#2
The comments about Germany's decline beginning in the 1990's when they began to admit large numbers of unqualified immigrants certainly has relevance to our current "comprehensive" immigration discussions.
This weekend, federal authorities foiled a stunning terrorist plot by Muslim extremists to kill thousands of our readers, strike the international transport grid, and depress the nations economy during its slowest quarter since late 2002 but enough about that.
That was the message of Sundays New York Times.
The FBI had prevented four men, including a former member of Guyanas parliament, from blowing up John F. Kennedy International Airport and possibly part of Queens. They hoped to ignite underground fuel pipes, setting off a chain reaction of explosions that would envelop the entire complex. The NY Post and New York Daily News made it front page news. The NY Daily News headlined its story, They Aimed to Kill Thousands. The Post included a chilling sidebar, Pipeline Security A Joke.
The (inexplicably) most prestigious newspaper in the world put its bland story on page 30. Instead, page one featured yet another story about Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Any junior editor at any county newspaper in the country would have been fired for putting the most reported story in the nation two-and-a-half dozen pages into the well. Aside from burying a major international story that took place in its metro area, the Newspaper of Record took pains to make the Muslim battle plan that could have atomized a portion of its immediate readership appear utterly irrelevant.
The NYT began by obscuring the terrorists target. Although it faults the U.S. military for using the term collateral damage, the Times wrote as though the plotters only planned to blow up inanimate objects, certainly not human beings. Its opening line read, Four men, including a onetime airport cargo handler and a former member of the Parliament of Guyana, were charged yesterday with plotting to blow up fuel tanks, terminal buildings and the web of fuel lines running beneath Kennedy International Airport.
Secondly, it minimized the severity of the plot. JFK was never in imminent danger because the plot was only in a preliminary phase and the conspirators had yet to lay out detailed plans or obtain financing or explosives. Besides, safety shut-off valves would almost assuredly have prevented an exploding airport fuel tank from igniting all or even part of the network. Move along. Nothing to see here!
And, as they have for the last several plots (Ft. Dix, Miami, etc.), the Old Gray Lady portrayed the would-be mass killers as pathetic and sympathetic. Plot originator Russell Defreitas, 63, was divorced and lost touch with his two children. Once homeless, he moved into an apartment where the weather was rough on his health and the cold was tough on his arthritis. He now lives on a run-down block full of graffiti. He liked jazz, especially the saxophone. Friends described him as a polite man and not that bright not bright enough to pull off a serious attack.
Much deeper into the story the crack staff fesses up: Defreitas envisioned the destruction of the whole of Kennedy and theorized that because of underground pipes, part of Queens would explode. He told his co-conspirators he wanted to inflict such massive loss of life that even the twin towers cant touch it. Beyond crippling the U.S. economy (during a downturn), the move would have symbolic value, as well. Americans love John F. Kennedy, he said. If you hit that, this whole country will be in mourning. Its like you kill the man twice. Apparently murdering the presidents brother once was not enough for Muslim extremists.
Later still, the Times notes that, while they werent al-Qaeda operatives, the four sought help from extremist Muslim group based in Trinidad and Tobago called Jamaat al-Muslimeen. They had precise and extensive surveillance of their target, which serves 1,000 flights a day. The quartet was very familiar with the airport and how to access secure areas. The plotters were motivated by fundamentalist Islamic beliefs of a violent nature. (Coincidentally, every terrorist who has killed Americans since the late Clinton administration has also shared fundamentalist Islamic beliefs of a violent nature. In fact, Mr. Kadir, who, along with being a former elected official [in Guyana], is an imam.) An unnamed law enforcement official told reporters they stopped the plot early for a reason: if we let it go it could have gotten [serious]; they could have gotten the J.A.M. fully involved, and we wouldnt know where it could have gone.
Oh, and one of the plotters is still at large. Perhaps getting J.A.M. fully involved now. The fourth suspect, Abdel Nur, 57, remained a fugitive.
Too busy to concentrate on news that doesnt fit, the Times featured another front page story in which the terrorist is portrayed as a victim, this one set in Gitmo. The story begins:
The facts of Omar Ahmed Khadrs case are grim. The shrapnel from the grenade he is accused of throwing ripped through the skull of Sgt. First Class Christopher J. Speer, who was 28 when he died.
To American military prosecutors, Mr. Khadr is a committed Al Qaeda operative, spy and killer who must be held accountable for killing Sergeant Speer in 2002 and for other bloody acts he committed in Afghanistan.
But there is one fact that may not fit easily into the governments portrait of Mr. Khadr: He was 15 at the time.
Not only a mere teen, Khadr is:
the youngest detainee at Guantanamo Bay, nearly blind in one eye from injuries sustained during the July 2002 firefight in which Sergeant Speer was mortally wounded and another American soldier was severely injured. Last week, Mr. Khadr said he wanted to fire all of his American lawyers, and some of them said they understood why he might distrust Americans after five years at Guantanamo. (Emphasis added.)
His lawyer, Muneer I. Ahmad is surprise! an associate professor at the American University Washington College of Law. Saith Ahmad, If Omar had had his free choice, what he would have chosen to do is ride horses, play soccer and read Harry Potter books.
Another innocent betrayed by Bushs War on Terror! Just like Hillary Clinton.
Only in the 17th and 18th paragraphs of the story do we learn Omars father, Ahmed Said Khadr, was a senior deputy to Osama bin Laden, and one of his brothers told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, We are an al-Qaeda family.
Moreover, the story grudgingly acknowledges international law does not forbid the United States from doing precisely what it is with Omar. Not only is this a non-story, it is an old non-story. FrontPage Magazine covered The Littlest Jihadist as early as 2002 and has run numerous stories about this extremist family, with its extensive ties to the 9/11 plotters. But to the Times, his alleged suffering trumps the suffering of its own readers.
In addition to this meager coverage of a legitimate threat, the NYT editorial page had not a single editorial on the threat to its readers hometown, although Sundays issue had three editorials targeting President Bush, Dick Cheney, and the harsh jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas.
The decisions to put a story portraying the plight of Guantanamo Bays beleaguered terrorist population on page one and to ignore the JFK plot in its editorial coverage were transparently political moves. While Muslim extremists wage a hot war against the United States often centered in one of the bluest cities of the nation the Left sees its war on President Bush as infinitely more important. Why do anything that would put the spotlight on terrorism, vindicate the present administration, or worse yet perhaps elect a Republican in 2008? The NYT would not take that chance, and it had no difficulty altering its news coverage to fit that political template.
Ultimately, said Mark J. Mershon, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs New York office, the JFK plotters based their actions on a pattern of hatred toward the United States and the West in general. One suspects the same could be said of the New York Times.
#1
Aside from burying a major international story that took place in its metro area, the Newspaper of Record took pains to make the Muslim battle plan that could have atomized a portion of its immediate readership appear utterly irrelevant.
Let us all hope that "readership" suddenly changes its printed news source.
The elite class has every intention of continuing to fight the war on terrorism without naming the enemy, without revealing his beliefs, without unmasking his intentions, without offending his accomplices, without expelling his fifth columnists, and without ever daring to win. Their crime can and must be stopped. The founders of the United States overthrew the colonial government for offenses far lighter than those of which the traitor class is guilty.
#2
See, it's a problem of semantics. They wanted to blowup "Queens". Now change that to they wanted to blow up "queens", and, jeeesuz, page one above the fold and why isn't Bush doing anything about these hate mongers!!!
#3
To a small degree I actually agree with the NYT. This plot was not going to achieve anything close to its objectives, even if everything they planned worked. Jet fuel is not explosive, the pipelines do have check valves, and contain only modest volumes of fuel, pipelines fail or are blown up every week (day?) and repairs are normally pretty quick. Tanker trucks can, at some cost and inconvenience, replace the pipelines for a while.
It's nothing to ignore, and I'm glad they caught this plan, but it's not the end of 'America as we know it.' We keep defusing these second-rate plots by second-rate terrorists; I AM concerned that they are merely diversions, and that there is a 'first team' plot in the works (N-B-C?).
#4
Glenmore, while your points are entirely valid, they still do not address the deep commitment to limitless savagery that is exhibited by so many Muslims. Whether it is actively achieving or seeking the further deaths of more thousands of New Yorkers, wanting to chop off the heads of simple cartoonists or demanding the Pope be executed for quoting a scholar about Islam, all of it points to a prediliction for violence that poses a genuine threat to civilization. This intent remains notwithstanding how ill-planned or ham fistedly executed any eventual terrorist plots actually may be.
In the final analysis, Islam's intent must be considered along with its actual results. While technology continues to limit Islam's results, its true intent remains as an incredibly vicious and horrific assault upon this entire planet's non-Muslim population.
It is this hideously longed-for carnage on such an unbelievable scale that singles out Islam as an utterly retrograde and monstrous creed. That Islamic doctrine is the only political ideology to voluntarily adopt global terrorism as an accepted tool of advancing their agenda makes Muslims everywhere complicit in this assault upon civilization.
As the old saying goes, "It's the thought that counts." The thoughts that pass for Islamic faith and religious dedication are totally revolting to any sane human being. Lack of current success in no way exculpates Islam regarding its sworn goal of global domination.
#5
Besides why, I'd like to know who. Berger was on his cell phone at the Archives with someone getting instructions...if not Clinton, who was giving orders regarding such a serious issue regarding national security???
#6
"Maybe some day someone will step back and wonder why a successful lawyer like Berger would take so drastic a step as surrendering his law license just to evade questions."
"...after the Berger investigation became public, Hillary announced, without being asked, that Sandy had just helped brief her for a February speech at the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy sending the adviser a signal that he was still part of the family, even though the grand jury was investigating him. In Washington, thats the equivalent of a horse head in the bed. Remarkably, the plea bargain granted Berger by the Justice Department allows him to regain his security clearance by 2008, just in time to support Hillarys presidential campaign and perhaps accept a post in a victorious Clinton administration." April 14, 2005 | Daily Pundit
Serious angst here at the lack of Islamic soft power
Aishwarya Rai with her annoyingly plastic and butter-wouldnt-melt-in-my-mouth (although bigger and more solid things would) smile blowing at us. Abhishek Bachchan with a cat-who-just-licked-the-cream satisfied smile lying seductively in a big circle.
If you just bagged Aishwarya you would smile too
No, no, this is not about the wedding or their post-marital relationship, which has been discussed and printed ad nauseum. Because we also have the retarded he-man Hrithik Roshan kicking in the air. I am talking about the giant billboards that have raided Pakistani cityscapes. And there is no escape from them. Open any magazine, newspaper in addition to editorial content, they are hogging the advertising space, too. What is happening? The Indianisation of our media.
Please dont get me wrong. I am not a hypocrite. Yes, I like India the cinema, the music, the civil society, the literature, the peoples movements, the democracy and much more. I am deeply impressed by these aspects of Indian society. But I certainly dont like these film stars morphing into our role models. That is not on. I will protest. I am all for creating our very own role models, or for that matter simply models. Indianisation of our advertising is a serious menace to Pakistani society on many levels.
menance to islamism you mean
Superficially, it sends out signals that we have no celebrities to endorse our products (basically I am opposed to this very idea, however, thats a trend internationally so one has to live with it). Agreed that Indian film stars are far bigger, but that does not mean we dont have anyone powerful enough to endorse. Babra Sharif negates this notion in a beautiful and effective manner when she smiles at us from huge billboards. She still reigns supreme on our collective conscience and our popular culture canvas. Similarly, Shaan, ZQ, Vinnie, Waseem Akram, Iman Ali, Moammar Rana and Strings all successfully paint the town with half-rainbow colours and lend credibility to this endorsement game. And recently, Reema simply looks gorgeous and convincing enough to lead us to buy a brand of soap.
On a deeper level, this trend affects the potential and development of our own creative industry which includes film-makers, models, technical crew and so many others. We are losing out to India, which has hordes of cheaper human resource. Corporate and advertising sectors are rushing to India for cheaper gains at the cost of bigger damage in the long run. To top it all off, false claims are made that these sectors are working for the development and enhancement of our own talent. Im not against collaboration. We should work with the Indians and learn from them in order to enhance our understanding and expertise of the craft and bring it back to our country. We must learn to use such knowledge to our advantage, instead of handing over the pie to them, eventually becoming losers.
Every year, Lux Style Awards are announced with a purpose to recognise our talent and bring sophistication to our respective fields. Interestingly, an Indian show director Ashim Sen is imported to plan and shoot the awards ceremony this year. The first two ceremonies were planned, conceptualised and shot by Pakistani directors and the second LSA show by Asim Raza still remains the best in terms of content and execution. A huge amount of local ads are being made in India with Indian models, directors and crew. Pakistani advertising company executives go there with concepts (most of the times that is also Indian) and come back with finished ads ready to be put on air. The reason given for this creative theft is that Pakistan does not offer quality human resource and infrastructure.
Fine, point taken. But then develop it. Whose responsibility is it? After all, these ads are used to extract money out of our pockets. Our money is spent on these campaigns because neither the corporate nor the advertising sector is bleeding-heart compassionate and charitable to spend their own money. It does work this way. Therefore, we have a right to demand to see our people in these campaigns. Why should anyone else benefit from our money? Interestingly, I have never seen a Pakistani talent being given countless column space, huge billboards or ample air time in India.
perhaps if your army would stop sending jihadis to kill them, the Indians would be more receptive to Pakistani faces
I mean, earstwhile Junoon was very popular in India in the late 1990s. Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar and Strings are humongous over there. Their work is used in films, they top the charts, their songs are played in clubs, you will hear them blaring out of car stereos, shops, flats. They are recognised by name, by their work and faces in India. But you will never spot their faces peering down from billboards, advertising spaces in publications or endorsing products in advertising campaigns. Have we ever stopped for a second and pondered over the reason?
Similar covert operations are happening in TV. The disease of soap operas has been imported from India. Now its a known fact that Indian TV steals ideas from the west and Indianise it, and we take it from there and put it on our TV without even bothering to give it a local flavour. Indian TV professionals are working in Pakistani TV soaps. Their dialogue delivery and accent reeks of India with hideous pronunciations. And how can I not mention the rape of our language
what language would that be? Urdu? One of the official traditional languages of India?
by the obnoxious Bambayya vocabulary. Youngsters and children generously peppering their conversations with beeru, chakas, supari and other such slangs. Swaying their heads, using no, I tau in affirmative or interrogative sentences appear to be a cool thing for those who converse in English.
I heard a senior TV executive at a leading channel screaming at his personnel, I want Star Plus. I dont care, give that to me. Give me Star Plus soaps! As a result we see made-up vixens, namby pamby men, cut-to-cut shots, fast editing, empty scripts, deafening and senseless music and mindless glamour. I want to scream (because polite requests are drowned in the lusty calls for money) that this is not us. This is not our cultural and societal representation.
Prior to 1947, Pakistan did not even exist. Its culture and society derive from Indian Muslim ones. There are more muslims in India than the entire population of Pakistan
In India, women are usually dressed up, wear jewellery during the day while cooking, sweeping the streets, or working.
In Pakistan we have different clothes for different occasions and surely I have never seen any woman wearing a necklace and earrings set, made-up to the hilt, dressed to the nines washing clothes. Never! But we have become blinded by this Indian influence and are mindlessly, inanely copying what is show on Indian TV screens. Now the disease is invading Pakistani fashion as well, which so far has a distinct Pakistani identity craved with great dedication, affection and sincerity. And with immense pride I would like to announce that our fashion is far superior to Indias.
The need for superiority over India is important to the Pak psyche. Otherwise why the need for partition.
But soon we will have a third-rate version of Indian fashion prevailing Pakistan. Ah, nothing spreads like bad taste!
As if mounting Americanisation and globalisation were not threats big enough to destroy our social, financial and societal fibre, this latest monster of creeping Indianisation has also hit us to claim its share in changing our identity.
Islam you see is supposed to be stronger than the kaffirs
I am strictly for diversity and maintaining our identity. We seem to be suffering from a national inferiority complex. And rightly so because we really dont have many role models to look up to or much talent here.
did they all blow themselves up?
About time we came out of denial and stopped parroting the much-abused phrase: Pakistan mein talent ki kami nahin hai. Oh there is a severe lack of talent in Pakistan. But dont you think instead of importing talent we should try look inwards and develop or groom whatever is available and create our own role models? I mean why cant we have Mukhtaran Mai in the Parha Likha Punjab campaign? She is a big role model. Its for corporates, media and advertising professionals to realise our own media personalities importance and outreach to the people.
Whats next? Sonia Gandhi in Pakistan Peoples Party campaigns? Bal Thakeray as MQMs mascot? Praveen Togarya of extremeist party Vishwa Hindu Parishad as Lashkar-i-Taiba or JUIs face? General Arora Singh starring in Jawad Ahmeds ISPR-sponsored video?
General Arora Singh accepted the surrender of Pakistan forces in 1971.. He took 80 thousand Pak POWs.. and half the country away
Narendra Modi in Parha Likha Punjab (educated Punjab) campaigns? Well, frankly, these are the areas where we need role models, and the change of a few faces just might do us some good.
Posted by: John Frum ||
06/04/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
As if mounting Americanisation and globalisation were not threats big enough to destroy our social, financial and societal fibre, this latest monster of creeping Indianisation has also hit us to claim its share in changing our identity.
You're ours, now. Ours to corrupt, Ours to enslave. Your own desires are the chains that bind you to eternal slavery. You can only choose which desire will bind you.
Mwha ha ha ha!
/evil mastermind voice
Posted by: N guard ||
06/04/2007 0:30 Comments ||
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Where was the outcry against this horrific perversion of childhood from the imams and the scholars and the sheikhs? Where were the articles and editorials in Arab media, condemning this evil?
Why should there be any outcry from those who cheerfully detonate a car bomb with infants left strapped inside the vehicle? The boy is 12 years-old, which is old enough to die for Islam. Iran sent countless thousands of 12 year-olds to their deaths in the war against Iraq.
The West needs to understand that Islam has ZERO compunctions over using and wasting any form of human life in order to propell its cause. We need to overcome our squeamishness about laying waste to huge tracts of the Islamic world in order to demonstrate to them the error of their ways. No one-bullet-at-a-time war fighting strategy will have even a remote effect upon this sort of barbaric mentality.
Muslims must be made to feel the same, if not far greater, level of pain that they inflict upon the West. Until that time, expect nothing but more Islamic atrocities.
A curious "debate" is growing rapidly among a number of Western-based analysts about the "impossibility" of the existence of Syrian-Jihadi Salafist links. More particularly, some analysts went to the extent of describing the existence of links between the Syrian Mukhabarat and the group "Fatah al Islam" operating in North Lebanon as "hazy." Ironically this mounting trend only helps to aid the current Syrian diplomatic and media campaign, as Damascus is deploying overdose efforts to deny "any link whatsoever" with Fatah al Islam. Assad shut down the passage points in northern Lebanon just few hours after the Jihadists began slaughtering the Lebanese soldiers. Interestingly enough Syria never closed entry check points to Lebanon since 1976, even though Tripoli's skies were burning during many battles between militias and factions. Was Assad too fast in denying his backing of Fatah Islam, as was his instant denial of his regime's role in the Hariri assassination?
"Intoxication"
Intelligence and Counter Terrorism experts are familiar with the weapon known as intox from the root word intoxication. It is a form of deception used by powers throughout history and developed as a special skill by the Soviet KGB during the Cold war. Later on various Jihadi networks, both Iranian and Salafists, have improved this method via the use of Khida (deception) and the historically rooted concept of Taqiya (dissimulation tactic). The bottom line is that regimes and organizations, Islamist and ultra nationalist-fascists (i.e. not sanctioned by domestic checks and balances) can use all deceptions possible and dont have to be transparent. In the War on Terror, do not expect -naively- these radicals to tell you the real story. Hence do not expect the Syrian regime to declare that it is supporting Fatah al Islam at this point, nor expect the latter to declare that they are coordinating with Damascus as they have announced their allegiance to al Qaeda. Reading short of this complex reality would only mean that you have been the victim of intox, the enemys Khidaa at its best.
Continued on Page 49
You have been following, I know, the plight of American hostages in Iran. (For a bracing Michael Ledeen piece, go here.) One of those hostages is Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in Washington. That center is headed by Lee Hamilton, the former congressman (D., Ind.).
A friend of mine wrote me, I find it irritating that Hamilton keeps emphasizing how nonpartisan Esfandiari is, as if that were the salient fact about this situation as if, had she actually spoken out against the Iranian regime, her treatment would be justified!
Hear, hear.
Posted by: Mike ||
06/04/2007 08:43 ||
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#1
How's that diplomacy with Iran working out for you and your friends Lee?
Assad advocates diplomatic talks, yet evidence shows he is preparing for war
Guy Bechor
The UN Security Council's decision to establish an international court to try Basher Assad and his relatives for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has made the Syrian government frantic.
This development may come at Israel's expense, as within the battle for his survival Assad may embark on a war against Israel sooner than expected.
It's difficult not to notice that the Syrians are heading for war since they are convinced that Israel has lost its former "killer instinct" and fears a conflict. The Syrians followed the suicidal attitude that prevailed here following the Second Lebanon War with gaping mouths. They view the public criticism prevalent in the Israeli press and culture, as well as the Winograd's Commission's testimonies, as their strategic assets.
As a result of the last war they understood that there is no need for a large ground force, but rather, missiles aimed at dense Israeli population centers. For the past two years the Syrians have been engaged in massive acquisitions from Russia. In the past they owed some $11 billion to the Russians, yet in 2005 the Russians erased part of the debt and the rest was covered by the Iranians.
Syria began equipping itself with advanced anti-aircraft missiles in order to crush our Air Force, anti-tank missiles - as the last war demonstrated that our armored corps weren't prepared - and cruise missiles against our Navy.
The Saudi London-based daily al-Sharq al-Awsat reported that Syria has completed the deployment of Chinese C-802 cruise missiles, which it acquired from Iran, and that the deployment of its Air Force has also been completed. Russia has expressed its willingness to also sell the Syrians its most advanced 280 kilometers (174 miles) range Iskander missile, more than enough to strike at any destination in Israel. Each such missile features an optical GPS navigational system that allows operators to guide missiles to their targets.
Wide-scale exercises
Two additional developments of concern occurred recently: Al-Sharq al-Awsat reported that as of May the Syrian army has been engaged in a series of wide-scale military exercises. In 1973, as it may be recalled, these exercises turned out to be a de facto attack. Even the Israeli ambassador to the US, Salai Meridor, has officially confirmed that Syria has significantly boosted its military presence on the border with Israel. "Since the Yom Kippur War Syria hasn't deployed such a significant number of forces on the border," he said.
What can Israel do in face of these alarming developments? As the IDF has lost its power of deterrence, it must be reinstated, post haste. Israel must make it clear that if Syria launches a surprise assault, it may signify the end of Assad's regime. These moves must be coordinated with the US in order to place the option of an American-Israeli alliance on the table. As it may be recalled, large American forces are stationed on the Syria-Iraq border.
In addition, the positive relations between Israel and the Turkish army should be taken advantage of so that Assad will understand that in the event of a surprise assault he would have to confront forces on the Turkish border as well.
And finally, we should explain to the world that this is how Assad is fooling Israel and the world: He advocates diplomatic talks, yet evidence shows he is preparing for war.
#1
Assad, with Russian and Iranian support, and without US opposition, can probably defeat Israel. But given the US position on his eastern border, the timing may not yet be quite right. He will probably just maneuver and posture until either the US pulls out of Iraq or the Dems assume full control over the Defense Department, whichever comes first. He can wait a few months.
#3
If worse comes to worse, Israel can uncork the big firecrackers. In fact I hope they irradiate the crap out of Syria, World Opinion™ be damned.
Way past time to turn a few hundred million Arabs into cinders.
Posted by: Natural Law ||
06/04/2007 8:50 Comments ||
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#4
Natural:
I don't think they'll do it. Not anymore. I don't see enough anger in their leadership to actually condemn Jews to vilification for all history - everybody in the West wants to be a 'victim' today, rather than a victor. That is being arranged.
#5
GM - Agree on the lack of passion in Israeli government, but the Jews are already vilified and have been for all of history. Being scheduled for execution clears the mind wondrously.
#6
Better to be vilified than dead, but I don't think the nukes will come out unless the rest of the Islamic world piles on and the US sits on its hands. In that case, Damascus, Cairo, Amman, and perhaps Teheran will sport interesting cloud formations.
#10
Assad, with Russian and Iranian support, and without US opposition, can probably defeat Israel I agree if you mean defeat as in the Hezbollah vs Israel fight last summer. I disagree whole-heartedly if you mean defeat as in removed from the map. The Israeli army, on defense, would make short work of a Syrian incursion. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Kurdish uprising in parts of Syria while the military was gone and being hammered as well (along with a dozen other large minorities kept underheal by Assad's people).
#11
In Yom Kippur it took both super powers working in concert to save Egypt. There is no more SovU and Israeli leaders are a lot less naive these days (no longer believe that peace with Arabs is possible). And Lebanon#2 got us thinking in right direction. If Syria uses its terrorist weapons against Israeli cities, then---when the dust settles---there might still be Syria but its 5% ruling Alawite minority will be gone.
p.s. Compared to Dybua, Olmert is a paragon of decisiveness & intelligence. The only thing he did wrong is trust Halutz.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
By Ben Johnson
Assad advocates diplomatic talks, yet evidence shows he is preparing for war 
