A Tanzanian who thought his bossâs bicycle had been stolen while in his care killed himself by diving into a cesspit -- only for a friend to return the bike a little later, a newspaper said Thursday. Timing is everything.
Samuel Boniface, 20, committed suicide Tuesday after telling his employer the bicycle had gone missing, police in Dar es Salaam told the Daily Times. Now that is a dedicated employee. Stupid, but dedicated.
Shortly after his body was found floating in the cesspool, his friend returned the bicycle, saying he had borrowed it. "Sam, hereâs the bike, sorry it took so long. Sam? Hello?"
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 1:47:29 PM ||
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Now *that's* someone who grew up in a guilt culture.
#3
Laydeess and Geeentlemennnn, we have another winnahhhh! Let's give a big hand to Samuel Boniface, another instant Darwin Award contender and winner of the coveted co-award for excessively impetuous behavior.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 19:58 Comments ||
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Villagers in a remote Fijian community staged an elaborate ceremony of apology Thursday for the relatives of a British missionary killed and eaten here 136 years ago. The Rev. Thomas Baker and eight Fijian followers were killed and devoured by cannibals in 1867 in the village of Nabutautau, high in the hills of the South Pacific island of Viti Levu. Residents say their community has been cursed ever since.
"Wossa matter, Nasibilumi?"
"Indi-GES-tion! [Urp!]"
"It's the old curse again!"
In a mixture of ancient pagan and modern Christian rites, the villagers have staged a series of ceremonies hoping to erase the misfortunes they believe have kept them poor. The rituals â which started about a month ago â culminated Thursday with the offering of cows, specially woven mats and 30 carved sperm-whale teeth known as tabua to 10 Australian descendants of Baker. "This is our third apology but, unlike the first two, this one is being offered physically to the family of Mr. Baker," Ratu Filimoni Nawawabalavu, the villageâs chief, told The Associated Press. Nawawabalavu is the great-grandson of the chief responsible for cooking the missionary in an earthen oven. "Anyone for soylent green?"
Past apologies have not helped. In 1993, villagers presented the Methodist Church of Fiji with Bakerâs boots â which cannibals tried unsuccessfully to cook and eat.
"Mmmm! Hush puppies!"
"Hush Puppies are tough!"
There are differing accounts of Bakerâs demise. A villager said last month the incident started when the chief borrowed Bakerâs hat. Baker tried to take it back without knowing that touching a chiefâs head was taboo and punishable by death. Others say the missionary lent the chief a comb, then touched his head as he tried to retrieve it from the chiefâs tight, curly hair.
Oh, that'll do it every time. I'd hate to think of the number of people I killed and ate back when I had hair...
Villagers believe that since 1867, either Bakerâs spirit or disapproving gods have made sure that modern developments like electricity, a school, piped water supply and other essentials enjoyed by most Fijian villagers have been kept from them. It was only two weeks ago that a logging company cut a track to the village. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who flew into the village by helicopter for the ceremony, is leading a campaign to improve life in isolated areas.
Posted by: Atrus ||
11/13/2003 11:46:30 AM ||
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(Q) Did the early Hawawians ever get food poisoning?
BTW - Cook wasn't officially cannibalized. The locals did chop him up pretty fine, but the only dining came when a couple of kids came across what they thought was a big dog or pig heart.
A freak storm pummeled parts of Southern California with up to five inches of rain and hail, forcing motorists to abandon swamped cars at the height of rush hour and leaving thousands of residents without power. Letâs see, Fire - check, Hail - check, Republican Governor - check. Which comes next, the rivers turning to blood or the locust, I keep getting them mixed up.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 8:48:11 AM ||
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Locusts, and then the rivers turn to blood (or at least the aqueduct does). This will continue until the television execs quit putting out 'Reality TV' shows.
EFL & And Buttloads of Fun!
Unidentified men on a motorbike handed Reuters an audio cassette on Thursday purporting to be of unemployed potentate supreme Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Patch Omar, two years to the day after his hardline regime fled Kabul. The recorded speech, which admonishes commanders who have given up the "jihad," or holy war against foreign troops in Afghanistan, was made in the last few weeks, said Mullah Abdul Sama, a spokesman for the ousted militia. And here are just a few golden nuggets to pan...
"I am talking about faith and Islam among the commanders, about those who are not participating in the jihad," the speaker said. "I sacrificed my rule and all I had and if I can stand for my honor but becuase I am a worthless piece of crap and ran like a coward when the United States avenged the murder of 3000 citizens, why canât you? If you canât stand for your honor, it means your faith is weak. If you claim to among the faithful, why canât you be ready for sacrifice? I have sacrificed everything." Translation: I am not going to get myself killed. So, why donât you guys suck it up, strap it on, and ....
"If you have strong faith and have strong honor you should stand up to protect your country becuase Allah know I am not about to do it myself! and your religion," the voice purporting to be Mr. Potato Head Omar said, speaking in the Pashto language spoken on the Afghan and Pakistani side of their common frontier.
"Every ...and he means every...
Muslim should ponder and awaken his honor and protect Islam and the Koran and, God-willing, if he dies, it will be a great success and if he lives then it will also be a victory." Hmmm, letâs see: Die = Great Success ...I think we can arrange this. Again we see hereâas in other casesâthe leaders admonishing their underlings to do what they do not have the courage to do themselves. On this point alone you would think these extremists would have reason for pauseâŠ.
It's also another case where "honor" is much more important than substantive accomplishment.
#2
Btw, according to one - french, but as credible as they go - terrorist expert we had here on teevee yesterday, there's is an OBL tape (you know, theses "new" tapes) scheduled to be shown at the end of the ramadan; apparently, it is already circulating and he saw/heard it.
The US military said on Wednesday it would cease operations in Afghanistan immediately if the Taliban and other militants stopped their attacks.
Well, that sounds pretty craven...
âWe donât have any timetable, but if the militants decide to give up tomorrow, we will stop tomorrow and if they continue we will continue,â US military spokesman Colonel Rodney Davis told reporters. âAs long they are committed to committing the acts of violence we will stay here to kill them, capture them and deny sanctuary to them: thatâs our mission,â Col Davis said.
That's a little bit different from what the first paragraph suggested...
He said Taliban, Al Qaeda members and former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyarâs supporters had been weakened, but still threatened peace and security. âWe are engaged in a war. There is only one major player and thatâs the coalition,â he said. The US-led coalitionâs mission was to eliminate violence and extend the authority of President Hamid Karzaiâs government in the provinces, Mr Davis said. Mr Karzai said on Wednesday he expected guerrillas to step up attacks on the eve of the second anniversary of the collapse of Taliban rule. Afghan officials concede that a wave of violence since early August suggests that remnants of the Taliban are regrouping and causing serious security problems particularly in the south.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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Same deal we've had with them from the beginning. You surrender and give up or we kill you. A cave with OBL splattered on the wall Taliban HQ is just taking a play out of Arafish's playbook.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 0:50 Comments ||
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Remnants of the ousted Taliban regime, said to be regrouping in Pakistan Afghanistan, have formed four committees to make their resistance against the collation forces more effective, sources privy to the development told Daily Times on Wednesday.
Forming committees always works well...
âThe Taliban have formed committees on political, military, cultural and economic affairs to streamline their resistance against coalition forces in Afghanistan,â sources said. They said Mulla Chahil Akhund, former Taliban deputy foreign minister, would head the two-member political affairs committee, while Maulvi Shahabuddin Dilawar, former Taliban envoy to Pakistan, would be the member.
Who the hell forms a committee with only two people in it?
The committee has been formed to augment the strength of Taliban in the Pashtun-dominated areas. âIt will also consult prominent warlords in Pahstu speaking areas, a Taliban stronghold before their ouster,â sources added. Former Taliban defence minister Mulla Abdullah would head the military committee, sources said, adding that Mulla Dadullah and Mulla Biradar Akhund are also on the committee. They said the military committee would ensure the provision of ammunition to the militants fighting against the collation forces and supervise an overall âstrategyâ regarding âresistance operationsâ in Afghanistan. âErstwhile Taliban information minister Qudratullah Jamal will head the cultural committee, with assistance from Ishaq Nizami, the key person in the Radio Shariat,â sources added. They said the committee would spread propaganda against allied forces and the Interim Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai. âThe cultural committee will also set up short range radio communication to air speeches of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Mulla Muhammad Omar and other Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders,â sources said. According to sources, Mulla Agha Jan, former finance minister of the Taliban government, will head the economic committee to meet the financial needs of the resistance forces in Afghanistan. Mulla Jalil Akhund, another former Taliban is also be on the committee. âThe economic committee would also find ways to earn more funds to sustain the resistance movement,â sources added.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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Who the hell forms a committee with only two people in it?
One Chief and one Indian.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 1:39 Comments ||
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well if each of them is of half a mind, sounds reasonable
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/13/2003 11:27 Comments ||
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Hmmm.... "committee meetings followed by ritual violence... sounds like the NFL."
The Kingdomâs security situation is reassuring despite Saturdayâs bombing at a Riyadh compound that claimed at least 18 lives and injured 120 others, Interior Minister Prince Nayef said.
That's some heavy recreational medication he's using...
âI want to tell everybody that if I were not satisfied with the security situation in my country I would not have come here,â Prince Nayef told reporters in Tunisia.
Uhhh... Prince? Somebody bombed the crap out of your capital on Saturday...
âIf the security situation was not satisfactory, the Saudi leadership would not have allowed the minister in charge of security to travel abroad in the first place,â he pointed out.
Unless they wanted to get him out of the way. Hope your plane doesn't go down on the way home...
âI would like to inform our brethren in Tunisia that Saudi Arabia is in good shape and that what had happened will not cause any harm to it,â he said.
"Other than a few corpses, of course..."
The interior minister reiterated that no leniency would be shown to criminals trying to tamper with the Kingdomâs security.
"Yup. Yup. All we gotta do is catch 'em..."
Meanwhile, experts say planned foreign investment may be held up for some time after the bombing, but the attack will have little impact on the Kingdomâs broader economy. They say one aim of the attackers is to discourage investors and drive away foreign workers, undermining the countryâs economy and security. âFor investors already here, the bombing wonât have any effect. But for those who were thinking about investing here, they will probably delay now for a few months in order to assess the situation,â a European-based banker said.
"How many months?"
"720."
"That's... ummm..."
"60 years oughta do it."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:13 ||
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Hmmm...personally, I would grade their security situation as "Needs Improvement."
Yemen denounced Wednesday Israeli threats to strike at Syria, vowing full support to the Arab country strongly opposed to U.S. and Israeli policies. Deputy President Brig. Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi said: "Yemen will stand by the side of our sister Syria against any provocations threatening its security and stability," the official Yemen news agency reported. Hadi's remark came on the heels of declarations by Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz hinting Israel would strike at Syria if it continued to support what he described as extremist organizations threatening Israel from Syrian territory. Hadi said Israel's threats against Syria were unjustified and unacceptable.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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Is this the "high" season for qat in Yemen?
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 0:16 Comments ||
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You know you're in deep shit if Yemen's got your back...
A Yemeni official denied Wednesday claims religious organizations in Yemen were organizing the travel of Muslim militants to Iraq.
"Nope. Nope. Never happened. Dunno how they got there."
The source told UPI Yemen was committed to its cooperation with Washington in fighting terrorism. "Reports about organized exportation of Muslim fundamentalist fighters to Iraq are totally untrue," the source said, insisting, "Yemen and the United States were deploying tremendous efforts to uproot the evil of terrorism." The source said Yemen has barred scores of Yemeni youth from traveling to Iraq both during and after the U.S. invasion. "We actually returned the travelers from the airport because we do not consider ourselves as a party in the war," the official said. The U.S. command said last week Yemeni fundamentalists were among hundreds of Arab infiltrators who were arrested after crossing into Iraq to fight against U.S. forces.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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" Could someone hand me my lips? "
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 0:42 Comments ||
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Abdulaziz Al-Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), Wednesday urged countries of the region to join hands to confront terrorist operations in the area. Speaking to reporters after meeting Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, Al-Hakim voiced fear that Iraq might be transformed into a "haven for terrorism and terrorists, which calls for confronting them through real cooperation among the region's people and nations." He also called on clerics to play a "distinguished role" in dealing with terrorism.
I'll make some popcorn. That should be something to see...
On recent terrorist attacks in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Hakim said, "Such incidents were expected and we've previously said that instability in Iraq means instability in the region." Meanwhile, he expressed deep thanks to Kuwait's "firm and principled" stands toward Iraq. On his meeting with Khorafi, Hakim said that they discussed the security situation in Iraq and bilateral relations. "We had feared that Iraq would turn into a breeding ground for terrorism," he said. "We expect those operations which took place in Riyadh have a link to the terrorist groups inside Iraq."
I'd say so...
Saudi Arabia and its ally the United States blamed al Qaeda for the bombing. Washington blames die-hard supporters of deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and foreign Muslim militants for a wave of attacks on occupying troops and a series of suicide bombings in Iraq. "According to reliable information, some groups have been moved from Iraq to inside the kingdom and they may move to other countries," he added. "Those people don't want stability or security for all the people of the region." Hakim's brother, Shi'ite religious leader Ayatollah Baqer al-Hakim, was killed in an August car bombing in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq. Hakim succeeded his brother as head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).
I'm of two minds about SAIRI. Before the war and during the early stages immediately following it, I thought they were Iranian stooges. But they seem to be evolving into a responsible group — I'm glad to see it, but I'm still wondering how much of it is show.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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"Before the war and during the early stages immediately following it, I thought they were Iranian stooges. But they seem to be evolving into a responsible group "
Its a power thing - once you got power (or are close to it) you dont want to share it with stronger outsiders. Hakim doesnt want Iranian dominance for the same reason he doesnt want US dominance - HE wants to dominate. Kurdish help he can take, since they're too weak to challenge for dominance (they'll only insist on watering down any Islamic character of the state, and some degree of federalism)
That hs is reaching out to Kuwait and Saudi is a sign that he is not in Irans pocket. But if he feels he NEEDS to, he will certainly lean back towards Iran.
A little elaboration on the Beebs article from yesterday...
Saudi Arabia vowed Wednesday to talk to Islamist militants fighting to overthrow the regime only with guns or swords, spurning a move by Muslim clerics to mediate in a bid to stop further suicide bombings.
Does that mean they're going to talk to them directly? Or should there be a "not" before the verb?
âWe can talk to them only with the gun and the sword,â Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said.
That sounds like a more reasonable approach...
âAl Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks on al-Muhaya in Riyadh this past Saturday and said in an e-mail message ... that the next strikes will be in the Gulf, America and Iraq,â said Saudi weekly Al-Majalla. A group of Saudi clerics has offered to mediate between the militants and the Riyadh government. âA group of learned men and Saudi clerics is now trying to set up a mechanism to launch a dialogue between the government and the young men who have carried out acts of violence, in an effort to halt the bloodshed,â Sheikh Abdullah Nasser al-Sobeihi told AFP.
I'll just bet they are...
However another of the scholars, Sheikh Mohsen al-Awaji, accused âcertain circles of undermining the initiative to settle ideological conflicts which have nothing to do with the crisis the country is going through.â Awaji said the initiative was aimed at Islamists âwho are not involved in any act against their brothersâ and added that he remained âoptimistic.â But the official no-compromise stance has already been set out by King Fahd who warned Tuesday that the extremists who threaten his kingdom would be crushed with an âiron fistâ.
Start thumping then...
Prince Nayef, speaking to the official Saudi Press Agency, denied a press report that several people had been arrested over the latest blast. âNo one has been arrested up to now,â Nayef said. But the security forces âwill continue the hunt for these criminals to arrest them and bring them to justice,â he added.
I'll believe he's serious when we hear about heads rolling. So will Qaeda...
âThe security forces have already eliminated many terrorists, arrested others and seized large stocks of weapons that these criminals used to threaten the security of the country and its citizens,â the interior minister said. The crackdown began in earnest after the authorities blamed Al-Qaeda for triple suicide bombings that killed 35 people in Riyadh on May 12.
But they weren't sufficiently serious about it, so they ended up with the slaughter at al-Muhaya.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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We can talk to them only with the gun and the sword
Amid slogans calling for the return of the Islamic Caliphate to the Arab and Muslim world, hundreds of scholars, sheikhs, and interested persons attended the conference organized by a political entity calling itself Hizb ut-Tahrir âLiberation Partyâ in Sanaa last Tuesday.
Oboy. That's just what Yemen needs...
Organizers were able to gather many people from different sectors of the community, including prominent scholars such as Judge Abdulwahhab Al-Hitar, who attended the conference that called for the removal of current regimes and establishment of an Islamic Caliphate, which is believed by the organizers to be the âsole and only cure for the Ummaâ.
"That's right. We need a guy with a jewelled turban to run the world. And dancing girls."
Which territories are the Paleostinians occupying? Ein el-Hilweh?
The lecture called for âthe liberation of Muslim nations from the current oppressive Arab regimes and replacing them by a just Islamic Caliphateâ. The lecture blamed the current regimes for the deteriorated conditions of Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan. Kashmir, and Chechnya and called upon Muslims throughout the world to exert extra efforts during the month of Ramadan. On the other hand Dr. Abdullah ba Dheeb, a representative of the party in âthe state of Yemenâ told Yemen Times that the party will work on raising awareness among the public about the idea of reviving the Islamic Caliphate. âWe are mobilizing the idea of the party and soon will have an official representation in the state of Yemen and from thereafter apply the state system to various governoratesâ he said.
"We'll also be funnelling any likely-looking gunnies into the appropriate organizations to further the cause..."
Ba Dheeb said that security authorities had launched a massive arrest campaign against members of the party last year, and he himself was just released from a prison in Mukalla last week.
That's too bad.
The attendance to the conference was less than expected. Except for Al-Hitar, none of the influential Islamic figures or other politicians from the opposition or the government attended the conference. Most of the attendees who were present at the conference were youngsters, who expressed their interest in the idea of the conference, and showed eagerness to promote the partyâs cause. It was also concluded that despite the fact that the party is not legalized through the governmentâs licensing system, it was still given some margin of freedom to operate in the country and launch its activities, which are expected to continue in the months and years to come.
It's obvious the caliphate's the answer to all the Islamic world's problems. Look how well the Ottomans ran things...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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hundreds of scholars, sheikhs, and interested persons attended the conference...in Sanaa
It is the high season for qat in Yemen!!
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 0:21 Comments ||
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"Interested persons", eh? Wonder what type of folks might fit under that classification?
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/13/2003 11:37 Comments ||
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An enlightened Arab would make an excellent caliph. All the muslims in the world could rally around this sweet talking natural born leader. Al-Hitar or da-dheeb or, ooh, how bout Al-Rusta. Or bring in Zalloom from paleostan.
Another intelligence service leftie betrays the nation...
A woman sacked by UK intelligence after a top secret memo was allegedly leaked to the press has been charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act. Katharine Teresa Gun, 29, was first arrested in March after a memo from US monitoring body the National Security Agency was sent to the Observer. Ms Gun has said any disclosures she may have made were "justified". She was charged at Cheltenham Police Station and bailed to appear at Bow Street Magistrates on November 27. The January 31 memo received by the Observer reportedly said the NSA had begun a "surge" in eavesdropping on UN Security Council countries about to vote on action in Iraq. Officials from Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria, Guinea and Pakistan all had their phones tapped in what the newspaper described as a "dirty tricks" operation. The author of the memo was supposedly Frank Koza, Defence Chief of Staff (Regional Targets) at the agency. Under Section 1, of the 1989 Officials Secret Act it is an offence to disclose security and intelligence information without the correct authorisation. Ms Gun has justified the disclosures saying in a statement that she had "only ever followed her conscience". "My feelings made me do it! My head shook and it said "no" but my feelings nodded and they said "yes"! No, I donât use my head very much. No, I donât know why I was allowed to work there."
"No-one has suggested (nor could they), that any payment was sought or given for any alleged disclosures," she said in the statement released through her lawyers. Ms Gun claimed any alleged leaks exposed "serious illegality and wrongdoing on the part of the US Government" and were designed to prevent "wide-scale death and casualties among ordinary Iraqi people and UK forces". No "widespread death" in Iraq under Saddam, then...
A spokesman for the Governmentâs communications headquarters at Cheltenham confirmed Ms Gun had worked for the organisation but said it "was a matter for the Metropolitan Police" who charged her. A spokesman for Liberty claimed the case was likely to put the legality of the whole war on Iraq on trial. Or maybe itâll just be one traitorous moron?
#1
Oops, forgot to remove the BBC scare quotes. I'm sure there's a suitable punchline answer to the question "how many BBC reporters does it take to recognise a leek?"...
#2
Souonds like someone needs a little time out. How about 10 years in prison. Do they have a nasty womens prison in UK for ther Bulldog? If not we have one here in California.
#3
Was this the memo with the Anglicized spellings?
Does Britain still have the death penalty for treason?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 14:56 Comments ||
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I remember reading history where a US Secretary of State tried to shut down all diplomatic and military decyphering of encrypted diplomatic transmissions because "Gentlemen don't read other gentlemen's mail". Even with the reduced capacity secretly left in place by the Navy, we were surprised at Pearl Harbor. Twits like this who have such high 'moral standards' usually unwittingly perpetuate similar consequences. How many people have to die because of their misplaced moral outrage? Lock her in the lowest dungeon of the Tower of London and turn off the sump pump.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 20:42 Comments ||
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Make her move to Iraq and identify thr bodies of all women and chidren in mass graves. Good work for a woman of conscience.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:43 Comments ||
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An e-mail blunder has resulted in a Cumbrian hairdresser receiving top secret messages meant for an MP. Ronnie Campbell, who runs the Kutting Krew Salon in Barrow-in-Furness, described some of the content - apparently sent from the House of Commons - as "frightening". The mail appears to have been meant for the Labour MP for Blyth Valley in Northumberland, who is also called Ronnie Campbell. Mr Campbell received information on Iraq policy and an advance copy of Tony Blairâs conference speech. He said he had informed officials of the mix up. "Iâm just a hairdresser but I could have been a terrorist, thatâs the worrying thing," he said. "I deleted them as fast as I could, but they came on my computer with my name on, so I opened them." As they say in the IT business, "Oops!"
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 8:41:03 AM ||
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Top secret info in an unencrypted email? Not a good idea even if it was addressed correctly...
#3
Top Secret data doesn't go by e-mail. That's nuts. Of course, we ARE talking about the UK Parliament, so I guess anything is possible. Incredibly stupid, but possible.
Had they used PGP, they wouldn't have had much reason to worry even if twenty different Ronnie Campbells aside from the intended recipient received the message.
From Geostragegy-Direct. Another milestone on the road to Frogistanâs Illusions of Grandeur....
The French government is pushing ahead with plans to create a military staff independent of NATO that could be used outside of the American-led alliance. French Gen. Bernard Thorette, army chief of staff and Gen. Richard Wolsztynski, the air force chief of staff, notified the French National Assemblyâs Defense Committee last week of the command structure. France wants the independent force structure because of growing anti-Americanism in that country. French forces recently completed an air-based military exercise called Opera 03 that tested a command structure adapted to mobilizing national forces of allied nations. The exercise used a cellular structure to conduct 200 air sorties. Wolsztynski told Le Monde that the French forces aim to establish an operational air staff by 2005 that can do the same planning and coordination as do NATO commands in Germany and Italy. The goal is to develop the capability for France to conduct 600 air sorties per day outside of the NATO structure. France could then claim "leader nation" status so it can plan and carry out allied inter-service action on behalf of the European Union, without NATO and, particularly, U.S. support. France also wants to run a NATO Response Force of some 21,000 troops that can be mobilized within five days for out of area operations. France has detailed eight Mirage jets, an AWACs aircraft, a tanker and electronic warfare jet for the force. I wonder if they will have backups for these systems, esp. AWACs or if the AWACs system is down, will they be dead in the water?
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/13/2003 4:47:37 PM ||
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Seafarious---LMAO! Thanks. Wonder how the DeGaulle is doing these days. Join the French Navy and see Toulons...always got a kick out of that Rantburg comment!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/13/2003 17:18 Comments ||
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Seems like it would've been easier all around if the Frogicrats had stayed out of NATO in the first damn place...
#4
IIRC, France pulled out of NATO once via DeGaulle. I wouldn't want to have my life dependent upon the whims of the French command. I guess that the French leadership will just sail on until they drop off the edge of the earth on their own accord.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/13/2003 17:49 Comments ||
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#5
I don't think they can afford the $$$ for this.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/13/2003 17:49 Comments ||
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#6
That's rich. They want to play super power, but they've got to use others' hardware to do so. AP is right...this thing was still-born.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
11/13/2003 18:01 Comments ||
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Caddy Shack.
The CVN Reagan comes to see the yacht club at Brest.
#8
What are they going to move that 20k troops with? We supply all the airlift capabilities to NATO. Are they going to call Uncle Sam for a lift when they decide to take over the diamond mines in Africa?
#9
Smart of French to plan ahead-if you have a plan and others don't,guess who takes charge.
Then,again,it would be interesting to compare French planning for large sortie rate w/Nato warplans and experience Nato had in Bosnia.
Still kind of sad when you think about it.To maintain 600 sorties/day would require commitment of most of Western Europe's Air Forces.The only aerial refuelers are a couple of dozen KC-135s and about same British converted bombers.So the force isn't going to do any loitering waiting for weapons clearance,it isn't going to go too far to bomb anyone,and it has to have prepared airbases-as there are no expeditionary units equiped to refurbish and stock foreign airfields.Without massive spending increases(and I agree with Yosemite Sam)the only targets within reach would have to be in Europe.
To get a 600/day sortie rate would require a massive Euro effort.In that same 24hr. period the US could easily launch over 600 cruise missiles.US carrier based aviation on its own could launch 600 sorties/day for a while.The US has a choice of proven options for attacking a heavily defended dug-in target;Europe has the option of launching a massive raid and risk heavy losses to do so.
Will Europe spend the money to develope the ability to project power outside of its heartland like the US has?I for one am doubtful.
Posted by: Stephen ||
11/13/2003 18:32 Comments ||
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#10
Of course, France would never use military force without the explicit approval of the United Nations Security Council. And the US Ambassador is gonna hit the "veto" button faster than a Jeopardy contestant.
Posted by: Matt ||
11/13/2003 18:43 Comments ||
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#11
I thought France participated only in the non-military portions of NATO. I'm a little fuzzy on what the non-military portions of a defense treaty oraganization could be.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 19:47 Comments ||
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#12
what the non-military portions of a defense treaty oraganization could be.
#13
Hmmm ... re: airlift capacity, isn't there a French / German consortium working on a cargo plane roughly equivalent to the C-130?
Dassault makes rather good jet fighters. It's not out of the realm of possiblity that France + Germany could deploy real airlift capability in a few years, so maneuvering to create support and a command structure to use them isn't a ludicrous move.
The real issue will be getting everyone else to pay the French to make them (& make a profit off of them).
I think they're dead serious about wanting to oppose the US permanently. Whether they will muster the political will and the money is an open question, but if they are trending towards Sharia in the near future, I don't write off that possibility one bit.
#14
Lemme see here, now... The French want to be able to reach the point where they can launch 600 sorties a day.
A US combat wing has approximately 80 combat aircraft, of which 70 or so are expected to be combat-ready at any time. That number closely matches a carrier air group in number. We have some thirty tactical combat wings, and eight to ten DEPLOYED carrier air groups. We routinely practice "surges", which means a maximum number of aircraft in the air for a maximum number of sorties. I remember one exercise at Shaw, involving five wings, that flew 540 combat training sorties in 22 hours, including aerial refueling of every aircraft. During the Vietnam War, carrier aircraft routinely flew two or three missions per day, day after day, for months at a time. The French hope to be able to reach that level in two years.
First, I don't think the French have, or have control of, the 200+ combat aircraft it would take to accomplish what they plan. Their "carrier task force" is a worldwide joke. They have virtually NO air refueling capacity, which means their strike radius is limited to approximately 1000 kilometers - half the maximum range of their Mirage V fighter-bombers (unless they don't plan for them to come home, which would extend their maximum range to almost 2000 kilometers).
There's quite a bit more to sustaining a sortie rate of 600 per day than just getting aircraft airborne. Yes, an AWACS can help, but even that isn't going to be enough. The command and control network (not just an isolated point), the intelligence capability (where those sorties are to be used), and secure communications are just a small portion of what they'll have to develop.
If France wants to build a military capable of confronting the United States, or of usurping NATO roles, it's going to take more than a few more fighters, some command structure, and planning. It' also going to take more than two years to get it all together. I don't think the French economy, or the French attention span, can withstand what it takes to reach that goal.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 21:28 Comments ||
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EFL:
Out with the European Union! In with the Franco-German Union? That was the gist of a series of articles in the Thursday edition of Le Monde claiming that France and Germany are "studying a project of unity." The newspaper said that Paris and Berlin were emboldened by their collective opposition to the war in Iraq and were fearful of losing influence once the European Union admits 10 new members next May. Afraid they wonât listen to their betters and shut up.
"If a Europe of 25 fails, what will be left for France?" Le Monde quoted Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the French prime minister, as saying in reference to the enlarged European Union. His answer, according to the paper, was the "the Franco-German rapprochement." Le Monde said that Pascal Lamy of France, the trade commissioner at the European Commission, would like to see a "bund," or alliance, that would allow France and Germany to fuse their militaries and diplomatic corps and to share Franceâs seat at the United Nations Security Council. "The Franco-German Bund", that has a nice historic ring to it.
The paper quoted Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, as saying that a rapprochement with Germany was the "only gamble that we cannot lose." The articles relied almost entirely on the views of French officials, although at one point a German academic was quoted as saying that the German defense and foreign ministries could have problems with the idea. "Weâd like it to read "The German-franco Bund", please."
Le Monde pointed out - and analysts in Brussels agreed - that talk of a Franco-German union is partly a negotiating tactic to influence deadlocked discussions on the final text of the European Constitution. France, Germany and several other countries are trying to push through the draft constitution with only minor changes but are meeting strong resistance from countries like Spain and Poland, which object to a revamped voting system. Britain and some Eastern European newcomers to the EU are also resisting moves to extend cooperation into areas like defense, taxation and foreign policy. "Weâd prefer to remain soverign nations"
By threatening to focus more closely on their own union, France and Germany are sending a message to the newcomers about what they see as their core role as the original founders of the European Union. "We were here first, we get to make the rules and be in charge!"
France and Germany share some diplomatic posts, have regular exchanges within their ministries and occasionally have joint cabinet meetings. But they have trouble agreeing on certain issues, among them Franceâs nuclear program. Iâm sure there are more than a few european nations that would also have a problem with the Germans getting anywhere near the French nukes. They remember history all too well.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 11:17:05 AM ||
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#1
Aw, we don't need those guys. We can start our own club! We can have mapes and secret codes, and that dumb Belgium can't join! Nyah!
#3
Iâm sure there are more than a few european nations that would also have a problem with the Germans getting anywhere near the French nukes. They remember history all too well.
So do I. Germany almost had the Atomic bomb first, but several factors prevented them from attaining it. To think that Germany would get Nuclear Warheads is a frightening thought.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 11:48 Comments ||
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#4
BH: rest assured that the Belgian poodles will be yapping to join the Bund.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 11:54 Comments ||
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#5
Germany has made several tries at having influence / control of nuclear weapons developed by other nations ... France and UK, primarily, but also through NATO of US weapons. (Anybody remember Multilateral Force debates?)
They've also signed the non-proliferation treaty, IIRC, which means this is their only approach to having them, unless they were willing to repudiate that agreement. They haven't given up getting them and will keep trying, I think, while also looking down on countries that openly develop them (c.f. the US).
#6
Anytime someone talks about the Germans having anything to do with nukes, even peripherally, Tom Lehrer's song from the 1960's pops into my head.
MLF [Multilateral Force] Lullaby:
Sleep, baby, sleep, in peace may you slumber,
No danger lurks, your sleep to encumber.
We've got the missiles, peace to determine,
And one of the fingers on the button will be German.
Why shouldn't they have nuclear warheads?
England says no, but they all are soreheads.
I say a bygone should be a bygone,
Let's make peace the way we did in Stanleyville and Saigon.
Once all the Germans were warlike and mean,
But that couldn't happen again.
We taught them a lesson in 1918
And they've hardly bothered us since then.
So, sleep well, my darling, the sandman can linger.
We know our buddies won't give us the finger.
Heil - hail - the Wehrmacht, I mean the Bundeswehr,
Hail to our loyal ally!
M L F
Will scare Brezhnev. [Soviet leader at the time]
I hope he is half as scared as I!
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Too bad the French don't realize that.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/13/2003 12:32 Comments ||
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#7
Re: german influence over French nukes
Does anyone here really think the Germans would be less responsible than the French? I dont.
Re: whats going on - the EU superstate project has always largely been, for France, a way to harnass German economic might to French political interests. If the EU doesnt function that way, their logical alternative is a bilateral combination - since they dont have the economic strenght on their own to challenge the "hyperpower". OTOH from the German point of view, the EU project was a chance to extend influence and economic ties to the East, without the resistance that an expanion of purely German power eastward would bring. A franco-german combo doesnt accomplish that, and so would seem to have little to offer the Germans.
#9
"Iâm sure there are more than a few european nations that would also have a problem with the Germans getting anywhere near the French nukes."
AFAIK, it's only the *British* tabloids that harbour this kind of nationalistic xenophobia towards the Germans. In the rest of the continent, it's evil ideologies that we are primarily scared of, not evil ethnic groups. E.g. remember the reaction about Heider?
"They remember history all too well. "
Oh, better than you do, I wager. They remember what it means to demonize a whole people, for example.
"To think that Germany would get Nuclear Warheads is a frightening thought."
Scarier than Russia and China possessing them? Scarier than Pakistan and India possessing them?
Obsessed about WW2, much?
Do you think that Japan possessing nukes would also be a scary thought? And if not, why?
#11
In the rest of the continent, it's evil ideologies that we are primarily scared of, not evil ethnic groups.
Really? I suggest you go back and consult a recent poll on who Europeans view as the biggest threats to world peace.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 15:00 Comments ||
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#12
haha good one Robert (again).
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 15:06 Comments ||
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#13
Robert, you beat me to it! :) The Europeans prove over and over again that they can't help but judge people by ethnicity. To say otherwise is ridiculous as this truth is made abundantly clear through their words, their polls and their actions.
#16
Robert> If you are referring to Israel, then a couple years back that might very well have been "Bosnia". Or "Yugoslavia" in general. Would that mean European were demonizing the Slavs?
What country's situation causes a greater threat to world peace? Israel is currently in war with the Palestinians, is in danger of war with Syria and Lebanon, and if Saudi Arabia goes Islamic will be in danger of war with that one as well.
That doesn't mean Israel wouldn't be on the *right side* in these wars. It would indeed be on the right, given how much more horrible its opponents and potential opponents are.
But people who don't see the situation of Israel as a risk to world peace are frankly deluding themselves.
#17
Actually I'm curious... The Greeks saw the Israelis as the big threat... where did Turkey end up on the list? Wasn't that long ago that yawl were rumbling.
#20
The problem with saying that 'Israel is the biggest threat to world peace' is that it implies that Israel is in the wrong. Putting the lie to your statement Aris. Now if the Euroweenies had said 'the Israeli-Palestine issue is the biggest threat' it would be different. But then again, most here know that the Eurotrash don't think Israel has a right to exist.
#21
First the nukes... they seem to concern you most. Well, my friends the only ones who should be afraid of Germans possessing nukes are... the nukes! Germany never wanted nukes, a majority doesn't even want nuclear power plants.
Excuse me, what do we need nukes for? To scare the hell out of... Liechtenstein? This is all nonsense and I can't remember a serious discussion with people in Germany wanting to have nukes. Not even the French ones. We'd just try to abolish them.
L'union franco-allemande... well that "dream" sems to be rather confined to the chancellors entourage. Remember he had a French consultant, Brigitte Sauzay (a Mitterand confidente), who died two days ago. There has certainly been a rapprochement due to the joint opposition to the Iraq war, but the French and German systems are still quite incompatible... gaullist centralism versus German federalism. What we share is bureaucracy and a lame economy (we're at least trying to do something about that now).
That said, Germany needs to be integrated firmly into a European Union coming closer together... reading Charles I see that the "old fears" of an independent strong Germany are not likely to go away anytime soon. So if a Europe of 25 states fails (or degenerates into a loose association of states minding their own business), Germany will need to look to alternatives... one could certainly be a "core Europe" (the original European Community minus Italy) plus strengthened ties to Eastern Europe and Russia on the backburner.
The political class in Germany still is very "atlantic" and once we put the current irritations with the U.S. to rest, Germany will probably try to reassume its role as a transatlantic mediator with the U.S. on one side and France (plus Eastern Europe) on the other.
The conservative powers (bound to return very soon) will not jeopardize 50 years of close ties to the United States. Germany remains by large the most "americanized" country of Europe. Not many people speak French here.
As for that "Israel as biggest threat to world peace"... I think that poll was fundamentally flawed. I am rather sure that people were thinking about the Israel-Palestine conflict as the biggest threat, not the state of Israel (or the Jews). And nobody could possibily deny that this conflict IS a threat to world peace. We're not discussing whose fault that is here.
#22
Sorry,but every time I see an article on French-German(f before g in English alphabet),I immediately am reminded of Larry Bond's CAULDRON.
Posted by: Stephen ||
11/13/2003 17:42 Comments ||
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#23
True German Ally, I think you are probably right, the Germans would agitate until the French finally got rid of their nukes. They would like to share the Security Council seat (and I don't blame them).
What confuses me is all this talk about what if the Europe of 25 fails. Well then you have a Europe of 20, or 15, or however many get along. That might end up being just Germany France and Benilux. Trying to set up a backup plan (a) sabotages the original plan somewhat by showing no confidence (b) presupposes that the French and whomever the backup plan was made with aren't the cause of the breakup in the first place.
I'm really interested to see how the Central thinking France-first French are going to get along with the rest of Europe. I don't see a whole lot of happy politics going on.
#25
Does anyone remember an episode of "Star Trek - The Next Generation" in which was mentioned a nuclear war during the mid-21st century involving something called "the European Hegemony"?
Posted by: Jeff ||
11/14/2003 0:15 Comments ||
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I keep saying the Turks aren't foolish...
Turkey has deemed Iran as a leading military threat and a key element in Ankara's defense procurement policy. Turkish officials said the classification was determined in a review by the Turkish General Staff and Defense Ministry in planning defense procurement for 2004. The officials said the policy would seek to increase Turkish capabilities in air and missile defense as well as airborne surveillance.
Better concentrate on special ops, too...
Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul outlined Turkey's defense policy in an address to parliament's Budget Committee. Gonul told the panel on Tuesday that Iran has become a threat to Turkey. The minister cited Iran's efforts to export what he termed the Islamic revolution to such countries as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Gonul said Iran has tried to undermine Turkey's efforts to improve relations with the two Central Asian states.
Iran sees itself as the preeminent power in Central Asia on historical grounds, dating from when they used to fight it out with the Romans and the Byzantines over who got to control Armenia and Georgia. But a good part of Central Asia is Turkic-speaking, with a shared culture. A major power of the later 21st century could very well be a "Greater Turkestan".
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:30 ||
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Good morning Fred,
"Greater Turkestan", nobody believes in these kind of utopic theories in central asia believe me, in fact some of the Turkic states have disputes among each other like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, but an economic zone similar to the EU would be nice. Nowadays the main effort in the Turkic states is the standardising of the language and alphabet in a sort of common Turkish language like the use of common English. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have adopted the Latin alphabet already and abandoned the Russian Cyrillic. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are working to it. And the language standardising is paying of pretty well, in a personal equation I can say with the Turkish language spoken in Turkey one can understand 90% of the Azerbaijani Turkish, 60% of the Turkmenistan Turkish, 45% of the Uzbekistan Turkish and about 10% of the Kazakh and Kyrgyz Turkish (same for the Uighur Turkish in western China).
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 2:49 Comments ||
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#2
Murat, I don't suppose you could tell us what you think about the HEADLINE. All you did was post about two sentences that Fred wrote. Lets not blow 29 words out of context, ok?
I personnaly think this isn't a huge change. Turkey has always known Iran was a threat to them, I believe. It's just that the government there has acknowledged the threat.
Then again, Turkey could be doing this to regain favor with the US. We, as the whole world knows, fear the Mullahs getting Nuclear Arms. Ankara might be using this as a 'second chance' after his government screwed our war plans up in Iraq. The clever thing about this is, while they're supporting the US by declaring Iran a threat, they haven't said they agree with us. Only that they consider Iran a threat. This way they won't alienate the countries Muslim population.
Turkey itself could fall into the ocean, but Ankara is smart enough to build a boat before it does.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 4:25 Comments ||
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#3
Charles, every army has to focus on priorities, if this priority is defence than one looks at what the theoretical biggest threat could be, in case of Turkey the biggest threat could be the instability in neighbouring countries. The threat definition is very simple, Iran has from Turkeyâs neighbours the most powerful army and it is naturally the biggest theoretical threat.
To be short this threat definition has nothing to do with supporting the US or nuclear arms whatsoever. It is merely a zero line for the Turkish army capability requirement, the army must be capable of defeating the main threat. How else could one determine a defense procurement policy if one does not determine the threat and minimum capabilities an army should fullfil to.
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 6:03 Comments ||
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Doesn't matter if you believe in them or not. Note that I said the later 21st century, not any time soon. Economic coooperation's the first step, but that will lead to more integration of diverging cultures, with some sort of confederation or even federation further down the road. It's as natural as the affinity between Britain and the U.S., though I'd guess it will end up being more like the affinity of the Scandinavian countries. "Greater Turkestan" has the long-term (not immediate) potential to rival the EU â lots of fertile land, natural resources, an infusion from a foreign culture (the Russers) to stimulate intellectual activity. Judging from the Uzbeks I've met, they even have a sense of humor, or at least some do. Right now they're in the "new nation" mode, and if they go the hereditary president route like the Azeris are trying to do or the cult of personality route like Turkmenbashi's got going they'll remain stuck in the rut. Likewise if they stick too long with the iron fist routine than Karimov leans toward. But I think they'll grow out of it. The greater danger is Islamism, not because I'm anti-Muslim (at least for other than esthetic reasons) but because it suffocates intellectual inquiry.
Iran's opportunities for expansion are much more limited â parts of Afghanistan, perhaps part of Pak Balochistan, a nibble here and there on the Caspian states. Culturally, they've grown to their limits and the people on the other sides of the borders are foreigners, not cousins.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/13/2003 10:21 Comments ||
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#6
"Culturally, they've grown to their limits and the people on the other sides of the borders are foreigners, not cousins. "
Not necessarily.
Depends on how they play the mix of religion and language, culture, etc.
One of the 2 major languages of Afghanistan, Dari, spoken by almost all non-Pashtun Afghans, is, IIUC virtually a dialect of Parsi. Of course most Dari speakers are Sunnis, not Shia.
also while most central asians speak turkic languages, theres a strong tradition of Persian cultural influence, with Persian as the language of high culture. IIUC the dominant language in Uzbekistan is related to Persian, not Turkish.
There is a persian influence on Urdu, the language of traditional high culture in Pakistan, and a tradition of cultural influence from Persian on Indo-pak muslims going back to the Mogul era.
The Kurds speak a language related to Persian, though theyre Sunnis.
And of course the majority of Iraqis, many gulfies, and a large minority of Saudis are Shia - though they are Arab speakers.
Even look at the Armenian-Azerbaijani situation. Turkey sides with Azer, Russian sides with Armenia - but Iran has sided with the Christian Armenians over the Shia muslim Azeris - why? Armenians speak an Indo-european language distantly related to Persian, while Azeris are Turkic speakers.
IF- VERY big IF - Iran could unite ALL areas of strong Persian cultural influence, AND all nearby areas where their variety of Shia Islam dominate, they could have an empire from Lebanon to Pakistan, from Bahrain to deep in Central Asia.
OTOH if they can dominate ONLY where BOTH persian language is dominant AND Shia Islam is dominant, then they have reached their limits.
My expectation is that while the former is impossible, they can certainly reach beyond the latter.
#7
Fred,
Affinity like in the Scandinavian countries and âGreater Turkestan" is a quite different thing Fred. The greatest likelihood would be a Turkey and Azerbaijan merge because they where both part of the Ottoman empire once but even that looks nowadays almost utopia. An economic-political close cooperation even a kind of defence pact is more feasible. The case of Turkmenbashi (the nutcase) and Karimov as youâve pointed out is a story on itself. I donât believe there is a danger of (radical) Islamism, not in the Turkic world at least, in Tajikistan (Persian) maybe.
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 11:32 Comments ||
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#8
IIUC the dominant language in Uzbekistan is related to Persian, not Turkish.
Have you ever spoken with an Uzbek Libby? I have and it is definitely Turkish though strongly influenced by the Russian language.
but Iran has sided with the Christian Armenians over the Shia muslim Azeris - why? Armenians speak an Indo-european language distantly related to Persian, while Azeris are Turkic speakers.
That is not because of relation to persian, but because Iran fears Azerbaijan. The population of Iran is 20% Azeri, a strong Azerbaijan could lead to secession of Southern Azerbaijan that belongs to Iran nowadays. So siding with Armenia is more a matter of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 11:39 Comments ||
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#9
LH - I think that's Tadjikistan you're thinking of. Uzbek is Turkic.
Iran also has an historical relationship with Armenia as its sometimes suzerain, dating back to Cyrus, if I recall correctly. Habits that old will die hard...
Posted by: Fred ||
11/13/2003 12:49 Comments ||
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#10
yup, i may be confusing uzbek with Tadjik. though i do seem to recall the notion that Uzbekistan had inherited the cities that historically were centers of Persian culture.
Re Iranian support for Armenia. Well maybe theres a realpolitik component. OTOH it is striking that Russia and Iran and Armenia vs Turkey and Azerbaijan looks like a breakdown on linguistic lines. Certainly much more than a breakdown on religious lines a la Huntington.
#11
Check out this map - http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/iran_peoples_82.jpg - of ethnic groups in the middle east. There is a very large area either side of the IRAN/Turkey border where Persians/Turks are a small minority in the respective countries. As long as ethnic groups have national aspirations, this will be an area of instability.
#12
That is not because of relation to persian, but because Iran fears Azerbaijan. The population of Iran is 20% Azeri, a strong Azerbaijan could lead to secession of Southern Azerbaijan that belongs to Iran nowadays. So siding with Armenia is more a matter of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Iran fears Azerbaijan? Long term maybe, but I doubt Aliev's fiefdom gives the akhunds sleepless nights at the moment. AFAIK Azerbaijan's attempts to whip up secessionist sentiment in the Azeri parts of Iran flopped completely, the Azeri army were thrashed by the Armenians in the Nagorny-Karabakh war (well if the Armenians can beat them...) & while Azerbaijan is ruled by the pretty unpopular playboy son of a former KGB officer/Brezhevite courtier politburu member (courtesy of some rigged elections) I'd guess young Aliev will be more concerned with squishing his (many) internal enemies than with picking fights with much larger & more powerful countries.
Posted by: Dave ||
11/13/2003 18:26 Comments ||
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Damn this man to hell. Iâm so angry I canât even fisk him well. Fred, can you do the honors?
[snipped. Did it yesterday...] Forgot the rebuilding of the schools, the hospitals, the power grid, the roads, the sewers, the water pipes, the police forces, the fire fighters, the doctors and nurses, and on and on. According to Ted America is pure evil, canât do anything good at all in the world.
To victory! Is there anyone in the US who combines this degree of cluelessness, mendacity and evil as Ted Rall? Besides Chomsky, I mean.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 2:30:40 PM ||
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Yeah, Chomsky. But I heard he had some artistic talent.
Itâs lucky for George W. Bush that he wasnât born in an earlier time and somehow stumbled into Americaâs Constitutional Convention. A man with his views, so depreciative of democratic rule, would have certainly been quickly exiled from the freshly liberated United States by the gaggle of incensed Founders. So muses one of our most controversial social critics and prolific writers, Gore Vidal. This never ceases to amaze me. Full-bloomed Socialists singing the praises of Americaâs founders. Perhaps they do believe, with General Clark, that "America was founded on the principle of progressive taxation." Oh, they praise George Orwell too.
Vidal undoubtedly had current pols like Bush and Ashcroft in mind when he wrote his latest book, his third in two years. Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson takes us deep into the psyches of the patriotic trio. And even with all of their human foibles on display â vanity, ambition, hubris, envy and insecurity â their shared and profoundly rooted commitment to building the first democratic nation on Earth comes straight to the fore. The book is then based on a false historical premise; Washington, Adams, even Jefferson, were committed to creating a Republic, not a "Democracy."
Q. Your book revisits the debate between the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Hamiltonian Federalists, which at the time were effectively young Americaâs two parties. More than 200 years later, do we still see any strands, any threads of continuity in our current body politic? A. Just traces. But mostly we find the sort of corruption Franklin predicted. Ours is a totally corrupt society. The presidency is for sale. Whoever raises the most money to buy TV time will probably be the next president. This is corruption on a major scale.[...] Folks like Vidal could not recognize a truly corrupt society if it took their wealth away. Q. So if George W. Bush or John Ashcroft had been around in the early days of the republic, they would have been indicted and then hanged by the Founders? A. No. It would have been better and worse. [Laughs.] Bush and Ashcroft would have been considered so disreputable as to not belong in this country at all. They might be invited to go down to Bolivia or Paraguay and take part in the military administration of some Spanish colony, where they would feel so much more at home. They would not be called Americans â most Americans would not think of them as citizens. Mr. Vidalâs fantasies speak more than he thinks. If people like him ever gain power the rest of us would be shot, or intimidated. We would be "disresputable." We wouldnât be citizens at all. Q. Speaking of elections, is George W. Bush going to be re-elected next year? A. No. At least if there is a fair election, an election that is not electronic. That would be dangerous. We donât want an election without a paper trail. The makers of the voting machines say no one can look inside of them, because they would reveal trade secrets. What secrets? Isnât their job to count votes? Or do they get secret messages from Mars? Is the cure for cancer inside the machines? I mean, come on. And all three owners of the companies who make these machines are donors to the Bush administration. Is this not corruption?
So Bush will probably win if the country is covered with these balloting machines. He canât lose. Oh, this is precious. If Bush wins and electronic machines are in use, it is a fraud. If Bush wins, and paper ballots are in use, the Republicans intimidated the black vote! Q. Is Bush the worst president weâve ever had? A. Well, nobody has ever wrecked the Bill of Rights as he has. Other presidents have dodged around it, but no president before this one has so put the Bill of Rights at risk. No one has proposed preemptive war before. And two countries in a row that have done no harm to us have been bombed. So,not only Iraq, but Afghanistan, did NOTHING to us. Q. How do you think the current war in Iraq is going to play out? A. I think we will go down the tubes right with it. With each action Bush ever more enrages the Muslims. And there are a billion of them. And sooner or later they will have a Saladin who will pull them together, and they will come after us. And it wonât be pretty. This moral imbecile salivates at the thought of our destruction, and enjoys the fantasy of an Islamist World.... Our intellectuals ladies and gentlemen.
#2
"Whoever raises the most money to buy TV time will probably be the next president...."
All-right!!!!
Posted by: Matt ||
11/13/2003 14:12 Comments ||
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#3
Does that mean Procter & Gamble will be the next president?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 14:18 Comments ||
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#4
Why isn't Gore in one of the labor-corrective concentration camps that Mr. Ashcroft set up in Idaho?
Oh right, there aren't any.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 14:33 Comments ||
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#5
"Well, nobody has ever wrecked the Bill of Rights as he has."
-Yeah, I feel my civil rights have been just so violated against.......Tell the lie often enough it becomes truth. Maybe some foreign immigrants who are not formal citizens have been talked to but I know of not one American cititzen who has had their rights trampled on by the "evil Bush". I know someone will probably try to tell me: "oh yeah dude, I know a guy who knows a guy whose brother's girlfriend's aunt was thrown in jail for saying Bush sucks, - I swear bro." So it goes.
#6
Well, nobody has ever wrecked the Bill of Rights as he has.
For heavens sake... he's just published a book on the first years of the country, and isn't even aware of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 (signed into law by John Adams). If the Sedition Act were still in effect, Vidal would have been in trouble, for it made it a crime to utter or publish anything with the intent of defaming the government, Congress, or the President. The penalty was two years in jale and/or a $2000 fine. (link: The Avalon Project, Yale Law School)
#7
Saladin was a victorious commander primarily due to the ineptness of his opponents. Europeans insisted in trying to fight a European campaign in Middle Eastern geography. He, however, could be beaten, or forced into a treaty.
BIOGRAPHY
1138: Born in Tikrit in Iraq as son of the Kurdish chief Ayyub.
1152: Starts to work in the service of the Syrian ruler, Nureddin.
1164: He starts to show his military and strategical qualities under 3 campaigns against the Crusaders who were established in Palestine, with the first campaign this year.
1169: Saladin serves as second to the commander in chief of the Syrian army, his uncle Shirkuh. Shirkuh became vizier of Egypt, but died after only 2 months. Saladin then took over as vizier. Despite the nominal limitations to the vizier position, Saladin took little regard to the interests of his superiors, the Fatimid rulers. He turned Cairo into an Ayyubid power base, where he used Kurds in leading positions.
1171: Saladin suppresses the Fatimid rulers of Egypt in 1171, whereupon he unites Egypt with the Abbasid Caliphate. But was not as eager as Nureddin to go to war against the Crusaders, and relations between him and Nureddin became very difficult.
1174: Nureddin dies, and Saladin uses the opportunity to extend his power base.
â Conquers Damascus.
1175: The Syrian Assassin leader Rashideddin's men made two attempts on the life of Saladin, the leader of the Ayyubids. The second time, the Assassin came so close that wounds were infliceted upon Saladin.
1176: Saladin besieges the fortress of Masyaf, the stronghold of Rashideddin. After some weeks, Saladin suddenly withdraws, and leaves the Assassins in peace for the rest of his life. It is believed that he was exposed to a threat of having his entire family murdered.
1183: Conquers the important north-Syrian city of Aleppo.
1186: Conquers Mosul in northern Iraq.
1187: With his new strength he attacks the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, and after 3 months of fighting he gets control over the city.
1189: A third Crusade manages to enlarge the coastal area of Palestine, while Jerusalem remains under Saladin's control.
1192: With The Peace of Ramla armistice agreement with King Richard 1 of England, the whole coast was defined as Christian land, while the city of Jerusalem remained under Muslim control.
1193 March 4: Dies in Damascus after a short illness.
Induhmedia; watch for BIAS!
On March 16, Rachel Corrie was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer trying to demolish the Gaza Strip home of a Palestinian doctor. Hey ProtestWarrior!
The death of Rachel Corrie, a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, sent shock waves among activists. An Israeli investigation concluded the driver of the bulldozer was not at fault. Since her death, Rachelâs parents, Maw and PawCraig and Cindy Corrie, have been in the public spotlight. They will be in Atlanta on Thursday. They spoke by phone this week with Journal-Constitution staffer Shelia M. Poole. Here are excerpts.
Q: After Rachelâs death, you and your husband became much more active in the Palestinian cause. Why? P. T. Barnum had the answer there. Cindy Corrie: We thought the situation was terribly tragic all of our lifetimes. But our understanding of it was very limited. We, as a family, certainly felt an allegiance to Israel and empathy with the Israeli people and Jewish people because of how they had suffered. Thatâs where our sympathies were. We really didnât start to fully understand the complexity of it all and the Palestinian piece of it until Rachel became involved. It also changed the way we looked at our media coverage of this, too.
Yes, it's often also made me do that, too. Also.
Watching CNN a few weekends before Rachel was killed, there was a suicide bombing. I remember Judy Woodruff talking about what a tragedy and how horrible it was. Just a week or so [before] I recalled hearing about two or three Palestinians who were killed. It was in the strip at the bottom of the screen. There were no photographs. No more information.
You mean killed by accident or on purpose? Y'see, there's a difference between becoming flying meat and taking a couple dozen people with you for the trip and accidentally hitting another person when you shoot at someone else. Now, admittedly, enough incidents of flying meat will make your caution level drop when it comes to a reluctance to hit innocent bystanders among the population the boomers originated from, but it's still not intentional unless you intentionally aim at them. Got that? I know. It's too complicated, and they're all dead in the end...
Q: Were you worried about Rachelâs safety? Craig: More so after she got there. In her e-mails, she talked about the Israeli military shooting in the buildings when they donât know whoâs [in] there. When she used to call us, she would say, "Did you hear that? Did you hear that?" It was machine gun fire from the Israeli tanks.
Normally, when troops are taking fire from a building they'll shoot into it without asking who's there. If the wimmin and kiddies come out, they'll usually hold their fire until they're safely out of the way, but if gunnies occupy your building and you're a woman or kiddy and don't come out, try to stay low...
Q: Do you want to meet the driver of the bulldozer that killed Rachel? Craig: At some point, maybe. . . . Weâre not looking for revenge. We donât know what happened. For Cindy and me, we have to take ownership that our tax dollars paid for that bulldozer to be there. We support the rights of Israeli citizens to live without fear but . . . we have to support the rights of the Palestinians to live without fear. "But the Jews need to live in fear." Q: What do you think it will take to bring both sides in step with the American-backed "road map"? Are you in favor of the road map? Craig: I think that we, the United States, have to understand that both Palestinians and Israelis deserve to live in peace and safety, to be able to determine their own futures. I think that means the United States has to have a more balanced view of whatâs going on in the Middle East. For peace to happen, Israel has to end the occupation.
Wonder why he didn't answer the question... Oh. I get it. He's not in favor of the road map, but he doesn't want to say so. Sometimes it takes me awhile to catch on. And sometimes not...
Q: You recently visited the West Bank and Gaza. Cindy: It was like walking into a new world. Certainly there are images that will stay with me. Itâs a world of checkpoints. Itâs a world where thereâs a very vivid military presence wherever you go.
It's a world where people explode without warning. It's a world where people with ski masks parade through the streets having gun sex and screeching for Dire Revengeâ¢...
Q: You went to Rafah, where she died. Craig: The house she was in front of when she was killed was at the end of a street. Now all the houses have been destroyed. . . . Itâs just sand and you see some razor wire. We were having lunch [with a Palestinian couple Rachel often stayed with]. We looked out the front door and about 30 meters in front of us was an armored personnel carrier with a machine gun trained on the door. . . . There was a military bulldozer coming right toward the house.
Bet he thought it was driven by my friend D.J. Wu...
Q: Do you keep in contact with the families of others wounded or killed in that and other conflicts? What comfort do you get? Cindy: I think, particularly, these families [of International Solidarity Movement volunteers] can really understand being in the middle of an international event. It gives me great comfort to see Brian Avery [a volunteer shot by the Israeli military who is recovering in North Carolina] because he knew Rachel. Itâs also been comforting to me to meet with other activists who have been there because they understand the situation.
Have a group hug...
Q: [Do] you feel that you will ever be able to reclaim your old life? Cindy: There are things I want to reclaim just to have the balance that I need. Iâm a musician and I play the flute. But I havenât played the flute since this happened.
Try the cello. That always seems to work.
Craig: There are a lot of other paths for our lives to take. This is something we need to do right now.
"Heil Haman!"
IF YOU GO
⢠What: "Remembering Rachel Corrie: One Womenâs Struggle for Tyranny and Genocide Peace and InJustice in Palestine."
⢠Who: Craig and Cindy Corrie, Rachelâs parents.
⢠Where: Druid Hills United Methodist Church, 1200 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E.
⢠When: 7 p.m. Thursday.
⢠Cost: Free. For more information, call 404-586-0460 or go to www.distanceeddesign.com/rachel/
Tell 'em Mahmoud sent you...
Posted by: Atrus ||
11/13/2003 10:37:27 AM ||
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Is that tonight??? AAARGGGHHHH! I'm going to have to miss it, I'm afraid. I promised my dog I'd take her for a walk, and I won't be back in time... Such a shame... She was such a lovely idiotarian... If only she had a brain larger than a walnut...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 11:40 Comments ||
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So ummm.... when will they interview the families of the victims of the boomers. You know the innocent civilians who were only trying to take a bus or enjoy an evening out.
At least they weren't a certified darwin contender stupid enough to stand in front of a D9 where the driver couldn't even SEE them....
EFL
NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said over the weekend that he agreed with political cartoonist Aaron McGruderâs characterization of National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as "a murderer."
These people are as crazy as the turbans, aren't they?
Appearing with Bond on the television show "Americaâs Black Forum," McGruder, whose cartoon strip "The Boondocks" has portrayed Rice as a spinster who takes out her personal frustrations by launching carpet-bombing attacks on Iraq, explained his disdain for the highest-ranking woman in U.S. government. "I donât like Condoleezza Rice because sheâs part of this oil cabal thatâs now in the White House," McGruder said, as ABF hosts Armstrong Williams and Juan Williams looked on. "I donât like her because sheâs a murderer," the cartoonist announced.
His lips were moving, words were coming out, they were making no sense...
The charged drew immediate condemnation from Armstrong Williams, who complained, "That is totally out of line to say sheâs a murderer."
"Mr. McGruder, your dipper's flipped..."
Unfazed, McGruder repeated the accusation, stretching out his words, "S-h-eâ-s a m-u-r-d-e-r-e-r."
"Ain't I outrageous? Huh huh."
"Letâs put aside the fact that sheâs affiliated with oil companies that murder people in Nigeria," the cartoonist said. "We can discuss just this illegal Iraq war, the slaughtering of innocent people and the fact that sheâs one of the big hawks of the administration. I donât see where this is even a point of contention."
"Certainly out here beyond the orbit of Uranus it's not."
At that point cohost Juan Williams asked Mr. Bond if he supported McGruderâs contention.
"How 'bout you, Julio? Are you nutz, too?"
"I generally agree with his politics 100 percent and I think he explained himself well," the NAACP chief said. I am at a loss for words.
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
11/13/2003 7:59:08 AM ||
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Absolutely unbelievable. Another example of the ignorance that leads the NAACP.
#2
What's suprising about this statement? If you are black and haven't sold your soal to the NAACP and their bosses in the Democratic party, you're concidered a "Uncle Tom". They feel the same way about Justice Thomas.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 8:29 Comments ||
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The only surprising thing is that these idiots get upset when you question their patriotism and/or devotion to a free society.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 8:33 Comments ||
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#4
If Julian Bond and Aaron MacGruder are against Condi, that is the best argument yet for making her our next vice president.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 9:24 Comments ||
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#5
thas right, my brothers. the democrats run a fahn plantation. y'all best not try to run off!
#6
Julian Bond is a crackpot of the highest order. McGruder isn't a cartoonist, he is a cartoon. Black America must be so proud.
Posted by: remote man ||
11/13/2003 12:22 Comments ||
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This is the kind of story that needs to get blasted out there. Of course, the Politburo Major News Networks aren't touching this one. I hope the panel on Hume's show don't let J. Williams get away with this. These kinds of whackos need to be marginalized as bad as the islamofascists do. Preferably with the same method.
#8
At some point the NAACP should lose their tax exempt status for such blatant failures to maintain their non-partisanship. Yeah it would create a shitstorm but it really should be done.
AKA Sellout
AKA An African-American who's done the job.
AKA A leading spokesman for Black America.
AKA An up and coming spokesman for Black America.
AKA A thinking American.
#11
Damn Yankee Crackers you don't understand Bond, Julian Bond 0074 AKA Sellout AKA An African-American who's done the job. AKA A leading spokesman for Black America. AKA An up and coming spokesman for Black America. AKA A thinking American.
I nominate this "fine upstanding merkin" to be our next ambassadore to Zim-bab-way.
On a one-way ticket...
He'd be a perfect fit with Bobby-boy.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 22:01 Comments ||
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Two Jaish-e-Mohammadhard boyz militants were among the four people banged killed and an army major was injured in separate incidents in the Valley. Four Hizbul Mujahideencannon fodder militants were also arrested since Tuesday, sources said on Wednesday. The most-wanted JeM militant Fareed Ahmad Chohandeparted the gene pool in haste was killed in an armed clash with a joint search party of BSF and Rashtriya Rifles at Ahlan-Gadool village in Anantnag district in South Kashmir on Tuesday night. The dearly departed deceased was involved in many militancy-related incidents in Kokernag and in August this year had escaped an Army raid, snuffing killing a senior counter-insurgent leader who was accompanying the search party. In another encounter, security forces killed a Pakistani krazed killer militant of JeM Nazir Ahmad Khan during house searches at Gadipora village in Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Wednesday morning. A surrendered turban militant was killed and an army officer injured in a powerful blast in Kupwara district early on Wednesday. Two top Hizbul gunnies militants were also jugged arrested on Tuesday.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
11/13/2003 6:24:51 AM ||
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Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali has ordered authorities to crack down on fashion shows because they are un-Islamic and give Pakistan a bad image, a local newspaper reported Wednesday.
Looking stoopid because you ban fashion shows, of course, doesn't give Pakland a bad image...
An interior ministry order dated October 25 directed hotels and officials to put an end to the gala parades that are a regular event at city hotels. âIt has been observed that different functions are organised under the garb of fashion shows at leading hotels of the provinces and federal capital, which militate against our national culture and Islamic values,â the order said. âSuch activities are not reflective either of our culture or heritage and subsequently paint the government in bad light. The prime minister has taken serious notice of such undesirable activities and has directed that the administration and hotel managements be issued strict instructions to avoid recurrence of such programs, which are not in consonance with Islamic values and norms of decency,â it added.
"We're so holy, we don't even look at women with their clothes on!"
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
11/13/2003 6:22:36 AM ||
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"Young men with gamy buttocks, now that's different..."
#2
So, do these misanthropes think that they will be unable to control their natural prediliction for rape, or are they just suffering from incredible teeny-weenie syndrome? Or possibly a little bit of both?
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri urged India to stop accusing Islamabad of aiding terrorist attacks in the disputed Kashmir region so that confidence-building measures between the South Asian nations can take hold. Kasuri said Tuesday that New Delhiâs repeated allegations that Pakistan funds cross-border terrorism in Indian-administered Kashmir prevent the two from moving ahead with substantive peace talks. âWe want to have friendly relationships with India,â the foreign minister said at a news conference. He criticized India for proposing confidence-building measures, then allowing the dispute over Kashmir to prevent implementation. âThis isnât how world leaders reach peace. To do that we must rise above these things,â Kasuri said.
How about you rise above funnelling terrorists into Kashmir? And pick up your lips.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:18 ||
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A married woman was stabbed to death by her cousins for âhonourâ in Hanjarwal police precincts here on Wednesday. The police duty officer said Razia (22), a resident of Amna Park, was married to his cousin Muhammad Ayub, which angered his other cousin Asgher Ali. He wanted to marry her himself.
But Muhammad was a first cousin, and Asgher was only a second cousin, so naturally Pop chose him...
Raziaâs father Muhammad Mushtaq told the police he and his three brothers were living in a joint family system. âI married Razia to my nephew Muhammad Ayub, the son of Muhammad Anwar. Asgher was not happy with her marriage and he kidnapped Razia on October 25, and took her to Multan. However, he sent her back to us after a punchayatâs decision,â said Mushtaq.
The brazen hussy! Being abducted like that!
The police officer reported Ayubâs brother Mahmood Ahmed and his cousin Munir Ahmed believed Razia was not kidnapped by Asgher and that she willingly went with him.
"Yeah! You wuz askin' for it, wudn't you? Admit it!"
On the day of occurrence, they came to Raziaâs home when her husband and father were on their jobs and argued with her. They became furious, stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife and fled. Raziaâs body was sent for autopsy and the police registered a case against the accused on the complaint of her father.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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I wonder what Judge Judy would make of this.
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 0:25 Comments ||
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the police registered a case against the accused on the complaint of her father.
At least her father cared to file a case. I would have thought he would just ignore the murder.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 0:47 Comments ||
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"stabbed her to death...and fled"
Why did they flee? If it was an "honor" killing, they should have stayed at the murder scene, basking in all the "honor".
These murderers are ignorant animals, and should be exterminated so they don't spread their disease.
Posted by: Uncle Joe ||
11/13/2003 1:03 Comments ||
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MULTAN: District and Sessions Court Judge Bahawalnagar Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Khokhar gave the death sentence and a fine of Rs50,000 to blasphemer Niaz Ahmed for making derogatory remarks about the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. The court official on Wednesday said that Mr Ahmed, 30, used objectionable words on July 30, 2003 in the presence of 12 people at a motel in Rab-Nawazpura Village when one man greeted all the persons present. Mr Ahmed did not respond to the greeting. Instead, he started making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
"Duh... I got a dozen witnesses here. I think I'll make derogatory remarks about the prophet..." Anybody get the idea the entire story's not being told? Or did the poor guy just reach the breaking point and holler: "I can't take any more of this Islamic crap!"?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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"All I said was Mohammed"
"Blasphemer! You're only making it worse for yourself"
"Making it worse?!? How could it be worse? Mohammed, Mohammed, Mohammed!"
Jamaat ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said on Wednesday Al Qaeda or Islamic militants were not responsible for Sundayâs suicide bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed at least 11 people.
"Nope. Nope. Wudn't them."
âIt is a Jewish and American conspiracy against the Mujahideen and Al Qaeda,â Mr Saeed said at an Iftar dinner arranged by the Lahore branch of the Jamaat ud Dawa at Aiwan-e-Iqbal. âAmerica wants to extend its stay in Saudi Arabia as its contract to hold Saudi airbases has expired,â he said.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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Much of the surprise was foiled, so their fantasy of another 911 bomb rocking the world and resulting in the overthrow of SA ended like a wet firecracker. Rather than shock and awe at their "brilliant military strategy", their impotence was laid bare for the Arab world to see. I think they are too embarassed to admit that their Mighty Army of God(TM) can do little more than pull off car bombs and blow up suicide bombers....any angry loser with funding can do that.
Associated Press. Edited slightly for length.
A Kansas soldier who was captured in Iraq with Jessica Lynch says he shot and killed members of an Iraqi mortar team as they were getting ready to launch an attack on his American colleagues. "They were going to shoot and kill me, or I was going to shoot and kill them," Pfc. Patrick Miller said in an interview broadcast Tuesday night on Kansas City television station KMBC-TV. "It was no in between, what if this, what if that. It was either me or them. And in my mind, it wasnât going to be me."
Miller, 23, of Valley Center, Kan., was with the Armyâs 507th Maintenance Company, which had 11 soldiers killed and six captured during an ambush in March. . . . [Miller] was driving a truck bound for Bagdhdad on March 23 when members of his his unit made a wrong turn and ended up under attack from Iraqi soldiers. His truck shot out, Miller scrambled for cover when he noticed an Iraqi truck that he thought he could take and use to get some of his comrades to safety. "If I got to the dump truck I was trying to steal, it mightâve been a whole different story," he said. But as he approached the truck, he saw the Iraqi mortar team set up beside it. Miller, who said he was at best an average shot during basic training, told KMBCâs Martin Augustine he hid behind a sand dune and started killing the Iraqi mortarmen one-by-one. Remember, this guy was not a combat infantrymanâjust a welder with basic weapons trainingâbut he was shooting like Sgt. York.
Miller, eventually captured and later released, subsequently was awarded the Silver Star for his actions, but said he was no hero, just a private first class. "I was doing what I volunteered to do," he said. After he and his fellow soldiers were set free, there were stories of Miller pestering the Iraqi guards by constantly singing a pro-American song, and by giving them chewing tobacco that he said was candy in hopes of making them sick. I like the attitude.
"Itâs small victories that keep your hope up," Miller said. "You got to have small victories when youâre in a situation like that."
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 4:17:20 PM ||
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This guy is for real! He tortured his guards with REPEATED renditions of âThe Red, White, and Blueâ by Toby Keith. Shoshauna Johnson opined that âHe canât singâ but I bet she liked hearing it just the same. Too bad he didnât get a CIB for his efforts and some other accouterments. For non-military types: Service men can not receive cash or monetary rewards so medals are all he can get. It wouldnât be wrong to accelerate a promotion or two this young man. I am sure he would make a fine NCO or Warrant officer.
#2
Funny how PFC Lynch got all the press, and Miller didnt even get a promotion (He's still wiating on the list for SGT from SP$). This guy should have been meritoriously promoted at a minimum. A bronze Start with a V device is all that he got. He deserves higher.
FYI: He was firing in single shot mode- his M16 jammed and woudlnt feed after each shot, so he, unde fire, manually fed each round into the 16, fired, cleared and repeated the process. All while bascially alone and outnumbered.
Whats the matter with the press, I guess its that Miller used a big mean GUN to KILL BAD GUYS. And he wasn't remorseful.
And you know the press cannot condone gun use, killing or the death of bad guys.
And the press cannot afford a HERO to get the press. They have to trot out a female then twist her words against the Bush administration.
This guy had brass ones. They should put him in the press - he deserves it far more than Jessica "Car Wreck" Lynch.
#4
I tell ya what I'd like to see: a compendium of stories about soldiers like Pfc. Miller, the Canadian snipers, the Polish commandos, the battle of "Larry, Curly, and Moe" -- well-researched and based on interviews with the personnel involved. A modern "Profiles in Courage..."
#5
Anon, we don't have that yet as far as I know but you can read The March Up by Bing West and Ray "E-tool" Smith about the Marine assault up to and in to Baghdad. A seriously good book.
Posted by: Matt ||
11/13/2003 18:47 Comments ||
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That didn't qualify for a CIB? What's required?
Hell, he was acting Combat Infantry.
#7
I had never even heard of this Miller guy (and, my hat's off to him - SLA Marshall would have been proud), but putting this story up against the fabrications that were circulated by US government about the "Lynch story", the whole thing starts looking a lot like the movie "Wag the Dog". In case anyone's not seen that movie (which should probably be mandatory global viewing right about now) its about a Presidency in scandal that fabricates an incident to create a "war" against Albania - using slick media effects to make their case.
#9
this guy's problem is that he looks like a fast-food guy at Jack-In-The-Box. Appearances are deceiving - he's got some stones, and deserves better than he's gotten, IMHO. As do more than we know of, I'm sure.
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/13/2003 23:14 Comments ||
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Cyber Sarge, he should rate the CIB despite non infantry MOS. If he was a Marine he'd rate the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) our CIB equivalent. My hat's off to this guy, sadly, 'baby Jessica's' getting all the attention. I'm w/ODS on this one, she was a survivor and admits it. She was no hero, the media pushed it, maybe the high-up suck-dicks at the pentagon gave the story life as well, hard to say. I know if they do a movie on Miller I'd watch that before baby Jesse.
The Italian military compound was the softest of targets. Unlike the fortresses of coalition units in Baghdad, sheltering behind concrete crash barriers, the Italian police station in Nasiriyah had only a few rolls of barbed wire and sandbags to protect it. Although the scene of some of the heaviest fighting during the war, Nasiriyah has since welcomed foreigners and the Italians were tragically ill-prepared for what was to hit them at 10.40 yesterday morning. Soft target, easy killings, minimum risk - typical Islamist SOP.
A tanker lorry drove up to the gates of the police compound. Italian guards opened fire as the vehicle approached, with one of the two men in the cab shooting back as it roared towards the three-storey building. The guards could not stop it. The lorry, packed with explosives, careered into a water tanker before detonating. The explosion scattered vehicle parts over a 200-yard radius. A second vehicle that appeared to be supervising the operation drove hastily away. "As soon as I saw the truck I knew there was going to be big trouble," said Lt Amar Mohammed, who was guarding a nearby Iraqi police station. "I heard shots and then turned to see a massive explosion. I was knocked off my feet. The smoke and the heat were so intense it was impossible to approach for several minutes."
Amar's a lucky guy...
Last night the blackened remains of the lorry were illuminated by a ring of headlights from carabinieri vehicles. The nine-foot wide crater left by the blast was in shadows, behind it the ruined remains of the Italian military police headquarters. The front of the building was ripped away, the compoundâs walls flattened. Stony-faced carabinieri stood watching as investigators picked through the rubble wearing masks. Occasionally they found a body part that they discreetly placed in a plastic bag. They had long ago given up hope of finding any survivors, although a fleet of ambulances still stood at hand. "There was smoke and dead bodies everywhere but what I remember is the smell of burnt flesh," said one Italian military policeman, who was too distraught to give his name."
That's a smell that'll stay with you...
"I came as soon as I heard the explosion. I thought it was the end of the world." Another military policeman said: "I have just lost two of my best friends in the explosion. We were due to leave Iraq shortly. What will I tell their families when I see them?"
Ambulances ferried the wounded to Nasiriyahâs central hospital throughout the morning, while coalition helicopters flew overhead. Inside the building - which had been the base for 80 military policemen - the floors had been demolished and part of the roof was missing. Jassim Reath, a construction worker on a building next to the compound, said: "I lay beneath a broken wall and listened to people screaming, but I was so terrified I could not move until a medic helped me to my feet." Twenty yards away on the other side the street, homes were cracked by the force of the explosion, and pockmarked by flying debris. Taha Faisal, who lives in the street and was injured by flying glass, said: "Weâve only just moved back into my family house after it was damaged during the war. Now my two daughters are in hospital and my house is in ruins." As Faisal spoke beside an Italian checkpoint in the security cordon erected around the blast site, a heavy goods vehicle approached. Italian soldiers threw themselves on the ground, with rifles cocked. "Get back or we shoot," shouted one soldier, as the lorry reversed hastily.
As evening fell yesterday, locals began to take stock of the arrival of terrorism in their hitherto peaceful city. Mohammed Fakkar, an employee with an American contractor, said: "I am deeply shocked about the attack, but I am sure there will be more in the future. "The people who did this today can do anything." ... Theyâre enjoying freedom that comes with total amorality.
#1
Italian troops were also on hand in Mogadishu in 1993. There were allegations that they cooperated with the various Somali militias, alerting them to American and other UN ops, but little evidence for this has surfaced.
What we do know is that it was an Italian force that went to the rescue of ambushed Pakistani troops on June 24, 1993. This was the incident that precipitated the attempt to capture Mohammed Aidad and, eventually, the famous Blackhawk Down battle of October 3.
33 Pakistanis were killed (not 24, as widely reported, 9 bodies were never recovered).
Word of what the relief force found and saw, the all but unspeakable butchery the mobs and their Al Qaeda allies inflicted on the Pakistani dead (some of whom, unfortunately, were probably still alive when it started), spread throughout the Italian forces, including the Carabinieri.
Every Italian soldier I have spoken to in recent years (a fair number) is aware of this and it significantly colors their view of Islamic guerrillas and terrorists.
The Italian military is with us in this struggle and so is Berlusconi.
The large idiotarian and LLL element in Italy will wail and moan and regurgitate the rhetoric of their masters in the French and American Left, but it cannot change the resolve and clarity of thought that I see among the real people of Italy.
Remember, too, that Oriana Fallaci is an Italian, and she is worth several campuses full of jihadi tools anytime.
#2
AC,
Thank you, I had heard the rumor that the Italians notified the Somali militia each time the choppers took off in Mogadishu, because they thought we were being too heavy handed. I took it as gospel. I was deployed somewhere and didn't understand why we cut and ran after being bloodied. I had held the Italians complicit until this day.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:20 Comments ||
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#3
You're welcome, Super Hose.
Interestingly, one Italian account I read of the June 24 incident cited the "enormous deterrent value of M-60 tanks" (which the Italians in Mog had) as a crucial factor in the rescue of the surviving Pakistanis.
This was before US SecDef Aspin and President Clinton refused the local American commander's request for a small armored force, apparently on the grounds that it would look bad on TV. Most accounts indicate that the presence of a single platoon of M-1s and accompanying Bradleys could have made all the difference in the world on October 3.
Update to yesterdayâs item; edited to highlight new information.
Based on intelligence collected on the ground, U.S. infantry set a number of traps all over Baghdad. Several of those traps â monitored from the air and known as NAIs or Named Areas of Interest â were activated almost simultaneously Wednesday night. Can anyone think of a better "translation" for the acronym "NAI?" Post your submissions in the Comments section.
In the most dramatic action, about a dozen Bradley armored vehicles used 25mm cannons to destroy a warehouse used by anti-U.S. forces in southern Baghdad. A special forces AC-130 Spectre gunship also took part from the air, targeting the warehouse with precise fire.
According to military sources, the other attacks were:
â U.S. soldiers observed a group of people firing several mortar rounds from a truck, who then tried to drive away. An AH-64 Apache helicopter was called in to follow the fugitives and it fired on the vehicle, hitting it. Two terrorists were killed and five others were captured. Plus, Americans seized an 82mm mortar.
â Infantrymen saw another enemy approach and fire three mortar rounds, aimed at harassing U.S. forces. Americans opened fire using small arms and a Bradley armored vehicle. The vehicle was hit several times but managed to disappear in traffic on a highway. Take note: the U.S. troops did not just shoot up the highway and kill a bunch of bystanders.
â An American artillery unit fired 12 rounds of 155mm howitzers against an insurgent mortar team that had fired off a few shots in the direction of the "green zone," where the central Coalition military and civilian authority compound is located in Baghdad. This two-square-mile area had been hit by harassing mortar fire on a number of occasions during the past week.
Fox has updated the story again just in the time since I started posting it:
On Thursday, Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling said several insurgents also were killed when Bradley fighting vehicles and paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division attacked a mortar crew.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 2:05:42 PM ||
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Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 14:40 Comments ||
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#4
"An American artillery unit fired 12 rounds of 155mm howitzers against an insurgent mortar team that had fired off a few shots in the direction of the "green zone," where the central Coalition military and civilian authority compound is located in Baghdad."
EFL
More British troops will be sent to Iraq if they are needed, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said. Mr Straw is holding talks in Washington with US counterpart Colin Powell as Iraq security fears increase. Speaking before the meetings, he told the BBC troop numbers were being kept under constant review.
Earlier, Number 10 said the coalition would not be "bombed, terrorised or intimidated" into leaving Iraq. The prime ministerâs official spokesman said there was no question of an early pull out from Iraq. "Our exit strategy is exactly the same today as it was on day one ... We will stay until the job is done," he said. Mr Blairâs spokesman added: "The terrorists who stand for nothing but hatred and bloodshed want to turn the clock back."
Mr Straw said British troop numbers had dropped to around 10,000 since the height of the conflict. "They are kept under close review. And I am sure - and I know that both Geoff Hoon (Defence Secretary) and the Chief of the Defence Staff (General Sir Michael Walker) - are constantly making judgements about whether force numbers are adequate," he said. "Both of them have made clear that if they think that these forces need to be reinforced then they will be. The same I believe is true of the United States. "What we are also doing is significantly increasing the capacity of the Iraqi security services."
Mr Straw refused to comment on a leaked CIA report warning that growing numbers of Iraqis were supporting armed opposition to coalition rule. "The situation in parts of Iraq is one where we are faced with tremendous difficulties. No-one can or should disguise that," he said. He said the situation must not be allowed to escalate beyond the coalitionâs control, although it had improved in many parts of the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Mr Straw continued: "What is obvious ... is that there has been some change in the nature of the threat faced by coalition forces over months." He pointed to a "new scale of organisation" among the terrorists who planned and executed the latest suicide bombing. "The people who are most suffering from terrorism are innocent Iraqis who have been over all cooperating with the coalition, who are starting to get on with their lives."
Japan has said it will postpone sending troops to join the US-led coalition in Iraq until next year because of the worsening security situation. But Mr Straw stressed 30 countries did have troops in Iraq and he had seen no reports that any of them were thinking of withdrawing their forces.
The railway linking the Syrian town of Aleppo to Mosul in northern Iraq is scheduled to re-open on November 21, 2003. The plan was approved despite the United Statesâ presence in the region and Tuesdayâs endorsement of the Syria Accountability Act. The train will depart Aleppo Thursday nights and will make five stops during the 11-hour journey to Mosul, reported SANA. The 745-kilometer railway was first restored in 2000 after a decade-long interruption following Iraqâs 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The railway was opened to facilitate the growth of bilateral trade, as well as the use of Syrian and Lebanese ports to import goods from Europe. Despite tense relations between the US and Syria, the CPA applauded the July resumption of railway services between northern Iraq and the state labeled by the US as a supporter of terrorism. Operations were renewed under the administration of the US Army, the official supervisors of Iraqâs northern region.
Oboy. Now the Bad Guys can sneak into the country with the hobos...
Islamic hobos. The thought boggles the mind...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 13:45 ||
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#1
Jihad Express. One-way tickets, our specialty.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 13:50 Comments ||
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#2
Rail lines are useful for shipping supplies to an advancing army.
Just thought I'd point that out.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 13:54 Comments ||
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#3
Genus: Hobos Fundos
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
11/13/2003 13:55 Comments ||
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#4
economic reconstruction in Iraq takes priority over sanctioning Syria.
If anyones worried about folks sneaking across the border in rail cars, can I suggest the CPA hire some ex-Southern Pacific or ex-Santa Fe railroad police?
#7
Commerce is important. I would get the Syrian merchants dependent on this trade line. The idea is to export free trade and democracy to the neighborhood.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:51 Comments ||
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The American Press is doing a damned lousy job of keeping the American people informed. It seems that rail links to Syria are open, pipelines are pumping oil to Turkey, and the refineries are finally operating in Basra. What other good news are they sitting on and not talking about? Why haven't we heard anything about Umm Qasr? That was the first major area captured: certainly the port there should be open by now. Is it? I haven't heard. There was also a rail line from Umm Qasr to Basra that was supposed to be running, but since the original blurb (while there were still embedded reporters, IIRC), nothing. Zayed gives us glimpses of what's going on in part of Baghdad, but what else is happening? We heard that commercial flights had been started to Basra - are they continuing? The entire US news "industry" has no problem manufacturing anti-American pieces, but where are the accurate, timely, and important discussions of what's actually happening in the country itself? I'm sure it's not just this old intel puke that wants to know, but a large number of Americans and Iraqis that are tired of being in the dark.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 23:54 Comments ||
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The United States is developing a plan to "encourage more Iraqis to assume more responsibility" quickly in governing the country, President Bush said today. Mr. Bush, who spoke to reporters after introducing three judicial nominees caught up in a Senate debate, said that a rushed exit from Iraq would carry a perilously high cost. "The vast majority of people understand that if America were to leave and the terrorists were to prevail in their desire to drive us out, the country would fall into chaos," Mr. Bush said.
Amid the latest violence across Iraq, including the deadly bombing Wednesday of an Italian paramilitary police headquarters, Japan said today that it was delaying the dispatch of its own peacekeepers at least until next year. Japan had planned to send 1,000 troops by the end of the year to Nasiriyah, the area where the Italian security forces were attacked. South Korea said that it would send no more than 3,000 troops, though American officials had hoped for more. And France called for formation of a provisional Iraqi government by the end of the year, perhaps six months before even an accelerated United States timetable might permit. "How many deaths does it take to understand that it is essential to change the approach?" Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin of France asked in an interview with Europe-1 radio. A summer deadline was "far too late," he said. "Time, sadly, means more people dead."
And when there's an Iraqi government in place nobody else will be killed? Who the hell told you that?
Mr. de Villepin said said the United Nations should name a representative to work with the United States administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer III, to elaborate a plan for a hand-over of power to a representative Iraqi assembly by the end of this year.
Mr. de Villepin also said that France was ready to help in Iraqi reconstruction, once a government is in place. But Paris has made it clear it has no plan to send peacekeeping troops. In a brief morning meeting with reporters, some Bush administration officials said Mr. Bremer would consult with Iraqi leaders on the possibility of holding elections by June and forming a temporary government even before a constitution is written.
That could be done. Only problem with that idea is that if the new government turns out to be a rerun of the old government it'll be more difficult to toss them and start over again — which we can do with the IGC.
But Mr. Bremer and other American spokesmen made clear that they wanted to formulate any such plan in consultation with the Iraqi Governing Council. And Governing Council members said on Wednesday that they wanted to immediately assume the powers of a provisional government.
Which means they'll be harder to toss. Decisions, decisions...
Mr. Bush said that Mr. Bremer, who had been summoned early in the week to two days of hastily convened meetings with the president and his top security advisers, was "going back to talk to the Governing Council to develop a strategy."
That's a conversation that'll probably start with 'Lookee here, you guys!'"
"We want the Iraqis to be more involved in the governance of their country," Mr. Bush said. The administrationâs efforts to accelerate a hand-over of authority to Iraqis and its new willingness to review its insistence that no Iraqi government can be formed before a constitution is drafted and national elections held follow the worst weeks of violence in Iraq since major combat ended, and signs of growing sophistication by an enemy still not well understood.
I think the misunderstanding's more on the part of the press. Our problem has been that we've been trying not to act like conquerors...
#3
I think Bremer's trip to the White House was to confim that the current council is incapable of ordering lunch yet alone drafting a constitution this century. Thus the express line for their replacements.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:55 Comments ||
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#4
This could be a good idea. First, the Iraqis have little experience with representative government. Give them the chance to elect people to local groups. Then let them elect people to regional groups. Follow that with getting them to elect people to a constitutional congress. Then get them to vote on a constitution. By then, they'll have the idea about voting for a national government, and for people to represent them in that national government.
It'll also put the pressure on the current interim government to get their act in gear.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 22:43 Comments ||
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The forces opposing the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq total no more than 5,000 insurgent fighters, the top American general in the region said Thursday. Funny, the leaked CIA report said 50,000. Letâs see, who has more credibility........well, that was a easy decision
Maybe somebody's having trouble counting zeros...
Gen. John Abizaid said that despite the relatively small numbers, the insurgent forces have considerable training, funding and supplies. Abizaid said the largest and most dangerous portion of the opposition forces consists of loyalists of ousted president Saddam Hussein. Foreign fighters also pose a threat and are entering Iraq through porous borders. "The goal of the enemy is not to defeat us militarily," Abizaid said in a news briefing from U.S. Central Command headquarters in Florida. "The goal of the enemy is to break the will of the United States of America, to make us leave."
While there is evidence that pro-Saddam insurgents, foreign fighters and terrorists are cooperating on a regional level, there is no evidence of national coordination, Abizaid said. "It could develop, but it hasnât yet," he said.
I'd call dispatching boom squads to Nasiriyah and Mosul signs of coordination...
The opposition forces are getting money from stashes left over from Saddamâs regime and from some sources outside Iraq "that are not clear to us," Abizaid said. Iâm sure that some of those sources are very clear, we just are not quite ready to expose them, yet.
All that money Sammy left lying around is the dough that didn't buy the medicine for all those Iraqi kiddies who died during the sanctions. We never hear about them anymore, do we? Are they still dead?
Abizaid said the opposition forces canât drive the U.S.-led coalition out of Iraq through the use of military force. He said the insurgents donât have much popular support and often hire young, unemployed criminals "to do their dirty work."
The cannon fodder comes cheaper than the SA7s...
"It is very important that as we progress militarily, we also progress politically and economically, so as to get these angry young men off the streets," Abizaid said. "When the Iraqi economy picks up, they can go back to being employed criminals"
American forces have gone on the offensive against the insurgents this week as the attacks have increased in number and lethality. Abizaid said he was confident American forces would prevail. "I want to emphasize to the people that there is no military threat in Iraq that can drive us out," Abizaid said. "We have the best-equipped, best-trained army in the world positioned in the most difficult areas we have to deal with ... They are confident, they are capable, they know what they are doing." More than 100,000 Iraqis now are working as police, border guards, soldiers and militia members, Abizaid said. "Theyâre not as well-trained as American and coalition forces yet," Abizaid said. "The police, in particular, need a lot of work. Itâs important for all of us to understand that these Iraqi forces will take some time to train."
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 12:29:53 PM ||
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Bush orders quick Iraq pullout as 27 killed by suicide bomber
By Helen Cook
PRESIDENT Bush last night ordered an early American exit from Iraq after a suicide bomber killed 27 people. He did a U-turn after crisis talks with Iraqâs American governor Paul Bremer. Reports said Bush had "directed" Bremer to "speed the transfer of authority to the Iraqi people". The US recently rejected a similar proposal by France and Germany.
It's not a U-turn. It's speeding up the schedule. And the proposal by France and Germany was "similar", not the same...
Bushâs move came as a suicide bomber drove a petrol tanker into an Italian forces base in Nasiriyah, killing 18 soldiers and police and nine Iraqi civilians in the deadliest attack since the invasion. A decoy car ran a roadblock to distract guards, who opened fire on it. Moments later the tanker, packed with 650lb of explosives, crashed into the base. The blast tore the front off the building, sent a giant fireball hundreds of feet into the air and set every vehicle parked in the compound on fire.
US troops began to hit back after the bombing. They killed two people in an attack on a building in Baghdad said to be used by guerrillas "to meet and plan operations". A dozen explosions were heard as the 1st Armoured Division and jets went into action. In Baghdad, armoured vehicles and helicopters chased and destroyed a van that fired mortars at US forces. Two Iraqis were killed and five captured. And US paratroopers claimed they killed six "enemy militants" and wounded four in a shootout after coming under attack near Fallujah. But Iraqis said the troops fired on a truck returning from a chicken farm. Militant chicken?
A CIA report warned that Iraqis increasingly believe the allies can be defeated by guerrillas, believed to number up to 50,000. A source said: "It says we are going to lose the situation unless there is a rapid and dramatic change of course." ALARM ALARM a democrat infiltrated the CIA!
Of 13 countries with nearly 147,000 troops in Iraq, America has 130,000, Britain 8,000 and Italy 2,300.
Pretending it's not a guerrilla operation doesn't make much sense. Getting the Iraqs organized to help root it out does. I'm certainly not surprised. Islamic Jihad started sending boomers to Iraq at the end of March. On April 10th, I wrote
Now we have to contend with the xenophobes, with the blind, unreasoning hatred that's not limited to the Islamic world, but which the Islamic world is trying to make its trademark. They're hardly even bothering with the pro forma Islamic posturings â the Syrians, Jordanians, Palestinians, Sudanese, and other sweepings are swarming to Iraq not to protect Iraq and the Iraqis, but to kill Americans. There's a desultory blessing given by the usual vicious holy men, who are more politicians than theologians, but the real driver is pure malevolence, hatred of America and Americans.
The tactics used by the Masked Marauders are the same they use back home in Palestine or that they'd like to use if their repressive regimes in other places would let them. The link has always been there with Iraq, but because it's so much more obvious in Syria and Iran we tended to overlook it. But Sammy managed to pack in a bit of both terror worlds: Ansar al-Islam in the north, with its al-Qaeda roots and international wahhabi links, to terrorize the Kurds, and a deep and intricate involvement with the PLO and the Fatah thugs. Our battle goes from being "only" with al-Qaeda and its supporters, but encompasses al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Tanzim, and Hezbollah. It's all warf and woof on the same fabric. So now we can gradually switch from conventional war to dealing with the intifadah to come. Syria's already described our presence in Iraq as an "occupation" â shades of Paleostine. If we don't deal sternly with the flow of explosives and hard boys, if we don't cut the funding off at its source before it has a chance to get started, we're going to have a long drawn-out problem.
Islamists aren't the most original of thinkers. The only model they have that they think works is the intifadah, and that's what they're trying to go with. Since we can't afford to lose in Iraq, we have to start stacking up deaders â and publicizing the numbers.
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 10:37:37 AM ||
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#2
The spin on this is simply unbelievable. Contrary to what the Daily Error is reporting, Operation Iron Hammer is proceeding apace, and the bad guys are getting hammered.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 10:45 Comments ||
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#3
"A CIA report warned that Iraqis increasingly believe the allies can be defeated by guerrillas, believed to number up to 50,000. A source said: "It says we are going to lose the situation unless there is a rapid and dramatic change of course"
the first sentence seems to be an accurate report of what the CIA has said. The number of 50,000 though has not been mentioned in articles on the CIA report Ive seen. And the last sentence is from a totally different source, apparently, not connected with the report.
#5
Murat - post something that is accurate - the us will be there for years (in some form). now just get over it - dumbass
Posted by: Dan ||
11/13/2003 11:09 Comments ||
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#6
Murat I applaud your ability to look over ALL other indicators and find the one that supports your logic. The insurgents may have numbered 50k at one time. That is if you include all the ex-Iraqi types that live in the Sunni triangle. That number has probably dropped since a lot of them were killed during the invasion and will be killed over the next few weeks. Unless we (U.S.) get stupid and elect Sharpton, you can expect the U.S. to continue to garrison Iraq for at least the next four years. Only Islamists and French run from battle, NOT the U.S.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 11:33 Comments ||
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#8
Thats the left for you, always loud in their criticism of freedom and liberty, always quiet in their protest of tyranny. The left cant wait to lose in Iraq. It will prove their point that there is nothing worth fighting and dying for, and thus their shame of standing aside and doing nothing while millions die in search of the very freedoms the left enjoy, will be assuaged.
The left is like a domestic violence victim who blames herself for the attack, and wont press changes.
Posted by: Frank Martin ||
11/13/2003 12:30 Comments ||
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#9
Murat, put down the hash pipe.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 12:44 Comments ||
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The Iraqi lawyer who led Marines to Jessica Lynch tells his story.
by Erin Montgomery The Weekly Standard EFL
THE RECENT FLURRY of media attention surrounding Jessica Lynch--the NBC movie "Saving Jessica Lynch" aired this past Sunday and the former POWâs "Primetime" interview with Diane Sawyer aired Tuesday—has many viewers wondering what really happened in the days leading up to April 1, 2003, when a U.S. Special Operations team rescued the 19-year-old supply clerk from Saddam Hospital in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Mohammed Odeh al-Rehaief, the 33-year-old Iraqi attorney responsible for informing the Marines of Lynchâs whereabouts, recounted his story to an audience of reporters at a National Press Club conference Monday afternoon. Dressed in a handsome olive suit, with an American flag pin shining on his left lapel, al-Rehaief began his speech humbly: "I know my English is broken, but I hope you enjoy my story." And what a story it is.
Al-Rehaiefâs life changed on March 23, the day Lynchâs Army convoy was ambushed. Some of the surviving convoy members were brought to the local Baath party headquarters near al-Rehaiefâs home for processing. Al-Rehaief saw the surviving POWs beaten by a crowd and later that day saw the dead bodies of several members of the convoy paraded in a roundabout a block from his house. Pfc. Lori Piestewa, whoâd been driving the Humvee in which Jessica Lynch had been a passenger, was among the dead. On March 26, a refugee whoâd witnessed the actual convoy attack told al-Rehaief he had seen a soldier (determined later to be Lynch) being pulled from the Humvee and stomped upon. The next day, al-Rehaief went to visit his wife at Saddam Hospital, where she worked as a nurse. He learned from her that a POW was being held in the cardiac unit and later, from his sister-in-law (a doctor at the hospital) that this POW was a woman. After sneaking into the unit, al-Rehaief saw, through a glass panel, a young woman being interrogated and slapped by a fedayeen officer. The fedayeen, the glorious Iraqi resistance, here seen scrupulously observing the Geneva Convention. (NOT!)
"Sheâs a young lady, a child of God," al-Rehaief said on Monday, as he emotionally recalled seeing Lynch laying helpless in the hospital bed being slapped by her captors. "I have a daughter myself," he said. That sight was enough to make al-Rehaief risk his life and that of his wife and daughter to pay a visit to the Marines. . . . Go read all of it. Mr. al-Rehaief has been granted asylum in the U.S.; I, for one, an happy to welcome him as a fellow citizen. Heâs an amazing example of the decency that can arise even from those living in the worst of tyrranies.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 9:23:04 AM ||
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#1
This story becomes more and more confused. Ms Lynch's authorized biography claims she doesn't remember anything. Her interview claims she does. The media claims the Pentagon hyped the story, which is a load of shit. The military never said there was a fight at the hospital. And the video they released clearly does NOT show any combat. The only fighting the military claimed took place in reference to this operation was a diversionary action by the marines. So how is the military hyping it? Not at all. I don't want to belittle her ordeal, but how is she a hero??? Just because she's not dead? What about the others of her group taken captive? Is Shashawna (sp) Johnson getting all of this attention? How about an offer of a free ride to college? This whole thing stinks to high heaven, obviously somebody is lying. Who? Personally I am starting to get the feeling that the media is the culprit. Shocking I know. I think they tried to spin her in to a 'super-heroine' and now that the story is falling apart, they are blaming the government. And poor Jessica is caught in the middle of it. I'm just sick of hearing about it. Well, whatever the true story is, I wish her well.
#2
Swiggles, it might also be the fault of Jessica herself. She should know what was written about her ordeal in the book. To not only contradict it on TV, but also to blame the Government for exploiting her is alarming to me. And she did say the Government exploited her. She also that the tape of her rescue was wrong.
Add in Larry Flynt saying he has, but won't publish, nude photos of Lynch and in the very next sentence scolding the Bush administration for exploiting Lynch and what do you get? ( Alomst forgot to add in the 'video' circulating the internet. )
I'm sorry for even thinking this, but I'm starting to wonder if Lynch isn't using her ordeal for Left-wing propoganda.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 11:44 Comments ||
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#3
Charles: You hit on the key point, but misinterpreted it...
Larry Flynt says he has pictures of her nekkid, but out of the "goodness of his heart" he's not going to publish them because she's being used by the Bush admin & the army. Since she's not Pam Anderson and doesn't want the pictures to come out, she doesn't have much choice but to say she feels exploited.
It's not even a subtle threat if you assume that Flynt's a complete sleazebag...
US national security advisor Condoleezza Rice said in remarks published Thursday that the United States was screening members of the Iraq-based Iranian opposition Peopleâs Mujahedeen (MEK) for possible links to terrorism. Riceâs comments in an interview with The Washington Post came in response to an article in the newspaper Sunday describing an apparently easygoing relationship between US forces in Iraq and the 4,000 to 5,000 strong MEK, which Iran has outlawed for "terrorist" activities. "The story and such stories have been causing some confusion about American policy," Rice said. "We just wanted to make sure the reference is clear, that everyone understands where we stand on the MEK." She said the United States "remains committed to preventing the MEK, which is now contained in Iraq, from engaging in terrorist activities, including activities against Iran, and its reconstitution inside Iraq as a terrorist organization." Rice said the MEK, which was branded a terrorist group by the US State Department in 1997, was "part of the global war on terrorism," adding that its members "are being screened for possible involvement in war crimes, terrorism and other criminal activities." Besides the media reports to which Rice alluded, US forces in May reached a deal with the MEK, allowing it to gather in northeastern Iraq and putting its status as a terrorist organization under review as compensation for its cooperation with US forces and its commitment to democracy in Iran. We made a simple deal with them, you all come together in one place and lay down your heavy weapons, and we let you live.
The MEK, also known by its Persian name Mujahedeen-e Khalq, was outlawed in Iran because of a record of political assassinations and bombings since 1981 and has been based in neighboring Iraq for the past 18 years. Guess Fred and Condi are on the same page.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 9:01:36 AM ||
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#1
sounds more like we're trying seperate out any one with proven terrorist activities to make the remainder of MEK more useable.
#2
LH shoots and scores! Upon arrival here Rumsfeld issued a brief written statement on an Iranian opposition militia, the Mujahedin-e-Khalq, or MEK, that is present inside U.S.-controlled Iraq. The organization is on the U.S. government's list of terrorist organizations, and some have raised questions recently about why the militia remains inside Iraq and has not been disarmed by U.S. forces.
"MEK members in Iraq are presently contained within existing camps where they are being screened for possible involvement in war crimes, terrorism or other criminal activity," Rumsfeld said. He said the United States will not allow the MEK to reconstitute in Iraq as a terrorist organization.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 12:36 Comments ||
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Saddam Hussein moved around incessantly, even before the U.S. toppled him from power, his personal translator told Fox News. In his first interview with an American television network, Saddamâs translator Saman Abdul Majid told Fox that before the war, no one knew where the Iraqi dictator was sleeping on any given night. Now coming up here is the money quote...
Majid told Fox that he considered French President Jacques Chirac a personal friend, saying he believes he and Chirac understand each other. He said Saddam was disappointed that Chirac didnât defend him to a greater extent in the days before the war and the Iraqi dictator felt caught in the middle of a conflict between two superpowers. Silly me, I thought Chirac was supposed to be OUR friend... Iâm shocked, shocked I tell you!
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American ||
11/13/2003 8:50:34 AM ||
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Silly me, I thought Chirac was supposed to be OUR friend
On what planet? :-p
Chirac isn't even Saddam's friend; Chirac is Chirac's friend, and sometimes I wonder about that.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/13/2003 9:23 Comments ||
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#2
"...felt caught in the middle of a conflict between two superpowers." The U.S and ???.
France? Nah.
Anyone else wondering what happened to Saddam's many doubles?
With casualties mounting in Iraq, jumpy U.S. soldiers are becoming more aggressive in their treatment of journalists covering the conflict. Media people have been detained, news equipment has been confiscated and some journalists have suffered verbal and physical abuse while trying to report on events. Verbal abuse - by tired, edgy soldiers IN A WARZONE - that would be pretty unusual, huh....
Although the number of incidents involving soldiers and journalists is difficult to gauge, anecdotal evidence suggests it has risen sharply the past two months.
"We don't know, but we been told..."
The president of the Associated Press Managing Editors, an association of editors at APâs more than 1,700 newspapers in the United States and Canada, sent a protest letter to the Pentagon on Wednesday urging officials to ``immediately take the steps to end such confrontations.ââ
"Yeah. You guys knock it off, or we'll... ummm..."
``The effect has been to deprive the American public of crucial images from Iraq in newspapers, broadcast stations and online news operations,ââ wrote Stuart Wilk, managing editor of The Dallas Morning News. Crucial? Crucial to what? Newspaper sales? TV Ad revenues? Oddsmakers in Dallas?
In October, the Belgium-based International Federation of Journalists, which includes unions representing 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries, complained of increased harassment of reporters, including beatings of some, since the fall of Saddam Husseinâs regime. ``Guidance has been passed to units throughout the coalition explicitly stating that reporters are not to be interfered with or cameras and films seized,ââ said Maj. William Thurmond at the Coalition Press and Information Center. ``Does that take place all the time? No.ââ Thurmond said. ``We are aware that individual soldiers have not followed those instructions.ââ
"But I diddunt interfere with him or take his camera and film, sir! I jus' punched him in the mouth!"
In Washington, representatives of 30 media organizations wrote to the Pentagon expressing their dismay about the harassment of journalists in Iraq. In a letter to Larry Di Rita, acting assistant secretary of defense, the Washington bureau chiefs pointed out that the Pentagonâs own guidance to troops says ``media products will not be confiscated or otherwise impounded.ââ
"... unless the 'journalists' are actively aiding the Bad Guys. Then they're on their own."
The military command says itâs working to cut down on incidents by issuing credentials and badges to journalists. This system worked well with embedded reporters during the war, when confrontations were almost unheard of. But as coalition forces come under increasing pressure from guerrilla attacks - 37 American soldiers have died so far in November - signs of stress are evident. A number of journalists, particularly Iraqis and other Arabs working for foreign media organizations, say they are now routinely threatened at gunpoint if they try to film the aftermath of guerrilla attacks. Some have been arrested and held for short periods.
Hmmm... Could it have something to do with the fact that they have a family resemblance to the people who carried out the attacks?
Sami Awad, a Lebanese cameraman working as a freelancer for a German TV network, said that when his crew tried to check out a report Friday about hand grenades being thrown at a U.S. patrol in Baghdad, they encountered a roadblock at which soldiers told him to go ahead and film. But as the crew proceeded down the street, more soldiers appeared, threw them to the ground and pointed their weapons at their heads, Awad said. ``They checked our identity badges and then let us go, saying they thought we were with Al-Jazeera,ââ he said. ``Each group of soldiers acts on its own, and most of them are very scared and inexperienced.ââ Hey, reporters - when soldiers are at a Press Club, theyâll play by your club rules - when you and they are in a WAR, you better damn well play by their rules
Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network, has repeatedly been accused by U.S. officials of biased reporting, charges the station denies. Two weeks ago, coalition troops detained two Al-Jazeera staffers covering an explosion at a police station in western Baghdad on allegations they had prior knowledge of the car bombing. Al-Jazeera dismissed the charges as ridiculous, and the men were later freed. Not that they might have set up their cameras and started the "pre-game" show ahead of time ...... I canât wait for the day that some Al Jazeera crew gets blown to shreds by a mine or IED, and some soldiers stand around filming the squirming misfits as their blood gurgles into some nearby sewer - and then sends the tapes to the news media
A TV news producer in Baghdad for a major U.S. television network said his crews had been threatened at least 10 times in recent weeks with confiscation of their equipment. He asked not to be quoted by name because of his companyâs policy against giving interviews to other media. Did that producer happen to itemize just what it was that his crews were doing when they were warned? All I can visualize is Somalia a few years back, with the SEALS swimming in, âlocked and loaded, and ready to unleash, and the INCREDIBLY MINDLESS reporters with floodlights tripping over one another, trying to get close-up photos - an absolute miracle of fire discipline by the SEALS...
Journalists have been shot at several times by U.S. troops, including an incident in August in which Reuters television cameraman Mazen Dana was killed while videotaping near a U.S.-run prison on the outskirts of Baghdad following a mortar attack. The military later said the troops had mistaken Danaâs camera for a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. An investigation concluded the soldiers ``acted within the rules of engagement,ââ although the U.S. Army has never publicly announced those rules, citing security reasons.
On the other hand, a really, really bright reporter might be able to figure out that a heavy vid camera with a long lens looks like a rocket launcher from a distance.
In September, U.S. soldiers shot up the car of an Associated Press photographer in Khaldiyah after an American convoy was hit with a roadside bomb. The photographer, Karim Kadim, and his Iraqi driver jumped from the car and ran for cover when they saw a tank aim at them. They were shot at with a machine gun as they ran and the car was badly damaged. Neither man was hurt. In the same incident, a U.S. tankâs .50-caliber machine gun fired at AP correspondent Tarek al-Issawi as he viewed the scene from a nearby rooftop. He also escaped injury. You know, if you donât want to get shot, donât stand around an ambush looking like an ambusher
AP filed a protest and U.S. commanders promised to investigate, but no information on the results of the probe has been received. After a series of missile and rocket attacks in recent weeks on the so-called ``Green Zoneââ in central Baghdad that houses the U.S.-led occupation administration, security precautions there have been tightened to unprecedented levels. Yeah, and hereâs hoping that these "unprecedented levels" soon look like "the good old days"
As a result, journalists invited to cover news conferences at the press center are now required to arrive 90 minutes early to be frisked and have their equipment checked by sniffer dogs.
But guards can announce without warning that the building is closed, blocking those still waiting in line outside from entering. Maybe we should allow unknown, as-yet-unchecked yokels standing in line to decide when access to a sensitive building should be allowed?
``If you donât like the way the military works, I canât help you,ââ Capt. William Pickettsneered told a group of reporters left standing outside the gate after being invited to cover a briefing Monday with Australiaâs defense minister, Robert Hill.
Posted by: Lone Ranger ||
11/13/2003 8:43:24 AM ||
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Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network, has repeatedly been accused by U.S. officials of biased reporting, charges the station denies.
Wait. Didn't al'Jazeera admit just the other day to helping plan attacks on US troops? Haven't we found papers tying al'Jazeera staffers to Saddam's intelligence services AND al'Qaeda?
As for the rest of the press -- if the bastards stopped lying, maybe the soldiers would show them more respect.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 8:52 Comments ||
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Given the increadable bias and outright lies in the media. And the fact that Al-Jazeera has been helping plan attacks I would say the military's response is increadably restrained.
Its time the media learned that This is not a T.V. show being staged for their benefit. This is a real war zone and, yes, people are being killed dead.
#3
simple answer, force reporters to be embeds. That way they are known by local troops. And any funny business by people carrying press credentials can be dealt with by deplying them away from action.
#4
I've dealt w/the media a few times. Some are decent folk and some are such bottom feeding scum suckers that I wouldn't piss in their ear if their brain was on fire.
#5
Well al-Jizz only copped to allowing their office to be used. I'm guessing they must be covering the planning of attacks on Americans for November sweeps...
#6
The "crucial" part is how to steer public opinion against the war and in particular the Bush Admin. Just heard ABC's radio news broadcast. Their lead was Koby Bryant. So that means no Americans were killed yesterday. BTW Kobe only had to visit the court for a short time. Peter Jennings may have more on that tonight. Make sure you tune in.
#9
Jarhead, the problem is even the decent folk might have bottom feeding scum sucking editors that alter the story or put up misleading headlines. That makes it nearly impossible to tell decent from indecent.
#10
Well, I guess my approach to the problem would be a little contest: "Gather round troopies (and jarheads) - here's the rules - prize is one week's paid R&R in Bangkok - now here's your Reality TV challenge - top prize is awarded to the first fireteam that can successfully insert AN ENTIRE VIDEO CAMERA into a body orifice of a media cameraman in Iraq, such that no part of the camera is visible. No restrictions on method of insertion - anal, oral, inter-occular - hell, if you want to blow your own "custom entry point" into the bugger, that's your call. Contest entries must be accompanied by film (or at least snapshots) of the lucky media twat assisting you in your efforts...."
#11
..the problem is even the decent folk might have bottom feeding scum sucking editors that alter the story or put up misleading headlines. That makes it nearly impossible to tell decent from indecent.
Seems to me then it's up to the authors/reporters to challenge such practices, and those that have any professional integrity will.
Yank, valid point. I could only go off the vibes I got from the reporters I talked to in the past. I trust none of them usually (personal experience) & go off gut instinct. If I've been told to talk to them from my higher then I do without question - I'm just a little less cordial if I think there a 'buddy f*cker'.
LR - nice.
I'd like to start a video in the sunni triangle called "Infidels Gone Wild: When Pissed-Off Americans Attack". Coming from a JDAM near you.
A recent CIA assessment of Iraq warns the security situation will worsen across the country, not just in Baghdad but in the north and south as well, a senior administration source told CNN Tuesday. The report is a much more dire and ominous assessment of the situation than has previously been forwarded through official channels. It was sent to Washington Monday by the CIA station chief in Iraq. In his Veterans Day speech Tuesday, Bush referred to "recent reporting" of cooperation between Saddam loyalists and terrorist elements from outside Iraq. "Saddam loyalists and foreign terrorists may have different long-term goals, but they share a near-term strategy: to terrorize Iraqis and to intimidate America and our allies," Bush told the conservative Heritage Foundation. "In the last few months, the adversary has changed its composition and method, and our coalition is adapting accordingly." Doesnât seem like it. Hurry up with the adapting.
Another senior administration official said those points in the speech were based on a U.S. intelligence report about the security situation. A third U.S. official said the intelligence report was from the CIA and that it highlights what the official conceded are several "major ongoing security issues." That official refused to characterize the report in further detail. But the senior administration source who did discuss the report said it essentially says things are "gonna get worse" across Iraq. I donât doubt it one bit. It may appear that by-passing the smaller towns in a drive towards Baghdad in the initial war was a mistake. Unless itâs mostly foreigners doing the damage, in which case, why arenât the borders sealed?
The source said the memo notes that:
⢠More Iraqis are "flooding to the ranks of the guerrillas." Many of these Iraqis are Sunnis who had previously been "on the sidelines" but now believe they can "inflict bodily harm" on the Americans.
⢠Ammunition is "readily available," making it much easier to mount attacks.
The assessment also notes that organization and coordination are getting "tighter" among foreign insurgents -- extremists including but not limited to al Qaeda and Hezbollah -- and those "displaced people" who lost power.
U.S. officials in Washington and military commanders in Iraq have voiced concern about the recent increase of attacks against coalition and other targets in Iraq. Bush has urged his national security team to accelerate the training and deployment of Iraqi security forces.
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 8:24:16 AM ||
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Based on the last two years, this report included, one can conclude two things about the CIA:
It's rarely accurate.
It's not working for the United States government.
#2
"More Iraqis are "flooding to the ranks of the guerrillas." Many of these Iraqis are Sunnis who had previously been "on the sidelines" but now believe they can "inflict bodily harm" on the Americans.
⢠Ammunition is "readily available," making it much easier to mount attacks"
Im not sure this is wrong. It doesnt say that most iraqis support the Baathists, or even that all Sunni Arabs do. It DOES say that larger number of Sunni Arab fence sitters are moving towards the Baathists. Given that Sunni Arabs make up about 20% of the population, that could mean about 10% of the population supports the Baathists now, versus say less than 5% a few months ago. Thats not Viet Nam. or quagmire, but it IS a big problem.
Theyre also saying ammo is readily available - this seems to be true - whether its cause we dont have enough troops to go after all the ammo, or dont have the intell, is another question. But certainly Saddam left behind HUGE stocks of ammo,perhaps with the intention of making possible this very thing, and its a problem.
#3
Three steps that won't solve the situation overnight, but should help calm it down a whole lot...
(1) Immediately negotiate with the president of South Korea for the commitment of a division-size force of ROK Marines.
(2) After the ROKs have a chance to get acclimated, select a particularly nasty operational area such as Fallujah. Remove the US troop contingent, replace with the ROKs (and most importantly,remove all media personnel.
(3) Wait one month, then return and ask the locals if they're ready to be good, cooperative citizens. Since anyone with knowledge of the ROK Marines' rep knows they'll say "By Allah's beard, yes, PLEASE!!", replace the ROKs with the original US unit, and move the ROK's to the next hot area.
Posted by: Jeff ||
11/14/2003 0:09 Comments ||
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Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed Italy would keep troops in Iraq to help the Americans despite a bombing on Wednesday that killed 18 Italians in the armed forcesâ biggest single loss of life since World War Two. The apparent suicide attack looked likely to stoke anti-war sentiments of the loonie left in Italy, where some opposition parties demanded its 2,300 troops be withdrawn. But Berlusconi, a staunch ally of U.S. President George W. Bush, said Rome should stand firm. ââNo intimidation will budge us from our willingness to help that country rise up again and rebuild itself with self-government, security and freedom,ââ he told the Senate in an address broadcast nationwide after the attack in Nassiriya. Good man.
Sixteen personnel were killed at the Carabinieri police base. At least six of those had been due to return home on Saturday. Two Italian civilians and nine Iraqis were also among the 27 dead. Berlusconi urged Italy and its leaders to remain united. ââIf there ever was a day when controversy should be silenced and when all Italian citizens should show solidarity with those who have taken on the lofty task of defending the values of our democracy, then this is the day,ââ he said. Flags were lowered to half-mast across the country and many cities declared Thursday a day of mourning. It was the first fatal attack on Italian forces since they were sent to Iraq in June to help stabilise the country after its occupation. Berlusconi said the losses were felt by the whole nation. ââBut we also feel pride for the courage and humanity with which our troops...have worked and still work to make the situation tolerable for children, women, the elderly and the weak who live in that martyred region.ââ Some opposition leaders said they would reserve comment until mourning was over, but the really tactless, stupid ones others called for the immediate withdrawal of troops. ââThey were sent to an Iraq in flames because the government wanted to do a favour for the Bush administration,ââ said Pietro Folena of the Democrats of the Left. ââNow the Italian soldiers must cut and run come home. Itâs the only right thing to do at this moment.ââ In Livorno, home base for the slain Carabinieri military police, one shopkeeper summed up the reaction of many. ââTo leave Iraq now seems like the right thing to do,ââ she said. ââBut abandoning the Iraqis would be cowardly.ââ Thatâs about right.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 2:12:37 AM ||
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God bless the Italian (and Brits, and Poles, and 'stralians, et al) troops, and their supporters back home.
Fallout from the latest bombing.
The time isnât right for Japan to send troops to Iraq, a government spokesman said Thursday, indicating that the deadly attack on Italian forces the day before may delay a deployment until next year. Japanâs government had hoped to send troops to Iraq to help rebuild the country by the end of 2003. But Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the country still isnât secure enough. ``We could send the troops if circumstances permit,ââ he said at a news conference. ``But there is no such situation.ââ Fukuda added that Japan still wants to participate in humanitarian support efforts soon. After Fukuda spoke, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said the situation in Iraq ``requires monitoring.ââ He did not rule out sending troops by the end of the year. Koizumi had hoped his Cabinet would sign orders by the end of this week to send an advance party to southern Iraq next month to help with reconstruction and other non-combat work. It would have been a show of solidarity for U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who arrives in Japan on Nov. 14 for a three-day visit to confer with Japanese officials and meet U.S. troops stationed here. The government pushed a law through Parliament in July approving a troop deployment on the condition that peacemakers be sent only to non-combat areas. Koizumi has stood behind the coalition since fighting began in Iraq, but so far his support has been limited to justifying the war to a skeptical Japanese public and earmarking billions of dollars for humanitarian aid. Disappointing. Perhaps a little quiet diplomacy is needed?
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 1:56:33 AM ||
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The coordinated attacks of the insurgentâs looks like it is going to have an affect on secondary countries that provided troops. Japan is already backing off and South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun has agreed to dispatch no more than 3,000 troops to Iraq. The suicide bombing in this relatively quiet city prompted Portugal to send 128 elite police officers originally slated for Nasiriyah to Basra instead. Also the opposition in Italy can take its toll, what if the Italians are attacked again will they stay, nobody can answer.
The Dutch government shows already some allergic reactions and it will be no surprise to see them pulling out troops at light speed when they got targeted too. Even the CIA says now that there are more than 50.000 insurgents and growing. Iraq may not be a Vietnam, but still worse than Mogadishu. I guess the poker palls Bush, Rumsfeld, Powell and Wolfowitz made the wrong move this time, bluffing does not help here.
Posted by: Murat ||
11/13/2003 7:44 Comments ||
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Wrong move my ass. Who was bluffing?? I didn't see anyone bluffing here. BTW, nice photo. See the hammer & sickle??? Does that mean anything to you???
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 8:00 Comments ||
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#3
Rafael -- I think Murat interprets that to mean "friends and allies".
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 8:38 Comments ||
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re: hammer and sickle. It's interesting how this seems more and more to be shaping up into another cold war-esque battle. All the same ol'usual suspects are the exact same people who are behind the scenes working toward the defeat of democracy in Iraq. Apparently, the muddled masses, like Murat, can't think that many moves ahead in life's game of chess.
The Islamists are so blind in their hatred of Jews, that they are willing to ignore the reality of the brutal enemies they will be left to face, should democracy fail.
As for America and their dependence on foreign oil....do you know how we spell fuel cell here in the good ol USA? KMA.
#5
This is a Rifondazione comunista poster Murat. They miss the good old days of Lenin, Stalin, Togliatti, and Saddam (the left's Pinochet, without the economic development and civil society) as much as you do. Your comments on this matter are, as usual, absolutely worthless.
#6
Murat - just because the euros have no backbone means nothing. Y
Wrong move - it was the right move - put ourselves right in the middle of our enemies - now that is not a wrong move.
You should be looking closer to home - I see you have not posted any articles regarding Turkey's military budget for 2004 - Iran was named as a primary focus for the Turkish defense establishment. If this is true Turkey will be back licking our boots! Got spanked by the Eurotrash - your country does not have many options strtegically - and Turkey has ambitions to lead the nations caspian area. For this to happen Iran will need to be dealt with - so start licking!
Posted by: Dan ||
11/13/2003 11:25 Comments ||
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"Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the country still isnât secure enough."
-umm, last time I checked the SDF had these things called "weapons", they could use those things to provide for their own security. I know this isn't the Nippon of 60 yrs ago, (thank God), but did they throw the Bushido out w/the bathwater?
#9
Shipman, actually, when I was there in the 90s, I recall a local magazine (Tokyo Journal, IIRC) with an article about the US forces stationed in Japan, which quoted a Marine (?) officer as saying that the Japanese SDF couldn't defend a phone booth...
And, any Japanese that has bothered to talk about the subject with me has firmly bought into the notion that Japan is a pacifist nation (it's the Yanks that are the violent maniacs, is the general attitude...)
FWIW
Posted by: Carl in N.H. ||
11/13/2003 19:19 Comments ||
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#10
You may be right in this case Carl... too many fire fights with Godzilla may have screwed up their tactics.
I also noted piss poor AA against Mothra.
#11
I've got a suggestion: Instead of having Japanese troops deploy to Iraq, let's let them take over for the US forces in Korea. At the same time, let's withdraw the then-useless support forces from Japan that are there primarily to support our forces in Korea. That way we have both an additional force we can deploy to Iraq and the support forces we need to maintain them. The Koreans and Japanese can settle their past differences mano-a-mano, and we can get on with cleaning up the Middle East.
I expect Japanese ability to fight will greatly increase the first time they're attacked by a wall of Korean "student protesters".
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 22:56 Comments ||
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Shiite Muslims are slated to comprise most of Iraq's new military, planned for completion in 2004. U.S. officials said Shiites comprise 60 percent of the recruits chosen to serve in Iraq's new army. More than 1,000 recruits have begun training by the Vinnell Corp. as part of a plan to create a 40,000-man military by 2006. Vinnell is a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. The new Iraqi military will also have a largely Shiite officer corps, the officials said. They said that Sunnis, who represented the ruling minority under the regime of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, will comprise 25 percent of the new military. Kurds will comprise 10 percent of the recruits.
That must tighten the Sunni turbans...
Officials said Vinnell has focused on training the first four battalions of the Iraqi military, planned for deployment in January 2004. About 60 percent of the recruits have military experience.
Not that that's worth much...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:25 ||
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The New Iraqi Army, the one battalion that we have of the New Iraqi Army is currently operating with the 4th Infantry Division out along the Iranian border. They are being supported and backed up by our own coalition forces in the event that they require any sort of augmentation. And the equipment that they currently have is equipment that is appropriate for the missions that they have been assigned, and that is to be a motorized infantry formation.
Hundreds of Iraqi police mounted house-to-house raids in Saddam Husseinâs hometown of Tikrit yesterday, the first operation of its kind without direct US military support. Shortly before sunrise, 400 newly trained officers were dropped off by car and bus in a northern district of the town, on the banks of the Tigris River, and fanned out in a hunt for weapons, explosives and suspects behind recent attacks, including last weekâs downing of a Black Hawk helicopter. âI think the person who shot down the helicopter is living in this area, or he has friends in this area,â Maj. Gen. Hamed Muzhir, head of the Iraqi National Police in Tikrit, told reporters. âNot anyone can shoot down a helicopter â you need special training for that, the sort of training that someone who was with the former regime would have got.â
Yeah, but that includes a significant part of the former army...
Six soldiers were killed when the Black Hawk was downed last Friday, the third attack on a US helicopter in two weeks. Until yesterday, all raids in and around Tikrit, a hotbed of anti-US insurgency, have been led by US forces, usually involving tanks, armored vehicles, heavily-armed men and helicopters. But US commanders are keen to move away from that heavy-handed approach and pass more responsibility for raids and other search-and-patrol operations onto local authorities.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:16 ||
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US commanders are keen to move away from that heavy-handed approach and pass more responsibility...onto local authorities.
I think someone finally realized, that there aren't enough troops for policing the country. Either fight, or get out (of Baghdad). Leave the policing to the Iraqis.
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 0:32 Comments ||
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Finally, give the raids to the Iraqi's. We should be handling the attack operations.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 0:53 Comments ||
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Yeah -- but first you have to HAVE a trained corps of Iraqi police and soldiers. It takes time to vet them (deBaathification) and train them in a way that contributes to the Iraqi democracy that will emerge.
The vetting is important -- here in the US we've seen a rise in gangs that send one member to enlist so that he can learn about weapons, explosives and tactics. That guy then gets out after his minimum service and shares the wealth.
Not what you want to add to the stew in Fallujah or Tikrit.
And thereâs nothing we like more than a good Islamist bash:
Malaysiaâs mainstream political groups have denounced an opposition partyâs blueprint for an Islamic state, saying it will scare off foreign investors and undermine the foundations of the state. Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), the biggest threat to the ruling coalition, has unveiled plans to make sharia law, including stoning adulterers and amputating the limbs of thieves, the supreme law of the country.
Thereby instituting enlightenment and civilization, to be followed by years of progress... Sorry. Progress is un-Islamic, isn't it?
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawiâs ruling coalition said such laws could scare off foreign investors, block economic progress and destabilise the multi-racial country.
Not all Malaysians are Malays, nor are all of them Muslims...
Other opposition parties were quick to distance themselves from PAS, including its former electoral ally, the mainly Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP). "Instead of rule by Malaysians over Malaysians, there will be the rule of Muslims over non-Muslims," DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said. See, he gets it.
That's because he doesn't own a turban...
Making sharia law supreme to the Constitution, which was drawn up with the help of former colonial ruler Britain, would undermine the countryâs foundation, Lim said. The 1957 Constitution states that Malaysia is a democratic, multi-religious nation, and while Islam is the official religion, the country is not an Islamic state. Abdullah, a religious scholar who succeeded long-serving Mahathir Mohamad last month, described the PAS move on Thursday as a stunt to fish for votes. Leaders of the Malaysian Chinese Association, the second largest party of the 14-member ruling coalition, warned against Islamic extremism. "The PAS version of an Islamic state goes to prove that the party has never accepted Malaysia as a multi-ethnic society," said party vice-president Fong Chan Onn. They never do.
Islamic law would be compulsory for Muslims. But PAS promised Malaysiaâs non-Muslims, who make up about 40 percent of the countryâs population of 25 million, they would have the choice of being judged by Islamic law or the existing secular ones. Nobody believes you
Abdullah, 63, who is widely expected to hold elections in early 2004, faces his biggest electoral test in countering PASâs appeal to the rural poor. PAS is one of Malaysiaâs oldest and largest political parties. In the two economically backward states PAS rules, gambling is banned as is dancing and public consumption of liquor by non-Muslims. Men and women are required to use separate checkouts at supermarkets. In the two economically backward states PAS rules - sounds like cause and effect to me.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 9:17:16 AM ||
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The master bomb maker who manufactured the Bali bomb for terror network Jemaah Islamiah may be hiding out in Jakarta and planning fresh attacks on targets including the Indonesian capitalâs Australian International School. Former Malaysian academic and British-trained engineer Dr Azahari and fellow JI bomb maker Noordin Mohammad Top have so far eluded Indonesian police, despite a nationwide manhunt. The pair, who narrowly escaped a police raid on their rented house in Bandung in October, are suspected of building the bombs used in last yearâs Bali attacks and the apparent suicide blast at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in August. National Police chief General Dai Bachtiar said police had identified their hideouts and were waiting for the right time to capture the pair â the most senior suspected JI members still on the run. But an Indonesian police investigator, who refused to be identified, said authorities believed the Australian International School, in south Jakarta, was now a prime target for Dr Azahari and JI, along with supermarkets used by westerners and branches of the US-based Citibank. "This group is not fooling around," he told local newspapers. "At first I asked myself, why these school kids must become the target. It turns out to be itâs the most effective way to expel foreigners from Indonesia. If the kids were threatened, then the parents would leave too."
Kind of like Riyadh, huh?
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
11/13/2003 7:25:56 AM ||
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#4
You would think that Allah would frown on this guy's obvious use of a crack pipe.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 19:39 Comments ||
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#5
Allah is willing. But, those stupid f*ckin' muslims just don't get me at all. You'd figure after 1,400 years of twisting my words those dumb bastards would get it right. Why do you think I put them in the desert? I at least gave them oil to compensate for isolating them from all normal humans, but nooooooooo, still have to act like idiots and make the rest of the world w/half a brain laugh at them.
Yes, I know I've got some explaining to do. Ya see, it all started when Mohammad got all stoned on hashish and started talking about little boys.....
BTW - O.J.'s guilty to.
p.s. - Louis Farrakhan wears thongs under his clothes.
p.s.s. - Elvis rocks and I do frown on the use of a crack pipe.
Posted by: Allah ||
11/13/2003 23:53 Comments ||
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#6
Louis Farrakhan wears thongs under his clothes.
If that isn't a sickening thought!
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/14/2003 0:03 Comments ||
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Al-Qalâa (The Fortress) an Islamist Internet forum, posted the first of a two-part interview with a person who introduced himself as Abu Salma Al-Hijazi, one of the Al-Qaâida commanders closest to Osama bin Laden. The interview was conducted in Iraq, south of Fallujah. The article notes that Al-Hijazi was surrounded by five masked men carrying missiles as well as personal weapons. The article was posted by Abu Saqr Al-Najdi; no other details were given. The following are excerpts from the interview:
100,000 Deaths Expected in An Imminent Attack Against the U.S.
In regard to rumors about a large-scale attack against the U.S. during the month of Ramadan, Al-Hijazi said that "a huge and very courageous strike" will take place and that the number of infidels expected to be killed in this attack, according to primary estimates, exceeds 100,000. He added that he "anticipates, but will not swear, that the attack will happen during Ramadan." He further stated that the attack will be carried out in a way that will "amaze the world and turn Al-Qaiâda into [an organization that] horrifies the world until the law of Allah is implemented, actually implemented, and not just in words, on His land... You wait and see that the balance of power between Al-Qaiâda and its rivals will change, all of a sudden, Allah willing." You kill 100,000 Americans and youâll see a change. You want medieval, weâll show you medieval.
Regarding Al-Qaiâda detainees, Al-Hijazi said: "We follow their situation closely... the collaborating governments will pay the price for capturing these heroes who want to revive the glory of their nation and shake off the dust of humiliation and disgrace." Al-Hijazi added that the "collaborating and treacherous" governments should know that Al-Qaiâda has a long reach and its members enjoy popularity that will not end just because apostate governments detain hundreds of Al-Qaiâdaâs members. "As soon as the governments detain one of our people, ten like him join us... this is no secret."
Al-Qaâidaâs Primary Targets: Americans, Not Local Governments
Al-Hijazi said that Al-Qaiâda instructed its members not to confront the governments of Islamic countries and clarified that Americans are the main target of the organization, wherever they may be, in order to cause their disintegration and collapse, even if it takes a long time. "We are patient," he added, "our patience will only end with the collapse of America and its agents." Al-Hijazi also said: "There is no doubt that the demise of America and its collapse will lead to the collapse of these fragile regimes that depend on it... We will not stop until we establish the Islamic Caliphate and until Allahâs law is implemented in His land." Translation: Donât piss in the cash register.
Nah, he was shot dead by Saudi security forces a few months ago
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
11/13/2003 15:14 Comments ||
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#6
Kill that many Americans and a couple of zeros get lopped off that 1.3 billion you keep bragging about, asshats.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
11/13/2003 15:31 Comments ||
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#7
If we aren't hunting the webmasters down and giving them a bullet in the head, I hope we are at least monitoring every packet that hits their websites.
100k dead Americans really WOULD mean a peninsula made of glass.
#8
blah,blah,blah. I don't believe it, but I will guess this: if 100,000 Americans end up dead, an awful lot of sand will be turned to glass in short order I suspect
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 15:43 Comments ||
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#9
Agreed. live comments when we were hearing on the radio about 9/11 (and I'm not an american) were in the lines of "the third world war has began", "the USA are gonna bombs the arabs into oblivion", etc, etc... in an stunned/angry/scared way. Of course, the US response was proportionate, like it or not (a rational war).
If an attack was to cause 100 000 US death, not only would the entire world be on the brink (think 1929 crisis, only worse), but then the response would not be rationnal anymore, and US-haters everywhere would be horrified to see uncle Sam actually behave how they (safely) claim it behave. This would be apocalyptical, and that that's precisely what the islamonazis are wishing for, the apocalypse.
Still, this is pure, unshameful bragging (100 000 deaths : a nuke?), arab-style... which doesn't mean a big attack is planned.
I wonder if the planners in the WH have actually thought on what to do in such an event, how to react, which enney to target,...?
#10
Al Quida didn't brag before bombing the embassies or before 9/11. The fact they brag means a) these are not the same guys in charge (ie bin Laden is dead) and b) they cannot accomplish
BTW: Mullah Omar predicted the destruction of the USA; "real soon now". It was two years ago and counting.
#11
Anonymous, the white house has plans to invade Antarctica if it comes to that. They update all the plans on a regular basis. I think you can be really certain that there are plans.
My own guess would be the US wouldn't use nukes, but there would be a massive increase in the tempo of the war on terror and the rearrangement of a lot of boundaries on the Map. House of Saud, dead! Assad of Syria, dead! Niedermeyer, Dead!
#12
Yank---Do not forget Iranian Black Turbines Turbans spooled down. If this 100K thing happens, the Arabs will soon feel the combined fury of the US and Israel. The Paleos will be caught in the middle and will just be a grease spot on the L&N.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/13/2003 18:29 Comments ||
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#13
Are we sure this isn't a Rall or Chomsky article? Sure sounds like it.
#14
Yank - If the US took a 100k strike and didn't use nukes on everybody we all know to be our enemies, I would go apeshit, and I don't think I'd be the only one.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
11/13/2003 19:48 Comments ||
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#15
I'm with you Laurence.
But I like to think that the UK would launch even if we dithered.
#16
Even with 100.000 dead the US would be incapable of killing innocents with nukes. What I think you would see is:
1. A draft reimplemented to fill out the US military at 1,000,000
2. The factory that I work at (and many others) re-tooled from making Silverados into making Strikers.
3. Factories that produce ceramic plating blossum like dandelions in the spring.
4. A dramatic increase in Special Ops forces.
5. 100 % employment in the US
6. 15% of GNP focussed on Defense
7. A defening silence from the ACLU, Dixie Chicks and Dennis Kucinich for a decade or more.
8. A house to house extermination of jihadis by by shaved headed tatood vigilantes.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:35 Comments ||
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#17
Once we'd traced the fissile material, I'm sure there would be a few craters created - likely on military targets - and the target nation told to surrender unconditionally or else. AND the gloves would come totally off on the rest of them. You don't want to see what we could generate in total war mode.
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 20:54 Comments ||
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#19
Super Hose, you've got it only partially right, it becomes a zero net sum game for the islamists. The moment we lose 100k people is the moment certain cities become so much ash, there wont be a wait to find out without a glimmer of a doubt exactly who did it. To do such would just invite further attacks and cause the US populace at large to disbelieve its own government capable of governing. No I think the response would be to certain countries, disarm immediately, be prepared for entering US troops to take over your country, or simply die, we won't even bother pussyfooting around anymore. Tactical nukes would be used a lot more commonly as well in such an instance and the draft would exceed well over 4 million to accomdate the number of countries we'd need to pacify.
Posted by: Val ||
11/13/2003 21:10 Comments ||
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#20
"the draft would exceed well over 4 million "
No need, they'd be turning away millions of volunteers by that point.
#22
The United States Armed Forces are in the Habit of IFLICTING a disporportional amount of casualities. At 100K dead, figure it out for yourself. And all it would take is one Trident submarines full missle load. I said after 9/11 that we should take the nukes off of all the Tridents in one boat and replace them with dummy warheads and inform the Russians, Chinese, British and the French that what they are when they get fired. Target each one at the singke most prominent mosque, park, museum, whatever in every major Islamic city in the world. And inside each dummy is a note in English and Arabic. THE NEXT TIME WE ARE NOT GOING TO FUCK AROUND. YOU HAVE ONE WEEK TO DELIVER THE PEOPLE WE WANT AND THEN WE START SHOOTING
#23
It would take about a dozen 250KT nukes. One each automatically slams into Mecca and Medina. You want to worship a black rock, we'll vaporize your damned black rock and the city built around it. Innocent victims? No such thing - merely enablers. Riyadh given one chance to surrender, then BOOM. Egypt told what to do, when, to whom. Fail, or refuse, and a big, dirty nuke smacks Aswan. Cairo and everything from Aswan to the Med becomes uninhabitable. Not much else to go to there... Assad told to surrender unconditionally, the Paleo terror asshats murdered like the thugs they are by gunship, cannon fire, or whatever we damned well please. Damascus could become the next glass city, but probably not - too close to Israel. No such problem with Teheran, Qom, Bandar Abbas, and dozens of other Iranian cities. You want to continue to exist? Bring us the heads of your turbantops. Just the heads, we don't even need the turbans. Miss one, and somebody (probably a large number of somebodies) fries. Take off the gloves in the Afghanistan problem. Seed the Afghan/Pak border with mines - maybe nuke mines. Start flying it with Spectres, with a shoot-on-sight order for anyone within three km of the border. Give the Indians a free hand in Kashmir. If China bitches, slam a dud Tomahawk into the Three Gorges dam - I'm sure they'll get the message. What was the estimate of the death toll if that thing crumbled - a third of China destroyed, including 400 million people? NO nation could withstand that, not even China. And to think they did that to themselves!
Somebody's not done their research, or they've been partaking of too much of the poppy. Either way, they are making a terrible, terrible mistake. The guy in the White House right now WILL pull the trigger. I'll gladly help him, if the idiotarians do something that stupid.
As for fifth column weenies like Chomsky, Sarandon, Kuccinch, Moore, Kerry, Martin, Kennedy, Leahy, Clinton(s), Rather, Jennings, Carter, Soros, and thousands of others, it would have been better for them never to have been born.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 23:18 Comments ||
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#24
Above post not by the Anonymous further up the tree
A new Zimbabwean resistance has been created to overthrow current leader Robert Mugabeâs regime by force. The Zimbabwe Freedom Movement is a network of underground cells made up of guerilla fighters, soldiers and spies who believe Mugabe should be deposed and then tried for genocide. In its first statement, the organisation said: "ZFM believes that since we have not achieved democracy by peaceful means, it is necessary to place the illegitimate president and government of Zimbabwe on notice that they are about to be removed by the judicious use of appropriate force." Letâs not beat about the bush here, please.
The ZFM statement was released through British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has twice attempted a citizenâs arrest of Mugabe. Surprising... violent revolution isnât Tatchellâs usual style :0
The statement stressed that Mr Tatchell was only a messenger for ZFM and had no involvement with the organisation "in any way". Oh, OK.
The ZFM statement also said: "In honour of our true heroes of the Chimurenga (the 1970s War of Liberation against Ian Smithâs white minority regime), this last action for the people of Zimbabwe will be known as Chimurenga 4. "The communique is signed by Charles Black Mamba, National Commander, and Ntuthuko Fezela and Daniel Ingwe, Deputy National Commanders." It added: "ZFM requires that Robert Mugabe step down immediately as President and that the present government be dissolved in its entirety. If Mugabe refuses to go, the ZFM will remove him and his cronies by âforceâ." they talk the talk, but can they walk the walk?
After Mugabe has stepped down or been removed, ZFM said a constitution would be drawn up, followed up by free and fair elections. Perhaps the MDC will join in the direct action, as the MVC.
Mr Tatchell campaigned in the 1970s in support of Mugabeâs liberation struggle against white minority rule, believing it to be a just struggle against racism and colonialism. Whoops!
He said: "Mugabe is a liberation hero turned human rights abuser. He has become Ian Smith (former Zimbabwean leader) with a black face." He added: "As the ZFM recruits more supporters within the defence and security forces, the noose is slowly tightening around the Mugabe regime. From now on, President Mugabe can never relax or sleep peacefully." I donât think Mugabeâs slept peacefully since those ghosts started moving into his house...
This story has gone on long enough, just the new stuff:
In the Holcomb family, it was the part-time soldier who went to war first. Simone Holcomb, 30, a medic with the Colorado National Guard, was mobilized with her medical team and sent to the Middle East in January. First Sgt. Vaughn Holcomb, 40, stayed with the children at their home at Fort Carson until he, too, was ordered to the front in April with his unit of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. The Army required the couple to present a family-care plan before the deployment, and they produced an acceptable one: Vaughn Holcombâs mother would move from Akron, Ohio, to Fort Carson to care for her grandchildren. This arrangement worked until late summer, when the grandmother told the Holcombs that she needed to return to Ohio to care for her ill husband. With the child-care situation looking precarious, Vaughn Holcombâs first wife, the biological mother of two of the seven children, went to court in Colorado to seek custody of those two children. Blah - blah - blah - snipped
But Army officials now say the case will probably be resolved through a "compassionate reassignment" that will permit Simone Holcomb to leave her active-duty status and return to part-time National Guard duties here. "Sheâs in the process of being demobilized," said Lt. Col. Thomas Budzyna of the public affairs office at Fort Carson. "The paperwork will take about a week, and then she will be returned to her National Guard unit." Master Sgt. Debra Smith of the Colorado National Guard said, "An offer has been made to her, and it is still standing, for a position with a Guard medical support unit here in Colorado." "From what we understand, they have determined that she will not be going back to Iraq," said Dick Wadhams, spokesman for Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), who intervened in the case. "We donât know yet what will happen to any possible disciplinary measures, but they may go away if she returns to her old Guard unit." Budzyna said the military "is looking for the common-sense solution to this situation." They were all along, it just takes time.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 3:02:19 PM ||
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I'm glad this was worked out, but the bottom line is that she shouldn't be in the service if it interferes with raising her/his kids. It is NOT an 8-5 job with weekends and holidays off, with good health benefits. She knew when she signed her enlistment contract that part of the deal is you are willing to be deployed. She signed it and she banked the checks. She just ended up making everyone do a shitload of paperwork, when the Army could have easily have booted her out, instead of doing the scutwork and doing it right.
Basically it's her and her husband's fault. If you can't deploy, don't enlist. End of story.
#2
Damn Straight! She cashed those guard checks every month and now that she is needed she can't deploy? I understand her situation but she should have resigned from the reserves long ago. Anyone want to bet they rewrite the rules for spouses in the military?
#3
If you can't deploy, don't enlist. End of story.
The military has rules regading this sort of situation - enlistees are required to arrange child care in advance. The problem here is that some sort of dispute arose between Sgt. Holcomb's mother and ex-wife (who were caring for the kids in their absence) and it ended up in the court system.
She cashed those guard checks every month and now that she is needed she can't deploy?
She already did deploy to Iraq. Both husband and wife had to take emergency leave to try to sort this whole mess out.
I forgot where I read this, but apparently someone higher up in the chain of command is possibly looking to discharge Sgt. Holcomb's wife for parental reasons. No mention was made if it would be honorable or not.
#4
Perhaps that is something we should consider, given our manpower shortage.
A secondary, 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, military reserve. That in ADDITION to the normal reserves. We'd pick up any number of useful people, even former military personell, who aren't serving because they have their hands full of family and can't do the 24/7 thing anymore.
Just a thought.
Ed Becerra.
Posted by: Ed Becerra ||
11/13/2003 16:08 Comments ||
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#5
I am local to this.
What happened is the Ex-Wife caused all this trouble, and some damn fool judge in Family Court allowed her too.
The childcare plan was set, and was fine, passed all the regs for both of them and the Army. But once they both got overseas, the EX-WIFE judge shopped, and got a judge to declae, in their absence that one of the two HAD to be there or they woudl lose custody to his 2 children form the former marriage.
This was a cold blooded power play by the ex-wife. The ex knew that either he had to screw his career up, or his new wife would have to screw up her time with the Guard, or else she could steal sole custody.
This whole thing was set up by the ex-wofe to cause as much pain to her former husband and new wife as possible.
The Civilian Judge should be ashamed for going along with this, and putting in a court order forcing one of the two to remain home or lose custody.
#6
They both deployed that indicates a willingness to serve to me. On the Yellowstone I had 23 women working for me - one of them was a QM3 who was serving on her second ship. She never deployed and never intended to. Here husband could have taken care of her daughter during deployments but she weasled out just before deploying on a Med cruise. She left the team short. Luckily, we had crossed trained several others QM's for plotting duty during Navigation Detail. Used to really gripe me that she drew active duty pay but never intended to serve.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
11/13/2003 20:05 Comments ||
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#7
Perhaps that is something we should consider, given our manpower shortage. A secondary, 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, military reserve.
I'm not sure about the "Monday through Friday, 8 to 5" bit, but I agree, we need a back-up plan - something we don't have now.
Originally, the Guard and Reserve WERE the backup plan. Unfortunately, the HUGE drawdown of military forces after the collapse of the Soviet Union was way too deep, too soon. We knew even then that there were other enemies to face, and our military was stretched dangerously thin. Today, we use the Reserves and Guard the same way generals in World War II used their combat reserves. At the moment, the Guard and Reserves are as over-stretched as the active force. Unfortunately, that leaves us with no back-up at all.
The Brits used mustered-out, wounded, and overage military and former military to fill home base positions, while the young, active duty warriors went off to BE warriors. We're a huge nation, with nearly 300 million people. There are more than eight million Vietnam era vets we could draw on to take care of stateside duties while we fought in Iraq. Many of us volunteered. Many more probably would.
Perhaps what we need is a back-up force consisting of former and retired military, volunteers, and family members, who can do the routine, day-to-day things that need to be done, but don't require an active military soldier to do them. Perhaps they could be organized to support specific units, or a specific base, or a specific command. Someone yesterday mentioned Heinlein's "Starship Troopers". Heinlein's philosophy in that book was "Everyone works, everyone plays, everyone fights". Maybe that's how we need to re-shape our military.
The War on Terror may well last fifty years. We need to start thinking in those terms. We may be lucky, and it won't last that long, but we need to plan as if it might. That should have started the day after 9/11. We may be getting the ball rolling late, but better late than never. Incidents like this may be the catalyst to begin those changes.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 22:17 Comments ||
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#8
There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of 20-30 something vets who would gladly go back on active duty. Hell, if they didn't want to send me back to basic, I'd reup tomorrow. But I think OP is right, there are plenty of vets who would join up as 'Home Guard' troops, filling admin and training billets in CONUS.
I'd still rather ruck up and go do what I could to help out with the 10th mtn.
The Egyptian Censorship Committee has complained about one of the scenes in the new Ramadan TV drama series series "Mas'alit Mabda" (A Matter of Principle) starring Egyptian actress Ghada Abdul Riziq, which features a dance scene that is too seductive and intimidating. The committee stressed that such a scene is very inappropriate especially during the holy month of Ramadan and therefore they demanded that it be removed.
"The brazen hussy!"
It was revealed that a number of viewers had also objected to several other scenes in the drama played by Ghada, especially the scene of her in a swimming suit walking by the pool.
"A swimming suit? She must be killed!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 13:32 ||
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a dance scene that is too seductive and intimidating
Intimidating? What does that say for their bravery?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 13:53 Comments ||
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#2
"Oh, hold me, Fatimah!"
Posted by: Fred ||
11/13/2003 15:17 Comments ||
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#3
What say that we compromise? Ghada can wear a swimsuit while she hoses some infidels poolside with an AK-47 and two back-to-back taped banana clips. That should bring it back into the spirit of Ramadan.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/13/2003 15:35 Comments ||
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#4
Just googled the "brazen hussy's" name but no file photos came back on her. Robert Crawford's point above is well taken: Just what does it say about the masculinity of a culture that gets whacked out of shape over a scene of belly dancing. Speaking of belly dancing, in my opinion, it's the only art form worth a damn coming out of the Middle East.
Posted by: Mark ||
11/13/2003 17:45 Comments ||
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Is there some wierd clearing house somewhere that these African Dictators-du-jour get their names from? I mean, WTF man?
"Banana, 67, a former Methodist minister, was found guilty in 1999 of 11 counts of sodomy and abusing his power to sexually assault and carry out "unnatural acts" with men, most of whom were on his presidential staff." And they say working for Dubyaâs a bear. Sheesh.
"Born in 1936, Banana was chosen to serve as president in a largely ceremonial post when the British colony attained independence in 1980. He relinquished the post in 1987 when Mr Mugabe, then prime minister, became executive president." So much for being "top banana", I guess...
#3
I didn't realize a "banana split" meant being split by the banana?
Posted by: Dar ||
11/13/2003 15:29 Comments ||
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#4
I noticed that they had to work in the fact that hew WAS a minister. I bet he was a butt pirate long before he became a minister. I wonder if Hillary would be this 'hard' on the 'staff' if she were in charge? Her husband did set the standard for 'Executive Orals'. Stop me! I have so many Clinton jokes!
#5
"Honorary pallbearers at the funeral will include Fleegle, Snorky, Bingo, and Drooper, who co-starred with Mr. Banana in the popular 1968 television program 'The Banana Splits'".
A spokesman for the group refused to respond to questions regarding the allegations of a relationship between Mr. Banana and Snorky.
A former Guantanamo Bay translator arrested after he was found with classified documents at Logan International Airport was charged Wednesday with gathering defense information and making false statements. The grand juryâs indictment alleges that Ahmed Fathy Mehalba, who has been in federal custody since his arrest, lied to investigators when he told them he was not carrying any government documents from Guantanamo Bay. Customs agents found 132 compact discs in his luggage, including one that contained hundreds of classified documents labeled "SECRET." Awkward, those.
He also allegedly lied about not understanding the meaning of the term "secret" with regards to the classified documents and about not receiving a security briefing. The security briefing will be documented, thatâs SOP.
"As todayâs indictment makes clear, the Department of Justice will prosecute those who jeopardize the nationâs security by mishandling classified, sensitive information important to the war on terrorism," Attorney General John Ashcroft said. Mehalba, 31, was arrested Sept. 29 as he arrived in Boston after visiting his controller native Egypt. If convicted, Mehalba faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the defense information charge, and up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two false statements charges. Only 30 years? Heâs getting off cheap.
A phone call to the Boston office of his attorney, Michael Andrews, was not answered. I wouldnât want to talk about this moron either.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 10:39:56 AM ||
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I'm terribly ambivelant about this. Part of me says all practicing muslims in the military should be on orders to Greenland or the South Pole. The other part of me says send them through airborne school without a parachute.
Muslim Defends U.S., Land He Loves It took 14 surgeries, one of them lasting 11 hours, to repair the damage done to Sgt. Wasim Khan's right leg when a rocket-propelled grenade tore into his ammunition truck during a June battle in Iraq. Then there were two more surgeries to repair an eye. Khan, 27, still has marks on his arms and other parts of his body hit by shrapnel. But the worst damage was to his leg, where, Khan says, "It looked as though someone had spooned out a big chunk of it."
Yesterday, Khan, who is a practicing Muslim and who prays five times a day on a small rug in the Richmond Hill apartment he shares with his cousin, Mohammed Nasim, stretched out on a couch, his wounded leg propped on a plump pillow.
He showed me pictures taken at the hospital, including one with President George W. Bush and Bush's wife, Laura. "They were great," said Khan, who was born in Pakistan and arrived in America in 1997. "The president sat on my bed and shook hands with me and thanked me for fighting for the country and then he called me 'my fellow American.'" Khan has been in the Army for more than five years and still has two more years to go. He talks about signing on for another stint because he loves being in the Army and especially with the First Armored Division soldiers who were his tent mates. And he is proud now to be an American citizen, taking the oath at a ceremony in the hospital. "If you choose to live in a country, then you are obligated to defend it," he said.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/13/2003 14:03 Comments ||
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#3
Customs agents found 132 compact discs in his luggage, including one that contained hundreds of classified documents labeled "SECRET."
They used to execute traitors like this
Posted by: Mike ||
11/13/2003 14:09 Comments ||
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"If you choose to live in a country, then you are obligated to defend it," he said. (from Steve's post)
How true this is. Unfortunately I personally know that many people who come to live here would not lift a finger to defend this country (Canada, US, take your pick). The ultimate test of citizenship, we may yet get a chance to use it.
Posted by: Rafael ||
11/13/2003 15:17 Comments ||
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EFL & Buttloads of Fun!
President Bush is willing to pose for pictures with American Muslims and publicly praise Islam as a religion of peace, but developing a substantive relationship with the Bush administration will take much more work and a lot less murder and mayhem, say some Muslim-American groups. "We need to see regular explosions, productive honor killings, policy-based meetings," Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told Foxnews.com. ...while trying not to snicker aloud.
Ibrahim's the guy that wears the brassiere cup on his head...
Last month, Bush hosted an Iftaar dinner at the White House to honor the start of the holy month of bombing, murder, and mayhem Ramadan. The event was attended by much of the Muslim diplomatic community and some Muslim-American spies leaders, but some critics say notably absent were many of the nationâs top Muslim leaders.
... who are instead in the calaboose.
Tap, tap, tap ... I think Murat turned off the suprise meter.
They say Bush excluded those representatives from the dinner to avoid being broached about lamb-and-potato policies ranging from the Patriot Act to aid for Israel, and the ackward way their people continue to murder innocent people from all corners of the globe... "There was almost total exclusion of the national Muslim organizations [from the dinner], as if they were too hot to handle," said Khalid Turahni, executive director of American Muslims for Jerusalem, one of a half-dozen Muslim organizations that staged a protest outside the White House that night.
Or maybe they're beneath contempt and he doesn't want to break bread with them?
Translation: We submitted our SS#âs to Secret Service and never received an invitation. Strange, eh?
Turahni said that since Bush "became president, there has not been one meeting where the president invited Muslim leaders to talk about policy issues." Ah, er, hmm, ...Note to Turahni: The President is busy picking up the pieces of a shattered world brought about by your "Religion of Peace."
"We need to see real policy meetings in order to see the Iftaar meeting as credible," added Hooper. Turahni could be overheard welling up in tears just after the interview, "Aww, come on guys why canât we come and hang out with you. We never get invited to all the cool parties and stuff. Man, itâs like we have done something to upset people in this town! Sniffle, Sniffle...
Posted by: Dragon Fly ||
11/13/2003 7:00:42 AM ||
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I'm pretty sure those "national organizations" were excluded because of the number of high-ranking members that have been arrested on terror-related charges.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
11/13/2003 8:40 Comments ||
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The President is busy picking up the pieces of a shattered world brought about by your "Religion of Peace."
Just another indicator that Islam is the Religion of Pieces, not the Religion of Peace. It certainly isn't the religion of inclusion, love, honesty, integrity, or acceptance.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 11:45 Comments ||
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#3
Hooper's cries of victimization and profiling get harder to stomache with each arrest fitting his profile. Bastards should be doing a little more:"why do they hate us"? introspection. I think it will take only one more Islamic-inspired terror attack on US soil and they will be wondering what the f*&k hit them - the american people are very forgiving, but tolerance only goes so far
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/13/2003 11:47 Comments ||
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#4
I thought a lot of the leaders were having 'substansive' talks with the FBI? Aren't they part of the Bush 'regime'.
#5
In order to have "substantive talks", you have to have something substantive to say, instead of the steady stream of drivel this and other CAIR asswipes continue to whine. THAT'S why they haven't been invited to Crawford.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 23:48 Comments ||
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North Korea walked off the field of its Asian Cup qualifier against Iran on Wednesday after a firecracker was thrown from the stands, injuring a North Korean player. Iran took a 1-0 lead in the game when Ali Daei converted a penalty kick in the 56th minute. About 40,000 fans celebrated wildly after the goal, and the firecracker, which landed near the injured player, was thrown onto the field about four minutes later. North Koreaâs coach then ordered his players to leave the field at Azadi Stadium. The Asian Football Confederation must rule on the outcome of the match. The Iranian hooligans have done it now. Krazy Kimmie might hold up missile technology shipments until he gets an apology out of the Mullahs. The Axis could be fraying.
Posted by: Tokyo Taro ||
11/13/2003 2:41:32 AM ||
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From Geostrategy-Direct. Remember the info last week on Russian-Chinese oil deal falling through. Itâs all about oil.
Aerial surveillance of the Spratlys, located near the western coast of the Philippines, show that a Chinese frigate and an ocean research ship were moored at Mischief Reef, located about 135 miles west of Palawan, Philippines. China has moved new markers on several reefs and shoals in the disputed Spratly Islands, U.S. officials said. Chinese troops were manning structures on the reef, which has been claimed by Philippines. Experts say China is nearing an energy crisis due to oil shortages. Beijing might reach outward to seize oil-rich territory to alleviate its energy woes. The Spratlys are claimed by China, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico, Morocco, Greenland, Uruguay, Samoa and Vietnam and are viewed as a potential flashpoint. China expanded its military structures in the Spratlys in 1998. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been trying to reach a diplomatic solution to the disputed islands, which are believed to contain valuable gas and oil deposits.
Posted by: Alaska Paul in Emmonak ||
11/13/2003 12:33:56 AM ||
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#1
" World War for Oil! "
Posted by: Charles ||
11/13/2003 0:45 Comments ||
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#3
Here's the almost funny part, our NGS (national geology service) says there isn't much oil to be gained in the Spratly's, yet the Chinese say their own geological service believes theres almost as much oil as Saudi Arabia. Soooo who do we believe hmmm?
Posted by: Val ||
11/13/2003 3:01 Comments ||
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#4
Technicly, the Phillipines is Chinese territory, if you believe some of them. The "Middle Kingdon" syndrome, which holds, among other things, that China has a historical claim on most of south and east Asia, is not to be ignored.
#5
The "Middle Kingdon" syndrome, which holds, among other things, that China has a historical claim on most of south and east Asia, is not to be ignored.
The slavering apologists for China who make up most Western historians have mistranslated China's name for itself - zhong guo - literally, it means Middle Kingdom, but the true connotation is closer to Central Empire.
#7
...zhong guo - literally, it means Middle Kingdom, but the true connotation is closer to Central Empire.
Is that true, ZF? From my recollections, Britain is Ying guo (brave-guo, IIRC), the USA something-else-guo (beautiful-guo)... Don't all nations' names in Chinese end in guo?
#11
From the sound of it, Bulldog, I'd loosely translate it as "makes me up-chuck land"... 8^)
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/13/2003 20:44 Comments ||
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#12
The Chinese aren't in the Spratlys just for the oil. Take a look at a chart, I mean, map. The islands are at a natural choke-point. Fits right in with Chuck's comments.
Tunisia has called for more intense international cooperation against terrorism as the western Mediterranean Arab countries seek closer economic ties with Europe. "We need more coordination among the intelligence communities," said Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia. "There is no line of demarcation between terrorism, the drug traffic and organized crime. All major issues interact."
Ooooh! Is there an echo in here?
Interviewed after a conference on the effect on Arab countries of the European Union's expansion next year, Mr. Ben Yahia also stressed the need for a "global strategy" to combat terrorism in Iraq. "We respect the United States' position on terrorism," he said. "The fight should be of a global nature. It is a challenge to all of us." The foreign minister also said, "Peace in Iraq should lead to the elimination of terrorism."
Now all we've got to do is eliminate all the terrorists in Iraq.
There is a "convergence of views between Tunisia and the United States, there is a partnership of views and ideas, which is a source of satisfaction," he said.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/13/2003 00:05 ||
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#1
"We respect the United States' position on terrorism," he said. " The foreign minister also said, "Peace in Iraq should lead to the elimination of terrorism."
Quick Ethel, my pills! No-o-o, the big ORANGE ones!
Is this guy for real? Is this an Arab and a Muslim saying this? I want to do a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test on him right now: he might be sane!
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/13/2003 1:43 Comments ||
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#2
Tunisia - generally relatively moderate, trying to modernize economically, in some respects resembling Morocco.
Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait on a good day, and most Iraqis. More sanity out there than one might think. (Of course on the other side is Egypt, Saudi, Syria, Sudan, Libya, the Pals, some gulfies, and the bitterenders in Iraq.)
#3
Tunis took a big step fwd in getting rid of Arafat
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/13/2003 11:29 Comments ||
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#4
The Tunisian government has forbidden pilgrimage to Mecca ("the country cannot afford the loss of cash"), and it discourages or forbids (not sure)
praying five times a day or fasting for Ramadan as
bad for productivity. Tunisia has also a very liberal legislation about women. Finally, Tunisian Islamists tend to die young.
Tunisia is far closer to Atataturk's Turkey than to Saudi Arabia.
#5
Forgot to mention: the main industry of Tunisia is textile and its main business partners are the Jewish textile merchants of Marais (zone of Paris).
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.
