We wish we were making this up, but in New Zealand there is a movement of antiwar leftists calling themselves the "Revolutionary Clowns". They get dressed up in clown outfits when they try to make the world safe for Bolshevism and to show their solidarity with al-Qaeda.
Revolutionary Clowns took to the streets of Wellington, NZ to "raise awareness" of the upcoming weapons conference being hosted at Te Papa Tongarewa "Our Place" on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 18 and 19, in New Zealand.
The Defence Industry Association is holding its annual conference there. The conference is an opportunity for NZ manufacturers to better market their products to overseas militaries.
It is interesting to note that you do not have to go all the way to New Zealand to discover revolutionary clowns. The Bay Area has produced its own neofascist "revolutionary clown" in the form of "Justin" Raimondo. Raimondo's prior claim to infamy was his 9/11 Anti-Israel conspiracy theory detailed in his silly little book, The Terror Enigma: 9/11 and the Israeli Connection. He also has lamented Japan's defeat in the Pacific and has a nasty habit of rooting for an American failure in Iraq. This cryto-fascist also has the nerve to call himself "antiwar." What a clown.Now an entire new web site has been set up to maket "Justin Raimondo Clownware".
The Justin Clownware site offers various products, such as shirts, aprons, pajamas, mugs, and bibs, all with images of Raimondo dressed up as a clown. My personal favorite is here.
I think the producers should consider some products with Raimondo dressed up like The Fonz and doing his Fonz-like "Hey!" routine before the crowds along the Castro.
Yes, but do they have the giant puppets and the guy with the inflated scrotum? If not, they're just wannabes.
Posted by: The Happy Fliergerabwehrkannon ||
10/20/2005 18:04 ||
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The idea that America is, in any sense, a civilized country is easily dispelled by the orgy of self-congratulation and rationalization that accompanies the dual anniversaries of Harry Truman's decision to atom bomb the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Want your gorge to rise? Check out the New York Post editorial "The Bomb That Saved Millions," (August 6) which justifies the bombings as a "military necessity." The editorial opines that "few at the time questioned President Harry S. Truman's wisdom in using the devastating new weapon, but revisionist historians and political activists maintain now â more than a half-century later â that the atomic bombing of Japan was militarily unnecessary and morally unacceptable." The Post is New York City's most popular newspaper â a place where the official standard of morality is closer to the Code of Lek than the Ten Commandants. So why are we not surprised that the Post finds all this appalling?
October 20, 2005: On October 13th, a new Islamic terrorist group announced its formation in Saudi Arabia. The âEcho of Tuwayq Brigades in al-Zulfa" declared themselves part of the Organization of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia needs all the help it can get, as most of its known members have been arrested or killed. The Tuwayq Brigades mentioned that among their first operations would be revenge attacks for all the al Qaeda members killed by the government over the last two years. In 2004, the government compiled a "most wanted" list of 26 terrorist leaders known to be operating in Saudi Arabia. Nearly all of them have been killed or arrested by now. So the government came up with another list. This one contained 36 names, all of them second and third tier al Qaeda leaders (or weapons technicians). The Tuwayq Brigades appear to be connected with a few people on this second list. Recently, most al Qaeda activity in Saudi Arabia has been of the web based variety. A flurry of attacks last year, turned most Saudis against al Qaeda (or, at least al Qaeda operations in Saudi Arabia). This loss of popular support led to more tips about al Qaeda operations (including where members were hiding out.) The news from Iraq has not helped either. The large number of Moslems being killed by al Qaeda up there, especially Sunni Arab Moslems, also diminished al Qaedas popularity in Saudi Arabia. Thus the mention of ârevenge attacks.â Killing policemen or soldiers is seen as less of an atrocity than is the murder of women and children. Or least that appears to be the al Qaeda thinking in Saudi Arabia. The government apparently saw that coming, and has made sure the grieving families of dead policemen, killed in battles with terrorists, got lots of attention in the media.
At the moment, al Qaeda is fighting a losing battle in Saudi Arabia. But their chief liability is not their own inability to strike a telling blow, but the high price of oil. Driven largely by rapidly growing demand from China and India, oil is selling for twice what it did before U.S. troops went into Iraq. This means the royal family has more money to share with the people of Saudi Arabia, and more time to deal with the corruption and spendthrift ways of the growing royal family. It's the unpleasant, and incompetent, royals that have offended Saudis for the longest time, as well as the resulting lack of economic progress in the kingdom. Replacing the royal family with a theocracy has little appeal either, because Saudis have noted that that did not do anything for the Iranian economy next door. The Saudis don't like Islamic terrorism or their royal family, but as long as the terrorists make themselves the most dangerous menace, the royals get a pass.
Posted by: Steve ||
10/20/2005 08:55 ||
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a new Islamic terrorist group announced its formation in Saudi Arabia. The âEcho of Tuwayq Brigades in al-Zulfa"
Saudi Arabia = Echo in The Fart Chamber.
Posted by: Red Dog ||
10/20/2005 14:02 Comments ||
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THE US military has designated "scavenger drugs" developed by an Australian company as key to saving lives if terrorists attack the US with dirty bombs. Sydney-based company Proteome Systems is working with three of North America's top radiation research centres in a $US20 million ($26.3 million) US Government-funded program to develop treatments for radiation exposure from terrorist attacks.
Proteome's scavenger drugs are small compounds designed to mop up radiation in the human body. "The US military also want to have something ready as such that if US troops are going into a war zone, they can have this as a tablet and include it in their kit," Proteome chief executive Stephen Porges said today. "If they get exposed, they can take it."
The US Government also hopes the product could be distributed to the public and emergency workers if terrorists detonate a radioactive "dirty bomb" in the US. Despite real fears terrorists could get their hands on a dirty bomb, the US is not sufficiently prepared to treat large numbers of its citizens for radiation. "At the moment there is nothing," Mr Porges said. "I can't say this will be ready in a year or whatever, but this is the lead compound that they are currently working on for that solution."
The US Government became interested in Proteome's compound after scientists from the US Armed Forces Radiation Research Institute tested it on rats. Mr Porges said that in experiments using rival company's products, the best result was 50 per cent of rats being alive 30 days after being exposed to radiation. When the US military used Proteome's compound, 90 per cent of the rats survived.
The US Government then created the Centres for Countermeasures Against Radiation to develop new medical products to protect against, mitigate the effects of, and treat radiation exposure from a terrorist attack.
Proteome, along with 20 top scientists from The Medical College of Wisconsin, Detroit's Henry Ford Health Systems and the University of Toronto, have formed the Centres for Countermeasures Against Radiation. "We're getting the three smartest and best groups in the world to effectively work on our compounds to develop a radiation solution," Mr Porges said.
The $US20 million deal is a huge boost for the Australian Stock Exchange listed Proteome. "They have committed $US20 million and we are only a $30 million company," Mr Porges said.
Development of the compound began 14 years ago and has been used to create a cream for treating radiation suffered by breast cancer patients. Mr Porges said the potential for the compound in other forms of medical radiation treatment was immense. "We are now working on using the same compound for any type of radiation treatment," he said. "Any oncology treatment you are getting, there are all of these side effects which normally you put up with because there is no alternative.
"But, suddenly we own a huge market place for therapeutic radiation treatment for cancer."
Scavenger drugs are small molecule compounds that may also have therapeutic applications in the neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and inflammatory areas.
Posted by: God Save The World AKA Oztralian ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Germany's defense minister-designate, Franz-Josef Jung, wants to introduce general conscription for the armed forces, paving the way for conflict with his SPD coalition partners, who are against such a plan.
Although conscription currently exists in Germany, it only applies to young men and does not necessarily affect all of them, since the numbers called to service changes annually depending on the need.
The system is however generally considered as being good for the German armed forces and good for German democracy.
But now Franz-Josef Jung, the Christian Democratic (CDU) politician who has been designated Germany's future defense minister, has said a general conscription should be introduced that would apply to all young men and women and would call upon them to serve in either the armed forces or a social institution...
...The union bloc of parties has also expressed its desire to allow the armed forces, or Bundeswehr, to be deployed in the future within the country in the case of a terrorist threat.
Germany's current constitution prohibits such domestic deployments and to institute such a policy, lawmakers would have to amend the country's "Basic Law," something Jung and his union colleagues have said they will pursue...
#1
The system is however generally considered as being good for the German armed forces and good for German democracy.
Hmmm...when Germany was limited in the size of its armed forces [without the Americans or Soviets sitting on them], they were rather peaceful. Then someone reintroduced conscription again and it wasn't good for democracy, Germany or Europe. Somebody is forgetting his history.
...that would apply to all young men and women and would call upon them to serve in either the armed forces or a social institution...
Ah, that's it, National Socialism. Ein Volk!
BTW, France - we're not coming back again. Learn to speak German.
#2
Actually, I say wait and see -- what compromise will be needed to let this slip through?
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
10/20/2005 22:07 Comments ||
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Actually, it would be a good thing, I think. The last time I looked, an awful lot of the young men called up chose to do social work (working at nursing homes, that kind of thing) instead of military service. And they were snotty about living their anti-war principles. And of course, most of the girls, who weren't called up, had anti-war priciples as well. And then they all went on to spend 10-15 years at university, because they hadn't been taught to grow up, and because there weren't enough jobs anyway.
With universal conscription, the Germans youngsters wouldn't have this classist social work nonsense, both boys and girls would learn to make their beds and handle some responsibility, and people would have to be hired and paid to do the social work. Win-win-win as I see it.
LONDON, Oct 17 - Escalating religious and racial tensions in France have raised risks there for investors in the final three months of 2005, according to the latest quarterly analysis from strategic risk consultancy MIG.
Attacks by Islamic extremists are a particular risk, the London-based group said in its Grey Area Dynamics (GAD) report for the fourth quarter.
"A terrorist strike -- most likely in the capital -- is highly likely in the coming months," MIG said, hiking its risk rating on France by 1.5 points to 59.5, the single biggest quarterly rise for a developed economy.
French police arrested four people in a series of dawn raids earlier this month in the town of Montargis, some 100 km (60 miles) south of Paris.
The raids were part of a broadening investigation into Islamist militants suspected of plotting to attack a Paris airport and the capitalâs metro system.
The October arrests were linked to the seizure of four other suspects in September who were later charged with terrorism offences.
Although France opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq , it says it is a target for Islamist militants because of its support for international military operations in Afghanistan , intelligence cooperation with Washington and support for North African states fighting Islamic extremists. Rising Islamic militancy is also the main factor behind a 1.5 point hike in MIGâs risk rating for investors in Bangladesh to 75 -- the single biggest hike for any Asian economy in the quarter.
Extremists exploded nearly 500 small bombs across the country in the space of half an hour in August, killing four people and wounding at least 115 others.
Other notable risk hikes in Q4 from Q3 include one point rises in Greece and the Netherlands.
Risks declined, though, by 2.5 points in Algeria, 2 points in Turkey and 1.5 points in Lebanon, lowering their GAD ratings to 76, 72.5 and 72 respectively.
Finland, Iceland and Luxembourg remain the safest markets overall for investors with GAD ratings of 28, 29.5 and 31.5 respectively.
MIG defines its GAD indicators as the factors that cause businesses investing overseas to underperform or fail.
GAD indicators cover 10 risk factors, with up to 10 marks awarded to each category which cover a range of political, trade and business risks. The higher the score, the higher the risk to investment.
October 20, 2005: Many NATO countries have sent peacekeepers to Afghanistan, but have not been able to use their Moslem soldiers as well as they thought they could. Itâs not that NATO thought they would have a lot of linguists, as very few of their Moslem troops came from Afghanistan. In fact, most of the Moslem troops in NATO armies, were born in Europe (it was usually their parents who emigrated, most commonly from Turkey or North Africa). But it was believed that, as Moslems, they would have a better rapport with the Afghans. That did not happen.
Part of the problem is that Afghans, in general, are not crazy about foreigners, no matter what their religion. They are particularly hostile to Turks and Arabs. The former, because there is a Turkish minority in Afghanistan that has long been seen as a threat to the Indo-European tribes (the Pushtuns and Tajiks) who have traditionally dominated the area. Arabs are disliked because they comprised most of the al Qaeda personnel in Afghanistan. Those al Qaeda âtroopsâ eventually became enforcers for the Taliban, using force to encourage compliance with unpopular Taliban directives.
What NATO commanders did discover about their Moslem troops was not very encouraging. Most of these young Moslems joined the military just for the money. They wanted to get a job, and it is very hard for immigrants, or the children of immigrants, to get jobs in Europe. The military was always looking for volunteers, but most young guys saw being in uniform as no fun at all. So many Moslems were accepted, if not welcomed. Few of the NCOs, and hardly any officers in European armies are from emigrant families. This is in sharp contrast to the United States, where there are many Moslem NCOs and officers in the military, and the commander of all U.S. troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan is an Arab Christian.
In Europe, Moslems were held in low esteem even before 911. Since then, fear of terrorists has translated into even more disdain for Moslems. This carries over into the military, where officers and NCOs often distrust their Moslem troops, or simply show disdain for them. Senior commanders recognize that they have a problem with Moslem troops, and itâs not the fault of the Moslems. But changing attitudes among officers and NCOs will not be easy, nor will it happen quickly.
Posted by: Steve ||
10/20/2005 09:03 ||
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20% of french army is now muslim, with percentage as high as 30-40% in some frontline units, say in paratroopers and the likes.
I do not have the numbers in head, coz I'm a failure, but IIRC internal survey found that only one in ten young muslim-born men would fight for France (you read that correctly), and that many would not fight 'their country' (their country being here the country of their parents or grand parents, but can be extended as any muslim country).
This leads to serious soul-searching, degraded morale, and deep cohesion problems.
That concerns less elite units, which remain more homogenous... as far as I can tell, morale in the french army is not good since Shiraq in his genious decided to professionalize it. Basically, the transition has been very painful, and anyway, it is bankrupt, a large part of the gear is not usable due to lack of money (again i've seen the numbers in some internal mags, and that's a catastrophy, with ratios like 30%, 50%,...). Of course, you'll say that France itself is bankrupt (gvt has to borrow 139 billions of euros just to balance its budget this year, debt is now 1200 billions of euros, and you can add 1000+ from various social budgets), and you'd be right.
France only tries to retain its highly-trained and very effective "expeditionary corp" traditionally used in Africa (no crap here, french soldiers in that kind of units, marines and foreign legion, are very good at what they do).
But there are signs the whole thing is falling apart; October 17, Michèle Alliot-Marie, the Shiraq groupie and minister of defense, has suspended three high-ranking officers, including one general, from the Ivory Coast "Licorne" operation, over the death of a paramilitary commander.
I've read some "conspiracy theory" this could be part of a move to weaken Dominique Galouzeau "de Villepin" (who's a man), due to infighting in the Shiraq side, to blame the real IC quagmire on him.
The entry of disaffected muslim "youths" in the french army is not a bug, it's a feature. There is a whole "affirmation action" drive in the recruitment of the army specially geared toward them, despite all the disciplinary problems they pose (you don't recruti what's basically thousands of yobs without such problems), much to the chagrin of the army brass.
#3
'Moslem Soldiers in European Armies' hope there arnt to many in the British Army/Battlefield Social Workers. As for the Fwench how long before they create an Islamic Martyer Brigade like Iran?
Posted by: Shep UK ||
10/20/2005 12:14 Comments ||
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Snump, are we supposed to include Ambassador Khalilzad in that number? Or most of our allies in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Posted by: Phil ||
10/20/2005 14:11 Comments ||
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#5
Snump - I personally know (devout, practicing) Muslims who I quite literally trust with my life. Sorry you don't.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/20/2005 14:27 Comments ||
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But it was believed that, as Moslems, they would have a better rapport with the Afghans.
Ah, yes - the old Euro/colonial belief that "all wogs are the same" rears its ugly little head. Again. Still.
In Europe, Moslems were held in low esteem even before 911.
But their esteem soared in Phrance because of after that.
>:-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/20/2005 14:31 Comments ||
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#7
Anon5089: I like your "Shiraq" - a nice touch.
Posted by: jolly roger ||
10/20/2005 16:48 Comments ||
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#8
Thanx, but this kind of nickname is relatively common among the pro-zionist, pro-Us, right wing french islamophobic websites I waste my time with (instead of wisely looking for smut). I'm only an unimaginative copycat.
#10
anonymous5089, you are a darling. And very silly about yourself, but very informative for us. Keep bringing us good information from your own observations, and also from the French-language websites that I can't read. Mercy buckets!
(And trust .com. about the smut thingy -- I hear he knows whereof he speaks!)
France's top anti-terrorist judge has warned that Iraq is a black hole which has helped to radicalise some young Muslims and drawn them into violence.
The fact that thousands were attending training camps in Afghanistan before 9-11 seems to escape him and a lot of other people
In an interview with the BBC, Jean-Louis Bruguiere says some Muslims are receiving training in Iraq before returning to Europe to carry out jihad. He also warns that the terror threat facing Europe remains very high. Combating Islamist terrorist cells is becoming harder as they are fragmenting in unpredictable ways, he says. Judge Bruguiere is one of Europe's most experienced anti-terrorism investigators, who has specialised in tracking Islamist groups since the 1980s.
Not that they did much about them
In his interview with the Today programme, he says he is pessimistic about the immediate future - saying the terror threat in Europe and the rest of the world remains very high. He says Iraq has helped to draw some young Muslims into violence. "It's quite a black hole sucking up all the elements located in Europe, and pushing them to leave Europe and go to Iraq," Mr Bruguiere said. "Some of them come back to Europe with the need and the intention of committing jihad... in their home country in England, France, Spain, other country in Europe.
Yes, and a great many disapear into that "black hole", never to be seen again
"Some of them have training for non-conventional weapons such as chemical and biological weapons and that were quite new in 2002, 2003."
However, Judge Bruguiere warns that combating the threat is becoming more difficult. He likens terrorist cells to a virus which continually mutates - making co-operation on intelligence-gathering more important than ever. Judge Bruguiere says one of the most worrying developments is evidence that some cells are now acquiring non-conventional weapons, with French intelligence foiling a would-be chemical attack in 2002.
Posted by: Steve ||
10/20/2005 08:27 ||
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#1
"..Iraq is a black hole..."
Does that mean Iraq draws terrorists in to something from which neither they nor the light from their candles can ever escape? Sweet!
#2
Again no disrespect to Bruguière, who is a media hound but does a swell job, but IMHO terrorism is the least islamic threat to France and Europe.
If I'd look at the "larger picture", with the euro-establishment and powers-that-be (from the local to the national) bowing to islamic pressure, with muslim populations expanding rapidly through incontrolled immigration and higher birthrates, and with well-financed and well-thought orgs bent on radicalizing said populations (not hard), I'd say terrorism is only the stick to the islamic (not islamist!) global conquest plan of Europe.
And I'd add that having the USA shoving Turkey down our threat for geopolitical reasons certainly doesn't help, but then again so are our euro-elites.
Eurabia, coming to you circa 2050, but already very much in its way in a generation only.
#4
Just to add : the threats faced by the USA are much less serious than thoses faced by Europe (unless the terrs gets their hands on WMD, in which case terrorism can become a strategic force).
It's the USA who are trying to do the roll-back, by democratizing muslimland and dragging it screaming and kicking into modernity, but it's Europe which is on the brink and is the juicy target of the jihad.
The USA are "just" the vanguard of what's left of western civilization and thus the main ennemy to be defeated, but the euros are the prize that can be had and conquered.
That's what I think, but I've been wrong so many times on so many subjects.
#5
In an interview with the BBC, Jean-Louis Bruguiere says some Muslims are receiving training in Iraq before returning to Europe to carry out jihad.
And yet no one's FOUND any terrs who trained in Iraq and returned to other nations. So far, Iraq appears to be more of a Roach Motel than a breeding ground.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
10/20/2005 10:13 Comments ||
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So far it seems to me that the "black hole" is in Europe. There are more Europeens born terrorists caught fighting in Irak than the other way around.
#7
There is a thing I don't understand. Why in the hell would Irak be a good place to train? It is much easier to train in the NWFP, in Saudi Arabia or in failed state/terrorist sympathising state than in Irak where there is constant danger of US or Iraki troops knocking at the door or death raining from the sky. Even the French banlieues are better for some type of training than Irak.
The real problem is that instead of depicting Al Quaida as fascist murderers and islamism as a veil for a racist arab supremacist project (or more exactly Arabian, north-african arabic speakers are not part of the herrensvolk) the press is doing its possible for increasing Al Quaida sympathies between youngs from North African origin. And Al Quaida will kill French with as much gusto than Americans. Just a bit later (perhaps).
#8
Why in the hell would Irak be a good place to train?
It isn't. It's a horrible spot for training -- too many people on the look out and ALLOWED to use force against terrorists. Sudan is better; Saudi Arabia is better; Virginia's better.
But worrying about jihadis training elsewhere doesn't fit anyone's political goals, so Iraq is the place to talk about.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
10/20/2005 10:52 Comments ||
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#9
It's only the BBC lying again and finding someone to propagate the lies.
#10
Why bother to say anything, France and Germany are the peoples who made Iraq a bigger difficulty than it should have been. France has no say what so ever since they were not part of the solution by their own choice.
Have fun with your home grown islamofacist soon to be majority.
Puts on Owen Williams I-Spy impersonation mask..
Gee! I didn't know we had a SPY Imagery Agency! That is Soooo Cooool! Must be Carlos' hangout, he gets all the nifty toys!
The head of the US spy imagery agency defended the work of his organization on Wednesday, saying the satellite photos, digital graphics and maps it generates were more in demand than ever by military and other government departments. "You must have, I believe, what is the geographical, the geospatial setting, whatever the problem is," said James Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and head of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). Oh,darn. The bozos at Agence France-Presse have to slant the headlines. No Spy Imagery Agency for you!
"Everything, everybody has to be in some place," Clapper told reporters. For our enemies the appropriate place is approximately 2 meters below ground... but impalement on a roadside pike works for me too...
The NGA has faced sharp criticism in the US Congress, where members have questioned the agency's effectiveness in the war in Iraq and the broader effort to track potential terrorist threats. Hmmm, I think I smell some Democrats...
According to The Washington Post, the director of national intelligence, John Negroponte, is due to release recommendations soon on the role of satellite spying activities.
Clapper rejected allegations that demand for the NGA's product was on the decline among government agencies. "I have not seen it for my last four years. In fact, the opposite has been true," he said. The US Central Command, or CentCom, which oversees US troops in Iraq and throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, was "our primary customer", he said. "In the phase we are in now, the emphasis is on recovery, reconstruction. So we provide a lot of infrastructure kinds of data," Clapper said.
A report published in April by an independent commission, charged with analyzing the failures of US intelligence in the search for possible weapons of mass destruction under Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, underlined the limits of satellite imagery in the US-led invasion of 1993. The report found that satellite photos failed to prove useful in locating chemical and biological weapons sites.
Posted by: DanNY ||
10/20/2005 08:15 ||
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#3
Sounds like the old Defence Mapping Agency. Get your GPS coordinates right here.
Posted by: ed ||
10/20/2005 12:40 Comments ||
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#4
As useful as satellite imagery is it is no substitue for on the ground old fashioned intelligence. And if there where failures in the Gulf this is where it was at. Not in the imagery and intercept areas IMO. Another arguement being used in some quarters is why continue to build and launch spy sats when we can just buy images from a commercial service like SPOT. Which IIRC is run by the freaking French
"Hello, Morton's? Yeah, lissen, the delivery you made, ... yeah, that one ... well, I need another one, real quick ... uh huh ... no, it's not for the driveway, got no ice there yet ... hokay, send the big truck ..."
Vice-President Dick Cheney and a handful of others had hijacked the government's foreign policy apparatus, deciding in secret to carry out policies that had left the US weaker and more isolated in the world, the top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell claimed on Wednesday.
In a scathing attack on the record of President George W. Bush, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff to Mr Powell until last January, said: âWhat I saw was a cabal between the vice-president of the United States, Richard Cheney, and the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made. Now it is paying the consequences of making those decisions in secret, but far more telling to me is America is paying the consequences.â
Posted by: Captain America ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Thinkin perhaps Powell be whiner in a flock of whiners. Rummy and Cheney are the adults, Wilkerson obviously is not yet ripe.
Posted by: Captain America ||
10/20/2005 0:15 Comments ||
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#2
Hhhhhhmmmmmm, so Cheney, etal = LBJ, etal. ala Oliver Stone's flick JFK, wid Kevin Costner. Ergo Dubya = JFK, i.e. about to be blown to smithereeneys so that the USA can invade Iran = Cuba ala righteous indignation.
#5
First, I think we have a clearer idea why Powell was such a horrible Sec State. Any bets on when this guy will be speaking for various Saudi "institutes"?
What I saw was a cabal between the vice-president of the United States, Richard Cheney, and the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made.
It's almost as if he thinks the bureaucracy makes policy. They don't. They're supposed to carry out the policy the President and his staff decide upon. The bureaucracy is not there to make the decisions.
Purge State. Sow Foggy Bottom with salt and erect a pillar warning others of the folly of a "professional" diplomat corps.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
10/20/2005 7:49 Comments ||
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#6
Somebody has been watching the Yes, Minister DVD set, and learned the wrong lessons.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
10/20/2005 8:16 Comments ||
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#7
The Secretary of Defence and Vice President making decisions with out the knowledge of the bureaucracy? How dare they! They should be more like Colin and just hang around DC feeding rumors to Bob Woodward.
#12
Powell doesn't seem to understand how the system works. The Sec State gives advice and implements policy, it does not make policy. Cheney cannot hijack what is already his responsibility.
#13
Somebody should tell this asshat that the job of the State Department is to effect the foreign policies of the elected President of the US and Congress, not to develop their own. If the people of the US wanted foreign policy developed by a bunch of inbred snobs from the ivy league, they would elect them. No wonder things have gotten so screwed up Beginning to think that Condi Rice should just go through, fire everyone and then repopulate the DoS, not unlike New Orleans.
#14
Wilkerson and Powell are still courting the opinions of France and the UN bunch America needs so desperately to isolate ourselves from? It is these globalists like Soros that are trying to hijack our foreign policy and traitors in my opinion. Dick Cheney and the unknown handful of others are courageous heroes to defy the insider bureaucracy and just earned my respect ten-fold.
Certainly, this was before the end of eloquence. Post eloquence we have drunk Kennedy screaming about relevance, crazy Schumer with a dagger to the heart of whatever, and Arlen f*****g Specter. A man to whom no idea has ever been planted.
For those of you of few years, take a look at drunk Kennedy's book about the ABM.
This loser has been open about his beliefs for over 40 years. The problem is, people in Massachusettes don't read. Or think. Or care. Or...anything. Maybe they mastu*****. But they procreate, so anything's possible.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- A vocal House Republican is calling for a new probe into what he says is a "witch-hunt" by defense officials against a Sept. 11 intelligence whistleblower. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Penn., told United Press International that officials at the Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, had "conducted a deliberate campaign of character assassination" against the whistleblower, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer.
Shaffer has said that a highly classified Pentagon data-mining project he worked on, codenamed Able Danger, identified the ringleaders of the Sept. 11 terror attacks as linked to al-Qaida more than a year before they hijacked four planes and crashed them, killing nearly 3,000 people.
Weldon told UPI he had written to the Department of Defense inspector general to ask for "an immediate formal inquiry, with people testifying under oath," into what he called "a clear witch-hunt" against Shaffer, who has been on administrative leave while minor allegations about some expenses are investigated. Weldon's move comes after Shaffer said that boxes of his personal effects, returned to him by the DIA earlier this month, contained both government property and classified documents.
"Sending classified material through the mail is a felony, and much more serious than any of these minor, trumped up charges against (Shaffer)," he said, adding that "I want the appropriate persons held accountable."
Sounds like someone was trying to set Shaffer up
Weldon said that the DIA had now taken steps to fire Shaffer. "It's outrageous and scandalous," he said. A DIA spokesman had no immediate comment.
Posted by: Steve ||
10/20/2005 08:39 ||
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This is how they will finally get Rummey's head. So stupid. The entire senior DIA leadership needs to be decapitated over this before they place the entire operation in jeopardy.
#2
Whether there is any validity to Able Danger or not you have to admire Weldons tenacity. Challenging the DoD and The Defenders of the 911 Commission scriptures is an uphill battle.
Al Qaeda in Iraq conceded on Thursday that senior operative Abu Azzam had been "martyred" almost a month after U.S. forces said they had killed him in Baghdad, according to an Internet audio statement.
"The lion of Iraq Abu Azzam al-Iraqi has died a martyr. He wrote the word of monotheism with his blood," said the recording by one of al Qaeda's leaders. It was posted on a Web site often used by Islamist militant groups.
The U.S. military said last month Abu Azzam who it described as the second-in-command of Iraq's al Qaeda was shot dead in Baghdad after being tracked down.
Last month, al Qaeda said it was not yet sure if Abu Azzam died in the clash, but denied he was Zarqawi's deputy.
In the eulogy, a man identified as Abu Abdul Rahman al-Iraqi pledged allegiance to Zarqawi and said the nation of Islam would produce more men such as Abu Azzam.
"He dedicated his life to jihad against the rejectionists, (Shi'ites) and crusaders, and enemies of God. He is a hero and will go down in history as a guardian of Islam."
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
10/20/2005 11:20 ||
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"The lion of Iraq Abu Azzam al-Iraqi has died a martyr. He wrote the word of monotheism with his blood. He was more than a holy terrorist for Islam, he was my lover"
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/20/2005 13:49 Comments ||
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Nah ... he's somebody's foot stool and pet whipping boy in Vahalla where the real warriors go.
The Navy has revealed it is deploying an unmanned speedboat equipped with a remote-controlled machine gun capable of being operated up to a range of 20 kilometers, reportedly the first of its kind in the world
Developed by Rafael, the nine-meter-long, rigid hull, inflatable vessel is being called the "Protector" and has been undergoing sea trials for a number of months. Navy officials said it has "already drawn blood" but declined to elaborate. They stressed that the unmanned boat was an "all-Israeli" assembly.
Developers also said the "Protector" could be used to ferry commandos, as well as contribute to anti-terrorist protection. Each of the "Protectors" is equipped with at least four cameras, as well as a sonar or radar system and electro-optics capable of providing a three-dimensional image. The machine gun is a mini-Typhoon type, also developed by Rafael.
The Typhoon system allows the gun to stay on target as the unmanned surface vehicle (USV) bounces across the waves. Developers said the pilot of the vessel would be an officer (but not necessary a naval officer) who would go through a one-week training course. A second "mission module operator" would be responsible for its mission - be it surveillance or offensive. Some, according to foreign reports, are equipped with offensive weapons used to target Palestinian terrorists. It also has begun deploying remote-controlled vehicles along the security fence in the West Bank.
#2
The thought just crossed my mind that what they need next is a remote prison barge. That is, since not all potential targets are clean-cut FOF.
So this first remote speedboat approaches an unknown vessel. A megaphone orders it to heave to. If it complies, then its crew are ordered to abandon ship onto the prison barge. Sensors could then detect remotely if anyone is left aboard the ship. If not a robot could be hoist aboard to look for contraband or booby traps, all without endangering any coast guard personnel.
The ships captain could even show his papers to a camera on the barge, to verify the vessel.
When I meet in Washington today with President Bush, I will reiterate his own inspiring words: "I believe that God has planted in every heart the desire to live in freedom." And I will put to him that the Palestinians, after nearly 40 years of occupation, still do not live as free people in their own land. Finally, I will reiterate that I remain fully committed to his vision for a viable and free Palestinian state, living in peace and security with Israel, and to the Road Map for achieving lasting Middle East peace through negotiations.
There is a sound logic to President Bush's vision: The Road Map will lead to an independent and democratic Palestinian state; a Palestinian state will allow its citizens finally to taste freedom; and our freedom will be the foundation for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Since my democratic election as president of the Palestinian Authority in January, my government has done all in its power to advance the Road Map and live up to our commitments: My government has initiated serious reforms of our governing institutions; we have consolidated the official security agencies; we have declared a policy of non-violence and negotiations and we have worked hard to secure and maintain a cease-fire to which all factions signed on.
Unfortunately, Palestinians cannot pursue the Road Map alone. Implicit in the idea of the Road Map is that Israel and the Palestinians are partners in the journey to peace. Yet the Israeli government has not fully cooperated with my government, created obstacles in the face of a full and unconditional return to the negotiating table, and acted as if Israel can resolve the Middle East conflict unilaterally. In addition, the Israeli government has taken steps that undermine the Road Map.
For example, during Israel's Gaza disengagement, my government was asked to ensure that Israel's evacuation took place peacefully and without disruption. I am proud to say that we succeeded: not a single Israeli settler or soldier was attacked or fired on. We were told that our behavior would be a "test," and that if we did our part, Israel would reciprocate by allowing Gazans to breathe the air of freedom and begin rebuilding their shattered lives.
Yet, this has not happened: Gaza's airport and crossing point to Egypt remain closed; its waters are off-limits to our fishermen; its borders are completely sealed and movement into or out of Gaza is virtually impossible; and no safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank exists. Because investors rightly fear that without access to the outside world, Gazans will not be able to rebuild a functioning economy, they have been slow at investing.
This is not the vision that President Bush and I had for the Gaza Strip back in May: We wanted to see a free Gaza Strip, open to the rest of the world, where Palestinians can be free and where our economy can prosper. But as long as Israel maintains its stronghold over the borders, water and airspace of the Gaza Strip this will never come to pass.
Similarly, this is not the vision that we have for the West Bank. Palestinians have been assured that "Gaza first" would not be "Gaza last." We were told that we would soon enjoy an expansion of our freedom in the West Bank. We were told that Israel's evacuation of the Gaza Strip would not come at the expense of deepening the settlement activity in the West Bank. Instead, Israel has accelerated its settlement expansion in the Palestinian heartland. In fact, the 26 months since Israel announced its plans to disengage from Gaza have witnessed the highest rate of West Bank settlement construction in all the occupation years. Israel has also continued construction of the Wall -- deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice -- depriving more and more Palestinians their freedom and livelihood, and closed off access to East Jerusalem, Palestine's religious, cultural and political capital.
Israel's lack of regard for the Road Map is having a powerfully negative effect on Palestinian society at an extremely critical time in our democratic development. There is a struggle underway for the hearts and minds of the Palestinian people between the moderates and the fundamentalists. I firmly believe that this struggle should be resolved to the advantage of the moderates via the democratic process, not through civil war. As John F. Kennedy once said, "A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
Posted by: Captain America ||
10/20/2005 00:04 ||
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Abu Mudhen Mazen had better realize one thing. His @ss is dangling by the most slender of threads. This single gossamer strand is known as, "The Road Map."
I invite him to abandon The Road Map and see what happens to his albeit brief life thereafter. As the only "moderate" Palestinian on the horizon he remains, perhaps, the one single leader of his people who retains sufficient vision to pilot them through the shoals of their nascent statehood.
Should Abbas abandon The Road Map, he would essentially declare open season upon himself for all of the competing factions who would like nothing more than a resumption of festivities.
Abbas has little to threaten Israel with and much to fear from within his own ranks. It is obvious that Sharon realizes this and has most likely informed Abbas of exactly how brief his continued shuffle on this mortal coil will likely be should he fail to correctly read the Map.
In light of the rather tedious progress that has been made, not to mention the lackluster opposition Abbas has presented to terrorists within his electorate's ranks, I find it increasingly difficult to wish him any sort of luck.
The Palestinians truly deserve nothing more than a reputation for eating their young. Whether it is the endless internecine warfare, obliterating the flower of their youth or thwarting all hopes of reconstruction with unabated and endemic corruption, their rapacity is their own reward. Such willful and transcendent malignance could not be a more fitting or well deserved legacy for the Palestinian people.
Success or failure of the Palestinian State teeters upon its own over honed knife-edge. The Road Mapâs path is a precipitous ridgeline that Abbas will have to navigate with the nimbleness of a mountain goat, if he wishes even to live, let alone succeed.
MADRID: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday he is working to prevent a repeat of militant violence that killed three Israelis over the weekend and prompted Israel to suspend contacts with the Palestinians, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said. In a one-hour meeting with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Abbas said his government is also trying to get the Palestinian militant group Hamas to lay down its weapons and transform into a legitimate political party ahead of legislative elections in January.
Shall we hold our collective breath?
Abbas arrived from France as part of a tour that will take him to Washington Thursday for talks with President George W Bush. Abbas also met with King Juan Carlos. His visit here comes two days after Israel suspended contacts with the Palestinian Authority and imposed travel restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank in response to two drive-by shootings near West Bank settlements. The attacks Sunday left three Israelis dead and five wounded. Security officials in Israel have been quoted as saying they believed Hamas might have been involved, although the violence was claimed by a militant group with ties to the ruling Fatah party.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Abbas says he is working to stop militant attacks
All that "work" and little to show for it. Tsk tsk.
THE masterminds of the first Bali bombing have laughingly rejected asking for death row pardons, saying they will answer only to God.
We can arrange that ...
The three bombers - Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Mukhlas - were yesterday visited in their maximum security island prison off the south Java coast by a seven-strong team of court officials and parliamentarians from Bali. The officials were visiting the jail dubbed "Indonesia's Alcatraz" to try and speed up the executions process after several weeks of at-times violent protests by Balinese outraged by triple suicide bombings earlier this month.
The 2002 bombers, who have all had their heads and beards clean shaven, were led one-by-one into a room with officials from the Denpasar District Court and prosecutors office, as well as two Bali MPs I Gusti Adhiputra and Made Arjaya. The head of the local Cilicap District Court, Robert Simorangkir, was also present at the meeting, where the bombers were shown pardon forms as a legal formality and asked whether they wanted to submit them to the Indonesian president.
A laughing Amrozi - dubbed the "smiling assassin" - told the group "You should thank me, because I am brave enough to defy the United States, while you as officials just sit around", Simorangkir told the Media Indonesia newspaper.
The bombers, who were moved to Batu Prison on Nusakambangan Island last week from Denpasar, have all been placed in protective custody amid threats of attacks from other prisoners.
A spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney-General Abdul Saleh said the Government was hoping to finalise the timetable for their executions before a holiday ending the holy fasting month of Ramadan in early November. "We have a target that before Labaran, we'll have certainty of execution time," spokesman Masyhuar Ridwan said.
Bali police chief I Made Mangku Pastika earlier this week warned speeding up the execution process could spark more terrorist attacks by extremist supporters of the trio.
Simorangkir said the team would now divide into two, visiting Samudra's family in the West Java city of Serang and the East Java home of Mukhlas and Amrozi in Lamongan to ask if they wanted to submit pardons on the trio's behalf. Samudra's brother recently said the family would do as he wished and waive their right.
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng recently told AAP that all the legal steps would have to be completed before the bombers could be executed.
Lawyer for the three Achmad Michdan said he had already received a letter from the bombers asking for a judicial review, based on a Constitution Court decision last year overturning retroactive use of anti-terror laws used to convict the them.
Posted by: God Save The World AKA Oztralian ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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If requests for clemency or pardons are no longer an issue, tuck these maggots in for the dirt nap, pronto! Every minute they remain alive is an additional stain upon Indonesia's already soiled reputation.
Full article, as Jakarta Post links often point to different articles without warning...
The Islam Followers Forum (FUI) has urged the government, the House of Representatives, the Indonesian Military (TNI)/police and foreign parties not to discredit Islam in connection with the investigation into the Oct. 1 Bali bombings.
"No, no! We're sure it couldn't have been Moose limbs!"
As no one has been found responsible for the terror act, which killed 23 people, they should not indiscriminately make baseless statements, FUI chairman Mashadi said on Wednesday. He expressed regret over a statement that Muslims were behind the attacks, which were carried out in the name of jihad.
"Likely it was Mormons. We saw some o' them skulking about, y'know..."
The statement he was referring to was made by Ansyaad Mbai, head of the antiterror desk at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, who said that as 50 percent of Muslim preachers disseminated hatred, they should be watched closely and captured.
Sounds like prudence personified to me...
All parties, including the government, the TNI and the police, should cooperate closely to find the culprits behind the bombing, and not accuse each other thereby causing new problems, Mashadi said. He said that not a single preacher encouraged people to commit crimes together, as in principle their messages dealt with giving suggestions on good deeds and avoiding something that burdened others.
Good deeds occasionally involve dynamite, of course, but it's Lutherans and Unitarians that are responsible...
He said that Mbai's statement would be discussed in detail with members of the Indonesian Ulema Council.
... which will then issue a fatwah, demanding that he be killed.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Intelligence regimes have destroyed the development of the Arab and Islamic world by restricting freedoms, caging creativity and forcing people to submit to dictatorships, said Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah.
That's an interesting departure for him...
In his weekly seminar on Wednesday, Fadlallah outlined an Islamic position on the region's security regimes. Fadlallah said Islam bans eavesdropping on the personal level on the grounds that it exposes the private defects and the secrets of others. Likewise, Islam bans political espionage, he said.
Oh, yasss. Everybody knows that...
He said a government does not have the right to tap people's phones or follow their personal affairs, except in cases of emergency or cases of a threat to national security. Even in such cases, the government should not treat its citizens as suspects by spying on a large majority of a population under the pretense of preserving political or social security, he said.
Keep going, Mullah. Eventually you'll arrive at the view that people should be allowed to do as they damn well please, unless it involves conking other people on the head and stealing their property or blowing things up. Once you accept that dangerous premise, it's a short step to the idea that they can go to any kind of mosque they want, or to none at all, or to a church, or a temple or what have you, and that the only difference between a Believer™ and an infidel is the hat. When that happens, you're going to end up with people marrying outside their immediate families, women wearing what they please, dogs and cats lying down together, and the occasional drunk lying in the gutter. At that point somebody's going to put out a fatwah on your ass.
Fadlallah said the Arab and Islamic world had paid a heavy price for allowing secret services complete authority to interfere with political and social life and restrict freedoms in the name of preserving public security or fighting Israel. "These barbaric regimes succeeded in restraining the people's ambitions for change and social creativity," he said.
Then, of course, he goes on to blame us for all the problems he can find...
Fadlallah strongly accused the superpowers of strengthening such regimes, even charging them with enrolling presidents in their intelligence services. The cleric said that the CIA had employed most Arab leaders at one point, often discarding them or toppling them in the name of freedom and democracy when they ceased to be useful.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Shouldn't the title read US to take serious steps against Damascus and France to accept bribes to hamper our efforts?
Over the past months, the U.S. has stepped up pressure on Syria by openly criticizing Damascus' alleged support for the insurgency in Iraq and is expected to request the UN Security Council apply pressure on Syria.
France and other nations, according to The Washington Post, want to limit resolutions to "Syria's intervention in Lebanon" to prevent an Arab backlash
#4
France and other nations, according to The Washington Post, want to limit resolutions to "Syria's intervention in Lebanon" to prevent an Arab backlash
Hands up everyone who's sick and tired about hearing about "backlashes" of various sorts in regards to Arabs and Muslims, and wishes the world would start dealing with Arabs and Muslims lashing out in the first place.
Chirac plans to throw his panties at them in a hissy fit.
So long as they don't land on anyone's heads, that's OK.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
10/20/2005 8:15 Comments ||
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#5
Is that the legendary spoon of discomfort Angeremble?
#6
France agrees to let US pressure Syria if no further investigation into French involvement with Saddam is pursued. Quid pro quo.
Posted by: john ||
10/20/2005 8:27 Comments ||
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#7
Syria was a French colony. France hopes to install a puppet regime after Baby is thrown out so that they have a reliable ally close in the neighborhood to pursue their anti-Israel policies. We should be very careful how much influence we allow the French, who incubates Ayatollah Khomeni, to gain in the new Syriuan government. We'll know we've failed when the new head of Syria goes to Carqacas to seal an oil deal with Hugo.
Lebanese MP Saad Hariri said he would demand an international trial for those accused in the assassination of his father Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, following talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Arab League chief Amr Moussa. "We could not carry out the investigation and requested the help of the UN. Of course we will demand an international trial," the MP told reporters in Cairo on Wednesday. Hariri said the UN probe team leader's report on his father's murder, which is to be issued Thursday, "will be clear and we will find out who committed the crime."
Hariri insisted "the perpetrators of the crime must be punished" but refused to accuse the Syrian regime of the murder. Hariri said that certain countries were trying to exploit his father's death for their own interests, particularly the fallout with Syria that many accused of having a hand in the murder. He further stressed the importance of establishing special relations between Lebanon and Syria. "We should not allow them to do so," he said, without naming any country. But he stressed that "we should demand justice and the truth."
Hariri's meeting with Mubarak lasted two-hours and focused on the much-awaited report and developments in Lebanon and Lebanese-Syrian relations since the murder. "Lebanon's stability is important to Egypt," stressed Hariri, and said that Egypt always supported Lebanon in all its stages. Hariri, who, according to his aides, is due to travel on to Saudi Arabia, also said that Mubarak told him that all Arabs wanted to know the truth about Hariri's murder.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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Hariri insisted "the perpetrators of the crime must be punished" but refused to accuse the Syrian regime of the murder.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, owes his life to an unnamed Maoist, who was part of the team that carried out an abortive attack on him at Alipiri two years ago.
The naxalite's failure to intimate the team about Mr. Naidu's movements led to a split-second delay in triggering the claymore mines, possibly saving his life. Mr. Naidu, his Cabinet colleague, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, legislators R. Rajasekhara Reddy and Chadalavada Krishna Murthy, and security personnel were injured in the attack.
The failure of the `scout' came to light through an article in Jung, the military magazine of the Maoists. It provides an insight into the planning and execution of the attack.
The report, a copy of which is in the possession of The Hindu , said the `Special Action Team' (SAT) hid 17 claymore mines underneath a paved embankment of the ghat road, about 150 yards from the Alipiri junction. The detonation point was 12 m away from the mines, and the team detailed for detonation had an excellent view of the road.
"The team collected the details of Naidu's movement in Tirupati and was ready. Our comrades connected the camera flash gun to mines and hid it. ... CM started for Tirumala at 4 p.m. But since the scout did not alert the team about the movement [of the convoy], the team had to face a situation for which they were totally unprepared," the article said.
"The teams rushed to the place, took out the flash gun even while trying to get input from the scout, and then they noticed the escort vehicle zipping past. Then the CM's car came into view and without losing a second, we detonated the mines and retreated instantly," the article, probably written by the action team, said.
The delay apparently saved Mr. Naidu's life as the boot of the level-3 bulletproof car took the full impact of the shot-put balls used as projectiles. The white Ambassador car overturned due to the massive blast. Mr. Naidu, who was sitting in the front and had not fastened his seat belt, sustained a hairline fracture on his shoulder.
Posted by: john ||
10/20/2005 19:02 ||
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SAAB wins provisional Pakistan airborne surveillance system contract
Saab AB said its provisional contract to supply an airborne Surveillance System for Pakistan is worth a total of 8.3 bln skr, with two thirds, or 5.5 bln for itself, and one third for Ericsson Microwave Systems.
Saab AB said it has signed a provisional contract to supply an airborne Surveillance System for Pakistan.
There are a number of outstanding issues that remain to be resolved until a final contract is in place, said Saab CEO Ake Svensson.
The airborne surveillance system includes Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with Ericsson Microwave Systems airborne radar system ERIEYE.
Posted by: john ||
10/20/2005 17:08 ||
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Now we know why aid has been so slow.
Why buy tents and food for quake survivors when AWACS need to be bought...
Posted by: john ||
10/20/2005 19:01 Comments ||
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#2
Does anyone have a currency conversion calculator handy?
Posted by: Phil ||
10/20/2005 19:29 Comments ||
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LOL, wait until they see what spare parts cost!
"Lack of sales and profitability forced Saab to cease 340 and 2000 production, with the lines winding up in 1998. The last 2000 was delivered to Crossair in April 1999."
http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=348
#4
We are talking about 1.06 billion US dollars, with 7.86 skr to the US dollar. The twisted priorities of the PAKS boggle the mind. Maybe they can grovel to their Saudi sugardaddies and get some money for disaster relief and reconstruction. Sorry, Pak-Land, we are tapped out. The President can promise the moon, but the Congress makes the appropriation bills (I think, heh) 8<{
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/20/2005 21:06 Comments ||
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#5
What was that they said: "we will eat grass to get our A-Bomb..."
#6
To that effect, but that sums up the attitude in quite a few countries. (I believe, unfortunately, Iran as well. And the Norks? Uhh, the problem is that there it ain't sarcastic.)
And yeah, Congress does the bills, the President can only sign or veto.
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
10/20/2005 21:57 Comments ||
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MUZAFFARABAD: Two local relief workers drowned when a bridge across a river collapsed on Wednesday in the earthquake-ravaged Pakistani Kashmir, a private relief group said. A third volunteer fell into the raging Neelum River but was saved by other aid workers transporting goods in a motorboat, the group said. The rescued man sustained serious injuries, Yahya Mujahid, Jamaat-ul Dawa spokesman said. The bridge linked Muzaffarabad and the village of Dhani Mai Sahiba.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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PESHAWAR: Four people were shot dead in a mosque when two rival groups fired upon each other during a tribal council in Khwazah Khel in Badabare police station jurisdiction. The dead were identified as Shakirullah, Khudal Khan, Theseenullah and Haji Wafadar. The tribal council was called to reconcile the rival Hameedullah group and Munsif group. However, both parties exchanged angry words during the meeting and fired upon each other. A first information report had not been registered by Wednesday night.
Separately, three people were killed and another injured in Bhanamari. Miskeenabad resident Minhaj was injured and an unidentified man shot dead during a gun-battle between two rival groups. Police registered a case against Rafeullah, Inayatullah and Safiullah.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2005 00:00 ||
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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.
Vice-President 
MADRID: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday he is working to prevent a repeat of militant violence that killed three Israelis over the weekend and prompted Israel to suspend contacts with the Palestinians, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said. In a one-hour meeting with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Abbas said his government is also trying to get the Palestinian militant group Hamas to lay down its weapons and transform into a legitimate political party ahead of legislative elections in January. 
The Islam Followers Forum (FUI) has urged the government, the House of Representatives, the Indonesian Military (TNI)/police and foreign parties not to discredit Islam in connection with the investigation into the Oct. 1 Bali bombings.
Intelligence regimes have destroyed the development of the Arab and Islamic world by restricting freedoms, caging creativity and forcing people to submit to dictatorships, said Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah. 
Lebanese MP Saad Hariri said he would demand an international trial for those accused in the assassination of his father Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, following talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Arab League chief Amr Moussa. "We could not carry out the investigation and requested the help of the UN. Of course we will demand an international trial," the MP told reporters in Cairo on Wednesday. Hariri said the UN probe team leader's report on his father's murder, which is to be issued Thursday, "will be clear and we will find out who committed the crime."
PESHAWAR: Four people were shot dead in a mosque when two rival groups fired upon each other during a tribal council in Khwazah Khel in Badabare police station jurisdiction. The dead were identified as Shakirullah, Khudal Khan, Theseenullah and Haji Wafadar. The tribal council was called to reconcile the rival Hameedullah group and Munsif group. However, both parties exchanged angry words during the meeting and fired upon each other. A first information report had not been registered by Wednesday night.
