The thousands of international and local non-governmental organisations operating in Afghanistan have largely failed to deliver effective assistance to the Afghan people, according to Dr Ramazan Bashar Dost, the controversial planning minister in President Hamed Karzai's current government... Bashar Dost highlighted article 3 of the proposed statute, which would prohibit NGOs from profiting from the funds they receive for reconstruction work.
Taking the money out of the charity game? Tusk tusk.
Provisions in the draft law, he said, would prevent NGOs from spending excessive amounts of money on themselves. For example, he said, "They can use a car costing 12,000 US dollars instead of using a 40,000 dollar car."
There is a certain amount of resentment in Afghanistan directed toward the "white Land Cruiser crowd", as NGO workers are sometimes known. Bashar Dost said that when an NGO receives funds, either from a government or a non-governmental source, they must distribute most of those funds to the people of Afghanistan. He says out of 4.5 billion dollars pledged to Afghanistan by international donors at the Tokyo conference last year, about a third has been allocated to international NGOs, the same again to the United Nations, and the roughly one third directly to the government of Afghanistan. "I have yet to see an NGO that has spent 80 per cent of its money for the benefit of the Afghans and 20 per cent for their own benefit," Bashar Dost said. "International NGOs get big amounts of money from their own nations just by showing them sensitive pictures and videos of Afghan people, and there are even some individuals who give all their salaries to NGOs to spend it on charity here, but they [NGOs] spend all the money on themselves, and we are unable to find out how much money they originally received in charitable funds," he said.
He also criticised NGOs - which are tax exempt - for getting privileged access to government contracts that tax-paying commercial companies should have won. He believes they have inside access to contracts because of their close relationships with government officials, including ministers, some of who were formerly their employees. At the same time, he said, many qualified government employees have gone to work for NGOs where the salaries are higher. "We want the reconstruction carried out economically, and to be handled by private companies which are be under the control and supervision of the government," said Bashar Dost. "Donors should contract directly with the companies — this is the rule all over the world..."
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/16/2004 17:32 Comments ||
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These guys (the Afghans, not the NGO's) really seem to be getting their act together. Hats off to the ones who walked twenty miles to vote.
Posted by: Matt ||
11/16/2004 17:55 Comments ||
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I tip my hat to you Dr. Dost, you are an insightful man indeed. I love it that the Afghan government only gets 1/3 of 4.5 billion, whilst those leeches at the UN get another 1/3 and the NGOs get the rest! Shameful...
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
11/16/2004 18:08 Comments ||
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Britain has modified it's earlier plan to increase it's SAS commando force by 80 men. Britain will form a new organization in its Special Forces, the SRU (Search and Reconnaissance Unit). The new unit will have 200 personnel and is being formed around an existing (and little reported on) unit; 14 Intelligence Company. This outfit belongs to the army and was formed for counter-terrorism operations in Northern Ireland. The SRU will operate on a global scale, tracking terrorists wherever they may be. Currently there are 400 SAS commandos, and 200 SBS (similar to American SEALs) commandos. The SRU will be directed at counter-terrorism work, and will seek to recruit Moslems and Arabic speakers. While SAS and SBS are known mainly for their commando operations, a lot of what they do is collecting information, often by sneaking into remote or hostile areas and staying put for weeks, or months, at a time. In many respects, the British Special Forces are rather like secret agents who happen to spend most of their time in uniform, and have a license to kill.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 10:24:42 AM ||
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#1
I did some research and found a list of the various licenses: Link
#4
I'm ok with recruiting Arabic speakers, but not Moslems. I think that they would be watched *very* closely by others in the unit...
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
11/16/2004 12:12 Comments ||
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The vetting procedure would pick out any flaws in character Tony . And I think you will find that Hereford has already got a few chaps from middle eastern descent. I know Lympstone has .
Police and intelligence agencies have prevented international terrorists from striking Britain by disrupting their planned attacks, but the danger isn't over and the need to stay vigilant remains, top security officials said Sunday. "Al-Qaida and the international network is seen to be, and will be demonstrated through the courts over months to come, to be actually on our doorstep and threatening our lives," Home Secretary David Blunkett told British Broadcasting Corp. TV. He was referring to several terror suspects expected to go on trial in the coming year. "They may be found not guilty. But our security and policing services have been securing our well-being over the last few years," said Blunkett, who is in charge of law enforcement.
Earlier Sunday, Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Stevens said London's police have "thwarted a number of attacks." "There's a large number of people going through the courts," he told BBC TV. "We can't talk about the details of that, which is slightly frustrating. But we have had considerable successes and that's been the result of working extremely hard with the intelligence services." Discussing the cases of alleged terrorists in detail could compromise any future trial, Stevens has said previously. Five days after the March 11 train bombings in Madrid, Stevens said a terrorist attack in Britain was "inevitable." On Sunday, he said the terrorist threat remained "real." "When I said attacks were inevitable, during that period of time there was an attack taking place on London. But we are there to ensure that that attack does not take place, and thank God up to date we have been successful," he said. Stevens said cooperation between European countries on combating terrorism had improved "massively" in the last nine months.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 3:50:07 AM ||
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George Galloway, the MP, told the High Court yesterday he would have been a "fool, a knave, a thief and corrupt" if he had solicited money from Saddam Hussein for his own enrichment. Case closed?
On the opening day of his libel action against The Daily Telegraph, he described allegations that he was in the pay of the former Iraqi leader as "a deeply wounding dagger through my political heart". Makes it sound as though he's got another. Perjury!
The MP for Glasgow Kelvin is suing over a series of articles published in April 2003, based on documents the newspaper claims were found in a bombed-out ministry building in Baghdad after the fall of Saddam's regime. Mr Galloway claims the newspaper did not act responsibly in publishing the documents and that the articles alleged he had "been in the pay of Saddam Hussein and his regime, secretly receiving at least £375,000 a year from it". He told Mr Justice Eady, hearing the case without a jury, that the articles claimed he had made "very substantial profits" through the "Oil for Food" programme: "Apparently I received 10 to 15 cents per barrel of 3 million barrels of oil every six months." They also alleged that he had met an Iraqi intelligence officer and asked for "even more" money, and that he had used his "Mariam Appeal" - a campaign fund - as a front to conceal his secret commercial dealings. Mr Galloway said there was not a "scintilla" of evidence to prove the allegations, which were "incredibly damaging". No "scintilla of evidence" besides the undisputed documents, that is...
The Daily Telegraph denies libel and is claiming a "Reynolds qualified privilege defence". Named after the case in which it was first developed, involving Albert Reynolds, the former Irish premier, it revolves around whether it was responsible journalism and in the public interest for the newspaper to publish the contents of documents on which the story was based. James Price QC, for The Daily Telegraph, said a "striking" fact of the case was that there was "no issue, no dispute" as to the authenticity of the documents. Galloway's disputing a story concerning the contents of documents he doesn't dispute are authentic?
The documents are real, but inaccurate. /dan rather
He said that at the time of publication, the facts of the war in Iraq "were of unmatched public importance". He added: "It follows that public interest in being informed on them was of the very highest."
Posted by: Bulldog ||
11/16/2004 4:06:28 AM ||
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#1
Fingers crossed for this jerk's conviction and public humiliation.
#4
IIRC (and I'm sure someone will point out if I don't), there really is some doubt about Galloway's direct involvement, and most of the money handling was done by a Jordanian intermediary. Was that guy a pawn, to be burned by Mr. Galloway, or was he abusing his position by helping himself? We don't know yet.
#5
Galloway has always abused his positions of authority , look no further than his liasons with Fidel Castro.
'The high-living MP, accused of taking £375,000 a year from Saddam Hussein to promote Iraq's murderous regime, travelled to Cuba and strutted the dirt-poor streets of Havana with a wallet full of cash in his Hugo Boss suits.
Believing he was safe from the eyes of his constituents, he took a secret mistress and splashed out money like water.
That lover, Judy Lonchan Lopez, said last night: "George was very important in Cuba. I'm not surprised he was friends with Saddam, because he was close to Fidel Castro."
Back home in Britain he was still married to first wife Elaine and already seeing the woman who would become wife No.2âstriking Palestinian Dr Amineh Abu-Zayyadwe. '
Although the source for that info can be classed as dubious (from news of world investigaotrs) , I expect there is an element of truth ( understatement) , as I dont think the News of the World would publish something like this that wouldnt stand up in the High Courts
Basically he's a lying treasonous scumbag , and deserves nothing better than a public hanging :)
#7
Interesting snippet on our Mr Galloway, MacNails - Thx! Sounds the right wanker and arrogant dickhead, if you'll forgive my mixing nomenclatura, heh.
Good morning to you - I'm about to crash - see you in 4 or 5 hours! Regards...
Edited for brevity.
Activists of the Russian Union of Soldiers' Mothers Committees have said they plan to meet Chechen separatist envoy Akhmed Zakayev to discuss stopping the bloodshed in Chechnya. Zakayev currently lives in Britain where he has been granted political asylum. Valentina Melnikova, the organization's executive secretary, said the meeting was authorized by Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov and would take place on Nov. 23 or 24 in Brussels, Interfax news agency reported Tuesday. "The main goal of the talks is to find a way out of the Chechen impasse and to stop the bloodshed in Chechnya," Valentina Melnikova said. The pro-Moscow Chechen leadership has criticized the initiative. "Not a single sober-minded person will sit at a negotiating table with terrorists known throughout the world," First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov told Interfax.
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 10:50:50 AM ||
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âNot a single sober-minded person will sit at a negotiating table with terrorists known throughout the worldâ
True. Ramzan Kadyrov knows what he's talking about. 3/4 of Russian population drink vodka instead of voda (water).
No direct link, but check out the cartoon Robert Koehler has posted on his Marmot Hole site: Condi as catwoman, with Iran and North Korea reacting. Heh.
North Korean refugees may be trying out Russia as an escape route now that China is taking a harder line, a Seoul official said on Tuesday after a second asylum-seeker entered a consulate in Vladivostok. The Reuters news agency reports that Hwang Dae-soo, a North Korean who worked as a translator at a construction site in the Russian Far East, entered South Korea's consulate in Vladivostok and was seeking political asylum. The agency quoted South Korean activist Douglas Shin as reporting the news. Shin, who leads a group helping North Korean refugees, said Hwang was in the consulate building after first being refused entry by South Korean diplomats on Monday. China has been the most popular route by far for North Koreans fleeing the impoverished communist state. But it was possible Russia was being tested as an alternate route now that China was taking a harder line on North Korean refugees on its territory, a South Korean official said.
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 10:32:06 AM ||
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Forgot to add "edited for brevity"--more at link.
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 10:51 Comments ||
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#2
They should turn Vlodivostok into a pseudo-Hong Kong. Liberal trade laws and allow any Chinese or North Koreans that can make it into the city as Citizens. Might revitalize the Russian far-East.
#3
Won't happen. Vladivostok is the most corrupt city in a corrupt nation. The Russian Far East economy is thoroughly dominated by a mafioso governor/dictator.
#4
Come on, PYONGYANG AND TEHRAN, IMPLODE,wilya - you Norkies got nuthing to gain from Clintonian OWG andor China-centric East Asian hegemony save a PC WORST/LOWER STATUS AS A MINOR NATION, DOWN FROM WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE!?
Some portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il have been removed from buildings in the country, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified diplomat. However, another foreign diplomat in the North Korean capital Pyongyang told The Associated Press that Kim's pictures remain in public places. An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with North Korea, said "we are not yet able to confirm the reports and thus we don't have any comments to make."
Prob'ly sending 'em out for cleaning...
Kim is the focus of an all-encompassing cult of personality in North Korea and images of him are near-ubiquitous in and on the country's buildings. It was unclear what might motivate their removal, but the South Korean official said his country's analysts did not have indications that Kim was facing significant internal political challenges. In a report from Beijing, ITAR-Tass cited the North Korea-based diplomat as saying that guests at recent Foreign Ministry receptions saw only portraits of Kim's late father, Kim Il Sung, who founded the secretive Communist state. "A light rectangular spot and a nail in the wall were the only things that remained in the place where Kim Jong Il's portrait had hung," the agency cited the diplomat as saying. But the other diplomat told AP that he had seen nothing "untoward" and that he saw many Kim portraits during a visit to a hospital on Tuesday.
This reminds me of the Cold War years where agents studied photos of Soviet leaders reviewing the May Day parade, checking who was standing next to who, wondering "What does it mean?".
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 8:52:38 AM ||
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#7
When Condi meets with the little fella, she should present him a "gift" of a Kimmie puppet from Team America. Maybe one with a string that when you pull it, it plays "America, Fuck Yeah!"
#8
I would not want Condi to be soiled by even a handshake from the little fella.
I can see how Bush's re-election might rattle a few heads in North Korea. The Condi move probably helps too. Now let's have Bush clearly indicate no change at DOD and send Rumsfeld on an Asian tour to South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.
Posted by: Tom ||
11/16/2004 21:02 Comments ||
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#9
If we really wanted to put Kim's knickers in a twist, we could "give" Japan a couple of our old mothballed WWII carriers, and planes to fly from them. The NKors wouldn't have kittens - they'd have Golden Retrievers and Great Danes! If China gets nasty, give one to Taiwan, too...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/16/2004 23:54 Comments ||
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GREATEST DUTCH
1 - Pim Fortuyn - politician
2 - William of Orange - royalty
3 - William Drees - politician
4 - Antony van Leeuwenhoek - scientist
5 - Erasmus - humanist
6 - Johan Cruyff - footballer
7 - Michael de Ruyter - admiral
8 - Anne Frank - diarist
9 - Rembrandt van Rijn - artist
10 - Vincent van Gogh - artist
Two related articles:
Dutch blasphemy law faces repeal:
An attempt to strengthen the blasphemy law in the wake of the murder of filmmaker and columnist Theo van Gogh seemed to have backfired on the Dutch government. A majority in the 150-seat Parliament have indicated they support a motion introduced by small government party D66 to scrap the blasphemy law that was introduced in the 1930s.
Pim Fortuyn voted greatest Dutchman:
Mr. Fortuyn's champion in the poll, journalist Yoeri Albrecht, suggested the result reflected current realities in the Netherlands. "The question is what meaning 'the greatest Dutchman' has for society at this moment," Mr Albrecht said. "Just look at what has happened in the last 14 days." Opinion polls after Theo van Gogh's killing suggest that a majority of Dutch people feel threatened by the prospect of high immigration and the further integration of ethnic minorities into society.
#2
Oh, after the votes were counted that could'nt be counted during the program, William of Orange won big, 161.000 to Fotuyns 130.000 (I personally would have voted for van Leeuwenhoek or Erasmus if I would have remebered to (or cared enough)) the result achieved during the program still stands.
But to his credit, Gerhard Schroeder says, "Nein." Chancellor Schroeder's Greens coalition partner called on Tuesday for establishing a Muslim public holiday in Germany as a reaction to recent violence in the Netherlands. Both Germany's Greens Environment Minister, Juergen Trittin, and the deputy chairman of the Greens in parliament, Hans-Christian Stroebele were quoted in the newspaper Die Welt as backing the move. "Exactly such a sign is needed given the attacks in Holland," said Stroebele, who like Trittin hails from the party's "fundi" left-wing.
But Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) were cool to the idea following a row earlier this month over a proposal to abolish the German Unity Day holiday in a bid to boost the economy. SPD government officials swiftly dropped the idea. "It's well-meaning but does not fit in with our current economic situation," said Dieter Wiefelspuetz, an SPD domestic security policy expert.
Leaders of the opposition Christian Democratic alliance (CDU/CSU) poured cold water on the idea. "This nation has been strongly formed by Christianity," said the CDU Interior Minister of Brandenburg state, Joerg Schoenbohm. Guenther Beckstein, the Bavarian interior minister, said the proposal proved the Greens could not let go of their "starry-eyed" dream of a multi-cultural society which has long since "failed".
Also:
In a related development, a Muslim preacher in Berlin issued a public apology for making strongly anti-German comments in a mosque which were secretly filmed by Germany's ZDF public TV. "These remarks were offensive and wrong," said a letter by the preacher who has not been named by media. The ZDF film shows the preacher at the Mevlana Mosque in Berlin's heavily Turkish Kreuzberg district saying: "These Germans, these atheists, these Europeans don't shave under their arms and their sweat collects under their hair with a revolting smell and they stink ... Hell lives for the infidels! Down with all democracies and all democrats!"
Posted by: Seafarious ||
11/16/2004 11:41:33 AM ||
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"These remarks were offensive and wrong..."
Translation: "Dammit! We got caught! Make up some excuse--quick!"
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 11:48 Comments ||
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Hey at least he felt pressured to make an excuse
In Australia they still talk open treason.
Like Keysar Trad, chief apologist for Mufti of Sydney and Islamist extraordinaire.
To welcome the eid festival he made a lovely speech in which he said 'in these times when there is a war against muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechenya and Palestine.'
Australia is also shoulder-to-shoulder with the US and UK on Iraq: so he is effectively spouting treason. He doesn't feel pressured even to make a poor excuse or an apology! I wish we were as good as Germany and the Netherlands at reigning in the Islamists!
#6
a Muslim preacher in Berlin issued a public apology for making strongly anti-German comments in a mosque which were secretly filmed by Germanyâs ZDF public TV. "These remarks were offensive and wrong"
he's only sorry he was caught, not that he said it. wonder what's being said OFF camera?
#9
Chancellor Schroederâs Greens coalition partner called on Tuesday for establishing a Muslim public holiday in Germany as a reaction to recent violence in the Netherlands.
Translation: "Quick, let's don the kneepads!!"
wonder what's being said OFF camera?
"Those eenfeedel peegs caught me on tape. There weel not be a next time."
#10
"The use of Arabic to preach in mosques insures they can say this outrageous stuff and no one will ever know about it."
Who says only Islamists speak Arabic? SOPD, you havent LIVED until youve heard a gang of working class Moroccan Jewish youths singing "Begin, king of Israel" in ARABIC, while traveling by bus through the Negev.
#14
We had a good laugh about this today. Btw this guy is a real wacko commie green, always willing to embarras his party. Ex attorney for RAF terrorists. But won his seat singlehanded in Berlin's reddest district.
As I pointed out the other day, Turkey's been attacked by Islamists, not by the U.S.A. So much for the "war against the Muslims" cant...
Turkish Jews and Muslims joined in prayer and laid flowers yesterday for the victims of bomb attacks a year ago when suicide bombers targeted two synagogues in the country's largest city. The truck bombs killed 24 people, mainly Muslim passers-by, and ripped through Istanbul's Neve Shalom and Beit Israel synagogues on November 15, 2003. "Our citizens stood firm on that day and stand firm today in the wake of an attack on the Turkish Republic's secular state. Terrorism will never achieve its aim," local official Kamil Basar said in a speech at the re-opened Neve Shalom synagogue.
Relatives of the victims cried as Jewish and Muslim religious officials led prayers in memorial ceremonies outside the two synagogues. In a ceremony at the Beit Israel synagogue later yesterday, people stood to attention as the Turkish national anthem was sung. Turkish flags were hung from buildings and photographs of the victims displayed. "Let us not forget that it was not only our Jewish citizens who died but our Muslim citizens too," Anatolian news agency quoted local mayor Mustafa Sarigul as saying. "We will work together for the peace of the world's people regardless of religion, language, race, culture or sect."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 3:51:22 AM ||
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There is growing alarm in Germany over the torching of mosques, churches and schools in the Netherlands following the brutal killing of Islam-critical film director Theo van Gogh.
"Oh, hold me, Dieter! I'm so concerned!"
With 3.4 million Muslims comprising 4 percent of Germany's population, the question was put this way by a banner headline in the conservative Bild newspaper: "Is the hate going to come here?" asked the biggest selling tabloid.
So you get sand up your nose when you bury your head like that?
The Berliner Zeitung, a left-leaning paper in the German capital where about 200,000 mainly Turkish Muslims live, claims to know the answer: "The feelings of hated against the majority Christian society are growing." So far there has not been a high profile killing in Germany to match the stabbing and shooting of van Gogh. But a series of attacks on Jews in Berlin by Arab youths have sharply raised concerns. Germany's tough-minded interior minister, Otto Schily, spoke at the weekend of "a danger" to the country despite successes in integrating the majority of immigrants. Schily drew headlines earlier this year with a harsh warning to Islamic fundamentalists: "If you love death so much, then it can be yours."
I knew there was a reason I like Schily...
German opposition conservatives are demanding a ban on preaching in mosques in any language other than German. Calls for such a move were fuelled by a dramatic TV film secretly made last week in a Berlin mosque. "These Germans, these atheists, these Europeans don't shave under their arms and their sweat collects under their hair with a revolting smell and they stink," said the preacher at the Mevlana Mosque in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, in the film made by Germany's ZDF public TV, adding: "Hell lives for the infidels! Down with all democracies and all democrats!"
"Oh, ja, ja! RÃŒle ÃŒs mit der Kalif chösen fÃŒr uns by learned höly men! MÀke us schÀven unser pittzen!"
There are also demands for loosening German laws to make it easier to expel foreign extremists after years of wrangles to win approval for deportation of radical Turkish Islamist, Metin Kaplan, the self- styled "Caliph of Cologne". Udo Ulfkotte, a German journalist who has received death threats since writing a critical book on Islam titled "The War in our Cities," underlines that many of the group responsible for the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US had lived in Germany.
Noticed that, did you?
We certainly did, a while back in fact ...
Asked about van Gogh's killing, Ulfkotte said: "The spark could jump over here at any time. We just need a provocation like in Holland. Islamists in Germany approved of (van Gogh's) murder and many of them actually cheered it." But other experts - while not downplaying threats - warn against being alarmist.
"Nein, nein! Lassen wir nicht be so hÀsty! Sömeöne cöuld get hurt!"
Steffen Angenendt, a migration expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations and member of the German government's "Council of Experts on Immigration and Integration," argues Germany is far better off than the Netherlands.
"Oh, ja! Ve got it much bettern dem!"
Holland, says Angenendt, now faces "the rubble" of its failed policy of tolerant multi-culturalism for which it was the European flagship during the past decades. Only limited efforts were made at integration in the Netherlands after which the foreign communities were largely ignored, says Angenendt. Germany has three big advantages compared to the Netherlands, he argues.
First is geography: Germany is not nearly as densely settled as the Netherlands and people have more room. "The Dutch feel as if they have no space," said Angenendt.
A second plus for Germany is that unlike Holland the cities with big foreign populations, such as Berlin and Frankfurt, mostly do not have districts totally dominated by one group. Even Berlin-Kreuzberg with its big Turkish community is still a multi-ethnic society, he says.
Thirdly, integration has generally worked better in Germany than in countries like the Netherlands, Angenendt says. This will improve further from January 1 when Germany's new immigration law comes into force. Under this legislation all new immigrants will have to take 600 hours German language instruction plus a 30 hour course on German society. In addition, 50,000 immigrants already here will be eligible to take the courses each year.
A further point, not directly mentioned by Angenendt, is the fact that 75 percent of Germany's Muslims are from Turkey. A survey by the Islam Archive in Soest - which houses a major collection of Islamic books and documents - found that the majority of Turks in Germany do not even practice their religion. Says Buelent Arslan, head of the German-Turkish Forum: "We have an Islam which is very influenced by Turkey and this is the most enlightened and secular."
Still, even a small percentage of extremists is deeply worrying. Germany's "Verfassungschutz" - the domestic intelligence service - estimates there are 31,000 radical Islamists living in Germany of whom several thousands are prepared to use violence. The biggest group is a Turkish movement named "Milli Goerues" with 26,500 members, which fights against integration of Turks into German society. In a court case which set security establishment alarm bells ringing, a judge ruled last week week that Milli Goerues membership did not justify a German airport's bid to ban an employee from working within its security zone.
Perhaps Hizzoner would like a Milli Goerues mechanic to maintain the brakes on his car, then?
The number of reported crimes carried out by foreign extremists in Germany almost tripled last year compared with 2002, warns the Verfassungsschutz.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 3:37:25 AM ||
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"These Germans, these atheists, these Europeans donât shave under their arms and their sweat collects under their hair with a revolting smell and they stink," said the preacher at the Mevlana Mosque in Berlinâs Kreuzberg district, in the film made by Germanyâs ZDF public TV, adding: "Hell lives for the infidels! Down with all democracies and all democrats!
I smell a powerful stench from the pulpit, too. Heh heh. If the threat from these nutcases wasn't so serious, it would be humorous. But it is not funny when Europe is going to lose western civilization to these lunatics.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/16/2004 13:57 Comments ||
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#2
In a court case which set security establishment alarm bells ringing, a judge ruled last week week that Milli Goerues membership did not justify a German airportâs bid to ban an employee from working within its security zone
Wow! a Clinton/Carter/9th Circuit Appointee based in Germany?
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 14:03 Comments ||
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#3
75 percent of Germanyâs Muslims are from Turkey.... the majority of Turks in Germany do not even practice their religion. Says Buelent Arslan, head of the German-Turkish Forum: "We have an Islam which is very influenced by Turkey and this is the most enlightened and secular."
In a nutshell, Germany attracts strivers, not resenters: people who are tolerant of others and seek only economic opportunity so that they can build their businesses and raise their families in peace.
#7
Fred---Emily gave me the coffee alert via email so I would not choke on your comments, at least forwarned. Esp the one about Mäke us schäven unser pittzen!"!!!!!
This should be considered a RB classic.
"Oh, hold me, Dieter! I'm so concerned!"
ROTFLMAO!!!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/16/2004 16:25 Comments ||
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#8
Well Shily is an ex RAF attorney who DID learn from history... he IS tough on terror.
The SPIEGEL magazine (print) came up with the top story of suppressed Islamic women in Germany...
#10
I agree with most of Lex's points. I'll say this -if there's any moderates or elements within Islam whom hope to peacefully unify with Judeo-Christianity into one great, non-partisan, non-violent arm of divine global Monotheism, nows the time to make your move!
#13
I lived in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1971-75, 80-83, and 87-89. There's a fairly large number of Turks that live in Wiesbaden, and they frequented the miitary housing compounds. The insolence of the Turks seemed to increase between each tour. During the last tour, half the kids that came around for Trick-r-treat couldn't speak either English OR German. If your stairwell had a patio or yard sale, the people trying the hardest to rip you off or steal from you were Turks. Even the local Germans didn't have much nice to say about them. My friends that still live in the area say that the problems peaked in about 1994, and it's been getting better. I wonder if that isn't wishful thinking on their part.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/17/2004 0:11 Comments ||
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#14
Okay--so Moslem men SHAVE their armpits and put VEILS on when they fight. I can't be the only one that computes the more than obvious sexual symbology going on. In effect, these guys are identifying with the (sexual) aggressor many of them have experienced through sexual abuse incidents. I'm sure I don't need to say more.
And BTW, my experience is that Moslem men seem to always really stink from their pits. I don't think most of them have ever heard of deoderant.
The national security certificate against a Syrian refugee accused of having terrorist ties is based on "stereotypical conclusions" rooted in a "mistrust of Muslims," the lawyer for Hassan Almrei argued Tuesday. Lawyer Barbara Jackman was in Federal Court for a judicial review of the certificate that has kept Almrei behind bars and in solitary confinement in a Toronto jail since October 2001. Jackman told Justice Edmond Blanchard that the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration is using "speculative" evidence to justify her client's ongoing detention. "It's completely based on assumptions," she said of the government's tribunal record against Almrei.
And just what do those mean old Canadian's have against your poor client?
"It requires stereotypical conclusions to be drawn based on the fact that he is a Muslim born in Syria who grew up in Saudi Arabia."
Damm, he hit the trifecta!
Rather, the evidence suggests Almrei is a bona fide refugee whose life would be at "substantial risk" if he were deported to his native Syria, Jackman said. Almrei came to Canada in 1999 and was granted refugee status a year later. The government alleges he was part of a forgery ring and a member of an international network of extremist groups loyal to Osama bin Laden. Ottawa also alleges Almrei used a honey business as a front to help fund al-Qaida. Almrei has admitted to lying to the Immigration and Refugee Board and to using fake passports obtained by the extremist group Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.
Oh, so he admitted to it. What, did the mounties work him over?
He has also said that as a young man, he lived in camps and guest houses in Afghanistan, one of which was said to be linked to bin Laden.
Let's see, Muslim, Syrian native brought up in the Magic Kingdom, admits to using phoney papers he got from the Muslim Brotherhood, and went camping in BinLadenstan. I can see where you might jump to the conclusion he's up to no good.
Almrei chose not to appear in court Tuesday because of strict protocol that requires him to be bound, shackled and strip-searched each time he leaves the jail, said one of his many supporters who packed the courtroom.
What, no panties on his head?
Jean Hanson, who described herself as one of Almrei's "Canadian mothers," said the strip-searches are humiliating for a Muslim man. "Why would he want to come (to court) if he knows he's going to be treated like that?" she said. "He phones up and says, 'Hi, Mother Jean.' He's family at this point. He is really discouraged. He has no reason to think that he will actually be treated fairly."
"He's a good boy" etc.........
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 2:40:16 PM ||
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Wha! Sounds like we have a terrorist here. Perhaps the Canadians have a clue or 5 against this clown. It's safer if they keep him in jail. Thank you Canada.
#2
C'mon, guys....every time he calls "Mother Jean" I'm sure he asks about his collection of baby ducks, puppies and kittens.
Something tells me "Mother Jean" thinks the Muslim Brotherhood are just a bunch of lovable scamps.
#3
It could all have been a coincident. Perhaps he thought the Muslim Brotherhood was like the Shrinners. Give the dude a break and let him get on with his chemical engineering studies.
Drudge - word gets out - quit stabbing in the back or get the F&*k Out
Porter Goss, the new intelligence chief, has told Central Intelligence Agency employees that their job is to "support the administration and its policies in our work," a copy of the internal memorandum shows.
The NEW YORK TIMES is planning to lead Wednesday's paper with the memo, newsroom sources tell DRUDGE.
MORE
"As agency employees we do not identify with, support or champion opposition to the administration or its policies," Goss said in the memorandum, which was circulated late on Monday. He said in the document that he was seeking "to clarify beyond doubt the rules of the road."
Developing... ' no doubt the MSM will play this as: produce intel we want or get fired
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 10:34:43 PM ||
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sorry about the caps title - I just cut and paste without thinking.....
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 22:39 Comments ||
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Yeah, sure, Frankie, lol!
Of course, on reflection, Goss prolly used all caps in the memo, heh.
#1
I'm not sure what those guys have been smoking but if they really think Condi would be the choice of the moderates to run State .... Ouch the stupidity! Methinks the male chauvenist Arabs doth severly (and let's hope fatally) underestimate the lady.
#2
Its a pity Condi is not a Jew as well. Having to deal with a smart, assertive and very well connected black woman will be bad enough for most of them (miscellaneous 3rd world and moslem despots).
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) - About 60 American military personnel - most who served in Afghanistan and Iraq - got some well-deserved ``R&R'' off the Florida Keys on Tuesday.
The outing was the brainchild of two south Florida sportfishing professionals. Charter boat captains in the Islamorada area provided a free day of fishing, while area businesses contributed gifts and various social events. ``What better way to show these true Americans how much their sacrifice means to all of us,'' said Capt. Skip Bradeen, a project co-organizer and Vietnam veteran.
The soldier-anglers seemed to relish the experience, despite choppy seas that affected a few. ``He wasn't wearing his camouflage, but he sure looked pretty green to me,'' Sgt. Kevin Larrabee of St. Augustine said of National Guard buddy Ralph Priddy, also of St. Augustine.
Five highly prized sailfish were caught and released by the soldiers. They also pulled in a variety of food fish, the largest a 21-pound kingfish.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/16/2004 12:02:26 AM ||
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The television press was awash Monday night with video of a U.S. Marine entering a Fallujah terrorist nest filled with dead snipers who, moments earlier, had been shooting at his unit.
Upon discovering that one of the snipers is still breathing, the Marine shouts a warning to his buddies, the screen goes dark and a gunshot is heard - suggesting that the Marine finished off the wounded terrorist. Iraq war critics are already salivating at the prospects of another Abu Ghraib-like military fiasco.
Not so fast, say the folks at FreeRepublic.com, who point out that John Kerry got a Silver Star with Combat V [for valor] for committing the same sort of "atrocity." In fact, the February 1969 incident was considered by Kerry supporters to be his finest hour. Patrolling the Bay Hap River, Kerry and his crew discovered they were about to be ambushed by a Viet Cong soldier who had just popped up at the shoreline with a loaded rocket launcher in his hands. With the VC about to fire, Kerry crew mate Thomas Bellodeau shot and wounded the attacker, saving the entire boat. Only then did Kerry leap to the shore to chase the wounded enemy down - finishing him off behind a hootch.
When critics suggested that Kerry's actions that day were something less than heroic, they were hooted down by the press. Certainly the as-yet-unnamed Marine in Fallujah deserves, if not the Silver Star, the same slack the press cut Kerry. Thank You General! Sir!
Followup to yesterday's article:
Groundbreaking ceremonies for a new multi-million-dollar amputee care center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are scheduled for Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. Congress has approved $10 million for design, construction and associated costs of the center, according to Lt. Col. Christopher Castle, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Health Facility Planning Agency. "The military amputee patient care center will provide a structure to bring together all aspects of amputee patient care," said Charles R. Scoville, program manager for the U.S. Army Amputee Patient Care Program. Providers anticipate supporting approximately 300 appointments in the clinic per week once it's completed.
Something tells me they're underestimating their patient load.
In August, President Bush signed the Defense Appropriation Bill funding the Defense Health Program at $18.2 billion in fiscal 2005, which includes $19.2 million for amputee care at WRAMC. Scoville said the amputee care center will house computer simulation training for use of advanced prosthetic devices. It will have weapons simulators and equipment so patients can train for military specific tasks, and an automotive engine repair area for patients to work on fine motor skills and dexterity. There will also be climbing ropes, a climbing wall and a rappelling wall for patients "to work on overhead skills and build their confidence."
Physical and occupational therapy, military style!
The center will have a vehicle simulator for patients to "regain full independence," Scoville said. It will have a running track and cardiovascular equipment, including bicycles, treadmills and elliptical trainers. There will also be a multi-axis virtual reality platform for patients to work on balance and coordination. It will have uneven terrain features, including sand, gravel and cobblestone for advanced ambulation skills. A gait lab in the center will be for patient analysis, Scoville said. There will also be offices for social workers, benefits counselors, researchers, psychologists, physicians and nurse case managers. There will also be a prosthetic shop "for fine-tuning prostheses." "The facility is designed to return patients to the highest levels of activity, and to provide a facility where research can be done to share our advances in rehabilitation and prosthetic design with all amputee patients," Scoville said.
The WaPo has run several favorable articles about this facility. By all accounts, it will be world class. I'm glad they're building it.
#1
an automotive engine repair area for patients to work on fine motor skills and dexterity
My, how things have changed! When my mother worked as an occupational therapist at the VA hospital during the Korean War, she taught her vets to do crochet and needlepoint for their fine motor skills and dexterity.
Actually, this sounds like a wonderful facility to develop the tools to return those who wish it to the battlefield -- fully functional. As methodologies prove out, there should be a follow-on effect as the regular VA hospitals copy the new techniques, and then the non-military rehabilitators. The 300/week patient load will be enough for developing methods -- transmission of techniques will take care of the rest of the nation's amputee population.
#2
Wasn't there an article on Rantburg just a couple of days ago about a Brit soldier who had a leg amputated and was back on front-line duty? Also, remember the end of the movie "In Harm's Way" with John Wayne -- one of my personal favorite movies.
Harrier jets screamed over-head. Cobra gunships armed with rockets circled the city. Sea Knight helicopters lumbered through billowing columns of yellow smoke marking the landing sites where U.S. Marines alighted last week to seize control of war-torn Monrovia.
THEY WERE WELCOMED as heroes. Shouting crowds cheered and clasped the soldiers' hands. Women sang gospel songs, grateful for a sign that the fighting that has claimed more than 1,000 lives over the past two months might finally be over. An orgy of looting ensued as hordes of hungry people broke into the port in search of food and medicine after two months of near famine. But there was no denying the upwelling of relief in Liberia's beleaguered capital. "Thank you, George Bush," people cried. "Thank God, America."
A happy ending? Perhaps. Optimists hailed the intervention as a victory for international humanitarianism, even a model for the future. The reality is more ambiguous. After all, the American force in Liberia numbers only 200. They join fewer than 800 Nigerian peacekeepers, dispatched by the 15-member Union of West African States early in August. It took months of dithering and diplomacy to put together even this modest mission, in the face of unspeakable atrocities. Overstretched in Afghanistan and Iraq, Washington made clear that its participation was at best reluctant and would be neither large nor long-lasting. There's talk of sending U.N. peacekeepers in October. But if fighting erupts anew, either in Monrovia or in the two thirds of the country controlled by the rebels, those plans could fall apart. And what happens when, almost inevitably, another humanitarian crisis erupts elsewhere in the world?
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 3:55:10 AM ||
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So Mark, any insight here? Can I buy a basket of private army stocks? Or are they all closely held?
A US Army investigation has recommended punishment for two dozen members of a supply platoon that refused orders to deliver fuel to an army base in an area of Iraq where insurgents were active, a US army official has said. The official said four or five members of the 343rd Quartermaster Company could face court martial but the others faced administrative punishment ranging from reprimands to fines and demotions, or a combination of the three. Some members of the army reserve unit already have been notified of so-called
Article 15 actions that carry administrative punishment, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The inquiry was opened after 18 soldiers refused orders on October 13 to go on what relatives later said was a "suicide mission" through rebel territory to deliver fuel to an army base in Taji, north of Baghdad, from Tallil air base in a relatively quiet part of southern Iraq. Six others initially refused the orders as well but then relented. Those six were believed to have received reprimands or to have been reassigned, the official said. "Of the 18, there are four or five who could face court martial," the army official said.
The soldiers complained through family members in the United States that their trucks were poorly maintained and lacked armour protection for the mission. The mission was carried out without incident hours later by a replacement crew, according to Pentagon officials, who portrayed the incident as an isolated case of insubordination. Brigadier General James Chambers, the commander of the 13th Corps Support Command, relieved the commander of the supply company at her request about a week after the incident, a sign that the breakdown in discipline was seen in part as a failure of leadership.
No source on this...
Posted by: God Save The World ||
11/16/2004 9:39:59 PM ||
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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday said foreign Islamic extremists were helping separatists launch attacks in Thailand's Muslim-dominated south, but he denied international terrorist organizations were sponsoring the conflict.
"We grow our own terror masters right here in Thailand, thank you very much. None of that imported jihad for us."
"The separatist movement is actively creating trouble, and they have Muslim extremists from foreign countries helping them," Thaksin told reporters. "The assistance is not in the form of a terrorist organization or at the governmental level, but as individual friends they met while studying abroad."
"Al Qaeda? Never heard of him. But have you heard about our Thai/Yemeni pen pal program? It's a smash hit with the kidz!"
It was Thaksin's most direct statement yet about foreign involvement, although he has previously accused southern Thais of having ties with Malaysian militants. Thaksin said hundreds of Thai Muslims had traveled to Middle Eastern countries to further their education, and that Thai security agencies believed some of the students may have received terrorist and militia training abroad. He did not name any countries. Defense Minister Gen. Sumpun Boonyanun said hundreds of Islamic youths had received military training in Muslim countries, including some of Thailand's neighbors. Malaysia and Indonesia have Muslim majorities. "The intelligence sources show that the Muslim youths have gone for military training in several Muslim countries, but it is not appropriate for me to mention the countries by name because they asked me not to are our friendly nations," Sumpun said. Security officials in Southeast Asia say members of the regional extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah attended hardline religious schools in Pakistan, and that some joined al-Qaida recruits from the Middle East at terror training camps in Afghanistan prior to the U.S.-led war there. Thaksin said his security forces had "a clear picture" of the separatist movement.
"It's kind of shaped like an elephant, see, and it's sitting in my living room. But I'll deal with it later...shall we go grab a Singha?"
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 4:20:21 AM ||
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Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog took environmental samples from three sites in Dubai as part of their investigation into the nuclear black market that supplied Iran and Libya, diplomats said on Tuesday. A report on Iran's nuclear programme by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), circulated on Monday, said the agency visited and took samples at three sites in an unnamed state where Tehran said uranium enrichment machinery it bought on the black market had been stored in the mid 1990s. If the samples show that particles of enriched uranium found at sites in Iran were on the equipment before Iran bought it, it would undermine U.S. allegations -- denied by Iran -- that Tehran had been purifying uranium for use in nuclear arms. "Environmental samples have been taken from the warehouses and some of the equipment there, the analysis of which is in progress," said the IAEA report, obtained by Reuters.
A Western diplomat who follows the IAEA in Vienna told Reuters: "These samples were taken in Dubai." A second diplomat close to the IAEA confirmed this. The IAEA has said that Dubai, a member of the United Arab Emirates, was the headquarters of the nuclear black market run by Abdul Qadeer Khan, the disgraced scientist famous throughout Pakistan as the father of its atomic weapons programme. The IAEA has been investigating Khan's network, whose tentacles touched nearly 30 countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, since last year, when the agency discovered that the Iranians had acquired enrichment centrifuges identical to ones Pakistan is known to have used. Tests of the samples for traces of nuclear material will help the IAEA decide whether Tehran's explanation of particles of high and low enriched uranium found at Iranian sites is credible. The discovery of the particles last year fuelled U.S. allegations that Tehran had been secretly purifying uranium for use in nuclear weapons. Iran denied this and insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful. Tehran says the traces came from contaminated second-hand centrifuge parts imported through the Khan network and shipped from Pakistan via Dubai. The IAEA says this explanation is partly credible but has been unable to verify it.
Referring to Pakistan as "the State", the IAEA says in its report that it does not think all the uranium traces are Pakistani. Diplomats close to the IAEA said they could have come from another state or from secret enrichment done inside Iran. The Khan network is also known to have supplied centrifuge technology to Libya, which abandoned its nuclear weapons programme in December 2003, and North Korea, which is believed already to possess nuclear weapons. Centrifuges, spinning at supersonic speeds, enrich uranium for use as fuel in power plants or nuclear weapons. Diplomats in Vienna say the IAEA could probably tell whether the enriched uranium traces found in Iran came from Pakistan if the Pakistani authorities would let it take samples there. Islamabad has refused to let inspectors take samples in Pakistan, diplomats close to the IAEA say. But the IAEA report said some kind of compromise agreement "can be expected shortly".
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 2:26:11 PM ||
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Dubai = Russian Mafiya Central. Preferred money-laundering destination, crossroads between former Soviet Union and the islamic world.
Conservative Iranian parliamentarians on Tuesday criticised the nuclear agreement with the European Union so-called big three - Germany, France and Britain. "It is not up to the Europeans to decide over our nuclear programme or grant us the right to pursue nuclear projects but, in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty charter, it is our internationally acknowledged right," Ahmad Tavakoli, an MP and leading critic of the agreement, told the parliament.
"We have the right to do whatever we want, it sez so in the Koran."
In a closed-door session, the parliament held a debate over the nuclear concessions made in an agreement with the EU trio. Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani, the main architect of the nuclear agreement with the EU trio was forced to justify the concessions to the mainly conservative MPs. "Making such concessions indicates that we have indeed been after manufacturing nuclear weapons," Tavakoli said on behalf of MPs critical to the agreement. "While we have accepted all relevant commitments, the Europeans just gave us ambiguous promises," he added.
"You can't trust those infidels to keep their word. They ain't holy like us."
The MP said that the parliament unanimously approved last month a draft bill obliging the government to follow peaceful nuclear technology, including nuclear enrichment for its fuel cycle. "The government must respect the bill, as well" Tavakoli said. Rowhani had described the Iran-EU agreement as a state decision" which means that the decision was made by the countrys leadership and not subject to factional disputes. Iranian leaders have however several times stressed that they would bow to whatever parliamentary approvals.
Since the hard-line conservative islamic fundies are the government, isn't this statement a bit redundent?
Iran agreed on Sunday to suspend uranium enrichment for a time- period of at least three months until relevant negotiations with the EU come to an end. The agreement was finalised on Monday. The MPs in the parliament, who had unanimously voted last month for Iran's right of having nuclear technology and pursuing uranium enrichment, have doubts that the EU will keep its promises to aid Iran in nuclear projects and finalise the long-awaited trade-pact.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 10:29:43 AM ||
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Wow, these guys are acting as if they're acutally, you know, constrained.
#2
Iran agreed on Sunday to suspend uranium enrichment for a time- period of at least three months until relevant negotiations with the EU come to an end... The MPs in the parliament, who had unanimously voted last month for Iran's right of having nuclear technology and pursuing uranium enrichment, have doubts that the EU will keep its promises to aid Iran in nuclear projects
Please tell me again why it's necessary for a medium-sized, non-industrialized nation with over 3% of the world's oil to have a nuclear program?
This is complete nonsense. Iran is determined to get nukes, and the Euros are determined to deny this. As soon as the three months are up, Iran goes right back to enriching uranium. End this farce, please.
Despite the continued reform efforts in Iran, the real political power still lies with the fundamentalist clerics, who control the military, police, and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards. The Revolutionary Guards are not technically part of the military, and are a separate armed force. This is much the same way that the KGB and MVD possessed their own conventional ground forces in the Soviet Union, and yet remained apart from the regular military. Iran's Constitution provides that the military's mission is to safeguard the country from invasion, the Revolutionary Guards' mission is to safeguard the Islamic Revolution itself. A large part of this mission entails enforcing the strict code of Islamic law.
By best estimates, the Guards consist of at least several hundred thousand enlisted men and officers organized into battalion-sized units. The average estimate is around 350,000 officers and men. Although the Guards are not officially part of the military, they are basically a force unto themselves, comprising armored, infantry, air defense, and engineer units organized along conventional military lines. Like most of the Iranian military, the Guards' equipment is largely outdated, since no one seems to want to supply Iran with large quantities of sophisticated arms. However, with Iran's burgeoning domestic arms industry, the sophistication of the Revolutionary Guards weapons could change in the future.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 10:21:28 AM ||
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I think we need to start a civil war in Iran before they finish their charade with IAEA blind mice and have a working nuke. That failing we should be able to take out the Iranian military in about the same amount of time it took to finish off Saddam. Take out the military and let the disgruntle populace of Iran take care of the rest.
In its most positive assessment of Iran in two years, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported yesterday that it had found no evidence the nation had a nuclear weapons program and that Tehran's recent cooperation with the agency has been very good. The U.N. nuclear watchdog's report, along with Europe's acceptance of a wide-ranging nuclear agreement with Tehran, capped a pivotal day for the Islamic republic's relations with the West and left little chance for the Bush administration's Iran strategy to succeed in the near term.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 4:11:07 AM ||
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In addition to the suspension, the agreement commits Iran to support two U.S.-led endeavors: the war against al Qaeda and efforts to establish a democratic government in Iraq. Iran is holding several senior al Qaeda leaders and exerts significant influence in neighboring Iraq.
This is a parody, right? From Scrappleface, not the Post?
#3
While the IAEA inspections will continue, Iran and Europeâs three main powers will begin talks for a final accord that would give Iran lucrative trade deals with the EU when it permanently halts its nuclear work
These deals are lucrative for the Europeans. The mullahs have already lined their pockets with millions each and couldn't care less about the Iranian people's economic well-being. It's Europe that's been bought off here, not the mullahs.
#4
is that El-Baradei on the right? Looks like one of Ritter's "playmates" on the left. Love it
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 11:36 Comments ||
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These deals are lucrative for the Europeans.
What's amazing to me is that even after having gone down this route once before with Saddam Hussein, they are doing it yet again with the Mad Mullahs of Iran. It's almost as if experience has no effect on these guys.
#7
Iran will continue to play the UN like a bongo drum (with compliments to Hugh Hewitt) until they have the bomb.
El Baradei couldn't find the mens room without two admin assistants and a seeing eye dog. He blew it with NorKor and he had no clue of the extent of the Libyan program. He has also done wonders with India and Pakistan and their programs.
Where does the UN get this idiots? First Hans "Mr Magoo" Blix and now "I have no clue what I am doing" El Baradei. Saints on motor cycles the potential fate of millions of people rests in the hands of this nincompoop and Iran goes humming along......them and NorKor.
Are we sure Elbarawhatzhisname is not on the take from Iran? I wonder how many villas in the south of France it cost Libya for him to ignore that program? Do you suppose Kofi "gee I am so sorry Rwanda" Annan got his palm greased by NorKor?
Can we just tell those bozos that our next check to the UN is dependent upon them doing something honest and positive about these sand dwelling psychopaths and their nuclear toys???
I personally think Syria is next. Then we foment a little internal civil war in Iran like the CIA did in the good old days and see how long the mullahs and nut jobs stay in power. I bet Eastern Syria is full of Iraqi munitions and fun stuff.
#8
France no longer has a moral compass. Just follow the money -- that's where they're going.
El Baradei and Blix are just pompous bureaucrats who have honed the skill of being able to say retarded things with a straight face. For example, "no evidence that declared materials have been diverted".
Posted by: Tom ||
11/16/2004 21:25 Comments ||
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It's almost as if experience has no effect on these guys.
I disagree completely. The experience of dealing with tyrannical regimes has been cost-free for the Europeans and they've clearly learned the lesson that it will likely continue to be so in the future. Massive Iranian-backed strikes in Europe are probably the only hope of knocking them off this course but that's not going to happen because the Euroweenies and the mullahs have jointly designated the US as the primary target.
From World Tribune
The ruling Fatah movement has deployed a new rocket named after its late leader Yasser Arafat. Palestinian sources said Fatah's military wing has named the rocket "Yasser-1." The sources said the rocket was an advanced model of the Al Aqsa-2 and has a payload of rubble and a range of 15 kilometers.
But the smell can kill to a range of 50 km.
Abu Mohammed, an operative of Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade told the Israeli daily Maariv that the Yasser-1 was developed by his group's engineering unit. Al Kaboomi Aerospace Industries, Ltd.
He said the new rocket was an enhancement of Al Aqsa and could strike Israeli communities near the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Nice to see such a gesture of goodwill after the Arafish departed this vale of tears.
Fatah has produced dozens of Yasser-1 rockets, Abu Mohammed said. He did not provide additional details of the weapon. "We can say no more."
"Under certain conditions we would launch our rockets into Israel to deter the Israeli military from carrying out large-scale operations in the Gaza Strip," Abu Mohammed said. Better rethink your strategy, Abu Mohammed. Do the names "Yassin" and "Rantissi" ring any bells?
Palestinian sources said Fatah has sought to acquire or develop rockets that could exceed Hamas's Kassam-3 short-range missile. They said Fatah has been discussing procurement with the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah. Iran will become the big player in attacks on Israel, because they have the dough.
So far, Fatah has not deployed any rockets that approach the range of the Kassam-3, which can reach a distance of between 12 and 14 kilometers. Most Fatah shelling attacks have comprised of 60 mm and 81 mm mortars. Al Aqsa said it was developing another model of the Yasser-1 with a range of 18 kilometers. This would enable rocket attacks on the Israeli port of Ashkelon from much of the northern Gaza Strip. The Israelis have shown great restraint in their counter attacks. Abu Mohammed is asking for a serious wack with aircraft.
Is that a Zionist drone flying overhead, Abu?
The sources said Al Aqsa has been negotiating with the Palestinian Authority in what could result in a ceasefire with Israel. They said Al Aqsa has linked any ceasefire to a guarantee that Israel would halt its pursuit of Fatah insurgents wanted by the military. On Tuesday, Al Aqsa commander Zakaria Zubeidi, regarded as the most wanted insurgent by Israel, said any ceasefire would depend on Israeli agreement to allow the Palestinians and their descendants to return to their homes in what is now the Jewish state. Zbeidi said Israel must also release all Palestinian prisoners. That will go nowhere.
Zbeidi said PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas was not Fatah's candidate to head the PA. On Sunday, Fatah gunmen fired toward Abbas and former PA Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan in Gaza City. Two of Abbas's bodyguards were killed and four others were injured.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/16/2004 2:33:16 PM ||
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Too bad we didn't offer Arafish a ride on the space shuttle...........a one way ride.
Hey Yasser, wanna go for a space walk, its lots of fun and you can see Palestine from here.
Holy crap the air lock door jambed.
Can someone put a strobe and a tracking device on him so we don't hit him the next time we are up here??
#2
"could strike Israeli communities"
Somehow the Paleo's are able to get away with this wordage and still hold the affections of much of the "civilized" world.
#4
these busy little death cult beavers don't really understand or care that achieving any of their stupid little goals will bring big-time hurt on the Paleos with minimal damage to Israel. A rocket to an Israeli community with attendant loss of life will take the friggin gloves off. They expend all their ingenuity against the Jooos instead of building their society. Animals and Idjits!
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 17:39 Comments ||
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How stupid? Start dropping Yassers over Israel and you may not like what gets lobbed back.
I sincerely hope the Israelis have targetted a neutron weapon on the toilet where Arafish was flushed.
According to this article they are more effective in desert climes than humid ones. Hmmmm..
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
11/16/2004 18:20 Comments ||
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After a few years of "Yassers" involved with terrorist attacks and civilian deaths, Arafat's true legacy will become even more widespread. As opposed to the disgusting international verbage surrounding the event of his funeral.
Posted by: Dave ||
11/16/2004 18:53 Comments ||
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Edited for brevity.
U.S. Marines rallied round a comrade under investigation for killing a wounded Iraqi during the offensive in Falluja, saying he was probably under combat stress in unpredictable, hair-trigger circumstances. Marines interviewed on Tuesday said they didn't see the shooting as a scandal, rather the act of a comrade who faced intense pressure during the effort to quell the insurgency in the city. "I can see why he would do it. He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Falluja. There should be an investigation but they should look into the circumstances," said Lance Corporal Christopher Hanson. "I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong."
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 11:51:29 AM ||
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Dammit--how did I miss the other post? Please remove--I'm setting up optometrist appointment right now...
Posted by: Dar ||
11/16/2004 11:53 Comments ||
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#2
I think this soldier showed restraint. I would of shot him as soon as I thought he was alive, then say, he moved. I sure hope Rumsfield and Bush back this kid on this one. Dock him a month's pay, and put him back to fighting. I'm sure the blogger's would start a fund, to more than recoup his one month pay.
Better yet. just give him a "time out;" make him stand in the corner for 5 minutes. Maybe if there's any chalk left (can't drop bombs without chalk you know) they can have him write something suitable on the blackboard a couple dozen times.
Posted by: Dave ||
11/16/2004 13:06 Comments ||
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#4
In fact, the February 1969 incident was considered by Kerry supporters to be his finest hour.
Patrolling the Bay Hap River, Kerry and his crew discovered they were about to be ambushed by a Viet Cong soldier who had just popped up at the shoreline with a loaded rocket launcher in his hands. With the VC about to fire, Kerry crew mate Thomas Bellodeau shot and wounded the attacker, saving the entire boat.
Only then did Kerry leap to the shore to chase the wounded enemy down - finishing him off behind a hootch.
When critics suggested that Kerry's actions that day were something less than heroic, they were hooted down by the press.
Certainly the as-yet-unnamed Marine in Fallujah deserves, if not the Silver Star, the same slack the press cut Kerry.
#7
Sorry I would have poped the bad guy in the head. I saw the video. The bad guy could have easily been hiding a weapon or bomb. He did the right thing. There were no prisoners yet they were still unknown subjects.
#9
Justrand.There is what is called Nonjudicial Punishment (Article 15).Marines call it "office hours".It is in that vain I was refering to.I had one once back in 1964.Basically a wrist slap.
#11
I was 1st Division (Pendelton)3rd Div(Vietnam) 1962-1966.Discharged E-5 Honorable.
They will protect this kid somehow,but outwardly,it may not seem that way,I'm sure.
#15
Plainslow said: "What would everyone say, if he had not shot the guy, and he rolled over and blew himself and a few GI's up?"
The fine American patriots over at DemocraticUnderground.com would probably hoist a venti soy milk strawaberry-caramel-cinnamon machiato in the air and let out a big cheer.
#17
If the "helpless victim" had exploded after being shot, none of this would have made the evening news, except maybe for the crocodile tears the MSM would shed for the dead Marine(s). Why was the mosque still standing, anyway?
#18
If they do set up a fine, someone should put up a website to accept donations. I'd gladly donate to help offset the fine in this case. If the Marine ends up with a profit so be it.
#20
God damned embedded news assholes. Sanctimonius elitess sonofbitches. God bless the marine corp. The marine did his job and did it well. This is not friggin grade school playground bullshit. This is war.
#21
I'm speculating and have not watched the video, but regardless of what he said or how he acted in the heat of battle, I am sure this young man will be traumatized by the memory of having to make a split second decision under unimaginable duress if it turns out that this Jihadi was not a threat (though obviously he could have been and the Marine had to err on the side of caution).
Having a conscience and sense of guilt after this is over what separates us from these jihadi animals these brave Marines and soldiers are fighting so we can watch TV. The media is adding to the trauma here after celebrating Kerry's Silver Star. This sickens me.
I'm not speaking from experience, mind you, so this is just my 2 cents. But I do recall talking to a colleague who still is haunted by the memory of almost killing some surrendering Iraqis in Desert Storm under similar circumstances.
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 22:25 Comments ||
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#24
Diplomacy in action. Let's bring home this fine negotiator and appoint him to Condi's staff as her primary problem solver. State needs people who are expert at getting their points understood without misinterpretation and argument. He can start this new career after an all expense paid trip Hawaii. Legal funds won't be necessary, vacation funds yes!
Posted by: First Iraq, Then France ||
11/16/2004 23:15 Comments ||
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#25
Next time he should shoot the reporter first, then cap the bad guy.
I am so sick and tired of the fourth estate playing God.
#26
If John Kerry had been elected this wouldn't have happened, because all the Iraqis would know that America is their friend. It's not about Islamic facism or Islamic fundamentalism or lack of education or the fact that a large number of Iraqi males have been sodomized by the time they're teenagers and have issues. It's really Bush Hitler that makes the brave Moslem freedom fighters so angry. They were fine before. They were nice guys. Everything was going well for them. But now we've done it. We've gone and wrecked a good thing. I have no idea at all how this situation can be fixed. Maybe the media should show two or three American guys getting killed by an Iraqi fighter--just to make it even. I think some perspective is needed here.
The Israel Navy said it believes the submarine that it detected last week inside the country's territorial waters belongs to a Western navy, possibly a member of NATO. Methinks: Russia commencing proxy espionage for Iran
Military sources said Monday it had probably been on an espionage mission, but could have also "strayed" into Israeli waters before it was detected. Riiiight!!!
The incident occurred on the night of November 9 off the northern coast. The navy detected the submarine after it had penetrated two nautical miles into territorial waters, about 18 kilometers from shore. Army Radio, which broke the story on Monday, reported Tuesday that five similar incidents have occurred in the past decade. Navy defenses detected a "submerged" object which was later classified as a submarine. Naval sources refused to identify its size. The navy followed the submarine for a few hours, but the moment it took active measures to close in on it, it quickly headed back to international waters. "We assume that the submarine belonged to a Western navy. It had probably been on a spying mission," a senior military source said. It could also have been testing the level of alertness, he said.
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Posted by: Poison Reverse ||
11/16/2004 10:25:21 AM ||
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#2
I hunted subs in this area back in '96. I doubt it was russian. They would have been picked up going thru the hellespont and they haven't had the $ to train the black sea fleet for a long time.
My gut feeling lends to France. Turkey/Eygpt only have diesels - they couldn't high tail it out underwater for long once detected - the batteries would drain. Diesels are good for about 3-7kts underwater and very short sprints. The report never says the sub surfaced, making me lean towards a nuke. The French have nukes and are very competent - plus keeping in mind how they took in Arafat so willingly and are trying to take every opportunity to assert itself as a world power.
I'd put $ on it that they do know whos it is but are keeping quiet about it. They definately were able to get some tonals to track it and tonals are like finger prints - unique to each ship. We're probably not getting the whole story here - at least not the ending. I'd also bet we have one of ours in the area now to to monitor the situation.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/16/2004 11:09 Comments ||
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#3
YS,
Thanks man.
I was thinking French at first but I changed my mind because I didn't think they would be THAT stupid. I don't think Israel would think twice about destroying a French sub. But, they would think twice about destroying a Russian sub. Then again, anything the French does, doesn't surprise me anymore.
Posted by: Baltic Blog ||
11/16/2004 11:25 Comments ||
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#5
BB,
If you don't mind, let's keep this thread on the serious side. Foreign sub penetration in sovereign waters is serious business. A lot Jews could have died.
#6
Debka was claiming yesterday that it was American.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
11/16/2004 11:34 Comments ||
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#7
France? Gosh, what's most disturbing is what that could mean. Am I alone in thinking that Chirac could be as much of a menace as Hitler?
Now before you discount that as absurd...think about it. Chirac's actions have become very disturbing lately. His willingness to not even bother to hide his cozy dealings with bloody handed thugs is truly disturbing.
Sometimes you need to just shed preconceived notions. Remember when everyone was saying that the Turks would come around and be available for a Northern Front? That was because all in power had preconceived notions about Turkey and thus failed to see the obvious staring them in the face.
It's time we did the same for France that we should have done with Turkey. Chirac is an enemy. It's right in front of our noses. We need to let go of the past and see him for what he is - a enemy that needs to be addressed.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 12:03 Comments ||
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#14
Chuck Simmins -
Yeah they're active but they haven't transited the Straights of Gibralter in a long time - they'd been picked up there too. SOSUS stations would have also picked him up transiting the GUIK Gap heading south.
My hunch is still France or US.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/16/2004 12:15 Comments ||
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#15
Chuck - also forgot to add that the artciles says it was likely a NATO sub - ie - they picked up tonals and or blade counts to classify it as NATO. I'm pretty sure they know whos' it was.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/16/2004 12:18 Comments ||
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#17
Only pointing out that a US sub would not necessarily be welcome in Israeli waters unless it was an arranged passage. They've made the point forcefully, even when we were only close. That is why I tried to find a link that wasn't too far gone one way or the other on exactly what happened or why. But it did happen.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 12:33 Comments ||
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#18
I thought the SOSUS line was being dismantled infavor of more mobile listeners?
#19
Sub captain is going to be in trouble either way. Either he crossed a line he shouldn't have and got spotted, or he was sent there but got spotted.
Getting Spotted = Bad For Subs
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
11/16/2004 13:12 Comments ||
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#20
On Comment #4 LMAO, thanks.
For those surmising it was a french nuke, do you think they hang twelve mile tags?
#21
It could have been the French testing Israeli anti-submarine defenses. France is not an friend or Israel or the US. They could have been probed on purpose.
#22
Shipman, if I understand correctly, the GIUK line will be replaced. I would not expect the Straits line, or any in the Carib., etc. to be replaced. For smaller distances, it makes sense to have emplaced sensors.
This site has some very "in the know" posters, so could one or more of you educate me on what folks mean when they say that the sub was "testing Israeli defenses"? What's the point? Would any reasonable nation conduct such a "test" knowing that the COST of such a "test" could be the lives of the sub's crew?
Also, how could Israel "fail" such a test? How could the test itself be considered a "failure"?
The above are sincere questions--I'd appreciate anyones attempt to address them. THANKS
#25
a big reason to test them is to train the subs crew. Things operate allot differently when entering territorial waters then transiting from pt A to pt B - The constant Cat-n-mouse game. You fight like you train.
Its not as dangerous as it sounds - a nation will never fire upon an unkown when there is no threat.
Classifying a sub is not that difficult for a well trained sonarman. They would know within minutes wether it was friend or suspected foe. Once they classified it as a NATO boat - they knew there was no reason to do anything other than escort "chase" it out. They probably got tonals off the electric generators, CHT "poop" grinders, reduction gears, and a blade count. Thats more than enough to classify it.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/16/2004 15:55 Comments ||
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#26
PS - this stuff happens a lot more than you'd expect. This incident just happened to make it to the media.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
11/16/2004 15:56 Comments ||
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November 16, 2004: Rebel violence during Ramadan left about 50 people dead. This was a large drop from last year, and a huge drop from the late 1990s, when rebel attacks would kill over a thousand people. But the fact that fifty civilians and police died in the last month indicates that there are still several groups of Islamic rebels operating. These attacks took place all across the northern coastal areas of Algeria. It's thought that the remaining rebels number only a few hundred. It is known that some have gone to Iraq, where Sunni Arab money men are hiring gunmen to fight coalition forces and the new Iraqi government. Other Algerian Islamic radicals have fled to Europe, where more and more of them are being arrested as counter-terrorist operations continue there.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 10:14:08 AM ||
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U.S. Marines rallied round a comrade under investigation for killing a wounded Iraqi during the offensive in Falluja, saying he was probably under combat stress in unpredictable, hair-trigger circumstances. Marines interviewed on Tuesday said they didn't see the shooting as a scandal, rather the act of a comrade who faced intense pressure during the effort to quell the insurgency in the city. "I can see why he would do it. He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Falluja. There should be an investigation but they should look into the circumstances," said Lance Corporal Christopher Hanson. "I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong." ----snip, info on shooting---
The Marine commander in Falluja, Lieutenant General John Sattler, said his men followed the law of conflict and held themselves to a high standard of accountability. "The facts of this case will be thoroughly pursued to make an informed decision and to protect the rights of all persons involved," he said. Marines have repeatedly described the rebels they fought against in Falluja as ruthless fighters who didn't play by the rules. They say the investigation is politically motivated. "It's all political. This Marine has been under attack for days. It has nothing to do with what he did," said Corporal Keith Hoy, 23.
Need to rethink the policy of embedding reporters at the front
Rights group Amnesty International said on Monday both sides in the Falluja fighting had broken the rules of war governing the protection of civilians and wounded combatants.
It's all those Marine suicide tanks they send out to explode. Amnesia International really hates that.
Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Garza, 30, favored an investigation but like other Marines said the Pentagon should weigh its decision carefully. "He should have captured him. Maybe the insurgent had some valuable information. There may have been mitigating circumstances. Maybe his two buddies died in Falluja," he said. Sites said: "I have witnessed the Marines behaving as a disciplined and professional force throughout this offensive. In this particular case, it certainly was a confusing situation to say the least."
Nothing confusing about it to me.
Maybe they should have just cut the guy's head off instead of shooting him. Moose limbs don't seem to have any problem with that...
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 9:33:04 AM ||
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#1
The Marines need to conduct an incredibly swift investigation (1 day), a quick review of findings (1 hour) and LOUD re-instatement of this brave young man (15 minute Press conference). Hell...take an extra 20 minutes and PROMOTE HIM!!
#3
So, the insurgent bastard was killed. Who really cares? NONE of the MSM or Amnesia Intl or Stalinist ANSWER people do. They are just anti-American! Another booby-trapped insurgent exploded and killed a buddy of this young Marine's on the previous day. Let him the man rest and set him free!
Personally, I have NO UNDERSTANDING of why we are taking prisoners anyway. (Sure, we need intelligence, but no Muslim fascist ever tells the truth anyway). So what is the purpose. It is useless to believe the hard core Islamist fighters. They just kill.
#6
I told my wife last night, if this Marine had been in my company or platoon and I was on the scene - Sites' footage would've never made it out of that mosque intact. I would've put two rounds through that camera and tape and blamed it on my "itchy trigger finger" and battle fatigue. Then I'd of told Sites tough shit, go fuck yourself buddy, most Marines know to never trust the media anyways, we're still feeling the hangover from their antics in 'Nam. Fuck Sites, unless there's a black/white "my lai" incident in the making you squelch that shit. God bless Ernie Pyle, he would understand.
#11
Raf/BigE, damn straight gents. Some would call us duplicitous, but I'd be damned if my men and mission get compromised by some journalist trying to make a name for himself, play boyscout, or put forth a wholly speculative story. I know a couple guys who double tapped dying Iraqis in Gulf I, they had to, it was the "deal" at the time. No time for prisoners, keep moving forward, accomplish the mission. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just a part of war, it is what it is.
#12
Soldier did nothing wrong. Under battle conditions he believed the wounded Iraqi was armed.
A wounded person can kill you with a gun.
He did the only sane normal thing
This brouhaha comes from people not understanding ANYTHING about a warzone.
It's not law enforcement it's a WAR. It is a battle to the death. Injured people and civilians are sometimes killed, too! People think this is hollywood where only able-bodied villains get hit? Wake up it's a war, yes it's not perfect but the alternative is a hell of a lot worse. Iraqi soldiers and civilians are going to die. That is the price of freedom and peace in the middle east.
Hostages are advised to get on the floor near the centre of a room and spread their hands so they are visible and not make any sudden moves, if the building is being stormed.
Same advice would have helped this guy. If they can't see your hands/or you make a sudden move the trigger will get pulled for good reason.
#13
If I were Sites I would get out of the country as quick as possible, back to some very safe, very secure, very discrete place in a Blue State and wait for my Pulitzer. I don't think that it will be either particularly comfortable or particularly safe for him in Iraq.
#16
Freedom? You must be writing about the freedom to run and rerun the prison video and this one while censoring broadcasts of heads being chopped off. MSM isn't interested in giving you freedom to see anything, only what it wants you to see. When we get freedom in the production process rather than not getting to see all that missing footage on the cutting room floor, then talk to me about 'freedom'.
Posted by: Don ||
11/16/2004 12:36 Comments ||
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#17
MSM isn't interested in giving you freedom to see anything, only what it wants you to see
o i agree totally. I just don't think not having the option, the possibility, of getting the video evidence from the battlefrield would be a very dangerous situation for both sides. Remeber all that cut footage exists somewhere and can be obtained if needed.
The personal safety of the Marine in question and his fellow Marine negates any contradictory argument.
The "embeds" should have been shiped out after Bagdhad fell. Covering the battles and campaigns should be handed over to Combat Correspondents and photographers.
Yes, the "Old Media" will scream "Bias!", but who cares about the "Old Media"?
I imagine a whole lotta Blue State Elitists are going to be "Shocked & Awed" at the tremendous support this Marine will receive in the days to come!
Jack.
Posted by: Jack Deth ||
11/16/2004 12:55 Comments ||
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#19
Goes to show you how inconsistent 'The Brass' is. Kicked Geraldo Rivera out of the country on a slip of the rules (operational plans, etc), but Kevin Sites has no accounting...the scum bag!!
Posted by: Mac Suirtain ||
11/16/2004 14:31 Comments ||
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#21
"...broken the rules of war..."
I think not. As I understand it, these enemies were non-uniformed terrorists who were not soldiers of any recognized nation, were not prisoners, and who associated with ambushers and suicide bombers. If anything, I'd punish whoever shot them the first time and didn't finish the job.
Posted by: Tom ||
11/16/2004 15:02 Comments ||
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#22
It's good to know what kind of 'freedom' you endorse fighting for.
Maybe you missed the memo, but there's a war going on over there. I don't give a damn about anything other than winning it.
#23
That depends, Tom. While the terrorists have no right to be treated as lawful combatants, perhaps someone in the Pentagon gave orders that they be so treated? In that case, and if he knew that the terrorist was no threat, he would be disobeying orders.
I doubt it, but the DoD bureaucracy has written stupid ROEs before and will again.
But I see no need for any pro-terrorist media to be allowed in the combat zone. We didn't let Tokyo Rose interview our soldiers and sailors.
#24
Bullshit. The terrorist was pretending he was dead - lying there probably with his eyes open acting dead while breathing.
He was attempting to deceive the marines for some purpose. Perhaps to draw them closer to explode a hidden explosive. Perhaps to pull a gun on them.
In short the marine did not know they terrorist was not a threat. He did know that the terrorst was attempting a ruse - a deception for some unknown reason. That in itself is reason enough to shoot first and ask questions later.
What was the marine supposed to do? Kneel beside the 'body' and ask kindly 'Why are you pretending'?
#27
This is just another MSM distraction from the real story. First the MSM Meme du Jour was that we couldn't take back Fallujah because the tide was favoring the "insurgents."
Then when it became obvious that we would crush the fascists in Fallujah, the Meme became Fallujah = Stalingrad.
When that fizzled, the next Meme to emerge was Ha-ha, Zaraqawi Got Away!
When our determination to carry the fight to Mosul and every other fascist holdout until they're crushed, the Meme became Son of My Lai.
The next Meme will be Iraqi Elections Are Illegitimate.
#28
Reuters TV has a 3 minute clip of the incident here. I can't make out all of what is being said. It does look confusing. The last bit of the tape is a statement by a Marine general.
#29
OTOH - just saw Sites' broadcast update and he explained all the extenuating factors including the Jihadi tricks (fake surrender, booby-trapped dead, including the one the day before)...
Either he's had a change of heart, someone told him how the MSM was abusing his report, or he just remembered who's watching his back over there. He picked himself up in my book, for whatever reason he did it
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 17:31 Comments ||
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#30
Instapundit is calling this "pulling a Kerry". Let's see if that meme takes off for the MSM.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 17:46 Comments ||
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#31
The one word I haven't seen in any of the MSM is the dread V word: when you destroy or rout a dug-in enemy force by superior firepower combined with sheer guts, the applicable word is victory.
Posted by: Matt ||
11/16/2004 17:51 Comments ||
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This is the most detailed story of this incident I've seen. It's getting major play by the MSM. It's also another reason to be glad we didn't sign on to the World Court nonsense. I'm sure a lot of groups would already be demanding this Marine be charged with war crimes.
The U.S. military is investigating the videotaped fatal shooting of a wounded and apparently unarmed Iraqi prisoner by a U.S. Marine in a mosque in Fallujah, a Marine spokesman said. The dramatic footage was taken Saturday by pool correspondent Kevin Sites of NBC television, who said three other prisoners wounded a day earlier in the mosque had also apparently been shot the next day by the Marines. The incident played out as the Marines 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, returned to the unidentified Fallujah mosque Saturday. Sites was embedded with the unit. Sites reported that a different Marine unit had come under fire from the mosque on Friday. Those Marines stormed the building, killing 10 men and wounding five, Sites said. The Marines said the fighters in the mosque had been armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 rifles. The Marines had treated the wounded, he reported, left them behind and continued on Friday with their drive to retake the city from insurgents who have been battling U.S.-led occupation forces in Iraq with increasing ferocity and violence in recent months. The same five men were still in the mosque on Saturday, Sites reported.
Point number one, they had been treated and then left behind with no supervision.
On the video, as the camera moved into the mosque during the Saturday incident, a Marine can be heard shouting obscenities in the background, yelling that one of the men was only pretending to be dead.
Point number two, this is a different group of Marines. They had never seen these terrorists before and didn't know their condition.
"He's (expletive) faking he's dead!"
"Yeah, he's breathing," another Marine is heard saying.
"He's faking he's (expletive) dead!" the first Marine says.
The video then showed a Marine raising his rifle toward a prisoner lying on the floor of the mosque. The video shown by NBC and provided to the network pool was blacked out at that point and did not show the bullet hitting the man. But a rifle shot could be heard. "He's dead now," a Marine is heard saying. The shooting is shown so quickly that it is impossible to tell whether the body was moving before the shot. The only movement which can be seen is the body flinching at the moment the bullet hits. The camera then shows two Americans pointing weapons at another Iraqi lying motionless. But one of the Marines steps back as the man stretches out his hand, motioning that he is alive. The other Marine stands his ground, but neither of them fires.
Point number three, the Marines didn't blindly shoot up everyone, only the individual who they thought posed a threat.
The blacked out portion of the videotape, provided later to Associated Press Television News and other members of the network pool, showed the bullet striking the man in the upper body, possibly the head. His blood splatters on the wall behind him and his body goes limp.
"He's dead, Jim"
Sites reported a Marine in the same unit had been killed just a day earlier when he tended to the booby-trapped dead body of an insurgent.
Point number four, we are dealing with a enemy who are known to wear explosive belts for the express purpose of getting close to their enemy and killing them.
NBC reported that the Marine seen shooting the wounded Iraqi had himself been shot in the face the day before, but quickly returned to duty.
Point five, these Marines have been in close quarters combat for about a week. They are operating at a extreme level of awareness, looking for any movement that could be a threat.
A spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters in the Pentagon, Maj. Doug Powell, said the incident was "being investigated." He had no further details, other than to confirm the incident happened on Saturday and that the Marines involved were part of the 1st Marine Division. On Tuesday, the U.S. military said the 1st Marine Division is investigating an allegation of the unlawful use of force in the death of an enemy combatant in Fallujah during combat operations Saturday. The Marine has been withdrawn from the battlefield pending the results of the investigation, the U.S. military said.
Just great, now every Soldier and Marine is going to be second guessing themselves, wondering if they shoot someone are they going to be brought up on charges. And some will wait too long and die.
"We follow the law of armed conflict and hold ourselves to a high standard of accountability," said Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. "The facts of this case will be thoroughly pursued to make an informed decision and to protect the rights of all persons involved." The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is mandated to uphold the Geneva Conventions on warfare, had no immediate comment, said spokeswoman Rana Sidani. She said she was trying to contact ICRC representatives in Iraq to find out what they had been able to determine about the case. The Third Geneva Convention, the section of the 1949 treaty that applies to prisoners of war, says "persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat (out of combat) by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely." It adds that "the wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for."
Which section covers wounded and sick who blow themselves up?
The judge advocate general heading the investigation, Lt. Col. Bob Miller, told NBC News that depending on the evidence, it could be reasonable to conclude the Marine was acting in self-defense. "The policy of the rules of engagement authorize the Marines to use force when presented with a hostile act or hostile intent," Miller said. "So they would have to be using force in self-defense, yes. Any wounded - in this case insurgents - who don't pose a threat would not be considered hostile." Charles Heyman, a senior defense analyst with Jane's Consultancy Group in Britain, defended the Marine's actions, saying it was possible the wounded man was concealing a firearm or grenade. "You can hear the tension in those Marines' voices. One is showing, 'He's faking it. He's faking it,'" Heyman said. "In a combat infantry soldier's training, he is always taught that his enemy is at his most dangerous when he is severely wounded." If the injured man makes even the slightest move, "in my estimation they would be justified in shooting him."
I would have shot him then, and I'd do it again tomorrow.
The events on the videotape began as some of the Marines from the unit accompanied by Sites approached the mosque on Saturday, a day after it was stormed by other Marines. Gunfire can be heard from inside the mosque, and at its entrance, Marines who were already in the building emerge. They are asked by an approaching Marine lieutenant if there were insurgents inside and if the Marines had shot any of them. A Marine can be heard responding affirmatively. The lieutenant then asks if they were armed and fellow Marine shrugs.
Point number six, they did not know if the insurgents were armed or not. They were also not told they were alive or dead.
Sites' account said the wounded men, who he said were prisoners and who were hurt in the previous day's attack, had been shot again by the Marines on the Saturday visit. The videotape showed two of the wounded men propped against the wall and Sites said they were bleeding to death. According to his report, a third wounded man appeared already dead, while a fourth was severely wounded but breathing. The fifth was covered by a blanket but did not appear to have been shot again after the Marines returned. It was the fourth man who was shown being shot.
Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera showed the unabridged version of the Fallujah mosque shooting tape, complete with one name visible on a backpack and the faces of the Marines, which were not shown on U.S. networks. There was no immediate comment on the tape from Middle Eastern governments because of a Muslim holiday. The CNN broadcast of the pictures obscured parts of the video that could lead to public identification of the Marines involved. NBC's Robert Padavick told members of the U.S. television pool that the Pentagon had ordered NBC and other pool members to make sure the Marine's identity was hidden because "they (the military authorities) are anticipating a criminal investigation as a result of this incident and do not want to implicate anybody ahead of that." In New York, NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said the network did not broadcast the prisoner being shot because of its "graphic nature."
My judgment, fully justified shooting.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 9:03:50 AM ||
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#1
as commented yesterday - Kevin Sites better watch himself. No marine will do it for him now. Fully justified - agreed. MSM better watch their ass on this one - it has a chance to really have a backlash among the public
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 9:37 Comments ||
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#2
This story is taking my dislike of the MSM and turning it into a hardened, bitter, hatred.
They have ignored these soldiers and all that they have faced and the heroic acts that they have performed. They have ignored all the good they have done - we never EVER see footage of that. The best we get are stories of wounded soldiers whose stories are truly inspiring. MSM can handle that, because it gets out the point that they were wounded or better yet, killed - which they just seem to delight in.
Now they get this footage and they are all over it 24/7. They are so transparent and so freaking shallow. May they rot in hell.
There was a story on Instapundit today about Tom Brokaw being booed by the Sooners. Apparently it was because of a speech he gave earlier at a commencement. I read the speech transcript on Free Republic - and I failed to see what was so offensive about it. But I think it's just that Tom Brokaw is associated with the MSM and we peasants are beginning to despise them one and all. At least that's how the MSM and "liberal self-annointed elite" see us, as peasants. Aren't they in for a big reality shock?
#3
Let the friggin reporter check all the bodies from now on. If one of them is faking and blows his ass away, well, file charges in the monkeyass ICC against the terrorist. Cuz that will show 'em.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
11/16/2004 10:16 Comments ||
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#4
I retired 14 years too soon. If I was that Marine's commander, I would pin a medal on him. As for Mr. Sites, I have an assignment for him...let's see....pool reporter at Zaeqawi's next hostage hideaway. He'll lose his head over that scoop. MSM disgust me.
This is an understatement. One of the local news channels started off their telecast with this particular subject last night. A reasonable expectation is that the media will beat this to death a la Abu Grabass.
#6
Over the past 18 months the training of quasi-military units in the US has included both 'active-shooter' and "threat-identification and reduction" scenarios. It's most difficult to get law enforcement type personnel to put aside years of "halt...police...put your hands up!" training and replace it with a TIR response.
Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain (MOUT). are the most hazardous conducted by our military. A former Commandant of the USMC put it this way.
"In one moment in time, our service members will be feeding and clothing displaced refugees - providing humanitarian assistance. In the next moment, they will be holding two warring tribes apart - conducting peacekeeping operations. Finally, they will be fighting a highly lethal mid-intensity battle. All on the same day, all within three city blocks. It will be what we call the three block war."
- General Charles Krulak, USMC
The insurgents, terrorists, enemy combatantsâ¦whatever, are not covered under the Geneva Convention. Sometimes itâs the time and place that dictates the actions of the servicemen. The only premeditation is the desire to remain aliveâ¦the strongest drive among humans.
#9
#1 - Kevin Sites better watch himself. No marine will do it for him now.
#2 - This story is taking my dislike of the MSM and turning it into a hardened, bitter, hatred.
#4 - Let the friggin reporter check all the bodies from now on. If one of them is faking and blows his ass away, well, file charges in the monkeyass ICC against the terrorist.
#5 - As for Mr. Sites, I have an assignment for him...let's see....pool reporter at Zaeqawi's next hostage hideaway.
#6 - A reasonable expectation is that the media will beat this to death a la Abu Grabass.
#7 - The only premeditation is the desire to remain aliveâ¦
Now that all the good thoughts have been expressed...
I will add my own recap & crude remarks
A) Accused Marine shot previous day...
B) Homicide bomber playing dead killed others within the hour nearby...
C) Marines being shot at from mosque before entry...
D) Embedded reporter bad idea. He should leave. #1 above...
E) MSM making trouble for this guy? Fire Brian Williams before he gets the chair warm. His opening is worthy of AFP/BBC...
F) Boycott all evening MSM broadcasts, since they are agents for a foreign entity...
G) Is the Marine getting any legal help? (which he should never have had to think about.)
H) F the MSM..F the MSM..F the MSM..F the MSM..
#10
I posted this on the other thread (bit I still agree with myself :) )
The Marines need to conduct an incredibly swift investigation (1 day), a quick review of findings (1 hour) and LOUD re-instatement of this brave young man (15 minute Press conference). Hell...take an extra 20 minutes and PROMOTE HIM!!
#11
while the GC may not apply, US military law DOES, and it should, in circumstances like this. There is too little known to judge. Im glad our military is taking the matter seriously and investigating - thats what sets us apart from them.
#12
I'm curious, it would seem to me that if there was The first group of Marines should have dealt with the wounded one way or the other instead of leaving them to bleed out.
#13
Just to put this into context...do you remember the following?
Guerrillas Kill Dozens of Unarmed Iraqi Soldiers// (Baghdad)
Originally published Monday, October 25, 2004
Los Angeles Times
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- In the deadliest ambush yet on Iraq's armed forces, guerrillas killed dozens of unarmed Iraqi soldiers, many apparently forced onto their stomachs and shot execution-style along a remote eastern highway near the Iranian border, Iraqi officials said Sunday.
Estimates of the death toll from the Saturday incident ranged from three dozen to 51.
Iraqi officials said gunmen disguised in Iraqi military uniforms stopped the U.S-trained soldiers as they rode home in a convoy of minibuses Saturday evening. The soldiers, who had just completed boot camp in Kirkush and were starting home leave, had rolled up to a phony checkpoint just after nightfall, officials said.
The young recruits were pulled off the buses, forced to lie prone in rows of 12, ordered to place their hands on their heads and methodically executed...
This story got one day of press...then disappeared.
#14
The only way to get this off the front page is to give the MSM something else to chew on. For example, having the Marines build a pyramid of human skulls on whatever's left of the Falluja town square.
Posted by: Matt ||
11/16/2004 11:08 Comments ||
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#15
terrorists are nothing but organized serial killers. When oh when will they realize that the best media attention they could ever hope to acquire would be to attack the BBC or NPR or other left wing idiots. The Robert Fisk's of the world would give them ENDLESS play. They would wring their hands, wonder why they hate them and replay it for MONTHS, perhaps even YEARS. If you are going out in a blaze of glory - why not make the big splash?
These jihadi's just want attention and to be noticed in their miserable lives. Do they not see this easy avenue to achieve it?
#16
The MSM needs a real heart to heart talk with the members of the Greatest Generation who did the island hopping campaign against Japan in WWII. I'm sure they'd be shocked, shocked to discover their dads and granddads didn't take too many prisoners regardless of the situation.
Posted by: Don ||
11/16/2004 11:23 Comments ||
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#17
oh gosh.. I really don't wish that. I feel bad I said it. It may be true, but I don't wish that type of ill will on anyone. :-(
#18
Last night I posted the following comment on RB: "Hey, we should give Kevin Sites a break on this. He seems to have reported what he saw. This guy has balls of brass and is hardly anti-military. In Afghanistan he saved some lives with his quick thinking. The SF guys said so in "The Hunt For Bin Laden." Also, his blog, www.kevinsites.com, is pretty good. I think there are numerous mitigating circumstances, but shouldn't we allow for the possibility that this kid did a bad thing?"
To that A Jackson replied: Somehow, I'm not quite as willing to give him a break when I read stuff like this at Kevin Sites blog:
So in some ways, embedded in this unit, I begin to feel I've betrayed the people that depend on me to be skeptical; to question the dominant powers and institutions of my nation and the actions it undertakes in the name of its citizens. I am not a military or American cheerleader, not a mouthpiece signed on to some institutional agenda whether I believe in it or not. I am here to ask the hard questions of the people who make the hardest decisions; ones that result in people dying or people being killed. I must remember as one journalist advised, "write in your notepad every day 'I am not one of them.'"
I don't have a problem with Sites saying "I am a journalist and not a US soldier." He should be skeptical and objective and fair. That means telling both sides of the story, not reflexively taking the pro-American position (or the anti-American position). If you look at his website (www.kevinsites.net -- I had it as .com last night) I think that you will see that he presents a pretty realistic portrait of life during war time for US soldiers and Marines and for Iraqis and Afghans.
Finally, I note the extreme irony in this nugget from Sites' bio: "Sites now runs his own production company, Shoot First Films, from his home in Pismo Beach, California."
Posted by: Tibor ||
11/16/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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#19
The only reason everyone is assuming it's a prisoner who was alive then killed is that Sites claims so. I have seen no independent account that leads me to believe his story is correct. In fact, it is highly suspicious.
Why would prisoners be left in a mosque? why would they still be there but mostly shot the next day? and why would the marines not know about them, if they truly are prisoners?
I don't believe the context story, and I applaud the soldier who shot a man who was faking being dead. Prisoners are expected to demonstrate their lack of weapons and willingness to surrender -- else they are NOT prisoners but SIMPLY enemies to be killed.
Posted by: sam ||
11/16/2004 11:53 Comments ||
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#21
I have no problem with the reporter reporting what he believes to be the truth. I have no problem with that at all.
What I have a problem with is the delight that the MSM is all over this story like a fly on poop. No understanding for the stress of combat, no understanding for the fact that he may have had a suicide belt. No. Just a poor, poor jihadi murdered by a cold blooded soldier.
You know, excuse me for the rhetorical excess, but that soldier put a bullet into two lost causes - a jihadi who'se sense of worthlessness was channeled into murder and a MSM whose hate was exposed in the reporting of this event.
I'll say. But I'll also add this: even attempting to apply non-combatant morality to this Marine's actions would be unfair. He had to make a split-second decision, one that could have meant either life or death for him. The nature of the enemy our soldiers face in Iraq and that enemy's willingness to employ any method available to inflict casualties (including the use of suicide attacks) dictates that no assumptions should ever be made about safety or intentions. The operation in Fallujah is NOT a police action; it's a WAR, and in war, if you don't kill the enemy, he just might kill you. That Marine did what he felt he had to do, and that's good enough for me.
#23
Another point...this incident is now being spun as a marine having shot an unarmed prisoner. As stated this was a second group of marines, the Iraqis were NOT prisoners. They were not in custody, but rather were in the process of being taken into custody by the 2nd group - someone correct me if I'm wrong. This whole thing stinks. The soldiers might as well learn it now...that embed is most likely not your friend. Again, most Americans can smell this and it's only gonna end up making the shill networks look worse. Now the UN wants to investigate, but of course noone cares about the butchered woman's body found yesterday....not a friggin' word.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
11/16/2004 12:16 Comments ||
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#24
My guess is over the next week or two several 'journalists' will complain about clumbsy Marines/soldiers breaking their tapes/storage media. I hope it happens accidentally.
#25
Well said 2b in #2. I am sick of the hate-America left. The MSM are unbelievable. But, when a dog urinates on a fire hydrant, he's not committing vandalism, he's just being a dog.
Given the circumstances that there had been booby-trapped bodies left behind in Fallujah. Plus buildings and Ammo Dumps (Mosques) booby-trapped to kill Marines and GIs.
The saftey of the Marine in question (who had been wounded in a previous battle) and his fellow Marines has precedence over everything else.
I've a feeling there is going to be another Lt. Colonel West "Blog-alanche" of support for this Marine and against the Touchy-Feely Blue State Elitist "Old Media" over this one!
Jack.
Posted by: Jack Deth ||
11/16/2004 13:08 Comments ||
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#28
Has anyone in the LLL MSM connect this soldier with the Bush Administration? You know itâs only a matter of time when they will claim that Rummy directed that the Marines take no prisoners. If that young man even felt the miniscule amount of danger, he was completely justified in his actions. Itâs my understanding that this unit had been ambushed by some Jihadis playing possum or pretending to surrender. If true, what else was the Marine supposed to do, wait until they shoot first or blow them up? This is NOT New York City and if you see a bad guy you have to kill the bad guy. Itâs called warfare.
#29
Cyber Sarge...Thank God we waited until AFTER the election to go into Fallujah. Otherwise we'd have to listen to Kerry drone on and on about how: "If I had been President, I would have been in direct communication with that Marine, and would have been reminding him that we were trying to fight a more SENSITIVE war!"
#35
Sites is right to say "I am not one of them." He couldn't measure up to the standards of the Marines. He seems to want to prepare himself for his reentry into the stateside MSM by finding "Ghengis Khan" style atrocities so the MSM can run the old Viet Nam antiwar playbook. If he keeps it up, he may find an RPG up his ass, just like in Viet Nam.
#36
Kevin Sites is a traitor. This was not "news" in any sense. It was sensationalism. Why not just imbed reporters from Al-Jazeera? They couldn't be any more anti-American than NBC's coverage. Reporting like this only stirs up Muslim hostility, thereby prolonging the current war of civilizations. The soldier was unquestionably correct in his actions. The insurgents do not follow ANY rules of combat, and have shown repeatedly that they pose a threat at all times. If the insurgent who was shot had lived to detonate a grenade, the deaths of the soldiers in that room would not even be deemed worthy of coverage, because the insurgents use such tactics all the time. Of course, NBC would have given a hero's memorial to Sites, probably even wondering why the soldiers had not done an adequate job of protecting him. The military should not be browbeaten by the media into making this soldier a sacrifice for public relations. Everybody knows he was right, and if he is punished in any way, there should be a tremendous outcry by all Americans.
#37
I would've shot him - once your personal survival intincts kick in, and you realize the enemy will still kill you no matter how reasonable you are, it comes down to your life versus his. Under that kind of pressure/reality no infantry grunt, Army or Marine, is gonna care what some REMF civilian or military bureaucrat, reporter, or politician whose not being shot at has to say about his decision to kill, only his fellow soldiers. The ult job of the infantry is close-in ground combat, to close in and destroy your country's enemy in close quarters violent combat or otherwise immediately and decisively change the enemy's willingness/ability to fight - combatant and noncombatant civilian wounded will generally be cared for only after an area is finally cleared and secured from enemy forces. Depending on the magnitude of the Iraqi's body movement(s) and my split-second comprehension of his intent, I MIGHT consider wounding him in the legs - anything else he's dead meat/worm food. The Marines received fire from this area/position, and have had numerous encounters with booby-trapped bodies and suicide bombers during their combat tenure. Remember also, the US delivered 000's of flyers and other methods warning civilians of pending operations/action - the only reason for women, children, and elderly to be there is because the insurgents intend to use them as PC "human shields", for political/media purposes.
#38
A poster said it all on a LeftBlog, in paraphrase - there will be no more wars around the world if America became the "People's Republic of America".
#39
AngryinIowa wrote: "Kevin Sites is a traitor."
Hey, I like hyperbole as much as the next guy. In fact, I like it more than the next 1 billion guys. But for a reporter to show what happened even in a questionable incident like this is a far cry from traitorous. You can question his motives, his politics, etc., but how is this traitorous?
I hate to sound like a shill for Kevin Sites, but I just don't think he's the anti-American character some have made him out to be.
Posted by: Tibor ||
11/16/2004 23:15 Comments ||
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#40
Tibor, I appreciate your scepticism for my admittedly extreme statement of my opinion, but here's my view in more detail: 1) I have a certain amount of nostalgia for the old ways of reporting. In WWII, and to a lesser extent even in later wars, the press made some attempt to act "responsibly" in terms of what it felt was wise to publicize. Situations which were morally ambiguous, and where displaying them would give only comfort and/or fuel for the enemy, were wisely overlooked. The press makes decisions every day about what information should or should not be reported. They have disavowed that role in war, and I belive that decision is wrong. 2) Sites admits that he had to consciously disregard his impulses to side with his countrymen. Perhaps some might consider this "pure" reporting, but I don't agree. I give Sites enough credit that I think his impulse to side with the American forces was an objective realization that we are fighting for the ultimate good in Iraq. His rejection of these feelings, however, is a surrender to coercion from those who would equate our side with the side of the terrorists. I don't believe in moral equivalency. There is almost always a good side and a bad side, and we are on the side of good in this conflict. If Sites considers himself neutral, then I believe that he has lost his way, at the least, and has obviously done harm to his country. I don't believe that he consciously betrayed his country. He almost certainly believed that he was doing what was right, though, just as traitors usually do (unless they're motivated by money). But he seems to have felt that he was serving a higher interest than loyalty to his country, in a situation that was not so black and white that he had a clear moral imperative. I consider that, if not "treason" in the legal sense, being a traitor to his country just the same.
#41
Despite your protests, you are a "gotcha reporter"
why don't you go back to Iraq, maybe you'll have your face shot off, and then you can come back and blab about how forgiving you feel. You could have reported your concerns to the Commandant, but you wanted the notoriety, so you and your cretinous network could blab about the incident ad nauseam.
There is growing anticipation in Islamic-jihadist circles of an imminent cataclysmic terrorist strike against a major urban center within the United States. That is the report of Yossef Bodansky, Senior Editor, Global Information System, in a special report in today's Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily. Bodansky reports that a communique was disseminated throughout the Islamist-jihadist elite of Western Europe and the Arab world before it was first publicized on November 9 by an "Abu-Hamzah al-Filastini" on an Islamist website. The message was allegedly from the "Al-Shaykhayn Brigade" of the "Al-Qaida Organization," and contained a warning that the U.S. would face the consequences of "Allah's wrath" in the form of a nuclear strike against a U.S. city.
"Let everyone know," the communique warned, "that we shall not hesitate to strike against the Americans and the rest of the Crusaders in their own countries. Their dens, their towers, and their hideouts will not be of use to them. The towers of New York continue to bear witness to that and continue to stand in silence dumbfounded by the intensity of the tragedy and the horror of death."
"We, in the Al-Qaida Organization, are in the process of preparing operations that will be more than painful," read the translation of the communique. The author(s) then proceeded to warn the U.S. and the West that "after they refused the truce offered by our Sheikh and the advice given by our leader Osama bin Laden, may God protect him, in his latest oral message in which he advised the Americans not to elect the reckless Bush and to contemplate the outcome of the enmity against the Muslim world, we say that by this refusal they warrant the wrath of God."
Posted by: headland ||
11/16/2004 2:21:03 AM ||
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#1
This is what I told my WMD class last night:
If they've stolen a weapon, they still have to get it to the US in a functioning condition. These weapons require regular maintenance and somewhat delicate handling. A fifteen year old Soviet bomb shipped to Tiajuana in a crate probably won't meet either criteria. There are any number of point failure possibilities along the way.
The highest probability, should they be able to bring such a weapon into the country, is that the explosives detonate but fission does not occur or is incomplete. If it does not occur, you have a dirty bomb scenario. Incomplete fission results in a "fizzle", a dirty bomb with a bigger boom and some of the characteristics of a fission explosion.
Recall that Tim McVeigh had one point failure possibility, that his timer would not function. Nuke terrorists have a half dozen. I truly do not believe that terrorists will be able to cause a fission explosion in the United States.
History has shown us that terror attacks generally involve the cheapest and easiest method possible. I can think of a couple of very easy scenarios that would cause the devestation of a nuke attack without all the trouble involved for the terrs. From the perspective of future propaganda, I would expect that they would love to set off a fission bomb. Unless they stumble across one already in place in Central Park, I expect they will follow their past patterns and look for easier methods to bring terror to America.
#2
Why is a dirty bomb slipped into container cargo not likely? No technical expertise here but it seems pretty easy to slip it into any one of the hundreds of thousands of standardized containers that leave asian ports for the US every day, and there's no way, with automated cargo unloading, that we could detect it short of bringing our economy to a halt.
#3
I expect the likliest method is getting a container and putting a technically competent suicide team in it to babysit the package on its journey.
The problem is the cost, as Chuck points out, and the difficulty of getting the container loaded in a friendly port for transit on a safe ship to the US. But for something like this, I suspect they could get funding from any number of sources, including the Tides Foundation, probably.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 10:23 Comments ||
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#4
Why do they want the response of 290 missing muslim cities?
#5
lex, it would be far easier to build a dirty bomb in the United States. All the materials are readily available. Why take the risk of discovery that shipping one in has, even though it might be small?
Dirty bombs are a terror weapon only. They are just a bomb that disburses some radioactive materials, and the foremost danger is from the bomb, not the radioactive materials. People hear "radioactive" and they freak.
2.) We haven't made it sufficiently clear that this is the response that will follow.
They thought we are too cowardly to do it. And that the MSM will protect them by protesting that we can't PROVE it was the Iranians. Falujah has made them think twice about their assumptions as their collapse in negotiations with the Europeans over uranium enrichment has shown. They read the election results in Tehran too.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 10:29 Comments ||
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#7
You are all assuming with no basis that I can see that a terrorist would have to SHIP a nuke into the US (or elsewhere)
Terrorists are opportunists and improvisors. They make stuff with what they can get to hand.
There are still islamist sympathisers in the US, UK and Australia, not to mention Europe and the UK.
Dirty bomb should be easy to make, causes contamination, cancer and a big scare.
Or they are very fond of using our own weapons against us: what about crashing planes into nuke power plants? same effect as a dirty bomb with the possibility of a Chernobyl.
#8
Mrs. Davis, et al: Let's face it. The decision to respond to a WMD attack with nuclear weaons is a political one, and it rests with one person, the President. While it is our stated policy to do so, I suggest that most of the Presidents since 1945 might not have done so. It's one thing to respond to a Soviet attack. It's quite another to respond to a terrorist one, or one by a quasi-national group. Think about the recent Presidents and make a guess about which ones would nuke Qom.
BTW, I believe the science is quite good that we can identify the source of any bomb materials. That's why we know where the Israelis got their fixings... Each facility produces a specific mix of isotopes that is very similar, but not exact. A fingerprint, if you will.
#9
I don't think it's as easy as you guys think it is to actually transport radioactive matieral. I've heard numerous reports of doctors being pulled over because they had some medical radioactive material in their vehicle. It seems we have detectors all over the place.
#10
Chuck, I don't have power point, so I'll take your word as you seem to be well informed in this area. But it sure seemed to me that they would run less risk doing the work overseas than trying to assemble one here, even a dirty bomb. That would take time and involve talking to a lot of people to assemble all the materials. That seems like a lot of points of risk.
While, being the carpers and perfectionists we are, Homeland Security looks like a sieve; it must look a bit more formidable to them overseas. I am not sure how many of their sympathizers in place are sending e-mails back to the caliphate volunteering to put a bomb together. Frankly, I suspect that if they could do it, they would have done it. It get's less likely as time goes on, our defences improve and the aging sympathizers attrit due to being sucked into American culture.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 10:42 Comments ||
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#11
Mrs. Davis: I could build a dirty bomb in about two hours if I lived in a state where I could buy fireworks over the counter. A dirty bomb is a regular bomb with some sort of radioactive material on it. You have some of the makings in your own home if you have an ionizing smoke detector.
Ted Kuzinski had no problem making a bomb. Tim McVeigh had no problem. The mooks in the first WTC attack had no problem. Eric Rudolph had no problem. Heck, at my lecture last night I had a fellow who made pipe bombs for fun as a child. Lots of country boys make things that go boom all the time. Bombs are easy.
Surveyors might have radioactive materials. Every Home Depot has them. Hospitals, universities, construction companies. You don't need much. Recall that the goal is to terrorize people who are frightened to death of "evil" radioactivity. I could shut down Manhatten for $300. worth of materials. The goal of terrorist is terror, not necessarily damage and destruction.
#12
BTW, just for the record. I am a loyal and happy American. I do not advocate violence against the United States and I do not support in any manner those who do. Should I have the opportunity, I will defend my home and country with all my power. I have an interest in the weapons and methods that our enemies might use against us. Know your enemy is never a bad idea. And I no longer worry about Fulda Gap for that reason. Times change and so do our enemies.
#13
Chuck...I can get you the materials wholesale. Say, $125.
My standard presentation closes an entire area for less than $12. The collateral damage caused by follow on accidents and a population trying to exit the area is rather high.
#14
RN, I haven't bought fireworks in a long while. And I was thinking of an impressive bang. Sell the sizzle, don't you know. Most of the funds were for the smoke detectors, which are running about $20 each up here.
#15
I think the Jihadi's best chance for a mass murder event would be a small arms attack on a crowded area, like a mall.
1) Weapons and ammo are easy to get.
2) Several attacks teams could disperse throughout the USA, do the attacks then disperse. Preferably in large urban areas. It would create a climate of fear the jihadi want.
3) The planning would be minimal and effective.
4) The inevitable reaction will be for leftists to call for the banning of weapons, essentuially bringing down our informal domestic defenses in response to a terorist attack; a win-win for the terrorists.
#16
I disagree that it would be easy. Let's say I suddenly decided that I wanted to build a bomb and blow something up. It's one thing to do it in concept, another thing to start accumulating the fertilizer, dirty bomb components, or TNT. I really don't think you could do something like that without attracting attention somewhere along the line.
People just don't wake up one morning and decide to blow up a FBI building and have the know how to do it.
#19
what would be amusing would be for the jihadis to get a bunch of radioactive stuff, put it in a container with a bunch of jihadis and when they get to port, the jihadis are sick of radiation poisoning and general cargo dirtiness.
#21
the rad detection system is one of our few successes - I agree it would be difficult to get one in, above a real, working (a big if) suitcase nuke in a car crashing the AZ or NM border fence. As has been noted before here - the maintenance issues alone makes that a problematic scenario for our future dead muj
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 11:29 Comments ||
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#22
Hey headland. Nice blog. You should stick around and comment here!
#23
A nuke detonated in the US would *have* to be the dumbest thing they could possibly come up with. The response noted by 3dc would be (in my opinion) at the high end of retaliation, but retaliation there would be - Chuck your #8 comment intrigues me, do you honestly think that the President would *not* order a nuclear response? If that's the case, then a lot of DoD doctrine goes out the window doesn't it, quite apart from making America a lot more susceptible to further attacks.
BTW, I think your PowerPoint makes some very good points, not least about radioactivity and the highly overrated destructive and killing power of a dirty bomb.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
11/16/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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#24
When you say "slip through", Frank, I assume you mean out of the port. If I were them, I'd blow it up as soon as we reached the dock but before the ship was tied up. No time for rad systems to detec t anything. Blast in a city area, lot's of deaths, fallout.
I believe McVeigh especially had to go through a learning curve on building a bomb, particularly detonation. I doubt he could buy enough materials to go through that learning curve without attracting attention.
The kind of bomb you're talking about Chuck would have great MSM value the first time it was used. I'm not sure it would achieve any terr goals worth the risk for the evanescent reward.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 11:47 Comments ||
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#25
You got the sceanrio Badanov.... Cheap to do and the assets are likely already in place. A HomeTown strike would be a national freakout. Mall of America, the Mayo Clinic, Mt. Rushmore, The Alamo. :(
#27
The day the next attack takes place will be the day that I and the rest of the hold-out eligable male populace enlist. I used to think Airforce but now lean Marines.
I agree...I feel I missed an opportunity the first go round. I pray that another such opportunity does not present itself, but if it does, I won't miss it again.
#33
Mrs D - IIUC - no container ship gets in San Diego Bay without a pre-inspection at the port it left, inspection at sea before entering, and a local harbormaster at the helm. Should be typical of most major ports
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/16/2004 16:05 Comments ||
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#34
I believe you are correct, Frank.
I assume that through whatever means necessary, (bribery, blackmail, the other usual methods) they can smuggle a sealed container onto a ship in a foreign port. I believe we don't have control of these foreign port inspections and I believe containers aren't randomly inspected by emptying them and inspecting the contents. I suppose they might be if we had some reason to believe there was dangerous contraband in the container. We might be able to prevail upon the local authorities to open a container up. The shipping company would scream about the delay, though. After it's on the ship, that'd be a bitch to do.
The U. S. inspection at sea is of the ship as I understand it; is the original crew in control and were they throughout the voyage, are papers in order, etc. and would not involve checking every container by any stretch. If you had the radioactive elements in a shielded containter until this inspection is complete I am making the assumption it could be removed, installed, and the bomb detonated before any action could be taken, even if the removal was detected. This calls for a crew-member who would be a co-conspirator/suicider, but those seem to be plentiful.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
11/16/2004 17:06 Comments ||
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#36
Bin Laden said he wanted to bankrupt the US economy. The best way to do this is to set out false alarms through email, websites, and false info to newbies likely to be captured. If you can get the US on alert time and time again you will cause terror and cost lots of moneys with minimal effort or risk. You would be able to watch the security network in action to spot openings and in the long run you would erode the security network.
They will not try to hit the US, their assets can better be used elsewhere while they fake terror here (a move that doesn't provoke the US into attacking jihad friendly nations)
#37
Thanks for the compliment you paid my blog. I've been doing my day job, so I have just returned to this thread and am just now in the midst of reading the interesting points that readers are raising.
I would just note that this is the third article Bodansky has written for Defense & Foreign Affairs since OBL's surprise appearance on videotape in the week before the election. All three of Bodansky's pieces report on the buzz he is hearing about an anticipated cataclysmic terrorist attack on the U.S.
#40
One nuke in the U.S. would do huge damage in one city and to the U.S. and world economies, but the terrorists would likely have only one or a few weapons, leaving the U.S. mostly intact. Psychologically, though, it's a suicide attack. "Allahâs wrath" of 9/11 got him U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Even if we didn't literally go ballistic, a nuke attack here would ultimately result in a final crusade. Afghanistan and Iraq would end up as minor footnotes.
Moderate Muslims need to contemplate where all this could lead and start detaching from the fanatics in very obvious ways. OBL is a desperate man with a death wish, and he is bordering on taking all of Islam down with him. By no means is George Bush the most-hawkish president that this country can produce.
Posted by: Tom ||
11/16/2004 20:49 Comments ||
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#41
The Muslim states need to think about the fact that the US is quite capable of destroying every city they have, within about 3 hours of a nuclear detonation on american soil. And that's not even considering India, which also has nukes and their delivery systems, and is none to fond of muslims on the best of days. Too long a history with the "one true religion".
"But we didn't do it!" they might insist in Yemen and Iran, but it would be far to late for such niceties; their well-documented sub-rosa (and sometimes open) support of AQ and it's ilk would have condemned millions of them to immolation. The US would be in a state of fury that would pretty much guarantee the birds would leave their nests.
The defense establishment is worried that extremist Palestinians under Iranian influence might in the near future try to assassinate Mahmoud Abbas, the new head of the PLO. Defense officials do not believe that Sunday's incident, in which armed Palestinians fired at Abbas's entourage, killing two guards, was aimed at Abbas himself. Rather, said one senior defense official, it was meant as a warning: that Abbas should not leave armed Fatah activists from Gaza, who are identified with Moussa Arafat and Tanzim leader Ahmed Hilas, out of the circle of power. "This will not be the last incident of this type," he added. But the chances of a genuine assassination attempt will increase the closer the new Palestinian leadership comes to an agreement to end the terror and resume diplomatic negotiations with Israel, the official said.
Abbas, he noted, has openly opposed terrorism and the anarchy in the territories ever since the intifada began in September 2000, and he tried to implement this approach during his half-year stint as Palestinian prime minister, under Yasser Arafat, in 2003. Now, Abbas wants to arrange a new cease-fire, and if he is elected as the Palestinian Authority's new chairman this January, he is also expected to strive for some kind of agreement, even if only partial, with Israel. Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, however, are vehemently opposed to even a temporary Palestinian reconciliation with Israel, and they are therefore pressing terrorist organizations in the territories to step up attacks against Israel. The Israel Defense Forces are bracing for a spate of such attacks in the coming days, after the Id al-Fitr holiday.
The first sally in this expected wave of attacks may already have occurred, in the form of a Katyusha rocket fired at the Western Galilee from Lebanon Monday afternoon the second such incident in the last three weeks. The drone that Hezbollah sent over Israel last week is another sign that the Iranian-backed organization is interested in heating up the northern border. Iran's first move, defense officials said, will be to try to foil Abbas's plans for a cease-fire. But, they added, Iran views Abbas as a threat, and would therefore not hesitate to target him personally, along with his close associate, Mohammed Dahlan, if his efforts to reach a truce seem likely to succeed.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
11/16/2004 3:43:12 AM ||
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#1
According to the Palestinian officials, Abbas and Qureia are seeking a long-term cease-fire under Egyptian and international auspices that would impose rigid restrictions on Israeli military activity.
...While doing nothing to address the actions of Palestinian-based and Palestinian-inspired terrorists. This whole notion of a Palestinian state is sounding more and more like a total waste of time and effort.
#3
Iran is clearly asserting itself as Saddam's replacement in the middle east: the #1 destabilizer of all and sundry, the lead attack dog against Israel, the haven and lead supporter of anti-US jihad.
#4
#1 "This whole notion of a Palestinian state is sounding more and more like a total waste of time and effort."
I think it's absolutely f*%$ing brilliant combined with the security fence. No more hiding behind the oppressed people w/out a government bs. Now, if Hamas attacks Isreal, it's doing so from an official state and not 'occupied terr.' It's no longer an act of 'resistance' but an act of war committed by a belligerent government.
#6
Iran is clearly asserting itself as Saddam's replacement in the middle east: the #1 destabilizer of all and sundry, the lead attack dog against Israel, the haven and lead supporter of anti-US jihad.
Iran and Syria were already in the top places of all that. Saddam was much further down the list.
#8
Iraq is perfectly located to threaten both Syria and Iran.
And Saddam was financing Paleo-boomers. Forgot about that, Aris, or do you think it is irrelevant? How many missiles has Iran lobbed at Israel, to date?
#9
Abu Mazen is apparently making some effort to reign in "militants" putting pressure on them to not carry weapons in public, and to stop attacks on Israel at least till the Pal elections. Reports are that Islamic Jihad and Tanzim were holding out for cold cash to make a deal. Hamas (which seems to be much better financed ;) ) was looking for a joint role in Pal leadership with Abu Mazen and the PLO. Abu Mazen wasnt giving that, and now Hamas has said NO to the Hudna. This creates a difficult situation, since Israeli attacks on Hamas (necessary if Abu Mazen doents attack Hamas) will undermine Abu Mazen, but Abu Mazen may not have the "street cred" to pull off the longawaited civil war on Hamas.
#11
You know, none of what is going on with the Paleo "government" has any seriousness about it. All these developments are nothing but deck chair rearranging; the whole government apparatus is rotten to the core, and there is no Palestinian Sadat to get the ball rolling in the right direction.
#3
He died of AIDS. But who cares. He's dead and that's what really matters.
Let me put it this way...if there is a rabid dog or man eating lion in my neigborhood - do I really care HOW he dies? No. Gone is all that matters.
I suppose it would be useful if the Paleo's knew the truth - that Arafat stole billions from them as he cavorted with the boys. But that info has been available to them for quite some time and they refused to acknowledge it. So how is it any different now?
It really matters if he died of AIDS. If he died of AIDS, it is a HUGE disgrace among the Islamoterrs. Poof, there goes his legacy. There is no tolerance of homosexuality, in Islam.
#5
It really matters if he died of AIDS. If he died of AIDS, it is a HUGE disgrace among the Islamoterrs. Poof, there goes his legacy.
You're assuming that the Paleos and all the other Arabs who idolized the little weasel would choose to believe it. No chance on that, at least not for a long, long time. Anything that doesn't fit in with their view is simply dismissed as lies, or some sort of Zionist plot. Fully disclosing Arafart's cause of death wouldn't have much of an initial impact.
Anyone want to run down some of the lesser-known players Fayrouz lists here? Only a few have a chance, Iââ¬m sure, but most are likely to be interesting.
Posted by: someone ||
11/16/2004 4:42:10 AM ||
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#1
1. one of the parties with democracy in the name, (#11?) is associated with some of the Iraqi bloggers we often cite here, and is both pro democracy and secularist
2. These parties are all registered seperately. There has been talk many would run combined lists, esp SCIRI (here with Supreme translated as "High" - the Hakim party) and Dawaa. Not sure if this list means thats not happening
3. IIP is shown as registered, though they said the other day they would boycott.
#3
Sistani is a wild-card in the WoT. He's been very helpful so far, though.
He could still be a problem in Iraq, and/or very helpful in dealing with Iran.
#4
Shame he wont keel over and pop his clogs ala Arafish . He's at a ripe old age and has had angioplasty to widen blood vessels to his heart . I understand peoples beleif that he actually holds the key in this election business but , for the future of Iraq as a whole , he needs to be sidelined/dead(natural causes please) . FFS he thinks he's descended from the prophet Mohammed (not that it holds much worth with me , Mohammed seems to be a bit of a fuckwit by all accounts )
#5
lex - ive heard that he is pushing SCIRI and Dawa to run a joint list, to establish Shia dominance. Thats why i wondered if this list showing them registered seperately indicated otherwise.
#6
LH, I have no problem with him using standard political techniques-- that's what democracy's all about, and it represents the substitution of politics for the gun.
It will have the side effect of teaching his rivals the wisdom of democratic particpation, persuasion, coalition-building. Perfectly in line with Iraq's democratic evolution.
#3
I have a cartpath that ends in a swamp. I think I'll call it Arafat Boulevard.
Posted by: john ||
11/16/2004 8:14 Comments ||
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#4
I wouldn't even name my pig stye after that miserable piece of excrement.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
11/16/2004 8:27 Comments ||
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#5
"This is a requiem for Nobel Peace Prize winner Yasser Arafat, the fallen leader of the benighted but unbowed Palestinian people."
Thus begins a column by that old hag Helen Thomas. She goes on and on, and never once calls Arafat a terrorist, murderer or evil. Go read the whole thing, if you can stomach it. And note that at the end of the column Helen's e-mail address is provided: helent@hearstdc.com
She's probably got a lot time on her hands these days because the White House is sick of her. Why not drop her a line and tell her what you think?
#6
"Fallen leader?" As if the scumbag fell in battle for some noble cause. And "the unbowed Palestinian people?" What does she think happens when they press their foreheads to the mosque carpets with their asses in the air?
#7
Arafat called in a soothsayer before he died. He asked her if he was going to die. She said: "Yes you are going to die on a Jewish holiday." Arafat said: "which one?" She said any day you die will be a Jewish holiday.
This topic seems to pop up frequently - and some solid clarification is in order. Perhaps even the activist Clinton-appointed federal judge who sparked this latest round will be able to comprehend... nah, he won't - because that's not why he acted the partisan moron in his ruling regards Hamdan. But, for the rest of us, a clear and concise explanation could be quite illuminating...
Not quite one week after the American people overwhelmingly endorsed George W. Bush's conduct of the war on terror at the ballot box, a federal district judge in Washington D.C., challenged the president's policies by ruling that Salim Ahmed Hamdan is entitled to rights under the Geneva Conventions. Mr. Hamdan was captured in Afghanistan, is being held at Guantanamo Bay as an al Qaeda member, and has been designated for trial before a military commission. President Bush has, of course, refused to grant any Geneva Convention status to al Qaeda members because that group is not, and could not be, a party to those treaties.
Mr. Hamdan's case is obviously on its way to the Supreme Court which, earlier this year, decided that such individuals can be held, without a criminal trial, as enemy combatants so long as hostilities continue in Afghanistan. Although the court also ruled that detainees must be given the opportunity to challenge their detention — most likely before a board of military officers — it never suggested that detainees were entitled to rights under the Geneva Conventions. In particular, the Supreme Court did not require that detainees be treated as prisoners of war (POWs) until a "competent tribunal" has determined otherwise, as provided in Article V of the Geneva POW Convention.
Nevertheless, this is exactly what the district court has ordered in Mr. Hamdan's case, in addition to challenging the government's right to try him before a military commission. The Geneva POW Convention, the court concluded, applies to everyone fighting in Afghanistan, regardless of their nationality or allegiance, merely because that country has ratified the treaty. This, of course, would extend Geneva protections to al Qaeda.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: .com ||
11/16/2004 3:43:43 AM ||
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#1
The requirements for a liberation movement to fall under the geneva conventions are rather explicit. This is from the third Geneva convention defining what is a prisoner of war:
(2) Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a Party to the conflict and operating in or outside their own territory, even if this territory is occupied, provided that such militias or volunteer corps, including such organized resistance movements, fulfil the following conditions:
(a) that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;
(b) that of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;
(c) that of carrying arms openly;
(d) that of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.
#3
An enemy combatant fighting without a uniform used to be considered a spy and could be shot or executed as such.
I personally think giving these psychopaths any legal standing is a mistake. We should shoot them on sight, give no quarter and never take a prisoner unless we can torture them for information. Sometimes I believe that terrorizing the terrorists as the IDF does on a regular basis is the only way to treat them. Kill their families, raze their homes and sieze their assetts.
NAIROBI — A leading human rights organisation yesterday urged the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Sudan's government over its activities in the war-ravaged region of Darfur, warning that a draft resolution on the table was insufficient. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the Council, which will hold a special session on Sudan in Nairobi later this week, should extend a limited and ineffective arms embargo imposed in July, target government figures with asset and travel restrictions and empower African Union troops in Darfur to better protect civilians. "The Sudanese government continues to terrorise its own citizens even in the face of the UN Security Council arriving in Africa," HRW Executive Director for Africa, Peter Takirambudde, said in a statement introducing a 43-page report, entitled "If We Return, We Will Be Killed."
I'm sure they'll find a way to blame us.
The title of the report shows that HRW is fully aware that Sudan (and other pest-holes around the world) are absolutely indifferent to the suffering of their citizens, and gladly kill aid workers on purpose to keep them away. Why won't they let the US/NATO/friendly military forces take the gloves off?
Eeeeeck! No! We mustn't do that! Why, that would be icky-poo! Can't we get another resolution to cover this? All this talk of military actions makes me faint, I'd best go lie down.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/16/2004 12:00:00 AM ||
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Not to worry, I'm sure HRW and the UN can come to some agreement after a dozen or so conferences in a dozen or so 5 star hotels.... lunch and dinner included of course.....
#2
Wonder if Sudan is running its own Oil-for Food program?
Posted by: john ||
11/16/2004 8:01 Comments ||
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#3
I believe Sudan ordered Chinese take-out.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 8:15 Comments ||
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#4
We can always pray that Khartoum is underneath the next asteroid that strikes the earth. Just a small one - say, 800 meters in diameter. It WOULD be celestial justice - an enema for the a$$hole of the world.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/16/2004 12:34 Comments ||
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#5
Sorry, OP. My schedule shows the next asteroid is slated for Riyadh. Khartoum is gonna have to wait in line.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 13:27 Comments ||
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#6
Steve,
May I suggest an asteroid shower -- using smaller diameter projectiles -- instead? While I am enthusiastic about the possibility of conclusively demonstrating whose side Allah is currently on, I'd like to avoid a dinosaur killer if at all possible. I prefer to be able to live comfortably and long after the madmen have had to eat the fruits of their folly. Nuclear-type winter does not fit into my plans at the moment.
#7
Not to worry, TW. According to my database, the rock slated for Riyadh is a small one. Tiny, really, only 150 feet across. I do believe you will be satisfied with the effects, estimated yield will be in the 20 megaton range. I have a picture of what Riyadh will look like after. I hope this meets with your approval.
Posted by: Steve ||
11/16/2004 16:36 Comments ||
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#8
Darlingest Steve, I withdraw my suggestion... your photo looks just like my dreams!!!
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.
Provisions in the draft law, he said, would prevent NGOs from spending excessive amounts of money on themselves. For example, he said, "They can use a car costing 12,000 US dollars instead of using a 40,000 dollar car."
George Galloway, the MP, told the High Court yesterday he would have been a "fool, a knave, a thief and corrupt" if he had solicited money from Saddam Hussein for his own enrichment.
Chancellor Schroeder's Greens coalition partner called on Tuesday for establishing a Muslim public holiday in Germany as a reaction to recent violence in the Netherlands. Both Germany's Greens Environment Minister, Juergen Trittin, and the deputy chairman of the Greens in parliament, Hans-Christian Stroebele were quoted in the newspaper Die Welt as backing the move. "Exactly such a sign is needed given the attacks in Holland," said Stroebele, who like Trittin hails from the party's "fundi" left-wing. 
The Berliner Zeitung, a left-leaning paper in the German capital where about 200,000 mainly Turkish Muslims live, claims to know the answer: "The feelings of hated against the majority Christian society are growing." So far there has not been a high profile killing in Germany to match the stabbing and shooting of van Gogh. But a series of attacks on Jews in Berlin by Arab youths have sharply raised concerns. Germany's tough-minded interior minister, 
Despite the continued reform efforts in Iran, the real political power still lies with the fundamentalist clerics, who control the military, police, and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards. The Revolutionary Guards are not technically part of the military, and are a separate armed force. This is much the same way that the KGB and MVD possessed their own conventional ground forces in the Soviet Union, and yet remained apart from the regular military. Iran's Constitution provides that the military's mission is to safeguard the country from invasion, the Revolutionary Guards' mission is to safeguard the Islamic Revolution itself. A large part of this mission entails enforcing the strict code of Islamic law. 
In its most positive assessment of Iran in two years, the 
NAIROBI — A leading human rights organisation yesterday urged the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Sudan's government over its activities in the war-ravaged region of Darfur, warning that a draft resolution on the table was insufficient. 
