Hi there, !
Today Wed 01/26/2005 Tue 01/25/2005 Mon 01/24/2005 Sun 01/23/2005 Sat 01/22/2005 Fri 01/21/2005 Thu 01/20/2005 Archives
Rantburg
531711 articles and 1856002 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 73 articles and 498 comments as of 15:24.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area: WoT Background    Non-WoT    Opinion           
Germany to Deport Hundreds of Islamists
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 1: WoT Operations
0 [] 
1 00:00 Captain America [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
2 00:00 Barbara Skolaut [1] 
0 [] 
3 00:00 trailing wife [1] 
0 [1] 
0 [] 
6 00:00 Pali Barbie [2] 
2 00:00 Captain America [] 
0 [1] 
0 [] 
0 [] 
21 00:00 Half [] 
2 00:00 gromgorru [1] 
2 00:00 Mike Kozlowski [] 
2 00:00 Glereper Craviter7929 [] 
2 00:00 Bomb-a-rama [] 
2 00:00 smokeysinse [] 
5 00:00 Bryan [] 
Page 2: WoT Background
3 00:00 Bomb-a-rama [1]
1 00:00 Captain America [1]
2 00:00 trailing wife [1]
0 []
1 00:00 Bomb-a-rama []
10 00:00 Cyber Sarge []
0 []
8 00:00 lex []
5 00:00 Wuzzalib []
5 00:00 Tom []
2 00:00 2b []
8 00:00 Atomic Conspiracy []
4 00:00 Captain America []
1 00:00 lex []
0 []
1 00:00 Hupereger Gligum6929 []
12 00:00 nada [1]
9 00:00 Frank G []
11 00:00 Deacon Blues []
0 []
9 00:00 lex []
4 00:00 11A5S [1]
0 []
1 00:00 lex []
5 00:00 Shipman [1]
4 00:00 lex []
17 00:00 trailing wife [3]
51 00:00 2xstandard []
11 00:00 Aris Katsaris [1]
8 00:00 Pappy []
135 00:00 OldSpook []
1 00:00 EEoZ []
1 00:00 lex []
7 00:00 Glereper Craviter7929 []
Page 3: Non-WoT
1 00:00 Barbara Skolaut [2]
5 00:00 Alaska Paul []
0 []
7 00:00 lex [1]
6 00:00 Barbara Skolaut []
10 00:00 Sherry [1]
4 00:00 mhw []
0 []
0 []
12 00:00 Deacon Blues []
12 00:00 Deacon Blues [1]
3 00:00 trailing wife []
24 00:00 Poet []
0 []
26 00:00 Deacon Blues []
Page 4: Opinion
2 00:00 2b []
1 00:00 gromgorru [1]
Arabia
Speed Boat Probes At Choke Points Off Oman - Al Qaeda?
Hat Tip: EagleSpeak
A couple of unusual and very similar reports set out on the ICCCS Weekly Piracy Report. Both incidents involved groups of small speedboats with masked "pirates" approaching commercial shipping at or near major ocean "choke points."

..."The first incident in the Strait of Hormuz:
The number of boats, the arms and the attire suggests an organization that has both assets and the ability to coordinate the operation of several boats. The location, one of the world's most important shipping chokepoints for oil flowing from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq and other sources of is troubling...."

As in judo, you use your opponent's strength against him. One of the U.S. strengths is logistical support from the sea, but as is clear from the comments set out above, it is also a potential weakness exploitable by terrorists. It appears that the US and its allies are well aware of the prospect of problems in the choke points. The questions are: Are we seeing the training for an attack? At which choke point? When?
Map and more at link
Posted by: Captain America || 01/23/2005 00:00:00 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ..Does anybody remember the Boghammars - fast Swedish-built speedboats that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard used in the 80s to harass shipping through the Straits of Hormuz.
Wondering if they've made a comeback...

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 01/23/2005 8:39 Comments || Top||

#2  i have an idea. As many guns that are in this part of the world how about arming a few of the men on these ships and let them shoot the shit out of the other boats
Posted by: smokeysinse || 01/23/2005 10:32 Comments || Top||


Europe
Germany Nabs 2 Suspected al-Qaida Members
Two suspected al-Qaida members were arrested by German authorities Sunday, federal prosecutors said. Police arrested the pair on Sunday in Mainz and Bonn for allegedly breaking German laws forbidding membership in a foreign terrorist organization, federal prosecutor Kay Nehm said. A 29-year-old Mainz resident from Iraq is suspected of planning suicide attacks in Germany. A 31-year-old Palestinian who was believed to have been planning the theft of uranium in Luxembourg was also arrested. On Jan. 12, police took 22 suspects into custody during nationwide raids on a network of Muslim extremists that turned up militant Islamic propaganda and forged passports. In December, police arrested three suspected members of the Ansar al-Islam terror group who allegedly planned to attack Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during a visit to Berlin.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 10:24:10 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The German social security/welfare system will remain solvent a bit longer without all those non-contributing foreigners soaking up the money. (When Trailing Daughter #2 was born over there, I had to fight not to receive three years of "Mommy Money" intended to help me afford to stay home with the children. This notwithstanding that we had generous expat benefits from Mr. Wife's employer as well as an au pair. Newcomers are equally entitled to welfare if they are unemployed, and a nearly-free university education.)
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/23/2005 13:58 Comments || Top||

#2  Let's see...the cannibal who made the private- parts souffle got eight years...how much time are these bearded sand squirrels gonna get????
Posted by: Janos Hunyadi || 01/23/2005 20:46 Comments || Top||

#3  But they were only planning and belonging, Janos. And in the presence of forged passports. They don't seem to have done anything more substantial, so why on earth would they be given long sentences? On the other hand, didn't Germany just change the law to make it easier to deport foreign nationals linked to terrorist organizations or behaviours?
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/23/2005 23:30 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Indonesian Government and Separatists Come together for Ceasefire
Reportedly, Indonesian government and separatists demanding the independence of Aceh will come together to negotiate an official ceasefire this week. Sources close to the negotiations say that ceasefire talks would be held in a European state, most probably in Finland.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 10:19:23 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Cops nab 2 Abu Sayyaf bombers
Lots of interesting info in this article. JI, Abu Sayyaf, MILF, and a bomb in a soy-sauce bottle. It looks like the Philippine coppers are getting better intel too.
PALIMBANG, Sultan Kudarat: Police thwarted an apparent bombing attempt by the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf with the arrest of two men, a suspected terrorist and an informer, Thursday night. Chief Supt. Antonio Billones, the Central Mindanao regional police chief, said the arrest of Tanto Butuan, who allegedly planted a "signature" terrorist bomb at the house of Mayor Labualas Mamansual's sister, came a day after a similar bomb was retrieved from a packed public market in Midsayap, North Cotabato and the Co­tabato City Cathedral on Wed­nesday. Billones said it was the sixth improvised bomb recovered here since December 23, which he said might seem uncommon for a remote town like Pa­limbang.
Six IEDs should be uncommon everywhere.
"But since the July 5 landing here of Abu Sayyaf chief, Khaddafy Janjalani, and 60 of his heavily armed men, this town has turned into a flash­point in the war on terror," he told reporters.
"Khaddafy's back and there's gonna be trouble..."
Billones said the latest find appeared to have validated recent intelligent reports that a group of fresh Jemaah Islamiya graduates were in Mindanao on a bombing mission hand in glove with the Abu Sayyaf and a faction of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. "We suspect that the deadly December 12 bombing in General Santos City was a dry-run operation," he said.
Huh. Originally they thought it was a dispute between vendors, now it's a JI practice op...
Billones presented here Bu­tuan and suspected Abu Say­yaf spy Mohamad Ali Gandawali, and Gen Bustria, an alleged rapist and tagged as Palimbang's No. 3 most wan­ted criminal, to Secretary Jesus Dureza, presidential assistant for Mindanao. "The arrest of a suspected Abu Sayyaf bomber and a spy only signifies that the people now trust and has confidence in our police and military, and at the same time, shows our security forces do their duties and functions better and efficiently," Dureza said. He urged the people, especially the evacuees, to rise up and join in the fight against terrorism. "Not by arms, but by giving information to the police and the military, which will result in the arrest or killing of militants and thwart bomb attacks," Dureza added.

Butuan was nabbed shortly after putting a homemade bomb in the kitchen of Bai Mona Mamansual's house in Barangay Malisbong, where Kagawad Nur Mamansual was preparing to go to bed. Packed with shrapnel and rigged to a timing device, the powerful improvised explosive device was concealed in a two-liter plastic soy-sauce container, which was discovered by a boy playing nearby. Gandawali, a resident of Barangay Libua, a known Abu Sayyaf haven, was tagged by Supt. Kadil Masahod, Palimbang police chief, as a spy for Abu Sayyaf No. 2 man Hapilon, who terrorist mission here was broken up in a police-backed Army operation on January 7. Police are readying charges of double murder and illegal possession of explosives against Butuan and Gandawali for the firing-squad killing of two villagers and exploding of rife grenades in a series of terrorist attacks here in December.
Posted by: Seafarious || 01/23/2005 6:15:32 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Abducted Filipino accountant still alive in Iraq
"Tarongoy is still alive."

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas issued the statement to dispel presumptions that kidnapped Filipino accountant Robert Tarongoy has been executed by his Islamic captors in Iraq. Sto. Tomas said Ambassador Rafael Seguis reported that Tarongoy, who was abducted last November is still alive and his release is still under negotiation. "They have proof that he is still alive and he is still the subject of government negotiations and support," said Sto. Tomas.

She explained that the only reason why Tarongoy has not been released is because of the forthcoming elections in Iraq, noting that even the kidnappers are monitoring the electoral situation in their war-torn country.

"This (Tarongoy kidnapping) is a little extended and taking time because of the situation in Iraq," she added. Comparing the situation of truck driver Angelo dela Cruz to the case of Tarongoy, Sto. Tomas said the captors of dela Cruz mainly focused on the withdrawal of the humanitarian contingent, which is the reason why dela Cruz's release did not take long. She added that there was no ransom demanded in exchange for dela Cruz's release while in Tarongoy's case, the kidnappers are asking for a US$10 million ransom. Philippine charge d' affairs to Iraq Ricardo Endaya said the non-negotiable US policy towards terrorists is making the job of securing Tarongoy's safe release more difficult for the government.
Sorry that the US won't let you roll over and play dead for the jihadis...
Posted by: Seafarious || 01/23/2005 5:58:37 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Filipino vendor latest victim of Davao vigilante killings
The president of the Muslim-Christian Vendors Association in Bankerohan public market was gunned down by a motorcycle-riding assassin, believed to be a member of an anti-drug vigilante group Saturday morning. Initial investigation by the San Pedro police revealed that Dima was sitting in front of ESB Bakeshoppe at around 7 a.m. when two men aboard a motorcycle stopped near him. One of the suspects approached the victim and without provocation shot him in the head. "We will conduct further investigation because Dima does not have any record on drugs," said Senior Police 0fficer 1 Jay Reuben Plaza, San Pedro police station investigator.
Hmmm...maybe the local Unitarians did it cos he wasn't Christian enough?
Plaza said they are looking into the possibility that the shooting of Dima has something to do with the reported disagreements within the vendors association.
Nothing to see here, move along."
Posted by: Seafarious || 01/23/2005 6:06:28 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq-Jordan
Iraqi insurgents target Shias ahead of vote
Insurgents in Iraq targeted Shias and security forces in the last three days as they stepped up their campaign to derail elections on January 30. At least 25 Shias were killed in two suicide car bomb attacks in and near Baghdad on Friday. The first targeted a mosque in the suburbs of the capital, killing 14, while the second ripped through a wedding party, leaving at least 11 dead. Three teachers from a technical oil college died in a roadside bombing north of Baiji on Sunday, police said. A woman and her daughter were killed on Sunday by a bomb blast that targeted an Iraqi military convoy near Baiji, police said.

The Army of Ansar al-Sunna said on its website it had killed 15 Iraqi soldiers it captured last week. Another insurgent group beheaded a soldier in broad daylight in Ramadi on Friday. A group led by Al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheaded two Iraqis who said they worked at a US base and the group posted an Internet video of the killings on Friday.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 5:47:11 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan/South Asia
Tribal elder shot dead in Wana
Unidentified gunmen killed Muhammad Ibrahim Mehsud, the senior vice president of the pro-government Makeen Peace Committee in South Waziristan agency, on Saturday. Sources in Wana told Daily Times by the phone that two masked men knocked at Mr Mehsud's door, shot him dead when came out to shake hands with them, and escaped.
Important safety tip here: If two masked men come knocking at your door, don't come out to shake hands with them...
The pro-government peace committee is working against the foreign and local militants in the area. The committee had arrested two young foreign militants two months ago when they were planting a bomb in the area. The government gave the committee Rs 600,000 for arresting the two. Two foreign terror suspects were killed while planting a bomb near the slain tribal elder's house on January 18. Sources said the committee's phone connections had been cut for the last two days and "foreign militants are suspected behind this act". Ibrahim Mehsud's close relative Muhammad Khan told AFP that the son of the slain tribal elder shot at the unidentified attackers but they fled. The troops found an assault rifle, timers and hand grenades at the blast site.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 5:42:49 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Damn it, there goes the neighborhood.
Posted by: Captain America || 01/23/2005 18:14 Comments || Top||


Two attackers held as Kazakh diplomat dies in hospital
ISLAMABAD: Police arrested two foreigners allegedly involved in the murder of Sapargali Aubakirov, the deputy chief of the Kazakhstan mission in Islamabad, who was shot on Wednesday and died in hospital on Friday. Mr Aubakirov was found lying in a pool of blood at his house with a single gunshot wound to the head. Sultan Azam Taimuri, acting senior superintendent of police, told reporters that four people were involved in the murder. He said they snatched a car from the Kazakh diplomat and attacked him when he resisted.

The official said the arrested were identified as Hassan and Muhammad Ibrahim and the police was trying to arrest the rest. He said the police had also seized the diplomat's cell phone and a pistol from the two. Police investigator Bashir Noon confirmed the two arrests. Mr Noon told AFP that two other suspects would be rounded up shortly. Police had no immediate clue to the killers' motive, but they have said there were no signs of a break-in. The diplomat was found sprawled on his sofa with critical head injuries on Wednesday by a servant who entered the house when he could not rouse his employer. Empty bottles of liquor and four partly eaten hamburgers were found lying near Mr Aubakirov, as well as a single empty bullet casing, police have said.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 5:39:29 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Arms seized in Sui search
Security forces searched several suspected homes around the Sui gas field in Balochistan and seized small weapons and ammunition, a minister said on Saturday. "Security forces have seized a rocket propelled grenade launcher, small arms and ammunition from abandoned homes during search operations in Sui on Friday and Saturday," Balochistan Home Minister Shoaib Nausherwani told AFP. Some residents voluntarily handed over their shotguns, rifles and pistols to authorities as a gesture of cooperation to security forces, he said. "The situation in Sui is now peaceful and security forces are protecting the gas installations," he said.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 5:21:35 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq-Jordan
Iraq, U.S. Launch Election Operation
Iraq and the United States have launched a counter-insurgency offensive meant to prevent Saddam Hussein loyalists from torpedoing the Jan. 30 elections. The mission, termed Operation Checkmate, began on Jan. 19 and sought to rapidly discover and raid insurgency strongholds in the Sunni Triangle. The operation has combined the U.S. Marines and Iraqi military and police forces. Officials said Operation Checkmate would also test the effectiveness of Iraq's new special weapons and training [SWAT] teams. The teams have not completed training for full deployment. The focus of Operation Checkmate would take place in the provinces of Baghdad and Babil. A major concern of coalition commanders was the area south of Baghdad termed the "Triangle of Death."
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 11:52:59 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Africa: North
Bomb rips through Algerian cemetery
Three women were killed and five others wounded when a bomb exploded in a mausoleum near the Algerian capital, residents said. The device had been left in a bag in the mausoleum in the Ain Rumana cemetery near the town of Mouzaia, 70km southwest of Algiers. It exploded on Friday afternoon as the cemetery was crowded with people praying for the dead during the Eid al-Adha (Day of Sacrifice) religious holidays, residents said. The Eid al-Adha is based on the story of Prophet Ibrahim sacrificing his son, Ismail, and marks the culmination of the Muslim pilgrimage Haj. Animals are sacrificed and prayers are held over a three day period of introspection and spiritual upliftment. The funerals of the three women killed took place on Saturday.
Happy holidays.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 11:57:38 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ROP
Posted by: gromgorru || 01/23/2005 12:51 Comments || Top||

#2  Bombing a cemetary?

They're so pathetic they're reduced to killing the dead now.

Losers.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 01/23/2005 17:24 Comments || Top||


Iraq-Jordan
Iraqi group claims holding Brazilian
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 11:57:11 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Zarqawi declares war on Iraq vote, part 2
Al Qaeda's frontman in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has declared war on the elections, which he said were aimed at bringing the country under Shiite control, in an audio tape posted on an Islamist website.
"It ain't fair to have elections if our side's gonna lose!"
Next Sunday's polls are a "wicked trap aimed at putting the Rafidha [a derogatory term for Shiite Muslims] in the seat of power in Iraq," said the voice, attributed to Zarqawi. "Four million Rafidhi have been brought in from Iran to take part in the elections so that they realise their aim of taking most seats in the atheist [national] assembly... For these and other reasons, we have declared all-out war on this wicked course," said the voice on the 45-minute tape, whose authenticity could not be confirmed. "You must beware of the [US] enemy's plan to apply alleged democracy in your country," the Jordanian-born Zarqawi told Iraqis.
"You have those elections and by April turbans will be outlawed, nobody'll be able to carry automatic weapons, and there'll be holy men dangling from the lamp posts... Hey! Where y'goin'? I wudn't done yet!"
After clinching most seats in the 275-member national assembly, the Shiites would "form a majority government that would control the strategic, economic and security mainstays of the state," said the voice. Under the guise of applying democracy and crushing the remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime, "the Rafidha would start settling ideological scores by eliminating Sunni symbols and cadres such as scholars and preachers," the voice said. They would then go on to "spread their wicked sect among the people" with a combination of enticements and threats, said the man purported to be Zarqawi.
Kinda like the Sunnis do it, huh?
It was the second audio tape attributed to Zarqawi in three days in which the Sunni fundamentalist extremist launched a bitter attack on Iraq's Shiite majority, which appears headed for victory in the January 30 polls amid boycott threats by minority Sunnis. Zarqawi's outfit, the Al Qaeda Group of Jihad in the Land of Two Rivers, has claimed responsibility for some of the most gruesome attacks in Iraq, including deadly bombings and beheadings of foreign hostages and Iraqis branded "apostates" for dealing with US-led forces.
Posted by: God Save The World || 01/23/2005 6:02:46 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine
Islamic Jihad: Israel to Decide on Ceasefire
Palestinian organization the Islamic Jihad announced that it would not accept a ceasefire until Israel releases all Palestinian prisoners and abandons its military operations. One of the Islamic Jihad leaders Halid Al-Bac released an announcement stating that "A ceasefire depends on Israel's acceptance of the conditions of the Palestinian people. It is up to Israel now to decide."
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 9:33:40 AM || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This is how palestinians "negotiate."

negotiate = demand = lie
Posted by: PlanetDan || 01/23/2005 10:32 Comments || Top||

#2  I'm still trying to figure how they hit anything with those sacks over their heads...
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 10:43 Comments || Top||

#3  I thought mostly they don't?
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/23/2005 14:35 Comments || Top||

#4  they don't.
Posted by: Jarhead || 01/23/2005 14:57 Comments || Top||

#5  As far as the Paleos are concerned, it's the Israelis that are expected to make the bigger sacrifice. As it always is.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 01/23/2005 15:31 Comments || Top||

#6  Dress Up is Fun!
Posted by: Pali Barbie || 01/23/2005 16:12 Comments || Top||


Iraq-Jordan
Zarqawi declares war on Iraq poll
Iraqis are being offered rewards for information about Zarqawi
Militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has reportedly declared war on next Sunday's election in Iraq. An audiotape on an Islamist website purportedly voiced by the Jordanian-born militant calls on Sunni Muslims to fight against the vote.
We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it
"We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it," the speaker says. Correspondents say the voice on the latest recording sounded similar to that on other messages attributed to the fugitive, whose group is linked to al-Qaeda.

It attacked democracy as a springboard for "un-Islamic" practices, claiming that its emphasis on majority rule violated the principle that all laws must come from a divine source. "Candidates in elections are seeking to become demi-gods, while those who vote for them are infidels," it said. The speaker reserved particular scorn for Iraq's Shia majority, whose parties are widely expected to win next Sunday's election. The Shia, it said, were poised to spread "their insidious beliefs" to Baghdad and Sunni-dominated areas of Iraq. A message attributed to Zarqawi earlier this week accused the Shia of taking part in the US assault on the Sunni Muslim city of Falluja and described their spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, as "Satan".
Posted by: Paul Moloney || 01/23/2005 6:54:14 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This is where to rubber meets the road. Those Iraqis who want their country will turn out even under the threat of death like the Afghans and Nicaragians before them. By doing so, they will demonstrate that human waste like Zarqawi are simply mad dictators without a county who hold power only by brutality. Fallujha was a hammer blow to the body, the vote will be the hammer blow to the head. He can only stay alive by moving, the more he moves, the more likely someone will id him for a quick trip to join Saddam's boys.
Posted by: Hupereger Gligum6929 || 01/23/2005 10:16 Comments || Top||

#2  Obviously the past shit they have been pulling was not war, right?
Posted by: Captain America || 01/23/2005 15:09 Comments || Top||


Rantapalooza wrapup
I learned something new at Rantapalooza today...

Forget the bath towel. You should always travel with a cardboard cutout of President Bush. He's a true rock star.

Well. I'd like to thank everyone who braved the mean streets of Chinatown and its approximately 1 inch of slush. Yep, it was the Winter Storm That Is Gonna Kill Us All Wasn't. I would also like to thank the many kind friends of Rantburg who sent their good wishes and hard-earned dough to Fred to help make the day a success. We did justice to your donations!

The Inaugural Rant-a-Palooza was a low key affair at a very homey Irish bar in snow-swept Washington. I arrived first, carrying the President folded up in a clear plastic bag. I was immediately accosted by one of the other bar patrons; he rushed over and demanded (in a delightful Irish accent) to know where I got Dubya. I told him I got the prez at Party Mart in Gaithersburg. He introduced himself as Brian, and wanted to know if I knew of any other inaugural events. "Funny you should ask," says I...

What I don't know yet is that Brian is a person of some notoriety. He is the General Secretary at Communists for Kerry He and his comrades in New York spent many happy hours this summer in counterprotesting the Bush protests. Yes, proletarians, the revolución will be blogged. I ask Brian to help me set up the President, two more gents (Dennis and Mike) amble over from the bar, and the waitress comes by to see if we are thirsty yet.

"Why yes, we believe we're ready for our first round. Cheers, all!"

We've just got the Prez up on his feet when the word goes out: "Officer on the deck!" Fred has arrived, but without the customary motorcade and security detail. He looks around, sees we've already dented his PayPal account, and orders himself a beer. The two gents from the bar greet him in Russian--they're linguists who are fairly new to RB and haven't posted much...yet.

Over the next half hour, various and sundry Rantburgers arrive: JackAss Festival, TomnownotquitesoAnon, JAB, and my friend from the MSM. Dan calls in with his regrets; he's already at the airport to go back to school. But the rest of us don't really notice as it's time for another round and The Toast.

My cell phone starts to ring as Alaska Paul and Barbara Skolaut call in to join for the toast. We gather 'round the President and drink to four more years, to Rantburg, and somehow Ronald Reagan sneaks in there as well. The paparazzi takes some pictures, the President goes off to other parts of the bar to meet his electorate, and Rantapalooza gets underway in earnest.

I wish I had some more stories to share with you, but as they say, "What happens at Fado, stays at Fado." No bail or bribes were necessary, however, and there were none of those Bangladeshi-style "crossfire" incidents, praise Allan!

We all agreed that we'd like to do this again when the weather is more accomodating, and I highly recommend getting out from behind the keyboard from time to time. 'Twas great fun.

Thanks again to Fred, for providing us with such a fine playground; and thanks to the Rantburg community for making it such a great place to be. (And the part I forgot to put in the toast...thanks to all our employers who so kindly look the other way, heh). Congratulations, George W. Bush. Four more years!
Posted by: Seafarious || 01/23/2005 10:01:01 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Seafarious,
What ?
No Pics ?
Whatta shame !
Dont tell me you have no camera cuz I'll have to buy you one :)
Posted by: EoZ || 01/23/2005 5:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Whoops...pictures are pending. They'll be emailed to me, then Fred's gotta stick 'em on the server! And actually, I do need a digital camera...
Posted by: Seafarious || 01/23/2005 5:42 Comments || Top||

#3  EoZ if I had I pony I'd been there. :)
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 8:25 Comments || Top||

#4  Note to self to start indexing .coms pics... I really needed the pony in the red car photo.
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 8:26 Comments || Top||

#5  I'm not selling you Apache. I'm not selling him to Half Empty, either.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 01/23/2005 8:47 Comments || Top||

#6  OK, You've got the teaser about Brian and Communists for Kerry in the beginning, but nothing since. What happened? For those of us who weren't there, please let a shaft of sunlight illuminate some of the proceedings.
Posted by: SamL || 01/23/2005 8:50 Comments || Top||

#7  Thanks Sea! I had a great time. And Fred is a true Gentleman! Your guest from the MSM was enlightening.
Posted by: TomAnon || 01/23/2005 11:08 Comments || Top||

#8  Db, we just havent' agreed on a price yet. :) I put a picture of said hoss over the bar.
Posted by: half || 01/23/2005 11:33 Comments || Top||

#9  Thanks, Sea. I had a great time during the call-in. Next time I'll try to make it in person.

Thanks to Fred for this forum. Fred, you're a mensch of the highest order!
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 01/23/2005 11:35 Comments || Top||

#10  Deacon Man, Apache and half caught in the sink trap! LOL!

Okay... $5300?
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 12:22 Comments || Top||

#11  Sounds like a good time was had by all!.

I'm coming in way late here, but I've just hit the tip jar in the hopes that at the next event you'll get a few more beers in!
Posted by: Tony (UK) || 01/23/2005 12:33 Comments || Top||

#12  What?!? No counter-rantburgers from DU to make the night more interesting?
Posted by: spiffo || 01/23/2005 12:39 Comments || Top||

#13  We need a graphic for Rantapalooza. I nominate Hogarth's Gin Lane.
Posted by: Dave D. || 01/23/2005 13:25 Comments || Top||

#14  good, but not enough hand-to-hand combat, DD
Posted by: Frank G || 01/23/2005 13:34 Comments || Top||

#15  We need some from a Rakes Progress...
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 15:37 Comments || Top||

#16 

It's just a little too big...
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 17:06 Comments || Top||

#17  I took several pictures but most of them turned out to be garbage. Only 1 or 2 are any decent. I had the digital camera on the wrong setting and caused some pictures to be a little blurry.
I know I know, lets all say it together....

WAY TO GO JACKASS!
Posted by: JackAssFestival || 01/23/2005 18:00 Comments || Top||

#18  Digital cameras don't cause blurry; beer causes blurry.
Posted by: Tom || 01/23/2005 18:03 Comments || Top||

#19  Sea and Fred! Had a great time, beer was good and conversation riveting!


Posted by: Janos Hunyadi || 01/23/2005 20:12 Comments || Top||

#20  How about a rental agreement Db? Apache looks like he'd enjoy the south.

apache1
Posted by: Half || 01/23/2005 11:27 Comments || Top||

#21  How about a rental agreement Db? Apache looks like he'd enjoy the south.

apache1
Posted by: Half || 01/23/2005 11:27 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan/South Asia
Insurgents blow up railway track
So the Bugtis' are 'insurgents' now?
A bomb blast blew up a railway track here early yesterday, disrupting train services in Pakistan's insurgency-wracked southwestern province of Balochistan but causing no injuries, officials said. "A powerful bomb ripped about four feet long track at a level crossing here," provincial Home Minister Shoaib Nausherwani told AFP. The minister blamed the attack on "terrorists" who wanted to create unrest in the province by resorting to rocket and bomb attacks. "They are terrorists, they took advantage of Eid holidays and planted bomb on the main track to cause hardships for the people," he said.

Railways authorities said the bomb was placed at a level crossing near the city's university area. The device went off at about 6:00am, deputy controller of Pakistan Railways, Ghulam Rasool, said. The blast occured only half an hour before a passenger train was to arrive in Quetta from the southern port city of Karachi, he said. "We rushed teams to repair the track," he said adding that rail traffic remained suspended for about three hours.

The blast caused no casualties, he said, adding that an investigation had begun into the incident.
"See here, Legume, how the rails are twisted and the ties are splintered. I suspect the Bugtis planted a bomb!"
"Brilliant, Inspector, brilliant!"
Posted by: Steve White || 01/23/2005 12:49:31 AM || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ...and then we poisoned all the food and burned all the water and then we killed all the children and the dog and the cat and threw away our clothes and then...
Posted by: HUH || 01/23/2005 1:07 Comments || Top||

#2  Doing damage to property, but not killing anyone seems, ahem, kinda unislamic.
Posted by: gromgorru || 01/23/2005 11:28 Comments || Top||


Terror Networks & Islam
Weekly Piracy Report 11-16 January 2005
15.1.2005 at 0730 UTC at Macapa anchorage, River Amazon, Brazil. Robbers boarded a general cargo ship via anchor chain and stole ship's stores from forecastle locker. Alert crew raised alarm and robbers escaped in a speedboat. Master reported incident to local authorities but there was no response.

13.01.2005 at 1550 UTC at Pulau Laut anchorage, Indonesia. Four robbers armed with guns and long knives boarded a bulk carrier at forecastle. Alert duty a/b raised alarm and crew mustered. Robbers stole a life raft and escaped in a speedboat. Master tried to contact port authorities and PFSO but received no response.

12.01.2005 at 1045 LT in position 20:47N - 059:14E, off Oman, Arabian Sea. Four masked pirates in four white hull speedboats attempted to board a container ship underway. Alert d/o raised alarm, crew mustered and activated fire hoses and master took evasive manoeuvres. Pirates aborted attempted boarding and moved away. At 1115 LT master observed another six speedboats in the vicinity.

11.01.2005 at 0350 LT at Kingston, Jamaica. Three robbers armed with long knives boarded a tanker underway at forecastle. They broke in to forecastle locker and stole ship's stores. Crew mustered and at 0415 robbers jumped overboard and escaped in a boat waiting with two accomplices. Kingston coast guard informed.
Posted by: Pappy || 01/23/2005 12:35:38 AM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  at Kingston, Jamaica. Three robbers armed with long knives boarded a tanker underway at forecastle.

Big leagues! Call up the state navies!
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 12:36 Comments || Top||

#2  ...Can I get a 'YAR!!!'

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 01/23/2005 15:01 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine
Zionist authorities arrest Danish citizen on alleged security pretexts
The Zionist intelligence apparatus has arrested a Danish citizen last 6th January on suspicion of committing "security violations", according to press sources. The Hebrew media quoted security sources as saying that the Dane was interrogated along with two Arabs of the of 1948 areas who were held for five more days while the Dane's detention was extended till 24th January. The Danish foreign ministry said in a statement that the "Israeli" authorities had captured the man on "security charges" and that he was of Lebanese origin and carried the Danish citizenship. The ministry added that the defendant was not allowed to speak with the lawyers. It noted that diplomats of the Danish embassy attended the first hearing but were not allowed to talk to the detainee.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 00:00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  So let me get this straight:

1. paleos encourage everyone to do everthing possible to defeat the "zionist entity."

2. if someone gets caught doing something to try to defeat the "zionist entity," they couldn't possibly be one of the guilty ones
Posted by: PlanetDan || 01/23/2005 13:42 Comments || Top||

#2  Pity they areested him, instead of torturing and then killing him.
Posted by: Glereper Craviter7929 || 01/23/2005 21:26 Comments || Top||


Palestinian agent executed in Yamon
Masked Palestinian men yesterday executed a Palestinian agent in the village of Yamon, to the west of Jenin city on the second day of Eid Al-Adha.
And a Happy Holiday to you, too!
Locals reported that three armed, masked men fired and killed Jamal Ali Abu Hassan in front of his house in the village. Abu Hassan was held in PA jails before the eruption of the Aqsa intifada and after his release a number of activists asked him not to leave his house. However, locals reported that the decision to liquidate Abu Hassan followed reports that he was involved in the Zionist assassination of a Palestinian activist in Jenin but no party declared so far responsibility for the liquidation of Abu Hassan.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 00:00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'm sure his incarceration, access to lawyers, and habeus corpus were up to "international law" standards....right?
Posted by: Frank G || 01/23/2005 1:05 Comments || Top||

#2  The U.S wasn't involved in this little incident, so naturally no one gives a phlying phuque what happened to the guy.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama || 01/23/2005 4:16 Comments || Top||


Jewish settler dies of wounds in Qassam missile raid
A Jewish settler of the Sderot settlement in the Negev desert south of Palestine occupied in 1948 was declared dead today after sustaining serious injuries in a Qassam missile raid almost a week earlier. A spokesman for the Sderot local council declared the death of the young woman after one week of serious wounds. Thousands of Sderot settlers last Tuesday marched in a protest demonstration towards the Gaza Strip against the continued fall of Qassam missiles on their colony. The Palestinian home made resistance missiles were continuously hitting Sderot and other settlements in occupied Gaza Strip spreading panic in lines of the usurping settlers.
Posted by: Fred || 01/23/2005 11:59:56 PM || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sderot is a town in Israel and is not a settlement so why do you guys run with this?
Posted by: Phavitle Cligum4997 || 01/23/2005 11:21 Comments || Top||

#2  Because we are naturally speedy. Where'd you get the funny name? Are you Aretisian perhaps?
Posted by: Shipman || 01/23/2005 12:33 Comments || Top||

#3  A 17 year old girl --- a great victory for Islam.
Posted by: gromgorru || 01/23/2005 12:41 Comments || Top||

#4  welll she was 10 yrs too old to marry, so they had to kill her
Posted by: Frank G || 01/23/2005 12:53 Comments || Top||

#5  #1 - The story comes from a Palestinian publication, which is why it's peppered with lies and distortions and written in poor English.

Still, your point is well taken. There should be a skepticism meter or something attached to this story.
Posted by: Bryan || 01/23/2005 13:52 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
73[untagged]

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Sun 2005-01-23
  Germany to Deport Hundreds of Islamists
Sat 2005-01-22
  Palestinian forces patrol northern Gaza
Fri 2005-01-21
  70 arrested for Gilgit attacks
Thu 2005-01-20
  Senate Panel Gives Rice Confirmation Nod
Wed 2005-01-19
  Kuwait detains 25 militants
Tue 2005-01-18
  Eight Indicted on Terror Charges in Spain
Mon 2005-01-17
  Algeria signs deal to end Berber conflict
Sun 2005-01-16
  Jersey Family of Four Murdered
Sat 2005-01-15
  Agha Ziauddin laid to rest in Gilgit: 240 arrested, 24 injured
Fri 2005-01-14
  Graner guilty
Thu 2005-01-13
  Iran warns IAEA not to spy on military sites
Wed 2005-01-12
  Zahhar: Abbas has no authorization to end resistance
Tue 2005-01-11
  Abbas Extends Hand of Peace to Israel. Really.
Mon 2005-01-10
  Sudanese Celebrate Peace Treaty Signing
Sun 2005-01-09
  Paleos vote

Better than the average link...



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.
3.238.251.21
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
WoT Background (34)    Non-WoT (15)    Opinion (2)    (0)    (0)