this year, according to Mwaura. âThe best gift is the news they are going to tell their parents, that the water in the school is flowing,â he explained. âWhen you assure a mother that water is no problem, then the home around the students is a happy, confident environment. Water is very important to the family, to the nation. Once (the Americans) brought water to these young ladies I began seeing a very bright future for Lamu.â
The ceremony ended with a presentation of certificates of appreciation by Brig. Gen. Broadwater and project manager, Capt. Jeff Rynearson to local citizens of Lamu that played a key role in accomplishing this project. âWe are happy to help you better educate your children,â Broadwater said. âWe look forward to helping you with other school projects as a symbol of the partnership of the people of Kenya and the United States.â According to Mwaura, because of the improvements to the school, the enrollments have increased. The school canât handle the number because all the girls want to come to Lamu Girls Secondary School. âRight now we count an addition of 150 girls this year alone and we expect another 100 next year,â she explained. âOur problem now is where do we put these girls. We believe though that everything that starts well ends well.â
November 24, 2003 -- WITH $8 billion a year in trade and a deal pending to up that ante even more, the European Union is Iranâs largest trading partner. And it appears that the E.U. - led by France, Germany and Britain - may now value those trade privileges over the principle of opposing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The U.N. reported recently that Iran had secretly manufactured small amounts of highly-enriched uranium and plutonium. Further Tehran had hidden the evidence from the IAEA for almost two decades.
The E.U. reaction? It wants to give Iran a chance to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle. Figure the odds of that happening.
Specifically, the European Union opposes a get-tough U.N. resolution on Iranâs nuke program, discussed last week at the IAEA meeting in Vienna. (The talks were so divisive; they will continue again this week starting Wednesday.)
Secretary of State Colin Powell warns that the Europeans are being too lenient with the Iranians. He wants Iranâs nuclear transgressions referred to the U.N. Security Council for action, including possible economic sanctions.
Clearly, the E.U. has no stomach for another diplomatic showdown on the scale of Iraq for the moment. But if the international community fails to take tough action now against Iran, Tehran will join the nuclear club before you can say "ayatollah." eye ya yie ya yie atollah
How? Hereâs a dirty little secret from the rogue regime playbook: The U.N.âs Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) has a dangerous loophole. Under the guise of a peaceful, civilian nuclear energy program, a state can openly develop - right under the nose of the IAEA - most of what it needs for a nuclear-weapons program. It worked for North Korea and itâs working for Iran today.
On this side of the Atlantic, heart palpitations are in order when contemplating nukes in the hands of a regime that is:
* The worldâs most active state sponsor of terrorism,
* Bent on the destruction of the United States and Israel, and
* Aspiring to dominance in the Persian Gulf.
But E.U. hearts appear unfluttered by all that. The top concern of Europeâs leaders seems to be preserving - and expanding - lucrative trade relationships with Tehran.
Iran has the worldâs third-largest oil reserves. So far, European firms have invested $10.5 billion in those fields. But 50 percent to 70 percent of the profits from those investments - everything the investors donât collect -go directly to Tehranâs treasury.
From there, the money funds such nefarious activities as political repression, acquisition of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological) and terrorism - most often directed against Israel.
But back to Iranâs nukes. Only a united international front can contain the mullahâs atomic efforts. If we donât address Iranâs nuclear ambitions with vigor and verve, weâll end up in the same situation we have today with North Korea, where a nasty regime possesses nasty weapons.
If Iran has, indeed, decided to come clean on its "peaceful" (ha!) nuclear program, sanctions and other confrontational moves may not be required - over this issue.
But even so, Iranâs trading partners should stop closing their eyes to the deeds that commerce with Iran is supporting, and adjust accordingly. Because giving each other the runaround on Iran, isnât in anyoneâs interest - except Tehranâs.
Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow. E-mail: peterbrookes@heritage.org
A body was found inside United Nations headquarters on Monday, a U.N. spokesman said. U.N. security and the New York police department are investigating the matter. The U.N. spokesman said the person had been shot, and that the body was discovered inside the buildingâs third-floor lounge at about 11:30 a.m. He declined to give any details on the deceased person pending notification of the family. place your bets... did some world crisis spill into the halls of the UN?
The spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the world body considered the shooting an "isolated incident." Oh, I guess that makes it ok then... so long as its isolated...
Colonel Mustard, in the third floor lounge, with a gun!
#1
Anyone else recall that story several days ago about UN policy on checking visitors for weapons? How if delegates refused, they'd still be allowed entry?
NEW YORK - A body was found inside United Nations headquarters on Monday, a U.N. spokesman said. U.N. security and the New York police department are investigating the matter.
The U.N. spokesman said the person had been shot, and that the body was discovered inside the buildingâs third-floor lounge at about 11:30 a.m. He declined to give any details on the deceased person pending notification of the family.
The spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the world body considered the shooting an "isolated incident"
"Weâve seen a lot worse, like Rwanda and Srebrenica and Iraq"
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 2:47:05 PM ||
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The Security Council later issued Resolution 1519 (2003) demanding that the killer turn himself into the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, and write 'It is wrong to kill people without putting down a drop cloth' 1000 times on a blackboard.
The precise design of the blackboard is still under discussion within the council, amid concerns raised by UNESCO regarding funding for the blackboard and additional issues regarding the impact of chalk dust on global warming raised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
#2
After issuing Resolution 1519 the UN declared that it was pulling out of New York, stating that the inability of the New York City police department to provide reasonable security left the situation "fluid and highly volatile".
This Op-Ed in Faith Freedom, (which I recommend on its own merits), contains the following paragraph:
The article then goes on to grasp the straws in telling us that president Khatami has not been so ineffectual but that some change for the better has happened in his time. But the author reveals his lack of knowledge of Islamic Republic politics by first stating a reason for Khatamiâs slow progress: âa conservative-dominated upper house has vetoed most enlightened legislationâ. The conservative-dominated upper house referred to is in fact none other than the 12 member all unelected Guardian Council which selects candidates, vets them after they have won and then vetoes the parliamentary bills. For example the Guardian Council has vetoed a bill to raise the legal age for girls marrying from 9 to 12, or the bill to allow unmarried girls to travel abroad for their studies was vetoed by this âconservative dominated upper houseâ.
Thatâs right; girls in Iran can be forcibly married at age nine. Muslim pedophiles can thank that wonderful human being, Mohammad (cursed be his name) for that convenient law: you might remember the "Prophet" married Aisha when she was six years old, but alledgedly didnât raped her consumate the marriage until she was nine. The bearded perverts of Iran reason that if it was permissible to the last Prophet, it is also permissible to the rest of Muslimdom.
#4
How can anyone think a pedophile is a prophet?
Maybe we should start a 'pedohilia is wrong'
campaign in muslim lands, sheesh, we got a long way to go to end the Islamic holy war.
I mean if they arent even able to reason that pedophilia is wrong, and should disqualify anyone from being a 'prophet', and most of all GOD IS AGAINST HAVING SEX WITH 9 YEAR OLD GIRLS YOU SICK FU*#S!, they got a long way to go, ethically.
From Middle East News Line
Syria has signed a contract with a U.S. company as part of an effort to search for additional oil reserves. They would naturally want to replace the oil from Iraq valved off by the Great Satanâ¢
The contract calls for the U.S. firm, Veritas, to search for crude oil resources off the Mediterranean coast. The cost of the contract was reported at $4 million. Syria better behave. Offshore oil platforms are vulnerable to attack by pissed off neighbors.
The contract for the marine survey was signed on Saturday by Syrian Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad and Veritas chairman Ian Edward. Under the contract, Veritas will have exclusive rights to survey Syrian territorial waters for energy. Hey, have a ball.
The results of the maritime oil survey will be made available to international oil companies for a tender to explore and develop energy resources in the Mediterranean. TotalElfFina here is your golden opportunity.
Haddad said the congressional passage of the Syrian Accountability Act would not affect the contract. President George Bush has not yet signed the legislation into law. The Syrian govt is noted for overpumping their oil fields in the face of strong recommendations of moderation from oil company petroleum engineers, thus losing much of the reserves in the long term. So many issues, so many nutcases, so slim a chance for success.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/01/2003 2:07:50 PM ||
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Anyone in Foggy Bottom have any interest in this?
Posted by: Barry ||
12/01/2003 14:23 Comments ||
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I can think of another Maritime company that would like to hafve tht survey -- the U.S. Navy Seals. Good reading for them as they plot map the Syrian coast.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 14:29 Comments ||
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The state-owned Syrian Oil Company signed a US$4 million contract Saturday for a U.S. oil company to survey its territorial waters. The contract with Veritas DGC Inc., a company based in Houston, Texas, was signed at the Oil Ministry in Damascus by the company's vice president, Ian T. Edwards, and Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad.The contract stipulates that Veritas must conduct the survey along 4,700 kilometers (2,937miles) of Syrian coast within one year. The survey will look for seismic, geological and geophysical data.
Houston oil firm, huh? What's the over/under on how long before Bush is accused of wanting to steal the Syrian oil for his Texas friends? Not that it's not a bad idea.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 14:58 Comments ||
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4,700 kilometers (2,937 miles) of Syrian coast?
This is a somewhat optimistic estimate of the length of Syria's coast -- just by eyeball on a crude map, it's only 70 km (including Lebanon adds another 150 km)...
If an unelected American tried to negotiate a treaty with a foreign entity, they would be in prison for violation of the Logan Act - why should anyone take this seriously, since the Paleos havenât met step one of any prior agreements?
Israeli and Palestinian activists launched an unofficial peace treaty aimed at ending one of the worldâs most intractable conflicts, backed by a gathering of Nobel peace prize winners including former President and Paleo lover Jimmy Carter.
Still, strong opposition from legitimate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and last-minute dissension within Palestinian ranks underscored the problems facing the plan -- dubbed the "Geneva accord" -- that resulted from two years of secret negotiations.
"It is unlikely that we shall ever see a better foundation for peace," said Carter, after receiving a standing ovation from a packed Geneva conference hall. "The people support it. Political leaders are the obstacle to peace." "If we could just override the elected political leaders to foist this suicide pact on the Jooooos all would be right in the Middle East"
Carter criticized the Bush administration, saying it had supported Israel but ignored the well-being of Palestinians. He also criticized Sharonâs government for allowing the number of Jewish settlements to skyrocket. but he had nothing to say about booming civilians with bolts and nails dipped in rat poison...what a f&*king asshole
Carter said Israelis had to ask themselves: "Do we want permanent peace with all our neighbors or do we want to retain our settlements?" Palestinians also must halt violent attacks on Israelis, he said as an afterthought.
Actor Richard Dreyfuss, master of ceremonies at the event, said that "peace is far too serious to be left exclusively to governments." "we should let hollywood intellectuals take control, cuz we know best whatâs needed"
"People are terrified of the world they seem to be leaving to their children," he said. "(This initiative) is the peopleâs claim to their place at the table." Idiot
The accord proposes borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state close to Israelâs borders before the 1967 Mideast war, giving the Palestinians almost all the West Bank and Gaza Strip and part of Jerusalem. Including the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall
It calls for the removal of most Israeli settlements there and largely sidesteps the so-called "right of return" for Palestinians who fled or were driven out during the 1948-49 war that followed Israelâs creation and their descendants. It also divides sovereignty in Jerusalem. a bill of goods and a pig in a poke
The negotiators claim their work is in line with the U.S.-backed "road map" for peace, which spells out a formula for negotiations but leaves trickier issues unresolved.
In Israel, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz -- who like other current leaders opposes the initiative -- said the road map remained the Israeli governmentâs "basis for the continuation of talks with the Palestinians."
Still, the Geneva plan has been welcomed by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and leaders of the European Union. collection of finer sellouts couldnât be found. Colin is indeed sinking to new lows with this one
Fifty-eight former presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and other global leaders also released a statement Monday expressing "strong support" for the accord.
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken far too great a toll already," said the leaders -- most of them Western European but joined by former presidents Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, F.W. de Klerk of South Africa and Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico. whoa - Iâm...er, not impressed
Work toward the accord began two years ago in an academic discussion at the University of Geneva between former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Professor Alexis Keller. They enlisted then-Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo and began talks, with financial support provided by the Swiss government. Beilin got booted from political office by the voters
Both Beilin and Abed Rabbo had participated in earlier peace talks, when moderate Ehud Barak was Israelâs prime minister. The talks broke down amid violence in early 2001, and Barak was soundly defeated by Sharon in a special election.
"Iâm confident this day will mark a new beginning in progress toward historical compromise," Abed Rabbo said Monday. "Weâve learned from our mistakes. Weâre building on efforts we made in the past."
Sharon says the plan is subversive, insisting that only governments may conduct such negotiations. His hard-line administration opposes the far-reaching Israeli concessions that are key parts of the Geneva Accord.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry protested Switzerlandâs backing of the plan, but the Swiss government maintains it only "facilitated" the discussions and had nothing to do with the content.
The agreement debuted Oct. 12 in Amman, Jordan. Since then, negotiators mailed copies of the 50-page accord to every Israeli home and published it in Palestinian newspapers in hopes of winning popular support. but havenât...wonder why? Most Joooos arenât suicidal, apparently
The auditorium for the ceremony featured a large sign declaring, "There is a plan." "not a good one, but it is a plan" An olive tree was on the stage.
Some 200 Israelis flew by charter for the ceremony from Tel Aviv, as did 200 Palestinians from Amman, Jordan -- leaving even as both sides at home protested the deal.
Two Palestinian Cabinet ministers and two influential legislators who helped negotiate the plan refused to go Geneva when they were threatened by militants. They changed their minds after they said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat backed their participation, overriding criticism from Fatah hard-liners.
The Al Aqsa Martyrsâ Brigades linked to Fatah called them "collaborators," a loaded term that often marks Palestinians for death. Masked gunmen also shot at the home of Abed Rabbo, who already was in Geneva.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 1:59:57 PM ||
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Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 14:11 Comments ||
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Actor Richard Dreyfuss
Star of "Mr. Holland's Opus" and "What About Bob".
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 14:26 Comments ||
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Wow! These actors sure do a good job acting like intellectuals! However, they really should leave all the make-believe at the office instead of brining their work home.
Posted by: Dar ||
12/01/2003 16:34 Comments ||
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Actor Richard Dreyfuss, master of ceremonies at the event, said that "peace is far too serious to be left exclusively to governments."
Translation: Only leftist celebrities can properly sell out the Israelis.
The Rev. Al Sharptonâs long-shot presidential campaign is sparing no expense when it comes to travel and dining - even though itâs nearly broke. Despite having just over $24,000 on hand and owing more than $177,000, Sharpton is touring the country in style, according to the most recently available campaign financial data. Now hereâs a man who knows how to live on other peopleâs money. Wotta great Democrat!
He's a clergyman, after all...
In the month of June alone, Sharpton spent more than $15,000 on swank hotels from Columbia, S.C., to Scottsdale, Ariz. A single July jaunt to the luxury Four Seasons in Los Angeles cost $7,343.27 - more than 5 percent of the total $121,314.60 campaign cash Sharpton raised in the third quarter. "Why should I spend it all on TV ads and campaign staff when I can spend it on myself?"
Other hotels benefiting from the reverendâs run for the White House include the ultra-posh Phoenician in Arizona; the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas; the Ritz Carlton in Dearborn, Mich.; and Miamiâs world-famous Mandarin Oriental. Sharpton told The Post he is on a $200-a-day stipend from his campaign for hotel expenditures. $200 isnât even tip money at the Mandarian Oriental.
The Democratic White House hopeful also said many of the hotel stops coincided with various events sponsored by organizations that will reimburse him later. A campaign source told The Post. Sharpton is fond of saying he "grew up living with cockroaches, and he doesnât want to live with them anymore." They donât want to live with him, either.
The campaign also spared no expense on food and transportation. Two charges at the city eatery Harry Cipriani ran nearly $700, and the campaign shelled out almost $1,700 for a single limousine service in Chicago. Sharpton is expected to request public matching funds in which taxpayers match up to $250 per individual contribution to the campaign, though he hasnât yet filed the appropriate paperwork with the Federal Election Committee. Alâs always been a little light on doing paperwork.
The campaignâs spending habits on travel are particularly striking when compared to the front-running Democratic primary candidate. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean - who had $12 million on hand as of Oct. 15 and is not accepting public financing - often stays with his mother when in New York and always puts his staff up at non-luxury hotels, according to a campaign source. Hotels listed in Deanâs financial statements include Howard Johnsonâs, the Comfort Inn and the anything-but-glamorous Franklin Hotel on the Upper East Side. Further endearing his staff to him.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 11:34:48 AM ||
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#1
they say you should admire a person whose got a better scam going than you do
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 12:57 Comments ||
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#5
A "civil rights leader" who finds a way to turn it into good money is never going to lead you to the promised land. He's just going to go round and round in circles, collecting dough as he goes.
I'm curious: does anybody know which nationally recognized religious organization bestowed the honorary "Rev" on Mr. Sharpton?
North Korea said Monday the U.S. military conducted at least 150 spy flights against it in November and accused Washington of ``watching for an opportunity to crushââ the communist regime. 150 flights divided by 30 days, thatâs only 5 per day.
Citing ``military sources,ââ the Northâs official KCNA news agency said reconnaissance planes such as the U-2, RC-12 and RF-4C had intruded into its airspace. They are including South Korean flights, the last US RF-4 retired from the Nevada ANG in 1995.
The report questioned Washingtonâs commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution to a standoff over the Northâs suspected development of nuclear weapons. ``Those acts clearly prove that the U.S. imperialist war hawks are watching for an opportunity to crush the DPRK with arms, clinging to their anachronistic hostile policy toward it as usual, though they are loudmouthed about âa solution to an issueâ through negotiations,ââ KCNA said. "And we know loudmouthed."
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 11:08:51 AM ||
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#1
If they don't like being watched by U-2s, etc., maybe we could use B-52s and B-1s to do the 'watching'.
#2
Switch from reconnaisance to reconnaisance by fire, eh?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 12:18 Comments ||
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#3
http://www.studentsforwar.org/
Posted by: Matt ||
12/01/2003 14:02 Comments ||
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#4
150? Thatâs a low-ball figure. Gee I wonder why we watch the Norks so much? They have been honest with us in the past and that invasion in 1950 was just a big misunderstanding. They reason they have NOT re-invaded the south is because we expended so much on reconnaissance. We used to call it keeping âThe Morning Calmâ and Intel pukes (like me) received the âOrder of the Morning Calmâ when we rotated. So Kimmie we are watching you, get used to it.
#5
#2 Switch from reconnaisance to reconnaisance by fire, eh?
Also known as Force Recon, Rob.. something the Marines excell at. ^_^
Ed.
Posted by: Ed Becerra ||
12/01/2003 14:21 Comments ||
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#6
Let's see, we have two LandSat satellites up at the moment, making an orbit about once every two hours. That's twice over Korean territory every 24 hours. Then there's whatever else Uncle has up there that old intel pukes like me can't talk about, that probably hold similar orbits. Then there's the RC-135 missions, and a TR-1 mission or two (I don't think the Air Force has any U-2's left, so that would have to be CIA, if they exist), the SKor Air Force running a mission along the border four or five times a week, the Army border patrol aircraft that make the trip four or five times a DAY, and who knows what else - SPOT, Russian spy satellites, Chinese satellites, maybe even a Japanese, Indian, British, and French military satellite or two, and you get a MUCH bigger number than 150. Kimmie's generals are dropping the ball - someone should tell Kimmie boy how much they MISS! I'm sure he'll be pleased, and reward the right people appropriately.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 18:10 Comments ||
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#7
and who knows what else
Possibly a B-2 stealth variant for recon? If anything, a stealth spyplane is more useful than a bomber. I have no doubt Uncle Sammy pulled a few off the production line and jammed them full of cameras.
#8
Holy Run-on! Does Mojo-Jojo write for KCNA or something?
``Those acts clearly prove that the U.S. imperialist war hawks are watching for an opportunity to crush the DPRK with arms, clinging to their anachronistic hostile policy toward it as usual, though they are loudmouthed about âa solution to an issueâ through negotiations,ââ KCNA said.
Hat tip LGF
As investigative reporters and âoppoâ researchers flock to Vermont to dig into Howard Deanâs past, they have run into a roadblock. A large chunk of Deanâs records as governor are locked in a remote state warehouseâthe result of an aggressive legal strategy designed in part to protect Dean from political attacks. "Heâs a Dem! He should be immune to criticism!"
DEANâWHO HAS BLASTED the Bush administration for excessive secrecyâcandidly acknowledged that politics was a major reason for locking up his own files when he left office last January. He told Vermont Public Radio he was putting a 10-year seal on many of his official papersâfour years longer than previous Vermont governorsâbecause of âfuture political considerations... We didnât want anything embarrassing appearing in the papers at a critical time.â âMost of the records are open,â said Dean spokeswoman Tricia Enright, adding there is âabsolutely notâ a âsmoking gunâ in those for which Dean has claimed âexecutive privilege.â Still, Deanâs efforts to keep official papers secret appear unusually extensive. Late last year, NEWSWEEK has learned, Deanâs chief counsel sent a directive to all state agencies ordering them to cull their files and remove all correspondence that bore Deanâs nameâand ship them to the governorâs office to be reviewed for âprivilegeâ claims. This removed a âsignificant number of recordsâ from state files, said Michael McShane, an assistant Vermont attorney general.
The battle over Deanâs records began last year when three Vermont newspapers took him to court after being denied access to his official schedule. Reporters were trying to track Deanâs out-of-state political trips. State lawyers argued that release of the schedule could jeopardize his safety and that the governorâs office was not a public âagencyâ covered by state open-records lawâtwo notions rejected by the Vermont Supreme Court. (The court ultimately ruled that those portions of the schedule related to his political trips had to be released, but those relating to state policy could be redacted.) Then last January, Deanâs chief counsel David Rocchio negotiated a sweeping agreement that resulted in about 140 boxes of Dean records containing several hundred thousand pages of documents being locked up for 10 years at a state archive in Middlesex, said Greg Sanford, the state archivist. The sealed papers include Deanâs correspondence with advisers on, among other matters, Vermontâs âcivil unionsâ law and a state agency that critics charged was used to grant tax credits to Deanâs favored firms. Rocchio said the sealing agreement was driven by âlegitimateâ policy concerns, but also by, he later acknowledged, political factors. âAll you have to do is look at what [Deanâs opponents] are doing with the existing records,â he said. âTheyâre distorting his record.â "But Bush is a Republican, so we have a duty to distort his record and make him look bad."
Posted by: Atrus ||
12/01/2003 10:25:48 AM ||
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Via Drudge - Trying to reestablish that oh-so-successful Carter foreign/domestic policy:
Dem hopeful Howard Dean has called former President Jimmy Carter to give updates, ask questions and seek advice, TIME magazine is planning to report on Monday.
The magazine asks Carter about the former Vermont governorâs chances of winning the 2004 Presidential race: âHe seems to be doing quite well. He came down to Georgia when he was just planning the campaign and talked to me and my wife about the basic tactics of â76. On occasion, he has called me to give me a report on his campaign or to ask a question.â
Think Dean has a snowballâs chance in hell in the south after the way he waffled/misspoke about the confederate flag?
Does Carter support Deanâs candidacy? âNo, Iâm going to support whoever I think will have the best chance next November.â
and that would be....Al Sharpton? Duh....itâs Dean or Gephardt
Was Dean offensive or just too honest in pandering saying he wanted the support of southern whites with Confederate flags in their cars? âAs I told him afterward, if you had just said you want the support of southern whites that drive pick-up trucks, the same message would have got across. But when he threw in the Confederate flag, it showed a little bit of an incompatibility with national opinion.â especially when he backed away after getting criticism
Do any of the democratic candidates have a chance against Bush?
Carter: âIt depends on two things. One is whatâs going on in Iraq and the war against terrorism. And the other is the economy. I think itâs too early to say whatâs going to be happening in either." Kreskin heâs not....
Developing...
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 10:09:43 AM ||
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#1
Think Dean has a snowballâs chance in hell in the south after the way he waffled/misspoke about the confederate flag?
That plus his self-proclaimed metrosexual status would make him a tough sell to southern Dems, I'd think.
#2
So Howard Dean is consulting Jimmy, eh? Boy, there's a source of fresh, new ideas for the Democratic Party. Jeez- and to think that just 10 short months ago, I was a Democrat.
These people are doomed.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
12/01/2003 10:27 Comments ||
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#3
Yeah, Carter's the person I'd ask about running a campaign based on confronting terrorism and improving the economy.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 10:46 Comments ||
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Jimmmuuuah lusted after a Confederate battle-flag in his heart.
#5
Check out the picture Drudge has of Carter this morning. I wish I knew how to embed pictures here 'cause this one is worth it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 11:27 Comments ||
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Has he seen any rabbits walking on water yet? Then you will know he is ready to be POTUS.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
12/01/2003 12:18 Comments ||
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"Does Carter support Deanâs candidacy? 'No, Iâm going to support whoever I think will have the best chance next November.'â
Hot damn, even Jimmy Carter's going to vote for Bush. I just hope he keeps quiet about it.
Posted by: Matt ||
12/01/2003 12:20 Comments ||
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#8
Jeez- and to think that just 10 short months ago, I was a Democrat.
I got over being a yellow dog Dhimmicrat after 9/11. Previously, the cumulative impact of Clinton's Marc Rich pardon and the vandalism inflicted on the White House by the Clintons' entourage had made me progressively more leery of the Dhimmicrats. But 9/11 was the tipping point.
#9
There is nothing wrong about taking advice from Jimmy Carter. For instance it was Jimmy's advice who led me to watch "Gone with the wind". I absolutely loved it, one of the greatest movies of all time, I have watched it at least ten times and I have read the book. Tanks Jimmy. If I were growing peanuts I would also hear from him.
His advice in politics? Very useful, a compass who points to the South: if you know it and go in the opposite direction than suggested then you cannot be wrong.
A pro-government mob was laying siege to a French military base in Ivory Coastâs commercial capital Monday, and French forces were firing tear gas and rounds to try to break up the crowd. French soldiers, in Ivory Coast to enforce a cease-fire in the former French colony, left the base in armored personnel carriers to confront the 250-strong, rock-throwing mob. Shots could be heard from the base, but it was not clear whether they were rubber bullets or live rounds. White fumes rose from tear gas fired by the French, and black smoke billowed from a roadblock of burning metal drums set afire at the base gates by the loyalist young men. Now, what was that French word for quagmire again?
About 4,000 French and 1,200 West African peacekeepers are in Ivory Coast to hold cease-fire lines, keeping the peace between northern-based rebels and the southern-based government after a nine-month civil war. The war was declared over in January, but tensions have remained high. Hard-core government loyalists increasingly are insisting that the French clear a buffer zone between north and south to allow government forces to attack the rebels again. On Sunday, Ivory Coast soldiers briefly seized control of Ivory Coastâs state television headquarters, broadcasting demands that French and West African peacekeepers leave so armed forces can attack the rebels in coming days. French tried to turn the country over to the rebels, but the government forces wonât have anything to do with it.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/01/2003 9:44:16 AM ||
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"In other news, 3,999 French soldiers surrendered to Government forces today after a soldier died from shock. Reports indicated that the shock was induced by a 'Rock with green stuff on it.' "
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 9:49 Comments ||
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#2
In other news, 3,999 French soldiers surrendered to Government forces today after a soldier died from shock.
If these are troops from the French Foreign Legion, this is extremely unlikely. That hypothetical headline would likely read 3,999 rioters gunned down. The French aren't opposed to violence as much as they are against American leadership and influence. They're just playing the role of spoiler.
#3
Zhang, Yes the foreign legion definitely would, then they would eat the dead, kill all their family members, have sex with their farm animals, and kill all the journalists who even thought about writing about it.
But the Foreign legion isn't french. One of my friends joined it a decade ago. France recruits primarily disenfranchised non citizens and ex soldiers from other armies for the legion.
So in a word, the legion is successful because it ISN'T french. So the rule holds. ;)
And don't mention Napolean. He wasn't french, but corsican.
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 10:16 Comments ||
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Posted by: Matt ||
12/01/2003 12:14 Comments ||
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Oops, I have offended a frenchman.
Don't misunderstand my admiration for the FFL. I have a tremendous respect for them in part for their ferocity and utter ruthlessness in battle. I would rather the FFL to my flank than any of the french regs. But they aren't french nationals.
I just mentioned the farm animals as a sign of their ruthlessness not that I thought it was a real concern. Is it?
In the case of Napolean, two things. First, you can't pretend the choice of general isn't important. With the wrong general, any troops would face a disaster. Also, why couldn't the french win with a french general if it is so unimportant.
You will probably mention Pepin but remmeber Vichy.
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 12:32 Comments ||
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Charles and captjoe
For your info the French lead the game agsinat Germany by something like ten to two. BTW when I was in the army I had the pleasure to meet a German who had been captured when my unit crossed the Rhine (at the cost of 40% casualties). The German was part of a shock unit while my regiment was a lowly engineer regiment. :-)
BTW, let's speak about people who indentify themselves with draft dodgers to the point of voting them for presidents. People fearing for the precios skins in a war who cost the US a mere 50 thousand dead (120,000 for the ill-fated 1940 French Army for a population 5 times inferior).
And if yoyu are still cocky consider how badly the US Army fared when it met a small outlet from the Wehrmacht despite having had two additional years to prepare for the Blitzkrieg. I wonsder what would have happenned if you had met it in 1940 and hadn't had an ocean between and Germany.
The Russians did just that: fall back for over one thousand miles. France is only six hundred miles deep. And most of its population and industrial capacity (read weapon and ammo factories) was within two hundred miles from the Belgian border
#13
Wonderful discussion about World War II...which is completely useless when looking at the travesty of French foreign and domestic policy today. With a Vietnam-like quagmire in the Ivory Coast, a heat wave that made France's Universal Heath Care System appear positively third world, repeated failures and fraud in the European Union (specifically deficit spending by France) and a failed Middle East policy I guess I can understand French apologists wanting to focus upon World War II and the foreign legion. It must be very embarassing to be pro-French right now!
#14
Yes, that's true, they do have french officers. Much as the famed gurhkas have british officers.
In the end, its results that count. Vietnam is considered a failure in the US. When asked about the British, a french general said that they would have their necks rung like a chicken. The British fell back then and held quite well despite being the only game in town (well there was the Canadians). It is perhaps for that reason that Hitler felt cocky enough to attack Stalin.
I am sure that the troops were good in WWII but there dependency of strategies of WWI lead to their downfall. That a large part of your country was quite happy to collaborate with the Nazis is no great mark either.
Vietnam was indeed a failure of will. It should have been fought as Iraq is being fought today and not as some limited aid to the South Vietnamese.
While you brought up Vietnam, let us not remember who was there first. It was good and truly screwed becasue The US got there. Diem Bien Phu was the last phenomenal battle in that losing war. Let us remember the legacy of French Colonialism there and elsewhere.
But even good troops lose battles if their officers are idiots. The only way that can be changed is if the troops weed out the officers. In WWII, there were many canadian officers (poor ones) that had more bullets in their backs than their front. I am sure the story is the same elsewhere.
Posted by: capt joe ||
12/01/2003 13:59 Comments ||
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JFM: People fearing for the precios skins in a war who cost the US a mere 50 thousand dead (120,000 for the ill-fated 1940 French Army for a population 5 times inferior).
For the US, Vietnam was more of a holding action - a diversion of Communist (Chinese and Soviet)resources from the rest of Southeast Asia into one country. France lost the Indochina War and never even published official casualty numbers. But I think that number is less than 50,000, even though France was fighting to keep Vietnam French. I suspect the US would have fought a little harder to keep a colony American, even if only to give the colony independence after the guerrillas had been defeated.
#16
I suspect the US would have fought a little harder to keep a colony American, even if only to give the colony independence after the guerrillas had been defeated.
See the Phillippines and McArthur.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 14:14 Comments ||
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#17
See the Phillippines and McArthur.
During the invasion of the Philippines, we had practically nothing there and definitely did not have the resources to wage war against the fully-mobilized Japanese. Only when defense spending was raised from 1% to 50% of GDP after Pearl Harbor, did we actually put together what was necessary to beat the Japanese. Note that the French were fighting a mere guerrilla army compared to what we faced - the full resources of the Imperial Japanese forces. And yes, we liberated the Philippines before we dropped the Bomb. MacArthur kept his promise.
#18
Sorry, I wasn't clear -- I was trying to point out that the US did exactly what you said. We may have lost the Philippines for a while, but we fought HARD with what we had to defend them, came back HARDER to free them, and then let them go.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 14:32 Comments ||
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JFM, my Dad was at Bastogne. He used to tell stories of using a 155mm howitzer as an anti-tank weapon, with unfused shells. He spoke of "non-combattants" giving the Germans more than they could handle.
"America" is a paradox, as much to many inside the country as it is to most outsiders. There's no telling what we will do under a given circumstance. As for electing a draft-dodger, my vote was to put a 30-30 round between his beady little eyes, but I was outvoted.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 15:16 Comments ||
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#20
OP: Obviously you'd have the same feelings about Dean...whose back "problem" kept him out of the draft but didn't keep him off the ski slopes...
Posted by: R. McLeod ||
12/01/2003 15:37 Comments ||
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#21
Mahatma
The soldiers don't deserve to be abused for the faults of their politicians and diplomats. Think in the US soldiers under Carter and Clinton.
#22
OP There is a great passage in "A Time for Trumpets".. Retelling a story of a battery of 155 self-propelled cannon (not howitzers) who were passing thru (leaving!) a German armored attack They were politely asked to help out and did so... using 6 inch guns in direct fire. The battery commander allowed as he'd "always wanted to try that."
#23
JFM: BTW, let's speak about people who indentify themselves with draft dodgers to the point of voting them for presidents.
Mea culpa. Don't remind me. I had a momentary lapse of reason. Twice. Strangely enough, I voted for Gore because he did go to Vietnam. And yet I had voted for Clinton twice in spite of his non-existent war record, which was especially pathetic in comparison to GHWB's and Dole's respective experiences in WWII.
Of course, this was when I was a regular subscriber to the Nation, and thought the New York Times was a right-wing newspaper. The scales have fallen from mine eyes.
#25
Actually, this IS about cocoa (I don't know if diamonds are found in IC), IC is the world's largest producer, with a big US corporate involvment; US christian Evangelists are also influential in president Gbagbo's entourage. Ivoran crisis in is a tribal & religious one, but it also can be seen as a dispute between the fading french african sphere of influence, and USA's rising one.
#26
US christian Evangelists are also influential in president Gbagbo's entourage.
Fat lot of good that's doing him - Muslim illegal aliens from neighboring countries now own half the country. (Imagine illegal Mexican immigrants detaching the Southwest from the US). France is taking the side of the Muslims to curry favor with Muslim countries, who are undoubtedly directing significant funds towards this expansion of the House of Islam.
#27
The element in the story that I find interesting is the use of tear gas by miltary troops in a country other than their own. Tear gas is considered a chemical agent and prohibited from use in combat by treaty. I think America refused to saign the treaty because tear gas was included. Supposedly once this chemical agent is used by America or any other military we will be on a slippery slope. This first use will result in a dictator like Kim using VX and claiming that chemical attacks are OK now that a Western country used tear gas.
I don't buy the load of bull but it is interesting that America was not the first to use tear gas. George HW Bush refused to allow the American miltary to take tear gas into Somalia. The result was that American soldiers humanely beat Somalis with rifle butts to break up riots.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 17:34 Comments ||
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Zhang,they already are:"(Imagine illegal Mexican immigrants detaching the Southwest from the US)."
Via Drudge - More people to boycott:
Top Hollywood activists and intellectuals Bwahahahaha!
are planning to gather this week in Beverly Hills for an event billed as âHate Bush,â the DRUDGE REPORT has learned! Laurie David [wife of SEINFELD creator Larry David] has sent out invites to the planned Tuesday evening meeting at the Hilton with the bold heading: âHate Bush 12/2 - Eventâ. The message reads:
"This is the most important meeting you can attend to prevent the advancement of the current extremist right wing agenda. Do not miss this meeting. This will be a high-level briefing to discuss the strategies... to affect what happens next November."
Usual suspects Political heavies Harold Ickes, Former Deputy White House Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for the ¹96 Clinton/Gore re-elect, and Ellen Malcolm, Founder of Emily¹s List, a political action committee that elects pro-choice, Democratic women, will chair the gathering.
Names included on the "HATE BUSH" invite, obtained by DRUDGE, include:
Julie Bergman: producer ("G.I. Jane," "The Fabulous Baker Boys," "Washington Square"), daughter of lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Came up with the anti-Iraq war "silent protest" idea for Oscars where celebrities wore blue-and-green quarter-sized peace sign pins. Scott Burns: "Got Milk?" campaign creator and producer of Arianna Huffington ad campaign which linked SUVs with terrorism. Steve Byrnes & Jamie Mandelbaum: Jamie is an entertainment attorney at Armstrong, Hirsch -- represents Hillary Duff, Tori Spelling, among others. Ariel "Ari" Emanuel: Emanuel is a founding partner of Endeavor Talent agency. Brother of White House Rahm and agent to West Wing Sorkin. Naomi Foner: Screenwriter of RUNNING ON EMPTY, LOSING ISAIAH; executive producer of HOMEGROWN a comedy thriller set in northern California about inept but lovable pot farmers. Cami Gordon: Childrenâs book author lives in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Member of Mothers for Natural Law. Husband Howard, producer ("X-Files", "Strange World"). Robert Greenwald: Executive producer of the 2002 documentary, UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, about the "stealing" of the 2000 presidential election in Florida. Also produced CROOKED E: THE UNSHREDDED TRUTH ABOUT ENRON. He and Mike Farrell started "Artists United," a group of actors and other stars opposed to war in Iraq. Lyn Lear: Wife of Norman Lear. Michelle Kydd Lee: Executive Director, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Foundation. Julia Louis-Dreyfus: âSNLâ, âSeinfeldâ alum. Married to fellow SNL alum and sitcom producer Brad Hall. Darcy Pollack: [no data]. Nancy Stephens: Actress (RUSSKIES), environmentalist. Laure & Daniel Stern: Daniel is actor (CITY SLICKERS, HOME ALONE). Anne & Jay Sures: Jay Sures is an agent at United Talent Agency. Hosted fund-raiser for Democratic presidential candidate General Wesley Clark at his Brentwood home. Marge Tabankin & Earl Katz: Tabankin is Barbra Streisandâs philanthropic and political guru. Ran the Hollywood Womenâs Political Committee. Barbraâs political guru? Heh heh.....
Katz is the executive producer of UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Heather Thomas: Actress ("The Fall Guy"), 80s pin-up model. Married to Skip Brittenham, top Hollywood lawyer.
Call me prejudiced, call me stereotyping, but if I go to court, my lawyer's not gonna be named "Skip." I prefer "Mr. Nussbaum," "Mr. Cohen," or somebody named "Slick."
Elizabeth Wiatt: Wife of William Morris heavyweight Jim Wiatt.
That's a really long list of people I've never heard of.
Developing... Notice anything missing on the list? How about popular stars? With current successes? What a group of bitter losers
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 8:29:39 AM ||
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Forgot to add: If there was a boycott of these asshats - would anyone notice?
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/01/2003 8:31 Comments ||
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The media would notice, but we wouldn't care. The only names of successes I recognized in there were 'SNL', 'G.I. Jane', and 'Got Milk'.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 9:40 Comments ||
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#3
I'm guessing that DNC fundraising is not meeting targets. Just a hunch.
Posted by: john ||
12/01/2003 11:14 Comments ||
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#4
I had no idea Karl Rove was this good.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 11:14 Comments ||
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#5
Right below the headline about the "Hollywood Hates Bush" gathering on the Drudge Report were three more Links:
-Stocks Jump; S&P 500 Hits 18-Month High
-Factories Hum, Construction Booms
-Manufacturers hit 20-year record pace
I found the juxtaposition amusing. Anyone else see the connection here? The Dims would rather see the country be in the toilet so they can regain POWER.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/01/2003 13:25 Comments ||
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#8
I, too, found very few familiar names. However, one title was intriguing: Russkies. From the IMDB's page for that movie:
It is during the Cold War and all Americans have a view of Russians as one thing: bad people. A group of American boys discovers a Russian sailor washed up on the coast of Florida and decide to befriend him, assuming that he is friendly and will bring them no danger and thus go against the ideas of their parents, as well as the government.
Of course.
Oh, and Miss Stephens? She is credited as "Nurse". Her IMDB listing is pretty pathetic, too. (She also appeared in a minor role in Hal Needham's 1979 masterpiece, Death Car on the Freeway.)
#9
I just find it so amusing that the left, who have pushed for passage of 'hate crimes', who practically forcefully inject "peace at any price" would have an event openly labelled "HATE". It's also quite indicative of their shallow, petty lives that they would actually HATE a sitting American president, just because he's doing a good job, and is in the opposition party.
Maybe it's time to create two separate countries - the "red" and the "blue". Let's just wait until after the next election to determine which states are red and which are blue. I think there will be very few 'blue' states, but lots of 'blue' (I.E., dejected, sad, melancholy, and just plain old morose) voters after the first Tuesday in November, 2004.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/01/2003 22:45 Comments ||
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Former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze accused multibillionaire philanthropist George Soros of donating millions of dollars to an uprising earlier this month that forced him to resign. Shevardnadze said in a newspaper interview that he could not point to specific countries that had backed the uprising. Instead, international groups, such as the Soros Foundation, had financed the opposition, he said. Shevardnadze has previously accused U.S. ambassador Richard Miles of encouraging the opposition, an allegation U.S. officials denied.
"Richard? Was that you?"
"Nope. Wudn't me."
In the interview published Sunday in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, Shevardnadze said the "principles and goals" of the Soros Foundation was to lead to a situation similar to Yugoslavia, where mass protests in 2000 lead to Slobodan Milosevic's ouster. "I am shocked how international organizations can get involved in the internal issues of a country in such a brash manner and to such a great extent," Shevardnadze told Yediot Ahronot. "I can't give you exact numbers, but one ambassador told me that we are talking about $2.5 million to $3 million."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/01/2003 01:09 ||
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2 rotten things happened here:
1) Dumbass Shevardnadze rigged the elections
2) Power Broker Cum Political Tick Soros used his money to subvert the Georgian political process
Both are wrong. Shevy got his: he's history. Soros has yet to get HIS, however.
On top of his little escapade in Georgia, this Currency Tick is trying similar tactics in the US. He should be forced to register as an Foreign Agent. His activities and finances would then be available to US investigators to determine if he has broken US law, already, and to make certain he does not in the future.
Because of the trail of evidence leading to him in the Gerogian elections...
If I were in charge of whatever group is responsible for tracking and investigating Foreign Agent activities, I would put him on the US's persona-non-grata list - revoking entry into the US, force his immediate removal from all US company directorial board positions, and seizure of ALL of his US assets including US stock holdings against the outcome of the investigation.
This is one of those cretinous asshats that the NaziMedia types all scream about: The Stereotypical Corporate Bloodsucking Power Broker. Why aren't they screaming now? Because he's a EURO CorpBloodsuckingPowerPlayer who gives to the Demo Party. Fucking hypocrites. I recall the Clinton - China campaign contributions flare up... this is bigger because he has engaged in outright subversive acts in the elections in Georgia - and the evidenciary trail needs to be documented before it goes cold. I am no fan of Serbs or Milosevic, that's a certainty, but guys like Soros and his "foundation" are definitley not the answer to such regimes. These guys can go rogue just as quickly as the regimes they seek to overthrow.
I have a rather large problem with foreigners getting involved in US elections. If the Donks or Pubes or Librats or whatevers can't generate enough contributions to fund themselves and their candidates from AMERICANS, then they should dissolve and go piss up a rope - they have no business being in US politics.
This guy thinks he's bigger than the law. Easy way to disprove such delusions of grandeur: freeze him, then burn him.
Palestinian security officials on Sunday retracted claims that IDF forces were responsible for the killing of Hani Rabaiyah, 9 near Rafah last Wednesday morning and admitted that he had been shot by his brother.
"Whoops. Our bad."
Israeli security officials noted it was the first time that the Palestinians had issued such a statement admitting they were in the wrong.
"Quick, Myra! My pills!"
At the time of the Palestinian claims the IDF Spokesman noted that there had been no IDF activity in the area where Rabiyah was shot and said the army would investigate the report.
"Avner? Was that you?"
"Nope. Wudn't me."
As in such situations Palestinian security officials also conducted a probe and discovered that the boy's brother was responsible for the shooting and that the father had attempted to hide the truth hoping to receive funds from one of the terrorist organizations such as the Hamas who hand out payments to families whose relatives are killed by the IDF.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/01/2003 01:05 ||
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#1
Wonder how quickly the newspapers will correct this story, and on what page.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 1:11 Comments ||
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#2
It'll be a peaceful day in Gaza before the commutards in the media print any corrections on THIS one, you can be sure of that.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - More than 100 men and boys will be transferred in the next two months from the U.S. jail for terrorism suspects in Cuba, including a teenager who allegedly killed an American special operations soldier, a U.S. military official said. The first of two new transfers is scheduled for the end of December, and the other in January, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The detainees would be released from U.S. custody, but it was unclear if any would face further detention or prosecution in their home countries. "Hi boys! Welcome to your new home in Bagram. Assume the position!"
``We do expect there will be other transfers but because of operational procedures, I canât talk about any details,ââ Lt. Col. Pamela Hart said. ``We only talk about detainee movements after an operation is complete.ââ "However, I am permitted to tell you that the detainees being released bear a strong resemblance to empty toothpaste tubes."
The military official who spoke on condition that his name not be revealed said that one of the boys who would be transferred shot and killed a special operations soldier in Afghanistan, where a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban regime in late 2001 and 11,500 American troops remain. The military official did not provide details about the incident, including the boyâs age, name or where or when the alleged shooting occurred. But he said that the boy apparently pretended to be dead, then opened fire on the American. Wonder what the juvenile detention facility looks like in Kabul?
On Sunday, a Canadian citizen returned home after being released in October from Guantanamo. Abdulrhaman Khadr was captured in Afghanistan and held as an ``enemy combatantââ by U.S. authorities for nine months, he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Khadr, the son of a suspected al-Qaida financier, said U.S. authorities refused to return him to Canada and instead flew him to Afghanistan. After his release, Khadr went to Iran and then Turkey before arriving late last week in Bosnia, he told CBC. Hit all the Islamist tourist sites, did he?
At the Canadian Embassy in Sarajevo, Khader, who did not have a passport, was given a special permit to return to Canada, he told CBC. He was accompanied on his return to Toronto by a Canadian Mountie consular official. Letâs see what our allies to the north do with him.
Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, the official in charge of the detention mission, said Wednesday that the three youngest boys at the jail, who range from 13 to 15 would be transferred soon, but he did not give a date. Before their capture by U.S. forces in Afghanistan, some of the youths held at the base were sexually abused; and they have received therapy at Guantanamo, the official said. The boys are kept separate from the adult population at the jail. Sexually abused? Does that happen in a good, Islamic society?
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/01/2003 1:04:38 AM ||
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Before their capture by U.S. forces ... the youths ... were sexually abused
Ahhh yes, one of the Pillars of Islam. Raping the boys in the madrasas.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 1:41 Comments ||
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including a teenager who allegedly killed an American special operations soldier
If this is the case I think it is, this wasn't "killed in battle", but "murdered after capture". This fellow should be a weather vane, not handed over to anyone else.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
12/01/2003 7:58 Comments ||
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Don't put too much confidence in this article, RC. Afterall, this is a Gaurdian article.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 9:44 Comments ||
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#5
including a teenager who allegedly killed an American special operations soldier
This is the younger brother of Abdulrhaman Khadr, who showed up back in Canada Sunday, although the article does not say. This younger bro should/will face the firing squad. Wait for the CBC to start whining, comparisons to Iran starting.
Posted by: john ||
12/01/2003 11:27 Comments ||
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A little more detail on Saturday's article...
A prominent Saudi poet was shot to death by attackers while on a hunting trip in Algeria, where an Islamic insurgency has raged for more than a decade. Itâs those moonshiners, theyâre everywhere! Talal al-Rasheed and his party were ambushed late Thursday near Djelfa, newspapers reported Saturday. At least six others in the hunting party were wounded, the daily Liberte reported. The newspaper LâExpression said the gunmen wounded several police. Newspapers blamed the attack on the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, known as the GSPC. The GIA is reportedly not doing so well, so I would say GSPC this time around. The fact that they whacked a few coppers too increases my suspicion on this one.
Rasheedâs party reportedly came to the Djelfa area a week ago to hunt. His body was brought home Friday, according to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 1:01:51 AM ||
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Signed copies of his latest compilation just became more valuable. There ought to be an art futures market.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 4:33 Comments ||
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From Friday, but yet more insight into the conflict in Darfur province.
Over the last five days, 210 people have been killed in fighting between militias and a rebel group on the outskirts of Junaynah, western Darfur, according to a local rebel group. Armed Arab militias had burned down three villages in the area, killing 24 people, injuring 18, and looting everything in sight, Abu Bakr Hamid al-Nur, spokesman for the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) told IRIN. The rebel group and local civilians retalitated by killing 186 members of the militias, he said. Without any international monitors in the region, there is no independent confirmation of the figures. Many of the Arab militia members came from neighbouring Chad, al-Nur told IRIN. "The Sudanese government gives them money and weapons and support from its soldiers," he claimed.
On Thursday Amnesty International said there was "compelling evidence" that at least some elements of the Sudanese army were supporting the militias. "Farming communities are being pushed off their land towards the city of Junaynah and elsewhere, while nomadic people supported by the militias are using their land for pasture," al-Nur said. "Those who have not been displaced are too scared to work in their fields because of the militia presence," he added. "We are calling on the humanitarian community to come to the area to know whatâs happening." The government has consistently denied the allegations. The lack of travel permits being granted by the Sudanese government, coupled with general insecurity, is preventing aid agencies from supplying urgently needed humanitarian aid.
Which is the whole idea, isn't it?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:58:55 AM ||
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I thought it would take troops to kill the Islamist militants, but evidently think a media campaign to publicize the problem will do the trick.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 17:22 Comments ||
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Palestinian police have launched an investigation after a car blew up in the southern Gaza Strip, killing a member of the Islamic Jihad group. Yusuf Abu Matar, 33, who also belonged to the Palestinian police force, died in a local hospital on Sunday.
A significant part of him did, anyway...
An explosive device reportedly went off as he sat in his car in the Rafah refugee camp on the southern edge of Gaza, near the border with Egypt.
You put the key in, you turn the key, then — surprise! — you ain't no more!
Palestinian security sources said they were investigating whether Matar's car had been booby-trapped, which could make him the victim of a targeted attack, or whether he had been carrying a bomb that exploded prematurely. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the incident.
"Avner! Was that you?"
"Wudn't me, Moshe."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
12/01/2003 00:51 ||
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Heh. Internecine warfare? Maybe the timer in his car bomb went off a few hours too early? Or possibly some Haganah Nasty Boys left a little C4 present under the driver's seat. Never a bad thing when some jihadi mutt gets blown to smithereens.
#4
Whether they did it or not Isreal is still going to get the blame for this. Might as well take the credit. Isreal really should just kill the terrorists with pig-lard coated bullets.
Posted by: Charles ||
12/01/2003 1:21 Comments ||
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"...a member of the Islamic Jihad group...also belonged to the Palestinian police force."
Any further questions as to why the numerous Palestinian Prime Ministers refuse to try to disarm the terrorists?
Posted by: Stephen ||
12/01/2003 1:25 Comments ||
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#6
There ought to be a warning against cell phone use when carrying an explosive device on the console of your vehicle.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/01/2003 4:36 Comments ||
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#7
OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!! A PACK OF US LIABILITY LAWYERS SEEN HEADING TO GAZA!!!!
#9
Let's see, who's to blame? If it was a booby trap, then it's clearly the Joooos fault. If it was a premature detonation, then it's clearly the Joooos fault for maintaining the conditions of misery and humiliation which led him to do this.
#11
Sounds like Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. If a Jihadi is in a car wearing an explosive vest with a 50% chance of detonation, is the Jihadi half dead?
I understand the Yids will soon start using caged cats to detect these guys.
Rebel attacks and land mine explosions killed 11 Russian soldiers and wounded 16 in the previous 24 hours, an official in the Moscow-backed Chechen administration said on Sunday. Five of the soldiers were killed and seven wounded in 19 separate rebel attacks on federal outposts, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Rebels also clashed with soldiers in the southern Vedeno district, killing four soldiers and wounding five. A military car came under rebel fire near the village of Germenchuk in the Shali district on Saturday, the official said. As a consequence two soldiers died, the official added. Another four soldiers were wounded when their armoured personnel carrier detonated a mine near the village of Benoi in the Nozhai-Yurt district. On Sunday evening, a military truck struck a mine in Ingushetia, which borders Chechnya, wounding two soldiers, said Yasiya Khadziyev, spokesman for the Ingush Interior Ministry. Authorities on Saturday also found the bodies of one Russian officer and three soldiers in the Chechen capital, Grozny, the official said. All had bullet wounds.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 12:46:25 AM ||
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Just out of curiosity: How many Russian troups were killed during Ramadan? Did anyone keep a count. I mean, we lost a lot; just a comparison.
#2
Russians lose between 7-12 troops in Chechnya on a good day. No major attacks during Ramadan, probably because they blew up that base at Serzhen-Yurt and captured one of Khattab's deputies.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/01/2003 9:34 Comments ||
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Big Media are fixated on Vietnam when talking about Iraq but the reality is the Iraqi and Chechnyan situations are in common. Al Quaida uses the technique honed against the Russians in Chechnya as a starting point in The Triangle. Methinks it is not a sucessful approach?
Posted by: john ||
12/01/2003 10:57 Comments ||
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7-12 a day : I thought the figures were about 4 troops a day (must have read it somewhere, not sure), which is supposed to bring casualties slightly higher than the one sustained in Afghanistan. Mines & IED being the favorite tools of the chechens (algerian islamists also used remote controlled bombs a lot for ambushes), the sunni triangle attackers may be getting some know-how via panislamist "specialists", that's quite possible. As far as the comparisons between the absurdly scrutinized Iraq and the forgotten Chechnya goes, the US responses seem to be much more effective (or at least the guerilla much less successful).
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.
