Quick ân Dirty Ditty from Our Man Chuck
Come listen to my story
about a man called Achmet
poor mountaineer
scrabbling for what heâd get.
Then one day he was shooting for some food
and up from the ground came a Spec Forces dude,
Green Beret, you see,
Navy Seal,
Marine Force Recon.
The next thing ya know
Achmetâs a millionaire.
He gave us the site
of bin Ladenâs hidden lair.
His kinfolk said
"Hey, you gotta get away"
so he loaded up the burro
and he moved to L.A. Nuff said.
Arab states should consider US proposals for democratic reform rather than rejecting them outright, the ruler of Qatar has said. Amir Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani also said on Monday Arabs could no longer use the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and security fears to justify delaying much-needed political, social and economic change. "The calls for reform coming from abroad need reflection by the people of our region before rejecting it... They should be carefully studied so that if it is accepted, it is with confidence and if it is rejected, it is justified," he told the opening session of a conference on democracy and free trade. US President George Bush believes lack of freedom in the Muslim world helps fuel terrorism and has pledged to promote democratic reform. But Saudi Arabia and Egypt, two key US allies, have rejected the US initiative and warned Washington against imposing ready-made recipes.
... since everything is just ducky in both countries.
Arab leaders have complained the initiative does not address the Arab-Israeli conflict, which they see as key to the region's woes.
Doesn't address the lack of water on the moon, either. Changing the subject's a good way to avoid talking about it.
Some have also warned the West that free elections might bring Muslim fundamentalists to power.
But protecting and enforcing individual liberty won't. It'll scare the bejabbers out of them. Their turbans will unravel on the spot.
"Honesty obliges us to stress that the wrath in our region does not spring only from the Palestinian cause but goes deeper and is due to problems of our own creation that have nothing to do with the outside world - problems that we allowed to grow unremedied and unchecked," Shaikh Hamad said. "For years, loud voices have been coming out from the region... claiming that if popular participation is broadened it would only result in bringing in those who would endanger peace and put an end to security. Yet, the adoption of reforms has always been the right way to stability." Similar calls by the Amir have been ignored by Arab leaders who were irked by the small Gulf state hosting the command centre for the deeply-unpopular US war on Iraq and by Doha's contacts with Israel.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 3:55:34 PM ||
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#1
Great post. I've always kinda liked the Qatar Arabs--the "QA's". They're consistent and reasonable--unlike their polar-opposites, the "AQ's." It is pretty astounding for the leader of an Arab country to "tell it like it is." Hope I'm not being too optimisitc. Anyone else have an informed opinion?
#2
"Arab leaders have complained the initiative does not address the Arab-Israeli conflict, which they see as key to the region's woes."
Somehow we must bring these people--by dragging them kicking and screaming if necessary--to an understanding that 6 million Jews occupying a nearly worthless plot of land barely the size of New Jersey are NOT causing the woes of a third of a billion Arabs occupying roughly one-eighth of the Earth's surface.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
04/05/2004 17:36 Comments ||
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#3
Listened for a short while this morning to a radio talk show host Dennis Prager. He raised an interesting question. Paraphrasing: If the root cause of the 'sucide' bombings is due to Israel's occupation of Palestine, then why are these attacks carried out only by Muslims and not also by Palestinian Christians? He avered that the Christian population of Palestine is about 30%. Yet no Christians have retaliated with bombs against the Israelis for the occupation of their land.
#4
Arab states should consider US proposals for democratic reform rather than rejecting them outright, the ruler of Qatar has said.
Because these words were spoken in Qatar, Al Jizz would have provided coverage. This doesn't sound like something that they would broadcast in Arabic straight up.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 21:38 Comments ||
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Saudi Arabian police killed a wanted militant and injured a second in a shootout Monday in a suburb of the capital, Riyadh, security officials said.
They don't seem to have names, though...
The officials said police patrolling the affluent suburb of Roda, east of Riyadh, fired at a car that refused their order to stop. The officials told The Associated Press that police fired at two "wanted militants" who were in the car, killing one and wounding a second. Eyewitnesses said the militants fired first. Officials said the ensuing gun battle injured three other people, but it was not immediately clear if they were police or bystanders. Police have cornered the wounded militant inside a villa in the area, which has been cordoned off and surrounded by security forces and several armored vehicles. Ambulances have arrived. It was not immediately clear what the militants were wanted for, but Saudi Arabia has been on high alert since terrorists carried out several attacks aimed at destabilizing the U.S.-allied Gulf state and home to Islam's two holiest shrines. Saudi authorities released a list of 26 most wanted terrorists after a series of bombings in Riyadh on May 12, 2003, that killed 26 people. On Nov. 8, another suicide attack on a Riyadh housing compound killed 17 people. Three of Saudi's most wanted list are dead and hundreds of suspected extremists have been rounded up in raids to seize weapons and Islamic militants.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 3:53:20 PM ||
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#1
Mee Too. I killed a bad guy today. Got 3 yesterday. I captured one, too. He cleans my clothes. Prince Nayef shines my shoes. He wants to shine other things, but I declined. I've already got that covered in a separate arrangement with a Sin City Pro. Amateurs just don't cut it.
A new law to combat terror financing is in the works, the Central Bank governor said Monday, a day after announcing the freezing of assets of a Sri Lankan businessman accused by Washington of brokering black-market deals for nuclear technology. Sultan bin Nasser al-Suweidi said a draft law is in the final stages of review by the legislative committee in the Cabinet and is expected to be passed soon. U.S. and Western investigators have warned Dubai's banking, trade and visa regulations could be easily abused for money laundering and illicit trade. About half the $250,000 spent on the Sept. 11 attacks was wired to al-Qaida terrorists in the United States from Dubai banks. Al-Qaida money in Dubai banks also has been linked to the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
Al-Suweidi announced Sunday that authorities have frozen the accounts of SMB Computers, a company founded by Sri Lankan businessman Buhary Abu Syed Tahir. He said an investigation is under way involving the Central Bank, the Dubai Prosecutor General's office and other agencies. "The UAE Central Bank has frozen all accounts related to SMB Computers Co. as part of the investigation," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference held in the capital, Abu Dhabi, to regulate an informal system of money transfer known as hawala. SMB is a Dubai-based company established by Tahir and his brother, Syed Ibrahim Buhary, that President Bush alleged Tahir used as a front for clandestine movement of parts for nuclear centrifuges. The company is part of a small-business empire with interests in Pakistan, Iran and Libya, key countries linked to the clandestine nuclear weapons network. Al-Suweidi said results of the investigation will be revealed soon. Authorities also shut down the company's operations in Dubai, The Gulf News daily reported Monday.
Took you long enough.
Dubai's public prosecutor would not comment on the investigation. Tahir, who is married to a Malaysian, is believed to be living in Malaysia, where he has been questioned by police and kept under surveillance, but is not in custody.
He seems to have fallen into a black hole.
Al-Suweidi said earlier that authorities also have confiscated $3 million in terror-related funds and frozen 14 accounts of companies and individuals named on lists by the United Nations and the United States. On Monday, he told The Associated Press that among the frozen accounts were ones belonging to Al-Hisawi Co., owned by Saudi native Mustafa Ahmed al-Hisawi, a suspected financier of the Sept. 11 hijackers; and al-Barakat Group, a Somali company allegedly linked to al-Qaida.
A hopeful development or just window dressing?
Posted by: Steve ||
04/05/2004 9:27:24 AM ||
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British intelligence agencies have established a clear link between an alleged bomb plot in Britain and suspected senior al-Qaida figures in Pakistan, according to anti-terrorist sources. Communications intercepted last month by GCHQ with the help of its American counterpart, the National Security Agency, sparked off a massive MI5 and police operation that led to the arrest of nine men of Pakistani origin last week. A source familiar with the operation told the Guardian that the link with Pakistan would become clear. "More will surface on the external aspects," he said.
The intercepts appear to show that al-Qaida still has some kind of command structure with a hold over what sources describe as loose networks of potential Islamist extremists here. The security and intelligence agencies are deeply concerned about the influence of what they call the "inspirational ideology" preached by extremists. They are puzzled that young men born and bred in Britain appear to be influenced by such fundamentalist ideology yet do not appear to be particularly religious themselves. Sir David Omand, the government's security and intelligence coordinator, briefed senior ministers last week about a perceived new threat of attacks on soft targets in and around the London area. Police have until tomorrow week to charge eight of the men arrested at a number of addresses in south-east England. Some of the men have visited Pakistan. They found half a tonne of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, enough to make a large bomb, in a self-storage warehouse in west London.
Over the weekend magistrates granted anti-terrorism detectives permission to hold the nine men for further questioning. They can be detained without charge for up to two weeks. Police in Gwent refused to comment on a report that a large quantity of ammonium nitrate fertiliser had gone missing from a Welsh farm. The Mail on Sunday newspaper claimed that nearly three tonnes had disappeared in November last year, and that Scotland Yard's anti-terrorism officers were investigating a possible link with the discovery of half a tonne of the same type of fertiliser in west London during raids last week.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:54:26 AM ||
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#1
Two and a half tonnes of missing fertiliser. 100's of brainwashed Paks. Fundamentalist flag burners in Regent's Park. This will be an interesting Summer, methinks. When will we decide to lock-up Cap'n Hook and the rest of Al-Muhajiroun?? Stop their social security benefits and they'd be gone overnight.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
04/05/2004 6:25 Comments ||
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#2
I ordered my tonne and half last week. Just one phone call to the local Co-op...
Posted by: john ||
04/05/2004 9:54 Comments ||
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#3
Did you see the News of the Screws yesterday? Some journalist manufactured a deadly car bomb from 47 pence worth of chemicals, modelling paint and a bit of blu-tack.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
04/05/2004 10:21 Comments ||
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#4
Um, that was £47, I think, Howard. That's about a week's unemployment benefit for the likes of Hookhand.
#5
Bulldog reads the Screws as well!! Still £47 isn't bad - I think Hook gets well in excess of a grand a month for his entire cadre. That's a good twenty in a frugal week for the Hamzas.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
04/05/2004 10:33 Comments ||
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#6
Maths not my strong point. Duh.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
04/05/2004 10:34 Comments ||
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Authorities announced another arrest in the Madrid terror bombings Monday and sent police to patrol subway and bus stations, as a newspaper said a group linked to al-Qaida threatened to turn Spain into "an inferno." Court officials said the arrest came Saturday in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the Moroccan coast. No details were given on the man's identity or possible role in the March 11 train attacks. Another suspect whose weekend arrest was also announced Monday has been released after questioning, officials said. The arrest raises to 16 the number of people in custody, including six charged with mass murder. Interior Minister Angel Acebes confirmed Monday that one of those killed in a suicide blast Saturday in an apartment south of Madrid was Moroccan Jamal Ahmidan, a prime suspect in the bombings. At least five terror suspects are believed to have died in the explosion, along with a special forces officer. One of the suspected terrorists has yet to be identified. Sarhane Ben Abdelmajid Fakhet, a Tunisian believed to be the overall leader of the attacks, was among those killed, Acebes said.
Don't have to worry about him anymore, at least...
Fear of more violence prompted authorities to order police to patrol the city's subway and bus stations while civil guards and army units continued checking the country's rail system. A subway station on a line leading to the airport stopped luggage check-in services as a precaution.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 3:41:49 PM ||
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EFL - Is AQ sending Germany a friendly reminder.
A high-speed train carrying 200 passengers struck six metal slabs attached to tracks in an apparent attempt to derail it, authorities said Sunday. The train was able to slow down in time and stayed on the rails. None of the InterCityExpress trainâs passengers were injured in the collision with the metal pieces early Saturday. The 38-pound metal slabs had been screwed onto tracks between the towns of Kamen and Nordboegge on a line linking Cologne and Berlin. The driver braked after spotting the slabs, and the train came to a halt after dragging the metal along the tracks for about 400 yards, police said. It was traveling at 56 mph. The incident comes amid a flurry of attacks and attempted attacks on European train lines. On March 11, 10 bombs planted on Spanish commuter trains killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800.
On March 24, a bomb was found half-buried on a train track near the town of Troyes, some 100 miles southeast of Paris, triggering a massive inspection of the nationâs rail network. Spanish authorities on Friday discovered a bomb planted under a high-speed rail line 40 miles south of Madrid. Dortmund prosecutor Henner Kruse said it was unclear whether the metal slabs could have derailed the train had the driver not braked. Kruse said prosecutors had no information yet as to who might have been responsible. The slabs apparently were attached to the track shortly before the high-speed train arrived because a local train passed the site on the same track about 18 minutes earlier, police said. That is pretty fast work, but I donât inderstand why they chose to screw the slabs in place.
With respect to protecting transportation targets, trains should be much harder to protect than airlines. One way that security could be improved cheaply would be to declare 200 yards on either side of train tracks a free deer hunting area 365 days a year with no fee or licensee requirement. Checking tracks with UAVâs or remote controlled train engines might also be advisable.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 12:49:43 PM ||
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#4
Actually, it doesn't take much (comparatively speaking) to derail a train, all you need to do is get one wheel far enough above the track for the flange to slip off.
There are devices called "derails" that are designed to intentionally derail train cars to protect maintenance-of-way workers or to prevent loose cars on a siding from accidentally rolling onto a main line. You can see a permanently-installed one here (scroll down to the bottom picture... explanation is adjacent). Western-Cullen-Hayes makes portable derails for use by work crews (site uses frames, click on "Catalog" and look under "Maintenance of Way Equipment," all PDFs, unfortunately).
Finally, to keep you from sleeping tonight, there's this, from March of 2003, which I found on the RAILROAD Digest messageboard (scroll down to bottom message):
Subject: SECURITY ALERT STOLEN DERAILS SECURITY ALERT FOR MARCH 20, 2003 @ 8:00 A.M. EST REMAINS AT LEVEL 2 FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY. WHEN/IF THIS ALERT LEVEL CHANGES YOU WILL BE PROMPTY NOTIFIED.
STOLEN DERAILS
Since January 01/2003, nine derails have been stolen in the East Texas area. Seven from the Greenville, Texas area, including three from Hunt Yard (DGNO RR), one from the Rubbermaid Plant (DGNO RR), two from Bonus Crop (DGNO RR), and one from the KCS RR yard. One has been stolen from Dalrock Siding (DGNO RR) near Lake Ray Hubbard and one was stolen from Winnsboro, Texas (KCS RR) during the week of March 10, 2003. All of the stolen derails were the portable hinged type. As you know, a derail is a device used to derail a piece of equipment from the railroad track. It is used to protect main lines sidings, branch lines, and industrial leads by preventing equipment from accidentally rolling onto the main rail route from a secondary track.
What makes these thefts a bit alarming is the nature and intended use of this equipment. Theft of this equipment is unusual, since it has little value outside of the rail industry and serves no known purpose other than its intended use. The use of derails is strictly controlled by federal regulations and company policy and when not in the hands of an experienced person could be potentially dangerous.
Your crews should be advised of these thefts and be on the look out for them while operating their trains. Suggest that you use this notice as part of your job briefings for all of your crews.
"Potentially dangerous." Yes. Pleasant dreams.
Posted by: Old Grouch ||
04/05/2004 23:36 Comments ||
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Our concern with airline safety while largely ignoring other forms of transport that are more vulnerable is an irrational fear similar to the irrational fear of nuclear power. High speed trains, cruise ships and ferries are more vulnerable than planes.
About a dozen children were playing football in the garden between the blocks of flats in Carmen Gaite Street in the multi-racial Madrid suburb of Leganes when the first shots rang out. All around, plainclothes policemen were drawing their weapons to exchange fire with gunmen holed up in a first-floor flat nearby, shouting: "Get down on the ground! Everybody down!" Jose, who was overseeing the football session, recalled: "I fell to the ground taking two of the boys with me. The police were shooting only 20 metres away. It was terrifying. They shouted for us to lie on the ground. Between shots, the terrorists kept on shouting Allahu akbar [God is great] and Muslim chants. They were terrifying shouts." Jose lay on top of two children to shelter them for a quarter of an hour until a lull in the shooting allowed them to find better cover.
Luisa Monino joined a crowd of curious onlookers. She was promptly sent back to her flat by police and told to draw the curtains. In surrounding houses, children were told to lie on the floor. Amid the gunfire and confusion, police tried to move residents out while the crack anti-terrorist unit - the Grupo Especial Operaciones (GEO) - prepared to storm the hideout. Good police work, and probably some lucky breaks, had led police to the flat. But the security forces had been spotted and the quiet residential area became a battlefield.
According to the Spanish daily El Pais, police were drawn to Carmen Gaite Street when a member of the terrorist cell activated one of a batch of 100 stolen pay-as-you-go SIM cards. Police declined to confirm that, saying: "We donât want the bad guys to know what we know." Within days of the Madrid train bombings on March 11 - "11-M" as it is known, a date as deeply seared in Spanish minds as 9/11 is in America - investigators were on the trail of the main suspects. Ten bombs were detonated almost simultaneously on commuter trains on 11-M, killing 191 people. But four devices malfunctioned. Three of those were blown up by sappers for fear that they could be detonated by a timer or remote control. A fourth unexploded bomb was later found among lost luggage. This yielded the vital clues about the type of explosive used, the manufacture of the copper detonators and, above all, a mobile telephone alarm as a timer. Police traced the SIM card to a small shop in the multi-ethnic Madrid neighbourhood of Lavapies. The three owners were arrested and the trail led to the arrest of more than 20 other people. Fifteen are now in jail, six on mass-murder charges.
Witnesses said detectives had been combing the area of Leganes for days, showing local shopkeepers pictures of six suspects still at large. By Saturday evening, investigators seem to have identified the hideout. Around 6pm, as families were preparing to celebrate Holy Week, Spanish security forces began to deploy around the flats of Carmen Gaite Street. Angel Tajuelo, 59, was at first confused by the scene below his window. "I saw two police cars crossing the road in front of me and stop in front of the garage of the block opposite." He craned his neck to look up as a helicopter whirred overhead and GEO police began to arrive outside. One resident recalled that he was at home when his mobile telephone rang after 6.30pm. "The police told us to leave slowly but they did not give us any explanation." Within minutes, shots began to ring out. "I knew then that something very serious was up," said Mr Tajuelo. "The police said we had to leave the house but my mother is 89 and cannot walk fast. They said we could stay but we had to go to the furthest room in the flat."
The gun battle continued intermittently for two hours and police talked to the terrorists through the door of the flat. According to a police source, the gang replied: "Allah is great and we are going to die killing." A GEO squad blew the door with small explosive at 9.03pm but, as they charged in, the militants blew themselves up. The first policeman through the door carried a protective shield but that was not enough to save him from an explosion that left a dozen nearby flats in rubble. Javier Torrontera, 41, became the first GEO operative to be killed since the special unit was set up in 1978. At least 11 other GEO men were injured. Debris and body parts were hurled 60 yards into the road and communal gardens. The body of one terrorist, with a belt of explosives still tied around his waist, was found in the bottom of an empty swimming pool. Terrified screams and the sound of children wailing created an atmosphere of panic.
Mr Tajuela remembered that after the "terrifying explosion", he waited for a while before peering out of his window. "The first floor of the flat was destroyed," he said. Thick black smoke billowed from the building. People who had been pushed behind police barriers frantically called on mobiles to see if relatives inside the buildings were safe. Television footage shot from a flat down the street showed the flatâs windows explode in a cloud of dust, immediately before the impact blasted the flatâs walls across the street. Hundreds of people left homeless were taken to a nearby hotel and tended by doctors and psychiatrists. "This has shown what savage bastards that lot are," said Rafael Mendez, a retired builder. "The trauma here is big. Everybody is in shock." The four-storey building was being propped up by hydraulic beams to prevent its collapse yesterday as investigators picked their way through the site to discover the number of terrorists and their identities. They also found 22lb of dynamite and 200 copper detonators of the kind used in the Madrid train bombings. Piecing together the events of the weekend, neighbours recalled their encounters with the strange North African men who moved into the first floor flat three weeks ago. One woman said: "They were odd. They always kept the windows shut." Alberto, who lived two floors above, said: "They always had their lapels turned up." Welcome to the real world, Zappy. Not nearly so much fun as life in opposition, huh?
Posted by: Bulldog ||
04/05/2004 11:29:34 AM ||
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Would that only the Spanish voting public were worthy of the sacrifice that Javier Torrontera made. God bless him.
Posted by: Dar ||
04/05/2004 12:37 Comments ||
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Spanish authorities are now saying there were 6 bad guys...
The Socialist will soon learn, appeasement doesnât work.
It only makes things worse
A GROUP claiming responsibility for the Madrid bombings sent a fax to a newspaper warning it would turn Spain "into an inferno" unless the country halted its support for the US and withdrew its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. The fax, a handwritten letter in Arabic, was received by the daily ABC on Saturday evening, just hours before five terror suspects blew themselves up in an apartment in Leganes, south of Madrid, to avoid police capture. The government believes the suicide blast killed two of the alleged ringleaders of last monthâs Madrid train bombings, including one known as "the Tunisian", and four other suspects, leaving the core of the terror group either dead or in jail. Two or three suspects may have escaped before the blast, which also killed a special forces officer and wounded 15 other policeman.
The letter to ABC was signed by Abu Dujana Al Afgani, Ansar Group, al-Qaeda in Europe, the same person who claimed responsibility for the March 11 bombings in a video found outside a Madrid mosque two days after the attacks. "Given that the Spanish state has continued with its injustices and aggressions against Muslims by sending fresh troops to Iraq and its intention to send more soldiers to Afghanistan," the letter gave a deadline of Sunday, April 4, to fulfil its demands of ending support for the United States and withdrawing troops from both countries. "If these demands are not met, we will declare war on you and we swear by Allah the highest and most sublime that we will convert your country into an inferno and your blood will flow like rivers," the letter added.
In the letter, the group said that it had showed its force with the "blessed attacks of March 11" and the planting of a bomb along the high-speed railway line linking Madrid and the Seville last week, which did not explode. ABC cited unidentified sources in Spainâs National Intelligence Centre as saying the letterâs authenticity appeared "fairly credible". It said the language used in the letter was similar to that used in the video. The intelligence agency has linked the Ansar group to the Tunisian ringleader killed in the suicide blast Saturday evening. Ansar al-Islam is an Islamic extremist guerrilla group blamed for terrorist strikes in Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Morocco. A respected French private investigator says Spanish police believe that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian terror suspect with links to the Ansar group and al-Qaeda, masterminded the Madrid railway attacks. Many saw the bombings as a reprisal for the Spanish governmentâs support for the US-led invasion of Iraq. The opposition Socialist party, which had opposed the war along with most Spaniards, won a surprise victory in the elections. In one of its first statements, the party said it planned to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq by June 30 unless the United Nations took control of the situation there. The party later said it intended doubling its troop numbers in Afghanistan to 250 to show it was committed to fighting terrorism.
Posted by: tipper ||
04/05/2004 9:27:39 AM ||
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#1
It won't matter if they do exactly as told. The next demand will be for money, or "religous tolerance" or some other nonsense.
#2
Shame we don't currently have a Spanish commentator posting at Rantburg. Some inside info on political developments in Spain would be most welcome. Any Iberian lurkers out there?
#8
I am from Portugal to tell the true i dont follow Spanish inside politics closely but i can say Zapatero rethoric is going down, the Afeghanistan up troops card is one of the signs.
Here in Postugal even in some Socialists circles is a low level talk that Spanish election results were the worst possible.
#9
Anonymous3991, your contribution's very welcome! Please keep posting.
When you say Zapatero's rhetoric is going down, you mean decreasing, right? How's he responding to demands the Spain pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan, now? I think he pledged more troops to Afghan before these new demands, didn't he?
The best way to try to regain a perception of the Spanish possessing cojones, and take the fight back to the Islamists (the only way to deal with this sort of thing, and the way Zapatero has very publicly and very consistently rejected), would seem to me, be to go back on his pledge to pull out if Iraq. How do you think public opinion might react to that?
Of course, now, he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, do pretty much anything...
#15
Well, tu3031, he could adopt Yemen's "answer" and pay tribute. The only subsequent question is whether he could convince the Spanish to follow him into dhimmitude...
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 15:38 Comments ||
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#17
Bulldog
I will give a background on Spanish mindset.
1) After Spain simmered into decadence the Spanish Army suffered defeat after defeat with the basic Spanish soldier finding not only that he was hoplessly outgunned (in 1898, Spain fielded wooden ships against the US navy), outequipped and outled but that going in the army meant to be badly fed and be abused by officers (think in an Ouzbek conscript in the Soviet Army). End result has been very low prestige for an army who collected defeats and little enthousiasm for going into wars.
2) For all of the XIXth century the favourite past-time of Spanish generals has been staging coups and fighting civil wars. Compound this with repression of strikes and of course Franco's dictatorship and the fact Spain hasn't been under danger of invasion since 1815 (and it was the guerillas not the Army who fought Napoleon) and you get vast sectors of the society, specially in the left who see the army more as a repressive corps and a danger as a genuine instrument of defence and of projection of Spain's power.
3) While Franco's propaganda exalted Spanish war heroes and spanish army it also insisted strongly on the untold length of time where Spain had been at peace and created what I call franquist pacifism. I remember when Franco died, a woman (who looked poor working class) interviewed and saying he hoped "much peace and much order". In addition when democracy arrived there was little in the right who was untinted of associating with Franco so the left had a field day for imposing its values like multiculturalism and pacifism (from the kind who didn't target the Red Army only ours). Combine this leftist pacifism with the indoctrination under Franco about peace and you get a spirit who would have made Chamberlain look blood thirty. I remember a teenager interviewed in 1986 telling: "If there is a war, we just have to not go, so no war". That is why when I heard about the bombings in Madrid and that the Socialist Party was trying to exploit I thought of that girl and I knew the Socialist would win: the Spanish who valued courage above everything, who resisted two hundred years to Rome, who set Don Quijote as an ideal, who told "Spain prefers honor without ships to ships without honor" and who resisted to Napoleon are no more. What remains is a bunch of "flower power" people who don't even want to go through the sacrifice involved in having children. Natural appeasers.
4) The USA are not popular in Spain: rencors about the 1898 war (the Spaniards DIDN't blow the "Maine"), about bad American behaviour in South America, about Spain being treated as a pariah after WWII (in right wing circles), about aid to Franco after 195x (in left wing circles) and of course europeism who sees America as the enemy, the fact that even the non-communist left is permeable to the "revolutionary" rhetoric from Cuba and similar places made for many people hostile to America and few people who felt they owed something to America: Spain didn't owe it a libertaion from the Germans and its geographical position made the danger from Soviet Union look a distant one so no gratitude for Cold War.
Now there are people (look at
http://iberiannotes.blogspot.com for a summary in English of what happens in Spain) who understand that Islamic terrorism threatens all of us but they are minority, probably even between right wing people.
However there is an interresting development: Spanish people have ever had a BIG inferiority complex toward France. EVERYTHING in France was deemed infinitely superior to its Spanish counterpart. So it was a big surprise that the other day in http://libertaddigital.com I found an article questionning what Spain could learn from France and scorning French economy and its leadership in Europe and the interest for Spain to back a country who had ver backstabbed her at every step.. Having Spaniards lose their admiration for France says many things about Chirac's performance.
Anonymous3991 mentioned that in Portugal even some left-wingers are expressing shock at the consequences of the Spanish election - do you think that feeling might be being mirrored in Spain itself?
You mentioned the Spanish questioning their following of France - is this perhaps a generational thing? Or are today's youngsters cut from the same political cloth as their parents? I can only hope that the continuation of terror attacks has opened some more Spanish eyes to the true nature of their enemy.
#21
I only see the reactions in Spanish blogs and for now I see many LLL posts so I think most people still oppose war (don't forget however that only a minority of Spaniards have net access and most of them don't have the kind of cheap connectivity, read ADSL, needed to wander in blogs). But I also think that a number of Spaniards are now repenting of voting the Socialists not about the war but about economy and concessions to separatists (I am really, really afraid Zapatero will allow the implosion of Spain in order to gain the support ofbthe separatists).
The questionning of following France is not so much a generational thing that a political thing: the people who want Spain following its own path, against the "let's go to the UN, let's Europe rule Spain, let's the independentists have their way" people.
For Spaniards opening their eyes to terrorism, my generatin grew during the sixties, reading the adventures of Captain Thunder (a mix of crusader and Arthurian hero) so I think they could open the eyes. I am more pessimistic about the ones who grew during the late 70s and the 80s who had thir teachers and every TV star brainwash them into "piss, piss, piss, err I men peace" pacifism and edonism. Another problem is that the left controls the media and uses stalinist tactics to smear the right by accusing of fascism and of aspiring to dictatorship.
Now everything who goes one way, ends going the other way at a point, specially when Spaniards will begin to taste the bitter fruits riped by the Socialist Party.
#22
JFM,
Excellent summary. I just add that the Spanish army did in fact fight very hard against Napoleon -just not very well. Unlike other European armies that lost to the French, and then signed apeace treaty, the Spanish army just kept resurrecting itself after each defeat and coming back for a rematch - which they almost always lost. This is not common knowledge, the guerillas always got most of the press. The Spanish army does remember it though.
The vow to light up Span wasn't part of the deal. If Spain leaves Iraq and Afghanistan, Spain becomes a peaceful leftist little dhimmified country, and Al Qaeda leaves them alone. That was the deal.
Unfortunately, now they have no one to complain to. AQ sure as heck won't listen, and until the day Spain reverses its decision to bug out, the US won't either.
#24
JFM, Another problem is that the left controls the media and uses stalinist tactics to smear the right by accusing of fascism and of aspiring to dictatorship.
Sure you aren't talking about the US?
Great way to persuade other potential targets that they'll get off the hook by cooperating. This sort of counterproductive game plan is right up there with the fatwa against moderate clerics.
The beast is devouring its young and simultaneously biting the hands that feed it. Always a winning strategy.
#26
JFM, I speculate that these next several months may be a watershed for the Spanish public. My guess is that June date for turnover is a set-up by Bush to force all the bad actors to lay their cards on the table before they can effectively plan attacks - 9/11 took years to plan. We will now go through a rapid period of rack-em and stack-em. I think that Spain is now a hard target and most of the cells are cleared out. What happens if Spain stands by bravely and Bush appears in Madrid to thank the Spanish people for their blood and steadfast support? Is that a step in changing the culture? I see the standoff in Korea being similarly cathartic for the Japanese. Maybe I'm just a sap who watched Miracle on Ice on too many times.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 21:59 Comments ||
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Spanish police are stepping up the hunt for remaining members of a terror cell wanted for the Madrid train attacks. The group's alleged ringleader, Serhane ben Abdelmajid Fakhet, died with four associates when their Madrid flat was destroyed by an explosion on Saturday. Spain's interior minister said several suspects may have escaped the scene.
Or they weren't home when the cops arrived.
Meanwhile, police are examining a fax sent to a newspaper threatening more bloodshed if Spain does not withdraw its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ah, added Afghanistan to the demands.
The fax, handwritten in Arabic, was sent by a group calling itself Abu Nayaf al-Afgani.
According to another report, ABC said the letter was handwritten in Arabic and signed "Abu Dujana Al Afgani, Ansar Group, al-Qaida in Europe."
The group claimed responsibility for the 11 March attacks, which killed 191 people, and for Friday's foiled bomb attack on the high-speed train link between Madrid and Seville. The group said it was cancelling a truce designed to give Spain time to remove its forces, adding "if these demands are not met we will declare war on you and turn your country into a hell where blood will flow in rivers".
Cancelled the truce when you got caught planting a bomb? How very Paleostinian of you.
Spain's incoming Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has promised to withdraw 1,300 Iraq-based troops by 30 June unless the United Nations takes control.
Gonna cut and run from Afghanistan as well, Jose?
ABC newspaper says investigators believe Abu Nayaf al-Afgani is linked to the alleged terrorist cell in Madrid led by Fakhet. Interior Minister Angel Acebes said rucksacks filled with explosives found in the wreckage of the Madrid flat proved Fakhet's cell had been poised to strike again.
Yup, even after Jose promised to pull the troops from Iraq. I know I'm shocked, oh wait, that was just gas.
The mayor of the suburb of Leganes - where Saturday's blast occurred - has called on locals to take part in a peace march on Monday evening.
Yeah, a peace march, that'll do it.
Fakhet, alias The Tunisian, was named last week in international arrest warrants connected with the attacks. Mr Acebes, who is part of the outgoing Spanish government, has said that another of the dead suspects, Moroccan Abdennabi Kounjaa, was also among six men named in the arrest warrants. A third man - Asri Rifaat Anouar - was not on the list, and a fourth suspect, wearing a belt of explosives, has not been identified.
"Manuel, does this lip look like anybody on the Most Wanted list?"
"Uhhh... Doesn't ring a bell."
"How 'bout this forehead?"
Spanish newspapers reported that Moroccan Jamal Ahmidan, who was on the list, was among the dead. Ahmidan, known as El Chino or Mowgli, was believed to have led the gang which placed 13 rucksacks packed with explosives on the trains on 11 March. That leaves three suspects from the list still at large: Moroccan brothers Mohammed and Rachid Oulad Akcha and Moroccan Said Berraj. Spain has already provisionally charged 15 suspects over the Madrid train attacks. "The core of the group that carried out the attacks is either arrested or dead in yesterday's collective suicide, including the head of the operative commando," Mr Acebes told a news conference. In Leganes, police have recovered 200 detonators of the kind used in the Madrid attacks, Mr Acebes said. They also removed 10kg (22 pounds) of dynamite from the flat, he added. "They were going to keep on attacking because some of the explosives were prepared, packed and connected to detonators," Mr Acebes said. Before Saturday's explosion, the suspects reportedly spotted the police as they prepared to enter the flat and opened fire from the first floor window. Neighbours said a group of North Africans had moved into the apartment about a month ago. They were rarely seen and the blinds were always closed, the neighbours said.
Posted by: Steve ||
04/05/2004 8:53:56 AM ||
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"...more bloodshed if Spain does not withdraw its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan."
French police have arrested 15 people in raids targeting militants suspected of having links to last yearâs suicide bomb attacks in Morocco. Nine men and six women were detained in the early morning raids in the Paris suburbs of Aulnay-sous-Bois and Mantes-la-Jolie, the interior ministry said. Some of the men detained are said to be linked to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (MICG), AFP news agency said quoting French interior ministry sources.
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
04/05/2004 5:39:15 AM ||
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EFL
In a small South Texas town, an illegal immigrant managing a convenience store aroused suspicion by asking customers about explosives -- enough to detonate several city blocks. Investigators said he was also collecting photos of skyscrapers, including ones in Houston. In Corpus Christi, investigators found 30 illegal immigrants from the Middle East hidden in the bowels of a large ship. The stowaways refused to say why they had come. And in The Woodlands, the owner of a $350,000 house is about to be sentenced for leading a double life as an arms dealer for terrorists.
Quietly and without fanfare, teams of lawmen from federal, state and local agencies have banded together to probe these and other incidents they believe could lead to terrorism. The number of such task forces grew rapidly after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon to nearly 70 nationwide, including four in Texas. "Weâve followed thousands of leads. We get them daily," said Richard Powers, the FBI agent in charge of Houstonâs Joint Terrorism Task Force. "Ninety-nine percent turn out to be invalid, but I believe we have also prevented things." Two floors of the FBI headquarters in Houston are devoted to task force operations, giving members a round-the-clock base where they can access secure telephones and computers. The Houston task force comprises 100 members from 40 agencies. They include FBI agents, a police officer from Baytown and a detective from Texas A&M University. All are subject to background checks and are given top-secret clearance. They spend the bulk of their time following tips but also network with other intelligence sources. "They see the most sensitive secrets we have," Powers said, "like a fire hose of intelligence."
Local police have been sent to the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to interview Taliban and al-Qaida detainees, though Powers declined to elaborate on the missions. "They went to get names and intelligence about possible cells to disrupt," he said. Most leads donât have serious consequences. A year ago, for instance, a suspicious box reported under the Fred Hartman Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel contained nothing more sinister than a dead cat. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, who serves on the local task force and is chief of the regional Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, said the group thwarted attempts by suspected terrorists to cross the Mexican border into Texas. In one, a few days after the start of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, task force members received intelligence that five Iraqis in Mexico City wanted to exchange millions of dinars for U.S. currency and find a smuggler to bring them across the border near Laredo. They were believed to be planning an assault on President Bushâs Crawford ranch, where they "wanted to blow something up," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Porto, another task force member. The smuggler they approached sought help from two people with links to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, which has been named a foreign terrorist organization, Martinez said. "The threat was interrupted and went away," he said. "I canât say how."
Maybe we don't want to know...
Another tip triggered a task force investigation of a convenience store owner in Alice who was seeking explosives and collecting photos of tall buildings. Muhammad Navid Asrar is now in federal prison after pleading guilty to being an undocumented immigrant in illegal possession of 50 rounds of 9 mm bullets. Asrar, a Pakistani who overstayed his student visa, denied any connection to terrorists, and investigators said they could not prove what he intended to do with the photographs. However, FBI Agent David Troutman has testified that Asrar remains the subject of an investigation. "Besides trying to purchase explosives from an oil field worker, Asrar had made donations to the Holy Land Foundation," Martinez said. A federal appeals court in 2003 ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department had ample evidence connecting the Texas-based foundation to a terrorist group blamed for orchestrating suicide bombings in Israel.
Intentionally false tips also are prosecuted vigorously. Last year, Bill Taylor of Dickinson was sentenced to eight months in prison for making two 911 calls to falsely report that a bomb was planted at the Port of Houston, and Solange Villegas Bedoza of Colombia was given three years supervised probation for falsely reporting her live-in lover was plotting with terrorists to put cyanide in a water treatment plant in Houston.
The other task forces based in Texas are in Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso. Houstonâs task force was the first in the state and one of the few in the nation already in place before the Sept. 11 attacks, Powers said. Houstonâs was created a few weeks before the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. Ahmad M. Ajaj, one of four men later sentenced to life in prison for the bombing, once made his home in Houston, records show. Martinez said Houston now is viewed as one of eight U.S. cities most vulnerable to a potential terrorist attack. "It is the only area in the U.S. with critical infrastructure in all risk categories," he added. Houston also has the nationâs second-largest Muslim population, numbering 350,000, and 80 mosques, Martinez said. Yet investigators are quick to stress that they do not use a broad brush to target Middle Easterners. "Weâre here to protect them, too," Powers said. "Iâve investigated more than 100 hate crimes against Muslims since 9/11."
The Council on American Islamic Relations, an Islamic civil rights group, agrees to a point. Council spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed said that while the FBI is doing important outreach in the fight against hate crimes, the agency is sometimes guilty of "profiling and unequal treatment of Muslims." Muslims do not want to be treated as if they are guilty until proven innocent, Ahmed said, based solely on rumors or suspicions. Martinez said the task force strives to be fair. At the same time, he and others added, the task force is charged with preventing terrorism, not waiting for the crime to occur and then determining who did it. For instance, the task force might seek to deport a terrorism suspect for a lesser offense, such as a visa or weapons violation. Martinez stressed that less than 1 percent of people deported from the 16-county southeast Texas area since 2001 were from the Middle East.
In order to make identifications in difficult cases, task force members say they must sometimes work with informants who go deep undercover. The case against Carlos Ali Romero Varela was made by such an informant, records show. Varela has pleaded guilty but not yet been sentenced for being part of a conspiracy to provide material support and resources to the AUC. The charge stems from Varelaâs negotiating for the sale of $25 million in cash and drugs for Russian-made weapons that could range from machine guns to shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. With the informantâs help, investigators were able to track Varela from his fashionable home in The Woodlands to AUC commandants in the Colombian jungles. The trail led to clandestine meetings in Mexico City, London, St. Croix, Panama City and San Jose, Costa Rica. Eventually, a case was built against Varela and three others, all of whom have pleaded guilty.
Some probes expose breaches in security that need to be corrected, Martinez said, citing the discovery in 2003 of 30 Middle Easterners illegally hiding on a ship in Corpus Christi. The stowaways would not tell investigators why they were sneaking into the country, and they eventually were deported. The U.S. Coast Guard ordered four armed security guards posted to see that none of the stowaways escaped. None did, but when Coast Guard officers returned they found only three guards on duty. One was asleep and only one was armed. Furthermore, the firm supplying the guards was not licensed to do business in Texas and was owned by a felon convicted of smuggling illegal immigrants, authorities said.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 1:08:50 PM ||
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A year ago, for instance, a suspicious box reported under the Fred Hartman Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel contained nothing more sinister than a dead cat.
The Bush administration has received a warning from two senior senators that Iraq faces the possibility of civil war. Richard Lugar and Joe Biden, the Republic and Democratic Party leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the US should consider postponing the handing over of sovereignty which at the moment is set for 30 June. Iâm sure Kerry would like this....
The date is an important political deadline for the White House, which wants to be able to show the American people that it is making progress towards handing Iraqi affairs back to the Iraqi people. The political fallout from the violence of the last few days in Iraq is beginning to take on worrying proportions for the Bush administration. But the marines are taking care of the âproblemâ
Mr Biden said Nato should be involved and the UN should be invited to send a commissioner to help run the country. After all they have has so much success before. Like in... umm... (Iâll get back to you on that)...
Mr Bidenâs Republican colleague, Richard Lugar, also talked of the possibility of civil war. He said it was time to begin a debate on whether the 30 June handover could still take place. Now thats an idea! Lets run the WOT by commitee! Thatâll show those terrorists!
The Foreign Relations Committee will begin hearings on the subject soon. Letting that date slip would send a message to the American people, only months before the presidential election, that Iraq was out of control.
Posted by: CrazyFool ||
04/05/2004 9:51:06 AM ||
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Joe Biden and others have this pathological need to always come back to the UN for the answers to all of Life's persistant and nasty problems.
This is despite the fact that the UN has utterly failed all over the world in solving problems. But look around at the UN in Africa, ME, Korea, etc. And look at the enabling of misery on the people of Iraq the UN did with the Oil for Palaces program.
This is the only thing that I can figure. When we were kids, we put our pennies in for UNICEF. We were told that the UN is the United Nations, a family of nations working for the betterment of the world. I think that too many people were enamored with the image of the UN, with the ideal that the UN represented. UNfortunately, it is just a fascade and the UN is totally corrupt, and there are many of us that cannot let go of the propaganda that was dished out to us years ago. Well, get over it.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/05/2004 10:00 Comments ||
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#2
In the words of Ambassador Kosh from Babylon-5: "The avalanche has started. It's too late for the pebbles to vote!"... Both need to learn to SHUT THE HELL UP! and let our troops do their job!
Posted by: Jack Deth ||
04/05/2004 11:20 Comments ||
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#3
Biden has an insatiable need for airtime. Saw him on Imus, several times on Fox, and MSNBC/Hardball all within the last couple weeks. What a puffball
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 13:26 Comments ||
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The United States may need to bolster its troop presence in Iraq and extend the deadline for transfer to Iraqi rule, amid an insurgency that could lead to civil war, a leading Republican lawmaker said on Sunday. "It may be that we do need more troops ... because I think we have to have security (in Iraq)," U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican and head of the Senate foreign relations committee, said on ABC television's "This Week." Lugar said he is worried that when the U.S.-led coalition turns over sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30, the new government will be unable to deal with the violence. "They're at a point in which clearly they can't control the situation," he said. "You have the militia that has not been disarmed, and if in fact the worst situation comes, the militia begin to fight each other, that is, civil war."
Which is why we're not leaving.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright also said more U.S. troops were probably needed in Iraq, and the Bush administration should get other countries to contribute more forces.
Plenty of other countries there already -- oh, you mean the French?
"There has been, from the very beginning, a mistake in military planning, where the original forces that went in were potentially not sufficient," said Albright, appearing on the same program. "So there has been a complete mismatch between the military and the political planning in Iraq," she said. Lugar said he supported a proposal from Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel, that calls for U.S. President George W. Bush to convene a summit with European leaders -- including those who opposed the war -- and repair the U.S.-European alliance. "He (Bush) should tell them that none of us can afford failure in Iraq," Biden wrote in a editorial in the Sunday edition of The Washington Post.
But Chirac and Zappy are counting on just that.
Biden's plan would also have the president seek a U.N. Security Council resolution to create a high commissioner who would be in charge of handling's Iraq's political transition, similar to U.N. arrangements in the Balkans and Afghanistan.
Yassss, the mighty UN. Look at the recent masterful job they've done in Darfur.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 12:53:52 AM ||
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What a wonderful world it would be if the hideously stupid Albright SHUT ITS gaping MAW!!! Biden is an equally annoying slut. And Lugar is barely recogzizable as human. If either of the three stooges actually thinks IT has a better plan for Iraq, IT should have run for Commander in Chief. As neither of them had the balls to run for President, they should shut the HELL up.
#3
Shouldn't have gone it; now we're there, we don't have enough. Yes, anon. Madeleine, stick a sock in it. You oversaw a lot in 8 years and you screwed up our getting Bin Laden. Why doesn't anyone ask her about that? We need more troops? Let's do it. Let's rev it up. Then please no complaining about how feelings of Fallujah residents will be hurt by what's coming down the track. There have been bad weekends and months before and will be others. (march deaths of our guys was double Feb.) Let's not go wobbly, though
Posted by: Michael ||
04/05/2004 10:40 Comments ||
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Via Lucianne:
SADDAM Hussein had the ability to unleash biological and chemical weapons "at short notice" on foreign nations, according to a potentially explosive new report by inspectors. The leaked document, written by Charles Duelfer, the new director of the Iraq Survey group, concludes that hard evidence does exist that Saddam had the ability to wreak terror with the weaponry. Furthermore, there was evidence that he was plotting to expand his facilities last year, prior to the invasion of British and American troops. The report will be seized on gratefully by London and Washington as they continue to fight the case for war. One Foreign Office official described it last night as "hopeful".
Last night his findings were questioned by critics of the war, who claimed he had moved the goalposts in the hunt for weapons of mass destruction since taking over the job - shifting from the search for hard evidence, to signs of "intent". They also demanded that the factual basis for Duelferâs five-page report be revealed. Democrat senator Carl Levin - the partyâs most senior defence spokesman - has now challenged the CIA, which controls the survey group, to declassify the entire report. Be careful of what you wish for Carl, you might get what you want. I seem to remember ramps for missiles longer than they should have been that Blixie found and dismantled. And when did moving goal posts matter????
Posted by: Anonymous2U ||
04/05/2004 12:17:30 AM ||
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Ok, fine...let's talk about moving goal posts. I recall some asshat Donk senator saying that even if we did find WMD stockpiles buried in the desert - that would not be considered suffient proof of Saddam's intent beause such stockpiles were not in a state of deployment. I truly wish I remember who said that but it's getting near impossible to track which dhimmicrat said what.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/05/2004 2:04 Comments ||
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#2
Why did so many Iraqis carry atropine injectors? Why the stock piles of atropine and chemical suits at the Iraqi hospital?
Did THEY think WE were going to use chemical weapons? Nerve gas?
Lieutenant Col. Daniel Lucero, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, said Monday that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has weakened due to continuous arrests of its leaders. Lucero, in an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, said the group has whittled down to 400 troops from 1,200. "Some Abu Sayyaf men were captured because of tips from some ASG members who betrayed their leaders maybe because of the bounty being offered by the government," he said. He denied reports that the ASG is training new members to become suicide bombers, saying that the group is only out to raise money through kidnap-for-ransom activities. He added that the ASG's link to the militant group Jema'ah Islamiyah has yet to be proven. He added that the communist New People's Army is still the country's biggest security threat and that the group is actively campaigning for some candidates and party-list groups.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 1:05:37 AM ||
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After years of peace, the separatist threat is rising again. Ahmad Benno, a local co-ordinator for the Thai Rak Thai party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, points to the line of peaks as he drives along a twisting road through troubled Narathiwat province. "Fifteen years ago these hills were full of separatists. Now they are empty, but there is no doubt that the separatists are once more on the rise. There was no separatist feeling before the army arrived in January. People here are loyal Thais, a Thai flag flies from every house but they feel persecuted now and there is a lot of growing anger." At a roadside coffee shop, customers in checked sarongs list a litany of complaints including false arrests, the disappearance of a prominent Muslim lawyer defending suspected members of terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and the hand of major political parties in violence that exploded in January. The two main complaints are harassment by security forces â police and army drafted in by the Bangkok administration â and Thailand's military engagement in Iraq where it has sent a 400-strong contingent. "There are many problems but only one clear answer and that is a self-administered area which is still part of Thailand, but can satisfy the very different religious and cultural needs of people living here," said Ahmad. The fear of large-scale attacks has escalated after a raid on a quarry last week saw masked gunmen escape with a huge quantity of ammonium nitrate â a fertiliser used in the Bali bombings â as well as dynamite and detonator caps.
Found this story at Channel News Asia: police are looking for two Indonesians suspected of being behind the explosives heist. Intelligence sources told Channel NewsAsia that one of the two is a bomb-maker, said to be related to regional terror suspect Hambali, who was arrested in central Thailand last year. They also believe that the two, together with two other Thai-Muslims from Narathivas province, have fled across the border into northern Malaysia Other newspapers say it could be a relative of Hambali named Mukta, Thai police are denying any outside involvment. I wonder if it could be our old JI friends from Malaysia, Noordin Muhammad Top and Azahari Husin? They have been out of site for a while, this sounds like their style.
The outside involvement would tend to counterbalance the bitching and moaning by the locals in this article. I suspect that the Bad Guys moved in and set up, and now people are trying to find reasons for it. The fact that they set up had nothing to do with actual conditions, only the fact that there were Muslims there, so the populace could be divided into "us" and "them."
The raid came just days after the first strike against a civilian target â a bomb blast at a bustling tourist strip in Sungai Golok on the Malaysian border, which injured 28 people including eight visiting Malaysians. Politicial analysts and government ministers are divided about who is responsible for the violence â some point to gangsters while others say Islamic militants are to blame. A flood of funds from Wahhabi fundamentalists in Saudi Arabia is also sparking fears that the south could become more influenced by JI and global terror outfit al-Qaeda.
That little fact further buttresses my opinion. Somebody in Riyadh is buying revolution.
The region's spiritual leaders are reluctant to say who the culprits are, but agree the government's heavyhanded response is feeding a vicious circle of anger and militancy.
And will do so, regardless of what the gummint actually does, to include nothing...
"I don't want to talk about who is behind the violence," Narathiwat Muslim Council president Abdulrahman Abdulsamut said on the sidelines of a crisis meeting of local and national officials. "The Government has heard all our complaints before but nothing ever changes and nothing will change this time and everybody knows it," said another Muslim politician. "We don't like seeing the re-emergence of the main separatist groups or these new ones we don't even know anything about but if the people don't play politics then politics will play the people," said a village headman. In a frank admission, Thailand's deputy premier Chaturon Chaisang acknowledged on Friday that killings, torture and kidnappings of residents in southern Thailand by government agents had fuelled the violence.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:35:42 AM ||
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A ringleader of the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist group offered to call off attacks against Singapore if he was released from detention, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. Ibrahim Maidin also said the real enemy was the United States, but Singapore became an enemy too when it cracked down on the al-Qaeda-linked JI in 2001. A security analyst told today's Straits Times Ibrahim, netted in the first wave of arrests in Singapore following the attacks in the United States and whose detention was extended for another two years, had not recanted. "These terrorists will not give up," he was quoted as saying. Ibrahim told officials: "Release me. I will go and talk to my friends and tell them not to attack you."
"Cross my heart and hope to ... um, ...
Singapore was a target because of the millions of Western tourists who visit and the many US and other multinational companies here. "Singapore is being targeted not for what we did, but for who we are," said Lee, already selected to become the city-state's next prime minister. The war against terror, Lee said, would be a long-term one, Lee said. Terrorists are being trained in Mindanao in the southern Philippines, he claimed. "We are mentally preparing ourselves for the worst, and to respond effectively should it ever happen," said Lee, son of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:33:57 AM ||
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This is hysterical. Must've read about the attacks in Spain and the election and thought why not?
Of course, you coudn't ask for a more incriminating statement - they've definitely got the right guy in stir! Lol! Wotta maroon!
Nobody else is saying it, so, once again, it is left to me to explain what really happened in Iraq yesterday.
Iran declared war on the U.S.
The signs have been there for a long time. I donât know if they have been intentionally ignored by U.S. forces in Iraq, or whether there is some master plan at the Defense Department to deal with this scenario. All I can tell you is we are now fighting a regional war. I think that has been the case since we attacked the Taliban.
Our local opposition in Iraq is being trained, armed and directed with foreign support â by neighboring Iran. The uprising yesterday was treated in many initial news accounts as a spontaneous uprising directed by Najaf cleric Moktada al-Sadr. What the other news accounts left out was one significant, but well-established fact: Al-Sadr works for Iran. He is an Iranian agent. His authority comes from Iran.
Last April, an Iranian cleric, Kadhem al-Husseini al-Haeri, issued a religious edict and distributed to Shiite mullahs in Iraq, calling on them "to seize the first possible opportunity to fill the power vacuum in the administration of Iraqi cities." For me, the determinant on whether al-Haeri is speaking for Iran would be whether he is on the Guardian Council.
The edict, or fatwa, issued April 8, 2003, showed that Shiite clerics in Iraq are receiving significant direction from Iran. The edict said that Shiite leaders have to "seize as many positions as possible to impose a fait accompli for any coming government."
"People have to be taught not to collapse morally before the means used by the Great Satan if it stays in Iraq," the fatwa read. "It will try to spread moral decay, incite lust by allowing easy access to stimulating satellite channels and spread debauchery to weaken peopleâs faith." The fatwa also instructed the clericâs followers to "raise peopleâs awareness of the Great Satanâs plans and of the means to abort them." Sadr has certainly been following this big fat-one fatwa.
On April 7, the day American troops effectively toppled Husseinâs government by seizing its main seats of power in Baghdad, al-Haeri sent a handwritten letter to the city of Najaf, appointing Moktada al-Sadr as his deputy in Iraq.
Haeri wrote: "We hereby inform you that Mr. Moktada al-Sadr is our deputy and representative in all fatwa affairs." It added: "His position is my position." I hope al-Sadrâs position will soon become doggy style.
Also last April, WorldNetDaily reported that Iran had armed and trained some 40,000 Shiite Iraqi fighters â most former prisoners of war captured during the Iran-Iraq war â and sent them to Iraq to foment an Islamic revolution. The report originated in my premium, online, intelligence newsletter G2 Bulletin. The report said this small army represents the vanguard of Iranâs effort to subvert the U.S.-led liberation of Iraq and use the toppling of Saddam Husseinâs regime for its own ends.
"Ayatollah Mohammed Bakir Khakim is on record pledging more than once to his followers a plan to impose Islamic rule over Iraq with the help of Iran," reports G2 Bulletin. "The Tehran ayatollahs, or the Pasadran, the powerful revolutionary guard, repeatedly have been telling the Iraqis they would be their legitimate allies and partners. In such a scenario, there is no room for the U.S. The coalition that liberated Iraq is seen by the Iraqi Shiite militants and their Iranian sponsors as a tool for handing Iraq over to them without the need to use a massive force of their own."
Iran has clear objectives in Iraq. The only question is whether the United States still has clear objectives in Iraq â and whether Washington recognizes that this war front just got wider. Will the WOT proceed to the East or to the West?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 12:35:56 PM ||
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Will the WOT proceed to the East or to the West?
Yes.
Posted by: Dar ||
04/05/2004 12:38 Comments ||
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Great post. As if anybody here is surprised. The killing is just getting started.
#4
don't have to have the WMD argument to war with Iran. Texas law should apply: "the black turbans needed killing"
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 12:51 Comments ||
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#5
The mullahs are openly declaring war on us now? Oh dear, oh dear, whatever shall we do?
Heh, heh, heh...
Posted by: Dave D. ||
04/05/2004 13:05 Comments ||
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Iran is certainly the next target. There can be little doubt that they are fomenting this current situation. Sadr made a huge mistake pulling the trigger now rather than waiting. US forces (I hope) are going to hit these guys hard and eliminate this threat. What I wonder is how much Sistani is controlled by Iran. If he wants Sadr brought down, all he has to do is say so.
Posted by: remote man ||
04/05/2004 14:46 Comments ||
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#7
...and in related news, fixing clogged drain reveals rotten plumbing...
#8
Fox News broadcast that one of al-Sadr's henchmen made a public statement that al-Sadr would not be surrendered to US, British or any other forces. Hopefully they will stick by their pledge.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 15:21 Comments ||
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How many Hellfires does it take to smoke a black turban???
ONE of al-Qaedaâs top officials has ordered the killing of Muslim leaders if they co-operate with intelligence services and the police to thwart terrorist attacks. In a message to the followers of Osama bin Laden around the world, Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin, the new leader of the terror network in Saudi Arabia, listed Muslim clerics "who co-operate with the enemy" as one of the top two targets for future attacks.
The warning of attacks on clerics came just three days after the Muslim Council of Britain decided to write to every mosque in the country urging them to help police fight terrorism and to be alert for possible illegal activities, a message welcomed by Tony Blair. Yesterday, the council, which speaks for the moderate majority of British Muslims, said it would not be intimidated by the threats. Inayat Bunglawala, a spokesman for the Muslim Council, said: "Unfortunately, al-Qaeda knows nothing better than the language of death and destruction and Islam is about mercy."
Targets identified include religious, political and economic leaders. British citizens are given high priority on the list of human targets. Al-Muqrin is one of a new generation of al-Qaeda leaders who emerged to fill the gaps left by those captured or killed in operations against bin Ladenâs organisation after 11 September.
In the English translation of the message, al-Muqrin urges operatives to choose targets carefully: "Targets inside the cities are considered a sort of military diplomacy. Normally, this kind of diplomacy is written with blood and decorated with body parts and the smell of guns. It carries a political meaning that relates to the nature of the faithâs struggle."
He lists targets inside the cities in order, starting with faith. The prime target, he says, should be missionaries in Islamic countries who try to convert Muslims to Christianity. Last month, four American missionaries were killed in Mosul, Iraq.
The second target - covert intelligence operations - will be of more concern to those within the Muslim community in Britain who have embraced the call by the Muslim Council of Britain to help the police fight al-Qaeda. Al-Muqrin, thought to have been behind two suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia last year, in which 53 people were killed, identifies them as "any Muslim religious scholar who co-operates with the enemy".
He writes: "Targeting those is glorified and makes them as symbols for Godâs anger." Al-Muqrin, who is on Saudi Arabiaâs most wanted list, urges followers to concentrate attacks on Jews, then Christians, identifying Americans as the most important nationality, followed by Britons and Spaniards. The document appears to have been written after the Madrid bombings of 11 March, and the effect of that on the Spanish public appears to have provided encouragement to him.
But Mr Bunglawala reiterated the call to support the security services: "If anyone has any information pertaining to a possible terrorist threat, information should be given to police because Islam lays great premium on saving innocent lives. The verse of the Koran involved in the letter says if you save one life, it is as if you have saved the life of all mankind, so our letter was an Islamic imperative. Unfortunately, al-Qaeda knows nothing better than the language of death and destruction and Islam is about mercy. Because of some of the atrocities [al-Qaeda] have perpetrated ... they have already lost a lot of support in the Muslim world, they are not seen as an answer for anything, they are seen as a group that only knows how to destroy."
The imam at Londonâs largest mosque yesterday joined the appeal against terrorism, telling Muslims that attacks on innocent civilians are forbidden by Islam.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 1:15:19 PM ||
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In a twisted way, this is good news. Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin is forcing moderate and reasonable clerics (if such species exist!) to stand up to terrorism or cave in. If the clerics stand up, then the allies will provide protection and we have some on our side. If the clerics do not stand up to the terrorists, then they are OUR enemies, too.
Mr Rock and Mr. Hardspot, meet Mr. Cleric.
How do you do, Mr. Cleric.
Uh, yeah, er, howdy.....*Allah save me*
Heh heh
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/05/2004 14:46 Comments ||
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al-Muqrin calls for AQ to target Moderate Clerics
Good luck with that. They can make themselves pretty scarce. Maybe you should stick to hunting snipe.
#4
Wow. This is pretty stupid on Al-Q's part. Where they before would hide behind the moderate muslims now they are actively targetting the moderates. Kind of like dismantling your own armor.
This is what happens when you are reduced to your second (or third) string team.
Do you think the moderates will now denounce the radical muslims?
#7
If ( I said IF) there is such a creature as a "moderate cleric" and one who has, to date, sincerely spoken out against radical muslims, then with the issuance of this fatwa we're never hear from them again. It's of no importance in the long run. Sides were chosen on 9-12-01. I thnk the so-called moderates have already thrown in with the wrong side.
Posted by: Mark ||
04/05/2004 17:54 Comments ||
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e-larson...I believe you are right and this is the end game. All pretenses aside.....
Osama bin Laden is so hounded by U.S. forces that he no longer controls al-Qaida, a top American counterterrorism official said Thursday. "The sense is no, he's not [in charge] in the way that we think of it," said Ambassador Cofer Black, the State Department's counterterror coordinator. Bin Laden -- who the CIA believes is hiding in the mountainous border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan -- is unable to meet with his lieutenants to plot new attacks and relies instead on other terror groups to strike, Black told the House International Relations Committee. "This guy spends most of his time trying to figure out how they're going to come for [him] and is this going to be the day?" said Black, former chief of the CIA's counterterrorism center.
Black said al-Qaida remains a "potent force" that has been put under "catastrophic stress" by the U.S. global war on terror, forcing bin Laden's henchmen to "evolve in ways not entirely by its own choosing. They're reaching out, trying to co-opt the missions of other terrorist groups -- particularly local ones and others -- and try and cement their determination . . . to destroy the United States." Black said there are "scores" of such groups, and al-Qaida's reliance on less-disciplined groups not under its control could blow up on the radical movement. "They have made fundamental operational mistakes. They're likely to continue to do that."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:42:27 AM ||
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Does anyone know what Cofer Black means when he says that AlQ has "made fundamental operational mistakes"? Examples would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by: Mark ||
04/05/2004 7:58 Comments ||
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I suppose he means that AlQ members have been discovered and captured because of their own actions -- leaving paper records, leaving information on computers, communicating over the telephone, using bad false identification, and so forth.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
04/05/2004 8:40 Comments ||
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I would also add the Istanbul attacks, that killed mostly Muslims
#6
Frankly, 9/11 was a mistake. They could have been on the move incrementally for years and bolstered their position in Europe as Islamic states gradually increased their nuclear capability. They also don't understand Cowboys.
#7
As can be seen from the new death threats against moderate Muslim clerics, al Qaeda has splintered very badly. The beast is beginning to devour its own young in ways very different from the usual suicide attacks.
It's hard to imagine a better message being sent to the global Islamic community. They must now face being herded into the corner of Islamist violence or come to grips with turning in members of their own faith.
It is especially important that this coercion originates within their own ranks. If such pressure were applied externally, it could serve to stampede Muslims into a highly polarized configuration that would be more prone to violence.
Instead, this threat comes from their own extremists and the blade has been bared for all to see. Muslims everywhere are now at a critical decision gate as their religion's basic survival is being thrown into doubt by virulent internal factions. This is a predictable and logical extension of having embraced violence to begin with. Their growing schism must be addressed quickly to avoid overarching legal solutions being implemented without any prior consultation.
#8
"Their growing schism must be addressed quickly to avoid overarching legal solutions being implemented without any prior consultation."
Geez, DUmpster, can you inflate your backassward idea a little more? It's pretty yeasty, but just not quite puffy enough, yet. Another few BS injections of pointless prose ought to do it, though. It'll explode into a fucking shit storm.
This is not new or surprising. They have, since their inception, intimidated those who weren't card-carrying Caliphate Izzoids. You seem to think the "moderate" Muslim Clerics will fight back in some way. Wrong. They will do one of 2 things:
1) they will kow-tow and do what they're told
2) they will STFU and try to stay below the radar of their Izzoid Muslim brothers
You spend several sentences saying nothing. Do you think they'll fight back in some way? Do you think they'll become more moderate and speak out? Do you think they'll get more virulent? You don't actually say... you seldom do. The reason: you're just smacking your poor keyboard around and don't really know fuck-all about Islam.
"Jen, only when and if he is ever properly elected will I then be grudgingly obliged to address him as you wish I would. His intentional blurring of the separation between church and state while simultaneously attempting to constitutionalize discrimination gets nothing but scorn from me.
Thank goodness we live in a country where we can disagree on this matter. Please know that you indeed have the privilege to dislike me for what I say, that is entirely your right. Understand one thing though, I don't do this to intentionally anger or offend you or anybody else.
As a proud American I cannot abide the White House's ham-fisted tampering with both the duties of executive office or our beloved constitution. Whatever proper intransigence might be shown for terrorism (as is demanded of all worthy commander in chiefs) still in no way confers any right to enshrine religious commandment as constitutional law, especially not in a nation wholly founded upon secular ideals. This is what he's attempting and my own ethicality demands that I consider it to be nothing less than malfeasance of office. Hence my scorn."
Oh, Dumpster, you're a treasure.
What a load of juicy bullshit.
He IS the duly elected President of the United States, fucktard. Proof that all else you may say is at the very least suspect, if not outright total fucking bullshit. You're full of shit.
Your notion that he is "constitutionalizing discrimination" is truly insane. Proof? You're full of shit.
You provide no proof of any "ham-fisted" actions - or anything even remotely associated. You're full of shit.
As an atheist, I know he has not done anything that hasn't been done before for the last 30 years to "enshrine religious commandment as constitutional law". I most certainly would've noticed. You're full of shit.
The phrase "my own ethicality demands that I consider it to be nothing less than malfeasance of office" is so utterly asinine and disingenuous as to be breathtaking. You couldn't prove any aspect of that charge if your worthless life depended upon it. You're full of shit.
It is clear that you're one thoroughly conflicted and fucked up induhvidual - and given your comments, so anti-Bush that you'd remove him from office if you could. You obviously think President Gore is being denied his constitutional rights. You're fucking insane. It is not unreasonable to presume you will vote against Bush, therefore, so you are in league with the enemy - there is no sane RBer who could possibly believe Skeery would be worth warm spit in the Wot - your pathetic little aside about Commanders in Chief notwithstanding. You are unbelievably amazingly self-defeatingly massively full of shit.
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 21:06 Comments ||
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Frank G - LOL! Hey it's easy to be against terrorism - and I don't doubt he is cuz one would have to be utterly devoid of humanity to countenance it, right? But his idiotarian core is even more dangerous: he'd drop Bush in the grease to salve his twisted LLL POV - and leave the entire Free World in shit with a paper-tiger / moral turd like Skeery or Gore. Four years of that would set us back 10 - and probably eventually force the genocide response in self defense.
Sorry for the bandwidth! I'll hit the tip jar today Fred, in recompense!
Debka so salt to taste, but offers a wider perspective on Fallujah, Sadr City, etc. with Tehran at the center of the web with Assad, Sadr, et. al. caught in the net. Itâs worth the read. New Warfront Opens in Iraq Three Months before Handover
The real cause underlining the Sadr rebellion is brought to light by DEBKAfileâs intelligence and counter-terror sources. They stress that it was far from spontaneous. Indeed it was prepared well in advance to at the behest of Tehran - with the collaboration of Damascus and the Hizballah - by the Shiite master terrorist Imad Mughniyeh. Its purpose: to trigger Iranâs Spring Offensive against the Americans in Iraq. Sunday night, the young radical cleric al Sadr told cheering followers in Kufa: âFrom now on we are the beating arm of the Hizballah and Hamas in Iraqâ. The crowds, raising clenched fists, declared: âThe occupation is over! Sadr is our ruler!â
Our military analysts read this as a battle cry â not only to launch the young Shiite clericâs bid for power in the whole of Iraq â but also for spreading the unrest around the Middle East at large. The Lebanese Hizballah, which controls the most effective military-terrorist force in the region and is heavily armed with an array of missiles and artillery, will not want to sit on the sidelines; likewise the Hamas and its Gaza-based âmilitary armâ, Izz e-Din al-Qassam. However, both must be guided in their next steps by the Iranian leadership topped by Ali Khamenei and the Syrian president Bashar Assad who have been holding separate emergency round the clock conferences in the last few hours....
Last summer, as Iraqis sweltered outside, the Coalition Provisional Authority met in the marbled corridors and air-conditioned offices of one of Saddam Husseinâs former palaces to hash out how to fund political parties. The State Department was adamant, insisting that the CPA should maintain "an even playing field" and should not favor one party over another. Parties affiliated with the Iraqi Governing Councilâs militant Islamists and liberal secularists should receive the same treatment. There should be no special consideration given to groups seeking to unite Iraqis rather than dividing them by ethnicity or sectarian affiliations.
This may sound like the way to ensure fair elections. But while the CPA has maintained its neutrality, our adversaries have shown no such compunction.
Until recently, I worked for the CPA, living in a nondescript house outside Baghdadâs Green Zone. I traveled the country with Iraqi friends, paying spot checks on borders, political parties, shrines and markets. Because I was not in a convoy or traveling with heavily armed guards, Iraqis could easily approach me. Professionals, politicians and religious figures telephoned at all hours for meetings, knowing they would not have to wait at the fortified gates of the palace complex. I quickly learned that most political business in Iraq happens not at Governing Council sessions, but in private homes between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
One February evening, a governor from a southern province asked to see me. We met after dark at a friendâs house. After pleasantries and tea, he got down to business. "The Iranians are flooding the city and countryside with money," he said. "Last month, they sent a truckload of silk carpets across the border for the tribal sheikhs. Whomever they canât buy, they threaten." The following week, I headed south to investigate. A number of Iraqis said the Iranians had channeled money through the offices of the Dawa Party, an Islamist political party, led by Governing Council member Ibrahim Jafari. On separate occasions in Baghdad and the southern city of Nasiriya, I watched ordinary Iraqis line up for handouts of money and supplies at Dawa offices. The largess seems to be having an effect: Polls indicate that Jafari is Iraqâs most popular politician, enjoying a favorable rating by more than 50 percent of the electorate.
The CPAâs evenhandedness may be well-intentioned, but to a society weaned on conspiracy theories, the United Statesâ failure to support liberals and democrats signals support for the Islamists. Equal opportunity may exist in Washington, but not in Baghdad. Why, Iraqis ask, would the CPA ignore the influx of Iranian arms and money into southern Iraq if it had not struck some secret deal with Tehran or did not desire the resulting increase in militancy? Why would the Iranian border be largely unguarded a year after liberation?
Iraqi liberals are especially sensitive to signs of support for Shiite politician Abdelaziz Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, whose visit official Washington welcomed in January. Students affiliated with the Badr Corps, Hakimâs militia, roam Basra University, forcing women to wear the veil. Signs proclaiming the supremacy of Hakim are affixed to doors across the university, and professors say they are afraid to remove them. In Nasiriya and Karbala, Iraqis lament they can no longer speak openly, lest they become the subject of retaliation by Iranian-funded gangs.
While Sens. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Carl Levin of Michigan demand yet another government audit of the Iraqi National Congress (previous audits have found no wrongdoing), radical clerics find their pockets full, their Iranian sponsors more interested in mission than political cannibalism. Last month, I visited a gathering of urban professionals in Najaf. They repeatedly asked why the CPA stood by while followers of firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtader Sadr invaded homes, smashed satellite dishes and meted out punishment in ad hoc Islamic courts. We may dismiss Sadr as a grass-roots populist, but his rise was not arbitrary. Rather, his network is based upon ample funding he receives through Iran-based cleric Ayatollah Kazem al Haeri, a close associate of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In signing the bill authorizing $87.5 billion for reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan in November, President Bush called the massive campaign to rebuild both nations "the greatest commitment of its kind since the Marshall Plan." There is daily progress. Shops have opened. Roads are repaved. But, the CPA remains hampered by a strategic communications strategy geared more toward Washington than Iraq. American newspapers may report our $5.6 billion investment in Iraqâs electrical infrastructure, but what Iraqis see are signs such as a billboard of Hakim, the radical politician, affixed to a newly refurbished Ministry of Electricity office in Baghdad.
On March 26, a team of United Nations election specialists arrived in Baghdad to prepare the country for elections following the scheduled June 30 transfer of sovereignty. Iraqis may welcome elections, but it would be an abdication of American leadership if we do not support our allies, especially as Iraqâs neighbors fund proxy groups and radicals with goals inimical to democracy.
We should not be more willing to help our adversaries than our friends. Democracy is about not only elections, but also about tolerance, compromise and liberty. Twenty-five years ago, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, declared "the first day of Godâs government." In a rushed referendum supervised by armed vigilantes, Iranians voted for theocracy. For a quarter century, they have struggled to undo their mistake. It would be a betrayal of Bushâs vision as well as 24 million Iraqis if we replicate it in Iraq.
Radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has turned down an appeal by Iraq's powerful Shi'ite Muslim establishment to renounce violence, an aide to a leading cleric said on Monday. An aide to Mohammad Bahr al-Uloum, a member of the U.S.-installed Iraqi Governing Council, told Reuters Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, regarded as Iraq's most powerful cleric and a rival of Sadr's, supported the appeal. Sistani has made declarations in the past calling on Iraqis to respect state institutions and public order. He has not spoken directly on the violence involving Sadr's supporters, but he is expected to make a statement in the next few days. "The Hawza (seminary) is unanimous on this," the aide said.
"We asked Moqtada (al-Sadr) to stop resorting to violence, occupying public buildings and other actions that make him an outlaw. He insists on staying on the same course that could destroy the nation." He said Moqtada had refused to meet a tribal delegation and representatives of Bahr al-Uloum at the main mosque of Kufa, near the holy city of Najaf, where he is staging a sit-in with armed followers. "The delegation met Moqtada's aides, who did not express interest in relying on wisdom and patience," the aide said. A Shi'ite religious source said Sadr has moved from Kufa to Najaf's Imam Ali shrine, the holiest Shi'ite site in Iraq, and armed followers have closed off streets leading to the shrine. Hamid al-Bayati, spokesman for the Shi'ite Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), criticized the announcement of the arrest warrant against Badr. "The incident took place a year ago and I don't think any Iraqi would believe that this arrest warrant is at the right time," he told CNN. "It is very bad timing, even if the basis is right. I don't know why they decided to act now.
Maybe because he's in open rebellion now?
"This comes after the closure of a newspaper which is nothing to do with the arrest warrant. So there must be some other things behind all these clashes."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 9:05:40 PM ||
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Fix is in - Sadr's a dead man
that makes me a very happy boy
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 21:09 Comments ||
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He's in the #1 Holiest Shi'a site. We joke about this rock and that old tire as being lesser Holy Sites, but this is really a problem. We can't (according to CENTCOM) blow this place up. Can't do it. He might be in there for phreakin' months - inspiring the fodder.
I've looked and I can't find anything in the Qu'uran about Tear Gas or Flash Bangs (Something Little Mo' seems to have overlooked!), but I'm sure someone will whip out a fatwah or find some obscure reference and say it applies.
#3
Another Arafish scenario? Great, just what is needed now. It will fester as an open wound. The timetable for self rule looks to be in jeapordy. I wish I was a fly on the wall in the Whitehouse discussing how to handle this right now.
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
04/05/2004 21:24 Comments ||
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Aw Jesus...shoot that 'un agin... it's a twitcher!
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 21:28 Comments ||
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Well, the answer to this is the same answer the Israelis used at the Church of the Nazarene. You don't attack, you seal it off. Nothing in, nothing out. No food, no water, no communiciations. Nothing.
Sadr's a well-fed lad. We'll see how he does in oh, say two weeks, without his 4000 calories a day.
#7
Need to send in some baby wipes and red binder pronto...and mebbe some Glade air freshener. Sadr City's favorite meocrat will be ready to receive EU toadies!
#8
I'm not sure why you think the self-rule is in jeopardy. In my opinion, the real danger is that there is no person in Iraq with universal support - that does jeopardize success and unity.
The US forces will stay, just as in Afghanistan, and provide the security. We had a power-play by Sadr / Mad Mullahs and we have the Sunni Triangle - which is where I believe the CA Mil Cmd has really let us down. 600+ dead troopers gives me GREAT pause and heartache.
I believe 2 things:
We must utterly clean out the Triangle for that is the base of Ops for many of those deaths -and-
those deaths attributable to attacks and staging from the Triangle are on the tab of the Turks who betrayed us for an empty promise from the French and gave us a One Front War - which left the Triangle untouched and unbowed and unpacified.
So Sadr's an itch - he represents about 3K radicals according to CENTCOM and I believe they're right - and the Triangle's about to get the ass kicking they should've gotten during the war.
I think, eventually, we'll see partitioning. They've been killing and screwing each other over for a thousand years. They teach the same mentality to their children. It's not going away soon. A free and truly democratic and economically successful Kurdistan would give them something to think about - but they wouldn't get it - they're Arabs. They'd blame us for their failure to match the Kurds.
1) This shows Sistani as the impotent he is, in that he cannot control a 30 year old hot head. But it also give him leave to move against the radical elements and the ones from Iran.
2) the stuff in Fallujah gave us the excuse we needed to conduct cordon, seach and clear operations. No political cover needed,a nd the locals will know why we are there - they provided the reasons themslves by violating Islamic Law regarding corpses. Fallujah clears the base point of the "Tikriti Triangle" over to Sadr City in Baghdad - whcih is the next area to be cordoned, searched and cleared. (Leaving only Tikrit, which can be easily isolated wiht its main support gone).
3) Sadr has just lost the backing of all the major Shiite leaders in Iraq and has exposed himself as a violent militant under the control of Iran - that will win him no friends at all Iraqis who bascially hate the Iranians. But it has drawn the most radical elements to him - where they are now exposed and can be isolated, and then destroyed in detail.
4) Holing up in the Mosque is great - the Shiites themselves will want to clear him out. We surround it and blockade it, starve them down, then let the local Iraqi police do the takedown. With the Mullah's blessings.
All we have to do is continue to clear Fallujah, and any other pockets where the Mahdi exposed themselves (none live to tell or esle go to jail). While doing that, isolate Sadr City, and blockade Sadr up in the Mosque and train up the Iraqi forces to do the takedown.
#10
OS - I too believe this is an opportunity...to take out the blackhats in Iran supporting Sadr. Looks like an act of war to my uneducated eye. Find some squealers, make them talk on TeeVee and push an extra 50,000 troops against the eastern border (announce that on unblocked Iranian TV) - see what happens
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 22:12 Comments ||
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#12
I wouldn't rule out Sistani's influence just yet, OS.
Sadr is a rogue, self-appointed leader leveraging his father's name and a great deal of support from Iran. The fact that he has only managed to organize 3-5000 militia suggests that leaders like Sistani -- who both speak for the Shia against the Coalition and who don't advocate armed resistance -- are indeed having a substantial influence.
I agree -- let the Shia deal with Sadr himself in Najaf. Anything else would be massively provocative. However, anybody who steps outside, or who we catch outside -- well, they're fair game. Meanwhile, we do what we should have done a year ago (and would have done if we had come in on two fronts as planned), namely we clean up the Sunni triangle starting with Fallujah.
You know the story already, of course...
At least 30 people were wounded on Monday when Muslim rebels lobbed a grenade at a crowded road junction in Indian Kashmir, police said. âMilitants hurled a grenade at a security force patrol, the grenade missed the target and exploded on the road,â a police official said, adding one soldier and 30 pedestrians were hurt.
They must train Hek's hard boyz in Kashmir...
No rebel group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place at a busy intersection south of Srinagar, Kashmirâs summer capital.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 8:21:29 PM ||
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you can't graduate from "Hek's School O' War" unless you learn to throw like a girl....a very young girl
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 21:10 Comments ||
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#2
Blowing limbs off of the civilian populous is an element of the "Hearts and Minds" strategy that I am unfamiliar with. Are they supposed to hold a plebiscite or a plebiscide?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 21:34 Comments ||
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A coup dâetat is taking place in Iraq a the moment. Al-Shuâla, Al-Hurria, Thawra (Sadr city), and Kadhimiya (all Shiâite neighbourhoods in Baghdad) have been declared liberated from occupation. Looting has already started at some places downtown, a friend of mine just returned from Sadun street and he says Al-Mahdi militiamen are breaking stores and clinics open and also at Tahrir square just across the river from the Green Zone. News from other cities in the south indicate that Sadr followers (tens of thousands of them) have taken over IP stations and governorate buildings in Kufa, Nassiriya, Ammara, Kut, and Basrah. Al-Jazeera says that policemen in these cities have sided with the Shia insurgents, which doesnât come as a surprise to me since a large portion of the police forces in these areas were recruited from Shiâite militias and we have talked about that ages ago. And it looks like this move has been planned a long time ago.
No one knows what is happening in the capital right now. Power has been cut off in my neighbourhood since the afternoon, and I can only hear helicopters, massive explosions, and continuous shooting nearby. The streets are empty, someone told us half an hour ago that Al-Mahdi are trying to take over our neighbourhood and are being met by resistance from Sunni hardliners. Doors are locked, and AK-47âs are being loaded and put close by in case they are needed. The phone keeps ringing frantically. Baghdadis are horrified and everyone seems to have made up their mind to stay home tomorrow until the situation is clear.
Where is Shitstani? And why is he keeping silent about this?
I have to admit that until now I have never longed for the days of Saddam, but now Iâm not so sure. If we need a person like Saddam to keep those rabid dogs at bay then be it. Put Saddam back in power and after he fills a couple hundred more mass graves with those criminals they can start wailing and crying again for liberation. What a laugh we will have then. Then they can shove their filthy Hawza and marjiâiya up somewhere else. I am so dissapointed in Iraqis and I hate myself for thinking this way. We are not worth your trouble, take back your billions of dollars and give us Saddam again. We truly âdeserveâ leaders like Saddam.
UPDATE: Sorry for the depressing note. It seems like everything is back under control, at least from what I can see in my neighbourhood. There is an eerie silence outside, only dogs barking. Until about an hour ago, it sounded like a battlefield, and we had flashbacks of last April. I donât know what happened, but there were large plumes of smoke from the direction of Adhamiya and Kadhimiya. I wanted to take some pictures but my father and uncle both said they would shoot me on the spot if I tried, they were afraid the Apaches would mistake us for troublemakers and fire at us. Iâm dreading tomorrow.
#1
I was trying to post this, but screwed up because I wasn't [details deleted], and had the following commentary: It almost sounds like a textbook repeat of the Tet Offensive. Remember that the Tet Offensive was a tactical disaster but a strategic success: the average TV viewer at home seemed to be oblivious to the fact that large numbers of the "guerillas" were NVA regulars, who were committing massacres of civilians (for instance at Hue). I'm beginning to think that it's a big mistake to underestimate the power of the useful idiots.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
04/05/2004 20:16 Comments ||
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#2
Tens of thousands?
Recheck your number.
Its probably less than 5000 or so are the core Sadr. THe rest might be looters and criminals, palin and simple, taking advanatage of the chaose and lawlessness brought on by Sadr's thugs.
#3
Strategypage is a good site for some perspective and is generally accurate. Their view of the Sadr power play is more measured, but still sobering.
It sounds like we forced Sadr's hand somewhat in our recent crackdown. He may have sensed opportunity after Fallujah and our anticipated response. No doubt he's considered the troop rotation/drawdown and turnover to the IP, in which he had infiltrated some of his people. Plus he's not too bright.
The key questions regard the degree to which Iran is involved and whether we have enough troops to maintain order. If Iran is putting all of its eggs in the Sadr basket, Sadr may have more resources and we probably do not have enough troops. Still, I sense he moved too soon and it is hard for me to see how they can do much more than take over a few buildings until a tank or AC-130 appears.
But I'm just an armchair guy so hopefully the the Rantburgers who've actually been there and done that can assess the situation on the ground. If we need more troops Bush better do the right thing regardless of the political cost.
#5
They have done the right thing - apparently (not sayign where I heard this) the US had snipers ready and in position in key locations in the areas where the violence died out quickly.
Sadr's boys came out tootin and shootin, and were left alone, until the leaders showed themselves. Those guys got dropped, quick fast and in a hurry. One Shot One Kill.
50BMG does nasty things to a human body, especially if its center mass (blows the heart out the back) or the head (No head left from the ears back).
After that, the US moved the troops and helicopters in.
Thats why things got quiet in a hurry - the essentially decapitated the leadership, excepting the very top. And he will likely die while resisting arrest.
Notice that they were apparently trying to get children into the fight - tells you a lot about Sadr, doesn't it?
Tet this is not. No outside support of any magnitude, no jungle, no Ho Chi Minh Trail, the populace is not supportive (Sadr is fringe and hated by Sunnis and moderate Shiites) and Sadr and his leash holders in Iraq are no Nguyen Giap, nor are we Westmoreland & Johnson.
#6
I meant "Tet" in the sense of a tactical defeat that turns into a strategic victory thanks to propaganda and misunderstandings, OldSpook; personally, I hope you're right. I do have questions about how much material and support is coming from Iran, and can cross over from there. HOPEFULLY they're limited by their domestic situation, but I don't like saying "Hopefully..."
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
04/05/2004 20:36 Comments ||
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#7
...the US had snipers ready and in position in key locations...
From the sound of it, this is something that had been brewing for a long time, and I find it hard to believe the Coalition had no wind of it whatsoever. Surely we've laid plans of our own.
#8
I heard a thought today on cable regarding the Iraqis from a guy who knew is stuff. "Iraq is a culture of snitchs" is what he basicly said. Lends support to knowing shit was about to go off.
Arrest order for Iraq Shia cleric
The US-led coalition in Iraq says an arrest warrant has been issued for radical cleric Moqtada Sadr. A coalition spokesman told a news conference in Baghdad that the warrant had been issued in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year. The statement came on the second day of violent anti-coalition protests across Iraq by Mr Sadrâs supporters. US helicopter gunships targeted militia members loyal to Mr Sadr in the mainly Shia district of al-Shuala in Baghdad. It about time to take this guy, dead or alive. Preferrably in that order.
#1
A good ol' fashioned sack party with Sadr-masochist and Sistani several months ago could have precluded some of this now.
Perhaps inevitably and for the best, these are what the death twitches look like, in the last throws of Iran's the bid for a Shi't Islamist Mullacracy EUtopia in Iraq, on the second battlefield in the WoT.
#2
This is serious. This will test our resolve in the WOT. This guy has a lot of followers. It remains to be seen how hard we come down on this guy and his followers. It is a very delicate situation indeed. Rivera is on FOX now. He is VERY CONCERNED. Take that for what it is worth. Bush really has his hands full right now.
This can go either way. I think the best we can hope for is containment.
If the new Iraqi army was up to it that would help immeasurably.
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
04/05/2004 21:18 Comments ||
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#3
"Arrest order"??
If someone needs Sadr to be offed, fine, call in the Marine sharpshooters. Otherwise, have Iraqi policemen execute the capture then, as U.S. soldiers are not cops, and should not be called upon to perform police actions.
The radical Iraqi Shiite cleric that the United States has labeled as an "outlaw" said on Monday that Iraqis were not afraid to die and would stand up to America's military might.
Yeah. They were gonna defend Sammy with their blood, too...
In a signed statement, Moqtada al-Sadr demanded coalition forces stop attacks Iraqis and cease arrests of those suspected of involvement in the worsening insurgency inside Iraq.
"And don't arrest nobody for murder, either!"
"They (the U.S.-led forces) have the money, weapons and huge numbers, but these things are not going to weaken our will because God is with us," according to the statement, which was sent to The Associated Press by the Qatar-based satellite TV station al-Jazeera. "Tell them (coalition forces) that we don't fear death and martyrdom gives us dignity from God," the statement said.
"We feared it last year. And the year before. But not this year, by Gum!"
The United States announced Monday that an Iraqi judge had issued a murder arrest warrant for al-Sadr's over his alleged involvement in the April 2003 murder of a rival Shiite cleric. Violent demonstrations by his supporters in at least four Iraqi cities on Sunday took the lives of 52 Iraqis, eight U.S. soldiers and a Salvadoran soldier in one of the deadliest days since the U.S.-led invasion. Al-Sadr, who was holed up Monday in a mosque in the city of Kufa, south of Baghdad, surrounded by armed followers, said in the statement that captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein should stand trial and that a new Iraqi government should be created without involvement from outside forces. Al-Sadr also demanded the coalition put on trial coalition soldiers who have committed "crimes" against Iraqis. He was apparently referring to troops who have killed or injured Iraqi civilians but have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 3:38:59 PM ||
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#1
"We...we...we". Yep, sounds like he's ready to fight to the last "follower".
#4
Drag his miserable hide outta that mosque, chain him to the back of an M-1A1 and take him for a scrape around the whole town as a lesson to the next turban who thinks he's gonna be allah's capo.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/05/2004 17:11 Comments ||
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#5
Instapundit (at 4:45 pm) is posting a note from an Iraqi blogger. The blogger says that civil war is breaking out in the capital.
I think the reason civil war is breaking out (if it's true) is because the jerk cleric (Sadr) and his hard boyz have less fear of the US military than they did Saddam while he was in power. No good deed goes unpunished nor unappreciated in Iraq. It's times like these when I think our (read US military) reputation for decency hurts more than it helps. I mean really, who gives a damn if they ever love us? I'd much prefer the US to be feared. The reason Sadr feels able to get away with his antics now is because we (read US military forces) are not sufficiently feared. I lay the blame for this at the feet of our politicians. If domestic politics begin to run the war in Iraq we're soooooo screwed and all will have been for naught.
Posted by: Mark ||
04/05/2004 17:38 Comments ||
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#6
It's a pity when a son tries to follow in his father's footsteps but has neither the aptitude nor the abilitiy to succeed. Sadr is the sort of pathetic loser that usually is arrested for shoplifting or indecent exposure and whines to the media about how he's being abused. Only in the fever swamps of a would-be theocracy could he be taken seriously. In fact, he'smoved to number one on the hit parade with a bullet.
#7
"No good deed goes unpunished nor unappreciated in Iraq."
Change Iraq to Arabia or Islam, Mark, and you got a deal!
I wonder, is there anyone here still arguing for restraint, civility, and carrot over stick?
What we're seeing is SOP for the culture / religion.
As far as I'm concerned, I still believe Fallujah should be taken down piece by piece per OS's cordon, section, sweep, cleanse specs. Taking all tribal leaders and religious leaders into custody, per Wretchard's speculation, makes sense too. That is how you break Fallujah - and the rest of the Triangle.
As for Sadr / Mad Mullahs attempt to foment total anarchy, the answer to warfare Arab-style ( you know what I mean here, I'm sure) is warfare US-style. If the cordon on Sadr City is still in place, begin to shrink it and kill anything that doesn't come out waving a white flag and naked as a jaybird. Where Sadr is hiding out (the moskkk in Kufa) just issue an ultimatum: Surrender or Die - you have one hour. Schedule a few B1's to make high-speed / low altitude overpasses at the 45 minute mark. At one hour, if he hasn't come out. Blow the fucking moskkk off the face of the Earth. Period.
Anywhere else the Shi'a open fire - give it back 10x in their turn.
#12
Right CS. I think, as I've said before, we should simply drop a MOAB or three on the mosque. This would pretty much remove him and his henchmen and leave his supports for cleanup with nothing to fight for. This would also show that we do not consider mosque's entirely off-limits.
#15
Reynolds updated - the coup/civil war never existed:
UPDATE: D'oh. This seems to regard last night's events, not something new. I was thrown by the time difference, I guess. Still news, but not new news. On the other hand, it's still going on
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 20:40 Comments ||
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Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is prepared to include the militant Hamas group in a new Palestinian leadership organization that would function alongside the Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian newspaper reported Monday.
Another group added to the alphabet soup...
The Al Ayyam daily, which is close to Arafat's Fatah faction, said Arafat was willing to include Hamas and Islamic Jihad, another militant organization, in a unified leadership group, though it did not specify what the group's function would be.
Blowing buses is my guess...
In the past Palestinian Authority officials have said they would be willing to cooperate with Hamas if it recognized the authority's leadership. Hamas has so far not responded to the proposals.
On the other hand, now they're under new management...
Al Ayyam quoted Fatah Central Committee member Hani al-Hassan as saying the new leadership group could easily coexist alongside the existing leadership structure. "Forming a unified Palestinian leadership does not contradict the Palestinian Authority as it is an internal Palestinian factional issue," it quoted him as saying. Arafat's critics have accused him of being an autocratic leader, unwilling to share power with his prime minister and refusing to groom a successor. Over the past several days, the Palestinian Authority has been holding meetings with Palestinian militant groups on how to run the Gaza Strip after a possible Israeli withdrawal. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon'sLikud Party says he is committed to a complete withdrawal. Hamas has so far not agreed to cooperate with the Palestinian Authority in running Gaza.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 12:40:58 PM ||
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#1
Hmmmm Palestinian Authority has a hollow ring to it when the Yasshole and Rantissi can't leave their lairs for fear of a hellfire greetup
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 12:50 Comments ||
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#2
"Al Ayyam quoted Fatah Central Committee member Hani al-Hassan as saying the new leadership group could easily coexist alongside the existing leadership structure."
#4
All of the West Bank and Gaza needs to be cleaned out. Starting over from scratch would be less of a hassle than trying to repair the situation as it is right now.
#6
If the Arafish decides throw his lot in with Hamas, then he has lost any facade of being separated from this terrorist group. The Fish just signed his death warrant.
Posted by: Alaska Paul on the Road ||
04/06/2004 0:52 Comments ||
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#7
"The Fish just signed his death warrant.
"
And Sharon added him to the Target o' Opportunity List yesterday. We'll see what Dubya sez after he kicks all the State Dept lackeys out of the Oval Office.
The U.S. military said Monday it is holding a senior ally of renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and suspects the man was involved in helping organize two suicide bomb attacks that killed a British and a Canadian peacekeeper earlier this year. The March 31 arrest of Amanullah had been announced previously, but the military had given no details of what he was suspected of doing. Military spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty said Amanullah harbored militant leaders and helped protect the men who carried out the back-to-back suicide bombings in Kabul in January that killed one Canadian and one British soldier. Both attacks were claimed by the Taliban. Amanullah "provided safe haven perhaps for the bombers or for people who facilitated the bombers," Hilferty said, adding that he was being questioned at an undisclosed location. He said the man was also suspected of involvement in other bombings in Kabul, but declined to give details. "We do suspect him, though, of harboring anti-coalition leaders," Hilferty added.
Hilferty said bomb-making materials and weapons, including grenades and a machine gun, were found by U.S. and Afghan troops when they seized Amanullah on Wednesday at a compound in Mayden Shahr, the capital of Wardak province, about 25 miles west of Kabul. The U.S. military has said it is confident of trapping fugitives including al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Taliban chief Mullah Omar and Hekmatyar this year. Amanullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, was a commander in central Wardak province for Hekmatyarâs Hizb-e Islami faction during the U.S.-backed war against Afghanistanâs Soviet occupiers in the 1980s. Hilferty said he was still a "senior commander" for the group, which has joined the Taliban in vowing to drive foreign troops out of the country and oust President Hamid Karzai.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 12:07:25 PM ||
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#1
"bomb-making materials and weapons, including grenades and a machine gun, were found by U.S. and Afghan troops when they seized Amanullah"
yep, that'd be Hek's boyz. Good catch
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 12:14 Comments ||
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From OpinionJournal - no snarky comments America must answer last weekâs barbarity in Fallujah
The picture is haunting. The bodies of the dead dangle overhead, twisted and grotesque, while the living frolic beneath them, posing for the camera. The joy and laughter on the faces of the celebrants is unmistakably genuine. These are people exulting in hate, glorying in their own cruelty. It was taken on Aug. 7, 1930, and it shows the bodies of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, two black men falsely accused of rape who were beaten, tortured, mutilated and then strung up by a mob in Marion, Indiana. The picture is remarkably similar to the ones we saw last week from Fallujah, or those we saw nearly 11 years ago from Mogadishu. Mobs reduce human nature to its lowest common denominator, whether American, Iraqi or Somali. They are savage and ugly, but they are not irrational.
On Oct. 4, 1993, mobs of outraged Somalis dragged the bodies of American soldiers through the streets of Mogadishu, mutilating and dismembering them. The initial U.N. intervention nine months earlier had been welcomed by most in the war-torn, starving city, but the subsequent efforts at nation-building had gradually worn out the missionâs welcome. Efforts by the U.S. to target the most belligerent local warlord, Mohammed Farah Aidid, had prompted several bloody incursions into the city, and had transformed the humanitarian intervention into outright war. In the battle that had just ended that morning, many hundreds of Somalis had been killed or wounded. The dead American soldiers were dragged from the site of a downed Black Hawk helicopter in neighborhoods sympathetic to Aidid.
In Fallujah, reports indicate that four American private security men, all former military men who had accepted dangerous work in Iraq, were ambushed when they tried to drive down a street in that city. Unlike most of Iraq, Fallujah remains defiant of the U.S. occupation and efforts to build a free and democratic society there, and it has been the focus of many violent U.S. incursions searching for resistance cells and Saddam loyalists. The four Americans were reportedly shot, doused with gasoline and set afire before the mob engaged in its repellent horseplay with their bodies.
Lynching is deliberate. It is opportunistic rather than purely spontaneous, and it has a clear intent: to insult, to challenge and to frighten the enemy, and to excite and enlist allies. The mutilation and public display of bodies follows a distinct pattern. The victims are members of a despised Other, who are held in such contempt that they are considered less than human. Respectful treatment of the dead is the norm in all societies, and a tenet of all religions. Publicly flouting such basic dignities is a communal expression of hatred designed to insult and frighten. Display of the mutilated remains must be as public as possible. In Fallujah they were strung high from a bridge. In Mogadishu, where there were no central squares or bridges, the bodies were dragged through the streets for hours. The crowd, no matter how enraged, welcomes the camera--Paul Watson, a white Canadian journalist, moved unharmed with his through the angry mobs in Mogadishu on Oct. 4, 1993. The idea is to spread the image. Cameras guarantee the insult will be heard, seen and felt. The insult and fear are spread across continents.
The other message at a lynching isnât as obvious. It is also an appeal. It is a demonstration of potency designed to sway and embolden those who are sympathetic but fearful. It says, Look what we can get away with! Look what we can do! The sheer horror asserts the determination of the rebel faction, and underlines the seriousness of the choice it demands from its own community. It draws a line in the sand; it is a particularly graphic way of saying, You are either for us or against us. With the potential for further such atrocities afoot, critics of the rebels are frightened into silence and acquiescence. It is a mistake to conclude that those committing such acts represent a majority of the community. Just the opposite is true. Lynching is most often an effort to frighten and sway a more sensible, decent mainstream. In Marion it was the Ku Klux Klan, in Mogadishu it was Aidid loyalists, in Fallujah it is either diehard Saddamites or Islamo-fascists.
The worst answer the U.S. can make to such a message--which is precisely what we did in Mogadishu--is back down. By most indications, Aididâs supporters were decimated and demoralized the day after the Battle of Mogadishu. Some, appalled by the indecency of their countrymen, were certain the U.S. would violently respond to such an insult and challenge. They contacted U.N. authorities offering to negotiate, or simply packed their things and fled. These are the ones who miscalculated. Instead the U.S. did nothing, effectively abandoning the field to Aidid and his henchmen. Somalia today remains a nation struggling in anarchy, and the America-haters around the world learned what they thought was a essential truth about the United States: Kill a few Americans and the most powerful nation on Earth will run away. This, in a nutshell, is the strategy of Osama bin Laden.
Many Americans despise the effort under way in Iraq. They opposed overthrowing Saddam Hussein by force, and disbelieved the rationale offered by President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair. There may well be a heavy political price to pay for the mistakes and exaggerations; President Bush faces a referendum in just seven months. But however that election turns out, and however imperfectly we have arrived at this point, the facts on the ground in Iraq remain. Saddam is gone and Iraq, thanks to U.S. intervention, is struggling toward a new kind of future. Its successful transformation into a peaceful, democratic state is in everyoneâs interest except Saddamâs extended family and the Islamo-fascists. Itâs time for opponents of the war to get real. Pictures like those we saw from Fallujah last week should horrify us, but they should also anger us and strengthen our resolve. The response should not be to back away from the task, but to redouble our efforts.
Which means recognizing that the gory carnival on the streets of Fallujah is not evidence of the missionâs futility, nor is it something to chalk up to foreign barbarity. It was deliberate and it must be answered deliberately. The lynching of African-Americans would have ended decades earlier if authorities had rounded up and punished those participating in crimes like the one in Marion. Somalia would be a vastly different place today if the U.S. and U.N. had not backed away in horror from the shocking display in Mogadishu.
The rebels in Iraq who ambushed those American security workers in Fallujah ought to be hunted down and brought to justice, but they are not the only ones responsible. The public celebration that followed was licensed and encouraged by whatever leadership exists in Fallujah. Whether religious or secular, its insult, warning, and challenge has been broadcast around the world. It must be answered. The photographic evidence should be used to help round up those who committed these atrocities, and those who tacitly or overtly encouraged it. A suitable punishment might be some weeks of unearthing the victims of Saddam Husseinâs mass graves. Mr. Bowden, national correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly, is the author of "Black Hawk Down" (Penguin, 2000).
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 11:56:43 AM ||
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#1
The only qualm I have is the oft-repeated phrase "brought to justice". Iraq isn't in a state where justice can be applied in the manner typical of a democratic society. In the current situation, once the perpetrators are caught, they need to be publicly executed and a warning given to those of like minds that similar actions will result in a similar fate.
#2
A suitable punishment might be some weeks of unearthing the victims of Saddam Husseinâs mass graves. I agree as long as the celebrants get to notify the families face to face as well.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 23:25 Comments ||
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...FNC is running a briefing right now from Baghdad where they just announced that the Good Mullah is now wanted on an arrest warrant signed by an Iraqi judge.
Here we go...
Mike
More, from Associated Press:
An Iraqi judge has issued a murder arrest warrant for a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, for the slaying of another Shiite leader shortly after the U.S.-led invasion of the country. Coalition spokesman Dan Senor announced the warrant but would not say when al-Sadr would be detained. "There'll be no advance warning," he said. The announcement of the warrant came a day after violent clashes between militiamen loyal to al-Sadr that killed 52 Iraqis, eight U.S. soldiers and a Salvadoran soldier — some of the worst gunbattles since the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Since the violence, al-Sadr has been holed up in a mosque in the city of Kufa, south of Baghdad, surrounded by armed supporters.
I'm curious as to whether he's hopping up and down and saying "Oooh! This is sooo neat! I'm gonna be dictator!" or if he realizes he's screwed the pooch and he's peeing his drawers. How long until he bolts for Iran?
Senor said the arrest warrant had been issued several months ago. He refused to say why al-Sadr had not been arrested earlier.
Letting him hang himself?
Al-Sadr is accused in the slaying of Abdel-Majid al-Khoei, a rival Shiite cleric who was stabbed to death by a mob at a Shiite shrine in the city of Najaf in April. A total of 25 arrest warrants have been issued in the case, and 13 suspects have been taken into custody. Sunday's violence in Baghdad and other cities was sparked by the arrest last week of Mustafa al-Yacoubi, a senior aide to al-Sadr, on one of the warrants.
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
04/05/2004 11:14:13 AM ||
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Hope his followers have rested their peepers. The ensuing eye-rolling is going to cause severe strain.
#2
BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi judge has issued a murder arrest warrant for a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, for the slaying of another Shiite leader shortly after the U.S.-led invasion of the country, coalition officials said Monday. Coalition spokesman Dan Senor announced the warrant but would not say when al-Sadr would be detained. "There'll be no advance warning," he said. Since the violence, al-Sadr has been holed up in a mosque in the city of Kufa, south of Baghdad, surrounded by armed supporters. Senor said the arrest warrant had been issued several months ago. He refused to say why al-Sadr had not been arrested earlier.
Al-Sadr is accused in the slaying of Abdel-Majid al-Khoei, a rival Shiite cleric who was stabbed to death by a mob at a Shiite shrine in the city of Najaf in April. A total of 25 arrest warrants have been issued in the case, and 13 suspects have been taken into custody. Sunday's violence in Baghdad and other cities was sparked by the arrest last week of Mustafa al-Yacoubi, a senior aide to al-Sadr, on one of the warrants.
Sweet, charged with killing another holy man. I remember that killing, it smelled of fine ripe fish at the time.
Posted by: Steve ||
04/05/2004 11:47 Comments ||
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#3
Looks like we crossed each other on the update, Steve...
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 11:55 Comments ||
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#4
Since the violence, al-Sadr has been holed up in a mosque in the city of Kufa
I suppose he thinks we wouldn't dare violate a mosque....
#5
Looks like we're trying to send the message that being a radical, eye-rolling, spittle-emitting Islamic cleric can be dangerous to your health. It's about time!
Posted by: The Doctor ||
04/05/2004 12:00 Comments ||
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#6
Exactly doc. I can't believe we let it get this far. I was 50/50 on arresting Sistani for his actions... if I was in charge Sadr would have been plant food the first time he opened his mouth.
At least we seem to be cracking down now... it's never to late but it will be more costly now in terms of goodwill than it would have been in the begining.
#7
Looks like we've given him enough rope, Zeyad at Healing Iraq wants him gone:
Muqty is playing on his old dirty tricks again, only this time he has gone too far. Following last Friday's prayer sermon, when he announced that he would be a 'striking hand' in Iraq for Hizbollah and Hamas whenever they need, and issued a veiled warning to Kurds to stop assisting the occupiers, his followers in Kufa ran amok killing an Iraqi IP colonel and after that attacked Salvadorian and Spanish troops. Spanish forces retorted by arresting Sayyid Mustafa Al-Ya'qubi, an aide of Muqtada and head of Sadr's office in Najaf. Meanwhile, in a display of power and defiance, Al-Sadr organised a military parade on the streets of Al-Thawra district (Sadr city), a Shi'ite stronghold, in Baghdad on Saturday where thousands of Jaish Al-Mahdi (Al-Mahdi army) militiamen in black marched along with mullahs to the horror of Iraqis who watched on tv, bringing back nightmares of Fedayeen parades under Saddam. American and Israeli flags were burnt at the parade, and large posters of Muqtada and his father Mohammed Sadiq Al-Sadr (assasinated by Mukhabarat in 1999) were carried by the demonstrators. One of the mullahs at the parade stated that "this is to show our power to the world. This army is a striking force and a time bomb that can go off any moment at the time and place our leader deems necessary". Later that day, Sadr followers cut off roads leading to the entrance of the Convention center near the Green Zone, set fire in tires, and prevented vehicles from crossing over Jumhuriya bridge. While they were at it, they attacked Video CD stores and gaming shops in Bab Al-Sharji accusing them of selling porn movies. Since Al-Sadr's weekly newspaper Al-Hawza was closed about a week ago for inciting violence against the coalition, there have been daily demonstrations near the Green Zone by Sadr supporters demanding re-opening the paper and against the national reconciliation conferences initiated by Kurdish leader Mas'ud Barzani, current head of the GC. I passed through one such demonstration last Wednesday with Omar and AYS at Tahrir square and it looked dangerous, they were armed with pistols and AK-47's.
Anyway, last thing we heard was that Muqtada Al-Sadr's residence in Najaf was surrounded by coalition troops and that his followers clashed with Spanish troops in Kufa, 21 of them killed and 120 wounded. IP stations in Kufa were attacked, and there was news of fighting in Sadun street and Al-Thawra in Baghdad. Last word from Muqty was that he asked his followers to stop demonstrating and to resort to 'other methods' since demonstrations aren't working. Al-Jazeera is having difficulties concealing their excitement and they have already coined this as the 'start of the Shia resistance in Iraq'.
Iraqis know very well who those 'pious' people are. They are gangsters, rapists, murderers, thieves, kidnappers, looters, and criminals. They are only using religion as cover. I can't even dream of what would happen if those people were left to make trouble on our streets that way without punishment. I believe that it's now time for Al-Sadr to experience a very bad accident soon. We will be sorry for him I assure you, "Oh poor fellow, what a terrible misfortune, what a great loss" we would say to each other knowingly. It's scenes like these that make me sometimes wonder to myself if Saddam wasn't justified in assassinating all those clerics. Get that new Mukhabarat working.
Posted by: Steve ||
04/05/2004 12:39 Comments ||
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#8
If Bush and company were even half as evil as the Chomsky types claim we would have killed Sadr months ago.
US APACHE helicopters sprayed fire on the private army of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr during fierce battles today in the western Baghdad district of Al-Showla, witnesses said. The fighting erupted when five trucks of US soldiers and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) tried to enter the district and were attacked by Sadr supporters, Amid said. Coming under fire, the ICDC, a paramilitary force trained by the Americans, turned on the US soldiers and started to shoot at them, according to Amid.
I hope our guys killed them, each and every one...
The soldiers fled their vehicles and headed for cover and then began to battle both the Mehdi Army and the ICDC members, he said. Their vehicles were set ablaze. "Two Apaches opened fire on armed members of the Mehdi Army," said Showla resident Abbas Amid. Heavy gunfire rattled the district and columns of black smoke billowed into the sky. Burning tyres and tree trunks were used to barricade the neighbourhood, where young men toting clubs and carrying light weapons patrolled the streets. But 16 US Humvees all-terrain vehicles, backed by two tanks, rolled into Showla.
Tension was also running high in the Shiite-controlled Sadr City slum in northern Baghdad, a day after pitched battles between Sadr partisans and the US military left 22 Iraqis dead and 85 others wounded, and killed seven US troops. US troops opened fire today wounding a child after a group of children stoned soldiers deployed outside the Karama police station. Amer al-Hussein, a spokesman for Sadr in the impoverished neighbourhood, told reporters that the incendiary Shiite leader had "called for a return to calm but his partisans want to fight against the American troops. We want peace not confrontations but if the Americans enter our neighbourhood, there will be a fight." He said that US troops had arrested militiamen from Sadrâs Mehdi Army but the report could not be immediately confirmed by the US military.
Three US tanks blocked the two entrances to Sadr City and soldiers searched cars while helicopters flew overhead. US troops also reclaimed the main police station, which Sadr backers had seized yesterday. The seven US soldiers died yesterday fighting for control of police and public buildings in the Shiâite suburb. Thousands of people, some of them armed, gathered outside Sadrâs offices in Sadr City to take part in the funeral of people killed in Sundayâs fierce fighting. "There is only one God. America is the enemy of Allah," the crowd chanted as a coffin was carried through the streets.
The uprising by Sadrâs supporters also raged on elsewhere as they seized the governorâs office in the British-controlled southern port city of Basra. Dozens of armed Mehdi Army militiamen stormed the governorâs office at dawn today, raising a green Islamic flag on the roof, he said. Four hours later British troops were no longer in the area while policemen who had been inside the building when it was overrun were seen deployed alongside the Medhi Army militiamen.
You go over to the other side, don't expect to come back to our side.
In the deadliest clashes, at least 20 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in fighting yesterday between the Mehdi Army and Spanish-led coalition forces in the Shiite shrine city of Najaf. A Salvador soldier also died. Another four were killed in similar clashes between British-led forces and Sadrâs supporters in the southern city of Amara. Sadr told his followers on Sunday to "terrorise" the enemy because protests had become useless. It was not clear whether Sadrâs call was an order to resort to violence.
Looks like it was, doesn't it?
Tensions had boiled over with the arrest of a top Sadr aide in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year and after the shutting down of a pro-Sadr newspaper last month.
Finally got around to pinning the Khoei killing on him, did they?
US Marines have also launched action in the Iraqi flashpoint town of Fallujah where the contractors were killed last week, two of them savagely mutilated. After vowing an overwhelming response, troops sealed off the city and began preparations for a flushing out of insurgents in the city. "Our concern is precise. We want to get the guys we are after. We donât want to go in there with guns blazing," said Lieutenant James Vanzant.
Why not? The Bad Guys came out with guns blazing, didn't they?
The restive town, 50km west of Baghdad, has been sealed off and troops were only letting people enter or leave with Fallujah licence plates. US forces had barricaded residents inside. Marine officers said the operation would last several days and it was not clear if they would seize the centre of the flashpoint town. Earlier, an Iraqi witness said several people were killed and others wounded when US troops raided the Sunni Muslim town.
US administrator to Iraq Paul Bremer has described Sadr as an "outlaw".
'Bout time, isn't it?
"Effectively he is attempting to establish his authority in the place of the legitimate authority. We will not tolerate this. We will reassert the law and order which the Iraqi people expect," Mr Bremer said.
Y'think publicly lining up with Hamas and Hezbollah might have had something to do with it?
Doubt was also aired today that Iraq would be able to run under its own steam by June 30, the deadline marked by interim administrators in the country. The security situation in some cities was in shambles and Iraqi police forces were not prepared to take over, said Senator Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican.
Apparently not, when they're joining the Bad Guys. Time to fire most of them and start over. Maybe next year they can have their country back.
Asked whether the transfer of power was coming too soon, Lugar said: "It may be, and I think itâs probably time to have that debate." Lugar said there were still far too many questions about what would happen after June 30. He said the administration had shared no plans with his committee regarding an ambassador, who the 3000 embassy staff would be, and how they would be kept safe.
Posted by: tipper ||
04/05/2004 9:18:02 AM ||
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#1
"Coming under fire, the ICDC, a paramilitary force trained by the Americans, turned on the US soldiers and started to shoot at them."
Unbelievable. Interesting that the Arabs usually use what they get from the West, to fight against the West.
#3
Ye-esh! Kicking al-Sadr's ass has been way too long in waiting - and if he "wants peace", he got the hint ...
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
04/05/2004 10:46 Comments ||
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#4
WHAT. THE. SHIT.
?!?!?
Dozens of armed Mehdi Army militiamen stormed the governorâs office at dawn today, raising a green Islamic flag on the roof, he said.
Four hours later British troops were no longer in the area while policemen who had been inside the building when it was overrun were seen deployed alongside the Medhi Army militiamen.
Both the US and UK need to start some SERIOUS counter-intelligence operations and get all the snakes out. :(
#5
Unbelievable. Interesting that the Arabs usually use what they get from the West, to fight against the West.
I believe that it's time for Plan B.
All of Iraq's southern oil fields should be put into Kuwaiti control and administration, be given special status as a Kuwaiti protectorate, and Shiites removed from the area. Northern oil fields are put under Kurdish control and the Kurds given their own nation. The remainder is given to those Iraqis who want to peacefully rebuild their nation from whatever is left. Within that area, reserve a small town large enough to hold all those who just can't seem to get over the violence thing, and put all the troublemakers into it. Surround the city with an armed force and let its inhabitants seethe all they wish, kill each other off, whatever.
These people are unable to act like anything else but children, and it's time to treat them as such and administer the Big Stick to their asses.
#7
"The fighting erupted when five trucks of US soldiers and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) tried to enter the district"
-I'm obviously not on deck to see this shit, but what the hell? Going in w/trucks? Where's the escorts? This has got to be leg outfits or something.
"Two Apaches opened fire on armed members of the Mehdi Army," - yeah, wonder who won that engagement -bwhahaha.
This actually is not a bad scenario. Get them out in the open, let them thump their chests, run their sucks, shoot their pee-shooters. Then kill them all.
We're prolly going to have to go block by block on this one. It's gonna suck but it needs to happen.
#8
There have been folks talking for awhile about how the lessons of Grozny and Mogadishu have been learned, now we get to find out the hard way.
Maybe al-Sadr and his minions are paper tigers, and I sincerely hope so. Just remember that when Eric Shinseki was estimating the force level to occupy Iraq 240,000 was his floor.
#10
al-Sadr's aide was in jail for murdering a rival shiite cleric - that's what sparked this crap according to the news. Kill their leaders, they will learn, if not, they will die.
#11
don't arrest him. kill him. let his follower have their martyr and then when they get violent kill them in numbers. Make this a demonstration to the people of Iraq that the mullahs will NOT have influence in the future of Iraqi politics.
If we don't crack down on this and Fallujah with extreme prejudice others will get ideas.
I'm convinced that these people are the extreme minority of Iraqis and their scaring the sh-t out of average Iraqis. The Iraqi people will thank us for ending this quickly and finally.
Posted by: Charles ||
04/05/2004 11:40 Comments ||
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Khoei, among others. He tried to bump off Sistani, too.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/05/2004 11:47 Comments ||
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#14
I agree w/DPA. Sistani would prolly appreciate his demise in a backchannel sort of way imo. Of course the propaganda from our end is that this a fight against Sadr and not islam in general which is an enlightening, eloquent, religion of peace.....my lips just fell off - bwhahaha.
#15
I've not heard what the outcome of the shootout has been But it sounds like the fight lasted a few hours and then things cooled down. Not good. Once the guns go off the battle should have gone on to it's conclusion. End of sadr's army and end of any armed resistance.
Soon a new news cycle starts and this story goes in the books.
#17
Don't like this stuff about the ICDC switching sides. Don't like it at all. One of the basic points in our reconstruction of Iraq is that the Iraqis who worked with us would be honest in the Chicago-sense of the word -- once bought, they stay bought. The ICDC guys have paychecks, some training, some respect, and an opportunity to help rebuild the country with themselves as a respected part of it.
That some of them have flipped is greatly concerning to me, and worries me that we're either a) not capable of vetting the Iraqis well enough or b) the Iraqis just don't get it, or want to get it.
Sadr is a small issue: by the end of the week he'll be dead, in custody or in Iran. The bigger issue is that these attacks have exposed a real problem in our reconstruction scheme. Nope, nope, don't like it none at all.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 13:47 Comments ||
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#18
I agree w/DPA. Sistani would prolly appreciate his demise in a backchannel sort of way imo.
This AM's WaPo says more or less the same thing - sounds like CPA wanted Sistani et al to deal with Sadr, while Sistani wanted CPA to do it. Well now that the US is cleaning up Sistani's dirty laundry for him, I would hope this reduced Sistanis future leverage.
#19
SW - well some folks are going to say that the coalition failed to vett properly, cause they were in too much of a rush to get the ICDC and IP numbers up, to keep US troop strength in Iraq going down.
#20
I can't imagine that "dozens" of anybody could run off British troops. I hope that the "kindler, gentler" British administration in Basra has taken the names and will now get on with kicking ass. Otherwise we may have to replace them with the Poles or the Spanish - at least they fight.
#21
SW / LH - These are Arabs. Arabs. The only vetting that would be reliable is family / tribe. Make the tribe head Police Goombah, hire for his station / district from his tribe and THEN you will get, at least more often than not, people following orders. Of course it will be utterly corrupt and they will use their power mafia-style.
Is there any hope? I respectfully refuse to answer the question based on my 5th Amendment rights.
it does look like the following.
1. Shinseki says need 250,000 troops to occupy Iraq
2. US occupies with 100,000.
3. Recruits ICDC and IP very fast to fill gap.
4. Lots of commentators say we're bringing them on too fast
5. In combat some switch sides, lots of others prove ineffective
Now it COULD be that theyre just arabs, and vetting doesnt matter. But it sure looks like the vetting matters.
#23
I saw a comedy show with Eddie Izzard (played one of the bad guys in The Avengers, but better known for his stand-up) and he described a mythical scene where the Church of England was being spoofed - and were placed in the role of the evil Romans dealing with criminals who would be otherwise crucified. In the routine, the difference wrought by The Church of England on the decision process was that the criminals were offered the choice of "Cake or Death?" Of course, they rather quickly ran out of cake...
Perhaps we should line up every motherfucker in Iraq, block by block, city by city, and offer them this choice. Cake or Death, asshole? Wanna wager how many would, when faced one-on-one with a Jarhead, would proudly puff up and declare "Death!"? Wait, don't answer yet...
1) Loyalty is to their family / tribe first, unless they have crossed over into the "True Believer" category - then it's their Imam first.
2) Unlike family / tribe, they can CHOOSE the Imam they follow - but it will be the local guy at first - the one their parents follow, thus not likely to be a spewer of jihadi BS, that's a young man's game.
3) If their tribe is low on the status foodchain, and there is definitely a hieracrhy, the ambitious types among them are more likely to become True Believers and pick the Imam who delivers more status - whether though jihadi BS or not. Sistani's ilk draws the ultra-holy wannabes and Sadr's ilk draws the hothead wannabes.
4) They are indoctrinated from birth to show automatic respect for Turbans, tight or otherwise. So even Sistani's followers are tempted, in some degree, to listen to Sadr - so the borderline guys can be siphoned off by Sadr if he gets away with his fiery rhetoric. Every day he remains alive and free, his siren call becomes stronger and attracts more fodder.
5) Last but certainly not least is the fact that they are hugely affected by social pressure - real or imagined. The Stasi of East Germany didn't invent their security approach - Islam perfected the Big Brother system centuries ago.
So. Tribal head, Imam, and who's watching are the pivot points in their universe. Want to change how they react to any stimulus? Control these pivot points. Now you guys figure out where we go from here.
#24
Before we all jump on the Iraqi turn-coats lets consider a few facts first. If I'm an Iraqi working beside the US soldiers and I switch sides on them suddenly I will certainly kill at least one guy in the process when I do. The entire turn-coat militia, plus Sadr's little army killed 7 guys by this account which leads me to believe the turncoats didn't really have their hearts in it, that they switched sides out of cowardice, or because they stupidly thought the Sadr boys would win, or because they feared for their families.
Either way it says we can't trust them. And it would be nice to clean house now, tet offensive style. Politically this will be used similar to Tet to bash Bush and the Coalition forces and push for withdrawal from the quagmire when there is a good chance to clean house and break the back of resistance now.
Most Iraqi's did not feel they had actually been defeated after the war. Its time Sadr's boys taste defeat.
EFL -- the NRA will like this
Israelis with valid gun licenses should carry a weapon with them during the Passover holiday, Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki said Monday... "Terror organizations, in particular Hamas, will make every effort during Passover to carry out a large-scale attack," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz warned at Sundayâs government meeting. [Boris will be rooting for the terrorists as will the BBC, Al Jaz, NPR radio and the Berkeley Faculty newsletter]
Thousands of policemen, supplemented by IDF soldiers, will be deployed to guard worshipers and vacationers over Passover. More than 1,000 police officers are being deployed Monday, Passover Eve, in the Dan region alone, Israel Radio reported Monday.
Posted by: mhw ||
04/05/2004 8:39:19 AM ||
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Fierce fighting is reported to be taking place in Baghdad with American gunships said to be attacking a number of different targets. Twenty eight Iraqis were killed and another 74 were wounded in clashes in the capital yesterday involving US troops and supporters of the radical Shiâite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, who opposes the countryâs occupation. Earlier, the American administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, described the cleric as an outlaw. Al-Sadr is an outspoken opponent of the US-led occupation and his followers have staged a number of large demonstrations in recent days... Seems to be all kicking off today
Posted by: Lux ||
04/05/2004 5:30:24 AM ||
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#1
Yesterday, I suggested that our forces use airpower to destroy militia roadblocks in Sadr slum. Looks like that is what is happening today. The Shia militia have no experience in fighting an organized enemy, let alone American armor and airpower.
With this and the Fallujah operation underway, the real killing time is here. The media will go apeshit, especially the hard-core collaborationists like Al Jazeera and Reuters. It wouldn't bother me a bit if some of them fell afoul of Black Flag vigilantes during all the confusion.
#2
Sadr city will fall quickly, but we need the big man himself. I hope he's found and killed trying to hide escape
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 8:04 Comments ||
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#3
Al-Sadr should have been dead a long time ago. We need to make it clear to these clerics that they need to STFU. Arrest him, have the Iraqi GC try him as a traitor, and kill those who riot afterwards. The country will be a better place afterwards, I guaran-damn-tee.
#4
I'm pissed that we didn't do this earlier. We've been screaming for months that Sadr needs to go away. Between his militia, his courts (where he actually had the balls to arrest an Iraqi policeman...) and his "newspaper" I've been shocked that we waited for the situation to explode before finally deciding to wax this scumbag. I hope we've learned a lesson here and don't tolerate this crap from anyone else.
I think the problem is we were trying so hard to show them what the rule of law and freedom were all about that we allowed those goals to take precedence over the goal of creating security.
I think you have a basically correct diagnosis except for one thing. We should have also had an armed ex pat Iraqi battalion in the liberation and then we could have put that battalion in charge of some of the clean up jobs. I suppose it wasn't possible to do this given the technical demands and the problem of getting slam dunk anti Saddam people in such a battalion.
Another problem is that after the liberation we should have had some hard nose 'law and order' type proclamations right away.
#6
I believe we have a 20,000 bomb. Leveling his mosque might get the message across. As I heard earlier, Bush isn't a Carter or Clinton. Thank you !
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
04/05/2004 8:48 Comments ||
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#7
This is the start of the war on Iraq that *really* has to do with the war on Terror. The destruction of the secular fascists did nothing but set the stage for the conflict that'd be actually important, the one between Islamofascism and secular liberals.
(And btw I'm using "liberals" here in the sense that some people talk about "liberation" of Iraq, not as the opposite of conservative.)
And if the Islamofascists win, then Saddam's overthrow only served create the axis of countries you were supposedly warring against.
1. Center of confrontation seeems to be, unsurprisingly, poorer Shiite sections of Baghdad, esp Sadr City.
2. BUT - reports of violence in Kufa, Najaf, Karbala, Basra.
3. BUT - reports of Mehdi army withdrawl from Kufa, peaceful resolution in Nassariyah, Brits trying to resolve Basra peacefully. Limited info from Najaf and Karbala.
VERY BIG QUESTION - is this uprising across the Shiite zone, or largely confined to Sadr City?
4 .How are local Iraqi forces responding. Ive seen reports that Iraqi police in Kufa are cooperating with Mehdi army, and a report that ICDC forces fired on Americans. Most reports however indicate Iraqi forces are avoiding battle and basically running the hell away/
So next BIG QUESTION - are the Iraqi forces simply running away - which would fit in with what we've thought - these (ICDC and IP) are decent folks, but poorly trained and equipped, able to carry water for coalition forces in raids, but not yet able to act on their own, much less face open battle - OR are these guys totally unreliable and worthless????
5. Where is Sadr??? It is clear now that the CPA will try to arrest him, not for treason but for the murder of Grand Ayatollah Al Khoei. Is he in Sadr City? How is he hidden? Etc.
6. What will the other Shiites do? Sistani has called for "calm and negotiations" - Sistani is NOT backing the uprising, but it sounds like he pressing the CPA NOT to arrest Sadr. Reports of talks between Sadr and forces closer to Sistani - Badr brigades, Dawa, etc. United Front unlikely - Sadr may trying to ensure that they push IGC and CPA NOT to arrest him personally - see next question
7. WHY NOW????? Spark seems to be coalition arrest of Yacoubi, an aide to Sadr, on charges of conspiracy to murder Gr. Ayat. al Khoie. Based on that Sadr called his forces to war. Did this come to close to Sadr??? Is he afraid we were about to arrest him, and go for it while he was still strong???? Perhaps unleashing a long developed plan as John Burns of the NYT says? Was he trying to take advantage of the situation in Fallujah, and the pressure the US is under there??? Is he worried about the steady movement toward handover to Iraqi soveregnty??
What is Sadrs intention now - war to the death, or to make a point and then negotiate??? If the latter how will the coalition respond - clearly we dont want to have him around anymore - but can we get SOLID IGC support for crushing Sadr, if Sadr offers to negotiate??? What if the IGC splits on this, with SCIRI and Dawa favoring negotiations - can we get enough in negotiations so that we can avoid splitting the IGC at this crucial point??? Or do we say to hell SCIRI and Dawa and Sistani and go for broke ourselves. If the latter, how many troops do we need, and what will offer to get more allied troops???
#9
AP now reports Al Sadr is in Kufa, surrounded by armed followers.
Why - one would think hed be safer in Sadr City, a dense slum, much for difficult for the US to operate in than a small town. Was the Coalition already deeply penetrating Sadr City??? Is the above disinfo??
#11
Aris, your explanation of what you meant by "secular liberals" was not entirely clear; perhaps you meant "the secular liberated" ?
And "were supposedly warring against" really shouldn't be past tense; we have been at war continually since 9/11; Iraq is merely a battlefield in that war. If Iran is suspected to be behind the latest outbreak among the Shia, then Iran could be the next battlefield.
Posted by: Carl in N.H ||
04/05/2004 13:04 Comments ||
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#12
WaPo article this AM implies Sistani et al would like to see Al Sadr arrested, but dont want to be seen calling for it - essentially want Coalition to do their dirty work for them. Imply that Coalition didnt move against Al Sadr earlier, in hopes Sistani et al would deal with him.
Well, now we ARE doing the dirty work, while Sistani washes his hands of the matter. This should result in a lowering of the value placed on Sistani and his positions.
#13
Carl> I could have used "secular democrats", but as has been mentioned several times here, democracy isn't all there is to freedom. "Liberal" is probably the best word around to use for people in love with personal liberties, even though in America (and to a lesser extent in Britain) it seems to also carry the connotations of either "progressive" (it being the true opposite of 'conservative') or of "socialist" (as the word "liberal" was once used as a euphemism for "socialist" and it stuck)
Anyway, wrong usage or not, I used it in my earlier post as the opposite of "fascist".
#14
More from Sistani et al (Reuters) Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has turned down an appeal by Iraq's powerful Shi'ite Muslim establishment to renounce violence, a leading cleric said Monday.
An aide to Mohammad Bahr al-Uloum, a member of the U.S.-installed Iraqi Governing Council, said Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, regarded as Iraq's most powerful cleric and a rival of Sadr's, supported the Iraqi seminary's appeal.
"The Hawza (seminary) is unanimous on this," the aide said.
"We asked Moqtada (al-Sadr) to stop resorting to violence, occupying public buildings and other actions that make him an outlaw. He insists on staying on the same course that could destroy the nation."
He said Sadr refused to meet a religious and tribal delegation at the main mosque of Kufa, near the holy city of Najaf, where he is staging a sit-in with armed followers.
"The delegation met Moqtada's aides, who did not express interest in relying on wisdom and patience," the aide said.
U.S. authorities occupying Iraq issued an arrest warrant for Sadr Monday in connection with the killing of a senior Shi'ite cleric a year ago.
Iraq's U.S. governor, Paul Bremer, termed Sadr an outlaw Monday, a day after battles between Sadr's militia and U.S.-led coalition troops in Baghdad and near Najaf killed 48 Iraqis, eight American soldiers and one Salvadoran soldier.
For the past week, Sadr has been at the head of violent anti-American protests. His followers have sworn to fight back if attempts are made to arrest him.
Unlike the Shi'ite religious establishment, which has historic alliances with Iraq's merchant class and has cooperated with the U.S.-led occupation, Sadr has denounced the occupation and demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
His brand of nationalistic Islam appeals mainly to poor young Shi'ites who grew up under a crippling economic embargo and repression by the former Baathist government of Saddam Hussein.
More on Danâs posting
...Indian officials say Dawood Ibrahimâs contacts in ISI include Major Khaliq and Major Akbar under whose patronage he had been staying in Karachi carrying a Pakistani passport with the name of Sheikh Dawood Hasan. After the US declared him a global terrorist, he is said to have shifted to an ISI safe house in Islamabad. Dawood Ibrahim is planning to leave Pakistan soon and may enter a Gulf state, but he is finding it difficult as the US has included his name in List âCâ, after declaring him a âGlobal Terroristâ in October 2003. This means he is now an associate of the Al Qaeda. Indians believe Dawood Ibrahim is undergoing cosmetic surgery in Islamabad to change his looks.
Again? I thought he'd already done that. He'd better be careful. You know what happened to Michael Jackson.
He is seldom seen moving around but whenever he does, Iqbal Seth is his cover. His new Honda cars give away his whereabouts. The Indians are not happy. âPakistan has stretched the right hand towards India for a handshake, but the left hand is still holding a revolver to our head. Besides Bangladesh, Pakistan has opened a new front in Nepal. The ISI is using Dawood Ibrahim for this purpose, and simultaneously, it is funding several fundamentalist organizations of Nepal,â said an Indian official. Dawood Ibrahim is a regular visitor to Nepal. He was last seen in Kathmandu in the last week of August 2003. Officials told the South Asia Tribune that during that visit, Dawood met his front man Sartaj Ahmed and leaders of some fundamentalist organizations. Though Dawood has restricted his international movements, Sartaj is in constant touch with officials of the Pakistani Embassy. He was recently spotted near Tundi Khel playground in Kathmandu with a Pakistani diplomat. Indian officials allege that the ISI has not changed its ways and Dawood Ibrahim and his contacts are being used against India.
Dawood has big financial stakes in Nepal. He has made huge investments in a variety of business ventures, from media, private airlines, hotels, travel agencies to trans-border smuggling including that of gold. In Nepal he has built high level contacts with businessmen, officials, politicians, smugglers, religious fundamentalists and the Kashmiri Shah family in Kathmandu. Indian officials are prepared to share even some confidential documents with journalists on this sensitive issue. One official showed the South Asia Tribune documents which indicate the ISI maintains regular contacts with various fundamentalist organizations of Nepal such as Al Hera Educational Society, Nepal Islamic Sangh, All Nepal Muslim Ittehad Association, Islamic Mission to Nepal, Muslim Ekta Sangh, Nepal World Islamic Council, World Assembly of Muslim Youth of Nepal. All these organizations are known for their fundamentalist approach. According to recent reports, a new Pan Islamic organization, âNepal Muslim Amaraat Societyâ has been founded by one Yunus Ansari, with support from the Pakistan-based fundamentalist elements. The aims and objectives of this organization include working amongst Muslims in the Terai belt of Nepal. A meeting was held recently near the Indian border town of Raxaul, where its office bearers discussed ways and means to unite Muslims of the Terai region of India under a single banner. Free Tarai!
Some documents showed to this correspondent reveal strategies, geopolitical and topographical conditions on the Indo-Nepal borders for activities of the ISI backed elements. The scope of extending plans of the ISI in North Bengal areas including Darjeeling, Gorkha Hills and even up to Sikkim with the opening of the Indo-China trade route via Nathulla-Gangtok is much greater now. The utilization of the trade routes for smuggling arms and other clandestine activities cannot be ruled out. Officials told the South Asia Tribune the ISI is targeting Gorkha officials or retired officials of the Indian Army who belong to Nepal. The ISI has also succeeded in placing Pakistani citizens, a few of them ex-Pak army personnel, who have ensconced along the Indo-Nepal border by marrying local women with the objective of facilitating ISI activities in Nepal. Most of this information was divulged by an alleged ISI agent, Dilshad, who was arrested by the West Bengal police from Siliguri sometimes back. Dilshadâs reported task was to collect strategic information regarding Indian forcesâ deployment and movement in North Bengal and Sikkim. He had also passed on the information about the Indian security forcesâ operation against terrorist outfits of the North-Eastern region of India.
Officials say the Government of India has already cautioned the Nepalese authorities about possible communal clashes between Muslim organizations and Hindu outfits viz. âPashupati Senaâ and âShiv Sena of Nepalâ as environment conducive for such clashes is being created. New Delhi is learnt to have provided documentary evidence to the Nepalese authorities on ISIâs alleged involvement in training and arming the Maoists to continue their rebellious activities against the monarchy in collaboration with the ultra Left outfits of India. Iâve always wondered who was backing the Maoists; but iâm sure communists could never work with militant Islamists...
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
04/05/2004 4:42:12 AM ||
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Marines Roll Into Fallouja ("anonymous/anonymous" has worked so far for log-in)
By Tony Perry and Edmund Sanders, Times Staff Writers
FALLOUJA, Iraq â Thousands of Marines surrounded this anti-American stronghold early today and began moving in to retake control of the city and apprehend those responsible for last weekâs slayings of four U.S. security contractors.
The highly anticipated action, dubbed Operation Valiant Resolve, was expected to be one of the biggest military offensives since the fall of Saddam Husseinâs government a year ago.
All roads leading to this city of 300,000 were cut off and barricaded with tanks and concertina wire. Working through the cold and windy desert night, Marines set up camps for detainees and residents who might flee.
Before dawn, several Marine positions on the fringes of town were hit by mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenade fire; one Marine was reported killed.
The Marines called in air support to take out some enemy positions and said in some cases the attackers were working in groups as large as 12. Witnesses reported gunfire overnight and said at least four homes had been hit by what they said were U.S. aerial strikes.
At daylight, Marines in armored Humvees began distributing leaflets asking residents to stay in their homes and help identify insurgents and those responsible for last weekâs killings. They also took over the local radio station and used bull-horns to get the message out. "We are going to stop the anarchy inside this city," one of the announcements said.
*snip*
(Excerpted for copyright compliance)
NPR of all people has a guy on the scene outside Fallujah. He reports very heavy firing in and around the city and large numbers of Marines moving in with heavy armor and air support.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy ||
04/05/2004 2:24:42 AM ||
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#1
I'm still reading (thx for login!!!) but here is link to Fallujah map so you can keep up with references you're bound to hear... hat tip to Belmont Club. Wretchard talks about how he thinks a sweep should happen in Fallujah under the "Addendum" section of that day's post.
#2
So it's targeted at first using whatever intel they have for specific individuals.
And then... a general city-wide sweep, I hope. OS need to be advising on this Op.
None of the TV News outlets seem to be covering this story yet... I've checked Fox, MSNBC, CNN, and BBC so far. If anyone locates one that is, please post.
#3
I've seen the Map from Wretchard also. A good map is a thing of beauty. But I do have one question.
I see two river crossing bridges...Highway 10 and the smaller crossing just to the north. Does anyone know at which crossing the ambush and atrocities ocurred?
#4
Traveller - I understand (and could be wrong, of course) that the civilian attack occurred at the Highway 10 bridge on the Western side of town. The story I read said they had screwed up in their little convoy (2 SUV's and 3 trucks - which were allowed to escape when the shooting started). They were supposed to go to a CA Mil camp on the West side of Fallujah but took a wrong turn before they came to the town and found themselves on the East side. They decided to take Highway 10 and cut through the heart of town. I don't know anything about reasoning (unreported) but they had comms gear and apparently notified the camp of what they were doing. I think the camp is call "TQ" or similar. I certainly may have it wrong - I'm telling this from memory and, hey, who can you trust regards hard detail, eh?
#5
I was wondering the same thing myself.
I seem to remember that the atrocity occurred at the far southwest entrance, though, so it would probably be the more southerly of the two bridges.
I have heard from my Iraqi friend in Baghdad this morning.
He reports that as of now (early afternoon there) the highways to the west, toward Jordan and Syria, have been closed because of the fighting.
He also reports that heavy smoke is visible in the direction of Fallujah from where he is, 36 miles away; that explosions are clearly audible ("like constant thunder") in the same direction, and that several really big explosions were actually visible a few minutes ago. Several B-52s and B-1s were overhead earlier but he doesn't know if these hit Fallujah. He hasn't seen any MLRS trails, but it is getting overcast there and the smoke is obscuring a lot.
He believes that at least 100 Sadr blackshirts were killed in the fighting yesterday and states definitely that M-1s used 120mm canister rounds against the jihadis ("a very distinct noise, like a boom and buzz together").
#6
You know, it's going to drive me to tears (VERY small ones) if the population of 300,000 suffers 80% casualties killed, in the process of pacifying it. Hey - if that's what it takes, then so be it. If half are dead, and someone in there hurls a rock at a tank, then they are obviously not "pacified" - so let them have another full course. Let the process continue until either we run out of bullets, or they run out of troublemakers. 290 dead - or 290,000 - that's up to them.
By definition, no one who was against Saddam lived in Fullujah. This place was Baath-central.
Also, tell the extremists down in Najaf's Sadir City to send a couple of observers up - because they're next.
The troublemakers - numerous as they are - need to firmly understand that we can make more bullets faster than they can breed replacements.
When you operate to remove cancer, you have to go seriously at it - and - unfortunately - some good tissue has to be excised to make sure all the malignancy goes. So it is with cancerous extremism.
#8
By definition, no one who was against Saddam lived in Fallujah. This place was Baath-central.
More importantly, those people lived from Saddam. His regime provide them power and money. They have everything to lose from equal opportunities, rule of law and democracy. They will try everything to block this happenning and will never be our friends.
#9
It's time that Americans stop fooling them selves (and the world), first a weapons of mass destruction lie was ballooned that turned out to be a soap bubble. Secondly a new lie was aired (liberating Iraqis from Saddam), looks like the liberation of the Shia turned out a big flop too.
Looks like war hero BUSH is going to burn his fingers (heat of Iraqi oil) and kicked in the ass by Kerry next elections, serves good.
Posted by: Murat ||
04/05/2004 7:19 Comments ||
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#10
"But local officials predicted that the latest U.S. action would continue the cycle of violence."
Oh, bullshit. "Cycles of violence" is what you get with rival street gangs in LA. This is a revolt, and the thing to do is crush it.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
04/05/2004 7:21 Comments ||
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#11
Murat, as much as you may sympathize with the displaced Sunni elite in Fallujah or the totalitarian fanatic Sadr, there is no reason at all to suppose that these creatures represent the "Iraqi people" as such or, therefore, that liberation has failed. On the contrary, their destruction in this showdown is a necessary step in the liberation process, at least as important as the removal of your friend Saddam Hussein.
That such persons as Saddam, the Fallujah ghouls, and Sadr represent "the people" is a standard line of the institutional media the world over and has been for over 40 years. It is an advertising hook, little more.
Arch-Hollywoodist Oliver Stone knows all about it, which is why he praised the 9-11 attacks.
You and your fellow murder apologists are little more than slaves of the real "evil Americans," the Hollywood/Madison Avenue Cultural Axis.
They are our domestic enemy, in every way possible; and they, like the foreign enemy they incite, must be dealt with eventually.
#12
Wait a second Murat, you forgot to mention the Kurds! The Kurds are happy and thankful for THEIR liberation!
Crawl back into your hole Murat, it isn't time yet for you to come out.
Posted by: Rafael ||
04/05/2004 7:41 Comments ||
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#13
Actually Sadr only represents a small amount of shiites. "Al-Sadr does not hold widespread support among Iraq's Shiites, many of whom see him as too young, radical and inexperienced to lead. But he does have the backing of hundreds of young seminary students and many impoverished Shiites" - this from a story this morning. So read religious nuts and people who've nothing to lose are easy prey for his propaganda. They will be crushed.
#14
They will be crushed.
Hear hear! Jarhead.
Looks like the zealous but inexperienced Sadr punks are too stupid to keep their heads down, an ideal debut for the 120mm beehive round.
#15
MSNBC is noting that Marines have entered Falluja
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 8:01 Comments ||
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#16
Oh those Liberals. Same old line and song. Nothing of susbtance as usual. Nope no intelligent life their. Too much liberal Franken radio perhaps with their deep perspective. Franken Radio summed up : Bush is a liar, we hate bush blah blah blah blah ad infinitum.
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
04/05/2004 8:02 Comments ||
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#17
Jarhead, al-Sadr also has the reported backing of Iran. Given the recent proclamations by Hizbollah leaders of solidarity with Hamas, and Sadr's declaration of solidarity with both networks, the link is pretty public now.
Sadr represents Iran's proxy war on the US as well as on a free, multi-party Iraq.
Murat, I suspect you are gloating a little too early. Bush isn't Clinton or Carter and the election may surprise you.
#18
Thanks Murat: You went too far over the edge and showed your hand. I'll have a lot to write about at my blog. In the meantime, consider this (if you're capable of it): Why do we get the impression that your threshold for failure is a lot lower for America than anyone else? More to the point, why should we respect, heed, or listen to anyone who demonstrates that sort of bias?
Murat is a patriot, people. He loves his country and it shows. Nothing wrong in that. However, his patriotism makes him mean spirited in that he begrudges success to any other nation that may outshine his nation.
Iraq is next door to Turkey, has tons of oil, and has been invaded and occupied by the United States, which is now embarking on a long term program to reform and democratize it. Despite the lying slanders directed at the United States, its record of reforming and transforming nations in which it has made a long term investment is exemplary. THAT IS WHAT MURAT AND THE ISLAMISTS FEAR. They merely have different reasons for fearing and opposing our success: The islamists, because it will deny them a base of support and demonstrate the superiority of Western ideals over Middle Eastern ones, And Murat, because the New Iraq will outclass, outshine, and outdo Turkey.
Murat is a proud man. Normally, I'd be inclined to feel sorry for the oncoming blows to a man's patriotic pride in his country, but with Murat, I'm going to make an exception and just gloat when it happens.
#19
Atomic Conspiracy, Rafael and rkb do you guys also follow the news on sky news: http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13047235,00.html
Here you have some quotes: âIt is claimed that members of the ICDC, a paramilitary force trained by the Americans, turned on the US soldiers and started to shoot at them. The soldiers fled their vehicles and headed for cover and then began to battle both the Mehdi Army and the ICDC members.â
Newly trained Iraqi forces turn against you, its not only Sadr militia or some suni insurgents as you guys try to diminish, the mess is far bigger than you want to admit. So trying to comfort oneself with Kurds being happy is maybe the only resort left, for how long even that nobody knows. Make sure you guys donât end up flopping like Vietnam and Cuba, though you are fastly entering that phase.
Ptah you think I am Islamist? Wrong guess, I am patriotic true, true Kemalist patriot that is :)
Posted by: Murat ||
04/05/2004 9:04 Comments ||
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#20
"Murat is a patriot, people. He loves his country and it shows."
His patriotism would mean a lot more if he weren't too stupid to figure out what's in his country's best interests.
If Murat were a smart man, he'd be praying frantically, day and night, that the U.S. succeeds in Iraq. Because if we don't, and are forced to the conclusion that the Islamic world is inherently incapable of being civilized, and someday there is another attack on U.S. soil, then the war which follows will not be a war of liberation or reformation: it will be a war of thermonuclear extermination.
And anyone who thinks we wouldn't do that is a fool.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
04/05/2004 9:19 Comments ||
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#21
Hey, Murat, you have that information on my identity? I'm still waiting for it.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
04/05/2004 9:49 Comments ||
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#22
Dave D,
Donât bother my friend, Murat is a smart man unlike those whitehouse boboâs who achieve again and again in creating armed groups who turn their weapons back shooting you in the foot, like Osama, Saddam and now ICDC members, good work I guess my prayers wont help there much!
Posted by: Murat ||
04/05/2004 9:50 Comments ||
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#23
Kurdistan!
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/05/2004 9:55 Comments ||
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#24
Murat is partly right. I think we recognized that the Sunni Baath country would be hostile but we didn't really expect the Shia crowd, newly liberated from Saddam, to show such ungratitude.
Dave D. is also partly right. Turkey would be a major beneficiary of a successful Iraq (economically and politically) and a major victim of a failed Iraq.
This is where Murat and other muslims seem to go nuts. They seem happy to see the US fail even though its in their own interest for the US to succeed (the Euro left is like this too to some extent). No wonder the muslim world has such corruption, such hatred, such evil.
#25
I think it's time for the US to support an independent Kurdistan and a restored Roman Empire centered on its last capital, Byzantium.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
04/05/2004 9:56 Comments ||
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#26
I think Murat should put on a burka, have someone staple it to his forehead like they did in Iran, get rid of his computer and any other moderns conveniences his priviledged status affords, haul water by hand, and live as some backward Islamo's "bitch" for a month or two. It might help his perspective. Then again, he might like it.
#32
rkb, that's good to go. Let all the roaches come out into the light. They should've waited until after January if skerry won, now they've strategically f*cked up and will pay for it. Sadr will disappear. If pacification does not happen then selective eradication will begin. Marine commanders will not stand for their bullshit. The shiites better chill the f*ck out for their own sake.
#36
I should clarify things a little; I know Fallujah is our Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR), Sadr's area I believe is still Army property. Hence appaches vice cobras, soldiers getting shot at by ICDC. As soon as the Marines hear about the ICDC betrayal you can bet everyone of those icdc commanders in fallujah will get sweated by our brass. Every senior enlisted Marine will have a 9 mil to their iraqi counterpart's head as a warning.
#42
via Murat: "It is claimed that members of the ICDC, a paramilitary force trained by the Americans, turned on the US soldiers and started to shoot at them."
This reminds me of a scene in Blackhawk Down:
Ranger: "Sarge, they're shooting at us!!"
Sargeant: "Well...shoot back!!"
I don't see your point Murat. Every Iraqi has a choice to make: either let the coalition reconstruct the country, or pick up a gun and be an obstructionist. If they choose the latter, they will get smoked. Either way, Iraq needs a police force and they need an army. According to you, Iraq should be left to anarchy.
Posted by: Rafael ||
04/05/2004 15:47 Comments ||
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#43
Murat, as a Turkish patriot consider this fact. The US fallback position will be to secure Kurdistan. A stable, prosperous Kurdistan with US backing will be able to (a) really cause irritation to Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraqi Sunni's and Iraqi Shia all of whom the US will want to see irritated if Iraq falls apart (b) Kurds are the toughest bastards in the region dating back to Saldin and with proper backing could possible take over and occupy much of their neighborhood (c) Kurdistan would have oil revenue as well.
On the other hand a stable, prosperous, peaceful Iraq means that Iraq might serve as a magnet for Kurds in Turkey to emigrate to. It means Turkey could have a long secure Southern border and possible oil pipelines. It means Islamists in Turkey will probably lose influence as Democracy and Islam are further proved to be compatible.
It is not in Turkeys best interests to see an Independent Kurdistan and yet you are wishing for it to happen. That is stupid, or insane. Get over your America hatred, and your Bush hatred, and think the thing through all the way.
I shall be short on your analysis, you are dreaming, you don't know much about the region else than what you see on CNN. You know that much that you are allowed to know or made believe.
Posted by: Murat ||
04/06/2004 2:54 Comments ||
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#45
Murat, what do Turkish nationalists want to see come out of this struggle? Do you want to see:
a) a fundi regime
b) a contitutional democracy
c) a return of the Baathists
d) whatever it takes to keep the Kurds in line and the oil flowing
e) total chaos as long as there are lots of dead Americans?
f) a terrorist friendly regime that will allow spodydopes across the Turkish border in a manner simular to Syria and Iran
g) a timewarp back to last year
h) a fairy tale solution brought to you by Glynda the good Witch of the South
i) a random solution generated by the lucky eight ball
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/06/2004 3:17 Comments ||
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#46
Don't be too rough on Murat. He thinks that al Jazeera is a reliable source of news.
Posted by: Pete Stanley ||
04/06/2004 3:48 Comments ||
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#47
PS, I'm not trying to bait Murat. I leave that to others. He plays with the boyz and fun is had by all, but he has always answered my questions thoughtfully. Understanding the Turkish point of view is critical to the overall sucess of eliminating terrorists. Last night, JFM and an Anon offered some excellent insight into the Spainish and Portugese outlooks.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/06/2004 4:55 Comments ||
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Four Russian soldiers died and 14 were wounded in rebel attacks and land mine explosions across Chechnya over the previous day. Rebels fired on Russian military positions 22 times in the previous 24 hours, killing three servicemen and wounding 11 others, an official said. A Russian sapper was killed while attempting to defuse a land mine on a road near the village of Gikalo in the Grozny suburbs on Saturday. Three more servicemen were wounded when their car hit a mine near the village of Samashki in the Achkhoi-Martan district, the official said. Two Chechen police offices were also killed when unknown attackers opened fire on them in the capital, Grozny. Russian forces used heavy artillery to pound suspected rebel positions throughout the mountainous southern Chechnya, and troops rounded up 140 people in the last 24 hours on suspicion of aiding rebels, the Chechen official said.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:55:56 AM ||
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Granted amnesty by the Uzbek government, Uigun Saidov turned in his Kalashnikov and sat back down at his pottery wheel. He was returning to his Central Asian hometown after a year on the run because he was part of an al-Qaida-linked terror organization that joined the fight against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan that toppled the Taliban regime. Despite the government amnesty, Saidov was unrepentant about the aims of his former comrades-in-arms - hundreds of whom he said still are hiding in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is in opposition to the government and its aim is to create an Islamic state," Saidov told The Associated Press. The swarthy man, who looks younger than his 33 years, said he still believed in that goal.
In Tashkent, the capital, Uzbek Foreign Minister Sadyk Safayev told journalists Sunday that he believed "the backbone of the IMU" had been broken during the anti-terror operations in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. But he said "there might be several remnants of the IMU here." He gave no details. "As a coordinated, centralized structure, I don't see any serious threat," he said.
Authorities have kept Saidov and his family under strict surveillance since his December return. After learning of the amnesty offer, he turned himself in at the Uzbek consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, along with his wife and three young children. Saidov's father looked on with distrust as his son spoke to an AP reporter at the gates of the family's old one-story house in the outskirts of Navoi, 310 miles south of Tashkent. Wearing a black-and-green shirt and jogging pants, Saidov began to talk only after a thorough check of his visitors' identification documents. He said he had been trained at an IMU camp in neighboring Tajikistan's Tavildara region - a former stronghold of the Tajik Islamic opposition that fought the secular government in a mid-1990s civil war. Later, he said he was flown to Afghanistan in a military helicopter belonging to Russian troops stationed in Tajikistan. "Our leader Juma Namangani had good ties with Russian military," he says. "They supplied us with weapons, clothes and other things." The U.S. military has said Namangani was killed in Afghanistan in late 2001, but there was no evidence provided. Saidov said he did not know whether Namangani was dead or alive.
He said, however, that he believed reports last month that Pakistani troops injured the IMU's other top leader, Tahir Yuldash, in the Waziristan area on the Afghan border. "He is there," Saidov said, adding that some 500 IMU fighters were still on the loose in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, Saidov denied that the IMU was behind the recent Uzbek attacks. "I don't know whose hand that was. It's somebody new," he said.
Nearby, another man recently given amnesty after 3 1/2 years in an Uzbek prison for allegedly being a Wahhabi also denied involvement of that religious sect. "We have nothing to do with this," said Normurod Uroqov, 50, who was freed in January and named on a list of former extremists being carefully watched by a local state-affiliated Muslim leader. "I think it's some political game." The country's top prosecutor said last week that investigators were still determining which extremist group was behind the attacks, but they were linked to "international terrorist organizations." Speaking over tea, bread and sweets laid on a cloth on the floor, Saidov said he decided to return to Uzbekistan because he had tired of fighting. He said he fought on the Taliban side during the late 2001 war in Afghanistan and then fled to Pakistan after their defeat. His wife, cradling a young daughter in her arms and wearing a long flowered dress and white headscarf, entered as Saidov spoke and began to whisper into his ear. He said she was worried about a car parked outside that she feared belonged to intelligence officials.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:47:57 AM ||
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Declared as international terrorist by the US and wanted by India, Dawood Ibrahim is believed to be undergoing cosmetic surgery in Islamabad to change his looks and is planning to escape to a West Asian nation, official sources said on Sunday.
Let's hope the plastic surgeon is better than the one who did this.
Dawood, now Iqbal Seth alias Amir Sahib who was so far living in the posh Clifton area of Karachi, has recently shifted to "an ISI safe house in Islamabad" after the US declared him an "international terrorist", the sources said while confirming a report in this regard appeared in South Asia Tribune. The don had a few months ago visited South Waziristan on the Pak-Afghan border, the scene of the recent fighting between al-Qaeda/Taliban and US-led coalition and Pakistani forces. The officials said Dawood had gone there to meet his contacts in Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba and extend material support.
For some reason I love it when they make these crook-jihadi connections, maybe just because it confirms all my suspicions...
Dawood, whose name figures in India's list of 20 wanted terrorists and criminals submitted to Pakistan, has been declared in 2003 a global terrorist by the US Treasury Department which also accused him of having "financially supported Islamic militant groups working against India, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba". The officials said after the US included his name in List 'C', describing him as an associate of al-Qaeda, he was finding it difficult to get out of Pakistan.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
04/05/2004 12:39:27 AM ||
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#1
Thanx, Dan! (That Awful Plastic Surgery blog Rocks! LOL)
Posted by: Jen ||
04/05/2004 2:53 Comments ||
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#2
botox - it worked for Teresa, it worked for John, it will work for Dawood
Posted by: john ||
04/05/2004 10:00 Comments ||
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#4
Dan, Dan.....you should have provided a strong warning on that! My eyes, my eyes!!! ;P
Didn't Dillinger try that? Didn't work for him if I recall correctly.
I think Dawood's just trying to provide a cover story for his liposuction. Got too much junk in the trunk.......
#7
Ahem, salmon comments are mine. Cheez, never get credit for anything around here you'd think, all this time, all the work, mutter mutter, natter natter ....
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 13:58 Comments ||
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Maoist rebels attacked a police station during the night in southern Nepal, killing at least nine policemen, officials said Monday. About 400 rebels were involved in the overnight attack in the village of Yadukuna, about 190 miles southeast of the capital, Katmandu, said police official Tokendra Hamal. Nine police officers were killed and 26 were missing and feared to have been abducted by the rebels, he said. Fighting between the rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, and government forces has escalated since the guerrillas withdrew from a seven-month cease-fire in August. The rebels have been fighting since 1996 to replace Nepal's monarchy with a communist state. The insurgency has claimed more than 9,000 lives.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 12:10:17 AM ||
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#1
Nice alliteration in the title.
Thought necropsy was the veternary version of an autopsy though.
Posted by: N guard ||
04/05/2004 9:56 Comments ||
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#2
In Nepal it takes 400 bad guys to kill 9 police. In America it takes 400 police ... to referee a Cher concert.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/05/2004 11:39 Comments ||
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#3
Thought necropsy was the veternary version of an autopsy though.
Well, the Maoists are certainly acting like animals.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 13:50 Comments ||
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#4
Not sure are the aliterashun, but I like the way he got all the words to start with the sam letter.
Victor David Hansen is always good, but really hits his stride in this. The essence is that the emperor has no clothes. Itâs worth reading. "No more passes and excuses for the Middle East"
What are we to make of scenes from the eighth-century in Fallujah? Random murder, mutilation of the dead, dismemberment, televised gore, and pride in stringing up the charred corpses of those who sought to bring food to the hungry? .... I fear that we have not seen anything new. ...the hourly killing is perhaps not merely the wages of autocracy, but part of a larger grotesquery of Islamic fundamentalism on display.... The Middle-East coffee houses cry about the creation of Israel and the refugees on the West Bank only to snicker that almost 1,000,000 Jews were ethnically cleansed from the Arab world. I am sorry, but these toxic fumes of the Dark-Ages permeate everywhere. It wonât do any more simply to repeat quite logical exegeses....
No, there is something peculiar to the Middle East that worries the world. The Arab world for years has promulgated a quite successful media image as perennial victimsâproud folks, suffering under a series of foreign burdens, while nobly maintaining their grace and hospitality. .... But the curtain has been lifted since 9-11 and the picture we see hourly now is not pretty.... And then there is the asymmetry of it all. Walk in hushed tones by a mosque in Iraq, yet storm and desecrate the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank with impunity. Blow up and assassinate Westerners with unconcern; yet scream that Muslims are being questioned about immigration status in New York. Damn the West as you try to immigrate there; try to give the Middle East a fair shake while you prefer never to visit such a place. Threaten with death and fatwa any speaker or writer who âimpugnsâ Islam, demand from Western intellectuals condemnation of any Christians who speak blasphemously of the Koran.
Yet it is not just the violence, the boring threats, the constant televised hatred, the temper-tantrums of fake intellectuals on televisions, the hypocrisy of anti-Western Arabs haranguing America and Europe from London or Boston, or even the pathetic shouting and fist-shaking of the ubiquitous Arab street. Rather the global village is beginning to see that the violence of the Middle East is not aberrant, but logical. Its misery is not a result of exploitation or colonialism, but self-induced. Its fundamentalism ... an altogether different and much fouler brand.... If we are to try to bring some good to the Middle East, then we must first have the intellectual courage to confess that for the most part the pathologies embedded there are not merely the work of corrupt leaders but often the very people who put them in place and allowed them to continue their ruin.
Posted by: RWV ||
04/05/2004 12:08:37 AM ||
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#1
Another gem from VDH. It makes you wonder -- is this a society even worth saving? Is it the people of the Middle East, is it Islam, or is it both? Islam is so pernicious it scarcely bears the term "religion." About a week ago, Hanson posted an essay where he said we're winning. I have to agree with a few other posters to this site. I think we're just at the beginning of the struggle, and I think it's going to go on for a long time. I also believe that the real prize for Islam is Europe. They've tried to conquer Europe before. Each time, they were stopped -- but just barely. This time, they may succeed. If they do, they can enter upon the Islamists' favorite pastime -- obliterating civilization.
Posted by: Infidel Bob ||
04/05/2004 11:50 Comments ||
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#2
To see a country such as Morocco falling into the abyss is shocking. 25 years ago when I was standing in front of teenagers (some older!), both male and female in the same class trying to do my damndest to figure out this teaching thing. 10 years before Hendrix, Morrison, and Brian Jones and countless other wanderers spent time on the beach in Essouira, soaking it up. The Moroccans got a kick out of it too, believe it or not. We called it Peace Corps-Europe, so close to the continent and because we had running water and electricity, no comparison to Mali, Niger, etc. Seemed so up to date on a relative scale. And friendly, hospitable folks to the Nth degree. I could literally be stuck in a small town and ask someone where a hotel was and know ahead of time that I'd spend the night at that person's house. No frivolity or ostentation. Sure, Israel and the US have never been that popular there, I could go on, but at no time did I ever get the feeling that the place wanted to emulate Saddam/Assad/Nasser and the other bums. OTOH, they didn't want a caliphate either.
Now? Moroccans blowing up selves and others? For what? Sure the majority disagree with these actions, but what the hell are the people, not Moroccan Surete Nationale, doing about it? Not a damn thing, unfortunately, but grouse about how they're being misjudged by the rest of the world. I'm going to start perusing the Moroccan press to see if there are articles along the lines of Why do they hate us? (The Spanish) and how has our society made our countrymen go out and kill.
After many years of assuming our problems with others rested with us totally, I've come to the conclusion that the others need to check the mirror before I start criticizing my own country.
Posted by: Michael ||
04/05/2004 16:28 Comments ||
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The pisser is that if the Tight Turbanned Islamocrazies would just sell us the black stuff we need, and stop blowing us up, the West wouldn't care if they hunkered down by themselves, to bask in the sun of Lallah Land 'til Kingdom come... just seems to be in their blood to blow things up and screech real loud..
There must be a temptation, when confronted with the Dantesque scenes from Fallujah, to surrender to something like existential despair. The mob could have cooked and eaten its victims without making things very much worse. One especially appreciated the detail of the heroes who menaced the nurses, when they came to try and remove the charred trophies.
But this "Heart of Darkness" element is part of the case for regime-change to begin with. A few more years of Saddam Hussein, or perhaps the succession of his charming sons Uday and Qusay, and whole swathes of Iraq would have looked like Fallujah. The Baathists, by playing off tribe against tribe, Arab against Kurd and Sunni against Shiite, were preparing the conditions for a Hobbesian state of affairs. Their looting and beggaring of the state and the society--something about which we now possess even more painfully exact information--was having the same effect. A broken and maimed and traumatized Iraq was in our future no matter what.
Obviously, this prospect could never have been faced with equanimity. Iraq is a regional keystone state with vast resources and many common borders. Its implosion would have created a black hole, sucking in rival and neighboring powers, tempting them with opportunist interventions and encouraging them to find ethnic and confessional proxies. And who knows what the death-throes of the regime would have been like? We are entitled, on past experience, to guess. There could have been deliberate conflagrations started in the oilfields. There might have been suicidal lunges into adjacent countries. The place would certainly have become a playground for every kind of nihilist and fundamentalist. The intellectual and professional classes, already gravely attenuated, would have been liquidated entirely.
Prescience, though, has now become almost punishable. Thanks in part to Richard Clarke's showmanship (and to the crass ineptitude of the spokesmen for the Bush administration) it is widely considered laughable to have even thought about an Iraqi threat. Given Saddam's record in both using and concealing weapons of mass destruction, and given his complicity--at least according to Mr. Clarke--with those who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993 and with those running Osama bin Laden's alleged poison factory in Sudan, any president who did not ask about a potential Baathist link to terrorism would be impeachably failing in his duty.
It's becoming more and more plain that the moral high ground is held by those who concluded, from the events of 1991, that it was a mistake to leave Saddam Hussein in power after his eviction from Kuwait. However tough that regime-change might have been, it would have spared the lives of countless Iraqis and begun the process of nation-rebuilding with 12 years' advantage, and before most of the awful damage wrought by the sanctions-plus-Saddam "solution." People like Paul Wolfowitz are even more sinister than their mocking foes believe. They were against Saddam Hussein not just in September 2001 but as far back as the 1980s. (James Mann's excellent book "Rise of the Vulcans," greatly superior to Richard Clarke's, will I hope not be eclipsed by it. It contains an account that every serious person should ponder.)
I debate with the opponents of the Iraq intervention almost every day. I always have the same questions for them, which never seem to get answered. Do you believe that a confrontation with Saddam Hussein's regime was inevitable or not? Do you believe that a confrontation with an Uday/Qusay regime would have been better? Do you know that Saddam's envoys were trying to buy a weapons production line off the shelf from North Korea (vide the Kay report) as late as last March? Why do you think Saddam offered "succor" (Mr. Clarke's word) to the man most wanted in the 1993 bombings in New York? Would you have been in favor of lifting the "no fly zones" over northern and southern Iraq; a 10-year prolongation of the original "Gulf War"? Were you content to have Kurdish and Shiite resistance fighters do all the fighting for us? Do you think that the timing of a confrontation should have been left, as it was in the past, for Baghdad to choose?
I hope I do not misrepresent my opponents, but their general view seems to be that Iraq was an elective target; a country that would not otherwise have been troubling our sleep. This ahistorical opinion makes it appear that Saddam Hussein was a new enemy, somehow chosen by shady elements within the Bush administration, instead of one of the longest-standing foes with which the United States, and indeed the international community, was faced. So, what about the "bad news" from Iraq? There was always going to be bad news from there. Credit belongs to those who accepted--can we really decently say pre-empted?--this long-term responsibility. Fallujah is a reminder, not just of what Saddamism looks like, or of what the future might look like if we fail, but of what the future held before the Coalition took a hand.
Amen, brother Hitch!
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/05/2004 12:08:37 AM ||
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Exceptional piece - Thanks, Dr Steve. This is worth dissemination to all non-idiotarians.
And it points out what an extraordinary thing it is to have Dubya and his crew on the job... and what an utter fucking disaster the feel-good Clinton years were.
#2
Let me amen your amen, Steve. You guys (collectively, and that means all of youse guys reading this) on this site have more moxie than any other site on the whole damned internet. Keep up the good work just exactly like you do now.We just have to keep Dubya there at the helm. Just have to or we're fucked like a house cat. Chine
#3
The Baathists, by playing off tribe against tribe, Arab against Kurd and Sunni against Shiite, were preparing the conditions for a Hobbesian state of affairs. Their looting and beggaring of the state and the society--something about which we now possess even more painfully exact information--was having the same effect. A broken and maimed and traumatized Iraq was in our future no matter what.
#4
Sure, Iraq was a sucking wound that was going to have to be dealt with eventually.
My problem is that the execution has been less than optimal. I continue to curse Rummy for believing this could be done other than the old-fashioned way, with lots of boots on the ground.
Hopefully the clever schemes will eventually work.
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
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Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
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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.
