Not a whole lot new for the Rantburg regular reader, but a few hints of what might be implemented...
An Afghan government decision to recreate the notorious Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has raised grave concerns among human rights groups. "Re-instalment of the Department of Vice and Virtue with no clear terms of reference yet is a matter of concern for us," Ahmad Nader Nadery, spokesman of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), told IRIN in Kabul. "A similar department under the Taliban regime was a tool to interfere in the privacy of life of every individual to suppress the citizens and to limit all rights and freedoms of people," he said.
Yale University could not be reached for comment.
The government announced plans last week to re-establish the vice and virtues department, but said it would not return to the hardline ruling enforced by the Taliban. According to the Ministry of Pilgrimage and Religious Affairs, the new department will mainly focus on alcohol, drugs, crime and corruption. While sharing principles with its Taliban-era predecessor, the focus would be on preaching and advising people about the correct way to act, an official said.
Oddly enough, that was exactly what the Taliban did: preach and get all up in everyone's grill.
The draft of the plan, which is approved by the cabinet, will be submitted for parliamentary approval when the Afghan National Assembly reconvenes later this summer. "In principle there is no problem with this department unless it operates like a religious police," said Aziz Rafee, head of Afghan Civil Society Forum (ACSF) in Kabul.
Except with the religious police, who will seethe that they are being denied their legitimate rights.
But women's rights activists are sceptical. Kabul activist Nasrin Abubaker said she believed the office would become "a fully Taliban-like department" within the next two years. "The government should pay strict attention to the major issues such as the deteriorating security and unemployment in the country rather than focusing on such small matters, which could only bring about new limitations for women and girls," Abubaker said.
Meanwhile, analysts believe that Afghan President Harmid Karzai's cabinet made the announcement after facing considerable pressure from the country's deeply conservative religious scholars, former mujahideen commanders and other extremist groups who hold strong positions in government. "It is merely an effort from the extremist groups in the government to curb the civil rights and personal freedom of civilians," local analyst Qasim Akhgar said.
(SomaliNet) Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade, member of Somali parliament and Adam Mohamed Saran-Sor, among leaders of RRA (Rahanwein Resistance Army) who both in Sudanese capital of Khartoum are due to arrive in Somalia capital Mogadishu in next few days. Reliable sources say on Sunday.
Reports say MP Ibrahim Habsade and security official of RRA will come to Mogadishu to make alliance with Council of Islamic Courts after they got annoyed the new policy by the transitional federal government which made the TFG more closer to Ethiopian government and also the Ethiopian troops had entered Baidoa town in a time he was in Libya since the approval of foreign deployment including frontline states by the Somali legislators.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Better pay and benes?
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 0:30 Comments ||
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(SomaliNet) In a bid to block the ongoing arrangements to replace the African Union troops there with international forces, the Sudanese government considering an alternative of deploying Arab and Muslim troops in the region of Darfur, Sudan Tribune reported. The plan is being prepared by the Sudanese security and intelligence organs as well the armed forces, London based Asharq Alawsat daily news paper revealed.
After a meeting with the Sudanese president in Banjul on 3 July, the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan told the press that al-Bashir had promised to give "his plan" to end the crisis within the month. "I am still suspecting that in time there will be a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur," added Annan, whose mandate as UN chief expires end of the year.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
In other words they want to have the Fox guard the Henhouse. (since Arab/Muslims are the ones doing the murdering/killng/raping).
But Kofi wants in on the underage girl [and boy] action (and send UN Peacekeepers...).
#2
Nuke Khartoum and the problems will be over. Also the problems between Sudan and Kenya, a large majority of the problems in Somalia, the problems between Sudan and Chad, and the problems between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Short of a nuke, a few dozen Buffs running an ARCLIGHT strike through the center of town (and over the airfields and military bases just to the north) would at least reduce the problems significantly.
I'd like someone to post a map of all the current trouble spots in the world. I think it would show that 90% of them are related to Muslims, and the rest to leftist/socialist/communist krapp in Latin America and East Asia.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/25/2006 16:39 Comments ||
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(SomaliNet) Djibouti government has again talked about on Monday the terrible consequent that might result from any foreign troops in Somalia. Djibouti foreign minister Mohamud Ali Yusuf speaking to RTD TV and Radio said he was very concerned about the foreign military intervention in Somalia by IGAD member state. "If this becomes true any IGAD government will hold the responsibility of it," he said referring to the Ethiopian troops into Somalia.
Mr. Ali Yusuf reiterated that Djibouti government and its people believe that Somalis themselves can solve their problems through dialogue but not foreign intervention. He said the Islamic Courts had done a lot and brought a new change to the Somalia policy. "I believe there is no need for outside power in Somalia, Somalis must end their differences in peaceful means," the foreign minister said. Earlier, Djibouti had rejected the proposal of deploying foreign troops in Somalia and saw it might worsen the crisis there.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, whose country abandoned weapons of mass destruction programs in 2003, said that at one stage Libya had come close to building a nuclear bomb, the Libyan news agency reported on Monday. It was the first time any Libyan official has confirmed that the north African country of more than five million had been trying to build a nuclear bomb.
"It is true that Libya came close to building a nuclear bomb. This is no longer a secret ... as everything was laid bare by the International Atomic (Energy) Agency for everyone to see," the agency quoted Gaddafi as saying on Sunday in a speech to Libyan engineers. "The programs and equipment (to build a nuclear bomb) are known," he added.
Gaddafi, who was speaking mainly about the need for economic self-reliance, referred to Libya's efforts to gain the bomb as one of several examples of Libyans being successful in challenging endeavors. He gave no further details.
Gaddafi, elaborating on a long-standing explanation for his abandonment of confrontation with the West, said the time for spending large amounts of money on supporting political movements overseas was now over. Although the support was a "must" at the time, it was clear that the effort had used up large amounts of resources. "All revolutionaries used to come to the (Libyan) revolution for help. Revolutionaries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, sought our help, even the IRA (Irish Republican Army)," he said. "I put a stop to this because we spent a great deal of money on the military side, not only in terms of construction."
He said Libya had taken part in a "battle" for Arab nationalism, but this era was now over. "There were hopes and aspirations to have a strong nationalist entity of which we would be a part, expanding from Iraq to Morocco, for example. This no longer valid," he said. "Arabs would be one nation ... Unfortunately this has failed and that era ended and a new era began."
"We have to learn lessons."
This man continues to surprise me.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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The acquittal of three men accused of plotting to buy a substance which prosecutors claimed could have been used to build a dirty bomb has called into question the tactics used by the News of the World's controversial investigative journalist Mazher Mahmood.
During the liberation of Afghanistan, US bombers were based in Tajikistan. They were booted out, without reason. Now we find an overture to Iran. Shiite power must be stopped, and not by trying to set up Sunni "umbrella" coalitions.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due to begin a visit to the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan.
Once a close ally of the US in the war on terror, Tajikistan has lately distanced itself from Washington and embraced Moscow. It recently allowed Russia to establish a permanent military presence and ties with Iran have been growing too.
Mr Ahmadinejad describes Iran's relationship with Tajikistan as "one spirit in two bodies". Both countries are Persian speaking, their cultural ties are deep and ancient, and crucial to helping the leaders to get over the significant modern day differences between them...
#2
It was none other than Rice who let loose a spate of such piffle over the launch of a few missiles as part of military training to cope with the US reckless moves for aggression and war," KCNA said. "This cannot be construed otherwise than an outburst made by a political imbecile."
That's it? I'm so disappointed. I was looking forward to a good spittle spew and this paper reduced it to mere piffle.
#3
"Her remarks are nothing but a sheer distortion of the reality which can convince no one."
"no one" being your Impervious Leader?
The news agency said the North is under threat of attack from "the worst gangsters in the world" after the Bush administration listed it as part of an "axis of evil".
Hey, if it wasn't for the evil Americans, who would you use to hold your stupid failed state together? and don't forget the (TM) after "Axis of Evil(TM)". But then again, you never have paid much attention to that kind of thing lately, have you?
"It was none other than Rice who let loose a spate of such piffle over the launch of a few missiles as part of military training to cope with the US reckless moves for aggression and war," KCNA said.
If it was only a "few missiles" as you suggest, they why bother in th first place? I hope your people can eat dirt, or they're going to be eating you in a while.
"This cannot be construed otherwise than an outburst made by a political imbecile."
Careful, comments like this about your Infallible Leader have made people disappear.
Looks like this show was more for internal consumption more than anything else, or they would have mentioned the part about their expendable peasants having to eat more dirt.
#4
From a nation where women have babies for the sole intent of food - or the sale of food for food.
Cabbage laced with chemicals for prisoners.
You failed Kim, and you hit rock bottom. You are a bad king. The whole entire is a miseducated gulag. Term and meaning in tact.
Now that you have blown your load, Kim, and you have no food left, How long.... How long?
Another frantic effort of blackmail?
My advice is to seek out Chavez now because Iran is (Ahem) about to "lose it". And then, All of you can be looked at in history - just like Che, who happens to be.... not enjoying things much.
So anyways kim, Er God. heh, sorry. Forgot.
Write your formal confession now.
North Korea said on Monday its test-firing of missiles this month was conducted in a "completely safe" way because it made sure ships and aircraft were not in the area before the launch. North Korea, which ignored international warnings not to conduct the tests, gave notice to its ships to stay out of waters east of the Korean peninsula a few days before the launch, South Korean government officials said. "The DPRK (North Korea) launched missiles only after airspace, land and waters of the sea had been confirmed to be completely safe. Their launches, therefore, hurt neither ships nor civilian planes, nor anyone," its KCNA news agency reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
It is not the launching that is the problem. It is the landing.
The man known as the Spanish taliban has been freed from prison after a court overturned a verdict that he was guilty of belonging to Al Qaeda. Hamed Abderrahmán Ahmed was sentenced to six years prison by the National Court in Spain. He had been extradited to Spain from the USA on February 2004 after spending two-and-a-half years in the controversial prison camp Guantanamo in Cuba. The Supreme Court ruled that there was a total absence of proof to show that the defendant was a member of Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda. The court said the resident from Ceuta in the Spanish part of Morocco had had his right to the presumption of innocence breached.
The Muslims of California have been outraged by a highly partisan Sunday rally led by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in support of Israel. Were all here to do one thing, and that is to support the state of Israel, Schwarzenegger said, noting that he first travelled to Israel as a bodybuilder and has been back many times since. Any nation has the right to defend itself against terrorism, he added, according to the Los Angeles Times. Were here to affirm the basic truth that there can be no peace without security, Villaraigosa said.
At a counter-rally a block away, about 100 protesters waved Palestinian flags and banners with slogans that included Jews against Israeli terrorism. Earlier, local representatives of nine major Islamic groups met to plan a unified response to the escalating conflict and to counter what they see as a pro-Israeli bias in US politics and the media. They argued that the massive destruction in Lebanon would not bring peace and would jeopardise US interests in the region. We do not have any sympathy for any of these groups, Hamas or Hezbollah, said Maher Hathout, chairman of the Islamic Centre of Southern California. But supposing those guys really are the bad guys, by no stretch of the imagination does that justify what is going on now.
The newspaper reported that the Middle East fighting has strained local interfaith ties, especially among traditional allies on the religious left. Rabbi Steven Jacobs, an active proponent of interfaith activity, said he was offended by a Christian petition urging an immediate ceasefire and criticising the US governments cynical, inhumane and uncritical support of Israels military actions in Lebanon.
The petition acknowledged Hezbollahs threat to Israel and called for the militias disarmament but asserted that Israels response lacks all proportionality and that the sovereignty of Lebanon has been trampled in the Israeli rush into escalation.
Some Jews have also criticised Israel. David N Myers, UCLA professor of Jewish history, expressed concern that the Israeli response was disproportionate and might be counterproductive. He said a shorter, more focused attack on Hezbollah, combined with international pressure to disarm the Shiite militia, could have been a reasonable alternative. But that view is dwarfed by the sentiment among most in the local Jewish community that Israel needs to do whatever it must to neutralise Hezbollah once and for all, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
kinda makes me itchy knowing these folks are so close to an open border where they can have all kinds of friends and toys brought into our country.
Posted by: Jan ||
07/25/2006 1:37 Comments ||
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#2
But that view is dwarfed by the sentiment among most in the local Jewish community that Israel needs to do whatever it must to neutralise Hezbollah once and for all, the Los Angeles Times reported.
um, try the nation. The LA times is using the joo word to try to disguise it but the support level for these monkeys with gunpowder is almost zilch. Percentage wise, very, very, small. Yeah, we let you prance around and throw stuff - but the minute you start the killing well, just take a good look at what's happening to your hezbollah buddies - cause that's what will happen to you.
Anti semites. And they wonder why some hate them so much.
I can't help but think that it is easy to get away with badmouthing your own religious group because people assume you know what you're talking about simply because you belong to the group. That's all fine and dandy, but how much do these people really care about the human rights of terrorists, their supporters, and their enablers? They've gotta go, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do in order to avoid greater problems down the road. Maybe these people figure "if these guys win and I said something in support of them, maybe they won't hurt me or mine." Personally, I don't think the extremists could care less as long as you make their job easier for them before they come to kill you last.
We do not have any sympathy for any of these groups, Hamas or Hezbollah, said Maher Hathout, chairman of the Islamic Centre of Southern California. But supposing those guys really are the bad guys, by no stretch of the imagination does that justify what is going on now.
OK, genius, how would you get rid of them? Plans with ironclad guarantees such as "OK to nuke us if it fails" only, please.
#7
Rabbi Steven Jacobs, an active proponent of interfaith activity, said he was offended by a Christian petition urging an immediate ceasefire and criticising the US governments cynical, inhumane and uncritical support of Israels military actions in Lebanon.
Wanna bet that came from the more liberal Christian churches?
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
07/25/2006 5:18 Comments ||
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#9
The left looks at Jews who support ceasefire, paleos, etc and say "see....even THEY agree with us." The real issue is that Jews debate, view issues from all sides and think (and some conclude stupid things).
Where are ANY muslims who support Israel? Where are ANY muslims who hate the suicidal arab regimes? Where are ANY muslims who are repulsed by suicide bombs?
They simply follow, single file, kneejerk. No consideration of the facts. No thinking. No deliberation.
I respect the wrongheaded Jews more than the sheep muslims (but I hate them too!).
#12
"David N Myers, UCLA professor of Jewish history, expressed concern that the Israeli response was disproportionate and might be counterproductive." Sounds like a very balanced class curriculum, must be very popular with Paleos, Jihadis, and NeoNazis.
#16
California is home to many, if not most, of the Iranians who left Iran after the fall of the Shah. I don't know the exact figure, but probably over 500,000, most in the LA area.
Very few support the current Iranian regime or its clients. Note that there were all of 100 counterprotesters at the rally.
All of them that I have known are very good people.
#17
I have a lot of friends, acquaintances and co workers who are Iranian.
The depth of their anomosity toward the Mullahs is unfathomable. I am told often by them that it would not take much of a spark to set off a BIG civil war in Iran.
Many of them come back from Iran with stories of beatings and arrests and other heavy handed actions by the mullahs' private police forces which are not part of the government. They say that hundreds die every year from beatings and torture. HEY Does that mean Iran gets to host and chair the next UN conference on Human Rights?
Anyway, this odd lot of jihadists that are "seething" over support for Isreal are not even a decimal place on the number of expats who wish that Isreal would bomb Syria and Iran so they can go home.
Of course the lefts newly fashionable anti- semitism is palatable in the demands for a cease fire. I think it goes back to the fact that Isreal believes in sovereignty and national defense and doesn't buy into this multinationalism, world without borders bunk that the UN and the limp dicks in the world's diplomatic corps are trying to feed everyone.
Some of these clowns in the UN are beyound help or common sense......I mean viagra and classical philosophy won't fix these morons.
#19
Will the real SPOD please stand up. Then the mods can sink trap the imposter.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/25/2006 15:24 Comments ||
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#20
To the person with IP 208.252.196.130 calling himself "Sock Puppet of Doom" --
Name-spoofing is not allowed here on the Burg. The person with IP 24.161.211.173 has used this name here on the Burg for a couple years (at least). Please pick a different name, as this one is taken. Further infractions will result in banning your IP address.
AoS (moderator)
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 15:46 Comments ||
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#21
God that sucks. What a scumbag to use someone else's nick.
#23
Fred has the keys to the troll closet, we'll let him 'disappear' the impostor. I expect the UN Special Rapporteur for Sock Puppetry will be forced to denounce us.
Anti semites. And they wonder why some hate them so much.
Why does one have to be an anti-semite in the eyes of some when criticizing Israel? The problem with what Israel is doing now, right or wrong, is that in the long run it will not change anything. If they want to move in to southern Lebanon and stay there, fine. But in this case making enemies of those in Beirut proper doesn't help them. There. Am I now an anti-semite?
#25
HS - "Beirut proper" is was host to Hizzie headquarters.
You want to blame someone for ALL the damage to Lebanon, blame the Party of Allah.
As surprising as it may be to the Hizzies, this is a classic case of "you started it, we'll finish it."
The Lebanese should have cleaned out the Hizzies years ago. Now the Israelis have been forced to do it for them.
Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.
Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas Lie down with terrorists, get up dead.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/25/2006 22:21 Comments ||
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#26
Sea, I didn't know Greenwald read Rantburg
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/25/2006 22:23 Comments ||
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#27
"Beirut proper" is was host to Hizzie headquarters.
So what? I'd argue the headquarters are actually in Syria and Iran. And from what I've seen, Israel wasn't only interested in Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut.
this is a classic case of "you started it, we'll finish it."
This won't finish anything. This is just a skirmish.
The Lebanese should have cleaned out the Hizzies years ago. Now the Israelis have been forced to do it for them.
Again, you're assuming this is the battle. But it isn't. Why? Because Syria and Iran didn't bite (at least not yet).
It was a nice try though.
Israel will begin to backdown shortly. Repeat in 4 years.
Posted by: Destro in Indiana ||
07/25/2006 01:50 ||
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"My wife and kids are (according to our most recent phone conversation) on a plane from Cyprus to the United States now. They made landfall on the disputed Greco-Turk island early in the morning Sunday and boarded a plane very late that night.I have to wait for the first-hand account, but in my experience, trying to make arrangements with various hotlines in Cyprus, Lebanon and the United States all week, I can say one thing: The United States government has done a bang-up job with this evacuation. There were the predictable half-days of busy signals, incomplete and/or incorrect information, and circular patterns of deferral from one hotline to the next and back to the first, but every person I've spoken with has been courteous, helpful, and as informative as it was possible to be under the circumstances. Mrs. Cavanaugh, not to mention the kids, may have a different story, but I have no complaints with the Departments of State and Defense over this matter." Tim Cavanaugh from Reason.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
07/25/2006 8:48 Comments ||
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#2
Sounds like normal office SNAFU at first. Same with any big burocracy. At least the evac is working.
#3
What the hell is wrong with these people? There's a WAR going on and they happen to be, by their own choice, in the middle of it. What a bunch of ungrateful bastards!
Posted by: mac ||
07/25/2006 9:42 Comments ||
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#4
Hate to tell ya, folks, but the US Govt. has no positive requirement to protect you in a foreign country. Read your passport.
#6
Whoop de doo. Try and get some help out of the Embassy personnel overseas sometime, sister. They are not there to protect individual Americans, they are there to advance the national interest.
Moral of the story: if you want a destination wedding, choose some place that is not in a region known for repeated episodes of warfare.
#8
What these tool bags don't know is that you can't evacuate people quickly when the airport don't work so well. Also US Navy/USMC MEUs don't magically appear - ships take time to move. The DOD had advance party folks on the ground very quickly. Once planned and coordinated, the NEO went down w/o a hitch. Two questions - how many of those evac'd entered Leb on a passport other than a US and what was their length/purpose of stay? My hunch is many entered on Lebanese ppts and were long term residents. They pulled out the US ppt when things got dicey.
#9
The article (and the lawsuit) is a crock of clodwallop. Cows at least deposit something useful. Every one of the idiots that brought this lawsuit should be deported, whether they're "citizens" or not. The sole purpose of this lawsuit is to make the US look bad overseas, and to try to criple Israel's right to wage war in self-defense. Shooting a lot of these bas$$$$$ would be a better solution, but the ACLU might not get in the way.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/25/2006 20:04 Comments ||
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#10
what entire BS. "This is not an issue of the Israel and Lebanese conflict. We're only addressing the issue of United States citizens' concerns for being free from harm," Nabih Ayad, lead lawyer for the ADC, told reporters."
not an issue my A**.
Folks who choose to live in countries such as Lebanon, and feel that America is responsible for your safety is a bit of a stretch here. These are war times.
For the last several years I haven't even wanted to travel anywhere outside the US border.
Listening to CNN criticize the evacuation effort in the first hours, then to actually hear from folks rescued and who were so appreciative of the state department getting them out, being the exact opposite of what was initially reported; CNN makes my blood boil with the twisting of the truth here.
Jan (from work)
Posted by: Jan ||
07/25/2006 20:09 Comments ||
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#11
O'Reilly is interviewing the SpokseBat for the AADC, now. She's a Looney. "I'm against all violence. Lebanon devastated. We need the American Government to go into these villages to blah blah blah. Immoral. No leadership."
A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush's signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.
Hey, way to thank your benefactor, Arlen.
"We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the Senate floor. Specter's announcement came the same day that an American Bar Association task force concluded that by attaching conditions to legislation, the president has sidestepped his constitutional duty to either sign a bill, veto it, or take no action. Bush has issued at least 750 signing statements during his presidency, reserving the right to revise, interpret or disregard laws on national security and constitutional grounds. "That non-veto hamstrings Congress because Congress cannot respond to a signing statement," said ABA president Michael Greco. The practice, he added "is harming the separation of powers."
Bush has challenged about 750 statutes passed by Congress, according to numbers compiled by Specter's committee. The ABA estimated Bush has issued signing statements on more than 800 statutes, more than all other presidents combined. Signing statements have been used by presidents, typically for such purposes as instructing agencies how to execute new laws. But many of Bush's signing statements serve notice that he believes parts of bills he is signing are unconstitutional or might violate national security.
Still, the White House said signing statements are not intended to allow the administration to ignore the law. "A great many of those signing statements may have little statements about questions about constitutionality," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "It never says, 'We're not going to enact the law.'"
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 0:32 Comments ||
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#2
Imperialistic assholes inthe senate, regardless of party. Somone needs to reign in the senate, ban fillibusters, and stop the damned obstructianism that makes the Senate nearly useless and easey to hide sleaze in - an instituttion becoming rife with corrpution.
#3
Snarlin Arlen shows his true colors. And keep in mind the *only* reason Specter is still a Senator is because Bush personally stumped for him during the primaries. Otherwise Toomey would have won.
#5
This will back fire on Snarlin Arlen. He can't deny bush his first amendment rights. Bush can say whatever he wants, but he must also faithfully execute the laws and has.
#7
But many of Bush's signing statements serve notice that he believes parts of bills he is signing are unconstitutional or might violate national security.
Hmmm so Spector does not like the fact that the pres is looking out for the Constitution and National Security. Go figure.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
07/25/2006 9:20 Comments ||
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#8
All right, I'm out of a very long period of lurking to ask a question of the professors at Rantburg U.
How does this work under the idea of the separation of powers? *If* this was to pass in Congress, would we not essentially have one branch dragging another in front of the third? How can Congress undertake "judicial review" - isn't that a job of the judiciary branch? I'm not a constitutional scholar, but it seems to me that this tramples all over the idea - hence my inquiry.
Further, who cares what Bush has to say? I mean, really? So he thinks part of a law may be unconstitutional - so what? That's not a binding judgement of any kind since he's not a judge. It's just his opinion - and as for those notes about things he may have to do in the interests of national security - well, hell, we're in a war, and the president has the power to execute that war, him being Commander-in-Chief and all. I'm not saying that Congress and the courts should completely stay out of his business - that probably would end up being unconstitutional - but if Bush tried some of the things Lincoln did, the Senate and the courts would doubtless be whining. And in any case, exactly why can't Congress respond to one of his signed statements? They respond to everything else . . .
Posted by: The Doctor ||
07/25/2006 10:23 Comments ||
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#9
I'm opposed to "signing statements", period. If the President feels that a bill is bad, he should veto it. Not sign the damn thing with a caveat.
The whole friggin mess, all three Branches of the Government are all munged up by conniving politicians. The whole place needs a house cleaning and some head chopping. Christ!
#10
Doctor, I think you will find that in this case the American people will overwhelm Senator Specter in such a way that both interested senators and judges shit their pants and sober up before the people are forced to act.
#15
It would only be a point if the president had changed the law on his own whim. He cannot do it. He can fail to enforce the laws faithfully. The remedy is for Congress to impeach him. Otherwise, Arlen should STFU.
#16
if the bills being signed may, in GWB's opinion have unconstitutional items AND specter wants to make something of it, perhaps the congress should review them before passing. last time i checked there were more lawyers in concress than in the white house and a lawyer SHOULD know how to read and interpret the law (sorry about stealing some of Joe's uppercase letters. He probably has several steamer trunks full laying around somewhere, however).
Redacted by moderator. Comments may be redacted for trolling, violation of standards of good manners, or plain stupidity. Please correct the condition that applies and try again. Contents may be viewed in the sinktrap. Further violations may result in
banning.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/25/2006 20:06 Comments ||
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#20
I'm opposed to "signing statements", period. If the President feels that a bill is bad, he should veto it. Not sign the damn thing with a caveat.
WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- Democratic senators say they will may filibuster any attempt to confirm John Bolton's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
President Bush gave Bolton a recess appointment last year when Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, refused to support the nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Voinovich announced last week that he has had a change of heart.
But most Democrats still remain opposed to Bolton, The Washington Times reports. "No, this is going to be a bruising fight," Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said when asked on CNN if he now supports Bolton. "I regret this. I'm sorry the administration wants to go forward with this. The problems still persist."
I regret you're still a senator ...
Bolton himself told Fox News that he is optimistic about confirmation. If Bolton is not confirmed, his appointment would expire in the fall. Debate in the Senate is scheduled this week.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I read somewhere the other day, that if not confirmed and appointed again in recess, he has to serve without a salary. Don't know if this is true or not, but just in case, when do we start passing the hat?
#5
Rove must have blisters on his hands from rubbing them together so often. I'll bet he gets the donks to schedule the filibuster for October 15 and then gets Frist to make them actually conduct a filibuster on the floor. It would be great to see Sheets Byrd reading the phone book agains, just like when he filibustered the civil rights act.
#10
This is a non-issue. First, If Dodo Dodd and the other asshat libs in the Senate do as promised, the Republicans will have more ammo to use in November, easily pointing out that the dems are unreasonable obstructionists again. This is always a win for Republicans. Two words: Tom Daschle.
Second, as so incisively pointed out by mojo, they don't have to votes. Ignore them like the petulant children they are.
Third, even if they do manage to filibuster, Bush will simply reappoint him in recess.
#12
Perhaps this is where the unconstitutional filibuster BS gets nuked.
?
I recall the Senate is allowed to make its own rules.
Smelly at times yes,
Unconstitutional, nope.
Gotham may not know how to honor the 9/11 dead, but the suburbs do.
by Steven Malanga, City Journal
From Lookout Point at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, you see some of the most spectacular views in the New York metropolitan area. No wonder that early settlers used it as a surveying station and that in the Revolutionary War, Washingtons army set up a post there to chart British movements. Today, the point reveals an unobstructed view of New Yorks skyline 15 miles awaywhich is why Essex County officials chose it as the site for a September 11 memorial. Opened barely a year after 9/11, the $1.2 million, privately financed memorial features a bronze sculpture of an American eagle in flight, inscriptions of the names of all those who died on 9/11, and individual tributes to rescue workers. In its first year, the site attracted some 75,000 visitors, and it continues to draw thousands seeking to remember the dead, to contemplate the heroic acts and sacrifices of that day, and to recall the Manhattan skyline back when the Twin Towers graced it.
The impressive Eagle Rock memorial is one of dozens that have gone up in and around the New York metropolitan area since 9/11, even as controversy and fecklessness have paralyzed efforts to create a memorial on the grounds of the former World Trade Center itself. At Ground Zero, the projected cost of the proposed memorial ballooned to a staggering $1 billion, even though no construction ever began. The commission formed to build the memorial, in utter disarray, has fallen far short of fund-raising goals, prompting the recent resignation of its head and the sharp downsizing of its plans. The monuments proposed designdubbed by its creators Reflecting Absencehas faced intense criticism for its vacuity, fastidiously rejecting any tribute to the heroism of the day or the rock-solid American values that the terrorists attacked.
No such paralysis seems to have encumbered the dozens of commissions that local governments and ordinary citizens set up around the tristate area to honor the dead and remember the day. Though the terrorist attacks were a tragedy for the entire nation, they hit home most acutely in the scores of commuter towns within 100 miles of New York City, where many World Trade Center workers lived. Those communities have responded with a wide array of memorials.
Most are modest in scope and cost, but they are often inspired and poignant. Some serve as gravestones for local victims who have no known resting place. Others commemorate the valor that Americans exhibited on 9/11, especially New Yorks rescue workers. By contrast, the World Trade Center site will have no unique memorial to the sacrifices of the citys firefighters and police. In an age when many memorials, like Reflecting Absence, are abstract gestures that avoid invoking anything except lossand not even directly but in a glass darklysome of these local monuments are throwbacks, robust statements of American ideals, rendered in an unapologetically realistic style that might dismay postmodern critics but that successfully translates our common feelings about September 11 into concrete form. Deeply moving, a tour of these memorials also reminds us of the gigantic failure that has left Ground Zero little more than an opening in the earth.
One thing that comes through in visiting these memorials is just how much people miss the Twin Towers. . . . No less clear than peoples fondness for the missing towers is the admiration and gratitude they feel for those who worked as rescuers that day, especially the citys police and firefighters, many of whom headed fearlessly into the burning towers knowing that they might never come out. Many memorials, whatever else they say, take full note of the sacrifices of these rescue workers. The Ground Zero memorial, by contrast, will only scantly acknowledge their heroism, incorporating the insignias of their departments into the work but nothing else.
Perhaps the most robust and stirring tribute to rescue efforts sits in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Town leaders commissioned artist Brian Hanlon, who specializes in traditional sculpture and comes from a long line of firefighters, to create a life-size tribute to the survivors and the rescue workers who helped save them in a monument titled We Shall Never Forget. The $250,000 memorial boasts five life-size figures, including a dazed stockbroker helped by an emergency medical technician, a policeman, a firefighter, and a rescue dog, set against an 8-by-30-foot polished marble wall, inscribed with a 9/11 timeline. At the statues foot, one reads the virtues that we honor in the rescuers: bravery, courage, and compassion.
Such realism is perhaps too unrefined for the elite commission members who selected the Ground Zero memorial design. But the vigorous affirmation of the rescuers heroism reflects an attitude common among area memorials, if not always as elaborately detailed as in Pennsaukens massive monument. A lot of the credit goes to the Pennsauken memorial committee for having the right ideas, says sculptor Hanlon. Their work is in contrast to a lot of these elite committees which select memorials based on abstract designs that lack heart and soul. . . .
But its perhaps the memorial to the victim with no life story to recount and no place on official lists of the dead that is the most touching of all. John and Sylvia Resta of Bayside, Queens, a husband and wife who worked on the 92nd floor of Tower One at Carr Securities, died together that day. Sylvia was seven months pregnant. On the memorial to 9/11 victims in Hazlet, New Jersey, where Johns family lived, is a tribute to the couple. Below their photos is a painting of a small angel, resting its head on a cloud, titled Baby Resta. On the day I visited Hazlet, nearly five years after 9/11, someone had just left a small bouquet at the base of the memorial, under the angel, a touching tribute to the victim for whom we have no photograph and no memories, only a dream in a mourners mind of what might have been.
Posted by: Mike ||
07/25/2006 13:00 ||
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Staten Island also has a very moving monument across the harbor from downtown Manhattan. It is inscribed with the names of all residents killed in the attacks.
Staten Island was home to many of the firemen and police serving that day.
#2
My high school in suburban New York has a monument consisting of a cross-shaped beam from the WTC (it's more like a "T," technically) to commemorate the people from my school who died on 9/11, including two friends.
Posted by: Tibor ||
07/25/2006 14:23 Comments ||
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The North Waziristan administration ordered the release of 25 tribesmen after a grand tribal jirga met senior government officials on Monday. A senior administration official said the tribesmen's release orders were issued after Chief Administrator Dr Fakhar Alam met the jirga. "Seventeen tribesmen have already been released and the rest will be released by Monday evening," the official said.
The tribesmen were in custody for more than one year for suspected links to Taliban in Afghanistan and attacking security forces, officials said. The administration has released 150 tribesmen since June 25 when local Taliban announced a unilateral ceasefire, to meet one of the conditions of the ceasefire. Six check-posts were also removed near Miranshah, which was also a condition for the ceasefire. The 45-member jirga reached North Waziristan on Thursday to broker peace between the government and militants.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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Pakistan warned India on Monday against any hot pursuit inside its territory on the pretext of fighting terrorism, saying that such a move would be a mistake. Pakistan will not allow hot pursuit into its territory or Azad Kashmir, Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said at a weekly press briefing. Commenting on reports that India was considering the policy of hot pursuit, she said that it was highly irresponsible to publish such reports, as hot pursuit was not an option. The only option is to hold talks, she said.
The peace process was in the interest of the people of Pakistan, India and the entire region, and Pakistan wanted early resumption of the peace process, she said. Asked if the peace process was off track, she said: It shouldnt be. We do not have any other option but to pursue peace. The Foreign Office spokeswoman said the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India might interact on the sidelines of the forthcoming SAARC Foreign Ministers conference in Dhaka. She said that the president and the prime minister had spoken to other leaders of the Organsation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and Pakistan supported a political initiative on the issue by the OIC in the form of a summit or a foreign ministers meeting.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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no warnings against "hot nukes" however
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 0:33 Comments ||
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#2
OK no pursuit, how about a salvo from an MRLS battery on the fleeing terrorists?
Posted by: john ||
07/25/2006 14:01 Comments ||
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WASHINGTON - The United States on Monday confirmed but played down news reports that Pakistan is building a powerful new nuclear reactor and urged Islamabad not to use the facility for military purposes. We have been aware of these plans and we discourage any use of that facility for military purposes such as weapons development, White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.
Yeah, that'll do it.
The Washington Post, citing US-based nuclear experts reported that the reactor could produce enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistans current capabilities. Pakistan of course is outside the non proliferation treaty and therefore they do develop their capabilities independently, Snow said.
The construction site is adjacent to Pakistans only plutonium production reactor, a 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998, it said. The dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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The southern portion of Iraq is reaping the long overdue benefits of infrastructure rebuilding and trained security forces.
Although the areas in the Karbala, Najaf and Babil provinces still have their share of turbulence, some of the success the provinces are enjoying stems from the willingness of local tribes to work together to put their part of Iraq back together, said Capt. Dave Zaino, commander, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
We are going into areas in the northern sector of our area of operations, finding a large population who are putting the pieces back together on their own, said Zaino.
Last week, Zaino met with Sheik Mohammed for the first time and found he and the surrounding tribes were working on a joint project on their own to improve the water system in their area. Mohammed solicited help from the Obide, Guerarie, Jabor and Gueranie tribes, along with his own tribe to assist with the project.
His initiative is a model of sincere leadership and accountability and is a positive step in boosting the idea of democracy and faith in the Government of Iraq, said Zaino.
Zaino also met with Sheik Najim for the first time and said he found him willing to discuss his tribes issues. Najim expressed his greatest concerns, which were also water and security in the region, and agreed to another visit a few days later.
We organized a patrol to the region with elements of the 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division, and pushed out to the Obide region early Saturday, said Zaino. As a good-faith gesture, the Iraqi army soldiers brought cases of bottled water and humanitarian supplies for the farmers in the surrounding areas as a way of showing their willingness to work with the tribes and also to win their trust and confidence.
When the combined force arrived, it was only Najim and his family who received the Soldiers, but as the morning wore on, tribal members from the immediate area joined the gathering and listened respectfully. While Najim discussed the issues of his tribe with Zaino, the IA soldiers were busy handing out the supplies to the tribal farming community.
Najim again said he was very concerned about the water supply, which was rapidly dwindling due to a build up of debris in the canals and lack of adequate pumping systems and power generation. He said the water supply had steadily decreased since the original invasion in 2003 due to the lack of funding for upkeep of the pumping equipment, generators and canal maintenance.
He showed Zaino and Staff Sgt. Samantha Mahan, team leader, 412th Civil Affairs Detachment, 2nd BCT, the small well in front of his home and a small outlet from the canal in back of his home. Both water sources seemed to be contaminated, which required the family to boil their water to make it potable, said Mahan.
When we see problems like this, we evaluate the water sources and determine short term and possible long term solutions. As civil affairs Soldiers, it is our job to affect change in circumstances such as these. These changes dont occur overnight, but with the cooperation of the unit and support of the command, we can certainly make a difference to a community like this one, said Mahan.
Mahan said the Saddam regime provided funding to the farmers much like our welfare system in the U.S. The farmers relied on the funding to run their farms and provide needed supplies. The concept of making their own decisions regarding the revenue generated by their efforts is very new to them.
We are basically starting from the ground up teaching them how to be businessmen and are experiencing great success, said Mahan. We found that starting with the younger generation, with the approval of the elders, has improved those chances of success.
Zaino reiterated that the best weapon in his arsenal is talking directly to the tribal sheiks because he can influence a group of 200 rather than by talking to one person or family at a time.
We win the trust of the tribe when we win the trust of the sheik, said Zaino. As we do this, the IA is also winning the trust of the tribe by showing they are the ones providing security and support to the communities.
We all benefit from our relationship; we promote the IA as a viable security force and a group who is truly supportive providing the community the safety and stability they need. In turn, the communities help us by quelling terrorist activity in their areas, said Zaino.
During a lunch of lamb, rice and bread, Najim addressed the security situation in depth, reiterating his concern for the safety of his tribe and surrounding tribes. He said he sees no difference in Sunni and Shia, and when CF arrived in their region in 2003, he directed the people in the region not to resist. He seemed very proud of the fact that not one shot was fired from his tribe.
He pointed out that he also encouraged his tribe to vote in every election because he truly believes in the democratic process.
This is part of what makes my people great, he said.
By the end of the visit, the room was full of tribal members. The respect they showed Najim made it apparent he was a strong leader, seemingly admired by all.
Zaino said he was very pleased with the results of the meeting as was Sheik Najim. We both got what we wanted the move toward security, stability and prosperity in the Obide region, I can live with that. The difference we make here is what we take home with us, he said.
Iraq has completed repairs to one of two sabotaged oil pipelines that export crude from its northern fields to Turkey and aims to restart the flow this week, Iraqs oil minister said on Sunday. We completed the repairs today, Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani told Reuters in London. We hope to restart it very soon. This week.
Shahristani is trying to restore Iraqs dilapidated oil industry, the countrys main source of the hard currency needed to rebuild its economy. Iraq hopes to boost exports from the giant Kirkuk oilfields in the northern part of the country further next month when it will have completed repairs on the second parallel pipeline, Shahristani said.
The pipelines to Kirkuk have been mostly unusable due to sabotage since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Both pipelines were fractured in the most recent attack on July 9. The attacks forced Iraq to halt sales of Kirkuk crude from Turkey. In the weeks before that attack, Iraq had sold 8.5 million barrels of Kirkuk crude from Ceyhan, boosting total exports to match their highest levels since October 2004 in June at 1.8 million barrels per day.
Iraq has tried to boost security along the line by placing it in the protection of the army. Prior to that, security was in the hands of a special dedicated force and attacks were frequent.
When the line is down, the country relies exclusively on exports of around 1.5 million barrels per day from its southern Basra terminal.
Iraqs daily oil output is currently 2.5 million barrels per day, but it is aiming to boost production to 2.9 million by the year end and may even reach 3 million, Shahristani said. We aim for 2.9 million (barrels per day), and with a little bit of luck maybe we can reach 3 million, he said.
The oil minister also said he was confident that a new hydrocarbon law that will allow foreign investment to flow into the industry will be passed by the end of the year. I cant say exactly when it will pass because it depends on Parliament, he said. But it will be this year.
Iraq needs to attract investment from international oil companies if it is to hit Shahristanis longer-term production targets of 4.3 million barrels per day wihin the next four years and between 6 million and 8 million per day by 2015. Destroying that northern oil route will be a top goal for Iran.
#1
How long do you suppose before some terrorist (dim-witted, like all the rest of course) blows it up again?
And why is it that it takes months to repair the damned thing? Don't they just have valves every so often and sections of flanged pipe ready to roll into place? Why can't they bury it under a bunch of sand or something?
#4
Ignore the nuttiness in this link and scroll down to the oil pipeline map and you see the problem. The pipeline runs through Arab areas to the West of Kurdish dominated areas.
Obvious solution = the Kurds extend their influence to the West (which I expect is happening).
Also note the oil field under Baghdad and extending to the SE.
#5
The Kurds are screwed, even though the deepest oil pools of all are in their territories. Their arch enemies are the Turks, while Syrians and Iranians are hostile. It would make sense if they became closer to the Arabs. But al-Qaeda Sunnis are bombing in Kurd cities.
This all ends if Shiite power is reduced. That can happen, but not if we fall into the ceasefire trap.
An already scorching day last week got a bit hotter for members of the Iraqi and U.S. Air Forces as they stepped-up to battle blazing infernos during training near the city, about 150 miles north of Baghdad.
Iraqi Air Force maintenance personnel put down their wrenches and picked up fire hoses under the experienced eyes of Kirkuk Air Base's 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters. The realistic training, which included controlled fires set by members of the 506th, is designed to teach the Iraqi Airmen the skills they need to fight flames. "The majority of the Iraqi firefighters have never been to a formal fire academy and have never been part of a fire department," said Staff Sgt. Carlos Bosch, a firefighter with the 506th.
Despite their lack of experience, Bosch said the Iraqis showed a real thirst for knowledge and performed exceptionally well during training at the base.
The Iraqis began their training on basic fire behavior and rudimentary fire fighting procedures in April, he said. Marine Maj. Waylan Cain, an adviser for the Iraqi Air Force's Squadron 3, said the initial training included classroom basics and a lot of hands-on training with equipment such as state-of-the-art vehicles, breathers and protective clothing.
Cain said training continued in June and eventually led to extinguishing live fires. The plan, he said, is to have training for the new firefighters at least once a month to keep the Iraqi Airmen and their equipment prepared. "Firefighting is a very perishable skill," he said.
Cain said there have been challenges, such as the language barrier, but said none were insurmountable. "Anything can be overcome through teamwork," he said.
The U.S. firefighters' goal is for the Iraqi Air Force fire department to transition to a self-sufficient force. Several of the Iraqi firefighters going through training now might be asked to transfer into firefighting full-time when the Iraqi forces take control of Kirkuk in the future, Cain said. "I wouldn't be surprised to see several of the men here, especially the best ones of the group, become firefighters when the Iraqis come in," he said. "They're going to be the ones with the experience, as well as have the knowledge of the equipment and the knowledge of the area." You must have effective damage control if you want an effective air force.
The Ministry of Defense has taken over life support functions for more than 80 bases throughout Iraq since April, cutting Coalition expenses by $24 million a month. The Iraqi government is now responsible for providing food, water, cleaning, supplies, security, maintenance for facilities and equipment, morale items, and clearing of waste products, to name a few, for more than 130,000 Iraqi Soldiers.
To fulfill those responsibilities, the MOD planned, funded and executed two contracts for the Armys life support operations. The contracts will cover support for food and services for the Iraqi security forces.
As a result of them taking on this responsibility, the Iraqi government continues to demonstrate its commitment to achieving logistical independence in their country. Taking control of their own life support functions was a huge step toward transitioning them to managing their own battlespace, said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Steven Herb, Coalition Military Assistance Transition Team base management superintendent. This step by MOD showed a partnership with Coalition forces to transition Iraq as soon as possible.
#2
Yes, this is a MAJOR big deal. Iraq is finally growing some tail to support its teeth. This is a highly important step to them being able to operate independently.
Via written questions and answers passed back and forth by trusted intermediaries in Iraq, Time has conducted the first-ever Western media interview with Izzat al-Douri, former lieutenant of Saddam Hussein and the most senior member of the Ba'athist regime still at large. Today, al-Douri is America's most wanted Iraqi fugitive, and a leading figure in the Iraqi insurgency.
TIME: Does the Ba'ath Party still have a role in Iraqi politics?
Izzat al-Douri: If you mean the current political process, the Ba'ath Party rejects it, because it was manufactured by and serves the occupying force and is destructive of our country. The political role of the Ba'ath in the struggle [against the occupation of Iraq] is to mobilize and bring together the energies of the people for the fight to expel the occupation and liberate our country.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
gosh too bad he didn't ask what we were really interested in hearing ... like
how many children did you rape in front of their parents and send home in body bags?
Did you enjoy putting people in shredders?
How many people did you massacre?
What is the longest you ever tortured someone before they died?
#3
Time can find him but DoD, CIA, and FBI can't. And can't even follow around Time guys either - it would violate thier rights of privacy and free press I bet.
#7
Former Iraqi Air Force General Georges Sada in his book Saddam's Secrets ridiculed Izzat al-Douri
thusly (pp90-91):
"Whenever Saddam wanted to confer an honor on one of his handpicked favorites, he would give them a high rank in the military or any other honor he could think of. He did this most conspicuously, perhaps, for a man named Izzat al-Douri, when he raised him to the rank of four-star general. To understand the significance of that, you should know that before being appointed a four-star general, Izzat was the ice seller in the village of Dour, [my italics] which is just accross the river from Tikrit where Saddam was born.
At Saddam's whim, Izzat was put in charge of several divisions of Iraqi soldiers. At last report, Izzat the ice seller was very ill, suffering from leukemia. Some have suggested he may have been a leader of the insurgency in Iraq, helping to plan attacks on Americans and destabilize the new government. In reality he's not smart enough to lead anyone in battle. But he was incredibly loyal to Saddam who had trusted him enough to put him in such a lofty position."
WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- White House spokesman Tony Snow Monday confirmed former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is on a feeding tube as the result of a hunger strike.
"No, corpsman, I said big tube, BI-G-G-G feeding tube!"
Snow told the daily press briefing Saddam agreed to be put on a feeding tube but said he did not know whether the procedure was performed at the detention facility where Saddam is being held or whether the former Iraqi leader had been hospitalized.
Saddam has been refusing solid food since July 7 but has been drinking water and coffee, and taking vitamins. "His health is not in jeopardy," Snow said.
My professional ethics won't let me say what I really think ...
Snow said the feeding tube would be in at least 72 hours.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Here, try this Jamitall
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 0:34 Comments ||
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I think they should use the big tube. And next time, just for this guy, put it in from the other end, would you?
A small story here, that Iraqi college kids from Anbar have the means and the motivation to help their fellow countrymen. Unless of course, they are being directed by the Iranians or the Learned Elders of Islam...
Hosts of college students from the west Anbar governorate of Iraq are spending their summer holidays doing volunteer work in hospitals, clinics and camps for displaced persons.
"We can't just sit back and watch conditions deteriorate without offering some help, especially given the current lack of professionals," says Othman Bakr, a 24-year-old student of medicine from Ramadi.
The Ministry of Displacement and Migration reported last month that more than 150,000 Iraqis had been displaced countrywide due to sectarian violence. Many NGOs devoted to the relief effort, meanwhile, have complained about a serious lack of supplies and assistance.
Continued on Page 49
When was the last time they had a "Day of Pleasant"? Maybe they should try that. In Paleostine every day's a day of rage.
Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region scheduled for later this week, accusing Washington of backing Israel's military campaigns against Hamas and Hizbullah. Leaflets distributed in the West Bank and Gaza by representatives of several Palestinian factions called for a "day of rage" [a euphemism for violent protests] against Rice's visit. The groups also called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to refrain from meeting with Rice.
"We reject Rice's visit to the Middle East and we will expose its real goals," read the leaflets, signed by the National and Islamic Forces in Palestine. "This visit comes in the wake of Israel's US-backed comprehensive aggression against the Palestinians and Lebanese."
The factions accused Israel of waging a war of "genocide" against the Palestinians and Lebanese after receiving a green light from the US administration. They also strongly condemned the US for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel for its offensive operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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This word you are using, "genocide". I do not think it means what you think it means.
Posted by: Baba Tutu ||
07/25/2006 0:52 Comments ||
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Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
What about the impact to your economy? Oh, nevermind.
We reject Rice's visit to the Middle East and we will expose its real goals
What, peace and prosperity? Children not blinded by hatred bequeathed to them by their parents? Oh the horror!
genocide
If it was genocide they were after, you wouldn't be complaining so freely right now.
They also strongly condemned the US for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel for its offensive operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
Oh yeah, sort of forgot about Gaza there for a minute. I'll come back to check it out after they're done with Hezballah.
#10
Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region
#13
"We urge you, therefore, to appoint a high-level Special Envoy to the Middle East without further delay.
"I did. Her name's Condi."
Posted by: Mike ||
07/25/2006 15:14 Comments ||
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#14
Baba Tutu-
You know, it strikes me that the reason these idiots keep screaming 'genocide' at the Israelis is because they know the Israelis truly understand what that means...and one of these days they're gonna send some of it back.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/25/2006 16:33 Comments ||
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Three prominent Jordanian Islamist deputies went on trial on Monday on charges of sowing national discord by visiting the family of slain al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. Mohammad Abu Faris, Ali Abu al-Sukar and Jaafar Hourani all denied charges of stirring up "internal strife and national divisions" by paying their respects to the family of Jordanian born Zarqawi after his death last month. They were among hundreds who went to a tent set up by Zarqawi's family in his birthplace to welcome hundreds of sympathisers.
The three defendants, senior members of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, were arrested on June 12, a day after their visit. They did not enjoy parliamentary immunity because parliament was in recess. Abu Faris, alleged to have described Zarqawi as a "martyr," told the military court "I am not guilty and I made no speeches when I offered condolences."
The government said the visit was an affront to the feelings of most Jordanians, including relatives of 60 people killed in three hotel bombings in the capital Amman last November that Zarqawi claimed to have ordered. The government said it had arrested the legislators after a lawsuit was filed by the families of some victims of the hotel bombings. The Islamists said the deputies' visit to Zarqawi's family was in line with Muslim tradition and did not mean they supported indiscriminate killings of civilians. They accused the government of using the visit as a pretext to step up a state campaign to curb the organisation's growing influence.
The government has been alarmed by the mainstream Islamist movement's more vocal role since its ally, the militant Palestinian movement Hamas, swept to power in last January's Palestinian elections. The IAF, with 17 deputies in the 110-member assembly, has called for sweeping political reforms, including an elected government and changes in an electoral law that works against their chances of gaining political control.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - A militant Islamic group has filed a police report against Indonesia's Miss Universe candidate accusing her of indecency, a lawyer for the organization said Tuesday. Nadine Chandrawinata's participation in the contest and display of her body in a swimsuit there "is actually insulting for Indonesian dignity and women," Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) attorney Sugito told Reuters.
"It offends our dignity! She's practically nekkid out there, and you can see her .. her .. those .. those things on her chest .. and .. those heavenly .. oh, I've got to go .. shoot my gun!"
Chandrawinata did not make it to the finals of the Sunday competition in Los Angeles, which was won by Miss Puerto Rico, but she had drawn heavy media coverage in Indonesia, partly because of her mixed Indonesian-German parentage and Eurasian looks.
Sugito said FPI had also filed complaints against four people involved in sponsoring and organizing Chandrawinata's participation. "I am worried that Nadine is only victim of their ambition," he said.
"She'd never do such a thing on her own! She's a respectable girl, the kind you'd take home to mother! ... 'cause Dad would steal her from me ... "
Under Indonesian law, police would have to investigate whether there was sufficient evidence for a case under the complaint, and if so, turn their findings over to prosecutors for a decision on whether it merited going to court. The offences involved carry potential sentences ranging from two to six years in jail, Sugito said, adding that the posing requirements of the competition offended the standards not just of Islam but other religions.
"We haven't heard yet from the infidels, but we're sure they were offended! They'd have to be if they're anything like us!"
A government decree against participation in beauty contests issued when strongman Suharto was president is still technically in effect in Indonesia, although in practice it has been disregarded since he lost power in 1998.
FPI has filed complaints with the police on other issues previously, while critics say it encourages such vigilante tactics as attacking bars selling alcohol during the Muslim fasting period.
And there's no busybody like an Islamic vice cop ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 16:40 ||
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I'd like to file against Miss Indonesia
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 18:32 Comments ||
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#2
I'd prefer to offer her asylum. I'm diplomatic like that.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/25/2006 19:22 Comments ||
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#3
Huh! huh! shes a gurl look!
Posted by: Ministry of vice and virtue ||
07/25/2006 20:07 Comments ||
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#6
I agree with the FPI. If the muslims think there are 73 of these waiting for them just over the final border we're going to get even more suicide bombers.
The Lebanese ambassador to Ankara yesterday welcomed Turkey's possible contribution to an international peacekeeping force that may be deployed as part of an Israeli-Lebanese cease-fire plan, saying, "We believe Ankara would be successful in such a mission."
Maybe. Just maybe...
Ambassador Georges Siam made the remarks ahead of Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to Rome today for a key meeting on Middle East peace. Gul will participate in the conference on Wednesday at which an Israeli-Lebanese cease-fire, the deployment of an international peace force and humanitarian aid will be the main topics. Turkish sources say Ankara is ready to take responsibility but also stress that whether Turkey can lead or join this force will be clearer following discussions in Rome.
I'd put them in charge, they put a lot of value on Turkish honor.
During a visit by Arab ambassadors and other high-level diplomats to the Lebanese Embassy yesterday, Ambassador Siam expressed his country's willingness to see Turkey in such a force. "As of now there's no internationally agreed on plan for the formation of a force to be sent to Lebanon," he said. "However such a plan, including the modality of the establishment of such forces, could be made at the Rome conference. Why and how it will be deployed will also depend on the agreement among the parties at the Rome meeting."
Ambassadors and diplomats of Arab countries, including Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Egypt, Oman, Libya, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Algeria, yesterday conveyed their support for and solidarity with Lebanon during a visit to the Lebanese ambassador at his residence. Delivering a speech at the meeting on behalf of Arab countries, Tunisian Ambassador to Ankara Mohammed Lessir expressed their countries' anger, condemnation and sorrow over developments in Lebanon and lambasted the international community's silence in the wake of the humanitarian tragedy as a result of Israel's attacks.
Siam, for his part, thanked the Arab countries and Turkey for their support for the Lebanese people and government and for the humanitarian assistance given to the region. Calling for an immediate cease-fire and an end to the "inhuman attacks," Siam said, "Peace and stability can't be attained through brutal use of force." Underlining the need to end violence in the region for the Lebanese government to regain sovereignty over its territory, Siam also urged the international community to contribute to humanitarian aid that will be given to his country.
Asked whether the international force planned for the region could contribute to efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Lebanese ambassador stressed that the weapons of the Lebanese government are the only legitimate weapons in the country. "There won't be any other forces or weapons after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the release of the abductees," he added.
That's the only way it would work.
Turkish officials on Monday expressed Ankara' readiness to take responsibility but also stressed that whether Turkey could lead or join such a force would become clearer following discussions in Rome. Turkey has to date made significant contributions to United Nations- and NATO-led peace keeping operations in Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia and Afghanistan.
Turkish sources said yesterday that for the country to make a decision the details of the Lebanese mission should be made clearer. Pointing out that as to whether the force would be charged with disarming Hezbollah or not hasn't been determined yet, sources expressed Turkey's reservations about such a mission since this might push a peacekeeping force into an armed conflict with the Hezbollah militant group.
It would, and I don't think Hezbollah would like the results
Another reservation held by Turkey -- a country with good relations with both Lebanon and Israel -- is that a participation in an international force could be understood by either side as a move that could harm relations.
If Turkey acted as an honest broker, and kept the peace it could only help their standing
Amid debates over Turkish participation in such an international force, Foreign Minister Gul will leave Turkey today to participate in the conference in which Italy and the U.S. are both taking the lead at a foreign ministerial-level meeting, which will also bring scores of dignitaries to Rome to focus on reaching an agreement on the political foundation of a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia.
"There are three key topics at the meeting hosted by Italy: Humanitarian aid; the possible deployment of an international force to Lebanon; and, of course, an Israeli-Lebanese cease-fire," Italian Ambassador to Turkey Carlo Marsili told The New Anatolian on Sunday. A final declaration is expected to be made at the end of the half-day conference on Wednesday at the Italian Foreign Ministry, he added. The declaration may claer the fog over the modalities of a possible peace force, the planning of which is in the early stages.
According to an article published in the Washington Post, officials said they anticipate it will include some 10,000 to 20,000 troops led by a contingent from France or Turkey. In addition to Turkey and France, nations that might send military units include Italy, Brazil, Pakistan, India, and Germany, officials in Washington and at the UN said, according to the daily.
This just might work. Turkey having a common border with Hezbollah's patrons, Syria and Iran, could also help.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/25/2006 13:31 ||
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only problem - the "moderate arabs" (IE the govts of Egypt, Jordan and KSA) who have been leaning against Hezb, are historically kinda nervous about Turkey. Depends if their fear of Iran is strong enough to overcome that.
#2
...Y'now, this might just be something, especially if we offered logistical support (initial transport, the Turkish AF can haul all the supplies they'll need), we can say we're supporting a cease-fire..
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/25/2006 16:21 Comments ||
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A vision of a new Middle East emerging from the conflict in Lebanon as outlined by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice drew ridicule on Monday from mainstream Arab analysts and former Arab diplomats. Several of them said the United States and Israel had little if any chance of achieving their stated goals of disarming Hezbollah and deploying the Lebanese army or an international buffer force along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier. "I think it's preposterous. From the beginning this is a plan that cannot be achieved," former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher told Reuters.
In the meantime, by giving the green light to an Israeli offensive which has killed more than 300 civilians and done damage worth billions of dollars, the United States has helped stir up hatred and extremism in a troubled region, they say. Rice said that on her trip to the Middle East, which began on Monday, she would not try to restore the status quo which existed before a Hezbollah raid into Israel this month. "What we're seeing here, in a sense, is ... the birth pangs of a new Middle East and, whatever we do, we have to be certain that we're pushing forward to the new Middle East, not going back to the old one," she added.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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Excellent!
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 0:36 Comments ||
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#2
Okay-y-y-y-y-y-y-y - IDF, youse heard "da Men", keep on rolling and warrin' In Lebanon and towards Syria like there's no tomorrow. Israel mus look to itsef, and no longer care about regional Muslims whom demand to be Iranians and Moudians and controlled from Iran. Who is Israel and America to stop people whom demand to be enlaved. No cheatsies, D *** it, no cutting in line to be first into the gulags, guillotines, execution chambers, rape rooms and death camps. The French had better provide a working guillotine wid the sharpest, best head-choppping blade possible iff they don't want Iran to attack.
#3
Okay-y-y-y-y-y-y-y - IDF, youse heard "da Men", keep on rolling and warrin' In Lebanon and towards Syria like there's no tomorrow. Israel mus look to itsef, and no longer care about regional Muslims whom demand to be Iranians and Moudians and controlled from Iran. Who is Israel and America to stop people whom demand to be enlaved. No cheatsies, D *** it, no cutting in line to be first into the gulags, guillotines, execution chambers, rape rooms and death camps. The French had better provide a working guillotine wid the sharpest, best head-choppping blade possible iff they don't want Iran to attack.
#7
Full details of the new initiative won't be released until later today. So far it looks like something Karen Hughes dreamed up. However, I promise to soak it in with an open mind and pro-military attitude.
#11
Well the plan IS preposterous, but not for the reasons outlined by the Arabs. It will take no less than the TOTAL DESTRUCTION of militant Islam to bring lasting peace to the Middle East. Any plan that fails to encompass this harsh truth is preposterous indeed.
#13
My goodness, the writer of this article didn't have an agenda did they?
Has anyone reminded this moron that the Hezbollah psychopaths don't wear uniforms?
Same dim light bulb that reports on the number of "civilians" killed when the US engages some foreign fighters in Iraq.
Not two brain cells of common sense in the entire press corps covering the middle east.
Not to mention that they are so bound by hate for Bush and his administration that any support for Isreal will draw an immediate knee jerk negative press.
And Reuters???? what a bunch of yellow press rumor mongers. How many "former" foreign ministers did they have to interview to find this guy? Or maybe he's on retainer? "Hey we need to have something negative to say about the peace plan!!! Go find Ahmed and get some tape. He's ALWAYS good for some anti-US rhetoric".
#18
Is it more preposterous than Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran, Syria, ect... mission statement that Israel will be driven into the sea?
I wonder what old Mubarak would say to that question. MTF
I think this is a little of the Arabs own medicine of useless negotiations with insane demands while the war continues.
I think we will see Israel slowly secure the south. That was one lesson we learned from Iraq the blitz on Baghdad was great for military history and conquest of Iraqi government but a slower invasion would have allowed the total destruction of the Bathist hard cores during the main warfare stage. In the shock and awe they just spontaneously disbanded and ran home to fight another day.
My prediction:
Once Israel cleanses the south of all who are willing to fight I think we will see a push into the Beeka. Then the real show will start because whether Syria jumps in early or is drug in when Hezbollah runs across the border into Syria with the Israeli's in hot pursuit from above it will be on. Iran will jump and we will jump. If we havent already destroyed the Mehdi/Badgr Armies by then they will jump and be decimated while our air force hammers Iran in prep for phase 3 of the WOT.
Plug your nose, it's a NY Slimes article
Support is building quickly for an international military force to be placed in southern Lebanon, but there remains a small problem: where will the troops come from?
All the politicians are saying, Great, great to the idea of a force, but no one is saying whose soldiers will be on the ground, said one senior European official. Everyone will volunteer to be in charge of the logistics in Cyprus.
There has been strong verbal support for such a force in public, but also private concerns that soldiers would be seen as allied to Israel and would have to fight Hezbollah guerrillas who do not want foreigners, let alone the Lebanese Army, coming between themselves and the Israelis.
There is also the burden of history. France which has called the idea of a force premature and the United States are haunted by their last participation in a multinational force in Lebanon after the Israeli invasion in 1982, when they became belligerents in the Lebanese civil war and tangled fatally with Hezbollah.
Sounds like another job for the African Union...
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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This is the strong point of proposals for a peacekeeping force. By the time this one is assembled there may actually be a peace to keep.
#2
NYT crappola: They withdrew in defeat after Hezbollahs suicide bombing of a Marine barracks in Beirut in October 1983, which killed 241 Marines and 56 French soldiers.
Hizb kicked out asses last time! We can't tangle with them again [wringing hands].
Israels own public position toward an international force has been welcoming, but skeptical, insisting that the force be capable of military missions, not just peace-keeping.
LOL, apparently peace-keeping has nothing to do with military missions, so remind me again how you keep belligerents apart?
COLOMBO - Sri Lanka on Monday sought help in evacuating thousands of workers trapped in Lebanon, amid claims by some housemaids their employers tried to stop them leaving by holding on to passports and wages.Government officials said most of the 80,000 Sri Lankans working in the Middle Eastern country -- mainly as housemaids, truck drivers and child-minders -- had opted to remain behind.
"That's it! I'm not staying in Lebanon to get blown up! I can go home for that!"
However, there were also complaints from dozens of workers that their employers were refusing to pay them or return their passports in a bid to prevent them from leaving their jobs. At least 30 complaints were received by a single official at the Foreign Employment Bureau here accusing Lebanese employers of trying forcibly to keep back Sri Lankan maids by holding on to their passports or wages.
I have spoken to some of the employers directly and told them of the contractual obligations and that they must allow the maids to leave, the official said on condition of anonymity.
"But who's going to clean up this mess?!"
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which on Saturday helped repatriate 270 men and women who had sought shelter in the Sri Lankan embassy in Beirut, said it was preparing to shift another 1,470 Sri Lankans.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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RIYADH - The 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said on Monday it backed efforts to place an international force in southern Lebanon and an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel. (OIC) affirms the need for an immediate ceasefire followed by a prisoner swap and setting up an international force under the United Nations to ensure disengagement, the worlds biggest Islamic body, based in Saudi Arabia, said in a statement.
Just the camel's nose under the tent to get what the Hezbies really want, a prisoner exchange.
OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said other U.N. resolutions concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict should also be implemented. U.N. resolution 1559 is one of many Security Council resolutions that have not been implemented yet ... International law should not be cut up and dealt with in a selective manner like this, Ihsanoglu said in the statement.
"Unless it favors Muslim countries," he added softly.
He also accused Israel of committing war crimes in a blitz of Lebanon which was intended to punish guerrilla group Hezbollah for capturing and killing Israeli soldiers.
It's almost like the OIC and the Euro left coordinated their talking points ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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BRUSSELS - Several European Union countries are ready to contribute to a peace force for Lebanon but problems remain in ensuring it can fulfil its mission, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday. Its a real possibility. It is not an easy force to deploy but we have been working since Wednesday to try to construct a concept that would make it possible to deploy under the umbrella of the UN Security Council, Solana said after meeting Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri in Brussels.
I think several member states of the European Union will be ready to provide all necessasry assistance, he told a joint news conference. He declined to say who would be responsible for disarming Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.
Who? The Belgians? The Swedes? Maybe the Austrians. How 'bout those Slovakians?
And better yet, who picks up the tab?
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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And more important who's going to airlift them there?
Posted by: Fred ||
07/25/2006 00:00 ||
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Friend in DoD told me there is a world wide tanker shortage because there is so much oil on the market all the storage sites are filled and there is no where to land new stuff! So the tankers sail around in circles waiting. He also says we are at 6 year high in stored product and stored crude. No one in his office can figgure out whey the price is staying so high... unless 'free market' is a lie
#2
Prices must not be high enough though, since consumption is also at an all-time I (I think I heard that on the radio this morning). Parking lot rates are at an all-time high here, so more people are driving themselves to work. Alone, as best I can tell. When people start changing their driving habits I'll start listening to the complaints about gas prices.
#3
Perhaps it's a refining issue, Thruper Anguting5296? Although I imagine concern that the Israel/Lebanon war will spread throughout the region might have something to do with it...
#4
Well, hell, it ain't me. I've been walking to work (six mile round trip) since April. 'Course, half of that is for the exercise, but you know - it's nice to not be paying hand over fist for gas.
And when I have to go somewhere out of walking range, I drive a Korean subcompact. I get 40 mpg if everything's in working order.
Hee hee hee...
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/25/2006 8:20 Comments ||
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#6
CA's central coast must be in another country or something. We haven't seen gas at $3 per gallon for quite some time. (Been noticing a lot of used larger trucks and SUVs for sale lately.)
Posted by: SLO Jim ||
07/25/2006 11:43 Comments ||
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#7
What I don't understand is how we let this thing happen:
1)The more Iran and others act like maniacs, the higher the price goes.
2)The higher the price goes, the more money these maniacs make.
3) repeat.
Why would we expect Iran to start behaving? We obviously need to kill the head of the snake.
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
07/25/2006 11:48 Comments ||
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#8
Poison: northern Appalachia. Valley and ridge country. I'm not big on heat, dry or otherwise. Thankfully, it's been a relatively cool summer up here in ridgerunnin' country.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/25/2006 13:42 Comments ||
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#9
When I was stationed in Europe in the 70s that about what the locals paid on the open market. Most of which was tax. [Then again, if you want to see the price drop significantly, drop federal-state-local tax on each part of the process it takes to get to your tank. However, that would mean government giving up IT'S dependency upon oil. Heh]
#11
Gas pricing has everything to do with how much the customers can pay and little to do with cost. The customers in SLO can not afford to pay as mcuh as the ones in San Jose and Malibu. So they don't get charged as much. It would be interesting to look at the maps of the oil company pricing zones and see to what they are correlated.
#12
Actually, I may have been unintentionally vague: what I meant was we last paid $3 per gallon quite a while ago and now pay much more (I paid $3.45 yesterday at a service station -- Costco is a bit lower at about $3.30).
Posted by: SLO Jim ||
07/25/2006 18:10 Comments ||
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#13
I wonder what they're charging in the Bay Area. CS?
#14
Poison, did it last year in Phoenix. 8 block walk, it was actually quicker than driving and dealing with the stupid parking garage designed by someone who had never driven a car in his or her miserable little life.
#15
In May when the prices were a bit lower I went from $200 a month in my 10 year old Dakota to $60 a month in my Toyota Yaris Sedan. I was thinking of getting a Prius or some other hybrid (like all the cool kids), but the 5 extra mpg didn't justify the extra $6000+ on the sticker price.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/25/2006 21:21 Comments ||
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#16
In my home town the high prices did get people to cut back on driving and gas use. Enough so that the cities' gas tax income dropped a bunch. So they raised the gas taxes. Can't win fer losin'.
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.
(SomaliNet) Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade, member of Somali parliament and Adam Mohamed Saran-Sor, among leaders of RRA (Rahanwein Resistance Army) who both in Sudanese capital of Khartoum are due to arrive in Somalia capital Mogadishu in next few days. Reliable sources say on Sunday. 
(SomaliNet) In a bid to block the ongoing arrangements to replace the African Union troops there with international forces, the Sudanese government considering an alternative of deploying Arab and Muslim troops in the region of Darfur, Sudan Tribune reported. The plan is being prepared by the Sudanese security and intelligence organs as well the armed forces, London based Asharq Alawsat daily news paper revealed. 
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, whose country abandoned weapons of mass destruction programs in 2003, said that at one stage Libya had come close to building a nuclear bomb, the Libyan news agency reported on Monday. It was the first time any Libyan official has confirmed that the north African country of more than five million had been trying to build a nuclear bomb.
North Korea said on Monday its test-firing of missiles this month was conducted in a "completely safe" way because it made sure ships and aircraft were not in the area before the launch. North Korea, which ignored international warnings not to conduct the tests, gave notice to its ships to stay out of waters east of the Korean peninsula a few days before the launch, South Korean government officials said. "The DPRK (North Korea) launched missiles only after airspace, land and waters of the sea had been confirmed to be completely safe. Their launches, therefore, hurt neither ships nor civilian planes, nor anyone," its KCNA news agency reported.
The man known as the Spanish taliban has been freed from prison after a court overturned a verdict that he was guilty of belonging to Al Qaeda. Hamed Abderrahmán Ahmed was sentenced to six years prison by the National Court in Spain. He had been extradited to Spain from the USA on February 2004 after spending two-and-a-half years in the controversial prison camp Guantanamo in Cuba. The Supreme Court ruled that there was a total absence of proof to show that the defendant was a member of Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda. The court said the resident from Ceuta in the Spanish part of Morocco had had his right to the presumption of innocence breached.
The Muslims of California have been outraged by a highly partisan Sunday rally led by Governor 
A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush's signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.
WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- Democratic senators say they 
From Lookout Point at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, you see some of the most spectacular views in the New York metropolitan area. No wonder that early settlers used it as a surveying station and that in the Revolutionary War, Washingtons army set up a post there to chart British movements. Today, the point reveals an unobstructed view of New Yorks skyline 15 miles awaywhich is why Essex County officials chose it as the site for a September 11 memorial. Opened barely a year after 9/11, the $1.2 million, privately financed memorial features a bronze sculpture of an American eagle in flight, inscriptions of the names of all those who died on 9/11, and individual tributes to rescue workers. In its first year, the site attracted some 75,000 visitors, and it continues to draw thousands seeking to remember the dead, to contemplate the heroic acts and sacrifices of that day, and to recall the Manhattan skyline back when the Twin Towers graced it.
The North Waziristan administration ordered the release of 25 tribesmen after a grand tribal jirga met senior government officials on Monday. A senior administration official said the tribesmen's release orders were issued after Chief Administrator Dr Fakhar Alam met the jirga. "Seventeen tribesmen have already been released and the rest will be released by Monday evening," the official said.
Pakistan warned India on Monday against any hot pursuit inside its territory on the pretext of fighting terrorism, saying that such a move would be a mistake. Pakistan will not allow hot pursuit into its territory or Azad Kashmir, Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said at a weekly press briefing. Commenting on reports that India was considering the policy of hot pursuit, she said that it was highly irresponsible to publish such reports, as hot pursuit was not an option. The only option is to hold talks, she said.
Iraq has completed repairs to one of two sabotaged oil pipelines that export crude from its northern fields to Turkey and aims to restart the flow this week, Iraqs oil minister said on Sunday. We completed the repairs today, Oil Minister 
Via written questions and answers passed back and forth by trusted intermediaries in Iraq, Time has conducted the first-ever Western media interview with Izzat al-Douri, former lieutenant of Saddam Hussein and the most senior member of the Ba'athist regime still at large. Today, al-Douri is America's most wanted Iraqi fugitive, and a leading figure in the Iraqi insurgency. 
Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region scheduled for later this week, accusing Washington of backing Israel's military campaigns against Hamas and Hizbullah. Leaflets distributed in the West Bank and Gaza by representatives of several Palestinian factions called for a "day of rage" [a euphemism for violent protests] against Rice's visit. The groups also called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to refrain from meeting with Rice. 
Three prominent Jordanian Islamist deputies went on trial on Monday on charges of sowing national discord by visiting the family of slain al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. Mohammad Abu Faris, Ali Abu al-Sukar and Jaafar Hourani all denied charges of stirring up "internal strife and national divisions" by paying their respects to the family of Jordanian born Zarqawi after his death last month. They were among hundreds who went to a tent set up by Zarqawi's family in his birthplace to welcome hundreds of sympathisers.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - A militant Islamic group has filed a police report against Indonesia's Miss Universe candidate accusing her of indecency, a lawyer for the organization said Tuesday. Nadine Chandrawinata's participation in the contest and display of her body in a swimsuit there "is actually insulting for Indonesian dignity and women," Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) attorney Sugito told Reuters.
A vision of a new Middle East emerging from the conflict in Lebanon as outlined by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice drew ridicule on Monday from mainstream Arab analysts and former Arab diplomats. Several of them said the United States and Israel had little if any chance of achieving their stated goals of disarming Hezbollah and deploying the Lebanese army or an international buffer force along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier. "I think it's preposterous. From the beginning this is a plan that cannot be achieved," former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher told Reuters. 
COLOMBO - Sri Lanka on Monday sought help in evacuating thousands of workers trapped in Lebanon, amid claims by some housemaids their employers tried to stop them leaving by holding on to passports and wages.Government officials said most of the 80,000 Sri Lankans working in the Middle Eastern country -- mainly as housemaids, truck drivers and child-minders -- had opted to remain behind.
RIYADH - The 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said on Monday it backed efforts to place an international force in southern Lebanon and an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel. (OIC) affirms the need for an immediate ceasefire followed by a prisoner swap and setting up an international force under the United Nations to ensure disengagement, the worlds biggest Islamic body, based in Saudi Arabia, said in a statement.
BRUSSELS - Several European Union countries are ready to contribute to a peace force for Lebanon but problems remain in ensuring it can fulfil its mission, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday. Its a real possibility. It is not an easy force to deploy but we have been working since Wednesday to try to construct a concept that would make it possible to deploy under the umbrella of the UN Security Council, Solana said after meeting Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri in Brussels.
